We are looking into these two pianos:

Kawai CX21D $2450 (good condition)
Kawai NS20A $3900 (excellent condition, 5yr warranty, tuning and delivery included).

Both pianos were manufactured in 1990.
Are above asking prices inline with fair market value?

Hi Ed, and welcome to the Piano World forums!

I'm not familiar with either of those models, but Kawai is a good instrument all the way around. I don't think you could go wrong with either.... buy the one you like the best!

In terms of prices, they sound like typical dealer retail prices... maybe not bargains, but not outrageous either.

Good luck.

Rick

The CX-21D was a value-oriented 48" piano that Kawai produced to compete with other value priced instruments of the time. The NS-20A is a substantially better quality piano, and we routinely used these in practice rooms at the SF Opera. We would never have placed a CX-21 into that environment. IMHO, the NS20 is a much better deal if the piano is in good condition.

The NS20A is a 49" artist level uprt. which competed with the 48" Yamaha U1 in the early to mid nineties, both being Japanese artist level uprts. The NS20A is a considerably better quality uprt. than that of the CX21D as master88er noted. My only issue is the asking price. $3900 is kinda overpriced even from a dealer. Just my opinion when comparing to brand new Kawai uprts.

Ed,

Good responses so far, just a comment on “fair market value”: the term while rare enough on its own, simply does not exist as applied to piano sales. The prices quoted are unremarkable other than as starting points and could easily be 10-30% higher or lower, depending on the whim and hopes of sellers as much as on the annoying infrequency of buyers. Transactions exist as separate snapshots anchored as much to gullibility as plausibility and no more comprehensive regarding outcome than two cats fighting over a dead rat or two dogs pawing an old shoe . . .

Mike

Thank you all for the information!
One more question to ask. Does anyone have any information about the original retail prices for Kawai CX-20D and/or NS-20A?

It's a sensible question, but I've finally learned that original prices don't matter too much. The main comparables are new pianos of the same make, which are priced much higher. These used instruments are priced relatively to new pianos and not to their original price.

Learning that someone can sell you a 20-year-old piano with virtually no depreciation (exception for inflation) would only annoy you. You can pass but someone else would still buy.