I have searched the forums and read all the guides...BUT it is still hard to decipher an average price. I am in the North East Tri-State area. I was leaning towards a Kawai K3 but I am contemplating upgrading to a K5 or K6 for the right price? Does anyone have a recent quote or purchase? Also when does price increasing occur with this manufacture? Does the bad economy keep prices down for the moment?

go to page 2 of this forum, very recent price quote of K-3.

ps. I'm jealous that the dealers up there all stock a K-8, none of them around me do....(read your other thread)

Getting to play both on a fairly regular basis, I think the K-5 is a significant step up from the K-3. You should give it serious consideration.

I think I am at least going for a K5 at this point. I am going to stretch it for a K6 if at all possible. I just need some recent data to make a timeline.

Got a realistic price quote today to really get a K6!! Have to make a few calls tomorrow to see if I can swing it but it's looking good right now!

Could you share the quote? I am considering a K6 or K8 myself.

PM sent

Thanks for the message, Rafterman. I will see how things are here on prices.

I started my search with the intent of buying a grey market Yamaha.....got a little more educated......ordered a new Yamaha YUS5 for my studio........Then I wanted another upright for my home office........I was 100% going to pick up a K3 for $4500 and call it a day. I played a K3, K5, and K6 at the dealer. I didn't feel the K5 was that much more of a value over the K3. I went home and I could not stop thinking about the K6 tone (Also a Kawai RX-2). I knew I could stretch my budget for a K6.I found a dealer with an amazing K8 that was properly prepped. I was in love with it. I went to several dealers (Nine to be exact). I began to factor in how much prep work these dealers do for the customer prior to delivery. So if it's close in price, I recomend you ask the dealer what is involved in their prep process. If you don't understand have them demonstrate and explain it to you. Also BUY "Idiot's Guide to Buying a Piano". You will learn more then you know right now.

Actually I called the dealer you referred. He won't give me the quote by phone but in person. It takes more than a hour driving from my place to this dealer, but I think even you went much further than me, so it supposed to be worth to take a look and pick up on my own.

I played piano a little bit and I owned Kawai k5 in Taiwan ten years ago. The price is going up high so quickly. Now I'm going to but another KAWAI for my two sons to play. I'd like to have a grand RX-2 but it's over my budget and I don't want kids abuse it. Honestly, I am still a fan of K besides the techenical part which may be a plus.

No Kawai or Yamaha dealer will talk prices on the phone. If you come down to the dealer you can speak later on the phone. I believe it's against both companies policies.

It's like buying a car. Go to enough dealers and they are competitive. However, you should factor in how much prep work a dealer does to the piano. The mom and pop store might only tune it and visually inspect it........other dealers put a lot more defined effort into it. When I was asking for recent price quotes for Kawai on here it was like pulling teeth. I had to do the leg work (and driving) myself.....but it paid off. (I am glad to share)

K3: 4990, included delivery and tax, and trade-in of old samick

hello, Rafterman:
Which dealer you got your k3 from? <$5000 seems a great price. I'm also buying a K3. Can you please pass along the dealer's info?

Thanks!
Oaktoner

Rafterman, PM sent

Rafterman didn't get a K3. He purchased a K8! And prices have changed since Rafterman and myself locked in deals.

I started out looking to purchase a Kawai K3 and wound up getting a Kawai K8. There is a rebate for Kawai that ends in March. Supposedly there is a price increase coming in April from Kawai. My quotes were late February and early March.

I still think they are obtainable prices. Hold your ground and do the leg work with dealers. It's just like buying a car. If they are not meeting your reasonable offer.....politely leave......they will call you back.

I had one dealer turn down $10,000 for a Kawai K8 and then told me they would call back. They never did. I ran into them at a college sale they hosted and they told me the price was too low so they decided not to call me. I bought it from their competition for around $2000 less. I will be buying a Grand in a about a year. I will be skipping that dealer for any consideration what so ever.

I wouldn't skip over them next time you're shopping. They were upfront with you about the price. They might be able to offer you a good price on a grand in the future. Who knows. Or maybe, like the dealer who gave me an incredible price on my K-2, the other dealer will have gone under.

I agree. When I was shopping all the dealers were honest. I had already done my howework however so this was to my advantage. Since everyone played honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to any of these same dealers in negotiating for another/different piano. Maybe the dealer that was high on 'xyz' model could give me a better deal on 'abc' model. You never know.

I also don't believe the old prices will hold. The price increases are already reflected in Larry Fine's Piano Buyer Spring 2012 edition. As a result it'll cost more for a dealer to re-stock the K series models. Why would they give you a K model at the old price? I wouldn't, and I'm not a dealer just speaking from a business standpoint.

Only time will tell...I went to 13 different Kawai dealers by the way. All of them extremely professional and pleasant to deal with. I am leaning towards a Kawai RX3 for the next purchase but I have time to research and decide.

Keep us posted

In the mean time you still have two (K8/YUS5) of the best uprights