I've been trying (upright) pianos as I find shops, as you all recommend. (So far my favorites are a Hailun & a Petrof, but I've still got at least 3 more shops that I want to visit...) After playing many in one shop, I tried the only Kawai, and compared to the others, it sounded dull -- completely unlike the descriptions that I'm reading here from happy Kawai owners... Which leads me to this:

This Kawai was one which has a lever to the left of the keys--the owner described it as a device to add resistance to the keys for those who liked to adjust the feel... After thinking about it, I'm wondering if this was calculated on his part... I got the impression that Kawai & Yamaha are among the two brands (at my price point) that he competes with... It is my intention to go to a Kawai dealer to try pianos (without that lever), but wondered if anyone here was familiar with that model & if the range of expression is indeed sacrificed by the lever, (or was it just THAT piano...). He also shared that, as a RPT, he doesn't like servicing Kawai's... (to each his own...)

After it occurred to me that I totally played into the mindset of "yuck, why would I want a Kawai after playing (& loving) the Hailun & Petrof..." did it dawn on me that I hadn't read or heard about this particular model of Kawai...

Not looking for commentary about the owner--I recognize that it must be tough selling pianos in this economic climate. So far, every dealer (that I've visited) has found a way to bash either pianos that they don't sell or other dealers, so I can't blame him for trying to steer me away from a competitor... at least he left it to me to hear the difference... (it seems, at least where I live, it's a competitive market--not necessarily good if you're gullible & don't have a poker face... They smell blood if a piano appeals to me... )

Anyway, I won't be buying anything without leaving any store & then later going back after cooling off... Just wondering if there are quirky models that are not representative of the major brands... I walked right into this one, but I don't want to inadvertently rule out any brand because I don't recognize it as non-conventional. (another example is different pedal configurations... One I tried muted the whole piano with a locking middle pedal... Not a bad idea, but not what I'm looking for...)

The lever may be the practice pedal. It mutes the sound, and makes it dull. If it's not that function, I don't know what it is, or that piano was voiced very mellow and muffly-soft. There no really quirky models of any brand, but some do sound very different to what you would expect it to sound based on what the majority of the pianos from that brand sound like. There are then other brands that have a range of pianos of different sizes, but they individually have different designs and sound characteristics, so you can't really say a particular sound is characteristic of the brand.

It is more likely it is a Kawai upright with 'Variable Touch Control' - 'VTC'.
A piano that must be already some time on the dealer's showroom floor as, at least in Europe, Kawai put these with their 'legacy products' i.e. products they do no longer make:

Kawai VTC

schwammerl.

I was not very impressed with the upright kawai with VTC. It was one of the contenders when I still thought an upright would do. Neither the tone nor the VTC really did anything for me.

Ok, great! I'm sorry i made an uneducated guess - no harm meant.

I think you should probably look for a new Kawai to try, not a secondhand one.

BTW, how does the variable touch control work, exactly?, I'm curious to know.

Rotom,

Follow this link:

Kawai VT132

schwammerl.

KBS, go try a Kawai or Yamaha at a dealer that sells them. I wouldn't trust one at a competing dealer. I was at one shop that had a Yamaha U-1 that the dealer used to demonstrate what a horrible piano the U-1 is. He must have put a lot of effort into de-tuning and de-prepping that piano to make it sound that bad. I'm lucky enough to get to play a U-1 from time to time and it's a very enjoyable piano.

Wow, I never knew about this technology, I would be very interested in what others have to say about it!

Sounds like an interesting and educational adventure, KBS.

I owned a Petrof 46" (P115?) upright for a couple of years. It was a very nice sounding and playing piano; warm and mellow. I can see why you liked the Petrof.

At the rate you are going, you will find your piano soon!!!

All the best!

Rick

Indeed it is! The first piano is still in our living room, so I still have time... Although a pickup is scheduled ...

But the more I look, the less in a rush I'm feeling. Not only did I NOT think I'd be able to hear & feel the differences between pianos, I'm amazed at just how different every one is! I do think, that when all is done, I will be happy. But then I won't have the excuse to try out such wonderful instruments...

Thanks for your replies. The second link posted by Schwammerl is the same model that prompted my OP... But I definitely agree with the comment by Plowboy--definitely going to go to a Kawai & Yamaha dealer too... It is remarkable just how dull it was compared to every other piano in his shop!