Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Buying a piano, kawai, Yamaha, or Kohler and Campbell???

Hi there, I'm new to this by I have a very important question.

I have been playing the piano for ten years, but only on a digital. I now think it's the time to buy a real piano, but I am having trouble finding the right one seeing that I don't want to look at pianos listed over 14 k. I have found one piano that is a Kohler and Campbell listed for 9999.99. It's model is: KCG 650. I am not sold on this piano, however. I would much rather have a Yamaha or Kawai. I have heard that the smaller more inexpensive yamahas are not very good quality, and do not play very well. I was looking for some information on the kawai ge-30 and the other kawai pianos in my price range.

There are two piano studios in my area, one that deals Yamaha and one that deals kawai. I have read that the ge-30 goes from 11-12 k, but the local studio is selling it over 16 k. The Yamaha dealer seems to have better prices.


Could anyone give me information on Yamahas in my price range, or even a bit over, kawais in my price range, and the Kohler and Campbell? Thank you so much!

Go to both the Yamaha and Kawai studios and try their pianos to give yourself an idea of what you like. Depending on your playing style and taste you may find you prefer one over the other, and then you can narrow it down. In the past, if you liked Kawais you could narrow it down a lot faster because they were distinctly different in that they used to be darker and had heavier actions. Not sure about nowadays.

Hi, Colegirl99, and welcome to Piano World!

I think it is wonderful that you now want a nice, baby grand piano to play and enjoy! And, it sounds like you are well on your way to finding the right one for you…

I might add, however, that you are the one who is going to have to do the leg work and find the prospects you are looking for. Others here will have some good advice and suggestions, but what you are looking for will only come as you audition and “touch” the pianos themselves.

I’d suggest contacting any and all local piano dealers about pre-owned models and looking at private sales advertized on various sites, etc… I think you are wise to stick with the better known brands.

Other members (including dealer members) can make suggestions where you might find good prospects, but direct advertising of pianos is not allowed on the open forums. There is a “Pianos for sale” site here on Piano World here… http://www.pianoworld.com/exchange.htm

Good luck, and keep us informed!

Rick

Of your choices mentioned, I'd stay away from the Kohler and Campbell...

Thank you all, I have contacted one of the dealers so far, ( the yamaha one) and as far as I know they have a Yamaha GB1, and they can order a piano. Does anyone know anything about the Yamaha GB1? I read that it is better to buy a used grand piano instead. unfortunately, the dealer is about 45 minutes away from my house so I can not make it there to try it out myself for a few days.

Alright, so I found a white G2 Yamaha. I have wanted a white piano all along. I found it on craigslist.

Sounds great!

Check it out and see what you think... I'd suggest having it inspected by a piano tech before any money changes hands.

All the best!

Rick

Will definitely do that.

Thanks

I would suggest looking at every brand of piano that fits your budget at your local dealers, and given the indicated budget there should be quite a few choices. Do not rule out the chinese pianos without trying them first. I was looking for small grands in the same price range a few months back. I started with the idea of getting a used Kawai RX-2, but eventually got something quite different.

I would go check out the new Yamaha GB1 and others that you may consider on craigslist as well before deciding to buy. Then if you do buy used, be sure to hire a piano tech to go check it out first and give you information on its condition and what work might be needed - BEFORE you buy it.

Having said that, I think you can get some really good deals when you buy used from private parties. You just may be dealing with a lack of maintenance on their end, which adds to your overall cost to get it where you want it.

If you want a white piano you are in luck. They are generally in less demand so you can bargain pretty hard if you can find a good one.

Unfortunately, the piano is too large for my house... I am going to look at the Yamaha dealer as soon as possible.

Hi,

I hope you are having fun shopping for your piano. Don't get in too much of a hurry. Have you laid out a floor plan to try out what size piano you might use? One just a few inches longer doesn't really seem to take up that much more room. I went from a 5'5" to 5'10" and can't really tell the difference in space. Unless you are really tight you might want to try out at least the GE 30 at 5'5". For $14000 you should be able to find a lightly used recent model piano too if you want to go that route.

Good luck,

Please, whatever you do, do not buy a Koehler and Campbell. Koehler and Campbell is a vastly inferior piano to any model yamaha or kawai new or used. Trust me, I've owned a Koehler and Campbell years ago when they were still American owned (now they are cheap Chinese pianos posing as American by virtue of their old world brand- there are many of these, be careful) and supposedly still good. They we never good. They were never even fair, just bad. You should be able to find a nice 10-20 year old 5' yamaha or kawai for well less than $10k and it will serve you well.

Thanks guys!

I should have mentioned this earlier, I live in a very low traffic area. By this I mean there are literally no good quality used pianos less than 4 hrs away. I did check out the only ge 30 in the area and it it selling for 22 grand.

I measured the room, I may be able to fit a 5 5 but preferably a 5 3. I am going to continue looking on Craigslist and even several hours away.

Does anyone know any other quality piano makes that I could look for?

Oh yes, I have ruled out the kohler and Campbell.
Thanks

They're not Chinese, they are made in Indonesia (if that matters), at least according to the label on mine.

My new K&C 5'2" grand just got its second tuning, this time from my regular tech. She spent 4 hours here. Tuned it, worked on the damper pedal and did some voicing. The hammers seemed to respond well.

It sounds pretty good now. Those Samick pianos have their own tone, somewhere between the Yamaha sound and the Kawai sound. Somewhere between bright and warm, more fundamental maybe. Not a wide dynamic range, at least under my hands.

It's not a great piano, no, but I enjoy playing it. Is a Yamaha $20,000 better? That's up to the individual. I wouldn't label it VASTLY inferior, though.

I wouldn't rule them out without playing one and giving it a chance. Mine is a compromise between what I really wanted and what I could afford.

Good luck with your purchase. Play lots of pianos, you'll find one you really like at some point.