Greetings from soon to very warm Arizona,

We are on our second week of our new Kawai RX-2 Blak.

Reasons for purchase: Wife played growing up, I tinker, it's time for the kids (8, 6, 6 and 4) to start piano lessons and we have a big room that needs some furniture. Viola, we need a grand piano. I like piano music so we went with a Pianodisc iQ system as well. The kids have to tell me to turn off the player so that they can play on weekends.

How did we end up with the Kawai? I spent fair amount of time lurking here before the purchase as well as devouring Larry Fine's book. Budget and common sense ruled out pianos above $30k. Looked at Young Chang and Samicks, paranoia then ruled out Chinese pianos (fair or not) and I was left with Yamaha or Kawai as the obvious choice. Several trips to the Yamaha dealer reinforced this belief and I settled on a DGC2. I was quoted a take it or leave it price and left to think about it. Further research on the Yamaha determined that this was the "low cost" construction model which rubbed me the wrong way. Next day at lunch I walked into the Kawai dealer asking about RX-2s and from the first listen I knew it was the one. The sound of it blew away the Yamaha that we were considering. At least to my ear. So far, we are very happy with our first piano!

First post here. Probably not the last. Daughter going to play now so time to turn of the player.

Bob (in AZ)

Congratulations Bob! You have found the piano you love. It is a fantastic choice and a great encouragement for your children starting their piano lessons.

Robert.

Hi Bob - Welcome to Piano World!



You made a very fine choice and you and your family will have many years of enjoyment. Since you needed to fill up space, I'm surprised you didn't opt for the EXG!

(BTW - There's a 12 step program for iQ addiction)

Thanks!

EXG is huge. Heck the RX-2 is pretty massive for a home piano and over the top for a first piano. It definitely makes a statement in the house. Sound and presence.

I will look for a sponsor if gets worse.

Thanks,
Bob

Great Choice! I too, would shy away from Chinese pianos (fair or not).

Congratulations on your new piano! I tried it too and find it a very good value for money.

Just disagree that Yamaha or Kawai is obvious choice then - some pretty nice european pianos (Vogel, W.Hoffman, Irmler, even smaller Estonia) can also be found within the specified price range, Boston, Essex etc. What does not make your Kawai less a good piano though.

And piano player system is fun, too.
Enjoy your piano!

Congratulations!

A fine instrument for a fine family!!

Rick

If you need that sponsor, Rickster might be able to help you out. He is constantly battling his persistant PAS and falls off the wagon a lot.

It's a nice place to start out on the piano food chain, BobInAZ. It's going to be a busy piano, with mom, dad, and at least several of the kids all playing. No doubt you already know this, but (especially with a player mechanism) a house full of musicians and music lovers puts wear on the instrument faster, and thus it will be the more important to keep up with the tunings and regulation (four times, the first year). And that, of course, will help you to get the most out of your nice piano. Therefore, cultivating a relationship with a well-qualified tech will be of some importance. The upside of that, is that the tech will want to know you, too, and will want to keep you happy.

Which reminds me, it's time to call mine...

Anyway, my congratulations to you, and best wishes. I have one of the other RX models, but I've had a very good impression of the RX-2's. Touch, tone, build quality, and a sturdy enough package to stand up well to a very busy life. You'll have enough players to make up your own in-house ensemble.

Good points on the technician and tuning. Piano lessons start next wednesday! I hope the teacher has a technician she would recommend.

Bob

Hey Bob,

Since you have been lurking at PW for awhile, you must know the tradition of photos.

We want pho-tos, we want pho-tos, we want pho-tos, ...

You don't want a riot in your first thread, do you?

I know. I took some with the Ipad and they were awful... too bad to post. Let me see about that now...

Bob

Well. There are pics here...

Epic fail...

New link:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/galleries/2046256/Our%20New%20RX-2.html#comments


Bob

Yes. That is a hula hoop....

He is constantly battling his persistant PAS and falls off the wagon a lot.

It must be the wine, cuz the link doesn't work! - ROTFL

It was posted upside down from the iPad, I deleted it and then was called to help put the kids down. Should work now.

Back to the wine....

Bob

Nice... No wine near the piano

Too Cool!

Now just relax, enjoy the cabernet, smell the rose, and enjoy the piano while it plays with itself.

Congratulations to your new piano!

I bought a Yamaha grand piano myself last year, but Kawai would have been my second choice. In my opinion they tend to be a bit underrated in Europe. Unjustified, because Kawai obviously knows how to make pianos.

Congratulations! I bought an older RX2 for all the same reasons that you did (minus twins), except that my budget was lower. It's great, or it will be once it's tuned properly, but my husband is wishing we had a player system too. Well, we'll just have to improve our own playing.

You are very lucky; enjoy!

That is a beautiful piano in a lovely spot in the house. I also second the previous statement: NO WINE( or any food item) NEAR THE PIANO!
Congrats and you have made a great choice.

So. No wine near the piano. Got it.

We are having a piano warming party at the end of the month, how to keep the guests wine from the piano?

Serving wine and cheese to the sounds of Kawai.

Any tips?

Bob

How 'bout an electric fence?

Effective but maybe less subtle than I was looking for...

Bob

Just inform everyone that a grand piano can be irreversibly damaged by an accidental glass of wine on the keyboard or soundboard and you would appreciate it if they kept they didn't approach the piano with glass in hand but left them one of the various side tables or standing tables that you have wisely placed around the room for their convenience.

Also, no self-service but having an open bar with a bartender who serves all drinks and cuts off the drunks. ;-)

I usually have one or two holiday parties at my house each year and my house is usually packed. I close my RX-2 lid a leave a 8.5 X 11 white paper on top that says "No drink or food on piano please". Never had a problem, and people get the hint to stay clear of the piano. If there are small children who want to play we gently ask them to wash their hands first if they had been handling food.

"...one or two holiday parties at my house each year and my house is usually packed... Never had a problem, and people get the hint... small children who want to play we gently ask them to wash..."

I'm impressed with the quality of guest you have in. It sounds like wonderful fun, and civilized as it ought to be.

Those kids, they actually ask to play? I'm impressed again.

We are rethinking the Cinco de Mayo party due to our new addition...

The XMAS party is one of the reasons to get the player. We will make it work.

This first piano warming party should be a good indicator of things to come.

Bob

Congratulations on your new piano !

I wish you many happy years of enjoyment playing it.