oops, i didn't mention, of course used imports lah. You must be thinking car parallel importers.. i saw 1 6mths K8 at $9000 hehehe gotcha :p did your heartbeat skip?

Ah gray market pianos. Good price for the K-8! Even if I had known I would probably still have bought a new one. That $9K price for the used K-8 tells me that my piano will have good re-sale value should I change my piano in the future for the Shigeru Kawai SK3. When I win the lottery!

Artemov, don't worry or rush into piano, it comes naturally... Maybe one day you pass by some piano shop, and hear me playing ballad pour adeline, and you finds it romantic and buy one piano immeadiately to learn.....

Hi snoopycar,

Wah ... maybe I will find you romantic and ... oops ... just joking lah.
I used to listen to Richard Clayderman a great deal when I was young. But these days I listen mostly to classical music, especially the Baroque, Classical, early Romantic periods.

Yah, I am taking it slowly. It's a big investment and I am worried about the economy too

No need big investment to get satisfaction.
You need to be able to find the lowest cost piano, that performs to good specf. Means that it has been "prepared" by a Piano tech that has a great heart that cares. What i mean is that the piano might have some cosmetic imperfection, but mechanically and acoustically great. There are means and ways to obtain these 3.5 star piano.

You'll have to accept her "old age". it may be older than you. But the body is great. She just had her beauty surgery done - i mean her vocal cords...... Her self consious have been re-programmed. She execrise regularly so that the pivots are not sticky. She have just bought new leather high heels and she can jump very high - the actions were replaced.

I mean there are used japanese piano where the actions and strings have been replace. Casing repolish or repolyestered. But, it still need voicing to bring the tone to a acceptable level. Hammer need to be realigned to the strings, need to re-regulate everything. Hard to find one, but it's possible. if interested, i can help you .... be thick skin like me, i bring you go piano shopping... $2000~$2800 can already.

Nevermind you can't play do-re-mi, 3 keys isn't too hard. Soon you can play fa-so-la-ti-to...

I wonder how many pianos are imported into Singapore annually - 1) Used (majority grey piano from japan) and 2) New (japanese, chinese, european).

hehehe, here's the link to my piano idol
Really admire her talent, so amazing, words can't describe.. and so cute.


http://www.clareyeo.com

we support you....... "jia you" (cheering)

Hi Digitus, I don't know if the dealer has quoted me the wrong price but I've also asked the price of the K-5 and they are just RM10k cheaper than the K8 which means it is still few thousand more expensive than the price you paid for the K-8. So I guess the price for the K-8 is correct. Well, I wonder if I could buy in Singapore and shipped it to Malaysia as used furniture . I guess after adding the shipping cost it still a lot cheaper. By the way, have you asked the price of the Shigeru Kawai SK3? Here is selling at RM126k. I tried it b4 and it is amazing!
Thank you for the recommendation on Yamaha but I don't really like the tone of Yamaha. It is too bright for me. I tried a few used Yamaha and their sound pierce my ears. so I guess they don't age well.

jarjar, buying in Singapore and shipping to Malaysia is an option I guess, as long as Robert Piano does not have any agreement with the Malaysian Kawai agent to avoid cross-border sales. I guess you could always arrange delivery yourself. But your shipper must know how to handle/crate pianos properly.

About the YUS5 it was worth listening to right? At least you know what your choices are in that price range.

Yes I agree with you about the SK3. I'll PM the price to you. In Singapore its significantly cheaper than the Steinway upright!!

Right, my brother is in Singapore. Maybe I could let the piano being delivered to his place then I shipped to KL by myself. My brother had shipped some furniture back from Singapore to KL so I guess it is not a problem but dunno about any tax from custom or not. Will try to check out the Yamaha this weekend. They are Shimmel upright in Malaysia too but haven't tried it yet.

I personally find the Schimmel tone a little to bright for my taste. They are known as the European Yamaha. Ironically, Yamaha owns just under 25% of Schimmel.

Hi Digitus, have your new K8 arrive at home?
Having fun already ?? .... new wood aroma..hmmmm

jarjar, if not mistaken you will have to settle a 15 + 10% (duty + sales tax) if you bring piano into Malaysia, be it used or new. And, I believe piano in Singapore is relatively cheaper than in Malaysia because Singapore only pay GST of 4-5%?

As for Kawai agent in Malaysia the last I heard Robert (Singapore) took over the Kawai agency from KC United in Malaysia.

Regards.

Yes, it arrived just before noon yesterday. But the delivery was only mildly exciting -- three guys had to slide the piano on its sled two floors down to my flat. Compare this to the delivery of Wzkit's Sauter grand, carried 24 floors up to his flat.

I've been getting keyboard time in before leaving on a trip tonight. Away for 7 days...aargh!

And the piano already needs a tuning. I'll give it 3 or 4 weeks before I call in Mr Chiu. Might be earlier if I can't take it anymore! :p

Wow..you make it sound like my Sauter delivery was the mother of all piano moves :p

But then again, it probably was!

P.S I think you can get your first tuning around 2 weeks after delivery

Wizkit
Wow, does it cost $100 per floor ? That's what i heard ..... that makes $2400 !!! got ask for discount(typical singaporean style) ?? hehehe

Well, yours is the first I've heard of a piano of any description (let alone an expensive 6 foot+ grand) being hauled up 24 storeys!

I think two weeks is about right. I don't think I can tolerate the piano being out of tune much beyond that! Anyway, I've got 3 free tunings for the first year.

Unfortunately, my ears are somewhat fussy, and I'm toying with the idea of doing touch-up tunings myself, or get help from one of my friends who tunes his own Petrof grand.

pppsss, don't let robert knows you idea....

Wow, hauled up 24 storeys? Why didn't use the lift? My piano was sent to my 13th floor using the lift so it is quite an easy job.

Jay, you mean I have to pay 25% of tax? I heard that we could shipped it back as used furniture, not musical intrument then could bypass the tax. I heard a lot of Japanese grands are imported in this way.

Lift was too small in my flat for the piano to fit in. So, there really wasn't any choice. Anyway, I had already factored in the cost of transport ($140 per floor) into the final price, so it wasn't an issue. Its better to pay a little more to get really good movers to do it, especially in a hazardous move like this one! Better not be penny wise, but pound foolish!

I did a calculation. It is still way cheaper to buy in SG then shipped to KL even include the 25% tax! What are Malaysia Kawai agents thinking?

When there a "will", there's a way.....
Just say it's a wardrobe... or a computer table
Or go to the showroom every week to play, then after a few months, the sales guys will give you a special price, really.

Jay, maybe you can try to negotiate for a best price as the price displayed are usually Retail price.

Huh ??? Would it be cheaper to hire a TOWER CRANE ???

I can't imagine the muscle guys have to twist and turn 24 story up !!! really solid man..
The amazing thing is if they can deliver without a single scratch!!

Wizkit, post some picture of your sauter and scenic view leh....

Crane would have cost me at least $5K, last I heard...

Anyway, here're the photos of the Mother of all Deliveries...
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/1/13815.html

Mama-mia!!

ok ok, yeah, maybe helium balloons should lighten the load a bit .. i'll try the DHL balloon next time..

Yes... 25% new or used. Oops.. sorry that is for upright piano. For grand I think is only 10% sales tax, no duty.

Shipping as used furnite.... .... that I'm not sure. When I import my furniture from Australia many years ago, it is clearly stated in the B/L it's content.

I am suprise, if is a lot of Japanese grands been imported this way, I guess the Malaysia Customs must be sleeping all the time.

:D jarjar, Kawai is represented by the same agent in Singapore.

Oh ya, jarjar tell them there is not teacher or referral involved. Maybe, you can get another 10-15% off.

hehehe jarjar, you can buy K8.... then
Sell it to xxx piano shop for $800
Then he sell you for $1000, with official reciept!! So you pay Malaysia tax, but less lor... good idea? hehehe legal ???

But if you decide to buy from robert malaysia, leave yout toyota camry at home, borrow a kancil and park infront of the showroom... that should add another 5% off bargain power.....

Jay, actually I'm looking for a grand. I wonder how much is Kawai GE30 selling in Sg. It is RM55k here in Chamber music. I've checked out a few used Kawai 6' grand like RX3, GS-30, CA-40. About 20+ years old pianos selling at RM33-35k and the RX3 made in 1997 selling at RM48k.
Snoopycar, unfortunately I don't own a toyota camry ya . hehe.

Ar... RM 55K for GE 30 (5'5"?). Isn't GE entry level models of Kawai. I prefer the RX or Shigeru or the Yammie Big C or S for Japanese pianos. On the other hand, you can get a Petrof V for RM 57K (5'3"?)(USD 15K) or Petrof IV (5'8"?)for RM 59K (USD 16K). IMO, after some tweaking to these pianos they're capable of having wonderful tone and loads of sustaining power.

AND, used for RM33-35K, that is alot of money for a 20+ years old. Furthermore, I thought these pianos are declared as used furniture. They pay no tax. hee hee... It shouldn't be selling at that price....

btw, jarjar what happen to your used yamaha u1 that you just bought?

Regards.