🎹Shigeru Kawai: 10 Interesting Facts About Shigeru Kawai Pianos🎹

[@FelipeCostaPiano]

Just when I thought that my respect for Kawai couldn't possibly reach a higher level I came across this video. Thank you for sharing all these interesting details about the Shigeru line. I hope I can own one someday.

[@michaelmcfadden4397]

I bought a digital kawai to learn to play piano and the quality is just incredible. My 1st acoustic piano will be a kawai for sure.

[@brayanjoel3580]

Wich one did you buy?

[@michaelmcfadden4397]

@@brayanjoel3580 The CN 17

[@suryahitam3588]

Same here, a CA95, now I'm looking for a grand, maybe a GX2, an SK2 would break the budget unfortunately.

[@murraywhittaker6452]

I purchased my SK7 new 2004 in Brisbane Australia, and it has been the most magnificent and enjoyable instrument I could wish to play. I have now owned this piano for 14 years, and I can attest to the Japanese Shigeru artisan personally attending my home and spending a whole day fully servicing and tuning my instrument just over a year after I purchased it.

[@dan92677]

I enjoyed your tour of the Shigeru Kawai Piano. It was very interesting, informative and explanatory ! Thank you for your time.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! We're so glad you enjoyed the video. :)

[@MrTedflick]

I just bought an SK7 based on this video. Should arrive in 3-4 wks

[@MerriamPianos]

We're very happy to hear that you found this video review helpful in your decision making process. The SK7 is a truly spectacular piano and I know you will be thrilled with what it offers musically! :)

[@weisslin]

Very impressed by the information in this clip, especially item #7, 8, and 10.

[@bettyjane6684]

Amazingly articulate intelligent interesting presentation

[@ivanbouzguenda5481]

Dear Sir, I would like to express my gratitude to you. You are an extraordinary, pianist as well as an extraordinary Piano professional. The quality and quantity of your advice, as well as your didactic quality are incredible. During my research, your advice allowed me to look further and more finely for the instrument that would suit me, for the rest of my life. I finally opted for the Shigeru Kawai SK II. this instrument is a marvel, and every note, every chord delights me. One of my childhood dreams has just come true! Thank you for your valuable advice and piano demonstrations

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you so much for tuning in and sharing your kind words! I will be happy to pass them along to Stu for you. Also, congratulations on your SK2! It is a marvellous instrument with incredible musicality and expressivity. I know that it will serve you well as a lifelong musical companion. :)

[@pedrorapallo9546]

Stu, it’s a pleasure to watch your videos. Fantastic insights and fenomenal delivery. Thanks

[@davidbecker4900]

Phenomenal

[@2001TubeOdyssey]

Absolutely Impressed by this Presentation > Buying a Shigeru directly from You @ MerriemPiano as a gift for our Church is definitely on my Bucket List > BlessYou

[@MrBaroquer]

Just a great episode! I have discovered for myself these wonderful stories by Merriam Music about acoustic pianos and I have immediately become a fan of them. Best greetings for Merriam Music! 🙂

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you kindly! We sincerely appreciate that incredible compliment. :)

[@pockettanker]

Just awesome! Piano review in Doug DeMuro style👍

[@QuickQuips]

*THIS* is a Shigeru Kawai SK7. It's a piano from Japan many are saying is better than a Steinway. And I'm going to go through its quirks and features and at the end I'll give it a Doug score. For more piano reviews check my column on Pianotrader.

[@Dragon_Warrior7625]

@@QuickQuips well said....😂

[@anirutvideo]

I've had a chance to play the SK-EX and, simply put, the experience was just orgasmic.

[@poolio75]

Absolutely superb - thank you for the knowledgeable and eloquent video

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to tune in! :)

[@wynnyu3594]

Thank you very much Stu. I learned so much from you. You are amazing.

[@MerriamPianos]

Brent here! Thank you kindly for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on your thanks and kind words to Stu! :)

[@arkination]

Super interesting stuff! Thx as always Stu.

[@paxwallacejazz]

Well the function of the rockmaple rim in a Steinway or I believe a Mason & Hamlin is to reject or eject the vibration from the soundboard pushing it into the air as acoustic energy. That's why American pianos have always traditionally had a more bombastic ecstatic sound above mf. Steinways high tension thinner soundboard being very very responsive actually sounds ecstatic or different at high volume like a different piano above mf. It's chracter isn't exactly linear unlike most European grands. Most pianist really like this.

[@bikemike1118]

Interesting to get to know more of this piano brand. Thank you!

[@LokiZemy]

What a fantastic video! Thank you Stu for sharing your knowledge. I've always adored kawai pianos and after hearing about some of their fascinating methods, I certainly do a little more 👍✌

[@wynnyu3594]

Excellent video. Thank you Stu

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much for tuning in! :)

[@Yothlan]

I was somehow expecting the sk2 to be much more expensive ! This is gorgeous. Topic idea: high end hybrid pianos and what to favour when living in a small apartment 😁.

[@Yothlan]

@@Classical416 something like 40-45k€ here in Europe

[@BFHPET]

@@Yothlan isnt that expensive?😂

[@Yothlan]

@@BFHPET well ... yes 😅 but for a concert-grade "handmade" piano of a renown company I expected much more - I believe the Bechstein equivalent is around 80k€

[@BFHPET]

@@Yothlan yes but the other brands you pay for their name too

[@BFHPET]

just got my sk2 love it the sound is so warm and clean

[@SpaghettiKillah]

I browsed and played all the piano showrooms from all the main manufacturers. My personal experience is that as quality is concerned: 1. Bosendorfer 2. Fazioli 3. Kawai Notice I didn't mention Steinway as I find their sound and tone consistence to be all over the place (less so for the models made in Germany). Well chosen and well tuned Steinway can go up to number 2 spot on my list, but it's not as straightforward.

[@zbigniewbohdanowicz8897]

This was really interesting, thanks!! It also convinced me to buy their digital piano, to get at least a bit of this perfection.

[@lorihz]

Hi from California. We just bought a kawai digital yesterday!

[@probablyblue426]

@@lorihz do you like it? 😁

[@lorihz]

@@probablyblue426 There are lots of pros: we ordered it from Los Angeles and it was easy for them to deliver. My husband and friend had to put some pieces together but he said it wasn’t hard. We don’t have to get the piano tuned. It fits into a little corner of our house and looks like a real piano. Me son who is 7 is starting piano and he loves it. He loves the option of changing the sound of the piano (from grand to upright to all the other options). My 12 year old, who has been learning piano since she was 6, would definitely prefer an acoustic at her level of playing. But she says the sound quality and feel of the digital keys are good. She says the negative is she can’t really vary the loudness of her playing (like one section would be her banging on the piano, but the digital doesn’t get any louder than the volume you set it out. If you know what I mean?). Overall, I’m happy with our purchase. It’s great for beginning and intermediate levels of playing. I started learning piano myself just because the sound is so beautiful. I think if you were really serious about piano, like my niece who is a piano music major, she definitely likes the acoustics for performance. But she says for practice this wasn’t bad. Hope this helps!

[@paxwallacejazz]

Didn't know about the boxwood bridge caps? In the last two 8vas nor the double duplex scaling. Wow . Intriguing.

[@petchlohanut]

Only for sk5 and above, according to the official website

[@alanlamando6667]

Fascinating!

[@mickandrews9458]

Stu, this is one of the great things about your channel. This 'insider' information is really interesting, aspects about particular brands one is unlikely to find out elsewhere. What I would love to know is whether many, if any, manufacturers apply the David Stanwood type approach to build/regulation, in particular selecting hammers so they are of a precise weight, say to an accuracy of 0.1 to 0.2 grams. This is crucial to ensuring eveness of touch owing to inertia, which is far more than just static downweight (though this is also very important when playing pianissimo). Do you have any insights on this, which can explain why two similar models can feel very different? Thanks as always.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you so much for supporting the channel and Stu's review/comparison videos! I definitely agree with the sentiment about Stu's deep knowledge of insider info about the piano industry. These are things that you simply can't get from a mere spec sheet! I believe there are a number of manufacturers that are obsessed with these types of precise details, especially the likes of Kawai and C. Bechstein. Both of these companies are constantly innovating and refining to ensure the utmost precision in their pianos. This is especially true in the case of the touch of their highest-end instruments.

[@ian757]

Hi Stu. Thanks for a really interesting video. I have a couple of questions/observations if you have the time to respond? Firstly, the keys are only about and inch longer than before so is it right that that makes them almost the same length as a concert grand? Schimmel increased the length of the 189 to 195 to achieve this and they say that those key sticks absolutely are the same length in all K-series models as their concert grand. Secondly, your point about value for money is incredible. I have an absolutely stunning SK3 (the MPA who came to me in Manchester said it was a ‘Peach’ even amongst Shigerus as they are all somewhat individual as such) and it was literally about half the price of a CF4, a Bosendorfer 185VC or a C. Bechstein A192. For the style of playing I like the SK3 was the one I kept coming back to although I also loved the CF4 and the Bechstein. The SK3 was also just the right size for my home and you have to draw a line somewhere otherwise you’d end up with a 9’ piano! And these pianos look smaller in a big showroom than in your living room!!! I always enjoy your videos and if I’m in Toronto anytime I’d love to come and play some of your pianos and talk piano generally with you. Regards, Ian

[@JacobEmch91]

The level of half-pedaling on the SK’s is unreal. It opens up a whole realm of capabilities not found on most instruments.

[@judsonmusick3177]

Has Stu ever compared a Shigeru Kawai grand to a C. Bechstein grand of similar size?

[@stanley88264]

Nice video. But I was really hoping you would play this beautiful instrument.

[@elizabethvhwong]

Playing a piece from Bach, please. ^^

[@marianneoelund2940]

See KZbin channel "Piano Haven - Sedona" for many performances on the SK-7, professionally recorded in a studio.

[@amirmotahari6186]

Marianne Oelund hi, I have recently come across a 1992 Kawai grand CA-40N, I can not find anything on line about this made. How do the CA compare to the KG series? Are CA premium to the KG.

[@wenzehanliu2041]

Amir Motahari it’s better than the KG, kind of like the SK line now

[@JoeLinux2000]

Isn't the balance rail of the Shigeru offset? Very few pianos have that.

[@maxrey4055]

How many times do they tune the piano before leaving the factory?

[@MerriamPianos]

That is a good question! I will say that the Shigerus go through immense preparation and QCing, which is evident when you play these pianos right out of the box. :)

[@tomosmaric7496]

Awesome Insight Thoughts - but why am I watching a video on a concert grand I can not afford in 1000 years 🤣🤣

[@edoardosacconi8391]

i find the best thing about shigeru kawai is the value. i haven't played one yet in my life, but based on the comments of very talented and experienced pianists, i can say that they have a caratteristical sound that is completely opposite to fazioli, in the way that they aim to make a piano that is as consistent as possible throughout the octaves, and not an instrument that sings by itlself. I still prefer fazioli's filosofy, of a piano that sings and that has a sound that is different throughout the various registers. But, againg, for the money i would definetly own a sk5 rather than a f212

[@donkgated8074]

Where did you get that idea from about Fazioli? All of the ones I've played (and I've played quite a few across 2 continents) are exactly that; powerful and uniformly consistent, if rather boring. On the other hand, most Shigeru Kawais (except the odd few that aren't looked after properly) bring a smile to my face with that beautiful singing tone.

[@alexthompson6529]

Awesome insights, would love to have one of these one day... Fingers crossed!

[@AGC828]

Q: Is there any reason why rims are always made of layers and not ONE solid plank of some kind of wood? They're trying to max their supply of wood? I mean, isn't there wood furniture made from one solid 1" plank of wood bent to shape? Or, does that not exist? Because after a certain thickness the stress would be too great if bent? Even using industrial "wood bending TECH"?

[@waltervanderboor]

ai back to scholl 700,00 0 out of a million is not 30% but 70%... As for the wood bending. My family comes from some carpenters/ furniture /ship builders. And as a child we learned bending wood to keep the cells all even. The wood was dried for years outside, then soaked and steamed in shapes. It makes sense, as it does not break and it makes a lot of sense that the sound is better. Good furniture keeps its value, I bet that this will apply to these pianos as well. Now my question do they come with a silent mode?

[@MerriamPianos]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing your experiences with the masterful craft of steam bending wood. :) Value retention is a constantly fluctuating thing within the used piano market. To some extent, it will always be connected to the new piano market of course. In terms of the Shigeru Kawai pianos coming stock with a silent mode, the typical Shigeru Kawai SK models do not. With that said, I have seen SK models with the Aures 2 technology in Kawai corporate stores in Japan, which is quite exciting. So, they are out there. But, they are not available in every market at the moment.

[@ackamack101]

I was so hoping to hear Stu play this SK7 for a bit 😢

[@MerriamPianos]

We will have to tackle an SK7 or SKEX video in the future! ;)

[@ackamack101]

@@MerriamPianos That would be great! I would love to hear Stu play one of those!

[@worldlinerai]

I don’t believe Steinway is using vertically laminated bridges anymore. They might, but it’s definitely not with different woods. The only companies I know with laminated bridges is Kawai, Yamaha (the competition to Kawai), and Ravenscroft.

[@stevencharleswhite7045]

Excellent video, as always. :) But don't say something's "crazy" if it seems (to you) like it's the right thing to do. Surely if anything's crazy, it's doing the wrong or lazy thing.

[@MerriamPianos]

Very well said! Thank you for your kind words! :)

[@Persun_McPersonson]

The piano lengths sound much more simple, straightforward and less arbitrary in their original metric measurements: 1.8 m, 1.9 m, 2 m, 2.1 m, 2.3 m.

[@MerriamPianos]

I can certainly understand where you're coming. The whole model naming convention of different manufacturers is quite interesting though. There is certainly no set standard in the industry on that front.

[@Persun_McPersonson]

@@MerriamPianos For sure, not ragging on other naming conventions, just pointing out that translating from one convention to the other leads to seemingly-random numbers. I just think it would have been good to give the sizes in the original units alongside the translation.

[@bandar7891]

I hoped he'd play it

[@MerriamPianos]

There are many videos that feature Stu demoing various Shigeru Kawai SK grand pianos. This video is intended to be an overview of the line and some interesting facts about the Shigeru Kawai pianos. :)

[@KeepingOnTheWatch]

Some fast-food restaurants out there ought to have my name on a plaque due to the amount of business I've given them over the years. Interesting facts about Kawai!

[@leochen887]

Well, if you're a person of note, e.g. [in]famous, a b&w photo may be placed on the restaurant's wall. Look for it...🤔

[@imelbook]

This video is missing the actual factory videos!

[@MerriamPianos]

Kawai has a few videos showcasing the factory. With that said, we appreciate the feedback and will do our best to integrate some of that footage in future videos of this nature. Thanks for tuning in! :)

[@marianneoelund2940]

I do not believe you have your facts straight regarding the keystick length. Relative to the RX series, yes, all of the SK series (and GX series) have increased keystick length - which shows up in the overall piano length - but the increases were the same (2cm or 3cm) for all sizes. In other words, if the RX series had shorter keysticks in the smaller models, then the SK (and GX) do as well. If the keystick lengths had truly been equalized across the SK series, then the smaller models would have needed to grow more than the larger models; but this is not the case. Here are the piano sizes for the three series: RX-2 178cm GX-2 180cm SK-2 180cm RX-3 186cm GX-3 188cm SK-3 188cm RX-5 197cm GX-5 200cm SK-5 200cm RX-6 212cm GX-6 214cm SK-6 214cm RX-7 226cm GX-7 229cm SK-7 229cm EX 276cm SK-EX 278cm The interesting fact that the concert grand also grew 2cm further suggests that the smaller models have not caught up regarding keystick length.

[@wenzehanliu2041]

Marianne Oelund there was also a model called EX-L (278], which was more expensive than SK-EX (276] at that time, but now the SK-EX(278) replaced the EX-L

[@BFHPET]

How much is a steinway a key length?

[@welcomybb]

The name should read as ‘Ka y e’.

[@MerriamPianos]

According to Google, the American pronunciation of Kawai is "kuh-wai". Perhaps, it is one of those "tomato-tomato(e)" kind of things. ;)

[@larghedoggo9607]

​​​@@MerriamPianosYes but it is Japanese and which showed in spelled is seperated, so Shi-Ge-Ru , Ka - Wa - i 😉