What should I know about used Kawai pianos imported from Japan?
Used Kawai pianos from Japan are typically 20–30 years old, may have wood seasoning issues in drier North American climates, and do not carry Kawai's transferable warranty.
Typical used Kawai pianos from Japan are approximately 20–30 years old. At this stage, a piano may require major reconditioning — hammers and strings may need replacement, tuning pins reset, and regulation and voicing performed. This overhaul can be costly and should be factored into the purchase price.
Some younger used pianos (6–12 years old) have been subjected to rigorous daily use in Japanese music schools and will almost certainly require reconditioning sooner than normal.
Wood Seasoning: Kawai pianos built for Japan were historically seasoned for Japan's humid climate, differently from those built for North America. Moving them to a drier North American environment can cause problems. Current production instruments are well-seasoned for North America and are far less susceptible to these issues.
Wood Instability: All older pianos are affected by fundamental instability of wood in piano actions, which compromises tone and touch consistency. Newer Kawai models with ABS Styran action parts are scientifically proven to be 30x more resistant to swelling and shrinking than comparable wooden parts.
Replacement Parts: Kawai America and Kawai Canada do not carry parts inventory for models that were never sold in North America or were built long ago. Parts will not be available for these instruments.
Warranty: Kawai's 10-Year Fully Transferable Warranty applies only to new units purchased from an authorized Kawai dealer in North America.