boston is just an overpriced kawai. they are made in the same factory, but the boston has a steinway label on it. from a kawai factory representative i was told that both most kawai and equal in level boston are made essentially in the same way, but the boston has a markup for its steinway label. in fairness he was talking about uprights, but i think the markup is reason enough not to go with a boston seeing as how your bound by a budget.
You apparently do not know anything about the Boston piano line. It is completely different from the Kawaii. In fact, nothing is the same on either one. Two completely different pianos. And the whole " marked up for its Steinway label" just infuriates me. You make it sound like Steinways are expensive because of the name. Seriously? You think that over 140 schools made that big of an investment because of a name? Over 1600 NON PAID artist choose it because of a name? Boston has one of the best mellow sounds around. They are a great buy for any level pianist. No piano can touch the investment of purchasing a Boston either. Just saying.
and apparently do not know anything about how silly it is to call out a 3+ or so year old post. and to what end? why defend the brand and bash the quoted poster with such apparent fervor?
also , you seem to lack an even superficial understanding of Asian culture and the immense weight/importance placed on honor and the family name. without getting into a pissing match over instrument specifics, just on the principle alone that such a proud family with the reputation around the name kawai, to somehow think that they would realistically agree to and set out to put out a superior product than the one they put their name on? think about that for a sec.
it maybe an almost comparable instrument (perhaps just based on basic probability and the huge number of instruments manufactured, an example here or there might to someone seem better but not objectively and consistenlty), but Kawai build a flat out better one (across the board?) and dishonor their name/family like that? not likely.
also, you said something about the investment of purchasing a Boston....sorry pianos are not an investment. they are a liability. when they begin consistently paying dividends or when pension funds can buy piano mutual funds and when people generate passive income streams from them? then we can call them an investment. i love pianos. one of the best things i think a pianist could ever spend money on.
by the way. welcome to the board. normally leave silly things like uneccessary bumps alone. but you may very well be a nice and knowledgeable persona and many could/would benefit from your presence here. but your first post just made you seem like a big butt head.