1984 Kawai US50

[treble190]

Hello!
I would like to upgrade from my 45" Kawai 606 to a full size kawai. A reputable dealer/technician in Toronto, Canada offers a 1984 Kawai US50, reconditioned, 10 yr warranty. I would arrange my own shipping (200km) and tuning. I am offering CA $3,000. Is that a good deal? Also, is the US50 a good piano in an apartment setting? I am afraid that it may be too loud?  I plan to drive to Toronto tomorrow to try out the piano. Thank you to anybody who can help this newbie with the complicated art of buying a piano!

[hfmadopter]

It's all about what is in the eyes of the beholder. If you like it and think it's worth $3000 to you  then buy it. Really it's about as simple as that. Kawai is as good a name as the next brand, if you like them that's fine. More important to you is if you like this specific piano, not just the brand and model. Of course it can be rather tough coughing up 3000 bucks for an old upright when uprights are on craigslist for next to nothing, people can't give them away these days..

In an apartment situation, unless the walls we soundproof I'd only look at digitals personally. In the case of soundproof walls and reasonable size I'd skip over uprights all together and go for a grand. But that's me not you. You should do what pleases you, above all else make sure that the piano is one that you just know you will love to play on !

[lhorwinkle]

I bought one of those, a US-50. It was a 1981 model, which I bought in 1995. I paid $3600 for this 14-year-old piano.

You're looking at a 1984 model, 29 years old. I wouldn't pay $3000 for it.

Regardless of price ... try to determine the provenance of the piano? Where did it come from? Lots of early 1980s Japanese pianos fared poorly in the US because the construction was not suited to US climate. It was some years later that Kawai (and Yamaha) made changes to the wood to make their pianos more suitable for use in the US.

Where are you located?