Buying a new piano without playing it.

[alex14]

Hello everyone. I know that before buying a piano I should play several, listen to them, feel them and finally decide on the one I liked most. But this time I already gave the advance to buy a Kawai GX1 piano because the seller gave me a really excellent discount, which I couldn’t refuse. I will touch it until it is already installed at home after two months, which is how long the import will take. I tried a Kawai GL20, another GL30 and I liked them. I’m trusting the brand, the reviews I’ve read and the other Kawai pianos I’ve tried. What do you think? Am I taking a big risk buying a piano without playing it first? Any comments or feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

[lostinidlewonder]

I've done it before buying a piano interstate which was an incredible deal I couldn't ignore. You need to hire an accredited technician to go appraise the instrument for you and send you a report. I was satisfied with the instrument even though I sold it for a profit a number of years later.
 

[jonathannyc]

Hello everyone. I know that before buying a piano I should play several, listen to them, feel them and finally decide on the one I liked most. But this time I already gave the advance to buy a Kawai GX1 piano because the seller gave me a really excellent discount, which I couldn’t refuse....Am I taking a big risk buying a piano without playing it first? Any comments or feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Yes, a big purchase, sight unseen or unheard, is always a risk. But, in this case, you are dealing with a known commodity - a reputable piano manufacturer with a consistent quality control of their products.

When you get the Kawai delivered into your home, it may take time to adjust to the new sound: it will probably sound louder than you expect, and I have found Kawai pianos to be on the bright side of the spectrum.

From my experience, you might want consider two factors;

1) Experiment over time, as many pianists do, with modifying the acoustics in your music room using sound-absorbing materials such as carpets and decorative acoustic panels, and,

2) You might want to have the hammers re-voiced by an experienced technician (this is standard practice) if the felts are too hard and creating a metallic sounding edge - that can make a big difference in the quality of sound.

It's not a certainty that you will need to do those procedures, but they are available to you.

Congratulations on your new purchase!

https://www.bakerpianolessons.com/