A WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT PURCHASING GRAY MARKET PIANOS

Gray market pianos are Japanese pianos not made for nor originally sold in the United States. 

Many American consumers are looking for used Yamaha or Kawai pianos.  Unfortunately they are nearly impossible to sell in Asia as most Pacific Rim consumers will not purchase a used piano.  Thousands of used Japanese pianos are shipped to distributors and wholesalers in the US who specialize in gray market pianos.  Typically they are sold to unsuspecting customers at "half-price" or more.

These pianos have different manufacturing criteria, materials and models than those specifically manufactured for the US marketplace.  Many gray market piano resellers will say there is no difference in these pianos.  Buyer beware!  These pianos have been extensively played in schools and universities in Japan, have been partially refurbished to look "like new", are worn out and ARE NOT built with the US climate in mind. 

On many internet piano sites, the resellers will further deceive the piano shoppers by stating that the pianos were originally purchased in the United States.  Most likely the innocent shoppers have no knowledge of exactly where the pianos came from and that they are purchasing a Gray Market piano. 

The primary difference in Gray Market pianos is the way the wood is treated.  Pianos, being primarily wood, are built with different wood treatments for different destination climates.  The wood used may have a higher or lesser percentage of humidity depending on where they are to be sent.  Problems arise when Gray Market pianos end up in the US market in a completely different climate.  The end result is cracking and warping of the sound board, pin block and other key components of the piano leaving the uninformed purchasers with a piano that does not hold its tune, loses its sound quality or becomes completely unplayable.  This process may happen over several years, not readily or immediately noticeable.

In addition to moisture content in the building materials, Gray Market pianos are shipped to the US in unsealed shipping containers, thus allowing more moisture to collect in the pianos during their 30 to 60 day voyages.

So, if you find an internet deal with an extremely low selling price, it may just be a Gray Market piano!  There are several ways to identify them.

1.  A grand piano with only two pedals or a non-operational third pedal
2.  An unfamiliar model number
3.  The serial number.    Contacting Yamaha at 800 8540-1569 or Kawai at 800 421-2177.  They will be    able to verify what market the piano was built for and where it was originally shipped.

Be an advised, smart shopper and do your homework before making your investment!  A good piano is built to last 100 years or more.