More Shopping Trips

Would like to share more piano shopping trips:-

Asia Piano @ Citimac Industrial Complex

The salesperson was Leonard at Asia Piano. They have a wide collection of 2nd hand pianos (I think almost all are Kawai and Yamaha pianos). These pianos are those that were manufactured for the Japan market, and they were exported out of Japan as 2nd hand pianos which are then being sold here. Hence, it is considered the "grey market". These pianos are suppose to have their original parts, with some reconditions being done. But when I looked at the pianos, they are usually very new in the inside and the felts and hammers still looks very new. This is because (what they told me) that the weather and air in Japan is cooler and drier, and hence, is actually a perfect environment for pianos, which is the reason why it can maintain the pianos for a longer period compared to those that are in more humid and hot countries like Singapore.

Back to the shopping experience, Asia Piano has different ages of Kawai and Yamaha, ranging from 1 year to the maximum of 30 years old. Leonard says that he would not sell any pianos older than 30 years, because after that might be too old. I saw a few which I like, the Kawai K3 which is 27 years old at about S$3.3k and a Yamaha U3 which is 26 years old at about $4.0k. Personally, I feel that the pianos seem to cost too much for such an old instrument though truely speaking, it does not look as old as it is. Asia Piano also offers very attractive packages like giving a 5 years warranty for the pianos they sell. And if within the first year of purchase, you are not happy with the piano which you bought, then they are willing to do a one for one swap with another pianos (regardless of brand and model) that they have. However, the maximum rebate that they are willing to give is about $500, for one that is cheaper than the original one which you have chosen, which is something which I feel comfortable. But still, I feel that the pianos are too expensive. But it is also because that it is expensive that the perks are better. As there is allways a lot of this sort of market, I did not really shortlist any one, but rather, am I ok to buy "grey market" pianos.

Robert Pianos @ Parkway Parade

There is much lesser pianos here. Mostly are 2nd hand Kawai pianos. They do not sell Yamaha pianos here. But the selection here is limited. And the Parkway Parade branch is suppose to be the one which have the cheapest pianos compared to the other Robert Pianos branches. But nothing caught my attention, so after a while, I left. And the pianos there are generally more expensive than those in Asia Piano. But they are also younger which is about 11 to 19 years old range.