I was in the market for a really good piano a year ago. And like most people, my dream piano was a Steinway. I can't even believe my wife was going to let me buy an $80k piano. However, I decided to shop for a piano the way I shop for guitars, playing a lot of them and forgetting about names and prices. My favorite pianos turned out to be, a Steinway, Shigeru SK2, Yamaha CX, and the GL 30, 40, and 50. One of the stores had two GL30s, two GL40s, and a GL50. At one point my favorite of them all was the Shigeru with the GL50 being in second place. I know the Shigeru is considered a higher quality instrument, in terms of tone and feel the GL50 was just as good as the Shigeru. The GL50 just sounded different, darker and smooth. The Shigeru had more of a shimmering tone on the trebles. I played one of the GL40s and it was as good as the GL50. Then I played the second GL40 and wow, just wow. I must have hit the jack pot. I'm guessing the wood they used on this specific piano must be one of those pieces of wood that end up being particularly good for instruments. To top it off, the store was closing so I got a killer deal on it. As much as I wanted a "fancy" and larger piano, I couldn't pass on this GL40. This piano sounds killer, even my piano tech commented on how good the piano sounds. Don't be fooled, the GL30, 40, and 50 hit way above their weight. These pianos are every bit as good, in terms of sound and feel, as pianos that cost 2 or 3 times more. It just depends on if you like their darker sound. These pianos remind me of Yamahas LL16D guitars, which sale for about $1k but sound as good as guitars that cost $3k+.
Hi Mariano! I have read in other posts that you express complete happiness about your GL40. I am in the same crossroad than you. I have recently played the GX2 vs GL30 and I felt the bass notes in the GL 30 are less deep. I am also not impressed on sparkling sound, I prefer precise sound and articulation, but with some armonics, of course. I played the GL 50 two years ago vs GX2 and I liked more the GL50. Considering that you have played the GL30 vs GL40, how would you describe the sound of your piano? I appreciate very much your point of view (better I'd say point of ear... :) Thanks!
@@policrates First of all, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these pianos, especially if they are set up nicely at the store. I know that the GL piano is supposed to be their entry-level line, but there is nothing entry-level about those pianos. They are premium pianos, especially compared to what people have played throughout history. I had a dealer tell me that the GX line was better because they used stronger materials. While that makes sense theoretically, the GL line already uses strong enough materials to withstand its tension and project its sound. The strength of the materials used on the GL line surpasses what is needed on a piano. After all, I'm not trying to sit an elephant on top of the piano-haha! A lot of people will think I'm crazy, but honestly, the deciding factor between which piano you get should be the feel and sound you hear from them. All the other extra things they put into the higher-end pianos are embellishments that don't always translate to a better sound, and while I'm not suggesting that companies do it intentionally, they use these material differences to differentiate their products and charge people more. I would argue that what makes a lot more difference is that the higher-end Kawais get more attention in their setup before they get to your home. If you go with the GL line, I'd spend a little extra money to eventually have it regulated and voiced. I felt that the Kawais got more sparkly as you moved up the line, so the GX is more sparkly than the GL, and the Shigeru is more sparkly than the GX. Between all these pianos, it really is a matter of sound preference. It's unlikely that you'll sit at one of these pianos and think, "This is a bad piano," lol. These are all fantastic instruments, and in terms of quality, I'd say the GL line is as good as the higher-end Kawai. I really liked the GL30, but I did feel that it lacked a little in the bass department. That's primarily the reason I started looking at the GL40 and GL50 too. The GL40 is so damn smooth, like a nice bold red wine or smooth coffee. Yes, it is not as sparkly as the Shigerus or the GX line, but that's a feature and not a fault in my book. It's kind of like the difference between a Taylor and a Martin guitar. The Taylor guitar might be more sparkly, but that does not mean the Martin is any less of a guitar. The GL40 sounds so smooth. The preparation on my GL40 was not as good as the GX because the shop I got it at was closing down and I got a huge discount. Even then it sounds great. I will eventually get it regulated. I didn't go with the GL50 because they didn't have the matte finish at the store I was at, and in retrospect, it is a good thing that I didn't get the GL50. The GL40 is already borderline too loud for my house. My house is 1,700 square feet and you can hear it just about everywhere, lol. We have a relatively large living room and high ceilings too. I think a larger piano would be too much for my place. If you still have doubts about what to get, take a blindfold and have someone help you play these pianos without you knowing the identity of the piano. Have the person take notes for you. Again, make the choice with a blindfold and not knowing which model you are choosing. This will help you choose a piano based on the sound and touch, rather than advertisement and the yearning for the "higher" model. If money is of no real consequence in this purchase, then buy the piano that fulfills you the most. Again, you can't go wrong with any of these pianos.
@@MarianoPerez Hello Mariano! The first thing I have to tell you is that I really appreciate the time you have spent answering my question. I think you know pretty well the feeling of indeterminacy that one has when one has to choose a piano, and the fear of making a decision that does not meet your expectations. It is curious that I agree with you that this is really a matter that basically boils down to two things: tone and sensation in the articulation. I am convinced that both the series and the GX are superior in all the aspects that we already know. However, I totally agree with you that the important thing is to find a sound that you want to accompany you while you are studying. I currently have an upright Yamaha 121 cm high and its bright sound tires me because when I am studying for a long time I even have tinnitus. The grandiose and bright sound doesn't appeal to me much and it also seems to me a repertoire that is not the one I usually play. I mainly play works by Bach without a pedal and that's why I told you about the feeling of the low midtones of not having too much character, in the case of GL30. Although it is clear that the important thing to decide to buy it is to play the piano live, it is interesting to see that you can guess some things in the sound you hear in UA-cam recordings. Just yesterday I found a recording of a pianist playing a GL 50, which I think is a delight. www.youtube.com/@shellsimon The recordings, for example, of the GX2 make clear that sparkling sound that I recognize from when I have tried them live. As for the recordings I have found of the GL 40, in some I notice that lack of tone that I found when I tested the GL30. But anyway, I hope to see it with my own fingers and ears in a month's time in a test that I have arranged with the GL40. Thank you again very much for your words and for your time!
Slow close lids are so common on new pianos today, that it is the rare piano (especially Grand Piano) that doesn't have it. I'm not sure how stating it like it's a great selling point really makes sense anymore. The actual mechanisms used today do not add a significant cost to the piano.
in Europe, Kawai does not carry / sell the GL-20 or GL-40. Frankly, the spacing is too close, or, there are too many pianos in this lineup (5). Three would have been fine.
I have played the Kawai GL-10, GL-30, and GL-50. One interesting thing: they all have white shiny keys. Very shiny, no texture at all. The key surface is acrylic. Same thing with the K-200, K-300, and K-400 professional upright pianos. Interestingly, a Kawai ES120 keyboard has textured keys. You have to get into the GX series to get textured white keys. People typically dismiss digital pianos with white shiny keys, but then you have an entire line of grand pianos from Kawai with shiny white keys... By the way, they sound very beautiful in person.
I was in the market for a really good piano a year ago. And like most people, my dream piano was a Steinway. I can't even believe my wife was going to let me buy an $80k piano. However, I decided to shop for a piano the way I shop for guitars, playing a lot of them and forgetting about names and prices. My favorite pianos turned out to be, a Steinway, Shigeru SK2, Yamaha CX, and the GL 30, 40, and 50.
One of the stores had two GL30s, two GL40s, and a GL50. At one point my favorite of them all was the Shigeru with the GL50 being in second place. I know the Shigeru is considered a higher quality instrument, in terms of tone and feel the GL50 was just as good as the Shigeru. The GL50 just sounded different, darker and smooth. The Shigeru had more of a shimmering tone on the trebles.
I played one of the GL40s and it was as good as the GL50. Then I played the second GL40 and wow, just wow. I must have hit the jack pot. I'm guessing the wood they used on this specific piano must be one of those pieces of wood that end up being particularly good for instruments. To top it off, the store was closing so I got a killer deal on it. As much as I wanted a "fancy" and larger piano, I couldn't pass on this GL40. This piano sounds killer, even my piano tech commented on how good the piano sounds.
Don't be fooled, the GL30, 40, and 50 hit way above their weight. These pianos are every bit as good, in terms of sound and feel, as pianos that cost 2 or 3 times more. It just depends on if you like their darker sound. These pianos remind me of Yamahas LL16D guitars, which sale for about $1k but sound as good as guitars that cost $3k+.
Hi Mariano!
I have read in other posts that you express complete happiness about your GL40. I am in the same crossroad than you. I have recently played the GX2 vs GL30 and I felt the bass notes in the GL 30 are less deep.
I am also not impressed on sparkling sound, I prefer precise sound and articulation, but with some armonics, of course.
I played the GL 50 two years ago vs GX2 and I liked more the GL50. Considering that you have played the GL30 vs GL40, how would you describe the sound of your piano? I appreciate very much your point of view (better I'd say point of ear... :) Thanks!
@@policrates First of all, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these pianos, especially if they are set up nicely at the store. I know that the GL piano is supposed to be their entry-level line, but there is nothing entry-level about those pianos. They are premium pianos, especially compared to what people have played throughout history. I had a dealer tell me that the GX line was better because they used stronger materials. While that makes sense theoretically, the GL line already uses strong enough materials to withstand its tension and project its sound. The strength of the materials used on the GL line surpasses what is needed on a piano. After all, I'm not trying to sit an elephant on top of the piano-haha!
A lot of people will think I'm crazy, but honestly, the deciding factor between which piano you get should be the feel and sound you hear from them. All the other extra things they put into the higher-end pianos are embellishments that don't always translate to a better sound, and while I'm not suggesting that companies do it intentionally, they use these material differences to differentiate their products and charge people more. I would argue that what makes a lot more difference is that the higher-end Kawais get more attention in their setup before they get to your home. If you go with the GL line, I'd spend a little extra money to eventually have it regulated and voiced.
I felt that the Kawais got more sparkly as you moved up the line, so the GX is more sparkly than the GL, and the Shigeru is more sparkly than the GX. Between all these pianos, it really is a matter of sound preference. It's unlikely that you'll sit at one of these pianos and think, "This is a bad piano," lol. These are all fantastic instruments, and in terms of quality, I'd say the GL line is as good as the higher-end Kawai. I really liked the GL30, but I did feel that it lacked a little in the bass department. That's primarily the reason I started looking at the GL40 and GL50 too. The GL40 is so damn smooth, like a nice bold red wine or smooth coffee. Yes, it is not as sparkly as the Shigerus or the GX line, but that's a feature and not a fault in my book. It's kind of like the difference between a Taylor and a Martin guitar. The Taylor guitar might be more sparkly, but that does not mean the Martin is any less of a guitar. The GL40 sounds so smooth. The preparation on my GL40 was not as good as the GX because the shop I got it at was closing down and I got a huge discount. Even then it sounds great. I will eventually get it regulated. I didn't go with the GL50 because they didn't have the matte finish at the store I was at, and in retrospect, it is a good thing that I didn't get the GL50. The GL40 is already borderline too loud for my house. My house is 1,700 square feet and you can hear it just about everywhere, lol. We have a relatively large living room and high ceilings too. I think a larger piano would be too much for my place. If you still have doubts about what to get, take a blindfold and have someone help you play these pianos without you knowing the identity of the piano. Have the person take notes for you. Again, make the choice with a blindfold and not knowing which model you are choosing. This will help you choose a piano based on the sound and touch, rather than advertisement and the yearning for the "higher" model. If money is of no real consequence in this purchase, then buy the piano that fulfills you the most. Again, you can't go wrong with any of these pianos.
@@MarianoPerez
Hello Mariano!
The first thing I have to tell you is that I really appreciate the time you have spent answering my question. I think you know pretty well the feeling of indeterminacy that one has when one has to choose a piano, and the fear of making a decision that does not meet your expectations.
It is curious that I agree with you that this is really a matter that basically boils down to two things: tone and sensation in the articulation. I am convinced that both the series and the GX are superior in all the aspects that we already know. However, I totally agree with you that the important thing is to find a sound that you want to accompany you while you are studying.
I currently have an upright Yamaha 121 cm high and its bright sound tires me because when I am studying for a long time I even have tinnitus.
The grandiose and bright sound doesn't appeal to me much and it also seems to me a repertoire that is not the one I usually play. I mainly play works by Bach without a pedal and that's why I told you about the feeling of the low midtones of not having too much character, in the case of GL30.
Although it is clear that the important thing to decide to buy it is to play the piano live, it is interesting to see that you can guess some things in the sound you hear in UA-cam recordings. Just yesterday I found a recording of a pianist playing a GL 50, which I think is a delight.
www.youtube.com/@shellsimon
The recordings, for example, of the GX2 make clear that sparkling sound that I recognize from when I have tried them live. As for the recordings I have found of the GL 40, in some I notice that lack of tone that I found when I tested the GL30.
But anyway, I hope to see it with my own fingers and ears in a month's time in a test that I have arranged with the GL40.
Thank you again very much for your words and for your time!
Which piece does he play at 11:02 ? Thanks !
i'd like to see a comparison between the gl-50 and the gl-40....and how different they are from the gl-30! Thank you
Me too!!
Slow close lids are so common on new pianos today, that it is the rare piano (especially Grand Piano) that doesn't have it. I'm not sure how stating it like it's a great selling point really makes sense anymore. The actual mechanisms used today do not add a significant cost to the piano.
in Europe, Kawai does not carry / sell the GL-20 or GL-40. Frankly, the spacing is too close, or, there are too many pianos in this lineup (5). Three would have been fine.
I have played the Kawai GL-10, GL-30, and GL-50. One interesting thing: they all have white shiny keys. Very shiny, no texture at all. The key surface is acrylic. Same thing with the K-200, K-300, and K-400 professional upright pianos. Interestingly, a Kawai ES120 keyboard has textured keys. You have to get into the GX series to get textured white keys. People typically dismiss digital pianos with white shiny keys, but then you have an entire line of grand pianos from Kawai with shiny white keys... By the way, they sound very beautiful in person.
I saw a spam🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 Yeah, in other piano channels too. I think it is the same.
@@Instrumental-Covers whell at least Merriam Music deletes them🎹🎹🎹🎶
Honestly, the shiny keys don't bother me, and they are not slippery or anything. Yea, the gl line rocks.