Disklavier

Primarily to Carl:

Once you have narrowed down the DKV model that you want, I suggest you 
contact some dealers around the country. Don't overlook Canada. (Dealers 
may not seek you out beyond their territory, but they are allowed to 
deal with you if you contact, or better, visit them.)  Set down a 
specific list of what you want--the model piano, perhaps an adjustable 
bench, humidifier system, PianoSoft diskettes, setup of the piano in 
your home, several tunings, etc.  Ask for quotes--once, twice, three 
times--and share the numbers you get (not the dealer names).  Then, tell 
them that you are ready to buy and will honor the best and final offers 
(adjusted for shipping costs).  Of course, you are going to pay cash. 
Get a loan from a bank if you need to. Don't get into an "easy" 
installment purchase.

I believe it is best to buy a piano that has never been uncrated.  It 
probably started its journey from Hamamatsu.  The crates are just sturdy 
enough, but adequately padded, and the instrument is enveloped in a 
sealed bag containing a desiccant. A few thousand miles more across the 
country is no big deal.  Dealers know the best means of shipping and the 
costs are lower than what you might expect.

Don't get in a big hurry.  Be aware that occasionally there is a 
perfectly good, not the latest model, but still in the crate, DKV 
languishing in some dealer's attic while the new models roll in and out 
again.  That dealer, understanding your seriousness to buy, might offer 
you a very attractive deal on it.

Now, some of my friends are going to yell, "No! No! You need local 
dealer support!"  I argue that: 1) The dealer who sells to you (assuming 
he is reputable) will support the sale at a distance just as well as a 
local dealer. 2) Independent piano technicians perform most of the 
services anyway and are completely capable of providing the needed 
support and, in turn, are supported by Yamaha of America.

As an example, a dealer in Portland, OR, sold a piano to a party in 
Juneau, Alaska.  When the piano was unpacked, a scratch was found on it. 
  The dealer sent their very skilled refinisher to Juneau for a few 
days.  The repaired scratch was undetectable and the customer was fully 
satisfied.

Carl Youngblood wrote:
> Thanks for the help, Steve.  From what you've said I don't think that I 
> would miss the pro functionality too much.  Would you say the same for 
> the hammer sensors that come on the DC3A and above?  I think yours is 
> supposed to have them, and that would probably increase the accuracy 
> quite a bit.
> 
> My only quibble with Yamaha is that if the pro technology only amounts 
> to a $5,000 difference in price, why not offer it on smaller pianos?  
> I'm sure that it's not a size issue, since the disklavier technology 
> only occupies the part of the piano that is closest to the keys.
> 
> Carl
> 
> On Jan 21, 2004, at 11:44 AM, Stephen J. McAndrew wrote:
> 
> 
>>Carl,
>>
>>I have been watching this discussion for a while now and am the owner 
>>of a 1 year old DC3A.  I considered the Pro model and after 
>>researching it found that the pro did have more sensitivity and did 
>>not have the built in speaker system ( which I don't use anyway). I 
>>have found, however, that the recording qualities of the regular DSK 
>>have been more than sufficient for my purposes.  The playback is 
>>excellent at 0Db (which is where the playback level should be).  A lot 
>>of folks want a piano that can be played back very softly instead of 
>>at the actual levels of the performance and that doesn't make a lot of 
>>sense to me.  If I want to hear a piece at a level other than it was 
>>meant to be reproduced I will play the recorded version on my stereo 
>>system as background music.
>>
>>For more critical applications and in concert performance applications 
>>the Pro unit would certainly be a measure above albeit it not a gross 
>>improvement.  I have a midi studio and do orchestrations and 
>>arrangments sometimes utilizing the DSK in them.  I couldn't be 
>>happier with the results and this is fairly critical utilization the 
>>of instrument.  I have heard people time and time again submit 
>>responses to the list-serv stating that the regular DSK is excellent 
>>and if you have the money to spare, sure, buy the Rolls Royce.  I 
>>would love to get a DC7A and would get better lower end response, but 
>>for the size of my room and the type of application it'simply 
>>"frosting on the cake" that that would cost me about $17, 000.000 to 
>>upgrade. For the return on investiment musically,  for the venue in 
>>which I use it, and in terms of my pocket book, the return on 
>>investiment isn't there.  I have had two non-pro DSks and they have 
>>been excellent, the pianos are excellent.  I also have a C3 regular 
>>grand that was purchased in 1972 that plays better now than it did at 
>>time of purchase. So I can't recommend the piano itself enough.
>>
>>Whatever you decide the DSK is a superb instrument whether you buy the 
>>Pro or the Non-Pro version.  If you get the Pro you would need to get 
>>the ProA to get the same features available in the Mark III non-pro so 
>>you would need to add a few dollars more on top of that.  
>>Personallyhaving had the DC3A theres no way I would spend that much 
>>extra money for a little more accuracy.
>>
>>Good Luck on your final purchase
>>
>>Steve
>>
>>Stephen McAndrew, MA
>>Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
>>603 650-8114
>>stephen.j.mcandrew@...
>>stephen.j.mcandrew@...
>>
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> 
> 
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-- 
Robert Welcyng
Anchorage, Alaska