Kawai GX2 c.2016

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Here is an introduction to the Kawai GX2, as described by Kawai themselves.

The GX-2 is one of the world’s best-selling grand pianos offering superb tonal depth and resonance, and a classic size to grace any home, studio or performance venue.
The new standard of grand piano design is beyond imagination. Combining state-of-the-art technology with traditional craftsmanship. Applying knowledge and experience handed down from generation to generation. Defining the ‘made in Japan’ philosophy of piano building. Lightness of touch usually experienced by only the very finest concert pianists. Rich, vivid, expressive tone that inspires one’s creative passion. A new era of grand piano performance has arrived.

The Millennium III Action

The Millennium III Action features components made of ABS-Carbon, a composite material created by the infusion of carbon fiber into our renowned ABS Styran. ABS-Carbon is incredibly sturdy and rigid, which allows the creation of action parts that are lighter without sacrificing strength. The result is a stronger, faster action that offers more power, better control and greater stability than conventional all-wood actions.

Extended Length Keys Made By Spruce

Spruce is the ideal material for the keys – light, yet extremely strong for its weight. It responds with minimal flex and exceptional consistency, transmitting every subtle nuance of the pianist’s performance while remaining stable through years of heavy use. The length of each key has been extended to make playing easier and provide more even response from the front to the back of the playing surface. Keysticks are also designed with a slightly taller profile for maximum rigidity to deliver greater power.

NEOTEX Key Surface

Our exclusive NEOTEX key surface material made of cellulose fiber offers the smooth, understated texture of natural ivory and ebony – and a semi-porous, silica-filled surface to absorb the hand’s natural oils and perspiration. Since NEOTEX is used for both the sharps and naturals, the feel of the keys is consistent across the entire keyboard. NEOTEX resists cracking and fading over years of use and is static-resistant to help prevent the build-up of unwanted dust. The result is a beautiful, long-lasting key surface with exceptional playability.

Rigid Foundation Of Key Stroke

The hammer rail is the “spine” of the piano’s action. GX series hammer rails are made of durable extruded aluminum with our exclusive Dual-Beam design for strength and stability. Both the hammer rail and the wippen rail are permanently locked in place to preserve the exacting tolerances of the action design and ensure consistent touch over the life of the piano. The entire surface of the hammer rail is finely serrated to hold each hammer flange securely in place for optimum hammer alignment, while the hammer flanges secured to the surface are made by PBT resin that enables the action screws to remain tight without shrinking and swelling. All these meticulous design features comprise the GX Series’ rigid foundation, ensuring a precise key stroke over time.

Tapered Soundboard Made Of Solid Spruce

The soundboard is the heart of a piano. Its purpose is to transform the vibrations of the piano’s strings into a rich, resounding tone. Kawai uses only straightgrained, quarter-sawn solid spruce for GX series soundboards. Each one is strategically tapered to provide the proper degree of resonant movement in each region. Only soundboards that meet or exceed our demanding resonance standards are selected for use in the GX series grand pianos.

CORE System

CORE is an acronym that represents “Convergence for Optimum Reflected Energy.” Convergence refers to the way the piano’s strength centers—the rim, plate and underside beams—all focus on one central point at the heart of the instrument. This focus creates an incredibly strong “core” foundation that maximizes the reflective capabilities of the inner rim for outstanding tonal power and sustain.

Hybrid Inner Rim (Konsei Katagi Rim)

The exclusive Konsei Katagi rim uses a blend of distinctive hardwoods to achieve an ideal balance of tone. For the inner rim, small-pored hardwoods that provide superior brightness and projection are interlaminated with dense, large-pored hardwoods offering warmth and fullness. This synergy of structurally divergent hardwoods produces a powerful, well-rounded richness of tone that is the hallmark of Kawai pianos.

Vertically Laminated Bridge

The bridge performs the vital task of transferring the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard. GX bass bridges are made of the highest quality hard maple or beech. Treble bridges are vertically laminated with 13 layers of maple and mahogany for maximum strength and optimal transfer of sound energy.

SOLID (Stretcher Over-Lap Integrated Design)

SOLID construction creates an exceptionally rigid foundation to support string tension. First, the pinblock is fitted to the plate. Then, the pinblock and over-lapping stretcher bar are integrated into a single structure and solidly anchored to the rim. The extraordinary thickness of the stretcher bar exemplifies the structural integrity of this sturdy framework designed to ensure stable tuning and powerful tone.

V-Pro Plate

The plate is the acoustically-neutral iron superstructure of the piano over which the strings are tensioned.

All GX Series plates are molded using the Vacuum Mold Process (V-Pro) with “Crossbone Design.” The result is a plate that is strong, stable and beautiful.

“The Grand”

Preserving the treasured design of a grand piano, while pursuing new details of elegance – this is the design concept of the GX Series. The instrument’s exterior design, with its gentle curves and broad music rest, establishing the traditional characteristics and captivating form of a grand piano. Expanding the instrument’s upper-beam thickness not only reinforces the piano’s overall structural rigidity, but also serves to further distinguish this exterior design, with Kawai’s highly prized painting and finishing process affording the piano body its distinctive, luxurious ebony polish appearance.

However, the beauty of the GX Series truly shines upon opening the instrument’s top-board. The mesmerizing brilliance of the glowing golden frame, the delicate woodwork and abundant expression of quality displayed along the inner rim, the luxurious elegance of rich black felt, and the reassuring display of hand-made craftsmanship – verified by the Kawai frame mark. These are the characteristics that embody the spirit of ‘THE GRAND’.