GL20 is my daughter's current workhorse for practicing, and it's far exceeding my expectation for a baby grand. I totally agree with Stu that GL20 sounds and plays very much like 5-1/2 or even 6 ft pianos. The only thing to keep in mind is that if you plan to get a brand new GL20, you need to play it a lot in order to work its hammer felt in. I recall when first receiving our GL20, its bass sounded limp and mushy. I thought that this was what a baby grand sounded like. But now that we worked its hammer felt in, it really possesses very good quality of bass sounds. All in all, it's a wonderful instrument at its price point.
That is amazing! The GL20 is a beautiful instrument in every sense of the word! I am very happy to hear that your daughter has been enjoying it. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. We appreciate it! :)
@@JoeLinux2000I'm use upright Yamaha YUS1 brand new now, I wanna upgrade Grand piano GL20, I'm looking review....and no idea ... Which one ? Keep YUS1 or GL20 ?
Well, this was a delightful video to wake up to. I love Stu’s descriptive language when he checked himself using wine-aficionado phrasing and then very much articulated what mechanisms were creating the tonal characteristics rather than just using flowery language. I found myself wondering how this GL20 compares to the Novus (5?) that he chose for practical reasons. The feeling in his demo piece near the videos end had so much tightly controlled energy that the comparison stood out to me… at least with my under caffeinated brain. Kudos.
Thanks for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu on your behalf! Stu is definitely quite the wordsmith with a wonderful vocabulary! The GL20 and NV5S are very different instruments with very different intended uses of course, but, as is the case with all Kawai instruments, they are both wonderful. :)
I think the GL20 has been unfairly criticized by some as being too similar to the GL10, and that one might as well buy a GL30. (Middle child syndrome?) In any case it's great to see a video showing what makes this model unique.
Absolutely! The other factor here in Canada is the fact that the GL20 pianos we receive are all fully-Japanese made, which is a further differentiator from the GL10.
Every pianist should develop the skill to tune their own piano at least in terms of correcting a few individual strings. Are you able to set the temperament? What approach do you use, and what are your checks? Do you use an electronic meter? And what is your approach with that if you do?
I wish that you would show more what the sounds are like in the bass and high registers of the piano using single notes or maybe even octaves. You play mostly in the middle of the piano during your demonstrations. Maybe you could play a short chromatic run, back and forth to show how the steel strings transition to the copper strings. When you compare the sound of two or more pianos it would be beneficial to your listeners if you would play just a couple of brief but identical passages on each of the pianos so the listeners could hear how each instrument actually responds to identical examples otherwise; the comparisons become kind of aimless with little comparative value. Sometimes, shorter examples are far more effective. Thanks a lot for your informative videos.
I don't think that would help much. I listen to Stu because he plays complex chords, which gives you a sense of the true musical character of the instrument. Most everything has to do with the inharmonicity of the instrument and as far as I know that can't be determined by listening to a single note, Or even octaves. When I tune a piano, I check it with snippets of actual musical compositions , not just intervals. although some electronic meters claim to figure out the proper tuning stretch by taking a reading of the natural harmonics of a bass string. The reason Pianoteq Pro is so satisfing to me is that each individaul note can be tuned, and actually all the parameters can be adjusted for each note. That's not possible on acoustics other than by changing string diameters which is probably a waste of time. What Kawai has done with this instrument is work out the inharmonicity and work up the hamonicity. For example finding the best combination of string sizes in the base, and creating a nice duplex scale that sings in the treble.
Incredible, it only costs around USD 14,000 - just a bit more expensive than the NV10 - in Thailand where I live. I would’ve gone and get it right away if I got the space.
For sure! The K300 is technically a higher rated instrument that is more aligned with the GX series grands in terms of quality of design and materials. :)
I bought a brand new Kawai GL10 last year. Got a great deal (10,000 out the door delivered). She gives great company to my CasioGP510 (I use to give lessons) and Yamaha P515 (portable in case I want to bring along). Just put a deposit on a Kawai GL30 but debating if I should spend the extra few grand for the Kawai GX1? What would I benefit in with the GX1 over the GL30? Also plan on getting a Kawai ES920 to add to the collection of pianos and guitars. I play mostly Chopin, Mozart, Franz Liszt, etc
Hi there! Thanks for writing in! The Kawai GX1 is a superior instrument to the GL30 in terms of the sophistication of design and quality of materials. For instance, the GX1 uses a AAA solid spruce soundboard versus the GL30's AA solid spruce soundboard. The pianos also receive a greater degree of factory prep (voicing, regulation, etc.).
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! The GL20 is a fantastic instrument and a meaningful step up from the GL10 (particularly in terms of its musicality in the upper register). I would have to ask Stu as to what piece he is playing at the end of the video.
Disrupting the used piano market? I think that depends on where you're at. Where I'm at Kawai grand pianos can be a bit hard to come by especially new ones. Yamahas in comparison are a lot easier to come by even the music store I come across which is mostly a Kawai dealer has a Yamaha GC2 on display. Still that Kawai GL20 is a really nice sounding piano though, and I bet it would sound even beter in person🎹🎶
The Kawai pianos have grown in popularity globally, so, with that said, some models like the GL20 are quite difficult to find in stock. In any case, the GL20 is a remarkable instrument with fantastic cost-to-value ratio for those seeking a high-quality, fully-Japanese made piano.
You can almost always do better buying used. However the digital market is advancing so rapidly I think getting a close out or a luck out on Craig's list is the best bet. I lot of people buy pianos but never really play them. It may be best to avoid older digitals in most cases. However each situation is unique so it's hard to generalize. I played tennis with a guy who bought and sold used grands and he seemed to make a living from it. And curiously he did not rebuild any. He probably did tune them since he was a piano tuner. People are giving away used acoustic grands and other pianos too. If you are willing to wait, someone will probably give you one.
@@JoeLinux2000 well I think just to be sure I'd rather buy from a trusted showroom or dealer when I am shopping for one. I admit digitals are improving, however for me, and how I intend to use it I'd still go for a good acoustic grand. I use my ES110 more than my upright because of it's issues though🎹🎶
He's saying this piano at its price point sounds better than most used pianos you could find at the same price. Keep in mind that the sound of all acoustics deteriorates over time for a variety of reasons. However people are giving away used grands, so you could find something really nice by taking the time to search.
I am not sure to be honest! That would probably be a question that a UK dealer would be able to answer. It is unfortunate though as the GL20 is a wonderful instrument! :)
The GL30 is a wonderful instrument with the same specs/material quality of the GL30. However, the extra inches make for even greater musical potential and a clearer, more powerful bass section as well. :)
@@MerriamPianos would love to see you do a review on the gl30. Please do one. You have covered so many great ones. Would be a pleasure to hear Stu play it. I live in India and I made the move towards the GL series due to his amazing reviews of the pianos. Got the gl30 in July this year.
Sounds nice. Many people would be satisfied. Bass still sounds like a small piano. Seems to have a very nice scale. I'll sick with my Yamaha DGX / Pianoteq hybrid which has a better bass. Regarding the GL20 maybe Kawai has figured out how to improve the case in a way that gives the instrument more resonance. The hammers must be well voiced too. The treble sounds excellent. I'll have to try your triad test.
The GL20 is a spectacular piano with a wonderful tonal range for a sub 6 foot instrument! The duplex scaling on the upper register provides wonderful musicality and colour in that range. :)
@@MerriamPianos Nice to know, but I've personally lost interest in acoustic pianos although I played them for years and still opwn two Chickering grands. I tried the triad test on my digital. It's remarkably clear all the down to the lowest A. However the very lowest take on the character of an individual note. Since Stu's ear is unsurpassed, it's hard for a person like myself to know exactly what he hears and what he is decerning. Perhaps he says I can no longer hear three distinct notes, so that that's the limit. All I can say is that on my piano dominated by a Pianoteq voice, I would still characterize it as a chord. Maybe on a short acoustic the sense of any short of triad disappears whereas with the mathematics of Pianoteq, it still exists. This is one of the beauties of Pianoteq. Listening to Stu as I type this, his playing certainly is wonderful.
More thoughts on the triad test. You can test the triad by switching between a major an minor chord. At some point there is not much difference between the two. I have yet to try diminished or augmented triads. I think a better test might be to test a single bass not against various inversions of a triad up about two octaves, and check for the overtones of the base note against the upper triad.
Gah! Just as I was about to drop $15k US on the Chinese piano I could afford… I think you might just have saved me from making a purchase I might have regretted, Stu!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it along to Stu and our production team. We do our best to tackle as many of these comparison suggestions as possible. :)
The GL30 is a fantastic model as well and one that is quite popular at our showrooms! We will do our best to do an updated review video on the GL30. :)
GL20 is my daughter's current workhorse for practicing, and it's far exceeding my expectation for a baby grand. I totally agree with Stu that GL20 sounds and plays very much like 5-1/2 or even 6 ft pianos. The only thing to keep in mind is that if you plan to get a brand new GL20, you need to play it a lot in order to work its hammer felt in. I recall when first receiving our GL20, its bass sounded limp and mushy. I thought that this was what a baby grand sounded like. But now that we worked its hammer felt in, it really possesses very good quality of bass sounds. All in all, it's a wonderful instrument at its price point.
That is amazing! The GL20 is a beautiful instrument in every sense of the word! I am very happy to hear that your daughter has been enjoying it. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. We appreciate it! :)
Japanese piano hammers tend to become overly bright an harsh over time. Be thankful they were mushy at the outset.
@@JoeLinux2000I'm use upright Yamaha YUS1 brand new now, I wanna upgrade Grand piano GL20, I'm looking review....and no idea ... Which one ? Keep YUS1 or GL20 ?
Well, this was a delightful video to wake up to. I love Stu’s descriptive language when he checked himself using wine-aficionado phrasing and then very much articulated what mechanisms were creating the tonal characteristics rather than just using flowery language.
I found myself wondering how this GL20 compares to the Novus (5?) that he chose for practical reasons. The feeling in his demo piece near the videos end had so much tightly controlled energy that the comparison stood out to me… at least with my under caffeinated brain. Kudos.
Thanks for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu on your behalf! Stu is definitely quite the wordsmith with a wonderful vocabulary! The GL20 and NV5S are very different instruments with very different intended uses of course, but, as is the case with all Kawai instruments, they are both wonderful. :)
@@MerriamPianos “…tuning in”? 🤦♂️
Thank you for explaning the finer detail in ways that's accessible to everyone to appreciate and understand 😊
You're very welcome! Thank you so much for tuning in and supporting our channel! :)
This is am]n awesome video. Short and sweet! Much appreciated! I almost got the Yamaha avant- grand. 😅
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it and found it useful. :)
I think the GL20 has been unfairly criticized by some as being too similar to the GL10, and that one might as well buy a GL30. (Middle child syndrome?) In any case it's great to see a video showing what makes this model unique.
Absolutely! The other factor here in Canada is the fact that the GL20 pianos we receive are all fully-Japanese made, which is a further differentiator from the GL10.
Can you do a review of GL30? What is the price difference is very little between the two, which you would recommend??
I am learning to find tune my own piano listening to this guy
That is awesome! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Every pianist should develop the skill to tune their own piano at least in terms of correcting a few individual strings. Are you able to set the temperament? What approach do you use, and what are your checks? Do you use an electronic meter? And what is your approach with that if you do?
I wish that you would show more what the sounds are like in the bass and high registers of the piano using single notes or maybe even octaves. You play mostly in the middle of the piano during your demonstrations. Maybe you could play a short chromatic run, back and forth to show how the steel strings transition to the copper strings. When you compare the sound of two or more pianos it would be beneficial to your listeners if you would play just a couple of brief but identical passages on each of the pianos so the listeners could hear how each instrument actually responds to identical examples otherwise; the comparisons become kind of aimless with little comparative value. Sometimes, shorter examples are far more effective. Thanks a lot for your informative videos.
Thanks for tuning in and thank you for your feedback! I will be sure to pass it on to Stu and our production team! We appreciate it. :)
I don't think that would help much. I listen to Stu because he plays complex chords, which gives you a sense of the true musical character of the instrument. Most everything has to do with the inharmonicity of the instrument and as far as I know that can't be determined by listening to a single note, Or even octaves. When I tune a piano, I check it with snippets of actual musical compositions , not just intervals. although some electronic meters claim to figure out the proper tuning stretch by taking a reading of the natural harmonics of a bass string. The reason Pianoteq Pro is so satisfing to me is that each individaul note can be tuned, and actually all the parameters can be adjusted for each note. That's not possible on acoustics other than by changing string diameters which is probably a waste of time. What Kawai has done with this instrument is work out the inharmonicity and work up the hamonicity. For example finding the best combination of string sizes in the base, and creating a nice duplex scale that sings in the treble.
Incredible, it only costs around USD 14,000 - just a bit more expensive than the NV10 - in Thailand where I live. I would’ve gone and get it right away if I got the space.
Absolutely! The Kawai GL20 is a lovely piano with a fantastic tone and touch! :)
Probably a personal preference but I liked the sound of the lower-priced K300 Stu just reviewed more 🎶
It sounds wonderful too though
For sure! The K300 is technically a higher rated instrument that is more aligned with the GX series grands in terms of quality of design and materials. :)
I did not know! That makes sense now
I bought a brand new Kawai GL10 last year. Got a great deal (10,000 out the door delivered). She gives great company to my CasioGP510 (I use to give lessons) and Yamaha P515 (portable in case I want to bring along). Just put a deposit on a Kawai GL30 but debating if I should spend the extra few grand for the Kawai GX1? What would I benefit in with the GX1 over the GL30? Also plan on getting a Kawai ES920 to add to the collection of pianos and guitars. I play mostly Chopin, Mozart, Franz Liszt, etc
Hi there! Thanks for writing in! The Kawai GX1 is a superior instrument to the GL30 in terms of the sophistication of design and quality of materials. For instance, the GX1 uses a AAA solid spruce soundboard versus the GL30's AA solid spruce soundboard. The pianos also receive a greater degree of factory prep (voicing, regulation, etc.).
Great demo! Looking to get the GL-20 over the 10 for a little bit more of a price jump.
What’s the song at the end of the video?
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! The GL20 is a fantastic instrument and a meaningful step up from the GL10 (particularly in terms of its musicality in the upper register). I would have to ask Stu as to what piece he is playing at the end of the video.
Wow the demo at 0:27, so beautiful, is there a name for this piece? I'd love to learn how to play it.
Hi there! I'd have to ask Stu, but it could very well be an improvisation. :)
Disrupting the used piano market? I think that depends on where you're at. Where I'm at Kawai grand pianos can be a bit hard to come by especially new ones. Yamahas in comparison are a lot easier to come by even the music store I come across which is mostly a Kawai dealer has a Yamaha GC2 on display. Still that Kawai GL20 is a really nice sounding piano though, and I bet it would sound even beter in person🎹🎶
The Kawai pianos have grown in popularity globally, so, with that said, some models like the GL20 are quite difficult to find in stock. In any case, the GL20 is a remarkable instrument with fantastic cost-to-value ratio for those seeking a high-quality, fully-Japanese made piano.
You can almost always do better buying used. However the digital market is advancing so rapidly I think getting a close out or a luck out on Craig's list is the best bet. I lot of people buy pianos but never really play them. It may be best to avoid older digitals in most cases. However each situation is unique so it's hard to generalize. I played tennis with a guy who bought and sold used grands and he seemed to make a living from it. And curiously he did not rebuild any. He probably did tune them since he was a piano tuner. People are giving away used acoustic grands and other pianos too. If you are willing to wait, someone will probably give you one.
@@JoeLinux2000 well I think just to be sure I'd rather buy from a trusted showroom or dealer when I am shopping for one. I admit digitals are improving, however for me, and how I intend to use it I'd still go for a good acoustic grand. I use my ES110 more than my upright because of it's issues though🎹🎶
@Merriam Music well weather the GL20 is fully Japanese made depends on the country. Perhaps in Canada they are🎹🎶
That is true! All of the GL20 pianos we receive in Canada are Japanese made. In other regions, some will be Indonesian made. :)
You didn’t really make the link to the used piano market. But great piano!
Thanks for tuning in! I guess it's easy to get a bit lost in talking about all of the amazing things that Kawai GL20 offers! ;)
He's saying this piano at its price point sounds better than most used pianos you could find at the same price. Keep in mind that the sound of all acoustics deteriorates over time for a variety of reasons. However people are giving away used grands, so you could find something really nice by taking the time to search.
It would be nice to know why the GL20 isn't imported into the UK.
I am not sure to be honest! That would probably be a question that a UK dealer would be able to answer. It is unfortunate though as the GL20 is a wonderful instrument! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks for replying.
Hi where do you place a gl30 in this ladder ? You don't seem to have a review of it.
The GL30 is a wonderful instrument with the same specs/material quality of the GL30. However, the extra inches make for even greater musical potential and a clearer, more powerful bass section as well. :)
@@MerriamPianos would love to see you do a review on the gl30. Please do one. You have covered so many great ones. Would be a pleasure to hear Stu play it. I live in India and I made the move towards the GL series due to his amazing reviews of the pianos. Got the gl30 in July this year.
Sounds nice. Many people would be satisfied. Bass still sounds like a small piano. Seems to have a very nice scale. I'll sick with my Yamaha DGX / Pianoteq hybrid which has a better bass. Regarding the GL20 maybe Kawai has figured out how to improve the case in a way that gives the instrument more resonance. The hammers must be well voiced too. The treble sounds excellent. I'll have to try your triad test.
The GL20 is a spectacular piano with a wonderful tonal range for a sub 6 foot instrument! The duplex scaling on the upper register provides wonderful musicality and colour in that range. :)
@@MerriamPianos Nice to know, but I've personally lost interest in acoustic pianos although I played them for years and still opwn two Chickering grands. I tried the triad test on my digital. It's remarkably clear all the down to the lowest A. However the very lowest take on the character of an individual note. Since Stu's ear is unsurpassed, it's hard for a person like myself to know exactly what he hears and what he is decerning. Perhaps he says I can no longer hear three distinct notes, so that that's the limit. All I can say is that on my piano dominated by a Pianoteq voice, I would still characterize it as a chord. Maybe on a short acoustic the sense of any short of triad disappears whereas with the mathematics of Pianoteq, it still exists. This is one of the beauties of Pianoteq. Listening to Stu as I type this, his playing certainly is wonderful.
More thoughts on the triad test. You can test the triad by switching between a major an minor chord. At some point there is not much difference between the two. I have yet to try diminished or augmented triads. I think a better test might be to test a single bass not against various inversions of a triad up about two octaves, and check for the overtones of the base note against the upper triad.
Gah! Just as I was about to drop $15k US on the Chinese piano I could afford… I think you might just have saved me from making a purchase I might have regretted, Stu!
Hi! Brent here! We're glad the video helped guide you towards a decision you're more confident with. The GL20 is a remarkable instrument! :)
The piano has a delightful, well-balanced scale and tone.
I absolutely agree! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Seems satisfying for most home use.
Stu please Yamaha p145, p225?????
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it along to Stu and our production team. We do our best to tackle as many of these comparison suggestions as possible. :)
You Never talk about the GL30, why is that?
The GL30 is a fantastic model as well and one that is quite popular at our showrooms! We will do our best to do an updated review video on the GL30. :)
@@MerriamPianos GL30 vs GX1 would be GREAT!! I just put a deposit for a GL30 but wondering if I should just get the GX1. I’m upgrading from a GL10
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:)
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