Kendall Ross Bean, Piano Finders

Also here is an excerpt for THE PIANO BOOK BY LARRY FINE.

Should I Buy A Used "Gray Market" Yamaha or Kawai Piano? 

    One of the most controversial topics in the piano business is whether it is advisable to purchase a used Yamaha or Kawai piano originally made for the Japanese market. Yamaha has taken a public stand warning against the purchase of these pianos. According to the company, the wood used in Yamaha pianos is seasoned for destination: the highest moisture content for Japan , which is relatively humid; and the lowest for the U.S. I have always found the people I know at Yamaha to be honest, so it seems unlikely they would all lie about the issue of seasoning for destination. I do believe, however, that while there is definitely a basis for their concerns, their dire warnings are exaggerated. For one thing, Yamaha's pronouncements fail to differentiate between different regions of this country, some of which are just as humid as Japan , even when winter heating is factored in. Nor do they consider the benefits of climate control systems that might be used to offset the alleged problems. Finally, they do not take into account the wide variation in age, quality, and condition of the gray market pianos entering this country. Yamaha pianos are well built and it's hard to imagine that they would all be so temperamental as to fall apart with moderate change in humidity.

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