Specifications:
Length: 7’ 0” (214 cm)
Width: 5’ 1” (154 cm)
Weight: 842 lbs. (382 kg)
Finish: Ebony Polish

Features: Kawai Millenium III ABS-Carbon action ~ “Shiko Seion” hammers from New Zealand and Australian wool ~ Tapered and tuned solid spruce soundboard ~ “Temaki” Kawai-made hand wound bass strings ~ Hand notched bridges ~ Hand planed ribs ~ Thinned hammer shanks ~ Rock maple and mahogany rim ~ Bird’s eye maple inside rim ~ Agraffe duplex scale ~ Aluminum action rail ~ Nickel plated tuning pins ~ Solid brass hardware ~ 10 year warranty

Every Shigeru Kawai SK-6 comes with a 10-year transferrable warranty as standard.

 

PIANOS MADE TO

PERFECTION

MAKING PREMIUM PIANOS SINCE 1999

ORCHESTRA GRAND

SHIGERU KAWAI SK-6

The components of the SK-6 are as impressive as its premium materials. A well-balanced tone is created thanks to the custom-tapered solid spruce soundboard while power, soul and character come from the piano’s hand-wound bass strings. Concert-length key sticks allow artists to play with precision, while the integrated pin block and overlapping stretcher bar provide exceptional strength and exceptional tuning stability.

The SK-6 model is part of the Shigeru Kawai’s Concert Series, a superior collection of heirloom quality grand pianos inspired by the company’s founder, Koichi Kawai.
Each new piano owner is visited within the year of ownership (COVID permitting) by one of the Master Piano Artisans for a day of dedicated in-home servicing.

EXPLORE FEATURES

Extended Keysticks

Each keystick has been extended to make playing simpler and more touch-and-response from the front to the rear of the surface.

Temaki Bass Strings

Temaki literally translates as “hand wound.” The artisan meticulously directs the winding of certain bass strings by hand for absolute precision.

All-Spruce Beams

Spruce is well recognized for its capacity to efficiently conduct and store sound energy.

 

Kigarashi Soundboards

The soundboards of Shigeru pianos are constructed entirely of the finest spruce, which has been aged by a centuries-old kigarashi technique that employs only time and nature to achieve a natural balance. It’s through this process that the SK 6 acquires its wonderfully distinctive tonal quality, captivating in any Performance Setting.

 

Shiko Seion Hammers

Crafted by specialized Master Piano Artisans (MPAs), Shiko Seion hammers are truly one of a kind. These hammers derive their name from the Japanese words for “ultimate voicing” and live up to it because of the traditional, handcrafted manufacturing process. Neither heat nor artificial hardeners are used in the process to achieve the response and expression that makes them famous.

Konsei Katagi Rim

The Konsei Katagi rim features a mix of distinctive hardwoods to achieve an exceptional balance of tone. Small-pore hardwoods that offer more brightness and projection are mixed with dense, large-pore hardwoods that give warmth and richness. By combining structurally different hardwood species, this synergy generates a strong, well-rounded tone that has become the signature of Shigeru pianos.

 

Concert-Length Key Buttons

The key buttons on SK-6 are made from hardwood maple and are double in length than the typical key button. The result is a stronger key that provides greater energy transmission and significantly more power.

Stretcher Over-Lap Design

The Stretcher Over-Lap Integrated Design (SOLID) of the SK-6 provides an exceptionally rigid foundation for string tension and tuning stability. The pin block is hand-fitted to the cast iron plate, and the overlapping stretcher bar and pin block are then combined into a single structure that is securely anchored to both sides of the rim. The fusion of the pin block, plate and stretcher bar results in a framework that provides excellent strength and rigidity, the result of which provides stable, accurate tuning and thus magnificent tone.

 

Extended Keysticks

The key sticks in the SK-6 are made of spruce, which have a favorable strength-to-weight ratio for optimum performance. Moreover, the key sticks have been extended, giving the pianist much more control from the front to the rear of the key surface. The key sticks are also thicker for strength and increased power.

 

Millennium III Action

The industry-leading Millennium III Action has advanced ABS-carbon components that are not affected by changes in humidity and temperature. They are extremely light yet stronger than wooden parts, so they provide quicker repetition and greater power with less effort. The responsiveness of the Millennium III action allows the pianist much more control over every note and passage, particularly when playing pianissimo.

Concert Agraffes

The SK-6’s Concert Agraffes are identical to those used on the Shigeru EX Concert Grand Piano and are machined from billet brass rods for optimum strength. As a result, you’ll get an exceptionally impressive tone.

Temaki Bass Strings

The word temaki in Japanese literally translates to “hand-wound.” The artisan meticulously guides the winding of specific bass strings by hand for precision and tension, ensuring rich character and excellent depth of tone, in the unhurried temaki technique.

All-Spruce Beams

Spruce is recognized for its exceptional sound-conducting qualities. However, it is generally considered to be too valuable to be used as a structural material. Using premium components is paramount to the legacy of Shigeru Kawai, thus all of the underside beams on SK-6 pianos are constructed entirely of top-quality spruce.

Boxwood Bridge Caps

Boxwood is a very hard and strong wood that effectively transmits higher frequencies through the bridge to the soundboard. Unlike the smaller Shigeru pianos, the SK-6 features Boxwood bridge caps, to augment projection in the treble that blends well with the more powerful bass tone of larger pianos. This refined feature of the SK-6 speaks to Shigeru Kawai’s never-ending quest to improve the piano.

 

Specifications

 

THE PREMIER PIANO OF JAPAN

Length: 7’ 0” (214 cm)

Width:  5’ 1” (154 cm)

Weight: 842 lbs. (382 kg)

Finish:    Available in Polished Ebony

Size comparison

 

"I've had the privilege of playing many of the world's finest pianos. However, the action of the Shigeru Kawai is far superior to anything I have experienced. It allows my fingers to connect with the very soul of an  instrument whose timbre and resonance are absolutely breathtaking. Playing this instrument is pure joy!"

David Hicken

Contemporary Pianist & Composer, Shigeru Kawai Artist

 

Shigeru Kawai was born on July 28, 1922 in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan. He entered the piano business as a young man in 1946. Although he was a member of the Kawai family, Shigeru spent his early years learning the piano building process as a regular worker. He put in long hours laboring diligently in the manufacturing area, sometimes sleeping overnight in the factory as an expression of his dedication to the craft. He loved the work so much that, in later life, he would often remark, “Creating pianos was the greatest job I ever had!”

“Koichi taught Shigeru the “methods of origin” by which pianos are built entirely by hand. He would often say, “As long as you are building pianos, you should strive to build the finest ones in the world.” Shigeru listened attentively to Koichi’s every word.”

Koichi Kawai