SHIGERU
KAWAI SK-7
HANDCRAFTED. ELEGANCE.
EXCELLENCE
– THE PREMIER PIANO OF JAPAN –
SHIGERU KAWAI SK-7 GRAND PIANO
Semi-Concert Grand
SEMI-CONCERT GRAND
SHIGERU KAWAI SK-7
When you first sit at the SK-7 and place your hands on the keys, the anticipation of experiencing something truly remarkable is palpable. The Shigeru Kawai SK-7 doesn’t disappoint. The incredible range of expression, the brilliant treble, the resounding bass notes, are just the dawning of your musical adventure. Such is the majesty of the hand-crafted SK-7. Anticipation grows as one approaches the stunning Shigeru SK-7. Its reputation as a truly remarkable instrument, with soaring treble notes and thunderous bass, has been understated. The responsive, lightning-fast action has no peer and as one plays, the piano brings to mind such adjectives as ‘majestic’, ‘inspiring’ and ‘awesome.’
At seven feet six inches, the incredible Shigeru Kawai SK-7 is second only to the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand in full-bodied tone and exceptional dynamic range. Few other pianos in the world can compare with the robust tone, subtle power and response of the Shigeru Kawai SK-7.
The Shigeru Kawai SK-7 is a true work of art thanks to the talent of our Master Piano Artisans and the quality of materials with which they handcraft every part of this semi-concert grand piano. The finest, traditionally aged spruce is used for both the heavy underside beams and the solid spruce soundboard. The hammer moldings are rich mahogany, and the bridge is an exquisite maple.
Specifications:
Length: 7’ 6” (229 cm)
Width: 5’ 2” (157 cm)
Weight: 882 lbs. (400 kg)
Finish: Ebony Polish
Features: Kawai Millennium 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-7 comes with a 10-year transferrable warranty as standard.
PIANOS MADE TO
PERFECTION
MAKING PREMIUM PIANOS SINCE 1999
SEMI-CONCERT GRAND
SHIGERU KAWAI SK-7
Working in harmony alongside these unparalleled materials are some of the finest components in the music industry. The SK-7 Semi-Concert Grand features all of Shigeru Kawai’s premier components, including hand-wound brass strings, boxwood bridge caps, dual-pivot dampers, concert agraffes and the Millennium III Action with state-of-the-art carbon composite parts.
The SK-7 Semi-Concert Grand model is a musical instrument that’s part of the Shigeru Kawai’s Concert Series, an exquisite range of grand pianos, inspired by the company’s founder and crafted by hand by our Master Piano Makers. One of its kind, this model is one of the finest pianos you can find in any of the top piano showrooms.
Kigarashi Soundboard
Shigeru Kawai SK-7 pianos have a beautiful, exquisite sound that comes from their handcrafted, custom solid spruce soundboard.
Shiko Seion Hammers
Shiko Seion hammers are offer exceptional expression and response achieved through a time-honoured, handcrafted manufacturing process
Konsei Katagi Rim
The Konsei Katagi rim features a unique combination of hardwoods to provide the perfect sound balance.
Kigarashi Soundboards
Shigeru pianos have a beautiful, exquisite sound that comes from their custom handcrafted solid spruce soundboard. It is made from the finest spruce aged by the traditional kigarashi technique, which uses only time and nature to cause the wood to achieve a state of natural balance. The result? Gorgeous tonal quality pianists and audiences love.
Shiko Seion Hammers
“Shiko Seion” – the Japanese words for “ultimate voicing” – are the hammers made by our exclusive Master Piano Artisans (MPAs) and are truly one-of-a-kind. These premium felt hammers are crafted through a time-honored, handcrafted manufacturing process — one that avoids heat or artificial hardeners completely. The result are hammers that make the piano sing.
Konsei Katagi Rim
The Konsei Katagi rim is constructed of a unique combination of hardwoods to provide the perfect tonal balance. For the inner rim, small-pore hardwoods that offer improved brightness and projection are laminated with dense, large-pore hardwoods that generate warmth and fullness. This collaboration of structurally diverse woods gives the Shigeru piano its distinctive richness of tone.
Concert-Length Key Buttons
The Shigeru Kawai SK-7’s spruce keys are enhanced with hardwood maple key buttons. The key buttons have been extended in length to dramatically improve the strength and power of each key.
Stretcher Over-Lap Design
Kawai’s exclusive Stretcher Over-Lap Integrated Design (SOLID) in the Shigeru Kawai SK-7 provides an extraordinarily rigid foundation for string tension and tuning stability. The pin block is mated to the cast iron plate by hand, and the overlapping stretcher bar and pin block are then combined into a single structure that is secured to both sides of the rim. The integration of the pin block, plate and stretcher bar results in a framework that results in remarkable strength and rigidity, which provides stable, accurate tuning and thus resplendent tone.
Extended Keysticks
Each key stick is slightly longer than previous models, which provides balanced touch and nuanced response from the front to the rear of the playing surface. Keysticks are also built with a taller profile for greater strength, offering more power.
Millennium III Action
The highly-acclaimed Millennium III Action boasts custom-designed ABS Carbon components that are extremely light yet strong, allowing for quicker repetition with less effort. ABS-Carbon action parts also offer the pianist much more expressive control, particularly when playing pianissimo.
Concert Agraffes
The Shigeru Kawai SK-7’s Agraffes are identical to those employed on the spectacular SK-EX Concert Grand Piano. Each Agraffe is made from billet brass rods that are individually machined to guarantee the precise positioning of each string. A clean, clear tone is produced as a result.
Temaki Bass Strings
Temaki literally translates as “hand-wound.” Kawai’s specialized master piano artisan painstakingly directs the winding of each individual bass string by hand for absolute precision and tension. This deliberate temaki technique ensures a broad range of tonal colors and excellent depth of tone.
All-Spruce Beams
Spruce is noteworthy for its exceptional sound transmission. However, it is generally considered too expensive to be used as a structural material. As part of the Shigeru Kawai piano’s commitment to excellence, all of the underside beams on SK-7 pianos are completely constructed of the finest quality spruce.
Specifications
THE PREMIER PIANO OF JAPAN
Length: 7’ 6” (229 cm)
Width: 5’ 2” (158 cm)
Weight: 882 lbs. (400 kg)
Finish: Polished Ebony
Size comparison
Resources
| Size | Length | 7’ 6” (229 cm) |
| Width | 5’ 2” (157 cm) | |
| Height | 3′ 4″ (102 cm) | |
| Weight | 882 lbs. (400 kg) | |
| Touch | White key surfaces | NEOTEX |
| Black key surfaces | NEOTEX | |
| Action | Millennium III | |
| Hammers | All underfelted | |
| Sound | Soundboard | Solid Spruce, Tapered |
| Agraffes | 1-54 keys / Shigeru Kawai concert agraffes | |
| Duplex scaling | Front & Aliquot | |
| Beams | 4 | |
| Exterior design | Pedals | Damper, Sostenuto, Soft |
| Casters | Double, Brass | |
| Lid props | 3 | |
| Softfall | ✔ | |
| Music rack | Position | 5 positions |
| Hard Finish | – | |
| Lock | ✔ | |
| Other features | Stretcher Over-Lap Integrated Design (SOLID) | |
| Longer Keys | ||
| Steel-reinforced keyslip & keybed | ||
| V-pro plate | ||
| CORE system | ||
| Vertically laminated treble bridge | ||
| Longer period of natural drying process | ||
| Select hand-wound bass strings | ||
| Dual Pivot Damper Action | ||
| Spruce beams | ||
| Reinforced Hammer Shank | ||
| Hand-craft Process | ||
| Final voicing by MPA (Master Piano Artisan) |
"My Shigeru SK-7 has given me a whole new level of expression, control, tone and clarity that I never dreamed was possible. I am undoubtedly a better composer and performer because of this world class instrument."
Joe Bongiorno
Solo Piano Artist/Owner, Piano Haven Recording Studio, Shigeru Kawai Artist
Shigeru Kawai Artists
Unparalleled Legacy. Unsurpassed Craftsmanship. Unrivaled Advancement.
Shigeru Kawai STORY
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.”
