As someone said the other day, refering to the old grey market pianos, "They are obviously not wanted in Japan and not good enough for the Japanese musicians and public. They are off-loaded to the Australian market place, so why are they here?" Second hand pianos from Japan, and other parts od Asia, sometimes only repolished to "make them look as new". None of these pianos come with a genuine manufacturers warranty. We have heard that many have been used by music schools, often up to 15 hours per day over 5 or ten, or fifteen years. Often they are dumped on the market by temporary establishments, in some cases managed from overseas or interstate. So where does one go, once these outlets are gone? The musical usefullness and lifetime of a Japanese piano seldom extends beyond 35 years without potentially expensive restoration work. So is it really economical? If one purchased a new piano today, it would certainly make a lot more sense. There are some good products on the market, starting from $3,495.- to $5995.- , with a full manufacturer's warranty!