Product Overview

Kawai introduced their award-winning GL Series Grand Pianos in 2015, quickly becoming a global favorite due to their exceptional value and performance. The GL20i, built specifically for the US market and proudly crafted in Indonesia, is  identical in construction, materials and spec to the original GL-20. It provides remarkable tonal richness and clarity, in a compact 5’2″ baby grand piano form factor.

In 2016, the music industry recognized the GL Series with the prestigious ‘Product of the Year’ award from MMR magazine, marking the first time an acoustic piano achieved this honor in the magazine’s three-decade history. This award underscores the extensive array of premium features Kawai integrated into the GL series, many derived from their elite GX and Shigeru Series.

Key features of the GL20i include Kawai’s renowned Millennium III Action, incorporating carbon fiber-reinforced ABS components for exceptional durability and responsive touch. Additionally, the piano features extended-length keysticks and concert-length key buttons, delivering superior control and playability.

Further enhancing the GL20i’s performance are solid brass agraffes for precise string spacing, dual duplex scaling to enrich tonal color, and an 11-ply multi-grip pinblock ensuring tuning stability. The exceptional balance of features and affordability makes the GL20i an outstanding value in the global piano market.

Action

The GL20i is equipped with the celebrated Millennium III Carbon Fiber action, initially exclusive to Kawai’s handcrafted Shigeru Kawai models. This advanced action leverages ABS-Carbon technology to deliver unmatched durability, responsiveness, and musical expressivity, while providing superior resistance to humidity changes.

The GL20i further benefits from elongated keysticks and concert-length key buttons, giving musicians a responsive and nuanced playing experience. The multi-laminated keybed optimizes energy transfer, complemented by steel-reinforced key slips that prevent sticking keys.

Tone

Despite its compact size, the Kawai GL20i produces a rich and warm tone, demonstrating expressive qualities typically reserved for larger grand pianos. The balanced and seamless tonal transition from bass to treble is especially notable. The GL20i’s impressive bass clarity significantly surpasses smaller models like the GL-10, showcasing exceptional engineering quality and craftsmanship.

Additional tonal enhancements include extra-long bass strings and balanced duplex scaling, amplifying the piano’s upper partial harmonics and providing clarity and resonance uncommon for its size.

Hammers

Continuing Kawai’s tradition of manufacturing their own hammers, the GL20i features double-felted maple hammers, meticulously T-Stapled for added durability and tonal precision.

Soundboard

The GL20i employs a carefully selected, quarter-sawn solid Sitka spruce soundboard, precision tapered for maximum acoustic potential. Typically found in premium instruments, this advanced soundboard design enhances projection, sustain, and tonal complexity.

Rim/Cabinet

The GL20i features a robust, single-variety hardwood Matoa rim, along with a double-width stretcher bar integrated with the pinblock for increased structural stability. Premium features from higher-end Kawai models, such as the Crossbone-designed Gray Iron V-Pro Plate, soft-fall fallboard, triple backposts, and heavy-duty casters, complete the GL20i’s durable and elegant design.