Kawai Rx2 Vs Gx2 May 2026

Buy the GX-2 if you can afford it. The improvements in action speed, tonal complexity, and sustain are not marketing hype—they are real, measurable engineering advances. The GX-2 is simply a more expressive musical instrument.

Buy the RX-2 if you find a well-maintained example for under $12,000. At that price, it is one of the best values in the used grand piano market. You will get 90% of the performance for 40% of the price of a new GX-2.

The most critical differences between these two pianos are not cosmetic, but structural.

To understand the difference, we have to look at the lineage. kawai rx2 vs gx2

The RX Series (often called the "RX-2") was the successor to the highly popular GE and KG series. Produced roughly from the mid-1990s to the early-to-mid 2000s, the RX series was marketed as the "Artist Series." It was a massive hit in music conservatories and homes alike because it offered a professional action at a competitive price point.

The GX Series (GX-2) launched around 2006/2007 and succeeded the RX line. It represented a significant design overhaul. While the RX was a workhorse, the GX was marketed as the "BLAK Series" (in reference to the BLAK grand pianos), aiming for a more refined, richer tone and a higher-end cabinet aesthetic.

The RX-2 introduced pianists to the Millennium III action, which uses carbon fiber instead of wood for the jacks and whippens. It was a revelation—faster repetition, less friction, and virtually no warping due to humidity. Buy the GX-2 if you can afford it

The GX-2 refines this. It features the Millennium III "Evolution" action. While structurally similar, the evolution includes redesigned geometry and a new "soft fall" board material. In practice: The GX-2 feels lighter and more nimble. The RX-2 feels solid and deliberate; the GX-2 feels liquid. If you play rapid-fire Classical or intricate Jazz, the GX-2 lifts the floor off your technique.

I asked a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) with 30 years of experience for his take:

"I've serviced hundreds of RX-2s. They are workhorses, but the action stack brackets sometimes develop cracks (Kawai fixed this by 2008). The GX-2 fixed that completely. Also, the GX-2 is much easier to voice. The RX-2 hammers get bright quickly; the GX-2's hammers are softer felt and can be voiced down to a velvet tone easily. If you find an RX-2 from 2010-2012 in mint condition, grab it. If you find a GX-2, marry it." "I've serviced hundreds of RX-2s

The RX-2 was Kawai’s best-selling 5'10" (178 cm) professional grand piano, produced from the late 1990s until 2012. The GX-2 is its direct replacement (2012–present). The GX-2 is not a completely new piano but a significant evolution—sharing the same scale design but with a completely redesigned action, upgraded materials, and enhanced structural rigidity. If buying new, get the GX-2. If buying used, the RX-2 is an excellent value, but the GX-2 is objectively better.

Ask any piano technician about the RX-2, and they will mention one flaw: the tenor break.

Between low F and high C, the RX-2 is notorious for a slight "thud" or lack of singing quality as the strings transition from wound copper to plain steel. The GX-2 addressed this by redesigning the scaling (the length and tension of the strings) and adding duplex scaling (the front and rear non-speaking lengths of the string are designed to resonate sympathetically).

Winner: GX-2 (Decisively)