Why high-performance pianos are moving away from traditional wood

Health · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the world of elite piano manufacturing, wood is a liability. To achieve the precision required for professional performance, engineers are replacing traditional timber with advanced composites. This shift solves a centuries-old problem: the tendency of organic materials to shrink and swell with humidity, compromising the instrument's touch.

Kawai has led the way in adopting non-traditional substances to guarantee uniform piano play since the 1970s. The primary challenge with wood is its sensitivity to environmental changes; it can shrink or swell significantly with humidity, which is problematic for piano actions where exacting tolerances are required to maintain a stable touch. Starting in 1971, the firm incorporated acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a composite, into various piano action components to address these issues.

The efficacy of this transition was validated in 1998 by Professor Abdul Sadat at California Polytechnic University. Research by him revealed that Kawai's ABS components surpassed equivalent timber pieces in strength and showed much lower sensitivity to moisture-driven changes. This technological evolution continued in 2002 with the introduction of the Millennium III grand piano action, which utilized ABS-Carbon—a composite combining ABS with carbon fiber. This material increased strength while reducing weight, allowing for faster operation during repeated notes or trills, while also providing the stiffness necessary to produce more power with less physical effort from the player.

These material advancements are central to Kawai's reputation for long-term stability in heavy-use environments, such as the KG Series popular among institutions in the 1980s and 90s. By moving toward composites like ABS-Carbon and Phenolic Stabilizers on hammers (introduced in 2009), the manufacturer aims to ensure that the instrument responds more accurately to a player's intentions over time, regardless of the piano's age or the surrounding environment.

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