BUYERS’ GUIDE
PIANO
32 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
CONTENTS
Welcome .............................................................................. 5
Upright or Grand? ............................................................ 6
New or Used? .................................................................... 7
Caring for Your Piano ....................................................... 9
Technical information ...................................................13
Environmental Awareness ............................................ 14
Vintage Yamaha Pianos.................................................15
54 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
WELCOME
Whether you are looking for a first piano for you or your child, or you want to replace your existing
instrument, we hope this guide will help.
As a company with over 125 years’ piano making experience and one that has led the world in
the development of advancements in piano technology, Yamaha is delighted to provide you with
information to assist you in choosing the right piano for you.
This guide is intended to:
• Refer you to a choice of pianos which suits your needs.
• Answer the questions:
- Upright piano or grand piano?
- New or used piano?
• Give you maintenance tips
• Provide technical information
All information in this guide can be found by
visiting our website: uk.yamaha.com
76 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
UPRIGHT OR GRAND?
UPRIGHT
The modern upright piano was
developed towards the end of the 18th
Century and contributed considerably to
the popularisation of piano practice and
performance. It is compact due to its
vertical structure and has an action in
which the hammers move horizontally.
The upright piano is popular in homes,
schools and smaller venues. Some
larger models compete well with small
grands in terms of tone and volume.
GRAND
The grand piano pre-dates its upright counterpart by nearly a century. Its layout and action helps
a grand piano respond to the nuances of the pianist’s
technique in a way an upright piano can’t.
A double escapement action allows the grand
piano to quickly repeat a note without fully
releasing the keys and the pedals on a
grand piano give great control over
expression and tone.
NEW OR USED?
WHY BUY A NEW PIANO?
A used piano cannot compete with a new piano regardless of the quality of the manufacturer.
A new Yamaha piano has its whole life ahead of it. Like buying a new car, you can be certain that
it has not been mistreated or subjected to unusual use. New piano mechanisms have not suffered
the wear and tear that may lead to future problems in a used instrument. The strings are clean and
bright and having just been quality-checked in our workshops, everything fits together perfectly.
What’s more, all new Yamaha pianos benefit from a 5 Year Guarantee*. This assures peace of mind
and lets you focus on the most important aspect of piano ownership - making music!
With average use, and if tuned and maintained regularly, you might expect your new Yamaha piano
to provide a lifetime of satisfaction.
FINDING A GOOD USED PIANO
Sometimes you may find a well-maintained used piano with plenty of life left in it. Genuine
opportunities to purchase such instruments are generally offered by good professional retailers who
are capable of thoroughly evaluating the instrument and restoring it as necessary.
To avoid any unpleasant surprises, it is wise to ensure the competence of the store with whom
you plan to deal. If you choose a YAMAHA PIANO AUTHORISED DEALER you will benefit from the
experience and know-how of a real piano professional.
Buying from an authorised dealer means you can take advantage of all their vital services, both
pre-purchase and after-sale, including the preparation of your piano and the opportunity to fully
audition the instrument and compare it to others.
*2 Year Guarantee on Disklavier and Silent electronic components.
98 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
THE SILENT OPTION
There may be times when the deep, resonant sound of a Yamaha piano will not be
appreciated, especially if it is disturbing a neighbour or family member.
It’s for those times that we developed our SH and SG2 Silent Systems.
Yamaha Silent Pianos are real, acoustic pianos and oer all the sensitivity and touch
of a normal Yamaha piano action but with the option to hear a Yamaha concert grand
delivered through headphones while others can watch TV or listen to their own music in
the same room.
When the Silent System is activated, optical sensors detect every subtle movement
of piano keys and pedals, faithfully translating them into digital information which then
instantly plays a meticulously sampled Yamaha grand.
You choose the volume in the headphones and you can even select other instruments
such as harpsicord, marimba or organ. This facility increases the opportunity to
practice, resulting in faster progress when learing, as well as enhancing the enjoyment
of your Yamaha piano.
The Yamaha Silent option is available on new
upright pianos and grands and opens up
another world of sound possibilities.
SH control unit
CARING FOR YOUR PIANO
WHERE TO PLACE YOUR PIANO
Firstly, you must avoid direct sunlight, moisture and extreme temperatures. We suggest that a
range of humidity from 50 to 60% and a temperature range from 18 to 23°C is optimal for your
piano. Excessive moisture not only affects the sound but will produce unwanted damage on the
mechanism. It is important to ensure good ventilation when conditions allow. However, when there
is excessive moisture in the air, when it rains for example, it is better to close the windows of the
room where the piano is located. The outside of the piano may discolour in direct sunlight or with
excessive heat (if placed near a radiator or warm air vent, for example). Such damage to the exterior
can eventually cause cracks to appear in the soundboard or lead to the damage of other parts.
Careful choice of the piano’s location with respect to heat sources etc. pays dividends over time.
DAILY MAINTENANCE
Wipe with a soft, clean cloth any dust deposited on the surface.
Cover the keyboard with a soft cloth to avoid that dust when not in use.
Clean the keys with a lightly moistened, soft cloth. Excess water MUST be avoided.
Do not use alcohol or solvents as they can damage the keyboard.
The chemical composition of commercial detergents can damage a piano’s finish.
Be particularly alert to any objects placed on your piano. This is the place for musical scores, not vases,
aquariums or drinks!
1110 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
WHY TUNING IS REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE?
Before being delivered, Yamaha pianos are tuned several times to guarantee arrival with the
customer in the best possible condition.
When the piano strings are first tightened, they take some time to stabilise.
A new piano should be left to settle after delivery so that it can become acclimatised to its new
home. It should be tuned within the first month and then again within the first year. As the strings of
the piano stabilise thereafter, it will hold its tuning with just one or two visits from the tuner per year,
depending on use.
ARE OTHER TYPES OF MAINTENANCE REQUIRED?
In fact, the word “tune” represents a whole number of piano settings. This includes not only tuning
that corrects the accuracy of pitch, but also adjustment that affects the feel and tone.
These three operations are important and necessary to maintain piano performance.
Maintenance of a piano can therefore be divided into four main areas:
a) Tuning (the adjustment of string tension)
b) Regulation (the adjustment of the action)
c) Voicing (altering the character of the sound)
d) Basic maintenance (cleaning, replacement of parts, checking the fundamental integrity of the
parts etc.).
At each visit, the technician should not simply tune the piano, but should also inspect each of the
four areas cited above, taking action wherever necessary.
CARING FOR YOUR PIANO
WHY YOU SHOULD TUNE YOUR PIANO REGULARLY
Each of the 230 strings on a piano is subjected to a tension of about 90 kg, giving a total force
of more than 20 tons. This force is constantly changing with time and temperature and leads to a
requirement for regular retuning to maintain the instrument’s pitch.
Tuning is achieved by defining the frequency of vibration of each string so that they vibrate to give
the closest possible harmony with one another. To do this, tension is adjusted by turning each string
individually using dedicated tool called tuning lever.
The structure of the piano is essentially of wood that changes with variations in temperature and
humidity. These changes occur whether one plays the piano or not.
The strings, which are subject to this extreme tension, have a tendency to gradually relax when
struck by the hammer. The detuning is directly proportional to the force with which keys are played.
A regular piano tuning helps remedy the pitch changes that occur gradually over time. In addition, the
tuning process gives the experienced tuner a valuable insight into the overall condition of the piano.
To maintain a piano properly, it should be tuned once or twice a year depending on the frequency
and intensity of use.
WHAT IS HUMIDITY?
The idea of moisture in wood is often misunderstood. It is true that it is a much less noticeable
sensation than temperature. However, everyone can notice the condensation that is deposited on a
cold bottle straight out of the refrigerator. This is water vapour present in the air and becoming liquid
again on the cold surface. This capacity of air to absorb water is the property that dries our clothes!
The quantity of water air can absorb depends on the temperature: warm air absorbs a greater
amount of water than cold air.
Like air, wood contains water. In its green state, wood contains a large amount of water, often over
half its weight. During the drying of the wood, the water it contains evaporates. Once the wood
and air have reached the same level of moisture, there is a balance that stabilises the wood. If the
ambient air becomes more humid, the wood gets wetter. If the air becomes dry, the wood becomes
drier. This shows that the wood absorbs or returns the water into the ambient air according to the air
humidity level.
Air seeks moisture wherever it is. This is the classic problem of heating a home in winter. It is not
uncommon to have a moisture level of 23% in a modern house. This low value is comparable to that
found in deserts. Very dry air seeks to absorb water to regain balance. It acts as a powerful blotting
agent and absorbs water found in wood with the potential to cause great instability in your piano.
The age of a Yamaha piano can be found thanks to the serial number inscribed on the frame.
It is easily accessible by lifting the top lid. It is always the right of the piano, in the treble register.
You can use the vintage production Pianos Yamaha schedule guide.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
1312 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
WHAT IS REGULATION?
The piano action is a set of interrelated “levers”.
Constant playing over an extended period of time can wear the felt and leather parts in the piano
action. Similarly, expansion and contraction of wooden and metal parts because of humidity and/
or temperature change may also cause the levers to move out of alignment. As result, the piano’s
action can produce a slower response than normal.
Regulation is the adjustment of these levers to ensure the action continues to work responsively,
smoothly and in a uniform matter. This gives evenness of touch and performance.
WHAT IS VOICING?
Frequent playing may compact and compress the hammer felt. Subsequently this leads to hardened
and grooved hammerheads resulting in a loss of resilience, thereby producing poor tonal quality.
Voicing is the treatment of the hammerheads to improve or adjust the piano tone. It is an intricate
and highly specialised procedure of controlling the way the string vibrates by adjusting the density
of the felt in each hammer, and to some degree, the shape of each hammer. This type of service
requires care and expertise from the qualified piano technician as one wrong application can
damage the tonal quality of your piano.
CARING FOR YOUR PIANO
To find out more about the care we take in producing the entire Yamaha piano range, why not
download one of our Yamaha - The Key Advantage iBooks.
1514 YAMAHA PIANO BUYERS’ GUIDE
CONSERVATION AND EFFECTIVE USE OF WOOD RESOURCES
As one of earth’s depleting natural resources the scarcity of quality wood remains an ongoing
concern. Forests that give birth to this vital resource also serve as CO
2
sinks while simultaneously
supporting biodiversity. We know forests to be significant in environmental protection and their rapid
depletion is alarming.
Many instruments that we produce - including pianos as well as strings, percussion, and woodwind
instruments - are made primarily of wood for acoustic reasons.
Yamaha Timber Procurement and Usage Guidelines, established in 2007 help the Group accomplish
procurement that is friendly to the environment and biodiversity within its ecosystems, as well as
meeting its aims to maximise the use of timber without waste.
The Yamaha Group is commited to a policy of contributing to society through forest protection,
making continued progress in protecting forests in both Indonesia’s “Yamaha Forest” and in
Japan. In Indonesia alone afforestation activities will see 150,000 to 200,000 trees planted in 120
hectares over a five year period.
The Yamaha Group’s Environmental Policy was
designed to satisfy ISO 14001 requirements
with the ultimate aim of creating a better global
environment under the slogan “Sustaining the
Concerto of Yamaha with the Earth.”
VINTAGE YAMAHA PIANOSENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
1947 40 000
1952 50 000
1954 60 000
1956 70 000
1957 80 000
1958 90 000
1959 100 000
1960 120 000
1961 150 000
1962 180 000
1963 230 000
1964 300 000
1965 370 000
1966 460 000
1967 570 000
1968 700 000
1969 820 000
1970 980 000
1971 1 150 000
1972 1 340 000
1973 1 540 000
1974 1 740 000
1975 1 950 000
1976 2 150 000
1977 2 360 000
1978 2 570 000
1979 2 800 000
1980 3 030 000
1981 3 260 000
1982 3 480 000
1983 3 680 000
Year Serial Numbers Year Serial Numbers
1984 3 890 000
1985 4 040 000
1986 4 210 000
1987 4 360 000
1988 4 560 000
1989 4 680 000
1990 4 820 000
1991 4 960 000
1992 5 080 000
1993 5 190 000
1994 5 300 000
1995 5 390 000
1996 5 460 000
1997 5 520 000
1998 5 590 000
1999 5 810 000
2000 5 860 000
2001 5 920 000
2002 5 970 000
2003 6 020 000
2004 6 060 000
2005 6 100 000
2006 6 170 000
2007 6 223 000
2008 6 255 000
2009 6 285 000
2010 6 300 000
2011 6 315 000
2012 6 335 000
Japan
Year Serial Numbers
1994 1 119 000
1995 1 222 200
1996 1 326 300
1997 1 431 300
1998 1 537 200
1999 1 643 700
2000 1 750 000
2001 1 857 500
2002 1 963 500
2003 2 008 300
2004 2 082 400
2005 2 204 800
2006 22 108 600
2007 24 140 700
2008 25 161 300
2009 26 180 000
2010 27 180 000
2011 28 200 000
2012 29 200 000
Indonesia
(b1, b2, 23, P116, P121, GB1)
Year Serial Numbers
1994 E 257 600
1995 E 262 700
1996 E 267 700
1997 E 273 400
1998 E 279 300
1999 E 286 300
2000 E 292 200
2001 E 298 200
2002 E 303 800
2003 E 309 000
2004 E 314 600
2005 E 319 800
2006 E 325 000
2007 E 335 400
2008 E 337 000
2009 E 341 000
England
The age and origin of a Yamaha piano can be found using the serial
number inscribed on the frame. It is accessible by lifting the top lid
and is always on the right of the piano, in the treble register.
