Yamaha U3A - Whats the difference???

natferrari · Post by **natferrari** » 25 Nov 2007, 12:47

Firstly I must say a huge HELLO to everyone!

After reading the forum for a couple of weeks and gaining insightful advice, I've decide to become a join u all officially!

Well, I'm looking to purchase myself (and daughter) a yamaha u3, and recently I found a U3a that I'm hoping to go view. Its a 1984 & costs k2100 which i think is reasonable?? (inc delivery (and yes its from a showroom dealer! lol!)

I'm hoping someone can explain the difference between the U3 and U3A. Ive also come across U3's with H before their serial numbers, but cant find listings for those on the yamaha w/site. Anyone heard of them??

thanks x

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 25 Nov 2007, 15:50

U3H and U3A are both U3s, the suffix is the series number. The A is later than the H.

It's likely to be an import because the U3s officially imported to the UK in 1984 were U3AS models, S denoting a sostenuto pedal instead of the home market celeste (practice) pedal.

Yours is cheap enough, but get a technician to check it over. The achilles heel of these is the hammer butt loops which rot. For that price you can assume the dealer has just bought it in to sell on without any overhaul work, so make sure the loops are OK.

natferrari · Post by **natferrari** » 25 Nov 2007, 23:12

Hey there piano guy!

Many thanks for your response...

So doesn't the U3a have a sustain pedal??? (sorry if that a silly question - im a tad confused right now)

Also would that be an import from Japan - and aren't the japanese made yamaha's better???

So about the loops - would that be just on the U3a or is that the case with any U3??

I'd like to get it checked over by a piano technician prior to purchase, do you think they check for such things and stuff like damp?

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 26 Nov 2007, 01:07

natferrari wrote: So doesn't the U3a have a sustain pedal??? (sorry if that a silly question - im a tad confused right now)

Also would that be an import from Japan - and aren't the japanese made yamaha's better???

So about the loops - would that be just on the U3a or is that the case with any U3??

I'd like to get it checked over by a piano technician prior to purchase, do you think they check for such things and stuff like damp?

No, they all have a sustain pedal. A sostenuto pedal is much cleverer. It sustains only the notes that are in play at the time of the pedal depression. Great for Impressionist music and cute for other tricks.

All U3s are made in Japan, but only a few are intended for our market. In practice there's only detail differences between the stuff they build for us and the stuff they build for themselves, but Jap imports can be very high mileage. Residual values of a one-owner traceable UK model U3 are much much stronger than for an anonymous Japanese one with no known history. Some are well-thraped ex music-college fare.

A technician should be able to check for most things, including the loops which can affect all U3s, but U3As are indeed prone, although why you're bothered about damp I'm not sure. Is the piano shop in a swamp?

natferrari · Post by **natferrari** » 26 Nov 2007, 01:50

thanks piano guy

and the showroom in a swamp... errr no, at least it better not b!!

LOL! its something i read whilst researching saying that the wood can rot, have woodworm or even damp!

a few weeks ago i thought buying a piano would b simple & straightforward. little did i know..

so going back to the sostenuto pedal which does sound pretty cool even 2 a novice like me.

also - would you say the u3a is better avoided in that case because of the loop problem? will it be difficult to resell?

natferrari · Post by **natferrari** » 26 Nov 2007, 03:46

also I've read mixed review about the 'greymarket' pianos.

should these be avoided??

thanks

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 26 Nov 2007, 09:13

natferrari wrote: LOL! its something i read whilst researching saying that the wood can rot, have woodworm or even damp!

a few weeks ago i thought buying a piano would b simple & straightforward. little did i know..

so going back to the sostenuto pedal which does sound pretty cool even 2 a novice like me.

also - would you say the u3a is better avoided in that case because of the loop problem? will it be difficult to resell?

The piano you're looking at is most likely 'grey market', but that's not damning in itself, after all you're buying a U3 which is a sought-after instrument and you'd never get a home market one at that price.

U3As are no less admired than any other variant, but check those cords on all U3s!

Woodworm, rot and damp are rare in a Yamaha, but a few imports have been known to be termite riddled.... I wouldn't worry about buying one of these since they're so obviously damaged that no dealer would dare sell one. The only ones I've seen have been personal imports.

As always... Get that tuner to check it out for you!

natferrari · Post by **natferrari** » 26 Nov 2007, 12:27

many thanks for the advice!

i guess its of a searching i go. wish me luck!!