preloved Kawai or Yamaha

[redcouscat]

I am an adult learner of piano and would like to buy a preloved Kawai or Yamaha. Can anyone recommend what models I should look out for. I was told that a professional model Kawai from the 1980s would be a good piano.
Apart from that piece of advice I know very little about pianos. I only have a small budget. I really want a Steinway in good playing order for $3,000 ! (LOL).

[Barrie Heaton]

I am an adult learner of piano and would like to buy a preloved Kawai or Yamaha. Can anyone recommend what models I should look out for. I was told that a professional model Kawai from the 1980s would be a good piano.
Apart from that piece of advice I know very little about pianos. I only have a small budget. I really want a Steinway in good playing order for $3,000 ! (LOL).

Depends on your taste both are well made new pianos However, both makes have issues on older models pre 1990

Kawai pianos tend to voiced softer than Yamaha. With any piano that is second-hand the name can be irrelevant if they have been neglected in the past. I would get a tuner to look at any piano you buy, try to keep to the 122 cm or above models for a more rounded sound.

Barrie

[redcouscat]

Thanks for the advice - I fully intend to have a technician look at any piano I am interested in before buying. I have found a Yamaha U3 for sale second hand but the owner cannot tell me how old it is. I hope they can give me the serial no. so I can look it up.

[Barrie Heaton]

The serial no# is just above the tuning pin on the right of the piano they just need to lift the top lid

Barrie

[Colin Nicholson]

If its a fairly modern U3, the serial number will be clearly shown inside the piano - to the right - black numbers, about 2cm in height, and also duplicated on the inside of the top lid - often a brass inlaid strip, with the numbers punched into the brass. Make sure these numbers are the same.

A bit like this.....

[redcouscat]

Thanks again I now have the serial no. of the yamaha U3 it is 844782. I can't find any info on this serial no. Is this a good piano?

[Colin Nicholson]

The serial number suggests the year 1969.

You can't always get serial numbers on-line.... Yamaha and other companies require you to contact a seller or someone who deals with these piano. In most cases, you would have to pay to receive this information (eg Pierce Piano Atlas). However, here, its free!

Know one will know if your piano is good or not unless it is inspected and tuned by a qualified piano tuner. The name and model is good, however no one can tell you the condition of the internal mechanism/ strings etc unless it is looked over in some detail.

When you book your piano tuner, (s)he will be able to give you more information.

[Colin Nicholson]

I fully intend to have a technician look at any piano I am interested in before buying.

Did you get someone to check it over (as you said above)??
Only the technician will know for definite how good it is.... so buying any piano "blind" - even Yamaha 1969.... can be risky if there are faults.

[redcouscat]

any piano I am interested in I will definitely have checked by technician. I just wanted to know if there were any known issues with this particular U3 (see serial no. in earlier post)

[Colin Nicholson]

For the interest of this forum - please could you tell me how anyone would know about the condition/issues of this particular piano without seeing it or inspecting it?

Serial numbers do not give information about a piano's condition - the only person who knows about its condition (or issues) would be the previous owner, and if they are selling it, rarely do get to find out anything. So that's why an inspection is needed.


If you simply contact your technician and arrange for an appointment to inspect the piano - they will be able to advise you further, and point out any possible problems with this specific piano. As I said before, we cannot know the condition of this piano here on the forum. Generally speaking, Yamaha and their range of U3 pianos are very good - and I've had no complaints tuning & servicing them... thats my opinion only.

The serial number only gives the age of the piano - nothing else; it doesn't provide a service history or 'fault finding issues' page - all pianos are individual, and you will eventually find out its true condition when a tuner inspects it, partly tunes it (to test the wrest pin torque), its tuning pitch, and the general "workings" of the mechanism, pedals, keyboard. Its very then your decision if you buy it or not.

[Gill the Piano]

Colin's right - it's like giving a mechanic a registration number, make & model of a car over the telephone and asking him what sort of condition it's in!

[Barrie Heaton]

Thanks again I now have the serial no. of the yamaha U3 it is 844782. I can't find any info on this serial no. Is this a good piano?

Its a very old one unless it has been restrung and has new hammers I would look for a more modem one over 3500000

Barrie

[nalalehman]

nice piano!