[o'naip]

I’d like to buy a used upright with a budget of around £2,500 and would be grateful for any help.

From reading other posts on this forum, the Yamaha U1 or U3 seems to be universally recommended – with serial numbers from 4 million most highly recommended. What are the advantages of pianos with 4 million serial numbers? I’ve seen a few older Yamahas at piano dealers and mentioned the serial number thing but have been told that because their pianos have been restored or are ‘as new’, the serial number/age doesn’t matter. Is this the case?

However, as seems quite common, I’ve found the tone of the Yamahas I’ve played a bit bright and uninspiring (including brand new ones) and was considering getting a restored older piano. I recently played a restored German piano made in the late 1920s that I thought was very nice - though slightly above my price range. Is this really a worse option than a newer piano and what is there to look out for on a restored older piano?

Also, when dealers offer a guarantee on a restored piano what should this include?

Many thanks.

[sussexpianos]

With your budget, the U1 instead of the U3 will be what you'd be looking for. 4 mill will be after 1986 but at the end of the day, the condition of the instrument is what matters. You can have a very good 1980 (3 mill) and a worn 1989 for instance. The Yamaha is bright and not to everyones taste. If you up your budget (and there are 12 month 0% Apr deals around) you could go for a Kawai K2 new(RRP £2999 black) which will have a more rounded tone but a bit less bass due to the size but still worth considering as its new and comes with 5 year warranty + another 5 years on parts( but I don't think you will ever need it).Another good new piano is the Wendle & Lung which the 122 retails around £2800.
Older (over 60 years) are nice if you want a decorative piano but don't offer value for money and need a little more care around central heating.For your budget you could get a recon with new hammers etc but its unlikely it will be restrung.( they don't always need restringing).
There is so much to write but I'll let the others fill it in as I've got a grand to strip ( lucky piano)

[o'naip]

Many thanks for your quick reply.
Of the Yamahas, I think I preferred the sound of the U1 - but are you saying the advantage of the 4 mill serial number is to do with the age of the piano rather than any technical/material improvement over earlier ones?

You mention that older pianos (60yrs +) aren’t value for money – why is that? Are modern pianos better built? Do they stay in tune longer etc? Or is it that an older piano won’t be worth so much if I want to sell it on.

Once again many thanks

[PianoGuy]

[lovasco]

Thanks for your useful posts. From them I understand that the Yamaha numbering is common to all models (i.e. U!, U3, etc.). Is it true?
_________________
I'm learning piano from scratch. Too late?

[o'naip]

Many thanks for your reply. A few more questions I’m afraid.

“There are far more badly restored older pianos than perfectly restored ones, and the cost of quality comprehensive restoration these days is often not justified on an upright.”

What do you think I should look for on a restored piano to tell the difference – what kind of things are skimped on to save costs during restoration?

“materials are less suited to today's centrally heated environments”

We normally keep the house on the cool side anyway, but what problems are caused by central heating? I’ve read that putting a bowl of water in the piano can help – is this right?

Also what should a guarantee cover?

Many thanks for your help and advice. Much appreciated.

[mdw]

You need to find a good tech you trust, not some one selling pianos out of his bedroom who read a book and fancied being a tech just because he can play chopsticks on a piano!!!! Then ask his advice and take it. Take him along to view the pianos. And rememember you generaly get what you pay for .
A good guarantee should cover everything. However if you put it infront of a radiator or abuse it then dont expect that to be covered ( it wouldnt be on a new piano either). You realy need to build a relationship with your tech. I have pianos I sold 10 -15 years ago and I will still go out and do a FOC repair as they are regular 6 monthly tuning customers. On the other hand if you have it tuned once every 8 years dont expect the same level of performance from me!!!

[o'naip]

Many thanks for your advice.

“You need to find a good tech you trust, not some one selling pianos out of his bedroom who read a book and fancied being a tech just because he can play chopsticks on a piano!!!! Then ask his advice and take it. Take him along to view the pianos. And rememember you generaly get what you pay for.”

Had another look at the restored piano - it really does sound lovely and plays beautifully . It looks very clean and new inside. The company selling it seems to be quite reputable, offering a 5yr guarantee – do you think I need to get it check out by a technician? And where could I find a good one?

Many thanks.