Yamaha U1 vs U100, U10, UX1, UX10, YU1, YU11, YUS1 - Which are best?

I've converted all of my best Yamaha piano knowledge into a free PDF. Pop your email in below and I'll send it straight over

Here goes! (and please tell me if you think I got any of these in the wrong order!)

Most Popular Models

We included the Yamaha U1 in our Best Upright Piano blog post but let’s see how it compares to the other similar models.

• Yamaha U1 – Excellent! (1950s – present).
• Yamaha U100 – A younger version of the U1, built for export (1990s)
• Yamaha U10A and U10BL – Successor to the U1 with improved hammers and action (80s, 90s)
• Yamaha UX-1 – Better than a U10A / U10BL. X-brace for improved projection (80s, 90s)
• Yamaha UX10BL – Better than a UX-1 (80s, 90s)
• Yamaha UX10A – Better than a UX10BL. Grand piano style music desk & shelf (80s, 90s)

Younger and/or more obscure models

• Yamaha YU1 – Improved cabinet and tone (2000s-2010s)
• Yamaha YU11 – Replaced the YU1 (2000s-2010s)
• Yamaha YUS1 – Improved hammer felt, softer tone. (2004-present)

Random points:

• The U10 and UX10 variants have a slightly more slender cabinet design. The arms and feet are narrower. The U1 has a slightly beefier cabinet design
• The U10 and UX10 variants don’t have a lock and key, so can’t be locked.
• The UX-1 has chunky square corners at either side of the keyboard.
• The UX-1 has vents in the front panel to allow the sound to escape more directly (negligible difference to be honest)
• None of this really matters. Just sit down and play. The best piano is the one you enjoy most.
• Pianos with “YU” in the name usually come with a claim of being “hand made” or “hand finished”

So there you have it. They are all wonderful pianos but each one on that list is slightly better than the one before.

All of those pianos are suitable for ALL levels of piano players. Perfect for ambitious beginners, including children, and perfectly capable for taking any pianist all the way to grade 8 and far beyond that to professional playing.

Please see our pianos for sale to see which of those pianos we have for sale currently