We have supplied thousands of Yamaha pianos across the UK since 2002. Here is a small sample of our Google reviews.
★★★★★
Great service from Mark and Julie. Got a beautiful Yamaha piano that sounds exceptional. Delivery was smooth and the whole experience felt very personal and professional.
★★★★★
If you’re buying a Yamaha piano then Mark and his team are excellent. Honest advice, fantastic preparation and no pressure selling.
★★★★★
Wonderful Yamaha U3 delivered to London exactly as described. The videos beforehand were extremely helpful and reassuring.
★★★★★
Great service from Mark and Julie. Got a beautiful Yamaha piano that sounds exceptional. Delivery was smooth and the whole experience felt very personal and professional.
★★★★★
If you’re buying a Yamaha piano then Mark and his team are excellent. Honest advice, fantastic preparation and no pressure selling.
★★★★★
Wonderful Yamaha U3 delivered to London exactly as described. The videos beforehand were extremely helpful and reassuring.
这些年来，我们也吸引了一些知名人士，包括购买了两台 U3（分别制造于 1984 年和 1995 年）的 Emeli Sande，Snow Patrol 主唱 Gary Lightbody，为当时 3 岁的女儿购琴的 Jeremy Vine，Coldplay 制作人 Markus Dravs，以及唱着“not 19 forever”的 The Courteeners 乐队，他们来店里订购了一台 1977 年产的 U3。
Jeremy Vine 在 2019 年 1 月发布了一段他女儿弹奏他从我们这里买的钢琴的视频，称这是他“2018 年最美好的时刻”。点击这里观看视频
Best moment of 2018? Took my daughter, 11, to see Bohemian Rhapsody. When we get home she locks herself away with the piano and then two hours later asks me to come and listen pic.twitter.com/fCYjJ9LDLt
We currently have 11 Yamaha pianos listed on our pianos for sale page and it’s a safe bet that at least half of those are Yamaha U3 or U3 variants such as the U30BL or U30A etc. We have 0% finance available over 18 months.
So, why buy a Yamaha U3? Read on!
60 years of awesome
The globally-respected Yamaha U3 has been in production for at least 60 years and has allowed millions of musicians to enjoy a top-quality piano for a mid-range price.
The North of England’s most prestigious boarding school has around 100 Yamaha U3 pianos in their rehearsal rooms and a few years ago we supplied 10 Yamaha U3s to one of the UK’s leading girls’ boarding schools.
The Yamaha U3 has been a best-seller for many UK piano shops for the past few decades and we’ve sold hundreds of them over the past 15 years. See our reviews page to see some of the shiny happy people who bought a U3 from us.
Yamaha U3 Video Recordings
Please allow me to show you 2 quick videos. Here is a delicious rendition of Stevie Wonder’s, “Sunshine of my life”, played by davidbennettmusic.com.
And here is my late Uncle Ronnie playing one of our first Yamaha U3s back in around 2005.
Who is the U3 suitable for?
We mostly serve families with ambitious young pianists who need a piano that will take them all the way through to grade 8 (and beyond) with no need to upgrade their piano ever again.
We’ve attracted a few household names over the years including Emeli Sande who bought 2 U3s (made in 1984 and 1995), Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol frontman), Jeremy Vine (for his then 3-year-old), Markus Dravs (Coldplay producer) and The Courteeners (“not 19 forever”) who popped in and ordered a 1977 U3.
Jeremy Vine tweeted a video of his daughter playing the piano he bought from us in January 2019 calling it his “best moment of 2018”. Watch the video here
Best moment of 2018? Took my daughter, 11, to see Bohemian Rhapsody. When we get home she locks herself away with the piano and then two hours later asks me to come and listen pic.twitter.com/fCYjJ9LDLt
Can a reconditioned Yamaha U3 really increase in value?
A customer who bought a U3 from us in 2009 came back this year and asked us to sell their piano for them and we listed it for £1000 more than they originally paid. Most pianos decrease in value but a top quality reconditioned U3 will continue to increase in value as supply tightens and the pound continues its steady decline against the Japanese Yen.
Will a brand new Yamaha piano increase in value?
The retail price of a brand new U3 will continue to rise but you have to factor in that its value will drop by around 30% in the first 3-5 years. I’ve written a full article about Yamaha pianos increasing with value.
Yamaha U3 vs Baby grand piano. Which sounds best?
If you are drifting towards a baby grand expecting it to have a better sound than an upright, please take a moment to consider the fact that a Yamaha U3 has longer bass strings than most baby grand pianos which helps give the U3 have a richer bass sound than many baby grands.
What about the Yamaha U1?
The Yamaha U1 is a really great piano but it has shorter strings, a smaller soundboard and shorter key-length compared with the U3, all of which means that it is not quite in the same league. I made a video a few years ago comparing U3 and U1 pianos and you might like to watch that here:
Could a Yamaha U3 be too loud?
If you are worried that a Yamaha U3 might be too loud for your living room or too loud for your neighbours, you will be pleased to know that it has a clever mechanism attached to the middle pedal which takes the volume right down. I made a video to demonstrate this, here you go:
What about silent U3 pianos?
If you really REALLY want to block out the sound of your playing then you might be pleased to know that any Yamaha U3 can be converted to silent quickly and easily.
What are the Yamaha U3 dimensions?
Officially, the U3 is 131cm tall, 153cm wide and 65cm deep. To see my own measurements please watch my Yamaha U3 dimensions video below and consider reading, will a Yamaha U3 fit in my home?
What are the Yamaha U3 prices?
A Yamaha U3 in “as new” or “showroom condition” starts at £4990. See our used Yamaha piano prices page for the full range.
A brand new U3 is around £11,000 (correct as of 2021) and you can see our new Yamaha pianos price page for more information.
Which other models should we consider?
You might also consider one of the upgraded versions of the U3 such as the U30, U30BL, UX etc.
Read our free unofficial Yamaha piano buyer’s guide
I would definitely urge you to download our unofficial Yamaha piano buyer’s guide which is a 10-page PDF designed to help you avoid making any expensive mistakes. The guide includes a 1-page summary at the start so you don’t even have to read the whole thing. It is also available in Chinese.
0% Finance
You will need to pay a 10% deposit followed by 17 monthly instalments. You can view more pricing information and 0% finance figures on our pianos for sale page
Let us choose for you
If you are tempted to buy a piano but are unable to visit our London or Manchester showrooms then you are very welcome to ask us to choose a piano for you
I could have included a lot more detail on this page but I wanted to try and be concise. If you are hungry for more information please read our FAQ, our blog and our Yamaha pianos information page.
The Yamaha U1 is a top-class piano that has been trusted by professional musicians for over 60 years. We have Yamaha U1 pianos for sale from around £3490 and we also offer a Yamaha U1 Rental service from £99 per month with no minimum term.
Video: Watch my quick Yamaha U1 summary
Article Summary
This article is quite long so here is a snappy little summary for you.
The universally-respected Yamaha “U series” has been in production for at least 60 years and has allowed millions of musicians to enjoy a top-quality piano for a mid-range price. The 3 main models were the U3 (131cm tall), the U2 (127cm tall) and the U1 (121cm tall). The U3 is still the most popular, the U2 was discontinued and the U1 has always been a firm favourite too.
The North of England’s most prestigious boarding school has around 100 Yamaha U3 pianos in their rehearsal rooms and a few years ago we supplied 10 Yamaha U3s to one of the UK’s leading girls’ boarding schools. Even though they ordered U3 pianos, the U1 is built to the same high standards so you can be confident in its quality.
The Yamaha U1 has been a firm favourite with piano teachers for many decades as its smaller size allows it to fit into small tuition spaces. See our reviews page and you’ll see a good number of people who bought a U1 from us.
Let’s hear it then
Here is our piano technician, Chris, playing a 1983 Yamaha U1 that we had in stock recently
And this time a Yamaha U1 from 1977
Who is the U1 for?
Piano teachers love the U1 as it fits neatly into their music tuition room without dominating the space too much. The U1 is also popular with instrumental teachers and accompanists who need to be able to see over the top of the piano to communicate with their students. Recording studios often request a U1 because studio space is often very limited.
Pete Tong, the legendary Ibiza and BBC dance DJ, also bought a U1 from us and seemed pleased with it. Here is the photo he sent to us just after delivery.
Something good to read
If you are unsure if the Yamaha U1 is suitable for you I would definitely recommend that you read my unofficial Yamaha piano buyer’s guide which is a 10-page document designed to help guide you away from expensive mistakes (also available in Chinese).
Will a Yamaha U1 hold its value?
This video from 2013 shows a 1985 U1 for sale in our showroom for £3090. Today the same piano would be over 50% more expensive. Used Yamaha piano prices have been going up for 10-15 years and they continue to rise as supply becomes tighter and the pound continues its steady decline against the Japanese Yen. The best time to buy a U1 was 10 years ago. The 2nd best time to buy is right now.
Will a brand new Yamaha piano increase in value?
The price of a brand new U1 will continue to rise but its value will drop by around 30% in the first 3-5 years. Read my article, “Yamaha pianos increasing with value”:/faq/investment for more info.
What about the Yamaha U3?
The “Yamaha U3”: /yamaha/yamaha-u3-piano is the big brother of the U1. It has longer bass strings, a larger soundboard and longer keys. All of these factors make the U3 a noticeably better piano but it does mean the piano is taller, wider and deeper. I made a video a few years ago comparing U3 and U1 pianos and you might like to watch that here:
If you have concerns that a Yamaha U1 might dominate your living room or turn the neighbours against you, you will be pleased to know that it can be dramatically softened with the middle pedal. I can demonstrate this feature in this next video.
What about a silent U1?
If you want full privacy whilst playing piano you might consider asking us to convert any Yamaha U1 to silent which gives it full acoustic and digital capability so that you can play with headphones on.
Our Yamaha U1 pianos start at £3490 (special offer price). See our used Yamaha piano prices list for more options.
A new Yamaha U1 is usually around 3 times the price. Read more on our new Yamaha pianos prices page.
11 Yamaha pianos in stock
We currently have 11 Yamaha pianos listed on our pianos for sale page and it’s a safe bet that 20-30% of those will be Yamaha U1 or U1 variants such as the U10BL or U10A etc.
If you don’t want to a U1 outright you might enjoy our Yamaha U1 Rental service. You can rent a U1 from £99 per month with no minimum term and if you decide to buy it later we will knock off your 1st 12 months’ rental payments from the purchase price.
Which other models are similar?
There are various improved versions of the U1 which you might consider such as the U10, U10BL, UX-1 etc. They are slightly more expensive and slightly more special.
Ask us to choose for you
If you would like to buy a U1 but are unable to visit our showrooms then you might consider asking us to choose a piano for you
I tried to be concise, I’m sorry! If you are still eager to read more please have a flick through our FAQ, our blog and our Yamaha pianos information page.
Many thanks
Mark and Julie Goodwin x
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Piano Shop Near Me?
If you live in Manchester or London then yes the answer to "Piano Shop Near Me?" is a big "YES". Our Manchester showroom is in close reach of Liverpool, Stoke, Derby, Cheshire, York, Newcastle, Blackpool, Preston, and our London Piano Shop in Battersea is near you if you are from central or South-West London, across Surrey and surrounding areas.
