Yamaha P116 upright piano

The Yamaha P116 is a piano for those looking for something compact with a mid-range cost. You may end up wanting to upgrade to a piano with a wider range of tone. If you have any technical info or corrections for this article, please email mgpianos@gmail.com.

The pros of buying a Yamaha P116

  • With a height of 116cm, the Yamaha P116 is a short piano, so it will fit into smaller spaces.
  • It is a budget piano.

What are the cons of buying a Yamaha P116?

  • Shorter pianos have shorter strings, which can affect its sound quality. It is just a bit too small to really produce a high-quality sound.
  • You may eventually wish to upgrade it for a piano that will see you through the higher grades and beyond.

When was it produced?

The Yamaha P116 began being made in the late 1980’s and is still being made today.

Where was it made?

They started being made in the Japanese factory in the late 1980’s, in the early 1990’s production moved to the UK factory. Today they are made in Indonesia, where production costs are low. Yamaha’s best pianos, including the coveted U-series and the world-famous concert grand CFX, come from their Japanese factory.

What differences between similarly named models?

The Yamaha P121 is the next upgrade in the P series and is bigger than the Yamaha P116. Some also have the letters SH2 at the end, this tells us that the piano has a ‘silent option’ installed.

Videos

Quotes

Don’t just take my word for it, here is what I found on a forum on Piano World…

‘10 years ago it was not a bad piano, but the U series is better in just about every spec.’
-http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/132490/yamaha-p116.html

Who should buy them?

The Yamaha P116 is aimed at beginners. It will get the job done for those starting out, but may not last them very long. I would recommend considering other options if you are looking for something that will really satisfy you as a musician.

Will I need to upgrade at some point?

You may soon wish to upgrade to a model with a greater range of tone.

Dimensions

Height:  116cm
Width:    153cm
Depth:    58cm

New and used prices.

A used Yamaha P116 will cost around £4500, and a new one will cost around £6000. You can get a used Yamaha U1 for around the same price, which would also suit a smaller space, but has a better sound quality.

Alternative models to consider similar to this.

An alternative models to the Yamaha P116 is the Yamaha U1. As mentioned above, the U1 is also a compact piano, with a similar budget, but a superior sound. Also, if you can go bigger, you could consider a Yamaha U3, which is a much better option for those who want a concert level piano that will never need to be upgraded.

Conclusion

This piano is OK, but not great, and there are some great options available.

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I hope this summary was helpful to you, and as always your feedback, thoughts and questions are welcomed, so don’t hesitate to reach out.