Yamaha C3L Grand Piano
The Yamaha C3L, is a Yamaha C3 with some minor design changes, they are a truly great piano that many musicians dream of owning. If you have any technical info or corrections for this article, please email mgpianos@gmail.com.
The pros of buying a Yamaha C3L
- The Yamaha C3L has an amazing touch and tone.
- With three pedals, it offers a full sostenuto.
- It is a concert level piano.
- It will last a lifetime and is made from the highest quality materials.
What are the cons of buying a Yamaha C3L?
- The Yamaha C3L often costs more then the Yamaha C3 and you may struggle to spot the differences between the two.
- Your family might not appreciate losing their dining room to a piano, it is a relatively big model.
When was it produced?
First, there was the Yamaha G3 which dates from the 1960s or 70s. The G3 was later renamed the Yamaha C3, and then this became the C3L between 1999 – 2007. More recently it has been renamed to C3X and is still in production today. There are only slight differences between the models.
Where was it made?
All of the C series Yamaha pianos come from the factory in Hamamatsu, Japan. Yamaha makes all of its professional grade pianos at this factory, including the concert grand CFX, which sells for £140k.
Videos
Quotes
Don’t just take my word for it, here are some comments I found on Piano World…
This one is about the different models in the C3 range…
“It’s basically the model number. Every time they produced an upgrade, they’d change the letter. Basically it’s not important if you’re buying a second hand piano. The important thing is the condition, sound, and touch of the piano. Don’t worry too much about the letter. The earlier letters tend to be lower priced because they are older.”
http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2659531/re-weird-lettering-in-yamaha-models.html
With this in mind, here is a quote about the C3 range…
“I have a 7 year old C3 and love it. The bass is full and can growl when I want. The sound in my greatroom can fill the home but the C3 can be made to whisper quietly.”
http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2821139/newer-yamaha-c3-or-older-yamaha-c5.html
And another one…
“There is a friend of mine who’s a concert pianist and professor in Glasgow and she bought a 1990 C3 after it had spent ten years in a practice room and she still uses it every day for hours
http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2977643/15-year-old-yamaha-c3-vs-new-c2x.html
Who should buy them?
I think getting caught up in the design changes of the C3L would be a mistake.If you can get one at a good price, you would be a lucky player to own it, but it may be hard to find and any of the C3 variations would give you the same joy. The Yamaha C3 is also a great choice for music halls and events.
Will I need to upgrade at some point?
You will never NEED to upgrade this piano but if you find yourself with room to spare and a very big budget you may want to upgrade to a C5, C7 or CFX. The bigger you go, the happier you will be!
Dimensions
Width: 149cm
Length: 186cm
New and used prices.
The current RRP of a C3L (the C3X) is around £23,000-£25,000. Used are around £10,000 to £18,000, but this will hugely depend on the age and condition of the piano.
Alternative models to consider similar to this.
Alternatives to the Yamaha C3L would be the C2, a smaller and less expensive piano that still sounds great, or the larger and more expensive Yamaha C5. It all depends how much of your house and bank balance you are prepared to use. If you need something with a smaller price tag, you could also consider a Yamaha G3, an older model of the C3, that isn’t vastly different.
Conclusion
No musician ever regretted playing a C3 every day so it may not be worth waiting to find a C3L if you are struggling, that added letter really doesn’t make much difference.