Yamaha C5L Grand Piano

You probably already know that the Yamaha C5 is a beautiful beast of a concert level grand piano and anyone who plays one never forgets it. The C5L is more or less the same piano with some slight design changes. If you have any technical info or corrections for this article, please email mgpianos@gmail.com.

The pros of buying a Yamaha C5L

  • The Yamaha C5L is a piano that is made with the highest quality materials to create a concert level instrument.
  • It has three pedals, offering full sostenuto.
  • With regular maintenance it will last a lifetime.
  • It is well known to be a top level instrument in any home, studio, rehearsal room or concert hall.
  • With lovely long strings to produce a deep, rich tone, the Yamaha C5L comes in at 2m long.

What are the cons of buying a C5L?

  • It is basically a C5, the design changes are so slight that many would struggle to spot them. It can be harder to find one in a great condition than the C5 and may have a higher price tag because its an ‘upgrade’.
  • It may be a bit too big for many homes and smaller venues.
  • It will need a large budget, especially if buying brand new. Used prices are also quite high.

When was it produced?

The Yamaha C5L was produced between 1999 and 2007.

Where was it made?

All the C series Yamaha pianos come from Yamaha’s best factory in Hamamatsu, Japan. The pianos from here tend to be the best and includes the concert grand CFX, which sells for £140k.

Videos

Yamaha C5 grand piano 4720xxx from Mark Goodwin on Vimeo.

Quotes

Don’t just take my word for it, here is what an article from Audiofanzine has to say about the C5 (which we have established is essentially the same as the C5L)…

“It’s an easy piano to play, with a nice touch and good action. It has the feel that you’d expect from any professional piano. … Whether you’re looking for a grand piano for your recording studio or for your home, the Yamaha C5 is a stellar piano at an even stellar price.”
Ask anyone at all in the piano world for their opinion on the Yamaha C5 and you won’t find anyone who doesn’t like it. It’s a winner.

And a quote from a piano world forum…

“I’ve always considered a C5 a really nice piano. If space weren’t an obstacle, a CX7 or C7 would be sitting in my living room right now.”
https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3044817/re-feurich-179cm-is-so-heavy-equivalent-to-yamaha-c5l-2m.html

Who should buy them?

You’ll find Yamaha C5 pianos in concert halls, music studios, piano teachers’ houses, universities, wedding venues, and in the home of concert pianists. Anyone who needs the highest quality piano with a world class sound knows that they can rely on the Yamaha C5.

Will I need to upgrade at some point?

If you really wanted to treat yourself you could trade up to a Yamaha C7 or a CFX but, realistically, the Yamaha C5, and any of its upgrades, will keep you happy forever.

Dimensions

The Yamaha C5 has a width of 149cm and is 200cm long.

New and used prices.

You can buy a used Yamaha C5 for around £14,000 to £17,000, but prices vary massively due to age and condition. The C5L may be slightly more expensive, mostly because it is likely to be newer and because sellers will try to push it as an upgraded model.

Alternative models to consider similar to this.

The Yamaha C3 is slightly shorter but still sounds fantastic, and the Yamaha C7 is slightly longer with an even fuller, richer, sound. If you don’t have the budget for a C5L, but love the piano, you could also look at a Yamaha G5. These are the older model of the C5 and like the C5L, the differences are slight.

Conclusion

Any of the pianos in the Yamaha C5 range will keep you smiling for many many years and with regular maintenance they will never ever let you down, so if you are struggling to find the C5L, any of the other variations will do the same job. If you don’t have the budget, give the older G5 a try instead.

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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.