Yamaha G3 Grand Piano
The Yamaha G3 is a serious piano for serious musicians. Make sure you check the condition before buying as some of them are old and neglected. If you have any technical info or corrections for this article, please email mgpianos@gmail.com.
The pros of buying a Yamaha G3
- It is ~6ft long (183cm) which gives it a very rich and deep tone due to the long bass strings.
- It is made in Japan to the highest of standards
- Being slightly older (1990 or earlier) the price is lower than the younger C3
What are the cons of buying a Yamaha G3?
- It is an older model so take care to carefully check the condition.
- It usually has only 2 pedals instead of 3. The 3rd pedal was added to later models.
When was it produced?
The Yamaha G3 was produced between 1971 and 1990.
Where was it made?
All the G series Yamaha pianos were made in Yamaha’s factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, where Yamaha makes all of its professional grade pianos, including its concert grand, the CFX, which sells for £140k.
What differences between similarly named models?
The G2 is very similar but slightly smaller than the G3. The G5 is the next size up from the G3. All of these G models were replaced by the C series pianos which feature minor design changes but are very similar in terms of quality and performance. The G series are cheaper due to them being slightly older, but they are the same high build quality.
Videos
We’ve had a handful of G3 grands in stock over the years but sadly, no videos, so here is one from Youtube…
Quotes
Here is a quote that I found on a forum on Piano World…
“The G3E’s were very nice pianos. I like them a lot.” – http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/1802975/Re_Yamaha_G3_Grand_Piano.html
And another…
“In my opinion the G3E has quite a mellow tone compared to newer Yamaha pianos. Actually, I thought it was quite powerful, rich and warm, with a very nice soft dynamic range” – http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/1802975/Re_Yamaha_G3_Grand_Piano.html
Who should buy them?
This piano will suit ambitious students through to concert pianists, if you find one in good condition it will be a great buy! The G3 takes you away from the smaller sizes of the G1 and G2 baby grands and instead delivers a good-sized grand piano suitable for concert pianists, recording studios, high-end piano teachers, and music venues, etc.
Will I need to upgrade at some point?
As long as you are careful about which G3 you buy (always have it inspected by an independent piano technician) and have it tuned and regulated often, this piano will last you a lifetime. In many cases, a good G3 is capable of outlasting its owner.
Dimensions
Width: 146cm
Length: 183cm
New and used prices.
A used Yamaha G3 will cost around £8000 – £12,000, but the price will depend on the age and condition of the piano.
Alternative models to consider similar to this.
An alternative model to the Yamaha G3 is the Yamaha C3, this is a newer model and has a great quality of sound, the C2 would would be easier to find in a great condition and would also last a lifetime. Also you may want to consider a G5, slightly larger than the G3 because larger pianos have longer strings and a better quality of sound.
Conclusion
If you end up with a G3 in your house, you’ll be a very happy pianist indeed. The bass region will growl and purr and you’ll lose yourself in the sound. As mentioned earlier, just make sure you have any G3 inspected beforehand to check that it has been properly looked after through the years.
Looking to buy?
Email markgoodwinpianos@gmail.com to ask if we have a G5 or something similar. Sign up to our email newsletter and we will keep you updated.
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.