Yamaha U30A Upright Piano

The Yamaha U30A is an immensely popular piano, and we often have two or three in stock. If you have any technical info or corrections for this article, please email mgpianos@gmail.com.

The Yamaha U30A is a definite favourite of ours. Powerful and lively, it is neither excessively bright nor overly mellow. Rather, it has a superb medium tone to it. It whispers through soft passages and has excellent resonance for louder sections.

The U30A has the same overall dimensions as a Yamaha U3 but comes with nickel-plated pins, which means they are less likely to rust and it has a slightly better overall quality than the standard Yamaha U3.

Cabinet differences

Can you spot the very subtle cabinet design differences below?

Standard Yamaha U3

Yamaha U30A

We have a long list of happy customers who have bought a U30A from us. If you buy one, you won’t regret it.

Yamaha U3A history

The Yamaha U30A was manufactured at the Hamamatsu factory in Japan, joining Yamaha’s U-series production line. This means that it has been built with expert craftsmanship and is made from the finest materials. At this factory, Yamaha produces its famous CFX, a concert grand piano worth £140k.

Yamaha U30A videos

Good eh?

Other opinions of the U30A

“One thing you will notice is that it has a very, very warm sound – it’s not bright at all, lots of people think Yamahas have a bright sound, that’s really not true. Just depends on how they’re voiced.”
- Piano Outlet, USA

“Yamaha U30A is an improvement version of Yamaha’s U3 upright piano series. These instruments deliver the highest quality of touch and tone that one would expect from a top of the range Yamaha.”
- From The Piano Fantasy:

Dimensions

Width: 153cm
Height: 131cm
Depth: 64cm

Who buys them?

The Yamaha U30A is for those who want a professional piano that is fun to play and will last for generations. It is suitable for ambitious learners and will maintain its quality as students move beyond grade 8 and into professional playing.

They are ideal for any professional musicians who want a top-quality piano but cannot fit a medium to large grand in their home. The U30A will easily produce a much better sound than most baby grand pianos.

Who doesn’t buy them?

Those on a tighter budget, or with less space, will sometimes opt for a standard Yamaha U3 or perhaps the smaller and cheaper Yamaha U1. Those who can afford to spend more – and have larger living spaces – may go for a Yamaha C3 grand piano instead.

New and used prices

When first released by Yamaha, the RRP was 30% higher than a standard U3. Due to the short period of production in the early 90s, they can be hard to get hold of, which has increased their price on the secondhand market, too.

Alternative models to consider similar to this.

It is worth considering other models within the U-series, such as the U3, U30BL, and the UX, which all come from Yamaha’s best factory in Hamamatsu, Japan. The Yamaha U30A is not to be confused with the cheaper B or P series as these models are not made in Hamamatsu, have a shorter string length, and may sometimes sound a little bright.

Conclusion

The Yamaha U30A is a very close relative of the ever-popular Yamaha U3. My advice would be to think of them as similar in quality, but the U30A perhaps has a slight edge in build quality and tone. They have a been expertly built to last a lifetime and give a clear and resonant sound.

Looking to buy?

We have stocked many Yamaha U30A pianos in the past and I snap them up whenever I get chance to buy more. Sign up to our newsletter and we will keep you updated. View our Pianos for sale to see if we have any in stock at the moment.

I hope this summary is of some use to you. Feedback, thoughts and questions are very welcome.

Thanks
Mark

Please follow & contact us on these platforms
Newsletter & Competitions: mgps.uk/news
Facebook: facebook.com/markgoodwinpianos
Twitter: twitter.com/mgpianos
Instagram: instagram.com/markgoodwinpianos
Youtube: https://bit.ly/2NbPIwo