Yamaha UX30BL upright piano review and information

The Yamaha UX30BL is a full-sized upright piano that is always impressive but almost never available for sale. It is one step up in quality from one of our all-time favourite models, the super-reliable and always wonderful Yamaha U30BL. If you have any technical info or corrections for this article, please email mgpianos@gmail.com.

The pros of buying a Yamaha UX30BL

  • This piano has an X frame design, which Yamaha says makes it stronger
  • It is made from the very best quality materials
  • It has longer bass strings than the standard U series, which helps it generate a rich tone.
  • It’s a full-sized upright at 131cm tall (taller is better when it comes to pianos).
  • It is definitely better than most baby grand pianos.

What are the cons of buying a UX30BL?

  • It is a rare piano. You could easily wait 5 years before finding one for sale in the UK. We’ve had 1 or 2 over the years and we are always looking for more as customers love them

When was it produced?

The UX30BL was made between 1988 – 1994 (approx dates. Please tell me if you see any made outside of this date range)

Where was it made?

The UX30BL, like all the U-series Yamaha pianos, was manufactured in the Hamamatsu factory in Japan. This factory is famous for its production of top quality pianos including the stunning concert grand piano, the Yamaha CFX, which retails for a whopping £140k!

What differences between similarly named models?

It’s different from the standard U30BL because of the X frame mentioned earlier. The quality of materials used in the X models are also higher than standard models. They have longer bass strings than the standard models too, allowing the pianos to generate a rich, high-quality tone, and they have vents at the front, giving them a better sound.

Videos

Here is a video of a UX30BL we had in stock in 2020. The sound quality isn’t great as we hadn’t sorted out our microphone technique properly at that stage. But you’ll get the idea.

Quotes

Don’t just take my word for it…

Caruso Piano Gallery (Connecticut) says that the Yamaha UX30BL has “a full, rich tone and ample volume that compares favourably with many grand pianos.  It’s quite possibly the ideal upright piano, a fantastic choice for pianists at any level, from beginners to the most experienced professionals.”

Who should buy them?

The Yamaha UX30BL is perfect for ambitious students and will take them through to grade 8+ with no need to upgrade. It’s perfect for more experienced musicians too. A brilliant choice that will last a lifetime.

Will I need to upgrade at some point?

Nope. Never. Ever. Unless you want a big C5 or C7 grand piano, then yes.

Dimensions

Height: 131cm
Width: 153cm
Depth: 65cm

New and used prices.

We don’t know the new RRP but it would be around 30-40% higher than a Yamaha U3. Used prices will vary but you should expect to pay £6000-ish from a piano shop or maybe £4500 if you find a private seller.

Alternative models to consider similar to this.

Pianos similar to this one are the U30BL, which is virtually the same, however doesn’t have that X frame. Also, consider the Yamaha U3 as an alternative as it’s still part of that amazing U series, and is a premium piano. The UX30BL has a smaller sibling, the UX10BL, but those are equally rare so you might be better looking at the Yamaha U1 or perhaps U10BL which is much easier to find.

Conclusion

If you find one, buy it! If you don’t want to buy it, tell me where it is so I can buy it!

Looking to buy?

Please see our pianos for sale page and you never know, there might be a UX30BL on there. If not, make sure you check for the U30BL instead as it will wow you.

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.

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