We always keep a regular stock of pre-owned Yamaha U3 and U1 upright pianos. The reason is simple: they are hugely popular models and that are highly respected in the piano trade for their reliability and solid construction. Combine this with a clear resonant tone and responsive action, and you will soon understand why these models are found in the practise rooms of many music schools and conservatoires. So here we are going to take a closer look at the Yamaha U3, and show some of the reasons why this continues to be such a popular model.
The U3 is a large cabinet upright piano, with an extra 10 cm of height over it’s smaller relative, the Yamaha U1. This is extra height means longer strings, and that means a much richer tone, especially in the bass. The bass notes on the Yamaha U3 are particularly good, with plenty of growl and chime that has comparisons to a grand piano. The overall affect across all the registers, from bass to treble, is extremely balanced and even. There are no discernible ‘weaker’ areas, just full resonant tone across the whole keyboard. This extra height also mean the piano is much louder, and you could easily use this piano to accompany a 100 string choir if needed too!
The action of a Yamaha U3 is excellent: very responsive to all manner of dynamics, from loud repeated chords to delicate fast runs that require soft tones. The millimeters of precision engineering needed to produce this is something Yamaha have perfected over years of work. By the 1980’s and into 1990’s, the Yamaha U series piano became the most popular selling piano line due to this winning combination of high quality action and tone. For the beginner, this U3 is a dream piano that has the power to inspire and boost creativity. For the advanced pianist, the U3 has the broad range of touch and dynamics required for the repertoire, considerably lessening the transition to a grand piano for concert playing.