How much for a Yamaha C3 Grand?

[violinist]

Hello,

I went piano shopping with some of my friends and a piano teacher (for them - I already got a piano) and they have settled on Yamaha C3 - brand new (black).

It's a nice piano and they've fallen in love with it.

I was wondering if anyone would know a reasonable price to get this grand piano.

Any experiences or any knowledge would be appreciated.

We're getting this piano from Northern California.

THANKS!

Feel free to e-mail me if you want at stradviolin2020@yahoo.com

Thanks again!!!

[tompilk]

I've been looking for grand pianos this weekend and have (i think) decided on the cheaper Yamaha C1, however I have seen some C3s for around £7500 (roughly $13000). That's quite cheap though for a 10 year old... i think...
I'm hopefully going to choose one in the next week or two... and i'm spending about £5000($9000) on a C1 (if I can find a decent condition one - onces coming in a shop in a week). Anyway,
Tom Pilkington 

[tompilk]

I just got a G5 instead of the newer C1 I mentioned. They were both same price but I chose the G5 because it's massive. And sounds better in my opinion. Much better. 
I'm very happy with my choice... and Westlife rented my piano  the month before I bought it... How embarrasing... I don't really think I should have told anyone... I hate them... Lol.

[classicarts]

I just got a G5 instead of the newer C1 I mentioned. They were both same price but I chose the G5 because it's massive. And sounds better in my opinion. Much better. 
I'm very happy with my choice... and Westlife rented my piano  the month before I bought it... How embarrasing... I don't really think I should have told anyone... I hate them... Lol.

I think you made the right decision to get the G5 instead of the C1, in my opinion.  I think you'll get alot more enjoyment of having the G5, because of the size difference.  The sound will have alot more dynamics and depth.  However, I do think small grands do have certain qualities about them and the C1 is perfect accommodation for it if you want the sound of a small grand piano.

[tompilk]

I like the big sound - the bigger the better. I also like Rach, so I prefer this on the G5 than C1 - I played my whoole repertoire when trying the pianos out and G5 came out best... 

[violinist]

I'm just wondering what I can suggest as a bargaining price for this piano (Yamaha C3).  If anyone knows a fair price for this piano... please let me know.

Thanks

[classicarts]

I like the big sound - the bigger the better. I also like Rach, so I prefer this on the G5 than C1 - I played my whoole repertoire when trying the pianos out and G5 came out best... 

I could imagine playing Rach with a G5, but with a C1. It's too light of a piano.

[tompilk]

I could imagine playing Rach with a G5, but with a C1. It's too light of a piano.

Exactly

[iumonito]

Sorry your question got hijacked and yet you got no answer.  I am a low baller, so I would tell the seller that given my other option, I would pay $12K for this instrument and work my way up to no more than $15K, 16 if I am tired of shopping (how that would happen, I don't know).  If it is between 30 and 40% of their asking price, this is not an unreasonable offer.  I would definitely look at better pianos if the seller is not willing to sell for $16K.  How much are they asking?

To make "options" statement true, check out Ben Knauer's pianos.  They are used, so it is a slightly unfair comparison, but you can get a lovely used Mason & Hamlin A (about the same length, 5'8, but perhaps wider) for about that much.

If you are in an east-coast kind of mood, check out Maestoso.  It is not a well known brand (Pianocraft's answer to the entry-level question: a re-designed and re-manufactured Nordiska, really really nice for the price), but worth investigating if your friends are shopping in that price range.

[Axtremus]

Nah... for a new black C3, low- to mid-20k's would be more realistic here in the North East, though I've generally noticed slightly lower prices from the West Coast.

classicarts got a C3 very recently (which he promptly upgraded to a used C5)... assuming the C3 he got was new, you can ask him how much he paid for that C3.

[violinist]

Hello all.  Thanks for the responses!

We were offered $22,000 for the piano.  Similar price for Kawai Rx-3's.

I have another question from this family.  Does it matter which C3 or Rx-3 you get?  Meaning there were several on the floor and they didn't pick exactly which one they wanted. 

My belief is that each piano is pretty different and it's better to pick the one you like right on the floor instead of waiting for a piano technician to perfect it.  But is my belief a faulty one?

[iumonito]

Ax, this is precisely my point.  In my opinion it is not worth paying more than 16K for a C3 because with 22K you can get a really nice piano, even spend some money in having it refreshed and properly voiced and still keep some change.

An Harold, I would agree that if your friends have a trusted technician lined up to voice the piano, it makes little difference one instrument to another.  That having been said, this is a lot of money, and I have an inklin your friends do not have the sophistication (at lest not yet) required to get a technician to do what it takes to get the piano to an enjoyable state.

Therefore, for your particular friends, I would suggest chosing one that sounds better now and learn more about voicing and prepping later.

[quantum]

22k US for an RX3 is a bit steep.  I've seen them for around the same but in Canadian dollars.