Yamaha pianos and keyboards.

[faa2010]

I have grown up with Yamaha: since the sweet flute till my GPX-620.  Also last year, in the Chopin Competition 2010, the one who won was always playing with a Yamaha piano, that made me proud of my T-shirt.

Of course, I don't want to blind myself that Yamaha is the number one in piano fabrication, so could you please tell me what is your opinion about Yamaha pianos and keyboards?, what are its advantages and disadvantages.

[ignaz]

Yamaha pianos are very good pianos but not at the top of the piano pyramid. 2nd or 3rd level based on model chosen.
Here is the good and the not so good about Yamaha pianos, of course this is only my opinion and these are only the items at the top of my head right now.
Good:
Consistency of pianos manufactoring.
Priced within range of most everyones pocket book.
Xlnt dealer network for parts or warranty service.
Different model choices in most sizes to reflect different materials and design. (C and S series).
Name most people will recognize even outside the music industry (resale value).
Come from factory well prepared vs other piano makers.
Bosendorfer ownership can only help Yamaha with future potential updates.
Not so Good:
Volume of piano manufactoring can lead one to suspect quality of wood in all areas of the piano.
When time to sell you will have to compete with other Yamahas on price. (but buyers will be available).
When the piano is worn out, not sure if it will be worth to rebuild. I have never seen a rebuilt Yamaha. The cost to rebuild will be close to the price of a new yamaha.
Can go either way:
Tone, This can go as either good or not so good but I choose not as good because to me its a bit bright and with less sustain that I would like. If you like the sound then great!
Hope that helps.

[richard black]

My feelings, based on playing a very large number of pianos from most of the makes found in Europe:

Yamaha builds a piano down to a price. I have no time at all for the company's smallest grands, which have a nasty, metallic sound and out-of-tune bass strings (that's bad string quality, not a function of how they have been tuned by the last technician to tune the piano). The medium-size ones, and the uprights, are just about serviceable but they seem to wear out fast and I don't often find them very interesting to play - they are very much factory instruments. The very top models (basically the CF concert grand and one or two models just below that) can be very good but don't seem to bear much resemblance to most of the rest. I really can't find much to like about most Yamaha pianos and I prefer Kawai and, in some cases, some of the better Chinese pianos. I certainly prefer many of the European makes. Can't comment on USA-built pianos because they don't turn up in Europe much.

Keyboards: I find the Yamaha ones seem to develop an annoying level of mechanical rattle quicker than similar models from Roland.

[jimbo320]

That's most of my gear. I use an Alesis Micron for synth sounds but everything else is Yamaha. I mostly play my PRS but also use a P95 for fuller classical pieces.
A friend of mine has a C5 which to me would be my choice for a grand.