--U3 ?the best thing next to a grand?--

[pianoplayerstar]

Is a yamaha u3 the next best thing?

Which is the best upright?

[dogperson]

The 'best' upright is a matter of selecting what is best for you based on touch and tone.  There are those that love the U3, and those that do not.

I suggest that you start by looking at PianoBuyer for the reviews of upright pianos, and then playing a large number of them to find out what meets your needs in terms of $$$, touch and tone.  You alone can determine what is 'best'.  This statement is true irrespective if you are looking for a grand or an upright.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/current-issue/05b-the-new-piano-market-staff-picks.html

[outin]

As already said, some people think the Yamaha uprights are great. I personally don't like them that much. I have a U1 myself. The Japanese Yamahas are sturdy and well made and will keep their value. For me the touch and tone (especially the balance between registers) are not what I want. The only way to find out whether they are good for you is to go out and try them out.

[indianajo]

I find the sound of Yamaha console & studio pianos to be boring.  Bland monotonic bass, treble has no shine to it.  
I much prefer a Sohmer, I own a 1982 39".  Baldwin Acrosonic 40" is great, the studio Hamiltons are pretty good.  And my 1941 Steinway 40 sounds very like the Sohmer.   Interesting bass and the top octaves absolutely sparkle.  I'm playing George Winston's Holly and the Ivy Saturday on an Acrosonic, and I've really enjoyed rehearsing at home on the Sohmer.  I play the top octave in this.
You can't buy any of these new; the factories are bankrupt and closed.  The modern "Baldwins" are cheap imitations of pianos.   the consumer has decided I'm an idiot and Yamaha invented music.  The Yamaha studio at church is so bad I won't sing with it.  Highly respected by the church leaders, who have blown out their ears' upper octaves with shotguns, motor boats, and motorcycles.  
Yamahas are durable, they don't wear out. Pity, since they are such poor imitations of pianos.  
If you want to hear what a piano should sound like, pick up a CD or LP of George Winston's December album.  I believe he is playing a Bosendorfer.  Such beautiful pings, it sounds like ice falling off the trees in winter. Don't bother with the MP3, no sparkle in those vile reproductions.   My Sohmer and Steinway sound like that, but at lower volume appropriate to a residence.  

[pianoplayerstar]

U3 vs p22 vs cheap old 1900 Steinway upright ----which would you choose?

I am trying to get that buttery warm sound of a C7 F European made in the late 80's that would equate to an upright and a technician said the U3 is one of the best when it comes to uprights.

Again , I'm looking for that Warm buttery FEEL AND SOUND of a C7 I am upright.

Feel.
Sound .

Those are the 2 greatest qualities of a piano.

But in an upright
Which one?

[iansinclair]

Since I really don't care for the sound of the Yamahas myself, I really can't comment on them.  However... on the old Steinway upright (I have one myself) if it is really cheap, it probably isn't in all that good condition -- but if it were to be reconditioned, I can assure you that it would have as close to the brilliance and touch of a Steinway grand -- M size and up -- as you can get in an upright.  It would be a thought slow on repetition relative to a modern Steinway grand, though the touch is very similar, and it would not have the overall dynamic range (it doesn't have quite the maximum power, which is no surprise).

I'm not at all sure that that's what you are looking for...

[indianajo]

I've played a pre WWII Steinway upright.  These were about 44" tall.  
The sound is not as good as the 1941 40" console I own.  The bass is quite alright, but the treble is merely competent instead of sparkly. The action had absolutely no blatent problems.  
The one I played was a church fellowship hall resident, after probably a long prior life in Grandma's living room.  PIanos are not worn out by years, they are worn out by hours used. Many uprights were not used very much.  I'd say play the Steinway you mentioned as being cheap, giving it these tests: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=56680.0
If it passes, there you are.  It is not going to deteriorate sitting still like some Winter or Betsy Ross or Cincinnatti.  Some old uprights had glue that came apart after 60 years.  Not the Steinways.    
Another bargain in the Steinway market is the ugly home owned unit.  I own one of the those. The Craigslist bandit dealer passed it up because of several dings in the veneer, a missing bench, a big gouge in the top, ugly brown stains on some keys probably from a water leak.  $1000, and the sound is wonderful.  It holds tune better than my 1982 Sohmer, too. I think my Sohmer is probably a crosstown copy of a great work of production engineering, the 1940 Steinway console.     The sound of mine is presumably the same as the $5500 similar model sold on E-bay by a dealer in suburban north of NYC.  
OTOH, stay away from music school practice beaters, even Steinways.  Look for scooped hammers in the middle, uneven action etc.  Play every note as soft as possible, see if even.  Play every note as loud as possible, look for double strike.  One note bad, you can afford the repairs, many notes bad, pass it up.  
Have fun shopping.  In the American midwest, also watch craigslist for Mason & Hamlin, Chickering, Wurlitzer (high end only, not the low end), York, Grinnell bros of detroit, Knabe, Avoid any former player piano. All pre-globalization used pianos of course on above list.  Old names have been sold to global corporations and pounded in the dirt by cheap imports.    

[iansinclair]

Indianajo -- the Steinway upright I have is just shy of 60 inches tall.  A monster.  You'd love it!

[richard black]

I reckon the U3 is one of the unloveliest uprights I've ever played (excluding things that are simply falling apart through age and exhaustion, obviously). Brash, bland, rancid deep bass, unresponsive action...

I don't object half as much to some of the smaller Yamaha uprights, but the best modern upright I've played is probably a Steingraeber. Bechstein and Grotrian uprights can be splendid too, and an Ibach (RIP) I bought new in 1987 still sounds better than many a small grand I've played. With older pianos, of course, so much depends on how it's been used, kept and maintained.

[visitor]

+1to above Steingraebers are special, i have only plated the grands but i have to believe their obession with perfection  has to translate to the uprights.

I have read and heard only wonderful things for and about the Fandrich and Sons full size uprights. Those would be on my list if i could not do a grand at all.
Ie something in this size see 2nd link***
When the pianos were featured in this story the remarks are how the sound  and capabilities of the uprights rival grands [though i would probably leanTowards getting one of the fandrich grands.in the end], pay attention to yhe action redesign, the ability for it to act like a grands action is key. Its tue closed you get to a grand in a upright. Game over vs thenpther guys (not that others dont make lovely instruments but the fandrich design is superior if you are going for grand like)
Good cnn feature discussion here

As for the talent behind these instruments here watch this documentary (btw Del is theind behind the scale design for Charles Walter and the top end lineade by Young Chang amd he was an exec for Baldwin).

[irrational]

I do not like the Yamaha sound either.
The closest to a Grand sound in an upright that I have played is my Bosendorfer 130CL. There is a warm, singing richness to it that I have not yet encountered on any other upright, although other pianists have stated that the Steingraebers are the same or even better. Apparently the Bechstein Concert 8 is also excellent.
The Steinway "K" is good, but I am not bowled over by its sound as I am by the Bosey.