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Home/Available Pianos/Yamaha U1

Upright piano · 121 cm

The Yamaha U1.

The Yamaha U1 is a 121 cm upright. When buying one used, compare the condition of the actual instrument, touch, tone and delivery requirements.

Availability changes. Ask for the current selection and a quotation before visiting.

What it is

The short version.

The U1 is a 121 cm upright in the Yamaha U Series. Yamaha’s Singapore U Series reference lists the U1 at 121 cm high, 153 cm wide and 62 cm deep. This is a reference for that model, not a measurement of the used piano being offered; confirm its variant and actual dimensions before planning access. A model name identifies the design; the serial number and an inspection help establish the age and condition of a particular used instrument.

Play the piano you are considering to assess its touch, tone and response. Have the full delivery route checked using the actual instrument dimensions, lift opening, corridor turns and doorways; its height alone does not establish that it will fit.

Reference specifications: Yamaha Singapore U Series specifications. Confirm the model variant and measurements of the offered piano before planning delivery.

Type
Upright piano
Size
121 cm
Condition
Pre-owned, prepared

Ask for current availability and price

A Yamaha upright piano in polished ebony
Yamaha U1
Who it suits

Worth your time if.

  • A student whose teacher can assess the individual instrument against their lesson needs
  • A family comparing an acoustic upright within their budget
  • A teacher comparing the touch and response of prepared used instruments
  • A home where the instrument and its complete access route have been measured
Buying one used

Four things to check, in order.

The same four we check ourselves before an instrument goes on the floor. Every instrument is an original used piano. Not reconditioned, not rebuilt. Ask us about any of them on a specific piano and you get a straight answer.

  1. The serial numberIt dates the instrument precisely. With a U1 that matters more than with a rarer piano, because the supply is deep enough that you can afford to be particular.
  2. Hammer wearDeep grooves in the hammer felt mean heavy use. Hammers can be reshaped or replaced, but it should be reflected in the price rather than discovered afterwards.
  3. Tuning pin torqueAsk a technician to assess tuning stability and any work needed before agreeing a purchase. This cannot be established from a photograph alone.
  4. Where it has livedAsk about its service history and previous room conditions. Air conditioning alone does not establish the condition of an instrument.

Where each of those is set out in full: See the inspection photographs → Find the age and serial number → Check delivery access to your room → Ask for an itemised quotation →

Heard on the floor

Played on our floor.

Filmed on a phone at IMM, so this is close to what the room sounds like rather than a studio recording. Press play, with the sound on.

An upright, played
The other one to hear

Against the U3.

The U3 is ten centimetres taller. Compare the actual U1 and U3 for bass response, touch, condition and price, and check both against your room and access route.

Both, back to back, in the same room on the same afternoon. That is a fifteen minute job at the viewing gallery and it settles the question far better than any page can.

Read about the U3 →

A Yamaha upright piano in a walnut finish
Yamaha U3
Questions

The U1, answered.

How much is a second hand Yamaha U1 in Singapore?

It depends on the year, the condition and what has been done to it, and any dealer who gives you one number without asking those things is guessing.

Ask us about a specific instrument and you get a specific figure. If there is nothing on the floor in your range we will say so rather than talk you into something else.

How long does a U1 last?

Properly looked after, decades. The parts that wear are the parts that can be worked on: hammers, dampers, strings and the action can all be serviced or replaced. What cannot be easily fixed is a cracked soundboard or a set of loose tuning pins, which is why those are the first things anyone should check.

Is a used U1 better than a new budget upright?

Compare the two actual instruments, including condition, touch, tone, preparation and the written quotation. A model name or the fact that a piano is used does not establish that it is the better choice.

Will it fit in my flat?

The U1 is 121 cm tall, but access also depends on its width and depth, the lift opening, turns and doorways. Send the full route details and ask for access confirmation before agreeing delivery.

The rest of the range

Other uprights people ask about.

All uprights

Every size

Most pianos in Singapore homes are uprights, and most of the difference between one and the next is height. A few centimetres change how much bass there is and how long a note carries.

Read about upright pianos →

Yamaha

U3

131 cm

The Yamaha U3 is a 131 cm upright in the U Series. Compare the individual instrument with a U1 for touch, tone, condition and the space available in your home.

Read about it →

Yamaha

YUS5

The top of the U series. Bought by people who have decided they are buying one piano and are not going to do this again.

Read about it →

Boston

UP-132E

132 cm

The tallest upright Steinway and Sons designs, at 132 cm, built for it in Japan by Kawai. A tall case and a long string in a cabinet that still stands against a wall.

Read about it →

Kawai

K300

122 cm

The Kawai K300 is a 122 cm upright. Compare its touch, tone, condition and complete quotation with other uprights before deciding.

Read about it →
Visit the viewing gallery

Ask what is on the floor today.

Message us with the model and we will tell you what is in, what condition it is in, and what it costs. If we have nothing suitable we will say that instead.