Yamaha
U1
121 cm
The Yamaha U1 is a 121 cm upright. When buying one used, compare the condition of the actual instrument, touch, tone and delivery requirements.
Read about it →Home/Available Pianos/Upright Pianos
Upright pianoUpright pianos, and why height matters.
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.
Availability changes. Ask for the current selection and a quotation before visiting.
What it is
Height is the specification that matters.
In an upright, height is the specification that matters. A taller case takes longer bass strings and a larger soundboard, which is why a 131 cm Yamaha U3 has a fuller bass than a 121 cm U1 from the same maker.
What separates a good used upright from a tired one is how the action and the tuning pins have been kept, and neither can be judged from a photograph. That is why we check both before an instrument goes on the floor, and why playing a few side by side settles more than any list.
Type
Upright piano
Condition
Pre-owned, prepared
Ask for current availability and price
The upright pianos we carry
From 121 cm to 132 cm.
Sizes are the manufacturer figures. What is actually in the viewing gallery changes as instruments come and go, so ask before you travel.
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 →
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 →
Who it suits
Worth your time if.
- A flat or a condo, where an upright goes through the door and into the lift
- A child starting lessons, or a student working through the grades
- A teacher comparing the touch and response of prepared used instruments
- A room where the piano stands against a wall and a grand would not fit
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.
- The serial numberIt dates the instrument. With Yamaha and Kawai uprights the supply is deep enough that you can afford to be particular about the year.
- Hammer wearDeep grooves in the hammer felt mean heavy use. It can be put right, but it belongs in the price rather than being discovered afterwards.
- Tuning pin torqueAsk a technician to assess tuning stability and any work needed before agreeing a purchase. This cannot be judged from the cabinet finish.
- 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 →
Photographed in the viewing gallery
Up close.
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.
The other one to hear
Against the grand pianos.
A good tall upright will outplay a small or poorly kept grand, and it costs less to house. When the room can take a grand around six feet long, that is when the step up is worth making.
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.
Questions
The upright pianos, answered.
Which size upright should I buy?
Compare the actual instruments within your budget. The Yamaha U1 is 121 cm tall and the U3 is 131 cm; assess touch, tone and condition alongside the room and delivery route. Height alone does not decide which piano suits you.
Yamaha or Kawai?
Both build uprights that last decades, and the difference is touch and tone rather than quality. Play a U1 and a K300 back to back in the viewing gallery and the choice usually makes itself.
How much is a second hand upright piano in Singapore?
It depends on the make, the height, the year and the condition, so a single figure would be a guess. Ask about a specific instrument and you get a specific price. If nothing on the floor suits the budget we will say so.
Will an upright fit in my flat?
It depends on the specific piano and the complete route. Send the floor, lift dimensions, door widths, corridor turns and any stairs so access can be assessed before delivery is agreed.
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.