Hi, everyone.
I'm deciding between a Yamaha GB1 K and a U1. I don't play piano. It's for my six-year-old who hasn't had any piano lessons before.
I heard quite a few people saying that one shouldn't buy anything below 5'. But a yamaha dealer told me that he personally thinks any baby grand, no matter how small it is, is better than an upright. And many people say U1 is good enough for a beginner.

So my question is: is GB1 K better or worse than U1, in terms of sound, touch, or other aspects? Their price difference is about $3000. I will choose one from these two. But I don't plan to spend the same amount of money as GB1 K to buy a better upright.

Thanks.
Shelly

GB1 wins with its action and open sound projection and last but not least it looks much better. With an upright you will always dream of having a grand one day... thats what I thoyght anyway deciding between the YUS3 or the GC1.
The U3 will have slightly better bass but a compromised action and a 'closed' box affect. The GB1 is votes best piano of the year in the UK, value for money!

http://www.yamahagb1.co.uk/

Can you not stretch a little bit to the GC1? It will have full duplex scale, sostenuto pedal and because it is 5,3 the bass is the same as the U3 (sounds nicer because the sounds comes out from under and above the piano instead of hitting the wall!)

Listen here for the GC1
http://www.box.net/shared/gqpegqizpd
http://www.box.net/shared/zeesoni3h6

Here for the GB1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numbg2OSfrc

Good luck

With all due respect to GC1patrick, I think a 4'11" grand looks silly, as it's practically wider than it is long. The action will be better, but the sound quality (IMO) may not be. I've only played one GB1 where I thought the tone was "nice" or remotely "even". I can recount several U1's that were, on the other hand, pretty good-sounding right out of the box. Pretty sure the U1 is made in Japan while the GB1 is not (if that matters to you).

For a beginner, the U1 is more piano than you'd ever need.
For an intermediate player, the U1 is more piano than you'd ever need.
For an advanced player, a U1 kept in tip-top shape would suit 90% of any advanced player's needs.

With all do respect to Terminal, most higher level teachers all demand their upper intermediate and advanced students practice daily on a grand piano for the repetition sensitivity and expresiveness.

IMHO, even many lower profile grands trump higher profile uprights in tone and action responsiveness.

We do the Pepsi challenge daily in the store where we compare the performance of U1s and U3s agains the entry level Yamaha GB1. The GB1 wins every single time at the hands and ears of the customer. The GB1 sells for the same as or less than the U3.

GB1s are made in Indonesia where smaller grands and digitals are also made.

I think for the money they are fantastic value and the sound is suprisingly good for such a small size. I'm actually quite prejudiced against small grands as they can get a pretty rough'n'messy sounding bass but the GB1 was nice and sounded larger than it actually was. Sure its not going to beat the six footers and beyond...but I much prefered the tone of the GB1 to the uprights....smoother and warmer and aesthetically more pleasing. Just personal opinion here but I've never been a fan of uprights, the sound is too boxed in and they lack that smoother tone that grands project.

I would choose the GB1 anyday over the U1 as long as you have the space for it.