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Hi all

I need some advise please. I'm looking to buy a used U3. Had my mind on 2 pianos:

1. U3X or UX3, 1979, serial no. 2725824, had some use, but I really like the sweet tone

2. U3, 1987, 4186157, had very little use, looks really new, has a nice tone as well.

The second one is a bit more expensive than the first one, but both acceptable to me. I'm struggling to choose.....

Help please. Thanks.

If you like both of them equally, I would just play it safe and buy the newer U3...there's a good chance you'll run into less problems down the road. They are basically the same piano anyway, but like I said, the newer one is probably your best choice.

I know the predicament that you are faced with. I probably have imported 100(s) of each mdl. over the past 15 years. I am assuming that both are of gray market status in that the UX3 is an exclusive gray market mdl.

What I am realizing as of recent is that the gray market imports are not getting any newer in vintage than what was available 10 years ago. A U3A ten years ago was only 15 or less years old compared to that same piano now at 25 years old. The U3A was discontinued in 1986-1987 as for the Japanese domestic market. That UX3 was discontinued in the early eighties and most are of 1980ish. The UX3 if you AB it with the same condition and vintage U3M,the UX3 is the better piano but....that is sometimes not the case as in your comparison of the two pianos. In that the UX3 was a pro series piano moreso than the U3, it's status was it was more common in the institutions therefore, presumably heavily played.

In conclusion... you have to assess or AB the actual condition of the 2 pianos in that a mint U3A is the better choice than a crusty UX3. There are great condition early 80(s)
UX3(s)out there but the more crusty high milage ones outnumber them. Good luck!

Jennifer,

You should consider every word of pianobroker's post. He's been answering questions like yours for years here in posts that offer a high level of informational content with virtually zero sales spin. As he has indicated, they are not the same piano, but as they both approach old age, the differences in original design are outweighed by their present condition. If you want to get to the bottom of that question, you'll need a technical assessment of each from a technician that you hire and pay for.

I'm guessing that both of these are at the same shop and the prices offered to you reflect the seller's experience in how much he can get for each rather than a thorough inspection of their condition vis a vis each other. If you would provide the asking prices for both, it would probably be helpful. There is a limit to how much one should pay for an old U series even if one is interested exclusively in some sort of U3 as you apparently are.