Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum kawai k3 vs. Yamaha U1

I'm trying to decide between a k3 and U1. Have been reading the post, and got lots of helpful information. Right now, the U1 price i got is about $750 more than K3.

I'm buying for a 6-yr old beginner, and not sure how long he will be committed to piano practicing. So my questions is which model is better from the investment return point of view (we're not buying it as an investment, just wondering which model would have a better resale ratio).

Also from the action, quality of sound, overall quality, is U1 worth the $750 more?

Thanks so much for all the helpful information!

Your post didn't say, but I'm assuming you are looking at new pianos. If so, there are endless comparisons between Kawai and Yamaha models on this forum. What it usually boils down to is, play both pianos and decide which you like better. My guess is that if you decide you like the Yamaha better, the dealer will most likely match the price to the Kawai. In other words, it is likely that they could both be the exact same price with a minimum of negotiations.

Thanks, Pianolance:
Yes, i'm looking for new pianos. Most people say the U1 is comparable with K5, not K3.
Since we don't play, so really can't differentiate/like/dislike the pianos by playing. Any information from the people who are familiar with both models (U1 and K3) would be great help!

My 2 cents, which is worth every penny, comes from having some playing time on all three pianos.

The U1 is better than the K-3, and the K-5 is better than the U1.

That reflects my personal preference in tone. All three are very good pianos. Each feels and sounds slightly different, your preference is what matters. You can't really go wrong no matter which you choose.

HTH, YMMV, etc.

Both the K3 and U1 are excellent pianos.
Both are 48" uprights.

It should boil down to which one sounds best, and feels best, but you specifically ask about resale.

On that score; I'd have to say the Yamaha has greater potential for holding value. The U1 is darn near a standard in college/university settings and the name-recognition of the U1 is still greater than Kawai K3 line....so far. That may change over the next 5 years, but I'm not psychic enough to make a reliable prediction.

Listen to them both! Ask your piano teacher for input...even have him/her play the pianos for you. The touch and response might influence the choice for a beginning student.

Again; both are excellent pianos! You can be sure, either way, that your student has a fine piano to work with.

Practice, practice, practice, TUNE, practice, practice, practice, TUNE, practice, practice, practice, TUNE!

Thanks so much! Jeff and Plowboy:
Overall i got the impression that U1 is a better piano overall, but some people might prefer K3.
Then a specific question, if we feel the same for both U1 and K3, dose U1 worth the $750 more? or from a price stand point of view, we should go with K3? Any recommendation?

Thanks! Almost ready to make a decision...

If you were a pianist yourself I would say just try them and see. And others. I went through this exact decision myself and preferred the tone of the K3 so that's what I ended up with.

I love it!

Both pianos are fully professional uprights and of outstanding quality. Both are very consistant in their manufacturing and should be trouble free for many years. Both are workhorse pianos that can take a beating and keep right on working. Both pianos are better than some professionals have in their homes. Both pianos regularly show up in college and university practice rooms, both show up in classrooms, churches and other places where they will get a ton of use and only a minimun of maintanance. Both pianos would take your six year old up to an extremely advanced level without ever having to be "upgraded". Both pianos will hold their resale value pretty well. I would say, either would be a great, excellent, outstanding choice. You won't go wrong whatever you choose.

Thank you, seems like there is no clear winner between k3 an u1. Tend to go with k3, 'cause it's cheaper, and may have a better resale ratio down the road.

An even safer bet for a beginner would be a used K3 or a used U1. But anyway, if you could get the new U1 at the same price as the new K3, then I would say the U1 has better resale potential. Many people have heard of Yamaha but have not heard of Kawai.

Doesn't seem possible to the U1 price match with K3. U1 always has higher price.

It's a more expensive, and overall better instrument. That doesn't change any advice about letting personal preference make your decision, but objectively, the U1 is sturdier in its construction. That said, the K3 is plenty sturdy for any home user.

We have some U1, U3 and K3 on a University where I serve the pianos. The students prefer the K3 for the U1.
I cannot say there are differences in the construction and building quality, but these students simply like the touch and sound of the K3 better.

k 3 for me

Music Merchandise Review (MMR), one of the piano industry's most respected publications named the K-3 the Acoustic Piano of the Year in 2008,2009, 2010, and 2011.

Ask the Yamaha dealer if he/she will match the price of the K3. Many piano dealers will discount $750 to make the sale. Both pianos are very good choices. But get the one which sounds the best and don't let saving $750 be the deciding factor.

Good Luck - let us know what you do!

I really love the U1s I've played but I do enjoy playing Kawais. But I haven't played the U1 or the K3 you're looking at so listen, look, and listen again to both.

Yeah, but I would bet that if the Yamaha dealer matched the Kawai price, the Kawai dealer would discount again and the Yamaha dealer wouldn't be able to match. I didn't push the Yamaha dealer in my decision (U1 versus K3 amongst other pianos) because I preferred the K3 but I got the distinct impression from the Yamama dealer that would be the case.

Dealer cost of the U1 is considerably more than Kawai's K-3.

thank you all for the great input. I'm very much inclined to go with k3. but still one question remains, the yamaha dealer says that U1 is better because it has double re-enforced hammer (I think what it means is that there is a double layer of felt for each hammer). I wonder if the "re-enforced hammer" very important, or it's negligible.

Thanks!

Kawai uses similar hammers...on the K5 and larger. For Kawai, it represents a lower cost hammer on the K3. Better quality hammers offer marginally longer life but noticeably longer peak life or plateau. They tend to respond better to service over the years.

Having 2 layers is a design element. Choosing a less expensive hammer is not. Still, this is by degrees and misses the point that a piano is not a collection of "features" but rather a collection of "design elements". Pricepoint is a primary element of design for high-volume production pianos.

I think you have the relevant info already in this tread. Which one do you enjoy more? If you can sense a preference for the higher priced U1, get it. If you prefer the K3, be thankful and save the money.