Hi all, I am new to pianos and I am looking to get a family instrument for my kids to learn on. Anyway, I have an opportunity to buy a used 1-owner Yamaha G1 5'3" grand made in 1971 for $2700. The piano has not been rebuilt, it is in great shape and has only been moved once since 1971.

What are your opinions of this instrument as well as the price.
thank you!!!

PS - This is NOT on craigslist or a scam - just a widow downsizing.

If this piano passes an independant inspection by a good piano techniciam, it is a great buy, and would serve your family well.

Let me guess;

It is on craigslist.

It presently is in storage.

You were asked to buy it thru someone like eBay or Google where you have so many days to inspect the piano and release the funds.

No - honest seller - old widow moving to smaller place - not a craigs list scam - believe me I am well aware of those...
This is an honest deal. I did read somewhere though that pre1975 Yamaha pianos are prone to issues. What those are I do not know. I dont want to end up with a giant piece of furniture. I would rather buy a keyboard than a problem. I am genuinely interested in your opinions on the piano and the price - thank you again for all your time

That is a great deal. I just saw on craigslist a gh1 listed for $6000. I love this model. The bass is not great but the midrange and up can be quite nice if voiced well and kept in tune.

Thanks to the few who replied - can I hear some more opinions please! I really do not know much. Any thoughts on a yamaha piano from 1971 ?? Did they have issues back then?

We are going to look at it this week - can you all tell me what exactly to look for as far as trouble spots?

thanks again!

Hello, and welcome to the Piano World forums.

You've gotten some great advice here so far...

I would suggest finding a local piano tech to go with you to check out the piano ($75 to $100?). That does seem like a great price, as the Yamaha's are very good pianos and hold their value, even the older ones.

In fact, at that price, I'd be prepared to act quickly or another interested buyer may beat you to it... or, maybe not.

In terms of what to look for, since you state that you do not know very much about pianos, it would be difficult to come up with a specific list of things to look for… off the cuff, I’d say cracks in the sound board, cracks in the bridges, warn hammers, sluggish action, rust on strings… and much, much more.

Good luck!

Rick

You really do need to hire a good technician to look at it. In "good condition" to me, without having seen the piano yet, means, it was polished and has no scratches which is great but would be the least of my worries. How often was it actually tuned and where is the proof of these tunings? Has it been gone over, reconditioned or hammers filed, regulation in the past 40 years? If not, you're likely in for some repairs on top of the tuning and moving expenses... You need to find these things out right away before jumping into the purchase. It may be a good deal or..................

A G1 is a whole different animal than a GH1. I would say jump on it, get an inspection and if all passes, BUY, BUY, BUY!

thank you! The lady said it has only been moved once in the entire time she owned it. She has it tuned/inspected often and is supposed to have babied it. Of course she isn;t gonna tell me she beat on it! From the pics she sent me it looks absolutely mint inside and out. She said that her technician told her it is in wonderful shape. I asked her if it has ever been rebuilt/reconditioned and she said no.

She lives way out in the country and we are gonna check it out wednesday. In general how much does it cost to move a grand piano - 3 steps on each end and 100 miles?

On average, I'd say $250 to $500, or in that ball-park. If I were you, I'd contact a mover and get an estimate and a timeframe they would be avaliable to move the piano. That way, you might be prepared to make a deal with the seller on the first visit, if the piano checks out.

The last pre-owned piano I bought, I called the mover while I was at the sellers home and he met there about 45 minutes later. Bought the piano and had it moved the same day...

Good luck and keep us informed.

Rick