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Hello all,

I keep reading that Yamaha pianos only have about a 30 year life span. What does that mean exactly? Does it mean they are completely trashed after that, or does it mean they'll need some major work and part replacement? I know a well maintained Steinway can last for many generations. What is so different about the manufacture of Yamaha pianos that makes them age so differently?

Last question: do you agree with the idea that they only have a 30 year lifespan?

Thanks,

Mike

Many of us have played Yamaha's in college practice rooms and other places. Those are old pianos and they have been rode hard and put up wet, for a long time. I think any piano is going to be end-of-life after 30 years of that, unless it gets really consistent expert maintenance.

Don't know if this helps or not, but I honestly thought my 1978 model Yamaha C7 had been rebuilt at some point in its life when I bought it from a church about 3 years ago. The officials at the church did not know a lot about the history of it, other than it was acquired pre-owned back in the early 1990's. I figured they had bought it freshly rebuild.

What made me think this? The paint on the plate looked vibrant and bold, like it was not that old. The red string felt under the strings looked bright and newish. The strings were not rusty and were shiny. The varnish on the sound board looked good and fresh. The hammers had some wear, but not that bad. However, the piano did have a few broken bass strings from use and neglect.

My amateurish opinion was that it had indeed been rebuilt in the past.

I was totally shocked when a well known concert piano tech looked at it recently and said it was all original and had not been rebuilt.

So, do Yamaha’s last more than 30 years? Well it depends on a lot of variables, but I would say so...

Good luck,

Rick

Any piano's lifespan is very related to the workload and maintenance it receives.

I certainly don't agree with a blanket statement that a Yamaha can only last 30 years. I've played a Yamaha piano older than 30 years that was fine. So the statement is proved false quite easily.

But is there any underlying truth? In my experience Yamaha does not endure heavy use for prolonged periods as well as a higher end piano, such as a Mason and Hamlin or Steinway.

By the way, the whole "Steinway is a piano for future generations" sounds like marketing hype. Don't get caught up in Steinway marketing hype. They make a quality piano, but I've played 10 year old Steinways in music departments that were very beat up.

It would be interesting to know the wear and tear on the four S&S-D's used at the Cliburn Competition. Some of the contestants seem to think it was the Clobber Competition.

Great one - thanks! I wonder if the pianos did suffer... shouldn't there be some kind of Piano Humane Society or something...

There was a large fleet of piano technicians, but there certainly was no time for anything major.

Yes, a Yamaha can live well past 30 years. It all depends on its usage, care, and environment.

I think any new piano today, if not abused, kept in a good environment, and regularly maintained will last for 30 years without significant problems. These same pianos could also "last for generations" with replacement of parts and eventual rebuilding, but the economics of investing significant repair dollars would preclude that from happening in most cases.

By the same token, I've seen a "built for generations" type piano that needed pinblock replacement, action replacement, and restringing at just 15 years old. It was used regularly as the only piano in a small concert hall for dress rehearsals and performances, and kept in an environment with substandard temperature and humidity control.

Any piano, including Steinway, will require extensive work at 30 years old. Yamahas can be rebuilt just as well as any other quality piano.

Perhaps not, if the piano has received appropriate service during those 30 years.

Thinking best to answer such question is the dealer for the make as well as technicians/rebuilders in area.

Chances are dealer saying "no" trying to sell you a new piano, rebuilder ????

Brace yourself for very different answers.

Instead of asking "how long piano will last" you may be more interested to concern yourself how you will enjoy it after work is actually done. Plus the cost of things..

Thinking another 30 years cycle being somewhat on the short, not exactly ideal side...

Norbert

It also depends on the model. If we are talking about a Yamaha U1, throwing a bunch of money at it would not be a wise venture. Same goes for a 30 year old Steinway 1098.

If we were to consider a Yamaha C7 C6 C5 that is beginning to show its age you can get another life out of them without breaking the bank.
We do many of these with fantastic results with customers spending far less than replacing them with the equivalent product by the same manufacture.

Resurface, re-pin and re-notch the bridges
Polish the soundboard or refinish the board
Clean/polish the plate and hardware
Agraffe work
Resurface the v'bar
Change the plate bushings
Change the under string cloth/felt
Install new strings and tuning pins


New dampers
New key bushings
New hammers and shanks
Some work to the key frame
Re & Re the pedal system
Regulation of the action
Reweigh the keys for a spectacular touch.

Hello, BDB, or anyone who knows -

Can you give key examples of 'appropriate service', if not done, which would lead to extensive (vague term, I know) work at 30 years old? Assume for the sake of argument, that if any notes became unplayable for any reason, they would not be beat on, and that the temperature and relative humidity were ideal.

And, if the 'appropriate service' was not done over the course of the 30 years, would the cost of the alternative 'extensive work' after those 30 years be more or less than the cost of the 'appropriate service' done distributed over the course of the 30 years (assume zero inflation)?

Thank you!

New hammers are more or less certain if the piano was played regularly. Most action parts could probably be retained, but not without reconditioning (i.e. shank repining and knuckle replacement, etc.). Restringing with bridge, agraffe, and capo bar work would probably be beneficial, or even necessary, depending on the demands placed upon the piano. Depending on various factors, a new pin block, too, but maybe not. Soundboards would almost certainly be retained.

Hammers last a lot longer with appropriate voicing. Regulation gets better and better if it is touched up regularly. In general, you can adjust for the things that get older, but things that get worn, well, once you lose material, it does not come back. It needs to be replaced.

How long a piano lasts depends on a lot of things. When I got my piano, it was about 55 years old, having spent all that time mostly sitting in someone's living room. I spent a few days rebuilding the action, mostly by replacing all the felt in it, except the hammers. Then it was about 15 years before I had saved up enough money to have it refinished, at which time I replaced the strings. But in the interim, it played wonderfully and sounded very good. It sounds a bit better since it has been restrung and the hammers have been replaced.

I have a 1984 C7 that has been in private hands with regular professional maintenance its entire life. While I enjoy playing it has had a pretty pampered life since 1995, I usually only play a few hours a week. Lack of maintenance, poor environment, and wear and tear are the real enemies of long piano life, like everything else mechanical. My Houston RPT with 40+ years experience told my wife "Don't ever sell it, it is magnificent", no guarantees I won't but it is pretty hard to beat. I have heard and believe the Yamaha C series and up are as well built for durability as any pianos made. Some people may not like the tone, but they are workhorses and properly maintained without abuse can definitely last more than 30 years.

We have had the same work many times with the same results. (Although we rarely reweight the keys.)

I don't think cost can be evaluated this way, unless you want to put a monetary figure on the "cost" of playing an unmaintained piano for 30 years.

Hope you don't mind me weighing in with a related question.

I just tried out a 1964 G2. It has been owned by a piano teacher since new. She had the hammers, bass strings and pin block replaced 10 years ago. There was a couple of keys that stick. Something tells me that after reading these posts, this piano probably needs a lot more work to make it work really well. Am I right? Roughly what does it costs to start replacing bushings etc? Asking price is 6,000.00. There is an '87 G2 down the road for 8,000.00. Opinions?

Thanks

Wilf

As I’ve learned a little about pianos, learning to play and to tune and service them, I’ve come to the conclusion that newer is usually better. I’ve also come to the conclusion that it is best to stick with the well-known, more reputable brands.

With that said, I’d take a closer look at the newer G2 and try to negotiate the price some. I’d also suggest having a qualified piano tech check out which ever one you decide to buy (before you buy).

Regarding the older G2, if they did indeed replace the pin-block, they should have replaced all the strings and not just the bass. Also, a sticky key is not a major issue, usually. Brand new pianos have problems with sticky keys… of all makes.

The Yamaha make is a solid brand, in my view; though there are other well-known, high quality makes out there that are just as solid (if not more so).

Good luck and keep us informed.

Rick