Can any players, owners or dealers share their experiences with the Indonesian-built Yamaha B1?

A "G" B1?

I don't know. I am just looking through some price lists comparing Yamaha lower end models to some of the usual Chinese take out specials and trying to get a feel for the value for money being offered by the B1 which I have been told by the local dealer is made in Indonesia. This is the same dealer who says that Yamaha at the moment no longer builds a single piano in China which I would be interested in knowing what others make of that statement. I quickly played on the B1 yesterday and have been asking myself if I would rather bang on a Clavinova or a for example a B1 with Silent...

The B1 is being offered for around 2800 euro or 3985 with factory Silent system.

From Chris Venables UK website: { www.pianopianos.net }

Delivering a pleasant and melodic tone, the Yamaha B1 upright piano is made in Yamaha's modern and high-tech factory in Indonesia. The Yamaha B1 is not made by any third party and is 100% Yamaha in build, component and quality control.

The Yamaha B1's low price and typical Yamaha reliability, durability, performance and consistency make this budget model a good buy.

Yamaha have launched a new B series model at 121cm at an incredible price, see: Yamaha B3 information and prices. The Yamaha B3 will sound better than the B1, B2, P114m, P114, P116nt.
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Bear

More Stuff: UK Yamaha info: B1 Piano and B1 Silent Piano,

Click on:

www.uk-piano.org/piano-forums/piano2827.html - 65k

Scroll down just a little bit, then Click on:

Cheapest Yamaha Silent Piano:

Kinda interesting ..
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Bear

Bear,

If Yamaha wants to market a silent with no midi at a lower price, it's their prerogative. Chris Venable's website makes it clear that the B1 and B2 have no midi.
http://www.thepianocentre.co.uk/yamaha_pianos/yamaha%20silent%20pianos.htm

The UK piano forums are just as partisan and political as this one. (Think British soccer match fan fervor ) I hope the Kawai fans don't storm Milton Keynes.

I used to own a Ymaha B1 silent, I bought it 8 months ago when I started playing piano. It is very nice starter piano and the silent option is fantastic if you have neighbours. I traded it in for my current GC1 silent, I wanted more sound in a short time frame, for people who just want a basic quality piano, the B1 is a great choice!
It has 2 headphone jacks, no MIDI output. It uses the yamaha silent SIMPLE (only Yamaha B series) instead of the Silent SG with midi and recording options. (used on all other Yamaha upright piano's)
The GC1 silent I have now uses the Silent grand series, it had AUX in and out, MIDI in and out, 2 headphones jacks and a great grand piano sample!

I would pick it over a clavinova which isn't a real piano......

Hmmmm. Th B1 Silent was priced equivalently to the 380 polished ebony Clavinova making it kind of comparable at least from a furniture point of view. So, they want you to drop another 1500 euros for a P114 to get MIDI. Better to get a middle of the line Clavinova as a throw-away product instead. At least it doesn't need to be tuned and has the latest samples and sensor technology.

I keep wanting to give a hybrid instrument a chance, but I just can't find a way to justify it...

In Journey's case I think a good digital makes more sense because he already has an acoustic grand.

Journey,

Playing any hybrid less than a SU1 will remind you of how much better a piano your grand is. Playing a good digital won't do that. It will just be fun, a separate pleasure. If it's portable, that's even better.

If he owns a grand then needles to say he doesn't need another lower end piano.
I rest my case turandot :-)

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Hey William,

theJourney wanted some feedback from people
that had experienced using the Yamaha B1.
I personally respect Yamaha and their products and
my post was not intended to offend Yamaha and any
of their fans.

I only posted what I found by Googling; Yamaha B1.
I didn't write the stuff. Everybody can take it or leave
it for what it's worth. Agree with it or not.

Try not to shoot the messenger!

Now, I'm off to the soccer match!

Luv,

Bear

Bear,

You're right. My post was needlessly aggressive.
Barrie Heaton's comments on your link got me stoked. He often mongers unsubstantiated rumors on that forum, and he's the site administrator!

Now I've got to find some irresponsible comments about Kawai in some forum and post them as a messenger. Get back to (at) you later.

Hi,

I bought a Yamaha B1 one month ago to use it as a practice piano at my office. At first I wanted to buy an Essex 116 EUP (probably just a snobbish act because of the Steinway design), but my tuner, who works at Steinway Hamburg, recommended me to buy the B1 instead because it's more reliable and the manufacturing is better (and also because he has a lot of clients with fussy, moody Essexes - as he claims). Overall it's an ok upright, the tone is not that rich, but for practice purposes it's perfect. The sound seemed very very very bright at first, but after a full voicing and tuning it just transformed into a mellower, softer tone. It is a 109 cm console - so it has a limited deepness of sound, however the touch is very good and the looks are very modern. For the money, any beginner would really appreciate it. Later, after some experience is gained, one should really upgrade to something better.

All the best,
Risvan