What’s the difference between U3F, U3G, U3H, U3M, U3A, U3N Yamaha U3 pianos?

First of all, Yamaha established the International Corporation (current Yamaha Corporation of America) in 1960 and introduced their pianos to the US in small quantities. The U3 style also was not yet popular in the USA at that time when most purchased decorator style console pianos. The additional lettering system that Yamaha have used for their U3 line of pianos can be a bit confusing and often not even known. Check out the following to help improve your understanding of this model.

Manufacture location

The first thing to say is that the Yamaha U3 is made in Japan at the Hamamatsu factory which is responsible for making all of Yamaha’s highest quality pianos including the Yamaha CFX concert grand piano.

Beyond that, you will want to know what year it was made and whether there were any good or bad periods of Yamaha piano manufacture. You should also fully understand what a GRAY MARKET piano is. Please also read about this.

What do the letters stand for

If you look just to the left of the serial number of most Yamaha U3 pianos you will usually see a letter. The most common tends to be “U3H” but it can be anything from U3F, U3G, U3H, U3M, U3A, U3N, U3E. If you do not see the extra letter, you can determine the year made from the serial number and know which series it is. Here are some bits of information about what those letterings stand for.

Here are my comments about the various models

Yamaha U3F

The F has shown up in the later 1990’s series; However most of the serial numbers of these pianos will range from around 100,000 up to 1,000,000. If the piano is in original condition or has only had minimal reconditioning work then you should try to avoid that piano. If the piano has been properly and professionally reconditioned then it should be fine but I would still recommend that (a) you get the piano inspected by an independent technician and (b) perhaps save up $1,000 more to buy a U3G (below) instead

Yamaha U3G

These models date from the early 1970s, have serial numbers between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 and are a better option compared with the U3F (above). The U3G is likely to have a similar, soft sound to the U3F (particularly in the bottom few octaves) although the rest of the keyboard can sound very nice if properly reconditioned. Overall, my opinion on the U3G is that you should try hard to stretch your budget and go for a newer model if possible. If you must buy a U3G please do hire your own independent technician to inspect the piano for you, it will be the best $100 you can spend. You must make sure a piano of this period has been properly reconditioned and will hold it’s tuning.

Yamaha U3H (1970-1980)

Yamaha U3 pianos in this category are mostly good and have serial numbers ranging from 2,000,000 up to 3,000,000. The U3H comes from a time when Yamaha had perfected what a modern piano should be. Strong, reliable, consistent, warm tone, beautiful action and, most importantly, top quality materials and top quality workmanship which (in my opinion) you don’t find in any of the modern pianos being produced by countless piano factories that are springing up all over the world producing cheaper and cheaper pianos. The U3H ranges from about 1970-1980 and I find that from the 1975 point onwards the qualify is very high. Some of the early 70s U3H pianos can be very nice but I recommend sticking to the later ones.

Yamaha U3M (1980-1982)

You can trust a Yamaha U3M to be of a very high standard of build quality. You do still need to make sure that a full reconditioning process has been carried out before buying a piano from this period but providing that work has been carried out to the right standard then you will get yourself a very nice piano at a sensible price.

The Yamaha U3M typically has a nice, positive tone about it but without being harsh or overly bright like some of the younger U3s can sometimes be.

Yamaha U3A (1983-1988)

The U3A can sometimes have a slightly stronger bottom 2 octaves than the U3M but this is only an occasional blip and by no means a set rule. I fully recommend this model alongside the U3M.

What Piano Level Am I

Primer (Level pre-1):

• Knows finger numbers
• Knows musical alphabet
• Basic staff awareness
• Basic keyboard awareness
• Can play one hand at at time
• Has proper hand placement and form
• Developing rhythm and steady beat
• Generally music from method books
• Generally practices 10-15 mins/day

Beginner (Levels 1-2):

• Bass and Treble Clef
• Plays both hands together
• Play rhythms more comfortably
• Keeps steady beat
• Left hand plays mainly basic chords
• Dynamics and articulations
• Can play C, G, and F key signatures
• Generally practices 15-20 mins/day

Late Beginner (Level 3):

• Major and minor chords, scales, and arpeggios
• Left hand becomes more complex
• More complex rhythms introduced
• Can play songs with 2 flats/sharps
• Technique developing
• Sight reading developing
• Musicality developing
• Generally practices 20-30 mins/day

Often people ask “What piano level am I, and why does it matter?”Many educators rank piano levels as the above:

The piano is a complicated instrument with many aspects to think about from the beginning. A good teacher can help guide the student during these formative years, but unfortunately many parents don’t often take the time to select the right piano teacher; many seem to sign up for lessons with the first person they find. This doesn’t always make for success.

Many basic technical aspects of piano playing are the same for all students during the first few lessons; these include basic posture at the piano, hand and finger positions, and general movement around the keyboard. If these aspects are not addressed from the outset then piano playing can eventually become uncomfortable and difficult.

Basic rhythem needs to be understood from the beginning. A student can be guided to count while learning to keep time or even better, use a metronome (or both!), this is fundamental to good playing and is much easier when taught from the beginning.

Note reading needs to be guided correctly from the beginning too, especially with regard to the left hand. Many students aren’t taught to read the Bass and Treble Clefs (left and right hand lines of music) at the same time. If both lines of music are not taught from the beginning many never learn to read the left hand/bass clef correctly.

The quicker a pupil learns how to play both hands at the same time the better. It needs to be done carefully and slowly from the beginning.

Good Teachers will encourage correct hand movements and proper use of the arm to enable excellent tone production and finger movement. If this element isn’t addressed the pupil could potentially experience pain or repetitive strain injury too.

Most importantly, a good teacher will not only spark a real interest and love of music, but they will also be able to show how to interpretate a piece of music (the way a work is played.) This is a vital aspect of piano playing and all pupils need to master how to play musically or expressively.

The above are reasons why you need a good piano teacher. Patience and kindness are not enough (although they are important too!). Your teacher needs to know how to get you or your child to make good progress. Take time and select a well qualified, experienced piano teacher. Some of the best teachers can be found by word of mouth, or call the closest Piano Distributors for a list of local teachers known to have a record of success with students.