Latest Piano News

Pianoforte Mailing List

Contact Pianoforte

Yamaha Grand Piano

A1 and C Series Grands

C Series grands have long been the heart of the Yamaha grand piano line, offering superb sound, broad dynamic range and fine expressive control. Their classic styling and careful craftsmanship make them an elegant accent to any décor. And, with the inclusion of the uncommonly compact A1, there's a classic Yamaha grand designed to fit perfectly into virtually any room.

Benefiting form on going refinements, today's A1 and C Series grands integrate a host of recent Yamaha advances.

Tonal quality and performance

• Refinements in copper wound string specifications deliver purer, more perfectly pitched and harmonious bass.
• Barrel shaped treble hammer shanks, similar to those of the concert grand improve dynamic and tonal response.
• Bridges crafted form choice, finely grained woods, selected to compliment each scale design, provide superior sound transmission.
• Rim specifications attuned to the characteristics of each model optimize strength, stability and resonance.
• Model Specific production enables more-focused tuning voicing and regulation, for optimal long-term performance.
• Precise note-by-note strike point alignment produces crispier clearer tones.
• Heightened precision in damper installation offers superior pedaling and expressive control.

Appearance

• S Series golden matte finish on the iron plate gives a more elegant visual impression.

Safety

• In addition to Soft-close fallboards, lid prop safety stops prevent incorrect positioning, protecting against accidental injury or damage.

Today's A1 and C series grands also incorporate all of the quality construction features found in prior A1 and C Series models.

Rims are formed from layers of select woods, laminated into stabilize sturdy back posts are joined in a radial configuration and fitted to the rim using exceptionally strong and stable dovetail joints, enhancing both the piano's durability and the integrity of the acoustic chamber.

Iron plates, the internal flame of the piano, are cast in a vacuum moulding process that virtually eliminates flaws and imperfections, then attached with an adjustable mounting system that allows precise control over string downbearing-critical for the best tonal performance. A metal tone collector connects the back posts to the plate, reflecting sound energy back through the case for a fuller, more sustained resonance.

Soundboards are crafted from select clear spruce and cured in a proprietary process that ensures a durable, natural crown. This is further reinforced with full-length spruce ribs, securely mortised and glued into the inner rim. Bridges are formed form fine-grained hardwoods chosen foe optimal sound transmission and precisely notched and pinned to carry the strings.

Produced from special steel and pure copper wire, strings are installed with the aid of special equipment for consistent, even tensioning. Duplex scaling, which tunes non-'speaking' lengths of the strings, enriches primary tones with complementary harmonics.

Pin blocks where the tuning pins are set, are made from layers of dense hardwoods, bonded in a process that seals against fluctuations in humidity. The pins themselves have lathe-cut, rather than roll pressed, threads, to ensure the best grip in the pin block, and is nickel plated to resist corrosion Together with the integrity of structural components, these features help to give Yamaha pianos an exceptionally high level of tuning and requiring minimal regular maintenance.

The Legendary Yamaha action mechanism is built to ultra-precise tolerances on aluminum alloy rails-unaffected by changes in temperature or humidity-for superb response, rapid repetition and years of trouble-free playing enjoyment. Design ed for each model, hammers are made from top quality felt, glued and T fastened to hardwood heads and shanks, and profiled to match the characteristics of each model. Matched key sets cut from solid spruce blocks are fitted with durable hardwood key buttons, faced with optimal tactile surfaces, and precisely balanced and laser leveled for uniform travel and response.

Yamaha piano cabinetry is designed and constructed for long lasting beauty, with a multi-layer polyester or lacquer finish that provides maximum protection against wear, sun, heat, spills and humidity. All fittings, including solid brass pedals and casters, are engineered for both beauty and functionality, with special protective features like soft-close fallboards and lid prop safety stops.

Finally, every Yamaha piano undergoes exceptionally thorough preparatory procedures. Skilled technicians tune, 'voice' and regulate each instrument repeatedly over the course of construction, aided by a 'mechanical pianist' that plays every key hundreds of times enabling the strings and action components to normalize between these procedures. Each instrument is allowed to rest in a controlled environment approximating that of its destination, then sealed in an alright envelope to ensure optimal condition on arrival.

The end results of this painstaking craftsmanship are instruments at the peak of their musical potential that will provide generations of pleasure to their new owners pianos, in short that live up to the superior standards that Yamaha owners expect.

Also available as a Disklavier model

Pianoforte Limited | Ivory House | 40 Coxwell Street | Faringdon | Oxon | SN7 7HA | UK
Telephone: 01367 244 554 | Email: sales@pianoforte.co.uk