[pianotech] Yamaha M1?

[Terry Farrell]

Rough value measured how?  $$?  Or musical value? I presume dollar  
value.

If that is true, IMHO, once a piano is 40+ years old, it matters  
little what the model is - even the importance of the manufacturer is  
generally diminished. And especially in a smaller piano - a console.  
What matters most is condition - and more-so cosmetic appearance that  
functional condition (wish that wasn't the case, but for most folks  
looks talk).

My opinion of your description of the appearance and functioning  
condition of the piano is at least very good. In midwest prices, in a  
private sale, I'd give a range of $600 at the low end to $1,500 at the  
high end. I find it not uncommon to see some very nice little pianos  
go for as little as $500 or $600. And as an example, my son's piano  
teacher sold her excellent condition 1984 Yamaha P-22 a few years ago  
for $2K (the P-22 studio upright being quite a bit more instrument  
than the console).

And of course a Dealer would add $1K to those prices if s/he were  
selling the piano in their store.

Hope this helps.

Terry Farrell

On Sep 17, 2009, at 9:27 AM, Amadeus Piano wrote:

> Hello all, a customer asked me for a rough value on her piano.  It’s  
> a small Yamaha console piano and I measured it at 41 in. but I'm  
> pretty sure it’s a model M1—looks just like all the M1s I can find  
> pics of online though they are all shown as 42 in. models.
>
> The only relevant marking I found was on the bottom board and it was  
> a small handwritten, “M1A7.”  At least, I’m pretty sure it’s an A,  
> but it could be an “O” or “0.”  The fallboard, knee panel, and sides  
> are marked, “7-10-1.”  It has the “Made in Japan” label on the back  
> and another label that has been torn off.  And the serial number  
> where you’d expect it.  It’s otherwise unmarked—(i.e., no obvious M1  
> stencil on the plate or elsewhere).
> The serial number puts it at 1968 according to Yamaha’s site.
> It’s in really good shape.  It’s satin walnut.  Though it hadn’t  
> been tuned in many years with the exception of a few bass notes it  
> was only about -6 cents flat across the board.
> The FAC inharmonicity scale according to my Accutuner was pretty  
> smooth: 5.8/6.1/6
> It’s a nice sounding little piano if a little twangy at the breaks.
>
> I’m trying to come up with a ballpark value but I want to make sure  
> I’m not comparing apples to oranges.  And this is my first M1.  But  
> I'm worried it might be significantly different than a standard M1.   
> I want to be sure.
> Is this an M1 variant?  Am I reading a model number there or is it  
> something else?
>
> And if so, anything unusual about it?
>
> I’ve read that Yamaha made some one-off variants in the past that  
> were in some cases better quality instruments, in other cases, just  
> slightly different.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help, Gary
>

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