Knowledgebase
Making a grand piano: 1. The inner and outer rim
The classic grand piano shape Layers of wood veneers are glued together with the grain in a uniform direction to...
Making a grand piano: 2. The soundboard
The soundboard is very much at the heart of the piano - the striking of the strings causes this to...
Making a grand piano: 3. The keyboard
The same Sitka spruce used in the making of the piano soundboard is used to make the keys, pieces which...
Making a grand piano: 4. Strings & action
Stringing Is Done by Hand, One String at a Time By this stage of the manufacturing process, the soundboard has...
Making a grand piano: 5. Final tweaks
The automatic key pressing machine is once again used after the piano has been seasoned, to prepare the piano action...
A-frames & castors
A-frames are popular with schools, theatres and churches as it makes a grand piano easy to position and helps retain...
Piano covers
A piano cover is a useful investment – it will help keep your instrument protected against accidents, spillages and minor...
Piano stools
We stock a wide range of piano benches at Chamberlain Music, starting at approximately £75 up to £1000. We purchase...
Available finishes
New pianos are usually available in a selection of different finishes, the most popular of which is polished ebony, or...
Piano positioning
The location of your piano can have an impact on the quality of sound produced and the overall longevity of...
Pre-regulation & set up
The first stage of preparing a piano for sale includes checking the frame, frame bolts and screws, and string positioning...
Regulation & voicing
Voicing is a procedure which ensures that the tone quality heard across the range of the piano keyboard is uniform...
Reconditioned Yamaha & Kawai uprights
The popularity of Japanese pianos, in particular Yamaha and Kawai, has resulted in many being available on the second-hand market....
What about the B3?
It is worth considering the new Indonesian built b3 as an alternative option to a reconditioned U1. While the b3...
Yamaha U1: 1970s vs present day
A new piano is always more refined than a reconditioned instrument, largely owing to technical developments and improvements in technology...
Second-hand Yamaha C & G series
For many years the Yamaha C Series has provided some of the world’s best-selling pianos, combining fabulous build quality and...
Yamaha CX Series
There are six models in the CX Series as follows: C1X: 5’3 (161cm) C2X: 5’8 (173cm) C3X: 6’1 (186cm) C5X:...
Yamaha GB1K
The Yamaha GB1K is 5’0 (151cm) in length and is the smallest grand piano model in Yamaha’s range. It is...
Yamaha GC Series
There are two models in the GC Series as follows: GC1: 5’3 (161cm) GC2: 5’8 (173cm) One step up from...
Yamaha B series
There are three models in the b Series as follows: B1: 109cm B2: 113cm B3: 121cm Yamaha’s entry level range...
Yamaha P Series
There are two models in the P Series as follows: P116: 116cm P121: 121cm Yamaha’s P Series pianos are aimed...
Yamaha SE Series
There are two models in the SE Series as follows: SE122: 122cm SE132: 132cm Yamaha’s SE series is something very...
Yamaha SU Series
There are two models in the SU Series as follows: SU118C: 118cm SU7: 131cm The SU Series represents the pinnacle...
Yamaha U Series
There are two models in the U Series as follows: U1: 121cm U3: 131cm For the last fifty years the...
Yamaha YUS Series
There are two models in the YUS Series as follows: YUS1: 121cm YUS3: 131cm The Yamaha YUS series builds on...
History & anatomy of the piano
The fortepiano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori around the turn of the 18th century and has since evolved into what...
Piano mechanisms: upright vs grand
Grand Mechanism Upright Mechanism In an upright piano, the strings are positioned vertically on the frame whereas the strings on...
Size really does matter
Physics dictates that the quality of sound produced is largely influenced by the length of the string. A longer string...
What do the pedals do?
Upright and grand pianos normally have three pedals which serve various purposes: Left pedal The left pedal on an upright...
What type of piano should I choose?
Digital pianos Available space is an increasingly important factor to be taken into account when deciding on the right instrument...
Yamaha Disklavier pianos
What is a Disklavier piano? In the 1970s, solenoid-based player systems were added to pianos for the first time. In...
Yamaha Silent pianos
What is a Silent piano? Yamaha launched the first Silent Piano in 1993. This enabled the pianist to silence the...
Yamaha TransAcoustic pianos
What is a TransAcoustic Piano? Yamaha, having pioneered the art of manufacturing a Silent Piano, realised that wearing headphones to...