Yamaha

Standard Acoustic Grand and Vertical Pianos

Hendricks Pianos has the largest and most complete display of Yamaha pianos under one roof in the Midwest.

The extensive line of Yamaha models includes nine grand piano sizes: (GB1) 5', (GC1) 5'3", (C1) 5'3", (C2) 5'8", (C3) 6'1", (C5) 6'7", (C6) 6'11", (C7) 7'6", and (CF111) 9' concert grand. They are available in various cabinet finishes: high polish ebony, satin ebony, high polish walnut, satin walnut, high polish mahogany, high polish white, plus two art case finishes: cherry and brown mahogany. Some models come in assorted finishes.

The vertical pianos are available in four heights: 44", 45" 48" and 52". The 44" high pianos are consoles and are made in an assortment of furniture styles and wood-tone finishes. The console cabinet styles determine the appropriate finish. The 45", 48" and 52" high pianos are called studios. All studio sizes have the same style in a variety of finishes, with one exception, the 45" studio, available in three furniture styles and finishes.

All pianos come with matching benches.

 

Disklavier (Automatic Playing Piano)

Most Yamaha standard acoustic models in both grand and vertical pianos are also available as a Disklavier, Yamaha's automatic playing piano. (The letter "D" in front of the model number designates "Disklavier.") The newest Disklavier technology, called Mark IV, is now available on grand pianos, starting with the (DGC1) 5'3", and follows across the line to the 7'6" long (DC7). The Mark IV is an advanced entertainment center.
All Disklavier technology is factory-built into the piano from the beginning of its construction. An optical hammer sensor continuously traces the hammer position from the time the key is pressed until it is released. This remarkable technology monitors every motion of the key and hammer, even for rapidly repeated notes. With meticulous precision and the softest touch, the Mark IV has achieved features that were previously unattainable. It is possible to connect a wide range of external equipment such as TVs, cameras, computers, home networks and various other audio and music equipment.

Vertical pianos continue to use the previous Mark III Disklavier technology. A silent system is available on many models without the Disklavier System. The keys play but the sound is projected through earphones and cannot be heard without the earphones.

Clavinova (Digital Piano)

The Yamaha Clavinova is the ideal instrument for all levels of musical enjoyment, from playing just for fun to professional performances. Clavinovas are digital instruments. They do not have hammers that strike strings causing them to vibrate, which vibrations are transferred to a soundboard and thus amplified. In Clavinovas, sound is picked up by a microphone and sent though speakers which simulate the sounds produced by a piano soundboard. Yamaha Clavinovas boast AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) tone generation for the ultimate in instrument realism. The piano and other instrument sounds (voices) are stereo samplings of real instruments. At the touch of buttons, the Clavinova replicates the sounds of many different instruments that may or may not be combined with the piano. All Clavinovas have 88-note keyboards, three pedals, and "graded hammer effect" for the feel of a real piano.

There are two series of models. The CLP series includes 5 models: CLP 115, 120, 130, 150 and 170. Headphones are provided so only the performer can hear. The units are equipped with midi-in and midi-out jacks and terminals for expanded possibilities. The CVP series includes 5 models: CVP 301, 303, 305, 307 and 309. State-of-the-art technology in the CVP series produces comprehensive music-making features to satisfy discriminating professional musicians.

Moving from the 301 model to the 309 gradually increases features and creative possibilities. For example, the 301 model has 312 voices plus 480 XG voices, while the 307 and 309 models increase the number of voices to 451 plus 480 XG voices. In the 301 model there are 180 accompaniment styles and in the 307 and 309 there are 386. With its natural wood keyboard and grand piano shape, the 309 model emulates a real grand piano. In order to realize the benefits of these instruments, a demonstration is recommended.

Yamaha Corporation (An Overview)

The piano industry and the modern piano owe much to the contributions of Yamaha Corporation. Torakusu Yamaha, the company's founding father, instituted that "whatever the era, the most outstanding technology available must be utilized to turn out the very best product and services of the day." From the company's inception and continuing into the 21st century, the principle of invent, innovate and improve has been translated into systematic exploration of all phases of piano building, beginning with design and raw materials. Science, computerization and robotics now aid Yamaha's traditional manufacturing process. Tradition and technology work synergistically to achieve excellence. They do not clash. "Technology builds bridges across the limitations of tradition."

Torakusu Yamaha built his first vertical piano in 1900, structuring the company on musical, artistic and technical excellence. In 1902, the company introduced its first grand piano. Now, in its second century, the Yamaha blend of hand craftsmanship and advanced technology continues to produce products of excellence, which is never compromised.

The constant research and development at Yamaha Corporation far exceeds any the piano industry has ever known. In search of the highest degree of precision for manufacturing all parts of the piano, tooling, and machinery must constantly be improved and updated. All divisions share the discoveries made by each of them. Many scientific minds building on each other produce extraordinary results. Yamaha Corporation excels as a technological leader, explorer, and pioneer in the music industry.

Skilled craftsmen are the foundation of producing exceptional instruments. The company exerts great efforts to train and develop artisans and skilled craftsmen. Though modest and humble, the Yamaha-trained craftsmen are respected throughout the music world. In 1980, Yamaha established a Piano Technical Academy training facility. Training seminars are frequently held for independent tuner-technicians from across the country.

Tones that thunder and roar are easier to achieve than the quiet, pianissimo ones. Of all the great pianos in the industry, only a Yamaha can produce a pianissimo so soft it whispers and still sings with a beautiful tone—a credit to its incredibly sensitive action response. The softest pianissimo is never lost on a Yamaha piano.

Another tribute to the Yamaha action is its quick response to repetition and trilling. The piano can play faster than the pianist. There is tremendous consistency in touch between Yamaha pianos. Through time, this has seldom been achieved.

The inventiveness and superiority of the Yamaha piano structure can easily be seen in its dovetail interlocking joints, cut-thread tuning pins for greater tuning stability, and the vacuum-processed (V-Pro) cast iron plate. The cast iron plate is the backbone of every piano and the basis of each piano's design dimensions. For example, the plate holds the dimensions for the stringing scale - the length, thickness and tension of each string (in grands, about 240 strings and in verticals, about 230). The plate also supports the approximately 40,000 pounds of tension pulled on the strings, which cross the plate at very specific points.

The more accuracy and strength built into the plate, the more efficiently it can do its job. Vacuum-processing (dry sand method) is superior in accuracy and strength (with minimal waste) than the traditional wet sand method. (Refer to: Wonders of the Piano—Anatomy of the instrument pages 57 to 64).

Yamaha is the only piano manufacturer who has the capacity to make all the parts used to build Yamaha pianos. The company has complete quality control over every aspect of their manufacturing process. Their lumber mill and wood processing facilities are among the largest and most modern in the world. Logs are sourced worldwide. Their machine shops thread tuning pins by a lathe for a tighter, more stable fit in the pinblock (instead of less expensively by pressure rollers). There are compelling reasons why Yamaha pianos perform with the precision of a find Swiss watch. The workmanship is flawless.

The Iwata foundry occupies the size of a football field. It is a state-of-the-art facility which produces all metallurgical materials needed to manufacture pianos. In 1977, Yamaha initiated, developed, and refined the Vacuum Shield Mold Process for the production of their cast iron plates.

The multi-layered, high-polyester finish on Yamaha pianos provides maximum protection against wear, sun, heat, spills and humidity. It is much thicker and harder than lacquer.

Please visit Hendricks Pianos and let us show you the unique features that have catapulted Yamaha to the top of the piano industry.

Pearl River

Standard Grand and Vertical Pianos

Hendricks Pianos is the principal dealer for Pearl River in the Chicagoland area.

Pearl River acoustic grand and vertical pianos are available in many furniture styles and cabinet finishes. All pianos carry a ten-year manufacturer's warranty and come with matching benches.

The grand pianos are available in seven sizes: 4'7", 5'3", 5'9", 6', 6'4", 7', and 9'. They come in four furniture finishes: walnut, mahogany, white and ebony.

Vertical pianos are available in 11 cabinet styles, eight finishes, and eight sizes ranging from 42.5" to 51.2" high.

All grand and vertical pianos can be equipped to function as an automatic playing piano. A system called QRS is installed.

 

Pearl River and Ritmuller Automatic Playing Pianos

Pearl River Piano Group America, Ltd.

Pearl River Piano Group America opened January of 2000. The piano arrived from China with the reputation of a quality entry-level piano. Although its price is a tremendous value in the United States, the Pearl River brand is the most expensive in China, among Chinese pianos. Its success is its perceived good value.

The China-based manufacturer was founded in 1956 in Guangzhou, China, and operates three manufacturing facilities. The Pearl River piano factory in the complex is the largest, a five-story, 3-million-square-foot facility, which has been updated and equipped with the latest Computer-Aided Design technology and machines. Pearl River Piano Group America enlisted the help of American consultants to adapt their pianos to appeal to American preference in sound and cabinet styles.

Zhi-Cheng Tong, founder and president of Pearl River Corporation, enlisted assistance from European, Japanese and Korean piano manufacturers, as well as from engineers and scientists of world renown, in order to bring his piano up to world standards. At the same time, he spared no effort to modernize and automate his factories with computer controlled machinery and with the technology to catapult his factories to the forefront of the piano industry. His lumberyard and wood processing plant encompass several million square feet and produce millions of parts, ranging form piano legs to music desks. The drive to improve product quality is relentless.

In 2005, Tong's objective is to produce 100,000 vertical pianos and 20,000 grands a year, to become the largest piano manufacturer in the world. Pearl River has already begun to compete with Japanese and Korean manufacturers in the high profile markets of Europe and the United States.

Restored Vintage and Historic Grands

Three extraordinary Steinway grand pianos of the Victorian Era have been impeccably restored. No costs were spared in the restoration of these fine old pianos. As they stand, they are ready for another century of service.

Model A, 6'1" (Serial No. 93462) 1900 vintage, dark, rich mahogany case with Victorian styled legs.

Model A, 6'1" (Serial No. 75542) 1893 vintage, satin ebony finish with filigree music rack and pillar shaped legs.

Model D, 9' concert grand (Serial No. 52626) vintage 1885, rosewood case with filigree music rack and carved pillar shaped legs.

• Refinished cases:
  • Fully filled raw cases
  • Two double coats of sealer
  • Seven coats of lacquer
  • Three sandings and a final pumice rub
• The cases are flawless.
• New soundboard and bridges
• New pinblock and strings
• New damper felts
• New key bushings
• New hammers and shanks
• New repetitions
• Ivory keys were left in place for authenticity
• Benches are the original.

The Steinway 9' concert grand piano was ordered from Steinway & Sons for Chicago's prominent Potter family, of Marshall Field's Department store fame. The Potter family purchased the grand for a gift to the new DuPage County Library scheduled to open in late 1887. Just as the piano arrived at Steinway's dealer in Chicago, the library construction was brought to a halt because of a lack of funds. The dealer held the piano until the problem was solved and finally delivered it in 1891. It was among the earliest pianos to have an 88 note keyboard.

In modern times, the library has been closed for many years. The building has been transformed into a museum. That is where Hendricks found the piano and rescued it for restoration. An exact model of this piano was used at the grand opening of Carnegie Hall, New York, in 1891. Ignace Paderewski performed the opening concert. This famous piano can now be viewed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.

Steinway & Sons built only 12 of this model. Except for the one in the Smithsonian, as far as we can tell, Hendricks Pianos has the only model still existent.

Additionally, Hendricks has a grand piano collection of famous brand names, completely restored and beautifully refinished, including: