Yamaha C110A

Colour: Polished ebony

The Yamaha C110A is a compact upright of 110cm, built in the plain continental style with no front legs or toe blocks, so the cabinet sits flat to the wall and takes up as little floor as an acoustic piano sensibly can. It measures 148cm wide and 54cm deep, with the full 88 notes and three pedals.

Priced at £2,795, this example is finished in polished ebony. The C110A was Yamaha's answer for buyers who wanted the company's even action and well known tuning stability without the height, or the price, of a U series instrument, and it remains one of the easiest compact uprights to live with. It has been assessed and prepared by our team at The Piano Gallery.

Available to purchase online or to try in person at our Oxfordshire showroom. Contact us to arrange a viewing or to discuss delivery and part-exchange options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the C110A compare with a Yamaha U1?

The U1 is 121cm tall against this piano's 110cm, and that extra height buys longer bass strings, a larger soundboard and a noticeably bigger sound. The C110A applies the same design thinking in a smaller case, so the touch feels familiar and the tone is clean and even, simply on a smaller scale. For a room where a U1 would dominate, or a budget that will not stretch to one, the C110A is the sensible Yamaha. We usually have both in the showroom if you would like to hear the difference.

Where and when was this C110A made?

Yamaha has built the C110 line at more than one of its plants, and published accounts disagree about which factory supplied any given year, so we do not guess. The serial number settles it: the letter it begins with identifies the plant, and the figures give the year. We will read the serial on this instrument and tell you exactly what it says before you commit to anything.

Is a polished ebony cabinet harder to look after?

It shows fingerprints and dust more readily than a satin wood finish, which is the trade for the depth of the shine. In practice a soft dry cloth, and now and then a barely damp one, is all it needs. Avoid household sprays and silicone polishes, which build up and cloud the surface over time, and keep the piano out of direct sunlight.

Is this enough piano for a complete beginner, and how long will it last them?

Yes, and longer than most people expect. A beginner needs a real acoustic action under the fingers far more than they need volume, and a well prepared Yamaha gives exactly that. Most learners will take it comfortably through the early and middle grades. The point at which a player starts to want more is usually when the repertoire asks for weight in the bass and a wider dynamic range, and that is a conversation about a taller upright rather than a better small one.

What happens with delivery, and when will it need tuning?

We deliver throughout the UK using specialist piano movers, who will place the instrument in the room you want it rather than leaving it in the hall. A piano should then be left a couple of weeks to settle to the temperature and humidity of its new home before it is tuned. After that, twice a year suits a piano in normal domestic use, and we can arrange the settling tuning for you as part of the delivery.