Roadtest Yamaha M450TC #218401

[pianoman]

Dear list,
Here we go.
If anyone asked me my favorite piano to tune, Yamaha would come out of my
mouth before anything else.  I have the opinion that anything that has the
Yamaha name on it will probably be the best product available at that
particular price point.  I f were going to buy a piano today it would be a
Yamaha.
The following is my own personal opinion based on tuning 1 M450TC and may
not be true of all pianos of this model.
Yesterday I performed the 1st service bond warranty tuning on this piano. 
When I called the lady to make the tuning appointment she informed me that
the fallboard would not close properly and I told her that I would take
care of that and any other problems.  I had not heard of this model before
so I did not know what to expect.  When she took me to the piano, here was
a new model I had not seen before..  It was a 43" console with a new
"cheap", no I don't mean inexpensive, I mean CHEAP, look to the design. 
The sides of the case as well as the music desk and even the music rack
were made of veneered particleboard, (I HATE PARTICLEBOARD) .  Many times
you can't tell about the sides of the case because of the veneering but in
this design the design includes a decorative routed vein trimming the
panels and it was clear that at the bottom of the vein was particleboard. 
The fallboard was attached to a metal rail with 3 plastic/nylon type cable
clamps with one screw holding the rail to the back of the fallboard with
one screw each.  On the left side, the plastic clamp had already given way
from the metal rail and was flapping in the wind so the fallboard would not
operate properly.  Also the wood, about 1/4" thick ,does not look sturdy
enough to really hold this assembly in place for years of use.  I was able
to reattach it and told the lady that if it came off again that I would
order new clamps for her and instructed her how to use 2 hands to open and
close the fallboard and not to use one hand.  On the underneath of the lid
where the made in America in Georgia decal would have been there was
nothing.  The finish on this model looked cheap also and not at all what we
are used to on Yamaha's.  The included bench did not come equipped with a
bottom or music compartment.  The hammer line did not seem to be as uniform
as other Yamahas and the hammers were not reinforced on the inner core or
as normal practice on the outside.  I felt in the back and could not feel
any backposts.  The piano had been in her home for a little over a month
and I found the state of the tuning at start to be quite erratic.  The
middle was not too bad but the treble pitch fell of a cliff at the mid
treble break.  The bass was not quite as bad.  Clearly, this model had not
received as much previous tuning as what I was used to on Yamahas.
	When I completed the tuning,  I played it, this is the good part.  It
played pretty much and sounded pretty much like what I am used to hearing
and feeling in Yamaha, evenness in volume and tone quality.  When the
sustain was used nothing stood out and the tone remained even and balanced.
 I am now confused over a cheap looking and built case structure with a
reasonable price, ( I will assume that this is their new cheapest, no,
least expensive model.  I am not sure that the case holding the piano
together will last as long as the piano inside.
Would I recommend this piano.  Only if cost were the only thought.  I would
recommend moving up Yamaha's price ladder and getting not only a nice
musical instrument but also a quality case.
	
Again the above is my own private opinion  on one example of this model and
should be used as a basis on discussion on this list among piano techs, not
perspective purchasers.  I invite discussion with you all if you know more
about this model than I do. 
	 I am now putting on my flame suit.
J ames Grebe
R.P.T. from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com
"A MAN IS LIKE A PIECE OF STEEL- HE IS NO GOOD IF HE LOSES HIS TEMPER"