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I recently saw a reconditioned Yahama G5 from Japan with 3 pedals. All other grand pianos from Japan I saw previously only had 2 pedals. Does anyone know when Yamaha started making G5's with 3 pedals? Can this be an indication of the year when the piano was manufactured? Thanks.

There were also some jobbers importing Gray Market Yamahas who were installing dummy middle pedals.

Gray market Yamaha grands up to the early eighties had two pedals.
Even the very early non gray market Yamaha pianos had 2 pedals only.
There was a retrofit kit offered by some Japanese wholesalers which converted the former two pedal mdls. with a bass sustain (not sostenudo) along with a new 3 pedal lyre. I always considered it as a lame retrofit catering to those who wanted that middle pedal for whatever reason which worked as good as the dummy pedal that Marty mentioned. USA was the ony country that wanted 3 pedals. If one purchased a Yamaha up to the early eighties in Europe it had 2 pedals only not just the Asian countries

So could is it possible that this particular Yamaha G5 was built in the early eighties? It's a reconditioned piano and I doubt if the serial number is correct. The number may have been replaced with a later number.

Anything is possible. Usually a reconditioned Yamaha grand(whatever that means)retains the original guilded plate and script of the serial #.
I could tell in 2 secounds whether the harp is that of an older piano. The harp casting look different depending on the era of the piano. What is the serial # and the letter designation following the serial # ? There were actually different scale designs in Japan for the G1,G2,G3,G5 Some actually did not have duplex scaling though they were of high serial #s and a newer piano. Does the middle pedal function as a true sostenudo or a bass sustain ?

The serial number is 403953, but there is no letter designation after it. This Yamaha G5 has duplex scaling. I'm not sure if the middle pedal functions as a sustenuto or a bass sustain.

I'm interested in purchasing this piano and would like to get an indication of its real age before purchasing it. Thanks.

Serial # puts it at 1965 unless you left out the 7th digit putting it at 1985. Without a pic,I can't help you. My psychic powers are on the blink lately. If one truly refurbished the top end; regild harp,restring,refinished the board etc.and they wanted to deceive you they would have put a much higher serial #. Look for an all original newer piano. Refurbished stuff from Japan is not happening.

Thanks for the info. I'll try to take some pictures and post it here. What parts of the piano do you need to see to assess it?

This Yamaha G5 piano does have duplex scaling and the middle pedal functions as a true sustenuto pedal (not bass sustain). I may have missed out a digit on the serial number. At any rate, could the duplex scaling and sustenuto pedal give a clue as to the real age of the piano?

This speculation and uncertainty is getting you nowhere. Post a pic of the top end and I'll tell you what you want to know. If it is at a dealer,ask the salesman what the story is. Check the serial # again for that 7th digit if it exists
If you missed a digit most likely it is of 1985 which would have a factory 3 pedal lyre with a full functioning sostenudo. These clues followed by a "maybe" is not much to go on.