Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Availability of parts for Yamaha pianos

First let me start off by saying, I have not done any research on this matter, but I keep getting told that Yamaha will not sell parts for any “gray market pianos”. When I spoke to Rick Jones Pianos I asked about getting parts for their Yamaha pianos. I was told that it was not a problem. I do not think that I was being lied to since Rick Jones Pianos offers 10-year warranties on many of the gray market pianos that they sell. Would some one care to explain how Rick Jones gets parts for their gray market pianos?

Parts for Yamaha are available from other sources as far as the grands are concerned.

Curry, are you talking about Yamaha parts available from other sources or are you talking about parts manufactured by other companies? Thank you.

From other companies. Abel and Renner both supply some Yamaha action parts.

Thank you Curry.

I guess this is a loaded question. Does this mean that parts are readily available for the gray market Yamaha pianos and the statements by Yamaha salesmen “Yamaha will not sell parts for gray market pianos” though true does not mean that much since there are other sources available? Are there some parts that are not available? Do you have to step down in quality (I know that Renner and Abel is a step up) to get some of the parts? Thank you.

For sure some parts are not available. However they are mostly case parts and other parts that are specific to Yamaha. Keep in mind that MANY action parts are interchangable between brands without downside. Think "sparkplugs"!

Thank you Steve, I did not see how parts could be much of a problem since there are so many dealers selling gray market pianos with warranty.

Let's look at this issue in light of the "seasoned for destination" story, and see if we find a pattern. The "seasoned for destination" story didn't come on the scene until after the used imports hit the scene in large numbers, somewhere in the early to mid 90s. Yamaha didn't seem to have any parts supply problems until the late 90s, in fact they had such a seemingly unlimited supply of parts that they sold them to both of the independent parts wholesalers for resale to the trade. Any technician could get any Yamaha action part they needed directly from either of these two supply houses.

Yamaha's excuse for not providing parts for these used imports was that they didn't want to be "liable" for these pianos, and that they felt that these pianos would tarnish their reputation as they fell apart all over the country, both rather flimsy excuses. But if you bought the part from one of the wholesale supply houses, that wouldn't even be an issue. Nevertheless, Yamaha not only sent out letters to every technician they had in their database informing them they would no longer sell them parts for these pianos, they stopped selling parts to both of the supply houses.

Now: Any rationally thinking person can see that Yamaha could have continued to sell parts to the wholesalers if their concern was due to having any direct connection to these pianos taint their reputation. Parts bought third party should be of no concern to Yamaha. Yet they attempted not just to distance themselves from these pianos, they tried to completely block the supply of repair parts. So you see, there's a pattern developing. Before the number of used imports reached critical mass, no one talked about "seasoning for destination", and parts were plentiful. Once the US branch of Yamaha's sales division began to notice the effect of these imports in their sales figures, all of a sudden every Yamaha dealer as well as Yamaha America began talking about "seasoned for destination", and they began a premeditated campaign of eliminating the supply of parts.

Now that's what I call ethics in business, don't you?

Wouldn't these parts have to be sold in hermetically sealed, air-tight packaging to prevent them from drying out?

Eins,

This is true.

[Sarcasm]You would also have to specify what state you lived in and the variance in relative humidity in the room that the piano was located in so Yamaha could give you one of 5 different moisture contents in the part that you order.[/Sarcasm]

I don't think Yamaha would work for me, as my humdity right now, this time of year is close to 60 %...I would'nt know which one of the possible 5+ seasoned pianos to buy :

GPman

It's also interesting that the third party parts manufacturers are able to manufacture parts that can be used anywhere in the world. Maybe they need to start building Yamaha's pianos for them.

Grandpianoman said:
“I don't think Yamaha would work for me, as my humdity right now, this time of year is close to 60 %...I would'nt know which one of the possible 5+ seasoned pianos to buy :”

That’s easy. Since it is 60% you buy the wet one and when the humidity drops you water your piano like you would a flower.

LOL, now that is what I call good advice :p

Ever heard of a mister, Mister?

does that have anything to do with "play misty for me"?

does that have anything to do with "play misty for me"?

As a Yamaha dealer from 1961-1998 I can tell you that "seasoning for destination" was presented as a feature/benefit of Yamaha pianos continuously from the late 60s thru today. It did not just come on the scene in the 90s.

I agree however with the assertion that the arguements for denying parts supply ARE flimsy. I too believe the decision was with the main purpose of stemming the flow and sale of greys in the US.

Also, don't forget to play the music from Enya's album, Watermark.