Hi Leslie,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Yamaha pianos trace their roots to 1887, when Torakusu Yamaha repaired a Western reed organ in Hamamatsu, Japan. Fascinated by its mechanics, he built Japan’s first domestically produced organ, leading to the founding of Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. (later Yamaha Corporation). Piano production followed soon after, with Yamaha’s first upright piano completed in 1900 and grand pianos in 1902.

Early on, the company studied European piano design, then steadily refined materials, action geometry, and scale design. By the mid-20th century, Yamaha had become a global competitor, exporting widely and gaining prominence in conservatories, concert halls, and homes.

In the postwar era, Yamaha expanded rapidly, introducing highly consistent uprights, respected concert grands (notably the CF series), and later digital and hybrid pianos. Today, Yamaha is valued for reliability, tonal clarity, and technological innovation, making its pianos staples for students and professionals alike. Collectors tend to prize early Japanese-made instruments and flagship concert grands, while Yamaha’s broad reach has made it one of the most influential piano manufacturers in modern history.

Yamaha's GB1 model is their entry-level baby grand, designed to deliver the feel and prestige of a grand piano at the smallest footprint and most accessible price point in the Yamaha lineup. Introduced in the early 2000s, the size - about 5 feet long - made it ideally suited to apartments, studios and teaching spaces. To keep the cost down, Yamaha used a simplified scale design, thinner rims and fewer hand-finishing techniques but the critical components - action geometry, soundboard material and quality control - still follow Yamaha's high standards.

Many GB1s are manufactured in Indonesia under Yamaha supervision, which helps keep prices low; the J in your serial number indicates it was made in Jakarta while the serial number 2217010 dates it to 2005.

Other GB1 models that have come to auction recently - in 'as is' condition - typically sell in the $3,000-6,000 range though it's worth noting that retailers selling refurbished examples typically sell them for between $9,000 and $11,000.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A modern 2005 Yamaha black lacquer baby grand piano
GB1 model, made in Jakarta, Indonesia, serial number 2217010
57 inches long
CONDITION: as is; reported to be in excellent rarely-played condition, not recently tuned.
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$3,000-6,000*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia