Yamaha has announced the birth of a new baby! It’s the Yamaha GCB Baby Grand Piano, the first new addition to the GC family of grand pianos for nearly 17 years. The new arrival’s “siblings” are the Yamaha GC1 (161cm), and the Yamaha GC2 (173cm). The GCB weighs in at (measures!) 151cm.
Is the new GCB Yamaha’s smallest grand piano? Not quite. Yamaha also has the established GB1K, which is the exact same size as the GCB. The GCB could be seen as an updated and improved version of the GB1K incorporating numerous refinements including enhanced build quality.
The GB1K is manufactured in Jakarta, Indonesia, whereas the new GCB instrument is produced in Japan at Yamaha’s Kakegawa factory.
Design
Engineered around the same design principles as the acclaimed C Series, the GCB unites the braces, back posts, frame, and soundboard into a single cohesive unit. This allows the acoustic energy to disperse seamlessly throughout the instrument, leading to a richer, clearer sound.
The GCB uses Yamaha’s V-Pro frame. This technology employs what is known as a vacuum shield mould process. A powerful vacuum compresses the sand used for the mould. This makes the resulting plate structurally superior—no internal air bubbles—and gives it greater dimensional accuracy. The frame’s enhanced strength also makes the tuning of the piano more stable.
Yamaha sees the compact GCB model, with its smaller footprint, as opening up the market for grand pianos to a wider public.
“… the GCB delivers the rich resonance, musicality and expressive tone players expect from Yamaha in a beautifully compact form. We designed it to make the dream of owning and enjoying a Yamaha grand piano more attainable for families, musicians and music lovers alike.”
— Gary Klugman, Director of Marketing, Yamaha
The GCB can also be supplied with Yamaha’s SILENT Piano™ SH3 system (GCB SH3) or with the Disklavier ENSPIRE™ ST system fitted (DGCB ENST).
The Yamaha GCB Baby Grand Piano is now available through authorised Yamaha piano dealers and retailers. Prices start at $19,999. For more information, visit: usa.yamaha.com.
Specifications: Yamaha GCB Baby Grand Piano
Dimensions (w x h x d): 147 x 101 x 151cm
Weight: 275kg
Keys: 88 (7¼ octaves)
Key composition: acrylic resin (white), Phenolic resin (black)
Pedals: 3 (damper, sostenuto, shift)
Fallboard: soft close
Prop: 2 positions
Finishes: polished ebony, polished mahogany, satin American walnut, polished white.