NEW YAMAHA UPRIGHT PIANOS EXPAND DESIGN CHOICES

—Mahogany, Walnut and Brown Cherry Models Put a New Face on Proven Value—

BUENA PARK, CA (July 11, 2003)—Nothing combines design, function and artistry like a fine piano. Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, announces the availability of three elegant new cabinetry options for its proven 44" Gallery Collection acoustic upright pianos.

With new cabinets in Traditional Mahogany, Italian Provincial and Brown Cherry, Yamaha's M Series of 44" Gallery Collection acoustic upright pianos offers even more attractive and affordable options for the home.

The M475TM's (Traditional Mahogany) Mahogany design and the M475IP (Italian Provincial) Walnut model both deliver the complete array of Yamaha acoustic upright advantages in styles that will suit today's tasteful home designs. The M450BC, in Brown Cherry, adds the advantage of entry-level pricing with an equally eye-pleasing presentation.

"We know from exhaustive market research that piano owners consider their investments to serve dual roles—as fine musical instruments and fine furniture," says Bernie McCaffery, Piano marketing manager, Piano Division, Yamaha Corporation of America. "With our expanded offerings in this popular and proven size, no one has to compromise on either side of that equation. We anticipate that these additions to the Yamaha upright family will be quite popular."

In the M475TM 44" Gallery Collection acoustic upright piano, buyers with either country or traditionally appointed homes will find a ready intermediate-level addition to their décors. The Mahogany cabinet features a satin gloss finish with a Mahogany inlay panel on the music rack. A new larger, tapered through-leg design with decorative routing along with a wider arm and side panels adds to the "curb appeal" while keeping the design pleasingly simple, and high-quality finish and construction will ensure years of reliable use.

The M475IP employs a Walnut cabinet that blends European styling with American craftsmanship. Its satin gloss Walnut finish boasts an open-design music rack, wider arm and side panels, and a new larger routed square through-leg design. This model offers slightly more intricate cabinetwork on the music rack, with brass buttons and a brass escutcheon place behind a brass pull-down knob on the fallboard.

The M475TM and the M475IP internally offer technically superior features taken from the M500 Series Yamaha upright pianos, such as a permanent crown solid Spruce soundboard, full-length ribs, Yamaha's patented V-Pro plate, extruded aluminum action rails, a balanced action, uniform key travel, spruce keys and the Yamaha Servicebond Assurance Program.

The M450BC 44" Gallery Collection acoustic upright piano brings a new look to Yamaha's very successful entry-level upright. The satin Brown Cherry cabinet is in tune with the decorating needs of today's customers, and a new music rack design combines with larger front legs and side panels and an improved bench design to make the best even better.

"This piano allows the first-time buyer to afford a quality Yamaha piano that will hold its value for years to come," McCaffery notes.

The new M450BC shares with its design predecessors a use of the finest hardwood veneers, a 21-step lacquer finishing process, a one-piece leg, solid brass hardware and the consistency that comes from having the case and the bench finished together. Its full-length ribs are glued into a notched liner, and it boasts a solid Maple treble bridge and a solid Maple bass bridge. The M450BC's Practice Pedal supports a Mute function, and its metal action rails, POM resin jacks, balanced and weighted Spruce keys and polished center pins contribute to a touch and response like no other. It carries a Ten (10) Year Limited Warranty and the Yamaha Servicebond Assurance Program.

For more information on Yamaha's new upright piano models, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com.