Yamaha B3 TC3 PEC

I spent a few weeks living with the Thomann UP 121 E/P and it quickly became the piano I reached for when I wanted honest acoustic tone without the fuss and price of a bigger upright. I approached it as a teacher/advanced-beginner use case - regular practice, occasional repertoire work, and a few short recording checks - and found it to be consistently reliable and musical for that role. I tested its touch across dynamic ranges, listened for sympathetic resonance and sustain, and used it in a small living-room setting to see how it sat in a real home environment, and the UP 121 held its own in those situations.

First Impressions

Out of the delivery the UP 121 felt solid and formal - it’s a 121 cm high console-style upright with a polished finish that reads classically in the room. The fallboard has a soft-close action that makes closing the lid feel deliberate and premium, and the included height-adjustable bench meant I could sit and start playing with no delay. The moment I played a few scales I noticed a warm mid-range and a quick, responsive action - not a concert grand by any means, but immediately satisfying for daily practice.

Design & Features

The UP 121 follows a traditional console design - two freestanding legs under the keybed and a tidy, compact cabinet that fits easily into an apartment or studio. It ships in a high-gloss black option (I tested the black polished finish) and includes a decently sized music rest that holds multiple pages without fuss. Physically the instrument measures roughly 1210 mm tall by 1480 mm wide and about 610 mm deep, and that footprint makes it roomy enough for good sound projection while still manageable for most doorways. Thomann also includes an adjustable bench and handles the delivery through a piano forwarding service with an on-site first tuning - practical details that make ownership easier from day one.

Build Quality & Protection

The cabinet feels well assembled for the price bracket - panels align cleanly, hardware is solid, and the fallboard brake is fitted neatly which reduces the risk of a slamming lid. Inside, the manufacturer specifies Röslau strings and a factory regulation process, and you can hear that the instrument was regulated to a usable standard on delivery - action spacing and repetition were even across the keyboard. It’s not overbuilt like a high-end studio upright, but the timber choices and finish are appropriate for an instrument aimed at students and home players, and minor cosmetic checks during inspection showed no factory distress.

Playability & Usability

Playability is the UP 121’s strongest day-to-day trait - the action is balanced and predictable, with a touch weight that sits nicely between light practice instruments and heavier studio uprights. I could shape phrases with reasonable control and achieve both delicate pianissimo and firm fortissimo without feeling the mechanism lose composure. Pedal response is serviceable - the sustain pedal gives a clear lift in resonance though the half-pedaling nuance is less refined than on higher-tier uprights; for practice and repertoire it’s more than adequate.

Sound & Tone

Tonally the UP 121 surprised me with a warm, rounded mid-range presence and a pleasing clarity in the upper registers - chords sing with a coherent color and the bass has weight without becoming muddy. The soundboard and string pairing deliver a sustain that’s useful for shaping phrases, and in a small room the piano projects pleasantly without needing amplification. It’s not a concert instrument - the directness and harmonic complexity of higher-end uprights or grands are missing - but for teaching, practice, and casual performance it provides a musical, convincing voice that keeps you playing.

Real-World Experience

I used the UP 121 for lesson fragments, practice, and a short live recording check in a treated living room, and the instrument felt at home in each scenario. The included delivery and first tuning meant the piano was stable on day one, and over a few weeks it stayed in tune reasonably well for an acoustic upright in a typical home climate. In ensemble use - a singer/guitar duo in the same room - the piano blended well without masking the other instruments, which is a practical bonus for home-sesh players.

The Trade-Offs

There are compromises - the action, while very good for the price, does not offer the fine gradation or the long, singing sustain of higher-tier uprights or grands, and a professional pianist will notice that immediately. The bass, though weighty, lacks the richness of denser spruce-soundboard instruments, and if you demand a highly nuanced half-pedal or extended sympathetic resonance you may outgrow the UP 121 sooner than with a pricier instrument. Also, moving and installation require a proper piano shipping service because the instrument is heavy at around 200 kg - not something you can manage casually.

Final Verdict

If you are an ambitious beginner, a teacher buying for a student, or someone who wants a legitimate acoustic piano without spending into the professional market, the UP 121 is a very pragmatic and musical choice. It delivers balanced tone, dependable playability, and practical ownership touches like regulated setup, Röslau strings, soft-close fallboard, included bench and a 5-year warranty - all of which lower the hassle of buying an acoustic instrument. For the money and the role it’s intended for I’d recommend it as a seriously good value - just be realistic about its place in the growth path of a rapidly advancing player.

I spent several weeks playing the May-Berlin Piano M 121 T in a domestic setting and used it for practice, small ensemble rehearsals, and recording demos so I could get a full picture of how it behaves in real life. I approached it as a working musicians - someone who needs a dependable, musical upright that doesn't demand a pro-level budget, and it largely delivered on that brief.

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed was the presence - even in beech satin it looks like a grown-up piano rather than an economy cabinet, and the height (about 121 cm) gives it a fuller sound than smaller uprights. Sitting down to play, the action felt solid and well-regulated for an instrument in this class - not overly heavy, with a clean return and decent repetition.

Design & Features

The M 121 T is built in a traditional upright format with a conservative, classically inspired case - my test instrument was the beech finish which reads warm in daylight and hides minor dust and fingerprints better than a high-gloss black would. Practical touches include a standard three-pedal setup and a fallboard without a soft-close mechanism on the examples I inspected, and the overall footprint is generous for a 121 cm instrument so it fills a medium living room nicely.

Build Quality & Protection

Construction felt sturdy - heavier than you might expect for the size - and internal bracing and case joins were tight on the unit I played. The pinblock and plate felt appropriately robust and the cabinetry showed consistent joinery; for a piano positioned as a value-conscious instrument I felt reassured about longevity provided it is tuned and maintained on a normal schedule.

Playability & Touch

I found the touch to be approachable - neither too light nor ponderous - which makes it a comfortable instrument for students progressing through technique and for adults who want a responsive feel without aggressive weighting. Dynamic control is very good in the mid-range and treble, while the bass needs a little more physical energy to bloom fully, but it responds predictably when I shaped phrases and adjusted fingering speed.

Sound & Tone

Tonally the M 121 T leans toward an open, rounded character - the midrange is clear and the treble rings without harshness, which helped my ensemble recordings cut through without being brittle. The bass is present and warm for small-room playing, but compared with larger uprights or grands you won't get the same low-end sustain or orchestral weight - still, for practice, teaching, and casual performance it has a pleasing, balanced voice.

Real-World Experience

In everyday use the M 121 T proved dependable - I ran through repertoire ranging from Bach to contemporary ballads, and it remained in tune reasonably well between tunings when kept in a stable environment. I paired it with a condenser mic for a quick home demo and appreciated that it translates well to recordings without requiring heroic EQ to sound natural.

The Trade-Offs

My criticisms are practical - the bass lacks the depth a professional or a player used to larger instruments might want, and the action, while nice, is not in the Renner-high-end league; advanced pianists will notice limits under heavy fortissimo playing. Also, finishes and fittings vary between dealers and years, so buyers should confirm the exact spec - for example, some stock instruments list Schimmel-influenced mechanics while others are described as May's own brand action.

Final Verdict

The May-Berlin M 121 T Beech is a very solid choice for students, teachers, and home players who want a musical upright without stepping up to a much pricier model - it gives a pleasing tonal balance, reliable playability, and an honest build for the money. If you need concert-level power or a profoundly deep bass you should audition larger uprights or a baby grand, but for most domestic and pedagogical uses I think this is a sensible, musical piano.

I spent several afternoons playing and regulating a used Schimmel piano dated 1957 in a black finish, and I approached it as a working instrument rather than a museum piece - my use case was daily practice, repertoire work and occasional small-room accompaniment. From the first moments I sat down I was impressed by the piano's tonal clarity and responsiveness for an instrument of its age, though it clearly benefits from thoughtful servicing to show its best self.

First Impressions

When I first encountered the 1957 Schimmel it looked honest - worn polish on the fallboard and a few surface marks, but no glaring structural damage; that patina framed the sound rather nicely. Sitting at the bench I immediately noticed the evenness across registers - the midrange spoke with pleasing presence, while the treble retained clarity and the bass had usable depth, although it took some voicing and regulation to fully bloom.

Build Quality & Design

The overall construction feels of a different era - heavy, well-ribbed cast metal plate, a solid spruce soundboard and wooden bridges that were clearly built for longevity. The keys have weight and inertia that reward controlled touch, and the cabinet - while showing its age - is built in a way that suggests decades of service were expected rather than exceptional. Small cosmetic issues are present, but they do nothing to undermine the piano's structural integrity.

Playability & Action

After a careful regulation pass I found the action to be predictable and satisfying - it allowed both delicate pianissimo control and a focused fortissimo without feeling sluggish. The response is slightly more 'European' in character compared with modern consumer uprights - a touch quicker in release and with a clear attack - which made articulation and fast runs feel more musical than mechanical. For me the keyboard resisted nothing and rewarded intention.

Sound & Tonal Character

Tonally the 1957 Schimmel sits between warmth and clarity - its midrange is present and singing, the treble has a bell-like clarity when voiced cleanly, and the bass is resonant though it can feel a touch woolly until voiced and with bridge work. I was surprised by how well the harmonics layered: chords opened up with a natural overtone structure that works particularly well for jazz, chamber playing and singer-accompaniment.

Real-World Experience

I used this piano for repertoire practice, accompanying singers and running through a few small ensemble rehearsals; in each situation it proved reliable and musical after a bit of technical attention. In a quiet room it felt intimate and expressive; in a slightly larger living room it maintained projection without sounding aggressive. With regular tunings and a voicing session it became an instrument I was happy to bring students to for mock performances.

The Trade-Offs

As with most mid-century used pianos there are compromises - you should expect maintenance costs for tuning, regulation and possible hammer or pinblock work, and cosmetics may require touch-ups if you want a showroom finish. Also - and this is specific to older instruments - modern expectations for a glass-smooth high-end concert action or absolute tuning stability will need investment; the pay-off is an instrument with character and a tonal identity that many new entry-level pianos lack.

Final Verdict

My take is straightforward - this 1957 Schimmel in black is a very usable instrument that rewards players who are willing to invest a modest amount of technician time to bring it into prime condition. It's best for serious students, teachers, and home pianists who want a musically expressive acoustic at a mid-range budget and who appreciate a vintage tonal character rather than a brand-new homogeneous sound. If you value character, playability and an honest working instrument, this Schimmel is worth a close look.