Well I got the Yamaha CP-80 last night. It works, for the most part. That’s the important thing. I can plug it into an amplifier and get sound out of it. It is slightly out of tune. Some of the damper felts, and other felts, have come off. Some of the damper mechanisms need work (I’ve already fixed 3 of them). The tolex is in pretty rough shape. The case hardware is beat up. The volume and tremelo do not work. The inside is pretty dirty, and there is some evidence of mold in some areas. I replaced the wooden dowel with my Rhodes sustain rod, for much better results (the rhodes sustain rod works fine!). There is some duct tape on some damper arms. I’m not sure if this is to hold them together or not. The sustain pedal chain has a piece of electrical wire tied to one end for attaching it to the leg (in absence of the hook). The power light does not come on. There is a broken circuit board in the piano, but it seems that the electronics on it are ok. The Yamaha logo on the end of it has been covered with black paint. Any ways, here it is:

I recently found this sales brochure on-line. I thought I’d post it for those who are interested. You can click on the images for a larger version.

In anticipation of my soon-to-be-arriving Yamaha CP-80 electric grand piano, I have been searching for different parts for it. Here are some good resources, I think, for parts for Yamaha CP-70, CP-70B, CP-70M, CP-80, and CP-80M electric grand pianos:

Case hardware – Penn Elcom
Penn Elcom has heavy duty case hardware, including handles, overlatches, pan dishes, and corners that look like they could replace some of the standard Yamaha parts used on the cases.

Case tolex – Mojo Musical Supply
Mojo Musical Supply has a cabinet restoration shop at their building in Wilmington, NC. I can bring my “gutted” Yamaha CP-80 cases to them and they will strip the existing tolex, fill any cracks with putty, and put a new coating of tolex on for an affordable price. Turn around time, I am told, is about 2-4 weeks.

Electrical repairs – Bull City Sound and Electronics – Durham, NC – 919-286-1991
Bull City Sound and Electronics is owned, I think, by a very nice gentleman named Russ. I spoke with him on the phone recently and he assured me that he could work on my Yamaha CP-80. He has worked on these things before, and actually told me to call him when my piano arrives at my house. He said that he could give me some pointers over the phone that may resolve some of my issues.

Piano parts – Steve’s Piano Service
I happened across this website while searching for replacement hammers and similar parts for a Yamaha CP electric grand. The prices seem reasonable, and they have many parts listed on the website, with pictures and descriptions.

Piano String – The Mapes Piano String Company
I have read that The Mapes Piano String Company sells replacement strings for Yamaha CP electric grand pianos.

Other Yamaha CP specific parts – Yamaha Support
Yamaha support offers certain specialized parts for Yamaha CP electric grand pianos. For example, they still offer the Sustain Pedal Rod (4-6 week wait) for $102.00. Also, the Yamaha CP electric grand piano service manual, with part numbers, is available for $35.00.

Other Yamaha CP specific parts – NTS Pro Audio
NTS Pro Audio purchases old stock from Yamaha, and then offers that for sale to the public. Their website wasn’t working when I last tried it (which is unfortunate, as it has a Yamaha parts search), but there is a phone number for them: 714-901-7222

All,
Well, after waiting a while, I have found a very abused Yamaha CP-80 electric piano for, what I believe to be, a fair price.

The list of electrical, mechanical, and cosmetic repairs include:

• Electronics need to be fixed (the volume, EQ, and tremelo do not work)
• Needs official Yamaha sustain pedal rod (currently using a wooden dowel)
• Tolex needs to be replaced (the current tolex is in very poor condition)
• Case hardware needs to be refinished/replaced (logo, handles, latches, dish pans, and corners are rusted, painted over, or missing paint)

A daunting list, yes, but do-able. I will post pictures when I get it, and also keep folks informed of the progress I make on it.

I have found a few Yamaha CP-70/80 support pages on the internet, but find them lacking overall. I hope to add to the online resources for this model of piano by writing about my repair and restoration experiences (including pictures).

Some of the topics I hope to write about include:

• Cleaning of the electronics.
• Replacement of the case hardware (including non-yamaha replacement part options).
• Experience with Yamaha support for these products, and any information regarding available parts, etc.
• Removal, and cleaning, of the “guts” of both sections (necessary to get the cases re-tolexed).
• Useful tips from the Yamaha Service Manual.
• Good companies for restoration and repair of these pianos (Mojo Music Supply (cases), Bull CIty Electronics, Mapes Musical Supply (strings), piano parts, etc)

Thanks for checking in!

Attention:

I am wanting to buy a Yamaha CP-70B (or CP-70M) electric grand piano. Ideally, I would like to buy the CP-70M, but a CP-70B or a CP-80 would be great too!

I would be willing to drive a great distance if it’s worth it, so please contact me regardless of your location.

Thanks for helping!