Rating: 3.5/5
Useful but imperfect.
The Beale piano serial number lookup is a solid starting tool for dating instruments made before 1970, especially for Australian-built models. It’s free, reasonably accurate for golden-era Beales, and helps identify later stencils. However, lack of a central archive, post-1970 data gaps, and tricky serial locations reduce its reliability. For vintage Beale owners, combine serial lookup with physical inspection (action type, materials, country stamp). For later Beales, treat serial age as approximate unless confirmed by Yamaha. beale piano serial number lookup
Bottom line: Do the lookup, but don’t buy or sell a Beale based solely on the serial number — condition and tuning stability matter more for value. Rating: 3
Some later Beale models (especially those made in the 1980s and 1990s under license in Korea or Indonesia) have serial numbers like "B1245" or "BP8800." The "B" or "BP" indicates a different production line. For these, standard lookup charts fail. Your best bet is: However, lack of a central archive, post-1970 data
A well-maintained Beale from the 1920s (the "golden era") can be valued between $1,500 and $4,000 AUD in good condition. A Beale from the 1970s (when manufacturing quality dipped) might be worth $500 or less. However, extremely rare Beale player pianos (the "Beale-Vox" from 1910–1925) can fetch over $10,000 if fully restored.