Yamaha custom guitars

[Roksbug]

Hi,
does anyone here happen to know who to contact at Yamaha Guitars regarding having a custom guitar built? I have tried the Calabassas location in CA but no one ever answers the phone and I don't get replies to my messages.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[runamuck]

If you don't get info here, try the General Acoustic Guitar thread.

[NotALuth]

I could be wrong, but my impression is that this is only a service provided to Yamaha Artists, not a custom shop in the Martin/Gibson sense.

Happy to be proven wrong,if anyone knows better, as with the appreciation for Yamaha instruments on the AGF I’m sure it would be a popular service.

[Bear Davis]

I went down this rabbit hole a while back and found that every North American dealer you contact will be told Yamaha doesn't offer custom builds. I started a dialogue with dealer based in Japan but the language barrier scared me away from really pursuing it.

But with guitars like the LL-86 with breathtaking Brazilian back/sides, who really needs to go custom anyway. I inquired on both of these guitars but to my dismay they were no longer available.

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by Roksbug

Hi,
does anyone here happen to know who to contact at Yamaha Guitars regarding having a custom guitar built? I have tried the Calabassas location in CA but no one ever answers the phone and I don't get replies to my messages.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

You will have to try and reach out to Yamaha through one of their top line Japanese dealers like either Blue-G Guitars or Dolphin Guitars. Those would be the two best dealers I can think of to attempt to do this.

The other issue will be any problems with shipping/customs/CITES issues or restrictions, depending on what woods you might have been thinking of using. The obvious issue would be Brazilain Rosewood back and sides. That might be a deal killer from the Japanese end.

Good luck!!!...If you can pull this off, I have no doubt that the guitar will be absolutely spectacular!!!

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[Roksbug]

Thanks to all of you for the info! I will post here if I have any luck.

Paul

[Roksbug]

Some of you may appreciate this story -
Sometime around 1988 to 1990 I walked into a Guitar Center in San Jose, CA. On the wall was a Yamaha LL-45. A beautiful guitar!
I asked the salesman what the price was and he surprised me by saying he could give me a very good deal on it. It turned out someone had placed a deposit on it quite a few months prior and never came back. So, they deducted that deposit from the price and I was able to purchase the guitar for $1100.
I loved that guitar!! Unfortunately, I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life (as far as music goes) and traded this guitar in on something I don't even remember now.
Of the many things that have come and gone over the years that is one of the few that I would like to have back.
I've always loved the LL series of guitars.

[Marc Stager]

re: does anyone here happen to know who to contact at Yamaha Guitars regarding having a custom guitar built?

Try calling Ed Blackmore at 714-522-9000 (Yamaha guitars)

[ericlosh]

Originally Posted by Roksbug

Some of you may appreciate this story -
Sometime around 1988 to 1990 I walked into a Guitar Center in San Jose, CA. On the wall was a Yamaha LL-45. A beautiful guitar!
I asked the salesman what the price was and he surprised me by saying he could give me a very good deal on it. It turned out someone had placed a deposit on it quite a few months prior and never came back. So, they deducted that deposit from the price and I was able to purchase the guitar for $1100.
I loved that guitar!! Unfortunately, I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life (as far as music goes) and traded this guitar in on something I don't even remember now.
Of the many things that have come and gone over the years that is one of the few that I would like to have back.
I've always loved the LL series of guitars.

My dad bought an LL45 about a month before i was born and it was his only guitar for nearly a few decades.

Hes been letting me borrow it since about march or so and it just keeps getting better and better as i develop. The sound is unreal, the feel is unreal. Changing the strings for the first time and i hit a chord and i could feel the body vibrate on my stomach, i was blown away. Had to call the old man and make sure he knew how good it sounded.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by ericlosh

My dad bought an LL45 about a month before i was born and it was his only guitar for nearly a few decades.

Hes been letting me borrow it since about march or so and it just keeps getting better and better as i develop. The sound is unreal, the feel is unreal. Changing the strings for the first time and i hit a chord and i could feel the body vibrate on my stomach, i was blown away. Had to call the old man and make sure he knew how good it sounded.

Eric, I am a dad, three times over. And that is a call I would treasure from one of my boys.

David

[identity71]

i tried to contact yamaha cos i would like to buy a yamaha transacoustic custom, never got a reply

[TomB'sox]

I should have bought John Denver's L 53 when it went up for auction...

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-l...3-c-7a9482d880

[ericlosh]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

Eric, I am a dad, three times over. And that is a call I would treasure from one of my boys.

David

im sure he did, im 32 and only been back into playing for the last four years or so

were tight but its a connection we almost missed out on.

that LL-45 is almost as recognizable to me as he is, he played it all the time my whole life and it was his only guitar for a few decades.