Why do Yairi guitars not hold value?

[Richak47]

Gerry Garcia? Really? It's Jerry Garcia lol.

[Edgar Poe]

What better advertising could you ask for, than to have reviews seen by thousands of actual guitar players.

People are stuck in the Martin, Taylor, etc rut, and seem nationally loyal.
Example, Tommy Emmanuel, loves Maton guitars, MADE IN AUSTRALIA, does anyone besides Tommy consider Maton the BEST in the world ? Yet that is what he chooses. Maybe the guitars he uses are custom built to his personal specs, ( which may be based on another guitars structure ) or he gets them free, but they are not the best guitars on the planet.

Ed

[Steadfastly]

Will you guys quit?!! You're going to let everyone know how good these guitars are and drive the price up and I'm trying to find a deal on one.

[gabriel_bc]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Will you guys quit?!! You're going to let everyone know how good these guitars are and drive the price up and I'm trying to find a deal on one.

Too late

Well, there are still deals to be had, because a lot of folks don't know the name. There's a Yairi local to me that's been on CL for months. Wasn't a model I was interested in, though. I paid a premium for mine because I wanted a higher-end one. If you want to play, you gotta pay...

Of course, getting my Gurian for $300 Canadian kinda evens it out... That was the deal of a lifetime, even if it needed refretting.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Will you guys quit?!! You're going to let everyone know how good these guitars are and drive the price up and I'm trying to find a deal on one.

My feelings exactly. I have a DY-85 that walks nose-to-nose with my Eastman and HD-28. At $900, heckuva guitar.

But yes, as most have said, absence of the big three names -- Martin, Taylor and Gibson -- is the main reason. Same issue with Yamaha, which makes some really good guitars, especially the ones made in Japan.

scott memmer

[merlin666]

Originally Posted by Edgar Poe

People are stuck in the Martin, Taylor, etc rut, and seem nationally loyal.Example, Tommy Emmanuel, loves Maton guitars, MADE IN AUSTRALIA, does anyone besides Tommy consider Maton the BEST in the world ? Yet that is what he chooses.

Many professional guitar players also have endorsement contracts with guitar makers. For example Doyle Dykes is was well known to be associated with Taylor, then Guild, and now Godin. Maybe TE also has an endorsement deal with Maton.

[chippygreen]

I haven't had the opportunity to play one of the US market Yairis, but I did pick up a used K. Yairi Japan model in Tokyo last summer - all solid, spruce top and rosewood back and sides. A few observations:

- build quality, craftsmanship, including abalone rosette and headstock inlay was excellent, and comparable to my Northwood, for example.

- among my guitars, the K. Yairi is most willing to sing happily back and forth between fingerstyle and strumming, similar to my recent experience with a 1985 Martin M-36, noted elsewhere here. In fingerstyle play she produces clear and articulate tones and is surprisingly loud, as a strummer she has a harmonious and rhythmic quality that invites play.

- she does not have the same ultimate responsiveness as the Northwood, Carter Poulsen or Bashkin, but that's not an apples to apples comparison in price terms or in the grade of tonewood. She does, however, have sophisticated voicing of a different palette than my other guitars, and regularly comes up in the couch play rotation.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by gabriel_bc

Too late

Well, there are still deals to be had, because a lot of folks don't know the name. There's a Yairi local to me that's been on CL for months. Wasn't a model I was interested in, though. I paid a premium for mine because I wanted a higher-end one. If you want to play, you gotta pay...

Of course, getting my Gurian for $300 Canadian kinda evens it out... That was the deal of a lifetime, even if it needed refretting.

A deal or a "steal"?

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

My feelings exactly. I have a DY-85 that walks nose-to-nose with my Eastman and HD-28. At $900, heckuva guitar.

But yes, as most have said, absence of the big three names -- Martin, Taylor and Gibson -- is the main reason. Same issue with Yamaha, which makes some really good guitars, especially the ones made in Japan.

scott memmer

Yes, I'll take an Alvarez Masterworks or a Yairi any day. At least comparable in quality and an excellent used one is a treasure at half the price.

[merlin666]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Yes, I'll take an Alvarez Masterworks or a Yairi any day. At least comparable in quality and an excellent used one is a treasure at half the price.

Isn't that the issue that the OP has posted, great guitars but poor value if you buy new and not possible to sell at reasonable price?

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by merlin666

Isn't that the issue that the OP has posted, great guitars but poor value if you buy new and not possible to sell at reasonable price?

You mean the OP posted............6 years ago......let this die already.

[gabriel_bc]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

A deal or a "steal"?

Start the car! Start the car!

It was a garage sale find. I had no idea what a Gurian was, so after looking it over I went home and googled it. It was clear that the guitar needed work, and the seller was asking $400, so we settled on $300. Seller was happy, and I put nearly a grand into getting it worked on. Worth every penny. I'm going to amortize that amount over the next 25 years, Lord willing.

[CoolRockinPapi]

Originally Posted by Richak47

Gerry Garcia? Really? It's Jerry Garcia lol.

I always thought it was Cherry Garcia. 🤔

[Edgar Poe]

Originally Posted by merlin666

Many professional guitar players also have endorsement contracts with guitar makers. For example Doyle Dykes is was well known to be associated with Taylor, then Guild, and now Godin. Maybe TE also has an endorsement deal with Maton.

If indeed that is the case, and it may very well be, it seems to me unless he committed to a life long agreement, his degree of professionalism is to the point, he would no longer need what ever Maton had offered. He can afford anything they could offer. I believe it's nationalism.

Ed

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by gabriel_bc

Start the car! Start the car!

It was a garage sale find. I had no idea what a Gurian was, so after looking it over I went home and googled it. It was clear that the guitar needed work, and the seller was asking $400, so we settled on $300. Seller was happy, and I put nearly a grand into getting it worked on. Worth every penny. I'm going to amortize that amount over the next 25 years, Lord willing.

Yikes, Gurians are great, for sure, but not sure I'd put that much into ANY guitar. Thrilled that it worked out for you, though.

scott

[gabriel_bc]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Yikes, Gurians are great, for sure, but not sure I'd put that much into ANY guitar. Thrilled that it worked out for you, though.

scott

Would you buy a Gurian with brand new frets, a new nut, a new bridge, and a perfect setup for $1300 Cdn? That's just over $1000 USD.

I would! Market value for one these days is more like ~$2000 USD.

I do feel sorry for the angel that seems to be trapped inside it, but I assuage my guilt by letting her sing as often as I can...