Why do Yairi guitars not hold value?

[bupkus]

..........

[pitner]

My preferred guitar is my Olson SJ or my Goodall Royal Hawaiian. And that is why my Yari is my beater, no disrespect meant. I needed a guitar I could bang around with and not worry about value or any of that stuff. Like I said it is a good guitar and serves its purpose.

[Legolas1971]

Originally Posted by pitner

My preferred guitar is my Olson SJ or my Goodall Royal Hawaiian. And that is why my Yari is my beater, no disrespect meant. I needed a guitar I could bang around with and not worry about value or any of that stuff. Like I said it is a good guitar and serves its purpose.

No disrespect taken.....You are a baller!

[bananas]

I don`t know what gives but I`m not complaining, I have S Yairis from 1961, 63, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 and 1971...never paid more than 10,000 yen and as little as 3500 yen...the less people know about em the better it is for folks like me who buy used. The 1971 seems to be the highest quality in terms of woods used but they`re all fantastic guitars, too bad I`m not a better player `cause I`d like to hear what they sound like in the hands of a real guitarist.
Lots has been written on the Yairi saga though very little I`ve read, if any, has come from the family themselves...

[Roselynne]

I love my Yairi & Son (probably made by Hiroshi Yairi, under his father's, Sadao Yairi's, supervision). Yes, it shows its age. But it's still pretty, and the sound is incredible.

The price was unbelievable. But they're a bit of a mystery; it's probably difficult to establish a price. No matter. I have no intention to re-sell.

And, of course, I've also very little hope of ever becoming worthy of that sound. Which will probably not stop me from acquiring one or a few of its siblings, if given a chance.

[Jeff Scott]

Yairi guitars are good enough for Steve Hackett.

[state-it]

Originally Posted by bupkus

I don't know if these would work but All Parts carries individual classical keys in gold and chrome.

http://www.allparts.com/6-Individual...k-7965-002.htm

http://www.allparts.com/6-Individual...k-7965-010.htm

Thanks for that. This route is indeed still open for me, as I can't afford the £$xxx to have some custom made for me. (I might well spend that much to add to my metal-working tools though and make some myself!!)

I'm holding off going down that route until I've exhausted all other routes.
I've contacted Gotoh, manufacturers of the original heads, but they can't help.
I've contacted my local (and non-local come to that) luthiers to see if they've some in their 'spares' box. But no luck. 1 1/4" is a very rare spacing indeed.

[bananas]

...and thats why I bought donor guitars off Yahoo Japan, for parts...hard to find new ones in the correct size for the Yamaha Dynamics as well. You might consider going through one of companies that place bids for people outside Japan...there`s Rinkya and Jauce...think thats how it`s spelled. It is an option...or find a junk guitar in the country you live.

[drive-south]

Although I've never owned one, I've played many and respect the brand. I don't generally see these selling all that cheap.

I had a chance to buy one a few weeks back. It was quite fancy with Koa back/sides and lots of inlay. Even the fancy bridge was inlayed and bound. The guy was asking $750 for it which I admit was a great price, but I didn't need another dread enough to drop that much cash at that moment in time.

[newton]

I paid $799 for my 1981 DY-60 on ebay just the other day. I got my two Tacoma's on ebay for a little over $500 bucks a pop. If anything, you would think the Tacoma's would have gone up in value because, they are hand made American guitars and because they don't make them anymore. The only Tacoma's I see going up in value are the little Papoose models. They used to sell for $400 - $500. Now they sell for closer $900 or more.

So personally? I just think it's a really tough market. I am usually pretty good at selling my stuff on consignment at a local store and getting back 80% of what I paid for it two years later, even if it is Astronomy equipment or a motorcycle, or whatever.

With music equipment, I am lucky if I get anywhere close to that.

Actually, I once sold a Tacoma DM-10 for $460 that I paid $600 for. That's the best I was ever able to do with a guitar and, I felt like I was getting ripped off because, I thought all hand-made American guitars went up in value. I expected to get at least $800 for it. (boy was I mistaken)

With Yairi's, I think people who don't know are down on them because they think that all Yairi's are laminate's. Mine has a cedar top with Ash wood back and sides and, I have to say that it has a kind of "Martin-esque" sound to it. It also has a dovetail neck joint instead of a bolt-on neck. My impression of this yairi dreadnought is that it is a quality item with an old fashioned sound.

[steveyam]

Obviously I've heard of the name, but I don't recollect ever having seen one here in England, let alone heard or played one. Story kinda tells itself dunnit? Just a low profile brand.

As a former director of a marketing communications company, this is not rocket science; choose to not promote a brand, and the brand is doomed to remain low profile. Unless purely by chance some mega star uses one and that in itself is a form of promotion. Generally, spend no money on marketing communications and your returns and brand recognition will be low. The most well known brand in the world is Coca-cola. Do they sit on their laurels? no, they remain the highest spending company in the world on marcoms.

[wa3jpg]

Steve = you stole that doubleneck!!! That thing looks wonderful.

Clark

[james84]

Originally Posted by steveyam

Obviously I've heard of the name, but I don't recollect ever having seen one here in England, let alone heard or played one. Story kinda tells itself dunnit? Just a low profile brand.

As a former director of a marketing communications company, this is not rocket science; choose to not promote a brand, and the brand is doomed to remain low profile. Unless purely by chance some mega star uses one and that in itself is a form of promotion. Generally, spend no money on marketing communications and your returns and brand recognition will be low. The most well known brand in the world is Coca-cola. Do they sit on their laurels? no, they remain the highest spending company in the world on marcoms.

The only famous person I've seen using one is Thom Yorke in the late 90s, a DY88:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mMzOQpe0I

I used to own an FY84SBE. It was nice although I was never keen on the saddle design and the barn door electronics.

[newton]

Famous Musicians who have played (and endorsed) Alvarez Yairi Guitars:

Ani Difranco (US) Tom York of Radiohead (UK) Bob Weir (US)
Richie Blackmore (UK) Carlos Santana (US) Steve Hackett (UK)
Dave Mason (US) Steve Hicks (UK) Monte Montgomery (US)
David Crosby (US) Dolly Parton (US) Tears for Fears (UK) Gordon Giltrap (UK) Trevor Rabin (US) Graham Nash (US) Johnny Diesel (AUS)
Sir Paul McCartney (UK) Dominic Miller (UK) Gerry Garcia (US) GlennTipton Judas Priest (US) Jon Anderson of Yes (UK) John Cougar (US)
Waylon Jennings (US) Peter Frampton (US) Doobie Brothers (US)
Alex Lifeson of Rush (CA) Rick Danko The Band (CA/US?)

...but Harry Chapin was my favourite.

Lot's of famous people have endorsed Yairi's over many decades. I would guess that Yairi's hold their value as well as most. The fact of the matter is that people who pay a lot for their guitars are far less likely to sell them for much less than they paid (if at all). So, in the case of Yair's, it's probably only the stuff that didn't cost much to begin with that is being sold to begin with, hence the seemingly low value.

Tri-back Yairi's and Lute backed Yairi's are expensive and believe me, regardless of how obscure they may seem to be, you will never pick one up for song.

[steveyam]

Originally Posted by newton

Famous Musicians who have played (and endorsed) Alvarez Yairi Guitars:

Ani Difranco (US) Tom York of Radiohead (UK) Bob Weir (US)
Richie Blackmore (UK) Carlos Santana (US) Steve Hackett (UK)
Dave Mason (US) Steve Hicks (UK) Monte Montgomery (US)
David Crosby (US) Dolly Parton (US) Tears for Fears (UK) Gordon Giltrap (UK) Trevor Rabin (US) Graham Nash (US) Johnny Diesel (AUS)
Sir Paul McCartney (UK) Dominic Miller (UK) Gerry Garcia (US) GlennTipton Judas Priest (US) Jon Anderson of Yes (UK) John Cougar (US)
Waylon Jennings (US) Peter Frampton (US) Doobie Brothers (US)
Alex Lifeson of Rush (CA) Rick Danko The Band (CA/US?)

The fact remains, they don't do enough advertising and PR to become 'mainstream' in the field of acoustic guitars. The kiss of death. None of the truly famous names mentioned there are synonymous with Yairi. For example, Ritchie Blackmore may well play one, but he's know as a Strat player, not a Yairi.

Originally Posted by newton

The fact of the matter is that people who pay a lot for their guitars are far less likely to sell them for much less than they paid (if at all).

What do you mean by "if at all"? Do you man sell them 'at all' or sell them for the same as what they paid for them? That's a pipe dream, to buy an expensive guitar, then sell it and get what you paid back for it.