Yamaha Factory Tour in China. You gotta see this!

[SpruceTop]

Thanks, Scott! This video enables me to appreciate even more the quality of my Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic. For what I paid for this new guitar, I have nothing but praise for its tone and craftsmanship!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Thanks, Scott! This video enables me to appreciate even more the quality of my Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic. For what I paid for this new guitar, I have nothing but praise for its tone and craftsmanship!

Kenny, my pleasure. I think this vid is more than three years old.

Ken, have you ever heard this rumor? I heard years ago that Yamaha owns its own forests, where they harvest responsibly and replant to reforest. Have you or anyone else ever heard of that? It strikes me this is the type of thing a company like Yamaha would do.

Hope you're well, my friend,

scott

[SpruceTop]

into the future

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Kenny, my pleasure. I think this vid is more than three years old.

Ken, have you ever heard this rumor? I heard years ago that Yamaha owns its own forests, where they harvest responsibly and replant to reforest. Have you or anyone else ever heard of that? It strikes me this is the type of thing a company like Yamaha would do.

Hope you're well, my friend,

scott

Scott, Thanks! I'm doing well and hope you and your loved ones are too?

I haven't heard that rumor but it could well be true in that Japanese companies tend to plan for the long-haul as opposed to the monthly- or quarterly-planning that many of our domestic businesses tend to practice. I think, however, that many domestic businesses have finally gotten the message and are looking ahead more into the future in making their business plans.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

into the future

Scott, Thanks! I'm doing well and hope you and your loved ones are too?

I haven't heard that rumor but it could well be true in that Japanese companies tend to plan for the long-haul as opposed to the monthly- or quarterly-planning that many of our domestic businesses tend to practice. I think, however, that many domestic businesses have finally gotten the message and are looking ahead more into the future in making their business plans.

Ken, hiya. Same to you and yours.

Hey, are you still as sold on the Trance Amulet as I am? I still haven't found anything that measures up to it. Are you experimenting with anything else these days, Ken?

Stay warm. My daughter is in Dallas and it's nine degrees there today.

Good to catch up with you, my friend.

scott m.

[Ian111]

My Yamaha AC1M. One of those I would have payed more for it guitars. Best sub $1000 acoustic.

[takamineGD93]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Kenny, my pleasure. I think this vid is more than three years old.

Ken, have you ever heard this rumor? I heard years ago that Yamaha owns its own forests, where they harvest responsibly and replant to reforest. Have you or anyone else ever heard of that? It strikes me this is the type of thing a company like Yamaha would do.

Hope you're well, my friend,

scott

It's not a rumor, just google it. They run a few plantation. Don't forget yamaha also sell woodwinds and violins

The strange thing is why not every guitarmaker that's been around for a long time and plans to be around don't grow there own threes. Why not all have this long perspective?????

Probably not any way near the amount of wood they need to buy. But it helps. https://www.yamaha.com/en/csr/environment/biodiversity/

Yamaha refused to open a factory in china until the could own 100% and control all the work. Compare that to stupid companies that gave away all there know-how to get a foot in the door.

[Rpt50]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Kenny, my pleasure. I think this vid is more than three years old.

Ken, have you ever heard this rumor? I heard years ago that Yamaha owns its own forests, where they harvest responsibly and replant to reforest. Have you or anyone else ever heard of that? It strikes me this is the type of thing a company like Yamaha would do.

Hope you're well, my friend,

scott

Yes, they do own huge tree farms. I have seen this referred to in various company literature sources. My son's "keeper" drum shell pack came with some literature that noted the Yamaha owned source. I'm sure I've seen it elsewhere as well.

The range of high quality products Yamaha produces is kind of amazing. I own and race their motorcycles (YZs), and if I ever need another outboard engine (unlikely since I live in a lake region now), I will surely buy a Yamaha. I have owned their stellar PWCs in the past, and currently I have my eye on their electric mountain bikes.

[Proclaimer888]

Thanks Scott for the Yamaha post..VERY impressed with Yamaha Co...I just took possession of a 2020 Yamaha LL26 last week!! Hands down best overall guitar I have owned to this day. Posted a NGD last week. Your casein picks put a special tone on my Yamaha and words cannot describe the tone. Thanks again for the video as I am going to watch it again!

[Garlic Breath]

I bought a yammy fg730s with a repaired broken headstock for $60...it has a beautiful woody tone and is a dream to play. I can take it anywhere and never worry about it. Great instruments...I think a new one goes for $299. Honestly, no dig on Martin/Gibson/Taylor, but it sounds better than many of those boxes I’ve played at the store.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Rpt50

Yes, they do own huge tree farms. I have seen this referred to in various company literature sources. My son's "keeper" drum shell pack came with some literature that noted the Yamaha owned source. I'm sure I've seen it elsewhere as well.

The range of high quality products Yamaha produces is kind of amazing. I own and race their motorcycles (YZs), and if I ever need another outboard engine (unlikely since I live in a lake region now), I will surely buy a Yamaha. I have owned their stellar PWCs in the past, and currently I have my eye on their electric mountain bikes.

Oh cool, thanks. If you ever find an article about their forests, I'd love to read it.

Yes, EVERYTHING that has the Yamaha logo on it is near the top of its class, as you say. At NAMM, they have by far the largest display in the show. In fact, it's so big that they can't fit them in the Anaheim Convention Center. Instead, they occupy THREE (3) ballrooms next door at the Marriott.

As a leader, Yamaha reminds me a bit of GE. I worked for GE in the nineties, at the tail end of the Jack Welch era. It turns out GE has a philosophy that any business of theirs must be in the top three in its category or they vacate that industry. And in fact the division of GE Capital I was working for at that time sold to another company while I was employed there.

Yes, Yamaha is one fine company.

scott memmer

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

I own two incredible Yamaha keyboards. They go through hundreds of gigs each year and almost never let me down. My Yamaha HS8 studio monitors sound like expensive headphones.
And I own the LL-TA guitar which I adore. I played the FS-TA, and it sounded fantastic without the reverb.
Nevertheless, I liked the video tour of Yamaha's Japanese factory much more. The atmosphere was much more quiet and serene. The Chinese guitars are made with precision, but I sense that the Japanese guitars are made with precision AND love.

So true, Beaky. Heckuva company.

sm

[InsertNameHere]

What I find most endearing about Yamaha is their "Make and Play" kits where they show children and their parents how to make their own guitars and horns and drums. Kids are literally creating their own orchestras!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Twentyniner

...I’m a big fan myself, as my first guitar was a Yamaha. It’s a Japanese-made SSC-500 electric which I’ve had for 30+ years and still play regularly...

Bought mine brand-new in '82 ($199 w/HSC), used it as my main gigging electric through the '90s/early-2K's, still bring it along as backup for most gigs; BTW these were real little sleepers - the three PU's (with individual switching) and coil-tap got you tones ranging from Strat to Tele to P-90, with the added sustain of a set neck and heavy hardtail - in a lightweight, compact package with the characteristic MIJ Yamaha fit and finish. Frankly, if they ever reissued then in their original form I'd probably grab a blonde and/or sunburst to go with my cherry-red version - and for those who've never seen one here's a pic or three:

[Charmed Life Picks]

Steve, heckuva company. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

scott memmer

[rllink]

I owned a Yamaha guitar way back when, the early eighties. I have no idea what happened to it. Guitars seem to escape from me back in the day. I had two or three guitars that just walked off. But I had that one and as I remember, I liked it. Just last month I bought an FSX800C and I like it as well. I think that is why I liked the video. I didn't realize that they did so much hand fitting. That was interesting. I wonder if that is unique or if that is common in guitar building.

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

Is it the camera angle or is the presenter like 3 feet taller than any of the employees who appear in this video? [emoji1]

My wife is five foot four. Twenty years ago maybe, she had to go over to Mainland China. She was there for three weeks. She came back and told me that she towered above even the men and that women followed her around in awe of her height.