What's Wrong with Yamaha Guitars - Does Rhett Have a Point?
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If you can break the psychological grip that Fender & Gibson have & suppress the inner snob in you, there are some fantastic cheaper alternatives out there to choose from, Yamaha being one of them
I think we’re all guilty of this to some extent. I know there are plenty of acoustics that sound as good as a Martin, but by god, I want a Martin.
@@Full_Deflection Thank my left brained gift I'm not one of said afflicted. The moment I see some 18 year old kid who doesn't earn enough to pay for a Happy Meal at McDonalds out of their own pocket playing a Martin or Taylor on their YT channel, it provokes immediate disinterest and I despair for human kind and the idiocracy.
@@theblytonian3906 I get it, man. It’s the reason I WANT a Martin, but don’t own one. I’m a successful 40 year old and can afford it, but I simply can’t justify it.
@@Full_Deflection I could afford a Taylor or Martin if I wanted to go there. I don't. Completely unnecessary in 2023 for the discerning from a playability, tonality, aesthetic or quality perspective, and I can't rationalise ridiculous spending I can divert toward other acquisitions on superficiality buying the approval of others who are.
no inner snob, fender and gibson have more appealing styling in most folks eyes. no real need to over think, one should not need to talk oneself into a yamaha they really don't want.
Never played a Yamaha that didn’t make me go “that’s quite good actually.” Their QC in the low end is pretty consistent imo.
I agree they have amazing QC which I haven't seen in ibanez guitars that cost 3-4 times the price.
I got a Pacifica that I modded a bit.
Makes my 1500 USD + guitars feel like crap.
True story
@@ehsanhaq155 same yo 😂
@@obvioustroll3617 Agreed. Yamaha Indonesian factory BQ & QC CONSISTENCY isn't as good today as times of the mythological legend, but it's better than Ibanezs IMPE.
@@theblytonian3906 That's sad to hear. I've been looking into getting a Yamaha because I have been getting absolutely sick of the poor QC for Indonesian-made Ibanez guitars. I always heard that Yamaha, at all price points, had very good QC. To be fair, most of the guitars that I get that are Indonesian-made, have all had some major QC issues. I have some Indonesian Gio's from the early 2000s, and they blow most of the Indo premium stuff I've bought over the last few years out of the water! Not in terms of specs, but in terms of build quality, fit and finish, and attention to detail. I just wish that more guitars were still made in South Korea. A lot of those guitars could get quite close to their Japanese/USA counterparts at really decent prices. I'm guessing that just too many guitars are now being made in Indonesia, and that's why the overall quality is slipping.
Yamaha is the most underrated brand and nothing else comes close. Every price range excels
The lower to midrange Revstars may be the best double humbucker/P90 deal for a new guitar right now, even more for a used one.
If they had the room and routing for 3 potentiometers out of the box (I use G&L PTB-style wiring in most of my guitars), they would be the perfect modding platform for my needs.
why underrated? folks play them in stores and decide they just don't really want to own it
I have original SG3000 and a Revstar 720...both excellent
@@ltcuaa What stores? I've seen zero Yamahas in any store I've been to, apart from their acoustics. The truth is, Fender and Gibson have a huge monopoly on the guitar market. Some smaller stores I know don't even stock Ibanez.
stores stock what sells, they just don't sell well. it's like your dad trying to talk you into dating some sensible neighbor but you're just not interested
This is an unkind comment but I don't think Rhett is capable of sincere critical analysis. He is often wrong about lots of things, and the routes he takes to come to his conclusions just make no sense. He just tries to articulate objectively why he feels something subjectively and doesn't seem to understand how to objectively dissect something. Like, he certainly isn't wrong that Yamaha aren't a huge name in the guitar world. But he is certainly wrong in his conclusion as to why.
I don't think that's unkind, it seems entirely accurate to me. He seems like a nice guy but I can't watch his videos and this is a big reason why
Bingo
Rhett? What kind of name is that? He needs a better name
Totally agree, I think Yamaha will judge their own success on their sales figures rather the opinion of an average TH-camr. And if they fly somewhat under the radar all the better for the consumer to get a solid instrument without the name on the headstock adding 50% to the price.
@@antonyedwardson9900 That's right, and I would say without the name adding 300% to the price.
When I think of Yamaha I think of the instrument brand you buy for your kids as they learn ... pretty much anything. Trumpets, violins, pianos, flutes, drums ... from grade 1 through to diploma, they have an instrument that will meet the demands of the player no matter what the level, and at a reasonable price. Their stuff is just so good, you know the music teacher will give a gentle nod of approval when they see it. It is just the safest purchase you can make. They just make quality tools for musicians.
Yamaha makes many high-end instruments. Some of its pianos, for instance, are among the best, and definitely not for any but the most well-heeled students
It's also worth mentioning Matteo Mancuso who also plays Yamaha exclusively. He is one hell of a player!
he did mention it, also wen't on to say those guitars are customised specific to artist needs which means those guitars can't be aquied by general public maybe?
wen’t? Holy crap.
@@grgwashnton23 Exactly. He has a yamaha custom shop revstar that has different hardware and pickups - specifically too it adds locking tuners. Although the implication is that this is a prototype of a future signature guitar
I met Matteo Mancuso when I went to see him in Sacramento in February. He happened to be staying at the same hotel as me. I actually asked him why Yamaha? He said as you would expect that he has a roomful of guitars but he always comes back to the Revstar. Of course is doesn't hurt that he is sponsored by Yamaha!
They have consistently made great sounding quality instruments, Matteo Mancuso and Chris Buck and many others have proven this over and over again.
I mean shit masayoshi takanaka plays almost exclusively Yamaha and he's probably the best guitarist in all of Japan and the world but he doesn't get enough recognition over seas sadly
mike stern too.
Those custom Pacificas look awesome. Yes, Yamaha are missing an opportunity there but to be honest... they are doing pretty well in the market anyway and guitars is only a small fraction of their business.
Because Yamaha make consistently decent beginner instruments for the price, I think many people consider them a starter brand and want to move on. That and their marketing is lacking. It mostly comes down to perception.
Yes. I consistently recommend Yamaha for beginners. They make seriously great bang for the buck guitars and basses. I’ve never felt that I didn’t get my moneys worth with any Yamaha product from mixers to drums and guitars. One of these days, I plan on getting an SA2000. By all measure, an awesome guitar.
@@timkoelln3826 The SA2000 is, but that's where Ibanez has niipped them in the bud on this occasion, and I say that as a Yamaha fanboy, and Ibanez fanboy, and Gretsch fanboy, and Cort fanboy. : P Ibanez not only make an equivalent of the current model Yamaha SA2200 in their Made in Japan AS2000 Artstar, but for the poorer folk like me who don't live in the USA paying in warmonger profiteeering inflated USD, they make the Ibanez AS113 which is pretty much an Indonesian made AS2000. I have one and can attest the BQ could easily be mistaken for Japanese. Same pickups and electronics, with a few additional aesthetic and and brand niceties in the AS2000 such as genuine Gotoh tuners.
rly funny bcus fender is 3x the price for the same/weaker quality and specs and idiots eat those shit up thinking those are quality instruments just bcus of the price tag
some people even go with the "buy mexican strat then upgrade" route, even tho they could have just gotten a pacifica 612, which is cheaper than a mexican strat and is better than an american strat
@@lestercheng1454 Fact. You can even hear the elitist snobbery in this reviewer's conditioned perception and trite dismissal of the PAC61X series Pacificas. As if any Fender comes with custom full Seymour Duncan PUP fitout, pull-push coil split, Graphtech TUSQ nut and string trees, Grover locking tuners, and vintage 6 point mount Wilkinson bridge and trem block with finishes and build quality that positively embarrass Fender or Gibson.
@@theblytonian3906Must have watched a different video. What snobbery? What elitism? Any negative points made are largely about marketing, and to me he is spot on. I have bought and enjoyed several Yamahas over the years, but they too often present a middle of the road image as standard. They make some great instruments, but dont explore the flagship hi spec area, nor do they make much effort to exploit the image of the great players who use them. He picks out Chris Buck’s custome Revstar for example, which should really be made widely available and would excite people about the quality all across the range. No snobbery there, just good sense.
The Revstar has been getting good press - sounds good to me! Never played one of them or their other electrics but in the 90's I bought a cutaway acoustic Nylon String which has a terrific piezo (or similar) which can be configured stereo where EDB go left and AGE go right. I use it a lot in the studio to add some wide-panned sparkle to more acousticish tracks -works a treat. Yamaha doesn't get any sort of marketing here in HK like Ibanez, Epiphone, PRS and the majors . . .
Had several YAMAHA Pacifica. They were perfect at an reasonable price. Never understood, why they are not more popular.
Pacificas are known to be priced much cheaper than what they could be based on quality and playability.
I have bought 2 yamaha pacifica guitars used. Because what's cheaper than Pacifica is used Pacifica 😂.
@@Marta1Buck 😁👍
cheaper than what they could be ? not really, they get as much for them as they can, the look is the deal breaker for most. value is not the concern for most experienced players
Honorable mention, Ty Taybor from "King's X" had his own signature model. A very under-rated guitarist!
If you enjoy Ty, you'd probably like his solo project called "the jelly jam"
Ty Tabor is a very unique genius. Noone plays like him.
Those T Tabor signature RGX models are awesome
I think the Revstar was a homerun for the company. Definitely got character.
I've wanted a Les Paul Junior with P90's for a while but the current ones are very poor, and the Revstar with P90's is a damned good guitar and much better than the Gibson for the money.
@@markfahey3921 I had a LPjr two years back. It was an unremarkable guitar and at 800 USD used it still cost me more than a Revstar would have.
@@shanewalton8888 I recently gave up gigging to enjoy more family time, and I've come to the conclusion that what you want out of a gigging guitar is playability and a good sound. Gibson are not cutting it for me at the moment and their QC doesn't guarantee you a decent guitar. Who wants to spent £3000 on a mediocre guitar? I have a couple of friends with 59 juniors, one of them plays in Wishbone Ash and they sound terrific, a different guitar altogether from the present juniors. But at £5000 for one of those, it isn't going to happen for me.
Yamaha could benefit from some better marketing, but I quite like that they’re an underrated gem. My Revstar is unbelievably easy to play, action is down to 0.6mm and it’s buttery smooth.
@@reggiewallace260 No, you're mistaken. 0.6mm action is correct - a human hair is 0.06mm.
Based on their going rates on the used market, I think Yamaha would make a mint if they re-issued the sg/sbg series and it wasn’t 3 grand.
The SG1820 is about £2400, and is an awesome instrument. Yamaha have to fight the Americana bias of electric guitarists, it’s no surprise and not their fault that their instruments are undervalued.
@@terencecain2893I agree to a point. I can’t help but think if they reissued models like the sg500, 600, etc instead of the revstars they would have been more popular
@@Horseheadbookendz A 1980 SG1000 is about £950, a Gibson Les Paul of the same vintage costs two and a half times as much. The Yammy is undervalued and a bargain imo. This won’t change for the foreseeable future, and makes reissuing the series an non-starter. No surprise Gibson keep raiding their back catalogue tho.
First rule of any successful product: physical availability. The Revstars have been notoriously hard to find in stores, and they even had a backlog when you tried to order online. To overcome their perceived ‘uncoolness’, you really should pick one up and play it. Once that’s the case, most players will be surprised about the build quality and tones, especially considering the pricepoint. I own two ‘vintage’ SG’s from the seventies, as well as a first series Revstar RS 502, and I can asure you the Revstars are almost just as good as the old ones, but at a fraction of the price. Not sure if playing the heritage card would really help; most of the players (Marley, Santana, Dylan, Frusciante) only played them for a short while.
True. I am just having very difficult time finding the model that I want.
This is the first time I viewed your channel. I enjoyed this video. I play Fender mostly now, but I had a Pacifica in the past. Yamaha is a great guitar Conpany. They really caused a huge change in quality with less expensive guitars as well. Other companies like Squire really began to step up their quality to keep up. I will always have gratitude for that. Your guitars are beautiful by the way. Also you are an amazing player. Thank you for the education. Great video!
They should bring back the Ty Tabor model.
I got 2 of those
I'd like to bring a different angle that is gonna piss off a lot of people here: the problem is not Yamaha , it's rather guitar nerds mentality. Most people do not really have the ability of judging an instrument for what really is but rather prefer to read blogs and use the eyes and stomach feeling for choose an instrument. Otherwise you can not possibly explain why Gibson still selling big numbers despite quite obvious flows in the quality and not only in the °entry level ° LP std ( considering the price is a non sense to call it entry level ) but also in the higher price range. The relatively new design of the Revstar might understandably turn off a lot of people that want a more classic look instrument , but Japanese production have a lot to offer also in that box: Edwards, FGN etc. I think the truth is most people really have no idea how to differentiate a good from a mediocre instrument, mostly because they are noodlers rather than musician
One thing I hope Yamaha capitalizes on, is their gear being featured in popular media. For example, Bocchi The Rock was a really popular anime last year that featured the main character buying a cool looking Yamaha Pacifica. It has a black transparent flame maple top, with black and chrome hardware. It looks great! The problem is, Yamaha doesn't sell the exact looking model that the character has in the show. The only way you could get it was by winning a contest for one. All they have to do is change a pickguard and pickup cover to black on one of their models and it would be identical. This would not only attract fans of the anime, but regular players who want a simple but very aesthetically pleasing guitar. Some fans are already buying guitars and converting them with aftermarket parts to look like the one in the show. Doing little things like that, having more effective marketing strategies, and offering more incentives like flame tops on the higher end models, as you said, would go a long way in helping them I think. They're well made guitars, so I hope to see more people get into them.
Bocchi featured a yamaha?? Now i GOTTA check it out.
@@vipuldass2318yea... spoilers...
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after the LP broke, her dad gave her the money she has earned from her GH TH-cam channel and she picked up a black Yammie Pacifica
The only thing that lets Yamaha guitars down is the marketing. (E.g not humping the consumer) Apart from that they are a fantastic guitar from bottom to top.
I just picked up a lightly used 1995 Yamaha RBX 250 bass for next to nothing. It plays amazingly well--better than real P basses that cost many times more. Now I'm on the hunt for the fretless version of the same bass....
I absolutely loved my Pacifica over my bullet. Both cost about the same, but sound and neck quality were loads better on the Yamaha
Isn't it crazy how yamaha had more authentic feeling fender necks than the Squier models did? 😂 my pacifica is still going strong and I've gotten nothing but raised eyebrows and compliments on how well built such an affordable guitar is.
@@dethmedic52 and it’s just plain beautiful! I have the violin sunburst color.
@@Emrys345_Guitar heck yeah good color, mines just all natural baby 🤣
I'm old- over 50- and co-own a somewhat celebrated recording studio in San Francisco. Our inexpensive Yamaha models - electric guitars, 5 string bass and 12 string acoustic- get more use from clients than almost all our more recognized axes- when it comes to studio tracking. I have to laugh at all the comical snobbery I've seen over the years around this issue. Bottom line: get a guitar under $500 you can afford- and any other money is better spent on lessons than gear.,
Rik Emmett of Triumph played Yamaha, Bill Leverty of Firehouse, and plenty I'm not thinking of. I've got two myself - a Pacifica 611HFM and a 90s superstar.
People just apply some mythic magic to Fender and Gibson, when you can get those sounds elsewhere. I no longer have Gibson or Fender and probably won't again. The only thing that Gibson REALLY improved since the changeover is the marketing.
Mike Stern has been playing his signature Pacifica Tele for 30 years now.
They should consider re-releasing the less expensive T style Pacificas. I think they should design their own offset guitar as well, like Ibanez did with their Talman.
I remember getting really close to buying a yamaha acoustic that had a built in system to add chorus and reverb that was so cool and inspiring to play, but was a bit expensive for me at the time. Highly recommend trying one out if you find one
Back in the day I remember the SG2000, SG1000 and SG45 guitars from Yamaha that were amazing. Stuart Adamson of Skids and Big Country fame played one as I recall.
You can add Santana, John McGeogh, and I think Bill Nelson to that list too. Alan Murphy (Level 42) played an MSG. And no one ever has a bad word for the the SA2200 or its earlier incarnations. They make some bloody good guitars - I own 4 btw, including an MSG Standard, an SA2200, and one of the handmade LL400 acoustics.
I love my revstar. I purchased one to take on tour to have a hood quality guitar that I didn’t care if it got beat up. Now I don’t want it to leave the heard. The tones are awesome from the filtertrons are awesome.
I bet it is the Denim color one too?
Paul Simon's main live touring guitars for years have been Yamaha.
Their acoustics are good.
Finally got a RSS02T Merlot with P90s 4-5 months ago. Took a while to get one locally.
So good that 2 weeks ago I bought a RSS20 with 'buckers from the same shop.
Both hang next to a 2014 ES335 Cherry Dot Gibson.
The Revstars get played a lot more
Nuf Said!
Now all I want is a Revstar 12 string. Yamaha has NO electric 12 strings.
Jeff Schroeder of The Smashing Pumpkins plays Yamaha Pacificas and occasionally Revstars. I have several Yamahas including a MIA custom shop Pacifica, and I feel sorry people paying for labels on the headstock.
4:30 Rhett only said Chris Buck as a notable Yamaha player? [wow] I would've thought he'd have checked to see Mike Stern should have come to mind. edit: 6:40 you knew this :D . [I commented while I was watching the video, haha.]
I knew there were a bunch of cool players playing Yamaha, BUT was surprised at just how many there were over the years!
I will put my Yamaha LL 500 acoustic up against ANY Martin, gibson or fender. Custom made at their Japan shop. If someone doesn't like Yamaha or any other guitar I could care less.
The Yamaha acoustics are so underrated
I find Rhett to be generally pointless. Maybe the highest gear to talent ratio I've ever seen. Scolding Yamaha into bowing down to his marketing and subscriber base seems to be a strategy. I notice that Yamaha took the opportunity to raise the price of the Rev Standard by $50 at US online retailers, if I'm not mistaken? Maybe they need to recoup some cash for all the freebies they're going to have to be sending Rhett's way to get into his good graces? I'm a mean man.
Rhett is a snore fest ,Same look at my 5k dollar Gibson-Fender snob crap in every video .Who does it appeal to anyways wealthy old guy dentist -lawyer types who think they are SRV or Slash ? .
I've almost absolutely decided that my next guitar will be either a Revstar or Pacifica 612. I think they are definitely overlooked.
I have both Pacifica and Revstar (P90). Very happy with both
Revstar is an amazing guitar.
Don't think you can go wrong with either! I have a SA2200 (chose it over a ES-335), Revstar RS502 and now the 611 is catching my eye as that P90/Humbucker combo looks very interesting!
I gigged one of the upper end 90's Pacificas side by side with my US PRS for years. Never did the Yamaha feel any lesser of an instrument. Still have that Pacifica and play it almost every day. Their upper end 335 types are beyond stunning. Yamaha have never pushed their guitars as a 'lifestyle brand' and I respect them a lot for it.
Yamaha engineers and produces a lot of equipment, including engines. Some of the most legendary engines out there, such as the 2JZ for example, and the V10 in the Lexus LFA were tuned by Yamaha. I do think their marketing might have something to do with the perception of their guitars. The fact that a lot of TH-camrs and other influencers (such as chris buck) are starting to use their instruments might however help change that perception.
This was essentially my point as well.
They weren’t tuned by Yamaha… Yamaha actually made the cylinder head. I’ve been to the Yamaha museum in Hammamatsu Japan
@@robmcd Yes, this right here. They actually designed and made the head. The 1LR-GUE was even tuned acoustically by Yamaha. Yamaha has some of the most prominent engineering prowess I have ever seen in a company, i'd love to visit the Yamaha museum in Hamamatsu!
Actually, Yamaha's acoustic guitars have a consistent success in the market. Yamaha's budget LL series (LL6, LL16), which have incredible build quality, is one of the best sellers entry-level acoustic guitars in China and Japan. The more expensive ones (LL26, LL36, etc) are also used by many Japanese artists.
For electric guitars, I think Yamaha just keeps the same quality on their products. In fact, the Pacifica series is also one of the best sellers entry-level electric guitars in Japan.
The Revstars also earn compliments from almost everyone on the internet who have ever played them. I think the only problems are simple: 'brand added-value', the non-F/G body style, and color choices :(
I agree - I have a LL16 ARE and I spent an age looking at best bang for the buck dreadnought style guitar and it couldn't be beaten, in my opinion. It feels amazing to play and sounds bloody good.
Wow, I love your playing so much John. Beautiful phrasing and so melodic with flawless technique.
I find it sympatic that a company that produces Motorcycles also produces musical instruments, but their guitars never attracted me.
One of the very few guitar brands that actually spends on R&D. They just need a proper marketing team.
A good point. Yamaha is constantly innovating. Fender/Gibson haven't done anything innovative in decades.
I mean, their sales are great. I think the marketing team is doing their job just fine. They’re a huge, diverse company, even just in the musical instrument realm, whereas Gibson and Fender are predominantly guitar manufacturers. I think people are forgetting this. They very much know their place in the industry and know what they need to do to capitalize.
Logically I know they are good quality. But I have almost zero desire to get any of their guitars other than a revstar. Even then I don’t feel like there’s anything I’m missing out by not owning one.
@@jamesmarkham7489 Curiously, I have zero desire to buy another over-priced, poor QCed Fendson. So we cancel each other out!
@@bostonbesteats364 oh I agree the big two are not something I’d recommend anymore.
Another great Yamaha play is Rik Emmet from Triumph...a noteworthy addition. Amazing player and singer.
Also Victor Smolski.
Ty Tabor from Kings X and Bill Leverty from Firehouse were Yamaha guys too and phenomenal players and ad their own signature models . Rik Emmet played SG models and had a sweet double neck and a few high end Pacificas . Craig Goldy from Dio played Pacificas for some years too .
I am a keys player turned multi-instrumentalist (guitars) and I love my Revstar. I know how amazing Yamaha pianos and Synths are so looking into their guitar options was a no-brainer. Fantastic quality instrument.
Who care what Rhett thinks? Yamaha makes exceptional guitars.
I I'm not by any means a guitar brand snob, and I played a black RevStar standard this weekend just because I happened to see it. This is the humbucker model. It absolutely blew me away. It played like a guitar that would typically cost three times more in terms of just the setup out of the box. Mind you this was on a rack at Sam Ash I could just grab it, so it wasn't as though it was some special setup. I plugged it into a 5150 amplifier and could cover a range of sounds that candidly shocked me. Considering parting with some other gear to pick one up really.
Yamaha is coming back into guitars very strong over the last 2 years. It will not surprise me to see a lot of working pros pick up this one in the new Pacifica just because they do more and sound just unique enough to let you do all the standard stuff Plus more.
I've got a Revstar just like the one you have in the video. I like the guitar, but it is not without a few quality issues. My guitar arrived with scratches on the stainless steel frets that would grate against the strings when doing bends. Yamaha was willing to fix this, but required I send the guitar to California from Georgia at my expense. I also had to purchase my own shipping box. I tried to get the work done in my town, but there was no one who had the tools to polish out the scratches. The cost of shipping plus the shipping box was going to be $140, which is around 20% of the purchase price. I was fortunate to eventually find someone nearby that would remove the scratches, but what a hassle to have to go through on a new guitar. The other issue I am having with this guitar is that there are hot spots on the fretboard where the volume will suddenly get much louder and I have been unable to correct this issue by making adjustments to the action or the pickups. I do like this guitar and plan to keep it. It has a unique sound and lots of tonal variety through pick-up, tone control and volume settings and I this inspires me to play more. I think the issue, which JNC mentions, is that these guitars are not readily available in the guitar stores and the only way to get to know one is to buy it sight unseen. If the guitar had been available locally, I would have discovered the scratched frets before purchasing. It is sad that this guitar was put to market in that condition, and does say something about Yamahas quality control process needing improvement. Overall, it is a great guitar for the money, but it took me a while for me and the Revstar to make up after such a bad start.
My revstar standard is my main work horse guitar and I can't fault it. I don't take my gibsons to rehearsals or gigs anymore. Last night I took my 40 SG1000n to rehearsal and it was awesome, the only problem is it's a heavy lump of wood or it would come out to play more often.
At least yamaha doesn’t try selling you a hardtail strat with single invader humbucker for $1299, what assholes would do that?
Jeff Schroeder from Smashing Pumpkins plays a Revstar. Maybe Rhett should remember to give back his free gear he continuously gets. I mean his red merlot loaner. Yamaha doesn’t need Rhett’s help with anything. They’ve been here long before him and will be here long after him. He’s pretentious and I’m really tired of him telling us about the thousands of dollars of free gear he gets. Work for it Rhett like the rest of us. He’s more cocky now than ever. Never was a fan. Mediocre guitarist that piggybacked of Rick Beato’s channel. He sat there and insulted Gibson guitars then got a free brand new one. Funny I’ve never heard him complain about them again. Hmm 🤔 then again I stopped watching him pretty long ago.
Yamaha's approach looks very similar to what seiko/grand seiko do in the watches market. Similarly looking watches (for normal person, not the snob one) can have 5-10x price difference. Probably this is just a Japanese mindset and actually nothing is wrong with it
I think the problem with Yamaha guitars is that they aren't expensive enough.
Since they're not that expensive, people tend to think that they're just medium range guitars, so there's nothing exciting about buying a Yamaha 6 string. While buying a gibson, wow, you get a sense of acheivement, even though, they can't fucking stay in tune, have lots of flaws, and the quality of the woods and craftmanship isn't superior to most other brands. But in the mind of the buyer, it's better than the rest. They don't have the same aura.
I have had several Yamaha guitars in my life, and with Ibanez, it's the brand I usually recommand buying if you wanna start playing the guitar, cause they're usual good playable instruments that are not very expensive.
I love yammies!, I sold my Ibanez when I tried a yamaha rgx a2. Then I bought a pacifica, and I'm planning on getting a Revstar. I guess people dont buy them because they don't picture Slash playing one, or Stevie Ray with a pacifica. I think they need to sponsor more famous players to get to customers. In the mean time, I will profit from buying great guitars on sale for a fraction of the price.
Try a SA2200, way better than the two Gibson es335 I had ,better quality finish and could match the gibson sound then offer much more . I wont go back
Lee Ritenour has for years played a nylon string version of Yamaha's Silent guitar. So I bought one used on eBay.. amazing instrument, quite innovative, sounds great plugged directly into an amp, etc. So I bought an acoustic/electric called an AC5R also used (Acoustic Concert size, 5 means solid wood, made in Japan, R is rosewood back and sides) and it is a great guitar, also sounds really good plugged directly into my DRRI. Based on those purchases I might get a REVSTAR with P-90 at some point. I have a couple of vintage Gibson electrics from the 60's, 3 Fenders, and I think the Yamahas are right there with all of them.
So what you're saying is most guitar players are kind of idiots and don't just try out things and figure out what works best for their needs. Everyone is just chasing clout and name recognition, which is just the most guitar player thing ever. Don't use your ears, just covet what others covet...XD.
Nothing wrong with yamaha guitars.
Some guitarists are brand snobs.
The revstar has a better build than a sg or les paul standards.
I used to own them
both.
I sold them both .ever since I play ibanez guitars and soon I will be buying a revstar standard as well.
Excellent playing though.
Michael Anthony played a Yamaha BB ... even back in the 80s.
There is nothing super exiting about them with exception of stainless steel frets, which I think are not even in spec sheet of their own website, but sellers do list those.
No roasted maple necks, no ebony fingerboards, no locking tuners, nut material is listed as PPS something without explanation. No branded pick up options, no flame maple tops. No trem or string though. And for last colors are kinda old school bike inspired for generation of buys that do not give a dam about bikes...
Dollar for dollar Yamaha makes some of the best instruments in the industry and always have. The Pacifica and Revstar are as good as anything out there.
The variax standards, which came into effect after Yamaha bought line 6, play like absolute dog shit. I wanted to use one as a writing tool but they are unbearable. Basically a pacifica with variax guts. I even put a new neck on it but that made it worse😂
Regarding the colour versus price the opposite could be an idea. Release a Gold Top Version made in Indonesia to get the Chris Buck fans onboard.
You forgot to mention that Carlos Santana also used to play a Yamaha SG2000 in the 1970’s before he switched to PRS in the early 1980’s, and that the SG2000 is one of the most valuable Yamaha guitar models out there now. Yamaha could learn a thing or two from PRS’s marketing, in my opinion. I suppose it helps to have a colorful figure like Paul Reed Smith, Leo Fender, or Ted McCarty to bring a sense of heritage to your brand. PRS, Fender, and Gibson all have this. Yamaha does not have this, that I am aware of.
You make every guitar sound good!
I don't think I've ever heard a better sales pitch for an 800 dollar guitar than to say it's almost exactly like the premium Japanese version that's twice the price. Maybe Yamaha are smarter than we think?
The problem with the Revstar has been availability. Guitar Center doesn't carry them, and neither does the local mom and pop store near me. And they were out of stock everywhere online for a long time. I would have probably gotten one of the Revstar Standards when they finally becaume a little more available, but have never played one, and hate buying blindly. (I ended up buying the PRS DGT SE instead because the mom and pop near me had one for me to play).
Sam Ash sells them
@@MarkStearle The Sam Ash stores within 25 miles of my house do not have any in stock. This is how it has been since they were announced. And the online store is out of stock on several colors (but not all colors). They are hard to find.
@@steveliberty I hope you find one Steve,nice guitars
My Vegas Sam Ash has the Element in stock,I bought a white one six months ago,give them a shot,hope it helps
Well obviously Sweetwater has them because Rhett can’t remember if it’s a loaner or not. He’s seriously in need of a reality check in many ways.
Saw his video pop up, but I've really had a hard time listening to him lately. Insta-click here though.
I'm mainly an acoustic player, but I play electric a significant amount, and my main electric guitar is a Yamaha SA1100. I got interested in their SA series because Phil Keaggy (my favorite player) has played SA2000 and SA2200 guitars. My local shop got a used SA1100 and I picked it up there, and I love it. The pickups in particular have a lot of character. The one downside is that it's an old guitar and the pots are going on it (I've taken them apart and cleaned them once already-a real chore on any semi-hollow guitar). Yamaha used atypical values for the tone pots (300k), and I've been reluctant to replace them with different, more readily available values. -Tom
Have you considered using Gibson 300k pots, by any chance?
@@JohnsDough1918 Thanks a lot for that tip! That has helped me locate some pots that might do the the job. Thanks for taking the time to point out Gibson's use of these.
One of my favorite Korean artist plays a Yamaha. Along with a lot of brands I never heard of.
I've got Fenders and Gibsons but I often gig with one of the original Revstars and also a Pacifica 311M. At every price point they are fantastic value. Most of the heritage brands are lazy and trade on the past but Yamaha innovate.
If you make something right the first time it doesn't mean you are lazy...
@@AlexVonCrank they got a lot right but by no means everything.
@davidmurphy4844 Well between Fender and Gibson, IMHO, they got EVERYTHING right. That's why Yamaha's best guitars are copies.
@@AlexVonCrank I'm glad you're happy with your purchases cranky. Guess we're both happy! My favourite copies are my Gordon Smith electrics. Saved me a fortune!
@davidmurphy4844 Gordon makes nice instruments. Enjoy. Just out of curiosity, have you ever owned a nice LP standard or American Strat?
The solely fact Rhett didn't mention Matteo Mancuso in his video is pretty weird and disappointing. I mean, WTF? We're talking about the guy who's probably the best guitarist alive, at 26 years of age...
They have a huge dealer network selling their pianos - they should be leveraging them to market, sell, and support their guitars
Just dumb hipstery listening with your eyes shit is what makes people dismiss Yamaha guitars. Biréli Lagrène, arguably one of the best jazz guitarists ever (if you don't know him, look him up !), mainly plays Yamaha electrics in all price ranges and they are amazing. You can find vids of him playing semi-hollow SA2000, acoustics and even low-end Pacifica 311. Look up 'bireli lagrene yamaha pacifica' and see what these guitars can sound like. It's all in the fingers and Yamaha's quality shows there, regardless of what you pay. Another amazing up and coming player called Matteo Mancuso plays Yamahas exclusively. Be prepared to be blown away.
Yeh of course Matteo - I mentioned him in the vid right? Lee Ritenour also is a Yammy guy!
Nice playing...yet a lot of your opinions are just opinions and some of your statements are wobbly. I don't know and haven't played a Revstar but I have owned 8 Strat styled Paifica's.
For what you get there isn't a better deal. For less money than a Player Strat you get the same Alder body the same quality neck (Rosewood) on the Pacifica.
Better pups with the Pacifica. (video). Sure most guys play Fender/Gibson but a lot of that is the thinking that people think you are better if you show
up at a gig playing a tradition. There are a lot of manufacturers that are making product equally as good as the standard. Chris Buck doesn't sound or
play any better on a Gibson. Put that Pacifica in any GREAT players hands who usually play Strats and the production will be as good. Apples vs apples
Yamaha's are just as good. It's not the guitar that makes the player, it's the player that makes the guitar. You mention looks consistently but looks doesn't sound
or play any better. The size of the growing relic market proves that. Evidently Yamaha is doing ok.
That's a funny point about the relic / looks nonsense ,You'll see dudes moan incessantly about a small blemish on a guitar and then run out and spend 7k on a guitar that looks like its been laying on a river bed for ten years lol .
I have a Yamaha acoustic I bought off a bandmate in 1979. Played it quite a lot since then...it's been abused such as when I lived on a boat, went travelling, took it camping several times etc. needs a re-fret now and it will be great again... Really is a guitar for life! I also have 2 of the Japanese Revstars (One with Humbucker one P90) and absolutely love them. They are great fun! The position of the controls, build quality and sound are perfect and a nice change to the "standard Strat or LP sounds" that have ruled for so long. I could afford the Japanese built "Pro"models, so why the hell not, and I quite like that you can't easily tell the difference.
I think that Rhett video was very UScentric and Instagram-biased, in my opinion. I also think the yamaha marketing team are not aiming for popularity and coolness, but a real sense that Revstars are “great guitars”, instead of “cool guitars”. That’s why they sent guitars to people like Phil McKnight or Henning Pauly instead of Mary Spender and Paul Davids. Maybe they did too…
I’ve been playing and collecting guitars for nearly 40 years. I have a collection of all the ‘usuals’: Strat, Tele, PRS, Les Paul, SG, etc, as well as some more unusual ones. All amazing guitars in their own right. I recently bought a Yamaha Rev Star. I can’t overstate how impressed I am with it. Amazing build quality, great feel and playability, fantastic sound, great features. We all know guitars are very subjective and very personal, but to me at least, the Rev Star is up there with the best I have. They should definitely be more popular but, for now at least, they seem to be a bit more in the ‘for those that know’ category.
“Something with single coils” he says holding a guitar with single coils 😂
Rhett doesn't like consistent quality (!?) according to himself. Most of us do that's why I love my two Yamaha Revstar Standards. Better quality than most of my more expensive guitars.
08:28 WHERE did that list come from? Where is a Squier Baritone Telecaster the #2 selling guitar? Where are people even FINDING Revstar guitars? My biggest issue with Yamaha, Reverend, most of these not Gibson/Fender brands, is that I simply can't put my hands on one before purchase. I've seen a couple of Pacificas on the market. I've never seen a Revstar in a store, ever, and you're telling me they're the #4 selling guitar in some list.
Regarding the Pacifica range, it was originally designed in the late 80s by Rich Lasner, who famously designed many of Ibanez’ hit instruments - the JEM, RG, Saber and Radius series. The Pacifica is, to me, an improvement on the superStrat template, that looks much curvier and balances better compared to a Fender. I wouldn’t say no to a minimalist version with more contouring, kind of a Luke I style…
Yamaha always delivers better quality than other brands for the same amount of money. I think that them not marketing their products by associating them with famous players is really a result of the Japanese culture that involves taking immense pride in the quality of their craftsmanship, while at the same time being humble. Of course, with the new Made-In-Japan Pacifica Professional they have added an aspirational model to their line-up.
that was not JOHN LENNON in the photo graph, it was his SON Julian Lennon
Rhett comes across a bit spoiled. I guess If a could afford to play multiple Novo guitars, Gibson etc etc. Some of us are on a budget. Good for him being successful but I don't think he relates to a lot of working guitarists. I would love to have a Revstar and plan on buying one. I love how they reinforce the neck. I like that you look for quality at any price point, which is just one reason I support you on Patrion and not Rhett.
I really fond of Soren Andersson music video with reversed Pacifica - such a nice look IMHO. And Jack Thammarat's custom light Yamaha was the top notch.
Yep Soren is great. He does a demo for Yamaha’s modeler double and single. Sold me on getting one.
The Yamaha SG model was the first non Fender or Gibson I wanted in the late 70's through 80's thanks to Jake Burns (SLF), Stuart Adamson (Big Country), Midge Ure, Bill Nelson and a lot of other cool post-punk alternative guitarists but by the time I could afford one they'd almost disappeared.
Still fancy a Revstar which looks like the SG's grandchild.
PS: I think the John Lennon picture is actually Julian.
John McGeoch, too. Eastwood (Canada) actually produce a fair knockoff of his SG. And you're correct, that's Julian, not John.
@@tomnelson5815 Ah yes, John McGeoch, wow, I thought there was someone really important I'd forgotten! Cheers!
Andy Partridge XTC also. By all accounts those Eastwood John Mc Geogh are very good
@@TheFairway8 Yes! My brother would never forgive me as he was a big fan.
Yes - of cause it's NOT John, but Julien...
Pawnshop Pacifica has been my gig axe for the last 10yrs. Exquisite neck. Yamaha keyboards both acoustic and electronic are 1st rate not to mention skis, tennis racquets and motorcycles, snowmobiles and jetskis...
I have a 1988 Yamaha YSG-1, and it plays better than any other guitar I own. The quality of the build is staggering. Sort of a Les Paul type feel, with a sharp double cutaway, almost like a Paul Reed Smith. 24 fret, mahogany body, maple neck, ebony fretboard. Binding on the neck and body. It’s probably the most beautiful guitar I own. With some PAF humbuckers, it will be a superior guitar.
Nothing wrong with Yamaha guitars. Plenty of professional players that would wipe the floor with Rhett are playing them.
Exactly. Rhett’s too busy getting free gear that he forgets to practice.
There it is again! Only this time the static is in your vocals. It doesn't sound like clipping; it sounds like a cord going bad.
Maybe I'm wrong but my perception of Yamaha as a company is that whatever they make whether guitars or bikes or engines, is that everything is of great quality and value and can easily hang with the "top brands" of whatever genre they're in, just never the first choice. That is strictly marketing, but obviously they must be doing well otherwise they wouldn't make them.
The Yamaha Mike Stern model can be used in any style of music.
Beautiful playing! One of the best sessions players (also on the first Chick Corea Electric band) played the Yamaha Pacifica, I saw him with Dave Weckl more then 30 years ago on the Yamaha booth in Musikmesse, one of my favorite players, great singer too. Yamaha guitars are really cool, sad to see they don't have the original SG's (2000 and 3000) anymore, those where legendary guitars, they should keep them on their catalogne as it's a reference. And I agree they should put back some high end Pacifica guitars in their catalogue too, I remember they did some nice Pacifica custom shops in the 90's.
Yamaha guitars are incredible! My Pacifica 612 is lightyears ahead of anything remotely similar from the competition at that price point but with higher end pickups and hardware. There's nothing wrong with Yamaha guitars, from my understanding the Pacifica and Revstar have both been huge successes and the Revstar updated line has been backordered for a while. Yamaha just doesn't have enough models on the market to get the same brand recognition as the bigger brands, but everyone who has played a mid-high end yamaha guitar always has good things to say. They just have to release more models of different styles and get more yamaha guitars into players hands and word of mouth will spread, especially in the era of social media. I have no doubt that if Yamaha developed a line of T-style guitars and single cuts at the same great price point and quality of the standard Revstar line, they will only continue to grow in popularity and reputation.
Was buying the cheapest version of revstar (300 series I think) as a present for a friend. Was really impressed by quality and sound for a price. Also got one rsp 20 (the one from the top series) for a week from another friend and didn’t like it at all - too much low end from pickups, uncomfortable neck, some frets were sticking out from neck. So for me they’re the best in low and mid price ranges. Cheers from Ukraine.
The previous ORIGINAL series Revstars were better IMO, and INCREDIBLE value for money. Truly affordable with quality OEM hardware.
Not my only or first Revstar, an opportunity buy I picked up a new late prooduction RS320//02 on end of model runout. Yamaha's application of an //02 suffix signifies a spec change in this case, the body wood from Nato to Mahogany.
I'm a particular individual, and can't speak highly enough of this guitar at any pricepoint. BQ & finish are stunning. It doesn't have the fancy frills of is siblings in the higher segments like binding or as many body cutouts, but they are predominently cosmetic only and the plain Jane look of the RS320 looks stunning in its own right.
The important functional bits such as the fret finish and nut cut were all tickety boo. As for the ceramic pickups. They're ceramic with a different tone to alnico. I think they're probably G&B made for YGD in Korea, but haven't pulled them out to check. Versatile pickups, not a one trick 'full gain to hide behind' one trick pony.
Just a lovely guitar to both play and look at.
@@theblytonian3906- Forgive me, but what does “tickety boo” mean?
@@crusheverything4449 It's an idiot filter. If you don't know, you're either stupid, American, or more probably both. = ]
Just thinking about the good stuff - the 611 with humbucker and P90 was a great innovation - possibly earlier than some others (??) - PJD do some lovely guitars with this combination. I think they would do well if they did a Revstar like this.
I really wanted one of these (611), but had to fill a trem requirement - a lot of the hardtails about but not so many V variants.
@@jivetolkein I played a honeyburst 611VFM with a trem in the flesh, and it was an amazing guitar. At the time I couldn't afford one at the new price, but found a hardtail one in the used marked for less than half the price of the new ones, so bought that. It's a great guitar too, but that honeyburst with the trem had a special mojo. All of the tone options on these guitars are genuinely useful, too.
Yamaha y los multiefectos zoom tienen un problema en común: marketing deficiente.
Yamaha could have a potential winner if the mixes this guitar with variax tech. But no on their minds
Jeff Schroeder of Smashing Pumpkins is another artist who has been playing Revstars for a while.
He has a quiver of Standard series revstars all completely stock for his latest tour.
Yamaha’s website for their guitars doesn’t seem terribly great and at times appears out of date. That said I would really like one of the higher end Revstar’s - that’s likely my next guitar