Import factory closing?

[LesB3]

OK, so Yamaha decided not to have those guitars made at SPG any more - so it's not a case of SPG closing and Yamaha being confronted with a problem.

Yep! I guess once they lost Gretsch, they were merely waiting for the next shoe to drop (Guild).

I guess that could mean two things - either the Yamaha bean counters have looked at the profit situation and decided to pull the "retro hollowbodies" from the lineup because they're not making (enough) money for the company, or Yamaha has their own facility, or a better deal at a different one where they can build them. In any case, I guess we'll be speculating wildly on here until we see what happens.

I imagine it did come down to money... Yamaha doesn't sell / make a full hollow-body; in fact, the only hollow guitar they still make is the SA2200 (in Japan). Everything else is an "S" style solid body or a Revstar. "Professional" level Pacificas and Revstars ($2100 US) are made in Japan, "Standard" models are made in Indonesia, and the cheaper stuff is made in Indonesia ($500 US) or China ($220 US).

So, they may have decided that full hollow-bodies aren't worth the trouble (a la Gibson)...
Or, they'll move hollow-bodies to Indonesia...
Or, they'll move hollow-bodies to China (where they'll rejoin their Gretsch Electromatic stablemates).

Of course, there's always a chance they will decide to make them alongside the SA2200, which is exciting to think about, but probably unlikely.

Either way, I guess I'm glad I got mine when I did.

 

[chazmo]

We're very good at that.

True experts!

 

[Walter Broes]

Yamaha doesn't sell / make a full hollow-body; in fact, the only hollow guitar they still make is the SA2200 (in Japan).

I'll remain optimistic and hope that exactly that might have been one of their many motivations to buy Cordoba/Guild. Gibson hasn't made full-depth archtops in years now, and used prices are only going up. Maybe, just maybe, Yamaha figures a Jazz guitar with a traditional US brand on the headstock might fill a little void in the market.

Not holding my breath though!

 

[chazmo]

I'll remain optimistic and hope that exactly that might have been one of their many motivations to buy Cordoba/Guild. Gibson hasn't made full-depth archtops in years now, and used prices are only going up. Maybe, just maybe, Yamaha figures a Jazz guitar with a traditional US brand on the headstock might fill a little void in the market.

Not holding my breath though!

As my people like to say, Walter... From your mouth to god's ears!

 

[GGJaguar]

Not holding my breath though!

Me neither. I agree that they could compete well with a 16" and 17" jazzbox to go against the Ibanez GB and D'Angelico lines. My gut feeling is that players prefer Gretsch when it comes to hollow bodies with Bigsbys. And while Guild is an alternative to Gretsch, there may not be enough money to continue with that line.

 

[LesB3]

Me neither. I agree that they could compete well with a 16" and 17" jazzbox to go against the Ibanez GB and D'Angelico lines. My gut feeling is that players prefer Gretsch when it comes to hollow bodies with Bigsbys. And while Guild is an alternative to Gretsch, there may not be enough money to continue with that line.

I was thinking along the same lines. Anyone looking for a big box jazz or R'n'R guitar will be served well by Gretsch already. And I don't know how big of a market that really is, to be honest. Those guitars are for old fogeys like us.

There could be an area where a Starfire made alongside the SA2200 could be an option, but would also likely cannibalize sales from that product, so might not make sense.

The more you work through the scenarios, the more I begin to wonder what Yamaha saw in or wanted from CMG. That being said, they aren't dummies either, so I imagine there is a sound business case behind the buy.

 

[Rocky]

Anyone looking for a big box jazz or R'n'R guitar will be served well by Gretsch already.

Most of the Gretsches don't really do jazz well. All laminate maple and filtertrons make for a fairly bright guitar. My ES-345 does 'jazz tone' far better than any of my Gretsches.

 

[Walter Broes]

I prefer the single coil Guilds for Rock and Roll, Rockabilly and Oldschool Blues, but I realize I'm in the minority

 

[LesB3]

Most of the Gretsches don't really do jazz well. All laminate maple and filtertrons make for a fairly bright guitar. My ES-345 does 'jazz tone' far better than any of my Gretsches.

I was actually attempting to describe the guitars vs. intended music to be played, but get your point. That being said, I actually prefer my Gretsches for jazz stuff - it isn't anything that a mud switch can't fix! I imagine that the only guitar that I prefer more would be my USA-made Casino -it has a hum-cancelling middle position that could quite possibly be the perfect clean tone.

I prefer the single coil Guilds for Rock and Roll, Rockabilly and Oldschool Blues, but I realize I'm in the minority

Not at all. In fact, I would prefer a vintage Guild w/ Franz pickups over a Gretsch with Dynasonics for all of the above. Where I am in the minority is my dislike for vintage DeArmonds / Dynas - I'm with Chet, I think they're terrible pickups.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Terada-made Guild Starfire, Sounds familiar, something like a GSR Starfire VI. Maybe someday they will get the respect they deserve.

Thanks John