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Main Forums => The Bass Zone => Topic started by: Dave W on February 14, 2023, 11:13:42 PM

Title: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Dave W on February 14, 2023, 11:13:42 PM
Yamaha Guitar Group acquires Córdoba and Guild Guitars (https://www.guitarworld.com/news/yamaha-guitar-group-acquires-cordoba-and-guild-guitars)
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Rob on February 15, 2023, 05:34:36 AM
I think that is good news.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on February 15, 2023, 06:39:47 AM
So do I. A legacy is preserved.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Basvarken on February 15, 2023, 06:42:53 AM
Agreed. Yamaha makes great instruments.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on February 15, 2023, 06:50:35 AM
They do. With zero coolness mystique, but well-made. Sort of like BMW motorbike riders.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Dave W on February 15, 2023, 07:04:47 AM
Quote from: uwe on February 15, 2023, 06:50:35 AM
They do. With zero coolness mystique, but well-made. Sort of like BMW motorbike riders.

Hopefully they won't make major changes to Guild's product line. I doubt that they will.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Basvarken on February 15, 2023, 07:17:35 AM
Their build quality is unsurpassed.
For example their grand pianos are always flawless.
Lots of concert pianists demand a Yamaha grand piano because they know the quality is always consistent.
I doubt if they care about any cool factor ;)
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Pilgrim on February 15, 2023, 08:43:19 AM
Quote from: uwe on February 15, 2023, 06:50:35 AM
They do. With zero coolness mystique, but well-made. Sort of like BMW motorbike riders.

I think the lack of attempt to be cool makes them very cool.

And I'm delighted to hear about the acquisition.  Yamaha seems to make (or have made) just about every thing that one can use, but always with quality.  I recall seeing Yamaha downhill skis a few years ago.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: gearHed289 on February 15, 2023, 08:47:04 AM
Hmm, probably good news, yes. They rescued Ampeg from LOUD not too long ago. I've got a soft spot for Guild. Kinda jonesing for a 12 string jumbo acoustic.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: 4stringer77 on February 15, 2023, 11:19:35 AM
Cordoba? I thought Fender owned and produced Guilds lately? Will be interesting to see how a Yamaha produced Starfire will differ from the most recent versions.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on February 15, 2023, 11:24:25 AM
Quote from: Basvarken on February 15, 2023, 07:17:35 AM
Their build quality is unsurpassed.
For example their grand pianos are always flawless.
Lots of concert pianists demand a Yamaha grand piano because they know the quality is always consistent.
I doubt if they care about any cool factor ;)

Just like BMW, yes, thinking man's motorbike.

I still have that Billy Sheehan 10th Anniversary Signature I bought from John Fertig/Barkless Dog, he found the neck too thick (sissy!). It's a great instrument and a real weapon. Have actually played it quite a bit lately. Dialed correctly, it sounds like you're playing a Fender and a Gibson bass at the same time.

In popular music, their acoustic pianos are certainly a benchmark (Sir Elton swears by them and he doesn't need the money from an endorsement). I've heard from classical pianists that their sound can be a bit harsh, but it is exactly that edge you need to get yourself heard if you play acoustic piano with electric instruments. I bought my first wife a Yamaha piano 30 years ago - no issues with the quality, very tuning-stable too, but that 'attack' in its sound never went away, unlike other pianos it never mellowed. Or maybe we have to wait another 70 years for that.  :mrgreen:

I checked, people who know their stuff seem to think so too.

https://socalpianos.com/why-pianos-sound-different-from-one-another/#:~:text=A%20specific%20brand%20makes%20each,sound%20characteristics%20of%20their%20pianos.

Finally, this thread wouldn't be complete without this piece of linguistic dadaism ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InXLd-DxAwk
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Dave W on February 15, 2023, 12:41:35 PM
Quote from: 4stringer77 on February 15, 2023, 11:19:35 AM
Cordoba? I thought Fender owned and produced Guilds lately? Will be interesting to see how a Yamaha produced Starfire will differ from the most recent versions.

Cordoba bought Guild from Fender about 2014-2015.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Basvarken on February 15, 2023, 01:57:59 PM
I have always liked Jimmy Bain's tone on his Yamaha BB (3000?)
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: morrow on February 15, 2023, 06:33:49 PM
Yamaha is the largest instrument manufacturer in the world.

They seemed to leave Ampeg pretty much alone , I expect Guild to get the same treatment.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on February 15, 2023, 06:42:37 PM
(https://media.gettyimages.com/id/84880840/de/foto/photo-of-deep-purple-and-glenn-hughes-glenn-hughes-posed-backstage-with-yamaha-bass-guitar.jpg?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=m-A_J5CXC2_FHWDlGJH_y1MLCXy624y-a74ICHDpMzI=)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu3E35sPy2c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUMPNjgE8i4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30YT0cG2EkE
Ok, he's Billy Sheehan, he does this for a living! You try looking like Charlton Heston and playing like
this at the same time! :mrgreen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGE0Dybv6D8&t=820s
That much for Michael Anthony not being a good bass player! Great shoes too!
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: westen44 on February 15, 2023, 08:26:37 PM
Quote from: Basvarken on February 15, 2023, 01:57:59 PM
I have always liked Jimmy Bain's tone on his Yamaha BB (3000?)

I also like the sound Rinus Gerritsen got on the Yamaha BB 3000 on some of the late 1990s and early 2000s Golden Earring albums.  I told a friend about it.  He said although it isn't talked about much, he had heard studio musicians tend to like Yamaha 3000 basses because of their unique tone.   
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Dave W on February 15, 2023, 09:34:39 PM
https://youtu.be/VDv_LQeStWM
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: westen44 on February 15, 2023, 10:33:59 PM
I was in the kitchen once with the TV on in another room.  I couldn't see what was going on, of course.  But Paul McCartney came on.  I was thinking that was the best tone I had ever heard him have.  I went to the TV to look and he was playing his Yamaha.  I think it was a Wings concert in the U.S.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: morrow on February 16, 2023, 05:33:39 AM
I have a yellow Flying Samurai , not a bad bass at all , similar to a Jazz on steroids.

I spent some years looking around hoping to find one , although I could have simply ordered one from Tokyo at any time. Finally one popped up in Toronto and I grabbed it.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: westen44 on February 16, 2023, 05:24:30 PM
When it comes to Yamaha, I was late to the game.  I've only paid attention to Yamaha basses for the past few years.  Even so, I would rate them in second place to Gibson for tone.  I wasn't expecting to come to that conclusion.  And this is just personal taste.  But if anyone wants to get rid of any Yamaha basses, please feel free to send them my way, especially, of course if they're high end ones like the Billy Sheehan, John Patitucci or Nathan East signature models.  I'm not used to something like a Patitucci six string, but I'd definitely be glad to give it a shot.   :)
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on February 17, 2023, 01:37:43 PM
Yamaha at one point started giving Paul gear for free and in typical Macca fashion he said "Hey, anybody who gives me a free bass is my man!".

But he wouldn't be playing them even for free if he thought they weren't any good.
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: lowend1 on March 01, 2023, 02:35:18 PM
I heartily support anyone buying Cordoba...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsg97bxuJnc
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on March 01, 2023, 02:49:09 PM
That car looks like the designer wanted to create a Daimler/Jaguar when he began with the hood, but then changed his mind for everything else. American Baroque. Just the grille should be good for 10 years of parole-free San Quentin. Popular in the US of A and pretty much  ...

... nowhere else !!! :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: lowend1 on March 01, 2023, 03:35:31 PM
Quote from: uwe on March 01, 2023, 02:49:09 PM
That car looks like the designer wanted to create a Daimler/Jaguar when he began with the hood, but then changed his mind for everything else. American Baroque. Just the grille should be good for 10 years of parole-free San Quentin. Popular in the US of A and pretty much  ...

... nowhere else !!! :mrgreen:

Originally marketed as "The Small Chrysler", it is only so when compared to their full-size offerings. Actually, a lot of old American land yachts wind up in Sweden and Norway these days.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/cordoba-a-socio-economic-analysis/
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Chris P. on March 01, 2023, 03:52:17 PM
Guild just introduced the Sarfire I (with the split P) in Pelham Blue. Wow
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: uwe on March 01, 2023, 05:11:59 PM
Quote from: lowend1 on March 01, 2023, 03:35:31 PM
Originally marketed as "The Small Chrysler", it is only so when compared to their full-size offerings. Actually, a lot of old American land yachts wind up in Sweden and Norway these days.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/cordoba-a-socio-economic-analysis/

Land yachts! I've never heard that one, just great!  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Dave W on March 01, 2023, 05:32:41 PM
I never understood why Chrysler marketed "rich Corinthian leather" in the Cordoba. Shouldn't a Cordoba have Cordovan leather?
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: lowend1 on March 01, 2023, 06:35:21 PM
Quote from: Dave W on March 01, 2023, 05:32:41 PM
I never understood why Chrysler marketed "rich Corinthian leather" in the Cordoba. Shouldn't a Cordoba have Cordovan leather?

It was alternately "rich", "fine" and "soft" in the ads. Despite what Letterman says in this interview clip, the Corinthian leather came not from Detroit, but the Radel Leather Manufacturing Company in Newark, New Jersey, where Corinthians were killed on a regular basis to fill Cordoba seat orders.
https://www.facebook.com/RicardoMontalbanForever/videos/1634104960013741/
Title: Re: Yamaha buys Guild
Post by: Pilgrim on March 02, 2023, 02:59:40 PM
Quote from: Dave W on March 01, 2023, 05:32:41 PM
I never understood why Chrysler marketed "rich Corinthian leather" in the Cordoba. Shouldn't a Cordoba have Cordovan leather?

It's really nothing more than a Mopar Grand Prix.

Of course, one could assert that many Grand Prix owners were prix.