Yamaha LL26 and 36 opinions

[William2]

I've been doing a lot of research on classical guitars, and people really seem to love their Yamahas. It is still hard for me to get into an instrument with the Yamaha name on it. I think it's just something left over from my youth that I'm probably never going to get over.

As far as them buying Guild goes, that is just the way it goes these days. When I go into a guitar shop and see a Guild guitar on the wall, I look at it like I am seeing a panama jack t-shirt in Walmart. At this point it's just a name badge being slapped on a product and not much more.  At least with a Martin or a Taylor (or a Larrivee for that matter!) you really are getting that actual product and not something with its name stamped on it. 

I try not to let things like this bother me, but a guitar is such a personal item of enjoyment that emotion ends up getting in the way. 

I agree with you, I'm just buying American. I play lefty and apparently Guild doesn't make lefty models unless you want the Guild Westerly series which is their low-priced instruments made in China. While I will concede China can make nice guitars, the resale value is poor. I'm still trying to sell one I bought earlier this year. I was just watching Guitar Hunter review a Touchstone (Bourgois / Eastman) collaboration. Jeremy said while it is a very good instrument, it will have a much lower resale value than an all American. And at the price point of $2800 they are in competition with the Martin D-18. And then he pointed out the things that just spell China, the smell of glue inside the instrument instead of wood LOL, the glossing of the bridge and fretboard, and a couple of other things. I sold a couple of Martin's earlier this year and I'm sorry I did. I just re-purchased a Martin D-15 Street Master. The first one sold fast for almost what I paid for it and this new one is a keeper.

[Silence Dogood]

I agree with you, I'm just buying American. I play lefty and apparently Guild doesn't make lefty models unless you want the Guild Westerly series which is their low-priced instruments made in China. While I will concede China can make nice guitars, the resale value is poor. I'm still trying to sell one I bought earlier this year. I was just watching Guitar Hunter review a Touchstone (Bourgois / Eastman) collaboration. Jeremy said while it is a very good instrument, it will have a much lower resale value than an all American. And at the price point of $2800 they are in competition with the Martin D-18. And then he pointed out the things that just spell China, the smell of glue inside the instrument instead of wood LOL, the glossing of the bridge and fretboard, and a couple of other things. I sold a couple of Martin's earlier this year and I'm sorry I did. I just re-purchased a Martin D-15 Street Master. The first one sold fast for almost what I paid for it and this new one is a keeper.

I like that guy's YT channel a lot and have spent more time than I care to admit on it.

I can't shake the Made in China thing either.  Again, emotion wins out.  The phone I'm typing on is made there, and I can deal with that, but I actually sold a mandolin that was made there because it bothered me every time I played it.

"The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing," etc.   It's probably partially a generation thing too.  I view things made in China as toylike where someone younger doesn't think anything of it.  Same as when I was a kid in the 80s and my grandfather would scoff at something made in Taiwan, etc. 

[StringPicker6]

I can't shake my Made in China bias either. It bothers me that EVERYTHING is made there now.

As far as Yamaha, I played a few today and they are very impressive. This is truly a golden age of high quality guitars at reasonable prices. I liked a few, but then went home and played my L. I'm happy with what I've got. 

[Queequeg]

I can't shake my Made in China bias either. It bothers me that EVERYTHING is made there now.

Seems that way; doesn't it?
But it's not quite as bad as all that.
In 2021, 8.6% of total U.S. exports of $1.8 trillion to the World were exported to China and 17.9% of total U.S. Imports of $2.8 trillion were imported from China. So more than 4/5 of our imports were not made in China.
Meanwhile, about 12% of US manufacturers with factories in China have returned, or have committed to bringing their manufacturing back home.
And it's worth mentioning that US exports have not fallen as Chinese imports increased.
In addition, most recently there's a great deal of new investment in factory construction and electronics manufacturing here at home.
Lots of Chinese goods on store shelves?
Sure. And it's impossible to buy a TV made domestically.
But it's not all gloom and doom.
On a personal note, the last two IMPORTED guitars I purchased were made in Ireland.

[William2]

I was watching a video review of the new Guild guitars. Yamaha apparently owns Guild Guitars in addition to motorcycles etc. And I just lost my urge to own a Guild Guitar. "Yes ..by acquiring Cordoba Music Group in Feb 2023 that also owns Cordoba guitars, Guilds (founded 1953, acquired by Cordoba Music in 2014), HumiCase, DeArmond (pickups maker), Savares and Aquila."

As an update, I just saw on AGF that the new line of Guilds (the new iteration of the USA- built D40 standard, an F40 standard, and a new D50 standard in rosewood. First rosewood dread in a few years.) doesn't have a dovetail connection. I wonder if this new bolt on connection system is the shape of the future.

[StringPicker6]

Today I was able to play a Yamaha FGX3 with a torrefied top. Very, VERY impressive tone. The kind of tone that stays in your memory. Get away from me, G.A.S.!!!