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Yamaha

fingerguy

fingerguy

Inactive
Aug 2, 2016
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#1
I am going to approach this like walking on eggs for I do not want to offend anyone.

As a person new to the world of bass's and coming from the world of guitars (especially acoustics) in the guitar world Yamaha and Squiers are known as budget and eh guitars.

However, I find it very interesting that the Yamaha is the preferred guitar of Billy Sheehan which leads me to ask is my impression of Yamaha's when it comes to bass's wrong?

When people talk about high end bass's especially those with kudos of being the top in their game, I always think Fender and Warwick. Not familiar with all the other brands, but those are the 2 that come to mind and never Yamaha.

Thoughts?
 
#2
Yamaha makes consistently good basses. Their high end models will compete with anything out there and their budget models are great values for their cost. Their BB series of basses have been played and recorded by a lot of pros.

Yamaha's are real sleepers. They aren't as iconic as Fender or Warwick. if you can get past the name on the headstock you will find them to be killer basses.
 
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#3
Yamaha has basses at all price points, and is very well regarded around here. Their QC is second to none, and certainly better than Fender's. I guess the sheer diversity of the Yamaha brand may cause some to think the basses can't be "as good as" those of more specialized manufacturers, but that's not true IME.
 
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#6
True. And Billy's headstock is far different than the standard Yamaha. Same with his scallops and inlays. Billy also likes Hartke, which leads me to believe that Billy likes money. Nobody would consider Hartke a high end brand. Good quality for the money, but not something your average "pro" would consider.

If you just love the Fender headstock then you only really have one choice of manufacturer to buy from. Round here we recommend a P bass, with flats, and tort. Drink the kool-aid!
 
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#9
I'm not sure what Yamaha doesn't have the same traction as other brands. It may have to do with old American biases towards "foreign" instruments, or that Yamaha makes so many other things that it seems weird.
Exposure might have something to do with it. Billy is there more visible player, and he isn't for everyone.
I've played the BB basses and found them to be pretty nice. They are unique takes on the simple Fender staples. I didn't particularly care for the TRB basses.
They seem to be pretty utilitarian, so the looks or options won't grab "boutique" players, and Fender players seem to only like Fenders or cheap knock offs of Fenders. Yamaha just doesn't seem to fit in a niche anywhere.
 
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#11
Not sure where you got the notion that Yamaha basses are equated with "budget" basses. Yes, they make basses of all qualities. They are fine basses. I don't play them, but that means nothing, I know they are great basses.

Squier, on the other hand, IS equated with being Fender's budget basses, although they are a good bang for the buck.
 
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#12
Geri O said:
Not sure where you got the notion that Yamaha basses are equated with "budget" basses. Yes, they make basses of all qualities. They are fine basses. I don't play them, but that means nothing, I know they are great basses.

Squier, on the other hand, IS equated with being Fender's budget basses, although they are a good bang for the buck.
Click to expand...
I didn't say that..here I will copy and paste:
"...in the guitar world Yamaha and Squiers are known as budget and eh guitars. "
 
#13
I think because they have their hand in so many products, they never seem to shine in any particular one. As far as their basses are concerned, you either have the entry/intermediate line and then it makes a huge jump to their signature line which, considering the price tag, you have so many other options out there. My first bass was the TRBX304 which IMO was unmatched in it's price range. The fit and finish on those basses are amazing from what I've seen.
 
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#14
Yamahas cover a wide range of product lines. Budget instruments are often better than comparable ones from other companies. The fancier stuff from Japan and even the US Custom Shop is very, very good. You'll see a lot of pro brass players using Yamaha instruments, and their pianos and keyboards as I understand are also well-regarded.
 
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#15
My impression is that as far as reputation goes, the first thing people think of with Yamaha is solid student instruments. My wife plays classical guitar and when she goes on the classical guitar forums, the advice tends to be buy a boutique luthier's instrument, or if you can't afford that, get a Yamaha. Their steel-string acoustics seem similar; reliable beginners, but people don't often think of their more expensive ones alongside Taylor or Martin. I think it may be a side-effect of the success of their student models rather than any real shortcomings of the higher-end instruments.

The same seems true of their electrics; there was a time lots of people started learning on a Pacifica, so they think cheap Pacifica starter kit when they think Yamaha, when they haven't actually put their hands on a higher-end one. I was in the Boston GC recently and tried out one of the new RevStar guitars they have - at around a $700 price point - and to tell the truth, I fell in love with it. If I played 6-string more I would have bought it, no question.

As far as basses, I've never touched a Yamaha I didn't like. Their new TRBX basses are great takes on modern, active design. For my taste, it's the BB series - love my BB415, it wasn't expensive and it doesn't need to be. Plays great and sounds great just as it is.
 
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#16
I've owned several Yamaha basses. Very well made, good instruments. I moved to Fender basses because that was getting the sound I wanted better than the Yamaha instruments I had. But I would be very open to getting another Yamaha.

Abraham Laboriel has played them a lot, and supposedly used the $400 TRBX305 on some of the "Frozen" soundtrack.
 
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#18
@hrodbert696
I have owned in terms of guitars: 2 Yamaha acoustics, 1 Dean, and currently own: 2 Taylors and 1 Martin. What I know is the Dean is more looks than sound. Yamaha's have a very muddy sound. In fact there is only one Yamaha ever that I actually truly liked but didn't buy because honestly it was a Yamaha. That aside, in regards to nylon string Yamaha's are the most common. The higher ends I would recommend if you find your nylon/classical playing is something you want to do long term. I started on a Yamaha nylon string back when I was in elementary school: it's my sister's and she still owns it to this day. She is 52.
 
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#19
Yamaha makes great guitars and basses and even their 'budget' models are a step up from their similarly priced competition IMO.

Unfortunately, Yamaha doesn't differentiate their budget line from their mid and high-end instruments the way Fender and Gibson do, and so many students start out with Yamaha gear, it's easy to equate the entire brand with 'low-end'.

I have Yamaha electric/acoustic that I bought used in 1999 for $350. It's been my only acoustic for all that time. Every now and then I get to thinking I need to get a 'better' acoustic, but I can never find one that plays and sounds as good or better than what I've got (even among the 'high dollar' guitars) and I always end up going home empty-handed.
 
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#20
Mosstone said:
Yamaha makes great guitars and basses and even their 'budget' models are a step up from their similarly priced competition IMO.

Unfortunately, Yamaha doesn't differentiate their budget line from their mid and high-end instruments the way Fender and Gibson do, and so many students start out with Yamaha gear, it's easy to equate the entire brand with 'low-end'.

I have Yamaha electric/acoustic that I bought used in 1999 for $350. It's been my only acoustic for all that time. Every now and then I get to thinking I need to get a 'better' acoustic, but I can never find one that plays and sounds as good or better than what I've got (even among the 'high dollar' guitars) and I always end up going home empty-handed.
Click to expand...

It's really not that an acoustic is better than another it's more if one acoustic has that muddier sound, while another has a brighter sound, and so on. I love the bright sounds of Taylors which is why they are my preference. My Martin is also bright but it's just a LX1 which is my beater/travel guitar that costs about $350 but so small I can stuff it an overhead storage on an airplane.
 

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