Beyond appearance, the Fender Stratocaster shape is incredibly ergonomic.

I don't mind Yamaha's lack of story and budgeted marketing. The new Revstar line and Pacifica Pro line have such cool details like their new pickups and ways to chamber a body that I'd rather have the company pump some more money into the teams who come up with those ideas.

@romeou4965

Ай бұрын

Chris Buck endorses the revstar line and has a signature model. That’s all I need.

I love this multi-topic "news" format for you. It's like a mini podcast.

@salildeshpande7

Ай бұрын

💯 this dude is a gold mine of information

Earlier this year I bought a Yamaha Revstar Standard RSS20T, the P90 pickup model; made in Indonesia, a wonderful guitar built to a higher standard then the last two new Gibsons I purchased. Stainless steel frets, the nut cut correctly, relief was spot on, as was the intonation. A new set of strings, a slight adjustment to the pickup heights and ready to rock. Last two Gibson guitars I bought, an ES-335 and a SG Special could not be intonated as they came from the factory. In both cases they had been built with the bridge posts positioned incorrectly by a few mm. To fix that I had to change the bridges on both, to ones with a wider range of adjustment. Gibson is run by marketing people who have no interest in improving the quality. They just want to sell Murphy Lab models at bullshit prices. Yamaha has been making high quality musical instruments since 1887, seven years before Gibson started. They’ve always had a reputation for high quality but with the Revstar range they decided to try and make a false connection between their guitars and their motorcycles. The bikes are great too but had nothing to do with the British Café Racer scene of the ‘60s. So why put stupid go-faster stripes on some of the models? Why don’t they market based on their heritage of 150 years as a quality instrument manufacturer? Marketing people have a lot to answer for. Which is said with much respect for your marketing insights Utkarsh. Keep up the good work

@mcmotohistory8770

Ай бұрын

Yamaha was a huge part of the early cafe racer scene in the late '60s and on into the early and mid-70s The RD 350 was the ultimate Cafe bike

@DE-GEN-ART

Ай бұрын

i love the revstar, its got a lot going on "under the hood" with its chambers and carbon fiber rods that supposedly enhances its resonance. i like innovative designs and construction while gibson is stuck in the past because their consumer base holds them back every time they try and push boundaries and experiment with something new. the only boundaries gibson is pushing is the price they charge for guitars that have been made the same way for 75 years. if anything they should be getting cheaper with the advancements in technology its never been cheaper to build guitars.

@murraycrawford2741

Ай бұрын

I purchased the RSS-02T earlier this year in Black and just loved the look but compared to the other 18 guitars I own, including top of the line Gibsons, Fenders and PRS, it just didn't do it for me. When I took it back and upgraded to the RSP-02T in Crisp Gold, all of that changed. While it is essentially identical to the made in Indonsian model (which was flawless), it is in a class of its own. The Japaneese build quality is equal to but probably far beyond anything you'll find anywhere in the world (sorry good ol USA). This is my #1 desert island guitar without question and I really never imagined that it would be. I also have 4 Yamaha acoustics including an LL-26 handbuilt Japaneese model that is by far the best acoustic I have played. Sorry Yamaha, you are just not doing it and probably never will. You are misunderstood and likely to never catch on. That sucks for my resale value but, hey, resale will only happen when my family inherits my estate...too bad for them! I'M NOT SELLING!

@andiwonorahardja2120

10 күн бұрын

@@murraycrawford2741 yamaha is like mercedes car ... buy to own not buy to resell. It is not the value of the guitar but to catch what history made on fender and gibson is like dreaming to rewrite the history of the guitar

Your videos are very thought provoking and insightful. Fine work

A Gibson pickup cost more than a Squier Clasic vibe. That is nuts

The Jazz Bass has a thinner nut, 2 single coil pickups and a Offset Body. Jazz Bass is the step up or deluxe model like the Stratocaster. Precision Bass is like a Telecaster.

Everyone had a Yamaha FG acoustic when I was growing up in the 80s. I still have mine and it's aged beautifully.

@bikerjon8934

Ай бұрын

same

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and, please, continue doing so knowing they’re much appreciated! I personally have been learning a lot not only about guitars but more about marketing theory and practice! 👍 Btw, I do have a Squire CV 50s Tele in butterscotch and it plays and feels great. Paid 200 bucks used a few years ago.

Great video! Always love the Classic Vibe series. The necks can sometimes get a little too sticky, but the vintage tint they use is a nice touch.

Great video! Brand recognition for first time guitar buyers is terribly overlooked imo. Much discussion surrounding guitars online comes from people who are long term players with many instruments. But I suspect that first time buyers and more casual buyers might make up a much larger segment of the guitar market than we expect. Because of this, even though Squier Classic Vibe honestly pales in comparison compared to the G&L Tribute series or PRS SE or Sire, people will go for the squier. I honestly think that this idea of having to buy the "original brand" is stronger in Singapore. And so unfortunately I don't expect people to go for other brands (Soloking, Bacchus, etc). We can get actual made in Japan FGNs (used) for less than what Squiers cost these days, but these other brands simply have almost zero visibility. It's disappointing that the Singaporean brand Jethro seems to have been unsuccessful. Fender definitely benefits from a lot of consumer myopia in Singapore: need guitar? go Sweelee? cannot afford Fender? buy Squier.

I think the easy way to remember which bass is that the "Precision" has "Precisely one pickup" 😆

@ministryofguitar

Ай бұрын

Hopefully this will stop me mixing it up

I wouldn’t say the aftermarket pickup industry developed because Gibson pickups “weren’t good enough.” The most coveted pickups on earth are the original Gibson PAF humbuckers, which were discontinued in the mid 60s when Gibson introduced the T Top. The boutique humbucker industry is almost entirely a result of the demand for those specific Gibson PAFs, and all the expensive Gibson pickups are different attempts recreate of those Gibson pickups are among the best in the world. Custombuckers will stack up against Lollars, and even beat them depending on taste

In April 2023 I purchased a Revstar RSS on a whim and though I had no major complaints, it just didn't have any "mojo", imho. Long story short, I wound up selling it six months later.

I have a yamaha rgz and an rgx. They're both nearly 40 years old and have plenty of wear and tear. But you can also tell that they where once excellent guitars back in the day. They still play really well. They're just weathered. I would be interested in seeing a modern take on these.

You're absolutely right! The story of the guitar is everything. For this reason I love to watch the music videos of my favorite bands that show them jamming. I have the same Epiphone Les Paul guitar (1993 Korean cherry red burst) Noel Gallagher used to start his career with Oasis. I've since upgraded the electronics and hardware on the guitar without changing it's look. We want to play improved versions of the guitars we grew up worshipping. For this reason Squier Classic Vibes is killing it. I need at least on Fender style guitar for my arsenal and it'll be a Classic Vibe Stratocaster or Telecaster no doubt. I love Epiphone guitars, but these $1,700 "Greeny" and Slash Les Pauls get under my skin. In the other hand they have a wine red Noel Gallagher Riviera (335 style Epiphone original model) with great components for $899, which seems a sweet spot for such a guitar. Gibson is pushing away many of us who would otherwise love their guitars. Maybe the Gibson is nicer, but I don't want to be associated with any of the Mark Agnesi cork sniffery BS... it's not rock n' roll. Down with the blues lawyers and volume Police! 💪🎸🤘

Hey Utkarsh, if you had to pick one which bridge style do you prefer for playing comfort 1. the 2 piece Tune O'Matic style bridges (like those on McCarty 594) or 2. 1 piece Wrap Around style (like those on Paul's Guitar) Please answer on next AMA.

i was just at GC for memorial day weekend and i saw some neat looking squires, some ibanez GIO's, and a matte black epiphone SG all for $125 a piece. it was crowded so the salesman were swamped so i had free range of the showroom floor, and i played every single budget line and the squires and ibanez's felt the best to me, but honestly you couldnt go wrong picking any of the $125 dollar guitars at that price. but my favorite was a guild that was a simmilar shape as the St.Vincent music man guitar, but im sure it was out of my price range

It's always a good day when we get a Ministry upload! In the 90s, working in a guitar shop, we'd get the odd Pacifica coming in used, and they were always easy for me to recommend to beginners, so underrated and amazing values compared to a lot of the other garbage we'd see come through at the time. I would have loved to hear what your solution to the Pacifica problem would be. My take is I think Yamaha needs to play the long and wide game if they want to get some kind of a story out. Put them into as many guitarists in bands as they can, not focus on the guitar-hero type, but more popular music of unknown artists that could break out. I know this has to be harder now that pop music is such ROI garbage, but I see the possibility of a renaissance for indie bands breaking through. Bands like The Beths, or Wet Leg where the guitar isn't the main focus, but it's there.

@thepostapocalyptictrio4762

Ай бұрын

I’ve seen Geordie from Black MIDI play a Pacifica frequently.

@ministryofguitar

Ай бұрын

I agree with what you are saying. Also beyond the future, there is so much in Yamaha's past and heritage that can be used. I feel like their guitar department is a bit of a forgotten child in the company

Music Man was Leo Fender's company between the sale of Fender to CBS and starting G&L in partnership with his old partner at Fender.

I would like more Squires with jumbo frets. They are great on my J Mascis. And Fender/squire Jaguars are infamous for always needing some “ tweaking”.

Could you use a segment of pt. 3 to talk about the music culture in India/Singapore, as well as a couple stories from your upbringing? You've touched on it, but I'm interested in hearing about it a little more in-depth.

@ministryofguitar

21 күн бұрын

Great thought. Will cover it in the future

Fantastic video as always! Yamaha guitars are some of the best guitars on the market for their each style and application. Yamaha in general is in my top 3 drum manufacturer's of all time (I am a drummer) and I always thought of Yamaha as a perfect working brand, than a "cool and charismatic" brand

Hi! Very interesting videos with a fresh and direct approach. Regarding Yamaha, there is a story but obviously not so strong. Back in late 70s, early 80s there was the SG series, I own a SG 2000s from 1981, a great guitar with a famous built quality and sustain. I would dare to say, better than a Gibson back then. A very heavy guitar also by the way :) It was Santana who "promoted " it in the seventies, I think he recorded the iconic song Europa with this guitar, then he switched to PRS.

@victorbennett5414

Ай бұрын

SA 2000-2200 are amazing as well. I currently have the 2200. I regret selling my SG 2000.

Yamaha has a great story with the development of the Pacifica, and Rich Lasner (who had a big part in designing the RG550 for Ibanez) Pacifica has a huge fanbase, but as you mentioned, as cheaper options to slastrat like guitars. If Pacifica went the way of an affordable Suhr, rather than an Ibanez inspired Strat guitar, then they could get some more hype. As it is now, the new models don't appeal to me enough to spend that kind of money. They need somebody who is an upcoming name to attach to the brand.

I’ve had 5 guitars over 8 years and the mid range pacifica was my 5th guitar. Even tough the guitar doesn’t have a unique tone to it like a les Paul or a 335 for example and has no vibe OR mojo to it, where I found the guitar to win was to be a great studio guitar. It sounds very wide sonically. I’m looking to get a prs s2 McCarty 594 single cut in the blue black finish. What do you think?

@ministryofguitar

21 күн бұрын

the s2 594 is a great guitar. Very different from a pacifica of course. If you want a good Les Paul style guitar, you can't go wrong with it

I Love my classic vibes...as for Yamaha I would've preferred they brought back the SG -2000, maybe with a carved top and mention it's history with Al DiMeola and John Frusciante

Well - they might not be your cup of tea - but a huge amount of incredible music (with incredible tones) has been and continues to be made with Gibson pickups. The replacements - such as the DiMarzio super distortion only came about because the style of the time called for a hotter overwound pickup (or so the marketing people wanted you to think) The vast majority of folks who buy Gibsons don't even think about swapping out their pickups, it's the one thing Gibson routinely gets right in their guitars LOL

The most essential classic vibe I believe is the Bass Vi, because similar 3rd parties are so different and Fender didn't have any viable options below 3 grand, the vintera has narrower spacing which some want but i wanted the burst too just because its beautiful, not nostalgia. Sucks i got it before seeing the walnut one CME got exclusive or the new burned edge white one, its called catalina or something with a c.

Yah the Yamaha guitar line has always been a weird outlier (played a revstar at Sweetwater GearFest a number of years ago and was actually pretty solid for a sub 1K instrument, though amongst a sea of equally great models from established brands, easy for it to get lost in the shuffle). One thing I think Yamaha did do pretty well (though not necessarily a blockbuster) was in amplification with the THR series (portable solid state/headphone amps). Have 10X model that I use all the time and sounds great (weren’t always great, first couple gen models were as bad as some of the worst Line6 models 😅), though finally came out with a satisfactory version about 5 or so years ago. Though with the new Boss Katana series crushing it right now, not sure how well the THR will fair in the long run.

I have a Pac 612. It's probably my last Strat, as its capabilities exceed mine by a good margin. And the Revstar is on the short list, as I do not own a P90-equipped guitar; it might be the best option in the world for

@ilhadi

Ай бұрын

Go for it. That Revstar filled my P90 gap, almost ready to play out of the box (need to lower the action a tad). Great build quality too!

Have you ever tried Shijie guitars?

I have a pair of 80's Yamaha SG's and an RGX superstrat. They are the best guitars I own. It's disappointing that Yamaha has a legacy of making guitars that competed with (and exceeded) the quality of other guitars and is no longer making them. The SG2000 is called a Les Paul killer for a reason. It also being associated with Carlos Santana is a great story. I think Yamaha could match up really well with any guitar manufacturer.

I love Yamaha but just can’t find with a colour combination that speaks to me.

The fact that you're a retired P&G marketing guy explains your strong marketing perspective, which is refreshing in a "nuts and bolts" way. P&G's Cincinnati headquarters are not far from where I work and I've had many co-workers who have either come from P&G or left to work at P&G, so I'm somewhat familiar with their company culture and excellent reputation. I like your honest opinions and ownership that they're just your opinion, not a carved in stone fact. Fender and Gibson do use their "Stories" to drive sales. Everyone wants to drive a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, not some odd startup whose history is non-existent, so "I Get" the "I want a Les Paul", "I want that Strat" vibe because everyone sees those guitars as "Real" guitars that validate your guitarist bona fides. PRS is slowly building their own story with the artists who endorse (and are endorsed by) them and those distinctive birds on the fretboard don't hurt.

Dimarzio was pretty much the first aftermarket pickup manufacturer, and they came up with the "super distortion" humbucker that put them on the map because people wanted something better than the stock gibson pickups

With or without story, Yamaha are great guitars and excellent value for money.

I think Yahama problem is like ibenez , who ran into the lawsuit era . I have had my sbg 500 since 85, and I love it abit heavy and dark sound but oh well

I love my Revstar Rss20

Classic vibe is actually overrated because the necks bow very easily. I had 3. All of them developed a neck bow that could not be corrected within two years. The owner of Andertons had the same issue with his personal classic vibe. 1) they don’t dry the wood long enough 2) they use a very cheap truss rod. Guitar players will argue, but bass players know I’m right. You cannot put La Bella Jamerson strings on a classic vibe. The neck will bow immediately, in real time

@ministryofguitar

Ай бұрын

Very helpful. I wasn't aware of this. Haven't tried it on my bass

@michaelblaney4461

Ай бұрын

I have a classic vibe late 50s P bass strung up with LaBella flats it has survived for a few years now with them on . I put a highmass fender bridge on it and EMG Geezer pickup on it and its fine . I did not want to put them on my Fenders because of the string tension 😅

@APMTenants

Ай бұрын

@@michaelblaney4461 My practice, with anything Squier, is to use the same gauge strings it came with and detune the strings a half step when im not using it. Also, buy it new and let it sit a few years with no string tension before using it

Still in the guitar community there is a function buyer and a name/history buyer. The 1st one may go into yamaha and other less known brand for it's function may exceed the fender/gibson for the same price. But the second buy for the pride (maybe not all true ya) for holding one and others to see. I see in Tim Pierce video playing on Grammy's that showed Dean Parks playing Yamaha Revstar - It is the only proof enough for me for the quality for this brand. And debating which one is the best for the sound is like debating your faith - it will never come to conclusion

I find poplar dull in the upper mids. I actually think Paulownia is better as a cheap bodywood.

Say what you want about the Pacifica, but I love my Revstar Standard.

Yahama’s guitar story is Carlos Santana.. Rubert Neve is the pinnacle of audio industry. Pacifica plus and/or Pro has better specs and sound than 5000usd Fender American Custom Shop which I have both. But Yamahas hard to sell than Fenders.

For me the Gibson pickups are all marketing . Im a bassist and i have changed pickups on a few basses some were better and some "High end Pickups " ive put on were swiftly changed back to the originals😊

Yamaha SA 2000-2200 and SG 2000 are amazing guitars. It's great they are providing high-end Pacificas, but it would have been better to come out with a different line for this purpose that didn't carry the low-end perception of the Pacifica. Yamaha is like BDO. "People who know, know..." lol.

Classic vibe neck is the thing "I think" the radius is more to vintage standards

Would love to get your thoughts overall on Gibson’s various PAF-style pickups, how they compare, etc. For example: Custombuckers, Burstbuckers (1-3, Pro, 60s BB), 57 Classics, 490 variations. Greatly appreciate any consideration you may give to this topic for a future episode.

Ok i own a squier jaguar bass short scale and it's a keeper boy i landed a good one ... the indian laurel fretboard gets a lot of lemon oil and wax to soften the feel n make easier playability .... i owned a squier jazz master and a squier jazz bass .... both went quickly ... the point i'm making u always get what u pay for period apart from Sire .... i think the grade of maple fretboards a that price point is lower but i understand it ... if u go for cheap instruments maple is possibly the choice rather than laurel o jatoba as far as fretboards... poplar is cheap n cheerful but light n often doesn't resonate that much ... i'm a great believer a guitar should resonate well especially unplugged... i live in a place i cannot be loud as my neighbours are very thingy with noise ... i mean i can hear them switching the light off in my bedroom ... joy of victorian houses ... with a great acoustic chamber making things worse ahaha

Poplar is a really good wood for that price point, it’s better then bass wood

I really really love yamahas. I'm one of these die hard fans

I had a revstar .. great build but the electronics are junk .. put real volume and control pots in and a coil split with some Seymour Duncan pickups

One of the biggest problems I have is that no matter how hard I try, I like the 57 classic bridge pickup in my Les Paul studio better than the 58/15+ bridge pickup in my PRS Graveyard LTD... Isn't that messed up? ... Whenever I try not to like the Gibson pickup better, I can't, and I look at that Les Paul and say, "How dare you"

@juanvaldez5422

Ай бұрын

Gibson pickups always sound better than the PRS pickups to me Until I set them in a mix . Then the PRS sounds better

The Yamaha Corp. needs to rebrand their musical instruments division, and name it something cultural but edgy, like Samurai or Pachinko. Epiphone could rebrand their guitar division to Epic Guitar. Many have said Squire basses are legit! Who is the Affinity series really marketed for? The Jump from C.V. Series to Player Series, is it worth the Price Increase? Thanks for this show.

@ministryofguitar

Ай бұрын

I'm not sure on the re-branding but there is definitely a lot of Japanese coolness in the global imagination that they can lean on

You can lump Reverend in the same category.

Probably an outlier, but I like Yamaha's lack of 'story' and would probably buy a Revstar 2nd gen when available in my market. Hi! We're Yamaha! So sorry but we were too busy building reliable and great value acoustic and electric instruments (from at least 3 different factories) for the whole world since the 1960s and much too obsessed with achieving acoustic perfection through both science and tradition. Now we charge less than US made premium to deliver superior quality workmanship and consistency for those discerning customers who grew up trusting our brand. YAMAHA!!! - Superior sound, not stories. 🤣

I think the Revstar is infinitely cooler than the Pacifica. Bochi the Rock picked up a new Pacifica to replace her busted LP, so maybe storytelling is in the works ;)

Yamaha story is the tuning key which stands for high quality musical instruments. Great brass and woodwind instruments plus pianos, keyboards, electric drums and basses. Not every brand needs a face or history like Samsung.

Could you make an episode about the effects of what happens when the CEO of a guitar/effects company goes public and alienates a huge chuck of their audience? for example, Mr PRS recently turned into a cult leader when demanding Tonewood (see the effects of that ninsense when Gibson blurted it out some years ago). exists because he says it exists and not because it is nothing more than marketing(gone awry)

Squier are no doubt the most desirable and most affordable if you want a classic style guitar. Yamaha are kind of the opposite, they might be even better quality than the Classic Vibe but people won't find out because they are anonymous and have no appeal as you say.

That microphone position is ruining my life! 😁

@bikerjon8934

Ай бұрын

yeah

Squire does not put enough effort in quality control. The fret work is atrocious.

Seems like a Godin Session rip off which is a significantly better instrument for almost similiar money!

I think the real question is can the cheap Chinese guitars make an appreciable dent in Fender/Squire. Because Fender is smart (You can see this because they make nearly every type of guitar - whereas Gibson is very limited). Squire just came out with a $119 Debut Series trying to fend off (No pun intended) this cheap Chinese competition. They have ceramic pickups and I think the neck is not standard thin. So they are purposely making a worse quality guitar so they don't destroy their market. But that may not be wise, and they may lose out. RJ makes a stainless steel fret guitar (with admittedly sharp fret ends) for $99. Firefly, Musi and Grote make guitars with stainless steel frets and roasted maple necks for less than $200. And reviewers like Philip McKnight, MusicNGear and scar my guitar have all carefully measured these guitars and they do quite well. It is unclear if the ceramic pickups in most of these are the best. But I think the major brands are simply going to be gone next year if they don't adapt like Squire is doing. Right now you can get a Gretsch with a P90 on Amazon for $250. This is what you have to do.

I don't know, man, ragging on Gibson pickups seems beneath you.

My instant reaction to the Yamaha professional- shockingly expensive for a guitar that has no real name-brand cache like Fender, Gibson, Suhr etc. I fully realize Yamaha makes great guitars, but perception of luxury/high end is a critical factor in high prices- they just don’t have it.

@mikeshinwa3398

Ай бұрын

Very popular opinion with a lot of guitarists it seems. Being a young player, I have no feelings towards any of the older brands. I know their name is synonymous with high quality and a rich history and affiliation with legendary guitarists... but I just don't care. I just go with the guitar I like the sound of and like the feel of. I tried the Pacifica Professional in store and compared it to Fender, Ibanez (more specifically the az2204 prestige model) and Gibson and the Pacifica Pro felt just as premium as any of those other guitars in thes are price range; I bought the Pacifica. Amazing quality all around: high quality hardware, fantastic pickups, premium hard carry case like other high-end guitars... there was not a doubt in my mind that this was no less inferior than its competitions, and depending on your preferences, arguably better. Looks like Yamaha will remain an underrated brand for some more years.

@kamranharoon7249

Ай бұрын

Counterpoint: Which guitar company is likely to put the additional revenue from premium pricing into manufacturing and craftspeople and which to make interest payments on all the extra debt the new private equity owners have loaded it up with?

@Lomoholga2

Ай бұрын

@@kamranharoon7249 I am speaking from the general consumer mentality- general consumers go with brands that are established in the public via a marketing message. Yamaha haven’t established themselves as a high-end maker that can command such prices- regardless of the guitars are far superior to Fenders etc

Yamaha will not break into the guitar market, really? Yamaha sells accustics and and Revstars by the boatloads :)

Poplar has been used in guitars and other instruments for ages. It's a perfectly good wood for that task and is a bit harder than pine. Hell, Tulip Poplar is the state tree here where I am, and there's no shortage of it. lol ( Got enough poplar standing in my yard to make about a million guitars, I guess )

I don’t care if a Classic vibe is $100 new I won’t buy a Laurel or pao ferro anything

There is nothing genius about making electric guitars. Let’s not buy into the marketing BS !

Yamaha makes me think McLaughlin - so, I dunno, not to small an example. Classic Vibe rocks imnho. TY for your vids.