Yamaha

Yamaha is one of the biggest names in music, but the Yamaha name isn’t necessarily associated with guitars very often. Their range of keyboards is one of the most diverse in the world, for example. However, that doesn’t mean Yamaha isn’t there to help gift a guitarist with a great sound. They combine a certain traditionalism with some modern movements, and are generally known for their acoustic output. They’ve also got a great handle on the beginner electric market, too. They started constructing their first guitars in the 1940s and since then have consistently produced guitars which have sold in impressive record numbers.

The Maplewood of the neck helps add a brightness to the top end of the instrument, while rosewood of the fingerboard keeps warmth within. This is comparable to that balanced Gretsch sound. At the same time, they offer you single-coil pickups if you want to guide that bright sound more in the direction of a Strat, as well as humbuckers, meaning you can also add a serious bit of distortion without the worry of annoying buzzing.

In terms of appearance, many Yamaha electric guitars look a little like many of their competitors. For example, the Pacifica is basically a Strat that you can tell isn’t as high in quality. This has really helped back Yamaha from becoming one of the leading figureheads in terms of actual quality, even if they have a massive reach across the market.

On the whole, though, Yamaha is a good choice for true beginners. They are a guitar that is designed to last you a few years in good condition, before your playing ability takes you beyond them, and their guitar starts to give up on you. But that isn’t a flaw; that’s what they’re trying to do.

Some bands worth mentioning associated with playing Yamaha guitars include Duran Duran, Earth Wind and Fire, No doubt and the Goo Goo Dolls. Carlos Santana had a custom Yamaha SG175 which he loved and he worked in collaboration with Yamaha to further improve it and the result was one of their most popular models the SG2000.

Brand origin: Japan

Website: https://yamahaguitargroup.com/company/