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Trading Licks: Episode 12 – Triads, Motifs and Intervallic Lines

This month we’re going to be jamming over a C Dorian progression using diatonic triads, melodic motifs and descending Intervallic lines. Let’s take a look at the chord progression first, and get a visual breakdown of why we are looking at a C Dorian tonality. The Chord Progression This month’s two-bar chord sequence contains a… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 12 – Triads, Motifs and Intervallic Lines

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | David Ryan Harris

Although he had been performing and recording for many years, most listeners first heard the talented guitar stylings of David Ryan Harris on Dionne Farris’ hit single “I Know,” back in 1995. The rootsy slide parts of Farris’ tune might seem disconnected from Harris’ smooth R&B work or his playing with John Mayer, but dig… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | David Ryan Harris

Trading Licks: Episode 11 – Instant Lydian Using the Minor Pentatonic Scale

This month we’re going to be jamming over a C Lydian progression. We’ll be using a simple, but unique approach to outline that modality, perhaps one you’d never thought of. The rhythmic approach to the chord progression features several “pushes” (upbeat anticipations) and a cool double-stop embellishment … so it’s well worth learning the chord… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 11 – Instant Lydian Using the Minor Pentatonic Scale

Breakthroughs | Theo & Brenna MacMillan

Kentucky native Theo MacMillan is currently taking Nashville by storm (along with his banjo-playing sister) and he has lots to say about acoustic construction, good tone, and cool custom inlays.

Trading Licks: Episode 10 – Nailing The “Hendrix” Chord

This month we’re going to be jamming over a funky D7(#9) progression. In fact, all three chords in this progression are altered dominant 7th chords with a sharp ninth alteration. These chords are often referred to as the “Hendrix” chord. Think of the song “Purple Haze” and you’ll understand why. The tonal center resolution point… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 10 – Nailing The “Hendrix” Chord

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Chris Buck

The master of tone and touch reveals what makes him feel “connected” to a guitar and why sometimes less input produces better results.

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jack Gibson

The “Big Four” of thrash—Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer—rewrote the rules of metal in the 1980s. And if you were ever to expand that list beyond four bands, Exodus would most certainly make the cut. The Bay Area outfit was wildly influential and are regarded worldwide as pioneers of the genre. For more than 20… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jack Gibson

Catching up with Billy Sheehan

The late, great Les Paul once said he wanted to create music that was so unique his mother could instantly tell his playing apart from anyone else’s. It’s a goal few guitarists have truly achieved, and one met by perhaps an even smaller number of bassists. One four-stringer, however, who has always had a super… Continue reading Catching up with Billy Sheehan

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jake Eddy

If Dobro superhero Rob Ickes says you can play, you can really play. Bluegrass guitarist Jake Eddy not only got that verbal blessing from Ickes, he got a musical one too, as Ickes and other bluegrass luminaries guested on Eddy’s eponymous record in 2021. More recently, Eddy collaborated with his brother Carter and Victor Furtado… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jake Eddy

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Amos Heller

The pop music world is no stranger to hyperbole. Everything is a smash, every artist a star… or a megastar. Those terms get thrown around so easily that they can lose their meaning. But what if you found yourself on what is, quite literally, the biggest tour in history? Well, you could ask Amos Heller… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Amos Heller

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. We’re celebrating by sharing some of our favorite tracks by musicians of Hispanic Heritage. Enjoy this playlist curated by… Continue reading Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Richard Jones

Stereophonics bass man Richard Jones has played a lot of big gigs on a lot of big stages with his storied Welsh band. From his rock-approved beginnings dressing up as AC/DC’s Angus and Malcolm Young with Stereophonics’ frontman Kelly Jones when they were just wee lads, Richard has spent the last 30 years creating infectious,… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Richard Jones

Trading Licks: Episode 9 – Targeting the Six and Nine

This month we’re going to be jamming over a cool B Dorian rock progression. The B Dorian mode is the second mode in the key of A Major. Simply put, B Dorian is the A Major scale played from B to B. The intervals we create by sequencing from the second tone of a major… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 9 – Targeting the Six and Nine

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jeff Schroeder

The Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder is a tough guy to pin down. On the one hand, he plays in one of the biggest alternative bands of all time, and yet it’s not out of place for him to wear a Michael Schenker t-shirt while he does so. He seems equally at home playing dreamy,… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jeff Schroeder

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jordan Tice

Jordan Tice’s deft fingerstyle work has made him a steadily rising star in the bluegrass and Americana worlds since his 2005 debut. Whether on his solo releases (including his most recent, Motivational Speakeasy) or his collaborations with Hawktail and Haas Kowert Tice, or even performing the music of actor/musician Steve Martin, Tice delivers touch, tone,… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Jordan Tice

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Fred Sablan

Many music fans were introduced to Fred Sablan when he was tapped as the Deftones’ bassist in mid-2022. Originally from Cupertino, CA, Sablan played both guitar and bass in various punk bands and, like many of his contemporaries, was influenced by Joy Division and New Order bassist (and Yamaha signature artist) Peter Hook. Sablan’s career… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Fred Sablan

Trading Licks: Episode 8 – Melodic Contours

This month we’re going to be jamming over an R&B style groove, with a tonal center of E7. That means we’ll be phrasing our lines and licks towards the chord-tones of E7. The tones of E, G#, B and D will be the strongest tones to resolve on, from the two melodic devices I’ve chosen… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 8 – Melodic Contours

Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Corey McCormick

Corey McCormick has lent his deep bass grooves to performances and recordings with such diverse stars as Neil Young, Chris Cornell, Willie Nelson, Vertical Horizon, and his current gig with Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real. And if you’ve heard his playing or caught a live show, he was probably working his low-end magic… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Custom Shop | Corey McCormick

Breakthroughs | Alison Whiteacre

Alison Whiteacre has had an amazing music career as a recording artist, producer, composer for film, TV, and commercials, and the publisher of her own 4500-plus track music catalog. She’s also a parent, a daughter, and a transition and leadership coach. Through her own transformative quest, Alison has cultivated a profound ability to guide others… Continue reading Breakthroughs | Alison Whiteacre

Record Store Day 2023: Steady Holiday

Record Store Day is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role they play in their communities. To mark this year’s Record Store Day, we spoke to Yamaha… Continue reading Record Store Day 2023: Steady Holiday

Record Store Day 2023: Jamie Lenman

Trading Licks: Episode 7 – Double-Stop Phrases

This month we’re going to be jamming over a mid-tempo rock track, in the key of A. We’ll be phrasing a mixture of double-stop ideas that start on the upbeat of one. Phrasing on the upbeats sounds a little more “hip” than if we start our phrases on the downbeats … I think you’ll like… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 7 – Double-Stop Phrases

Record Store Day 2023 – Chris Buck (Cardinal Black)

Trading Licks: Episode 6 – The Dorian Mode / Shifting Keys

This month we’re going to be jamming over a swing sixteenth Dorian progression, and modulating through four different keys. We’ll be targeting the Major 6th in all four keys to really evoke the characteristic sound of the Dorian mode. The Dorian mode, simply put, is the second mode of any Major Scale. So if you… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 6 – The Dorian Mode / Shifting Keys

Breakthroughs | Alana Colvin

Alana Colvin is a multi-instrumentalist, recent music college graduate, and proof that even young musicians can have meaningful and significant breakthroughs in their journeys. Hi Alana. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about your background? I was born in Cleveland, Ohio but moved early on to Seattle, which had a great influence on… Continue reading Breakthroughs | Alana Colvin

International Women’s Day 2023 | An Interview with JUNO the Artist

In celebration of International Women’s Day we connected with JUNO the Artist to discuss her beginnings as a musician, her creative process, and her experiences teaching guitar.

Trading Licks: Episode 5 – Adding Tones To The Pentatonic Scale

Trading Licks – Adding Tones To The Pentatonic Scale This month we’re going to be jamming over a cool R&B progression in A Minor. We’ll be using the A Minor Pentatonic scale with added chromatic tones, and the Major 6th (F#) to create our five, four-bar phrases. I’ve added the chromatic tones to create 16th… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 5 – Adding Tones To The Pentatonic Scale

Trading Licks: Episode 4 – Question & Answer / Ascending & Descending Lines

This month we’re going to be jamming over a blues, rock progression with a tonal center resolution point of C7. We’ll be using C9 arpeggios and the C Blues Scale to create our eight licks. I’ve also added a healthy amount of chromatic tones to each of the melodic devices this month. Those chromatic tones… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 4 – Question & Answer / Ascending & Descending Lines

Trading Licks: Episode 3 – Intervallic Lines

This month we’re going to be jamming over a cool 2-bar progression in the key of A Minor. We’ll be using the A Minor Pentatonic scale and the A Natural Minor scale (C Major) for those improvisations. I’ll be starting each two-bar, Intervallic phrase on the downbeat of one, in order to maximize the two-bar… Continue reading Trading Licks: Episode 3 – Intervallic Lines

YGD Custom Shop | Steady Holiday Custom Revstar

Steady Holiday is the solo project of Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress Dre Babinski. She discovered Revstar guitars when performing at a Yamaha showcase at SXSW in 2019, and the series has been her mainstay ever since. “I’ve played around on several different Yamaha models, but quickly landed on the Revstar,” she recalls. “I love the elegance… Continue reading YGD Custom Shop | Steady Holiday Custom Revstar

Breakthroughs | The Rough & Tumble

Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler wrote and performed together for several years before it just made sense to form The Rough & Tumble in 2011. But it wasn’t until one warm evening in April a few years later as they left most of their worldly possessions behind and stepped into a rickety 16’ camper that… Continue reading Breakthroughs | The Rough & Tumble

Trading Licks: Phrasing on the Downbeat of Two

In this month’s “Trading Licks” session we’ll be playing over a really cool E Mixolydian progression. We’ll be targeting the characteristic note and starting each two-bar phrase on the downbeat of two. We’ll be using the E Minor Pentatonic Scale and the E Blues Scale for our melodic device, and I’ve intentionally started each of… Continue reading Trading Licks: Phrasing on the Downbeat of Two

YGD Custom Shop | Bobby Dall Custom BB Basses

With big flake sparkle finishes in orange and silver, these custom BB basses look and sound spectacular under the stage lights with Bobby Dall of Poison. Bobby has played BB basses since 1989, when the band was recording the Flesh & Blood album at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, Canada with producer Bruce Fairbairn. “I wanted a… Continue reading YGD Custom Shop | Bobby Dall Custom BB Basses

Trading Licks – Phrasing On The Upbeats

Download the Line 6 Helix patch Download audio backing tracks Join us as we dive into the Trading Licks series with Robbie Calvo. Trading Licks are a series of video jam sessions optimized to teach you improvisational concepts to expand your musical horizons and keep you moving forward as a musician. These monthly episodes feature… Continue reading Trading Licks – Phrasing On The Upbeats

Yamaha Guitars Pride 2022

In celebration of Pride this year, we’ve put together a collective playlist highlighting songs and artists from the LGBTQ+ community, as well as some allies. Chosen by Yamaha Guitars employees from different roles and locations around the world, these tracks each hold a special meaning for us and we’ve included a few below. Enjoy! Harry… Continue reading Yamaha Guitars Pride 2022

The Revstar Story

PART I: NEVER STANDING STILL The Revstar story begins in a converted pickle factory in England. Located a short walk from The Oval cricket ground in leafy South-West London, the building is home to forpeople–a bold creative agency enlisted by Yamaha to collaborate on the design and marketing of a new range of electric guitars.… Continue reading The Revstar Story

THR History: Ten Years of the Original Desktop Amplifier

Part I: From Concept to Desktop THR® product development began with what seemed like a specifically Japanese problem. With generally smaller living spaces and significantly higher population density than in the West, it could be difficult for Japanese guitarists to practice without disturbing their neighbors. “We always had a hard time playing guitar with great… Continue reading THR History: Ten Years of the Original Desktop Amplifier

YGD Custom Shop | Fred Kosak’s Custom FG Guitar

Andrew Enns, a Senior Acoustic Guitar Builder at the Yamaha Guitar Development custom shop in Calabasas, California, recently built a one-of-a-kind FG acoustic guitar for Fred Kosak of Stillhouse Junkies. Learn more about Fred and the guitar. I love that it retains some of the classic Yamaha design features while breaking new ground as a… Continue reading YGD Custom Shop | Fred Kosak’s Custom FG Guitar

YGD Custom Acoustic Guitars with Yamaha Acoustic Guitar builder Andrew Enns

Yamaha Guitar Development is a custom shop in Calabasas, California, where luthiers build acoustic, electric, and bass guitars for Yamaha artists. The shop is also a research & development facility, contributing to production guitars that are available to customers around the world. In this interview, Master Acoustic Guitar Designer and Luthier Andrew Enns talks about… Continue reading YGD Custom Acoustic Guitars with Yamaha Acoustic Guitar builder Andrew Enns

Record Store Day 2021: How I Got Nominated for a Grammy

For Record Store Day, our Social Media team asked around the Yamaha Guitar Group for stories about our love of music. As you would expect, our office is full of passionate music lovers and active musicians, and my best music story might be about the time I was nominated for a Grammy award. After my… Continue reading Record Store Day 2021: How I Got Nominated for a Grammy

Record Store Day 2021: Analog, Digital, and the Joy of Listening

The obvious takeaway is that the music is ultimately more important than the medium—but the right equipment can enhance the experience. I love how a power chord feels through a cranked tube amp, and I love how a record invites me to pay attention.“ My most recent vinyl purchase–Signals, Calls, and Marches by Mission of… Continue reading Record Store Day 2021: Analog, Digital, and the Joy of Listening

Record Store Day 2020 | Part III

One of the biggest annual events on the music calendar, Record Store Day is when independent record shops around the world come together to celebrate their unique culture. Special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day and many shops and cities host artist performances and events to mark the occasion. This year, Record Store… Continue reading Record Store Day 2020 | Part III

Record Store Day 2020 | Part II

One of the biggest annual events on the music calendar, Record Store Day is when independent record shops around the world come together to celebrate their unique culture. Special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day and many shops and cities host artist performances and events to mark the occasion. This year, due to… Continue reading Record Store Day 2020 | Part II

Record Store Day 2020 | Part I

One of the biggest annual events on the music calendar, Record Store Day is when independent record shops around the world come together to celebrate their unique culture. Special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day and many shops and cities host artist performances and events to mark the occasion. This year, due to… Continue reading Record Store Day 2020 | Part I

Yamaha Guitar Development Open House Online

We recently celebrated 30 years of Yamaha Guitar Development during YGD’s debut Open House Online, which streamed live on Thursday, August 13, 2020, from 11:00 am to 5:30 pm (PDT). Ampeg and Line 6 also participated in the event. The illuminating, artist-centric event marked the very first time the inner workings of the Yamaha Guitar… Continue reading Yamaha Guitar Development Open House Online

Custom Shop | Matteo Mancuso’s Revstar

Many fans first heard Italian guitarist Matteo Mancuso when SNIPS, a jazz/fusion band based in Sicily, released a video performance of “The Chicken.” With more than a million views on YouTube, the video is a showcase for his musicianship and unique fingerpicking technique, as he interprets the jazz-funk standard on his Revstar. Matteo recently collaborated… Continue reading Custom Shop | Matteo Mancuso’s Revstar

Artist Insight | Alli Walker

Singer-songwriter Alli Walker grew up in Prince Edward Island, Canada, playing piano, drums, and bagpipes. A self-confessed “tomboy” who took great pleasure in beating the boys in drum battles, Alli later discovered Avril Lavigne and Taylor Swift: two strong female artists who inspired her to pick up and play the guitar in a typically “all-boys… Continue reading Artist Insight | Alli Walker

Yamaha THR-II | Yvette Young

Artist, pianist, and guitarist and songwriter for instrumental math-rock band Covet, Yvette Young shares how teaching herself to play guitar empowered her, explains how she developed her playing technique, and tells us why she brings her THR30II Wireless with her on tour. Hi Yvette. Thank you for taking the time out to chat with us.… Continue reading Yamaha THR-II | Yvette Young

Artist Insight | Johnny Lloyd

Hello Johnny, thanks for taking the time to chat with us today. Let’s start out with an introduction. For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of listening to Johnny Lloyd, how would you introduce yourself and your music? I’m a singer-songwriter. I was originally in the band Tribes from 2010 to 2013. We had Top… Continue reading Artist Insight | Johnny Lloyd

Yamaha THR-II | Jeff Schroeder

Yamaha artist Jeff Schroeder is a guitarist with The Smashing Pumpkins. We spoke to him about the band’s most recent tour, his new project Night Dreamer, and his experience with the new THR30II Wireless amplifier. Hi Jeff! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.The Smashing Pumpkins have just finished a huge tour with… Continue reading Yamaha THR-II | Jeff Schroeder

Custom Shop | Nathan East

Nathan East has been a Yamaha artist for more than three decades and remains one of the world’s most sought-after musicians. As a bassist, producer & songwriter, Nathan has collaborated with numerous top artists from Barry White and Kenny Loggins to Eric Clapton and Anita Baker. His Grammy Award winning steady groove and bass lines… Continue reading Custom Shop | Nathan East

Artist Insight | Jason Corbett

From Vancouver, Canada, ACTORS make waves with a modern take on post-punk. “There’s an honesty in good music,” says ACTORS frontman Jason Corbett, who writes, produces, mixes, and masters all of the band’s music at his Jacknife Sound studio. “So, whether it’s what you like or don’t like–you can hear when it’s real, when it’s… Continue reading Artist Insight | Jason Corbett

Butch Walker | RubyRed Productions Insight

Artist, songwriter, and Grammy nominated producer Butch Walker has been hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of America’s best singer-songwriters.”The Yamaha artist invited us into his RubyRed Productions studio in Santa Monica, where along with his own records, he has produced music by the likes of Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Taylor Swift, The Struts, P!NK, and Brian… Continue reading Butch Walker | RubyRed Productions Insight

The Ongoing History of Yamaha Folk Guitar

Yamaha celebrated the 50th anniversary of Yamaha Guitars in 2016, marking the year in which we first began exporting guitars outside of Japan. Nineteen-sixty-six was also the year in which we introduced our first steel-string acoustics: the FG-Series folk guitars. Many of those guitars had an instantly identifiable red label on the inside, and for… Continue reading The Ongoing History of Yamaha Folk Guitar

Artist Insight | Jacob Berry

Yamaha artist Jacob Berry plays guitar and keys for indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club. We talk to him about his inspirations as a guitarist, what he looks for in a guitar and his experiences with the band. Yamaha Guitars: Hey Jacob! Thanks for taking some time out to chat with us. Let’s start out… Continue reading Artist Insight | Jacob Berry

International Women’s Day 2019 | #WithHerGuitar Contest

Happy International Women’s Day! The theme this year is #balanceforbetter and to do our bit to help strike that balance in the music industry we’re launching the #WithHerGuitar campaign where we’ll hear from Yamaha artists on what inspired them to pick up a guitar and also give YOU a chance to win an instrument. Tell… Continue reading International Women’s Day 2019 | #WithHerGuitar Contest

Custom Shop Chat | Billy Sheehan ATTITUDE LTD 3

Bass legend and longtime Yamaha artist Billy Sheehan has played bass on dozens of records and toured all over the world for many decades, his unique and original style of playing has been celebrated and documented everywhere. His playing, singing, songwriting, and contributions to his many recordings have resulted in millions of records sold, Platinum… Continue reading Custom Shop Chat | Billy Sheehan ATTITUDE LTD 3

Custom Shop | #YGDConcept Guitars

From the Yamaha Artist Services Facility in LA (YASLA), we not only make custom models and modifications to our artists’ instruments, we also like to experiment; testing different materials, finishes and designs, exploring how we can take our guitars in new directions. For NAMM 2019, our Senior Guitar Designer and Luthier Pat Campolattano worked his… Continue reading Custom Shop | #YGDConcept Guitars

Artist Insight | Travis Vance & Nathan Whitney

Yamaha artists Travis Vance and Nathan Whitney together perform in Pop – Country star Thomas Rhett’s band, playing to fans in stadiums worldwide.We sat down with the guitarist and bassist to talk about what they look for in their gear, musicians who inspire them, and how it feels to play on stage in front of… Continue reading Artist Insight | Travis Vance & Nathan Whitney

Custom Shop Chat | Jade Puget’s Revstar

Guitarist, producer, songwriter and synthesist Jade Puget is best known as one quarter of hardcore punk revivalists AFI (A Fire Inside). Since ’91, AFI have amassed a huge global following, played numerous worldwide tours and released 10 studio albums – ranging in genre. Last year we got acquainted with Jade and introduced him to the… Continue reading Custom Shop Chat | Jade Puget’s Revstar

Artist Insight | Laura Jane Grace

I believe that every guitar has a soul, not quite a consciousness but pretty close to it.” In the midst of the debut Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers album release excitement, we were lucky enough to get some of guitarist, songwriter, front-woman and transgender rights activist Laura’s rare free time to chat about… Continue reading Artist Insight | Laura Jane Grace

Artist Insight | Freya Ridings

24 year old singer songwriter Freya Ridings is one to watch. Currently storming the UK charts with her soulful single ‘Lost Without You’, Ridings has a sold out UK and Ireland tour to look forward to, and is the first female British singer songwriter to 100% write a UK Top 10 hit in over 6… Continue reading Artist Insight | Freya Ridings

Custom Shop Chat | Shakira’s Gold Revstar

Over the course of her career, Colombian singer-songwriter and Grammy winner Shakira has sold over 60 million records worldwide and has won numerous awards including two Grammys, eight Latin Grammys, and several World Music Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. To add to that, she is the only artist from South America to… Continue reading Custom Shop Chat | Shakira’s Gold Revstar

Custom Shop Chat | Scott Holiday’s “Big Daddy” Revstar

Long beach Rockers Scott Holiday, David Beste, Jay Buchanan and Michael Miley aka Rival Sons have been blasting out “sunkissed psychedelia and irresistible hooks” (The Guardian) since 2009, with a huge global fan base who give it their all at their electric shows. The intention of Guitarist and founder Scott Holiday, in his own words,… Continue reading Custom Shop Chat | Scott Holiday’s “Big Daddy” Revstar

Artist Insight | Katie Cole

“My career comes with a lot of hyphens.” – Australian-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Yamaha Artist, Katie Cole took some time to talk to us about her musical beginnings, inspirations and playing with The Smashing Pumpkins. Yamaha Guitars: For those who haven’t heard you before, who is Katie Cole? Katie Cole: I’m an Australian-born, Nashville-based artist. I’m a… Continue reading Artist Insight | Katie Cole

Yamaha Artists talk influential records for Record Store Day 2018

Record Store Day, “a day for the people who make up the world of the record store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities.” To celebrate this year we asked some Yamaha artists… Continue reading Yamaha Artists talk influential records for Record Store Day 2018

Female Artists Take Control for International Women’s Day 2018

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, as well as a call to action for accelerating gender parity. We are extremely proud that so many inspiring women choose a Yamaha Guitar or Bass as their weapon of choice, and decided to reach out to a… Continue reading Female Artists Take Control for International Women’s Day 2018

Custom Shop Chat | Pat Campolattano

Based out of our Yamaha Artist Services Facility in Los Angeles (YASLA), Yamaha Guitars designer & luthier Pat Campolattano is the man behind many of our custom models, as well as the go-to guy for artist modifications. YASLA is all about tying together unparalleled Artist support with R&D to make better instruments. It doesn’t matter… Continue reading Custom Shop Chat | Pat Campolattano

NAMM House | Poolside Sessions

Seeking some chill time away from the hectic Anaheim Convention Centre where the 2018 NAMM Show was in full swing, we set up camp a short drive away where we could host some of our European artists for some laid back sessions. Check them out… Hyleen | Pacifica From France we welcomed Hyleen, Nicolas Viccaro… Continue reading NAMM House | Poolside Sessions

INK, PUNK AND GUITARS | TOKYO HIRO

At this year’s NAMM Show we unveiled a hand painted custom Revstar as part of a collaboration with iconic Tattoo Artist Tokyo Hiro. For those of you who haven’t heard of Tokyo Hiro yet, settle in. His Japanese origin mixed with Punk Rock LA style is refreshing. When we stumbled across his Instagram feed full… Continue reading INK, PUNK AND GUITARS | TOKYO HIRO

Revstar on the Reeperbahn | Freddie Edwards

At the annual Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany; every September artists, fans and industry insiders from all over the World flock to the country’s second city to see lectures, shows and whatever’s shaping the music industry. With a special focus on emerging artists, it’s a great place to discover new favourite bands. Alternative Pop trio… Continue reading Revstar on the Reeperbahn | Freddie Edwards

DREAMCAR BB | Tony Kanal

Our relationship with Tony Kanal is a special one, one that we are sincerely proud of. Since ’87 when he borrowed money from his Dad to buy his first Bass (a natural finish BB1600) to play shows after school, over 2 decades with ska/pop-rock legends No Doubt, to present day & the beautiful custom BB3000… Continue reading DREAMCAR BB | Tony Kanal

Revstar on the Reeperbahn 2017 | Noa Lachmi

It’s the annual Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany; every September artists, fans and industry insiders from all over the World flock to the country’s second city to see lectures, shows and whatever’s shaping the music industry. With a special focus on emerging artists, it’s a great place to discover new favourite bands. Yamaha Artist Noa… Continue reading Revstar on the Reeperbahn 2017 | Noa Lachmi

THE MAGIC BASS | DAVE CATCHING

Introducing… Eagles of Death Metal, Masters of Reality, Mojave Lords, earthlings? & Gnarltones guitarist and iconic Rancho De La Luna studio host Dave Catching! We caught wind of a rumour from the Desert about a certain Yamaha Bass finding its way onto some seriously iconic Rock records, and Dave Catching being responsible. So we… Continue reading THE MAGIC BASS | DAVE CATCHING

Record Store Day 2017 | Robby Takac | Goo Goo Dolls

Goo Goo Dolls bassist and longtime BB player Robby Takac spills on which records have always stuck with him and dishes out some recommendations on this Record Store Day… Robby! Tell us, what are your favorite albums of all time? Todd Rundgren – A Wizard A True StarThe Rolling Stones – Through The Past DarklyBad Brains – I… Continue reading Record Store Day 2017 | Robby Takac | Goo Goo Dolls

Record Store Day 2017 | Dave Keuning | The Killers

Whenever we can, we like going record shopping with artists. When we were finished on a recent Revstar photoshoot with Dave Keuning of The Killers, we dropped into Lou’s Records in San Diego to pick up a few additions to his collection. These are the records that made the cut: Dave’s picks1. George Harrison “Thirty Three and… Continue reading Record Store Day 2017 | Dave Keuning | The Killers

Record Store Day 2017 | DOYLE

It’s our favourite annual holiday…Record Store Day! “But every day is Record Store Day!” we hear you say. True, but today we’d like to get wrapped up in the hype and celebrate it with some of our Yamaha Guitars Family!First up Misfit DOYLE… Hey DOYLE! What are your all-time favorite records? Pain Killer Judah PriestQueen IIKISS… Continue reading Record Store Day 2017 | DOYLE

Billy Sheehan’s Acrylic Bass!

Billy Sheehan’s ability to weave the needs of his playing style into the design of his instruments is uncanny. Every aspect of his signature Attitude bass has been thought out and tested over and over again on the road for years, with continuing new models coming out every so often as refinements of his original… Continue reading Billy Sheehan’s Acrylic Bass!

YAMAHA FG Exhibition

The world’s largest collection of Yamaha’s FG guitars recently went on display in Japan for fans to get hands-on with history! There were over 130 guitars available to play and admire, including some built prior to our Red Label, our very first “Dynamic Guitar,” and even some of the latest FG800 models released this year.… Continue reading YAMAHA FG Exhibition

Tony Kanal | Yamaha Interview

A few weeks ago our friend Tony Kanal reached out to see if we could get some of his Yamaha BB’s studio-ready to start recording with his new project, which features fellow No Doubt members Tom Dumont and Adrian Young as well as A.F.I. singer Davey Havok. One of the basses we received in our… Continue reading Tony Kanal | Yamaha Interview

SG1802 Stevie D Custom

SG1802 Stevie D Custom Mahogany body Mahogany neck Nitrocellulose lacquer finish Rosewood fingerboard with ‘D’ inlay on 12th fret Thorn Guitars GT-90 neck McNelly Cornucopia custom P-90 housing bridge Gotoh 510 tuners Tonepros AVRII bridge Bigsby B7 tremolo

Jack Gibson

There are Thrash Metal bands and then there is Exodus. Bassist and long time Yamaha artist Jack Gibson invited YGD to one of the band’s two sold out shows at The Wiltern in Los Angeles in support of King Diamond and it was intense! Jack and drummer Tom Hunting, who also is part of the… Continue reading Jack Gibson

Custom Pacifica for Devin Trout (Sam Smith)

For his upcoming world tour with Sam Smith, new Yamaha artist Devin Trout knew he was going to need a guitar that stood out both tonally and visually for the thousand of fans at each venue. We started with a Pacifica 510V as the base and went crazy from there. After stripping all the finish… Continue reading Custom Pacifica for Devin Trout (Sam Smith)

“New” BB414 for Robby Takac

There’s nothing worse for many musicians than putting the first ding or scratch into a brand new instrument. It hurts! For Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls though, the more beat up his Yamaha BBs the better. Here’s the process behind Robby’s BB414s: First, we take brand new bass from the rack and immediately… Continue reading “New” BB414 for Robby Takac

Tony Kanal Custom BB3000

One of Tony Kanal’s favorite basses is a BB3000 he bought in Japan while on tour there in the late ’90s. With that in mind, when we started putting together the concept with Tony for his next YGD BB we decided getting our hands on an original would be a cool starting place. The BB3000… Continue reading Tony Kanal Custom BB3000

Scotti Hill of Skid Row | Custom Pacifica

When given the opportunity to build a custom Pacifica for Scotti Hill of Skid Row, we wanted to design a guitar that was just like the artist and his playing style: unpretentious, unapologetic and full of soul. Other than the Pacifica body and headstock shape we left no other spec untouched. Here is a list… Continue reading Scotti Hill of Skid Row | Custom Pacifica

Custom Pacifica for Joshua Ray Gooch #1

Joshua Ray Gooch recently called us in a panic. The lead guitarist in Shania Twain’s band was told he needed a red colored “Strat” for the opening song of their current Rock This Country tour and he only had a few days to get it. When situations like this arise for artists, the first thing… Continue reading Custom Pacifica for Joshua Ray Gooch #1

John Patitucci Custom Semi-Hollow bass

Beautiful images of the semi-hollow bass made for John Patitucci by our luthier, Pat Campolattano, at Yamaha Artist Services Burbank. Check out John’s ‘Brooklyn’ project.https://www.facebook.com/patituccifilmhttps://www.facebook.com/JPatitucci

Robby Takac BB Gallery

The good news for Robby Takac’s bass tech is that no time is wasted cleaning instruments. We visited Robby and his trusty BB’s when the Goo Goo Dolls played a packed show in Hollywood recently. We love it when an artist’s instruments sound amazing and tell a story about who they are.

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