Master Luthier Kazuo Yairi, A Tour of His factory!

[music2me23]

These are simply amazing sounding guitars. The craftsmanship and materials are top tier. Most pros would have no problem playing these live or recording with a Yairi.

The only way to get a better guitar is to buy one from a master luthier and that will run you north of 5k.

[bluegrasssingingman]

Just a different, more consistent process. Martin still has the top notch sound of all guitars. Machines do not make mistakes. We are not talking about a Ovation. Now that is a machine made. I guess Santa Cruz, Blueridge, and Collings are junk also. Yairi must be also. Yairi still uses machines. Yairi may not use a laser to cut the top out. Which means they are not as consistent.

[dncw84]

@bluegrasssingingman Every top is never the same - even if you cut the wood from the SAME tree. Every piece is different in terms of stiffness etc. In other words, a machine made guitar, can be consistent in cutting or carving the top, but may never produce the same responsive sound (at the expense of higher production). The same reason why people would pay Ervin Somogyi $30,000 to tap, cut and carve the top to create its own identity. Having said that, I love Martin. Peace out

[bluegrasssingingman]

@dncw84 No one said they was. I believe the argument is the back and sides. Yairi back and sides are solid not laminated.

[bluegrasssingingman]

I love my Yairi DY84. It is a great guitar,but I'd never choice it over my HD-28,or HD-16R LSH. People can say what they want about machines and lasers. Martins are still top notch and the best,and also more consistently made. Due to the way they are made. The lasers and machines add to the quality, and the necks,bracing are carved by hand. Still a lot of hand work is in a Martin. People act like Martins are all done by machines,and put together by machines. They are still hand built.

[localguy8]

if you want to see machine and robots making your guitar go to martin or taylor and compare also price them for the machine these guys are paying for the lazor cut i have been to the taylor factory in el cajon ca i was surprise at all the robotics they use what happened to the handmade craftmanship you are paying for!!!!!

[MichaelCastian]

I love my 71' classical Alvarez so goddamn much.

[bluegrasssingingman]

@MichaelCastian Alvarez is not even close to being a Yairi. They are to different worlds apart in sound and Quality.

[jaqjaques]

My mum bought two of these guitars many years ago A steel string DY 67 and a nylon CY116. I love 'em both. The DY has the action and playability of a high quality electric so its great to rock out on :-) All other steel string acoustics I've played pale by comparison.

The CY is just a beautiful compact classical guitar. Not as loud as some might like but seriously good quality and a beautiful tone.

These are awesome guitars. I always treasure them.

[skategangster]

Today I just scored a 1972 Kazuo Yairi Classical for $250, it sounds amazing!!!!!

[Opoefiets]

bull shit : 2:45

[StratMatt777]

@Opoefiets Why?

[Opoefiets]

they are all .... hand ? .... made ? ....

[Luccccccccccky]

This video is valuable though it is regrettable that the interview becomes interrupted on the way. Thank you.

[harmontastic]

Great to see an old mass producer still doing it the old way. I'm not so keen on their guitars though, I have to say! Respect though!!

[harmontastic]

Great to see an old mass producer still doing it the old way!!

[brinelaxE3]

I'm so glad I inherited a Yairi 1986 DY-48 from my dad. Love it so much

[shadowgod91]

that is one sharp ass knife

[EpiphoneMaster1234]

cool i just pulled a 1985 kazuo yairi ou of closet awesome guitar

[Just4Meeeee]

Fantastic guitars! I owned a Yairi doubleneck 12/6 and was the 2nd owner. I could have gotten a clean Martin D-28 for the same money but this played MUCH better. Sold it cause it was too much instrument for me and big as a raft in the hardshell case. Tough to mute the neck you're not playing without a loose capo, which is what I did most of the time. Now I wish I had kept it. BOTH necks were the best I've ever played on an acoustic.

[chsgdss]

***** VERY GOOD *****

[SuperOlds88]

besides, the dude making them is not an artist, he is a craftsman. Big difference, but you probably dont know that.

[cobraman115]

@SuperOlds88 dude, He is really both. Ever heard of a thing called inlaying?

[SuperOlds88]

vulgarity? I simply made a statement about manufacturing. Take a pill and lie down, you'll feel better.

[SuperOlds88]

well you can put legacy in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first. If he had enough orders or the customers demanded a quicker delivery time he would have to change his ways. It's too bad but true.

[totty1963]

What on earth are you on about? Why do you bring vulgarity to art?

[kiiaz]

this video makes me wanna cry

such love for the instrument

[not2vu]

I have a1981 dy74 with his signature that I bought new in 82... her name is shelly.

[reitze01]

What beautiful materials and craftsmanship! I especially like the detailing. I hope you can enjoy a laugh at my unconventional luthier techniques. I've shared a video reply of a guitar being altered (de-tailed). There are many videos of the guitar playing in my video blog after the operation. It's a Power Guitar!

[SuperOlds88]

I am certainly no expert on guitar building, but I have a hard time seeing a problem with using cnc machines to do the work, what is wrong with consistency? just guessing that if he had more orders, he might need to increase his production which would lead to more automation.

[kiiaz]

but see that's where human morale and integrity comes in.

you stay true to what you do, perhaps he is not in it for the money, but more of the legacy

[45tacospaievar]

Which is their price here in Mexico?

[kleinernofiner]

I've got a Yairi DY62C and I bought it after playing Taylors and Martins for twice the money that I didn't like near as well as my Yairi.. I still play a lot of guitars just for fun and I've yet to find one I like as much as mine, without it being over $3,000 to $4,000... Yairi's are Great guitars!!

[bcwdrums]

Nice work...

[anduril891]

Cool video, but my goodness I was getting tired of the narrator. "Moooost companies do blah blah blah to save time. But Yairi does this! Mooost companies use non-duck tail joints to save time. But Yairi's luthiers don't!"

[Crathmann]

ed677 -- if your coment about stability is in response to Papachulo's comment about the hide glue, here is what I have on second-hand authority. Hide glue might not be "superior" to titebond, but it does require greater precision in the woodworking. Titebond can, I understand, fill gaps that result from sloppy work, but hide glue really requires the pieces of wood are flush to begin with.

[mattyparker12345]

i hope Kazuo Yairi feels bad because he murdered all those poor trees =(

[Orificialfunkeylove]

hmm yer I don't know about each guitar is 'unique' seeing as each guitar of the same module is going to be made using the same forms and templates, as opposed a luthier like my dad who actually makes each instrument to order...

but I gess there more unique and probably sound better then guitars which are churned out 1000 at a time like gibsons or fenders are despite what they say about them being 'hand made'

[pissballs]

They have really good quality/ sound. I bought a md95 out of a whole store of taylors, garrisons etc. Excellent value it was rosewood sides n back and englemann spruce top. Projected a very loud resonant tone. Frets were excellent size. My only beef was the vine inlay which I thought was a bit too much and abablone dots or blocks would of sufficed for markers. Still excellent value for $600. Garrisons/Gibsons are cool too.

[kensho3]

anyone ever seen a Yairi made completely of ash with brass hardware/bridge pins/nut? Ash top, too. My buddy has one and it's a beauty.

[yairiluvr]

Sounds like it might be the 1980-81 DY60 anniversary model except it sounds even more like the Alvarez version which was all ASH (DY60 has solid spruce top) called the Ash Festival, complete with brass nut, pins and saddle.

[to011055]

i dont play guitar

[Papachulo57]

I didn't realize that all Yairi guitars are glued with hot hide glue.  This glue is superior in tone than using Titebond in my opinion.

Thanks for sharing.

[lilchile123]

can we use hot hide glue to build an solid electric guitar

[ed677]

There is no evidence of that... if anything it is just slightly more stable. Any difference in tone is probably negligible.

[BubbaFart]

Anyone know the name of the song playing in this video?? It's really nice.

[joulinna]

Sorry I don't,

Cheers,

[emohunter12]

wow this makes me feel bad about making guitars in my garage

[xX0Jota0Xx]

ew animal hide

[brucifer23]

Thanks for the video. Now I know why my DY-62 sounds so damn good! If you're thinking of getting a Yairi, shop around for a 15-20 year old model. They're awesome... and you can sometimes pick one up for a good price because lots of people just don't know about (or appreciate) them.

[vrtsflipflop]

I picked up a 37-year-old Alvarez Yairi 12-string a couple weeks ago for $235. I'd have easily paid double or even triple that...it's truly a beautiful sounding guitar.

[Balatakayo8]

I have four of 'em, seventy's double neck, steel string cutaway, nylon cutaway and and recently a 70's dreadnought..love 'em all...

[jjneyjr1]

I have a BIG Boy! It's wonderful!

[jjneyjr1]

St Louis Music I think still has the line

[phedex]

This is a great video. My dad has long loved the yairi line of guitars, and has a sweet early-70's 12 string. They are an incredible value. Does anyone know if the building techniques in this video are still used today?

[yairiluvr]

This video is fairly recent, and except for maybe a few changes in equipment (molds, etc.) the process seems to be the same as it was 40 years ago.

[2BlackBird]

I want some adjustments on my DY-45. Since it has

a lifetime warranty do I send it back to Japan for the repairs?

[WartoothisGod]

No, St. Louis Music honors warranty repairs. I work there, 1400 Ferguson in StL, just come in or call 1800 727 4512. We are the only original Alvarez Yairi shop/distribution center in the U.S.

[jfbrown42]

It's too bad this video is so laggy.

[yairiluvr]

try downloading it to your computer.. works great that way.

[Lekoziu]

video is very good

[WartoothisGod]

Thanks for the post. I work at St. Louis Music, one of 2 distribution warehouses/guitar workshops in North America that distributes Yairi and Alvarez acoustics (exclusively). Since they were acquired by LOUD Technologies, things have gone downhill for our fine company. It's a shame Yairis aren't in the spotlight more often. I've personally inspected and adjusted hundreds of them, and they are beautiful to look at, play or just listen to.

[zenmonkey9]

I have a DY-45 that I bought in '85, a DY-80 12-string from '88, and just got a koa Bob Weir. Yairi is awesome. The tone of my DY-45 beats every dreadnought I've ever compared it to, and the Weir plays like an electric, with a fast neck and a punchy sound. Thanks, Kazuo-san!

[WartoothisGod]

All the WY1 models have Modulus designed graphite necks, so that's what makes them so incredibly fast; alot like the Westone guitars SLM used to distribute from Japan in the 80s.

[yairiluvr]

Think you have them mixed up with the DY98 and DY99 that do have the graphite modulus necks, the Bob Weir WY1 does not.

[stratman9]

I have a WY-1K and WY-1. They are far and away the most amazing sounding and amazing playing guitars I have ever laid hands on, and they are an *incredible* value for the money. I have played some much more expensive Taylors that just didn't have "it" like the Yairis.

[yairiluvr]

LOVE the video! Wish I could save it to my hard drive, so I could watch it at will (and not so jerky).

Thanks to Kazuo Yairi for his years of dedication to making these most wonderful guitars!

Thanks to jjneyjr1 for adding these to YouTube!!!

[adamschmalenberger]

i have a cedar and burled mahogany yari that is a real beauty

[shavenstringer]

Wow! I'm saving up to buy myself a yairi guitar. They are very good for their price!