Yamaha's Upcycling Guitars: A Sustainable Revolution
Yamaha's innovative Upcycling Guitar project transforms scrap materials into unique guitars, promoting sustainability and challenging traditional guitar-building methods.
Read the guide →Brand hub
Yamaha
Torakusu Yamaha started out repairing reed organs in Hamamatsu, Japan, in 1887, and by 1900 the company he founded was building pianos as well — the beginning of what's now the world's largest musical instrument manufacturer by most measures. On the electric side, Yamaha's own guitar lines (Pacifica, Revstar) sit alongside a portfolio that includes Steinberg, Ampeg and Bösendorfer, and its 1983 DX7 synthesizer was the first commercially successful digital synth, shaping the sound of a decade of pop music. Guitars are only one part of a genuinely enormous instrument catalogue, but it's the part we follow — new Pacifica and Revstar releases mostly. Here's what we've written.
last coveredOfficial site ↗
Latest Yamaha news
Fender’s Strat Attack: 17 Major Guitar Brands Hit with C&Ds
Fender triggers an industry-wide legal war, hitting 17 major guitar brands with cease-and-desist letters over the iconic Stratocaster body shape.
Founded1887
Based inHamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
FounderTorakusu Yamaha
Articles here10
Makes
- Electric guitars
- Acoustic guitars
- Bass guitars
- Amplifiers
- Digital pianos
- Drums
Known for
- Pacifica
- FG series
- THR amplifiers
- Revstar
- SG
Best of Yamaha
Hand-picked by the editorYamaha news
All Yamaha articles →
Yamaha deals
All deals →Keep up with Yamaha.
Leaks, deals and reviews in your inbox, once a week. No spam, just gear.
Yamaha FAQ4 questions
How big is Yamaha?
Very. Yamaha Corporation was founded in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha, is listed on the Nikkei 225, reported revenue of ¥462 billion and around 24,653 employees in 2025, and is headquartered in Hamamatsu. Guitars are one line among musical instruments, audio equipment and much else.
What is a Yamaha Pacifica?
The Strat-derived electric that is the standard answer to 'what should a beginner buy'. The 112V in particular has held that position for decades because it is set up properly at the factory and does not need parts changed to be a working guitar.
What is a Yamaha THR amp?
A desktop modelling amplifier designed for playing at home rather than for a stage — small, good-looking, with stereo speakers, a USB interface and models tuned for low-volume use. It largely created the desktop amp category as it now exists.
Does Yamaha own other guitar brands?
Yes. Ampeg is part of the Yamaha Guitar Group, and Yamaha acquired Córdoba Music Group in February 2023, which brought the Guild brand with it. A number of familiar names sit under the same corporate roof as a result.