New Yamaha/ Line 6 Namm Stuff!

rossyamaha

So there is already a thread on the new Variax Shuriken. Here's a quick rundown of all the new stuff we have at Namm. 

The already seen Variax Shuriken. All the brutalz. As well as this (I know it's in the guitar section, we released the Spider V head. 240w Spider V head with all the good stuff of the other amps with a very useful feature. The head has built in speakers so you can practice at home, dial in your tones then chuck it into a cab at the gig. I like that. Helix plugin is coming shortly too. 

We also have re released the very popular LLX, LSX and LJX 26/ 36 electro acoustics. These are the Japanese versions that Lukather plays and Bonamassa was using at the Royal Albert Hall gig. Very very nice, very very expensive. 

Keeping on the acoustic theme, the all new A series. All joking and company pride aside, these are easily the best acoustic guitars I have played in as long as I can remember. Everything about them just sang. New simplified SRT2 system, scalloped bracing and a new Japanese version which is really quite affordable. All solid on the 3 and 5 series too. 

Thats it for now. More as it comes in. 

earwighoney

rossyamaha said:

Keeping on the acoustic theme, the all new A series. All joking and company pride aside, these are easily the best acoustic guitars I have played in as long as I can remember. Everything about them just sang. New simplified SRT2 system, scalloped bracing and a new Japanese version which is really quite affordable. All solid on the 3 and 5 series too. 

Thats it for now. More as it comes in. 

Is this the A series? 

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/el-ac-guitars/a-series/?mode=series

Look very nice indeed. 

rossyamaha

earwighoney said:

rossyamaha said:

Keeping on the acoustic theme, the all new A series. All joking and company pride aside, these are easily the best acoustic guitars I have played in as long as I can remember. Everything about them just sang. New simplified SRT2 system, scalloped bracing and a new Japanese version which is really quite affordable. All solid on the 3 and 5 series too. 

Thats it for now. More as it comes in. 

Is this the A series? 

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/el-ac-guitars/a-series/?mode=series

Look very nice indeed. 

Thats the ones. The best way to describe them is if Martin and Taylor had a baby. Everything about them is stunning. My main acoustic is a Larrivee OM-10. It's outstanding in every way. They retail for about £3.5k now. Expect to see a FS thread in the next few days. 

Stuckfast

Do they sound stunning unamplified, or is the main point of them to sound good when plugged in? Is there not a non-cutaway version?

rossyamaha

Stuckfast said:

Do they sound stunning unamplified, or is the main point of them to sound good when plugged in? Is there not a non-cutaway version?

Amazing unplugged as well as plugged in. Especially with the SRT system. For those that don't know, SRT is our mic modelling preamp. Sounds fantastic and the new version is a piece of piss to use. They should be in around late March early April so go check em out. Although I may have one at the Birmingham Guitar Show. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

What sort of prices are the A series... 3s and 5s?

rossyamaha

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

What sort of prices are the A series... 3s and 5s?

Should be starting around £700. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

@rossyamaha. Is that for a 3 or a 5? If they start at £700 what do they go up to?

rossyamaha

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

@rossyamaha. Is that for a 3 or a 5? If they start at £700 what do they go up to?

Sorry, thats the approx price for the A3/ AC3 mahogany. The A5/ AC5 will be about £1200 for Mahogany and £1279 for the Rosewood. All prices TBC but they won't be a million miles away if they change at all. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

rossyamaha said:

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

@rossyamaha. Is that for a 3 or a 5? If they start at £700 what do they go up to?

Sorry, thats the approx price for the A3/ AC3 mahogany. The A5/ AC5 will be about £1200 for Mahogany and £1279 for the Rosewood. All prices TBC but they won't be a million miles away if they change at all. 

Thanks.

Any idea what sort of finish they'll have. I'm guessing you don't use nitro on your acoustics (??)

rossyamaha

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

rossyamaha said:

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

@rossyamaha. Is that for a 3 or a 5? If they start at £700 what do they go up to?

Sorry, thats the approx price for the A3/ AC3 mahogany. The A5/ AC5 will be about £1200 for Mahogany and £1279 for the Rosewood. All prices TBC but they won't be a million miles away if they change at all. 

Thanks.

Any idea what sort of finish they'll have. I'm guessing you don't use nitro on your acoustics (??)

The spec sheet is a little unclear but so far it's just a straight translation so will be able to clear up soon. Pretty certain it will be a very thin poly finish. We have used nitro on an earlier MIJ version of these and some of the L series. Being the technological ninjas that they are over there, they have managed to get a finish thats almost unachievably thin. That lets the wood breath and resonate like it should and ages well. The new A series is ARE treated so you already have about 10 years of tone built in. It's just gonna get better and better. 

I'll stop gushing now. 

earwighoney

rossyamaha said:

 Thats the ones. The best way to describe them is if Martin and Taylor had a baby. Everything about them is stunning. My main acoustic is a Larrivee OM-10. It's outstanding in every way. They retail for about £3.5k now. Expect to see a FS thread in the next few days. 

Yamaha acoustics kind of go under the 'critical' radar, not really sure why though.  FWIW, I think the L6/16 ARE series blow out the 'major' USA brand acoustics under £2k; every part of the guitar has been designed for functionality be the treated soundboard for less movement to humidity, passive electronics (no battery) and the 5 piece neck.  Seems the new A series are taking on the same things which made the last revisions to the L series so fantastic. 

I've not tried any of the higher end Japanese Yamahas.  They seem pretty rare to track down, but I've heard they are up there with the very best if not better than their USA counterparts. 

andyoz

I've got a 15yo LL500 and always like to hand it to people and watch their reaction....i.e. How can a thing with Yamaha on the head stock do that.

rossyamaha

earwighoney said:

I've not tried any of the higher end Japanese Yamahas.  They seem pretty rare to track down, but I've heard they are up there with the very best if not better than their USA counterparts. 

I'm a cynic like most people. When I started with the company I went for some product training at our store in London. We got to the L series and I really liked them. Then I was handed an LL26 (MIJ) which was almost £2k more than the LL16 I just played. My brain told me it was never going to be worth it. Totally was. We're looking to get more MIJ guitars out in the wild this year so they should be a lot easier to find. 

I do get that if you have £2-3k to spend, Yamaha isn't going to be top of the list against the posh brands but speaking as a guitar player before anything else, give them a go. They're really very very nice and I would say worth more than the price tag. 

Cabicular

Thanks Ross
really fancy giving the acoustics a try
not quite sure why we need a baritone version of a modelling guitar that lets you emulate a baritone version but I suspect I'm not the target market

olafgarten

Cabicular said:

Thanks Ross
really fancy giving the acoustics a try
not quite sure why we need a baritone version of a modelling guitar that lets you emulate a baritone version but I suspect I'm not the target market

It would be hilarious to emulate a Tele or Gretsch and use it at a Country Gig. 

thomasross20

Better than a Larrivee? 
Will any be at the guitar show?
Edit - saw your reply. Hopefully try one there!

thecolourbox

rossyamaha said:

 Helix plugin is coming shortly too. 

A what now?

TimmyO

rossyamaha said:

earwighoney said:

I've not tried any of the higher end Japanese Yamahas.  They seem pretty rare to track down, but I've heard they are up there with the very best if not better than their USA counterparts. 

I'm a cynic like most people. When I started with the company I went for some product training at our store in London. We got to the L series and I really liked them. Then I was handed an LL26 (MIJ) which was almost £2k more than the LL16 I just played. My brain told me it was never going to be worth it. Totally was. We're looking to get more MIJ guitars out in the wild this year so they should be a lot easier to find. 

I do get that if you have £2-3k to spend, Yamaha isn't going to be top of the list against the posh brands but speaking as a guitar player before anything else, give them a go. They're really very very nice and I would say worth more than the price tag. 

I was actually in the London store a couple of weeks ago to try out some Dreads (on my way to Ivor's I will admit)

Similarly I loved the L and then I asked if I could try the super-costly luthier built one on the wall (I think it was around £4-5k) : just amazing guitar. I actually did an out loud "wow" when I played an open C lol 

TimmyO

...and thanks to the chap in the store - he knew I just wanted to try it and was happy to let me. Classy. 

rossyamaha

thecolourbox said:

rossyamaha said:

 Helix plugin is coming shortly too. 

A what now?

http://uk.line6.com/helix-native/