does yamaha use chinese manufactured parts

[TwinkleFingers]

was just wondering if yamaha uses any parts made from the pearl river factory.

[eddie92099]

It wouldn't surprise me (comparing the cost of labour in China to that of Japan),
Ed

[Axtremus]

Yamaha has a joint-venture with Pearl River in China, so not only Pearl River makes parts for Yamaha, it also assembles Yamaha branded pianos in GuangZhou, China. I don't know which lines of Yamaha pianos are assembled by Pearl River, or which models contain Pearl River parts -- may be the CFIIIS concert grand have Pearl River parts, may be the dinky Yamaha uprights have Pearl River parts. See the following web pages for (lots of) info:

1. https://www.bluebookofpianos.com/asian.htm
2. https://www.bluebookofpianos.com/asian2.html (Yamaha and Pearl River joint-venture mentioned here)
3. https://www.bluebookofpianos.com/asian3.html
4. https://www.bluebookofpianos.com/asian4.html (Specifically mentions Pearl River supplying Yamaha with parts.)

[eddie92099]

It is no different to Ralph Lauren clothing being made in China - it is basic economics that it is less cost to manufacture products where labour is cheaper,
Ed

[TwinkleFingers]

thanks for your help guys I think that pearl river sounds like a yamaha to some extent.  Probably because they use same materials.

[classicarts]

I don't know about that.  Pearl River sounding the same as Yamaha's.  lool 

[intermezzi]

Okay, time to quell the rumors. Yes, Yamaha has a joint venture factory with Pearl River in China where both brands are produced under the same roof. However, the Yamaha pianos that are made there are produced specifically to be sold in the Chinese market. As far as Yamahas in the U.S. market, actions are all produced in Japan, and the pianos are built either in Thomaston, Georgia (the "dinky" Yamahas), or in Japan (uprights and grands). The only exception I know of is the GB1, which is produced in Indonesia.

[florentin]

ask somebody at a Yamaha dealer, they'll tell you...

I had a student buy a baby grand, Yamaha, just a few months ago. They paid $8500 plus tax and delivery. Not a bad deal - it was new, and it retailed at about $12,000.

anyways, the sales person was clearly saying that the parts were made in china, and if you wanted a "real" Yamaha, you should spend more like $20, 000 or even more. Yamaha simply sticks their sticker on china-made instruments.

that is not unheard-of, in the world of instrument makers.

[leahcim]

Okay, time to quell the rumors. Yes, Yamaha has a joint venture factory with Pearl River in China where both brands are produced under the same roof. However, the Yamaha pianos that are made there are produced specifically to be sold in the Chinese market.

You sure? I thought the C110 was built in China. [at least the ones sold in the UK are usually advertised that they are]

I thought the P112/121 are built by Kemble [at least the UK ones] in Milton Keynes afaiaa. Dunno about the origins of U series et al though.

the sales person was clearly saying that the parts were made in china, and if you wanted a "real" Yamaha, you should spend more like $20, 000 or even more. Yamaha simply sticks their sticker on china-made instruments.

I think it's pure FUD if a yamaha dealer tells you...err well anything at all "Special wood, sir, because Japan is actually underwater. Kawasaki is actually Japanese for Atlantis. So an import will dry out and fall to pieces, our pianos are made out of real Texans" "Really? Oooh"

Seriously though, Yamaha aren't about to ruin the rep they have for build quality by just sticking a sticker on. e.g AIUI One of the notable things about Kemble uprights is the build quality that Yamaha gave them as part of the arrangement for building yamaha pianos - so Kemble uprights supposedly sound "European" and have the Yamaha build quality - but that dealer will scare you with supposedly lower 2nd hand prices and less discounts

[jolly]

Short answer to the question: yes.

Not to mention some German pianos....

[intermezzi]

You sure? I thought the C110 was built in China. [at least the ones sold in the UK are usually advertised that they are

You're right, upon further research I found that some of the Yamahas in the UK are in fact made in China. These models are not availible in the United States, so I wasn't familiar with them. As far as I know, the U series are exclusively made in Japan. Anyone tried the Chinese-made Yamahas, and if so, how do they compare to others?