[Trombone-l] Yamaha NOT closing in US

[Walter Barrett]

On Feb 9, 2007, at 11:00 PM, John Graham wrote:

> I don't see anything in the press release about Yamaha ceasing  
> marketing or sales activities in the US, just manufacturing and  
> export (if they aren't making the instruments here any more then  
> there is obviously nothing for them to export). I guess they figure  
> that the chinese and other lower cost manufacturing areas are  
> finally producing at a sufficient quality level to shift all  
> production there.  Honestly, I'm surprised it did not happen  
> sooner. These weren't enormous operations to begin with in th US,  
> so overall economic impact will be slight, and the price of the  
> imported instruments may actually be lower.
>
> -John


John is right. They are only closing the Grand Rapids factory/ 
warehouse (where a small number of student instruments were  
assembled, from parts made in Asia), an audio gear factory in  
Georgia, and a really small export operation in CA.

Nothing will change as far as availability of instruments. There  
might be a delay getting parts, depending on how seamless they make  
the transition to wherever the new parts warehouse will be. My GUESS  
at this point is that it will be somewhere in CA, near the main YCA  
offices. Artists Services in NYC is staying open, Wayne still has a  
job. They've just opened another Artists Service place in Hollywood,  
to be more accessible to West Coast Artists.




Walter Barrett

"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know, it's what we  
know for sure that just ain't so."
	-Mark Twain

Alto, tenor, bass trombones
Bass trumpet, euphonium, tuba
Yamaha Artist/Clinician
http://www.walterbarrett.com