YAMAHA ACOUSTIC PIANOS

When one thinks of multinational corporation Yamaha, diverse might be the first word that comes to mind. They’re famous for all types of products beyond musical instruments, including electronics, motorcycles, and power-sports equipment among others, Yamaha actually began as a reed organ manufacturing company in 1887 under the name Nippon Gakki Ltd. Founded by Torakusu Yamaha, they would soon begin producing some of Japan’s first pianos, both uprights, and grand pianos – with the design and engineering assistance I should add, of a yet to be famous Kioshi Kawai.

After the death of Torakusu in the late 1920s and the onset of new ownership, the company decided to intensify efforts to diversify, and ultimately set the stage for expansion into other endeavors beyond piano and organ manufacturing. This process would be further realized in the 1950s with the founding of Yamaha Motor C. Ltd. In the 1960s, Yamaha’s production of pianos expanded greatly as they began large scale exporting to North America, and along with the now well-established Kawai, their instruments became a viable high-quality alternative to more expensive American and European made instruments. And in much, the same way that Toyota and Honda forced a new quality standard on the North American Auto industry, Yamaha together with Kawai and later the Koreans in the 1980s, spelled the end for companies like Aeolean-American, Heintzman, and Baldwin who were still focusing on simpler, less reliable, and ultimately less musical instruments.