Ibanez Guitars now selling @ Yamaha Music Plaza

[THOA]

I could have sworn my guitar and gear instincts have been working double time the past few days!

Anyway, yesterday had a hunch to make my way down to Davis to check things out and I was pretty pleased to come out of there with a brand new SD Distortion bridge, which was something I was waiting to pounce on but I was always too late and stocks just dwindle to nada whenever I am there (I also overheard the exasperatedly disappointed tone of a poor chap, who was accompanied by his wife, when he said "The neck (SD Dist humbuckers) sold out already?!" That was pretty amusing.

Anyway, that is not the point of this post.

After acquiring my purchase and feeling bored out of my mind, I made my way down to Plaza Sing's Yamaha Music Centre to check out the sale there so that I can budget myself for gear acquisition. Nothing really out of the ordinary there so I didn't suspect much...

Today, I had another hunch to go down the one at Tampines Mall.... and LO BEHOLD! They are selling a few Ibanez SA and RG series! And I do believe they are MIJ!

I am envisioning owning an SA260 pretty soon with the joy of not having to lug it down all the way from Swee Lee.... :mrgreen:

Before I get too carried away, I forgot to ask the important question, so hope someone who knows can enlighten me:

Isit just a one off thing, or is Yamaha now an official distributor of Ibanez?

 

[kerplunk182]

Check with the staff working there? Or the Ibanez webbie?

I smell a little competition for Swee Lee...

 

[THOA]

yup, I should have checked with them but I completely forgot. The Ibanez website only shows Swee Lee. And latest news on Yamaha website is about the sales. No mention on the Ibanez.

Oh well, tomorrow maybe?

I was told by the staff that the SA260 Lavender Burst is already sold out. Then again he was first pointing to the black SA160 and said "There's the other. They're the same" when I asked for available colours for the 260... until I pointed out the True Duo system on the 260 to him. *shrugs*

 

[subversion]

I am envisioning owning an SA260 pretty soon with the joy of not having to lug it down all the way from Swee Lee.... :mrgreen:

if you'd be paying 50% off the list price, lugging it all the way from swee lee is OK, right?

i have a friend who made a visit to Japan not too long ago, the Yamaha store there had more variety than the one here, they even stock ESP & Gibson stuff, among others.

 

[THOA]

You made a good point. Problem is that I always missed out on the sales becos of work or some other crap.

That's No excuse... I know...

Comparing to Japan, it may not be much, but it's a start, I guess? I'm sure they have more variety on other stuff apart from guitars there as well, considering that Yamaha IS a Japanese brand.

 

[subversion]

Then again he was first pointing to the black SA160 and said "There's the other. They're the same" when I asked for available colours for the 260... until I pointed out the TRS system on the 260 to him. *shrugs*

the SA160 was discont'd in 2005, wonder where Yamaha got the current ones from...

the SA series were never equipped with the TRS bridge- maybe you saw something else?

 

[THOA]

I really have no idea about where they got the 160 but it was definitely a 160 lol.

The TRS I was refering to was the True Duo System - volume pot toggle switch. Sorry, Sub, I should have made it clearer.

 

[subversion]

ok then it's referred to the True-Duo system because TRS is a bridge model (phased out) equipped in selected Ibanez guitars:

TRS bridge:

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Isn't Yamaha a Taiwanese brand?...

 

[mero]

No they're Japanese. They do have Taiwanese factories though

 

[naviros]

Yamaha has Ibanez RGs now?! What the!? Ok heading down tml, urhz... ok maybe later today to check it out...

 

[THOA]

Head down, bro. Limited models, though.

 

[Mr.K]

i heard that yamaha has over priced everything lol

 

[Whitestrat]

Isit just a one off thing, or is Yamaha now an official distributor of Ibanez?

Swee Lee is a distributor... Perhaps they have a dealership arrangement with Yamaha for the non-central locations?

 

[trippyfactory]

Isn't Yamaha a Taiwanese brand?...

haha, does Yamaha even smells remotely Taiwanese to you?

 

[trippyfactory]

Swee Lee is a distributor... Perhaps they have a dealership arrangement with Yamaha for the non-central locations?

A good mate of mine who works in Music Plaza told me not too long ago: It's just a matter of keeping the competitive edge of the music retail business.

So they took some inventory from Swee Lee (perhaps on consignment) just to expand their range of "sell-able" products in order to provide alternatives and other other options to consumers like you and I.

Just like how 1001 music retail stores in Singapore now carry EHX pedals; or Boss Pedals for sale in Music Plaza or Yamaha/Cort Guitars available in Luthermusic Retail store.

That's the way to survive and perhaps to help out one another (between music stores I mean).

These are just my thoughts; I maybe wrong but I hope I make sense.

Happy Monday to all! - Cheers TF

 

[THOA]

i heard that yamaha has over priced everything lol

Not really. I just went down to Swee Lee just now to check prices out. List price for an SA260 is slight above $800. Yamaha selling it for $750+-. Can't confirm the price cos Plaza Sing doesn't have the 260 in stock, and Tampines is closed when I called them.

Of course, if you take into account the discount rate for each, they are about the same, I think. Not sure. But with members getting 15% during the current Yamaha sale, I think Yamaha is actually cheaper.

Oh, also I mentioned a mistake with country of construction: It's MIC.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Strange... Only GIOs are made in China... The standard range is made in Korea and Indonesia (and some Japan) and the higher ranges are in Japan.

 

[subversion]

A good mate of mine who works in Music Plaza told me not too long ago: It's just a matter of keeping the competitive edge of the music retail business.

So they took some inventory from Swee Lee (perhaps on consignment) just to expand their range of "sell-able" products in order to provide alternatives and other other options to consumers like you and I.

they did acquire some Marshall consignments from Davis as well (not too long ago...).

 

[Whitestrat]

A good mate of mine who works in Music Plaza told me not too long ago: It's just a matter of keeping the competitive edge of the music retail business.

So they took some inventory from Swee Lee (perhaps on consignment) just to expand their range of "sell-able" products in order to provide alternatives and other other options to consumers like you and I.

Exactly. And it's smart for these distributors to let Yamaha do this because Yamaha seriously has the staying power in all these malls which kill you with rental. If you want your guitar brands positioned nicely, and available in these faraway from town areas, then Yamaha is a clever way to go.