“Imitation is the sincerest form of…..”
Looks like the world’s largest online marketplace is seeing a rash of fake Yamaha band instruments from sellers overseas. A couple of times each week we’ll get a call or email from concerned parents asking whether a particular auction is real or not. Here are a couple of general guidelines to follow when buying a Yamaha wind instrument from an auction site:
1) The Official Yamaha warranty is valid only from the dealer and location where the instrument is originally sold. That means if you buy a genuine Yamaha clarinet from Australia and it needs warranty service, the instrument needs to be returned to that dealer in Australia for that service.
2) We do keep serial number records of new instruments shipped to Authorized Yamaha dealers in the United States. If you’re looking at an instrument and unsure whether or not it’s a Genuine Yamaha or not, email us the serial number and we’ll be happy to look it up. (bandandorchestra@yamaha.com is the email)
3) There is a particular style of logo and case used on genuine Yamaha instruments that is rarely duplicated by these counterfeit auctions. If pictures are posted on an auction site, it’s pretty easy for us to tell whether a particular instrument is legitimate or not. (bandandorchestra@yamaha.com)
4) If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Let’s face it, new Yamaha flutes and clarinets don’t cost $199. Just like you expect to pay a certain price range for a new car, you should be suspicious of the legitimacy of a new Yamaha wind instrument if the price is too low (like $199 for a new Yamaha flute or clarinet).
5) Many auction sites (like eBay and PayPal) offer various forms of buyer protection. Make sure that you are covered and can get your money back if you end up buying something that’s represented as something it isn’t.
Beyond the obvious reasons why we want to protect the Yamaha brand, it’s really unfortunate to see beginning students struggle on a counterfeit instrument that’s poorly made and ultimately could turn them off from the joy of making music.
So stick with a retailer you trust such as your local Yamaha dealer, and when in doubt, ask us (bandandorchestra@yamaha.com) and we’ll let you know as quick as we can.
Filed under: Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet , Counterfeit Yamaha Instruments
Quick typo fix: second-to-last paragraph, a counterfeit instrument that’s poorly made could turn THEM (as opposed to the) off from the joy of making music.
This is a true statement, as I can attest from my school (in a poor area in poor economic times). I’m losing twice the number of students I would have expected, with twice the number of students coming in saying “Hey, my mom found a great new (fill-in-the-blank) for $200 on the internet!”
I’d gladly sell my soul to Yamaha if I could get decent instruments for all of my kids, instead of watching them try to play on poorly-made JUNK. I only wish I had the budget to make it happen.
Just to let you guys know, the horn I just purchased is practically a Xeno knockoff trumpet. However, they do not use the Yamaha name or logo in any places, and they use their own brand naming, but almost every single part of it is interchangeable. Short of a few misgivings about the valves, it actually compares favorably to my YTR-2320. All slides, top/bottom caps, valve stems, springs, and guides, and even pistons will interchange.
It was sold as an Eagletone, and like I said, while it was an Ebay purchase, and it’s a direct Xeno knockoff, it’s not CLAIMING your name. But, you guys might wanna know about it.
A 2320 is a student model while the Xeno line is Yamaha’s professional line. The Xeno line starts with the number 8xxx instead of 2xxx.
Sadly there’s a lot of Yammy knockoffs nowadays who are usually based off of their student line. I doubt any e-bay horn would try and emulate a top of the line horn from any manufacturer though as it just wouldn’t be cheap enough for that market.
What’s particularly sad about this, is that Yahama sells good-quality instruments made out of plastic. Wood or glass or whatever is there for professionals.
Instruments are quality-sensitive items. Like wilderness knives or PSUs, it is better not to try and get cheap with them because in the end, you’ll lose more money than what you wanted to save due to Vimes’s boots problem (you buy a cheap pair of boots for 20$ that last a year vs buying a pair of boots for 50$ or even 100$ that will last a lifetime).