Anyone have any Sakae News

H

Hazelwood7

Member
They were supposed to announce something at NAMM if they are restructuring or not and if they will make drums again. Anyone heard anything?
 
I think they sold distribution rights.

Their drums were on display at another booth outside of hall C with the rest of the drums. I only quickly walked by, but I think they were set up along side of Natal at the Marshall booth.
 
Saw them and got to visit a bit. Looked like a nice crop of good wood and they were great with supplying info.
 
Odd-Arne Oseberg said:
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Sadly, it sounds like Korg is essentially buying the name, and will take advantage of its existing distribution network to place the product into shops and retail outlets. given the production in Taiwan, they'll lose the mystique of those instruments being made in Japan by the craftsmen largely responsible for making those legendary Yamaha drums. Not excited about this.
 
Exactly my thoughts.
The average punter doesn’t have a clue about who and what Sakae were so a double pedal or a Cajon with their logo on is hardly a selling point.
The more informed drummer knows that Sakae were Japanese craftsmen who built the Yamaha 9000. Any new kits will be Taiwanese mass produced efforts (of which there’s nothing wrong as I have a mass produced kit myself) and simply not Sakae in any way shape of form.
I appreciate the importance of trademarks and brands, but the only people who would be swayed by the Sakae brand know that they won’t be buying an “actual” Sakae. So what’s the point for the customer?
 
I would love to play one of those Almighty Birch kits at some point in my life. Those things sound incredible online.
 
steadypocket said:
Sadly, it sounds like Korg is essentially buying the name, and will take advantage of its existing distribution network to place the product into shops and retail outlets. given the production in Taiwan, they'll lose the mystique of those instruments being made in Japan by the craftsmen largely responsible for making those legendary Yamaha drums. Not excited about this.
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Well there could be hope. Evans drum heads were bought out by a guitar string company, and look what's happened to them. They're better than ever
 
Sakae reminds me of the singer or songwriter of a major band who thinks they can leave the band and be just as successful in a solo career, only to find out fans only care about the band name. And they end up being reduced to making albums in their basement, hoping anyone will care, while their former band goes on strong without them.
 
Woolwich said:
Exactly my thoughts.
The average punter doesn’t have a clue about who and what Sakae were so a double pedal or a Cajon with their logo on is hardly a selling point.
The more informed drummer knows that Sakae were Japanese craftsmen who built the Yamaha 9000. Any new kits will be Taiwanese mass produced efforts (of which there’s nothing wrong as I have a mass produced kit myself) and simply not Sakae in any way shape of form.
I appreciate the importance of trademarks and brands, but the only people who would be swayed by the Sakae brand know that they won’t be buying an “actual” Sakae. So what’s the point for the customer?
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1000% agreed.
 
DrumEatDrum said:
Sakae reminds me of the singer or songwriter of a major band who thinks they can leave the band and be just as successful in a solo career, only to find out fans only care about the band name. And they end up being reduced to making albums in their basement, hoping anyone will care, while their former band goes on strong without them.
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This is exactly what has happened to me! But I've never had any success. So, I'm STILL reduced to making albums in my basement...just like I started. :)
 
FTA:

Korg Inc. will produce drums under the Sakae name. KorgUSA will distribute them in the US. The prototype of an Almighty-style kit, which they are calling the “Evolved” was constructed with maple shells. The drums were built in Taiwan . . .
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Way back when Terry Bozzio endorsed Mapex, they were all built in Taiwan.

What is sad is realizing that the craftsmen of Sakae were not considered an asset, and in all likelihood have scattered to other jobs.
 
cbphoto said:
FTA:



Way back when Terry Bozzio endorsed Mapex, they were all built in Taiwan.

What is sad is realizing that the craftsmen of Sakae were not considered an asset, and in all likelihood have scattered to other jobs.
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Bozzio (and Portnoy and Cobham) played Mapex U.S.Maples - made in America.
 
spelman said:
Bozzio (and Portnoy and Cobham) played Mapex U.S.Maples - made in America.
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^ This.

And actually, the US Maples weren't built by Mapex per se, they were built on behalf of Gibson, and sold under the Mapex brand via the distribution agreement between Gibson and Mapex at the time.

When Gibson and Mapex ended their relationship, the US Maples were discontinued, and they actually told their endorsers to stop using their US Maples kits.

I had the opportunity to stand next to Bozzio at a Greg Bissonnette clinic several years back, and Bozzio was telling the story of how Mapex called him and told he could no longer use his US Maple kit an he had to switch to another line within the brand. Bozzio, of course, just decided this was too much of a headache and switched brands. And I think a few drummers were never actually signed to Mapex per se, they were signed to Gibson to represent Mapex, so when Gibson and Mapex ended their relationship, their endorsements ended.
 
Yeah, if it's not the Sakae folks of times past making drums in their factory in Japan, I just don't see what the allure is. It's just going to be another kit made in Taiwan, and I'm sure they'll be perfectly fine drums, but the magic for me is the history of the people working in Osaka, those folks who made the shells in my Birch Absolutes.
 
spelman said:
Bozzio (and Portnoy and Cobham) played Mapex U.S.Maples - made in America.
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Thanks for clearing this up. I attended a Bozzio clinic when he was a Mapex endorser. I'd never heard of Mapex before that day. And the size of the kit blew everyone away. The best quote of the day by Bozzio: "Yes, this is the kit I bring to weddings and bar mitzvahs."
DrumEatDrum said:
When Gibson and Mapex ended their relationship, the US Maples were discontinued, and they actually told their endorsers to stop using their US Maples kits.
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What a PITA.
 
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