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The G2 Reaper is not American made!?
~Zammy
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What US-based machine shops exist aside from One Drop? The Duncan Mayhem and Hipster Highlife are the only US-machined throws not designed by OD that I can think of in recent memory, and I think both were machined by OD.
I’m fine with supporting US manufacturers—OD is my favorite brand hands down and if a throw is machined by them I’m much more likely to snag it. But as others have said, only going with US-made/designed means you’ll miss out on some other really awesome throws/brands. YoYoFriends, YoYoEmpire, Vosun, Singwon, YoYoRecreation and Sengoku come to mind.
As for cars, I just go with what’s reliable. My dad’s old Chrystler LeBaron had a slew of issues. By contrast, his 10-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe (he got one of the good years) has given him 0 troubles and I couldn’t ask for a more reliable car than my Honda Civic.
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It certainly is more enjoyable to buy a product designed and made by the same group of people. This is the draw to One Drop and Spinworthy (some day) for me. It’s less about nationality, and more about craftsmanship. It’s not a morality issue for me (although I can appreciate those on both sides), but a personal appreciation issue.
(I’ve been eyeing the Spinworthy stuff, without really knowing if Glen is in the US or not.)
Why would I only buy American made yoyos? I simply don’t understand why anyone would do that, but then I’m not from America.
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Japanese machined throws have been the best yoyos I’ve thrown so far ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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Actually, I can take it a step further. I live in Kentucky and my car was made in Kentucky. A Toyota Camry SE. Granted, if the car was not such a good model who knows what I would be driving. But, I have friends who work at Toyota and want to support them. It is easy to support your neighbors when they put out a good product. But I will admit, some of my neighbors produce junk, and I will not buy it.
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It’s not that hard to do just got to set your mind to it. Plus I’m old and kinda set in my ways. But you whipper snappers have at it!
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Made from mostly foreign components 
There are very few truly 100% made in the USA products. Yes, the item may have been built there, but a lot of the parts were most likely made else where. Not everything, but a lot of items.
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Nope. Apart from a weird sense of patriotism, i don’t see why you would buy only “american” (USA made) made yoyos.
I’m not from the USA (still in america tho), so a lot of the opinions on why you should i don’t get.
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I try to support companies who machine their throws in the US where I can, but get it (and accept) that many are outsourced overseas so that our hobby can continue to thrive. In the long run, yoyoing has become more accessible compared to how it was when I first got back into it in 2010 where budget-friendly yoyos were far and few between and as a new player, anything over $40 seemed way out of reach. Costs here keep going up and up and in order for things to survive, an outsource just might be necessary.
Was delighted to see that the Duncan Mayhem I just ordered was made here in the US, further realizing it was actually machined at the One Drop shop.
In the end, I’ve played some amazingly made Chinese-made throws as well as American, both being equally just as smooth…right down to even a $40 budget-friendly metal that was as smooth as a premium level monometal.
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There’s barely any USA companies left. And most the USA made companies really translates to One Drop made. I personally don’t have a preference, but I’m almost always willing to chose a One Drop over any other company, because they simply are the best. They make great yoyos and sell them for pretty cheap, despite being made in the US with the highest quality control of any company out there. Shawn and David are also amazing people who put a lot into the community. As it’s been said before, buy to support the people, not because of where it’s from. Also, manufacturing in China is great in that it’s cheap and accessible, opening up doors for a lot of potentially amazing designs that otherwise might have never seen completion.
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He is from Australia, so no. Still, id recommend buying one of his throws. Got myself the wooden fixie Harbinger and it is the best fixed axle yoyo I currently own. Great stuff, and he will even custom build you a yoyo based on whatever you want (he only does wood and POM, but ill let him prove me wrong if I am). I plan on having him make me another in the future. Those green plastics look delicious 
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Don’t think so, would love to be wrong though. It is an awesome yoyo.
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For me it’s not a racial or prejudicial preference, I just like to support local whenever possible.
Made in America is probably the broadest sense of this preference.
I’m not a total snob about it though.
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Just about any/every communication device you are using to access this Forum is/was made in China… Or somewhere else outside the USA.
So what is the ‘gripe’ about; mainly?
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Updated thread topic.
This was my original point.
Building a reputation built on “x” manufacturing, then once popular/ successful, changing “x” manufacturing to “y”.
Multiple companies have done it.
Off the top of my head, YYWS, G2, CLYW.
Just something to scratch the ol’ noggin about.
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I just can’t help but think that the main reason is simply to make more money, but I think that’s OK.
Yet, I do believe that as soon as you shift manufacturing to China, there is a certain mystique about your yoyos that is lost and you will never be able to recover it.
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Money, and I think QC is better over there because I believe certain machine shops only send you A grades (by their standards) which leaves people with really high standards like g2 with less trash grades and more a grades with a few glitches.
Reality is that people have come to expect the quality that comes from Chinese shops. 10-15 years ago, American shops were for the most part on par with their Chinese counterparts so it was still practical to produce here.
A $50 monometal that is dead smooth and comes in a batch with few to no b-grades is tough to pass up. You simply cannot get costs down far enough here to charge that amount for a yoyo unless you’re literally producing it yourself.
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Imo it really depends on how much the original companies touted their yoyos on being 100% made and designed in the USA. Like, if it was critical to their marketing pitch rather than just something they mentioned on their website (which at that moment would have been true). In the end I think the most important question is: is the current product lower, higher, or of equal quality vs their past product? Id say that switching to a foreign manufacturer for the sole reason of a higher profit margin (quality be damned), while also charging the same prices and not letting customers know of the change would be unethical. If the main reason to switch was an issue of wanting better quality and less rejects (which I think was the case for G2), I think it is ok. However, if the price of manufacturing has dropped, then I would hope to see that reflected in the price tag.
As a US citizen it is a little disappointing to see outsourced manufacturing (id rather out economy benefit than a foreign one), but it makes sense for yoyo companies to use machine shops that are either experienced with or more optimized to make yoyos.
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