I dunno 'bout that. I’ve played and loved yoyos from both. I don’t play one of my YYF and think, “It’s missing that special something that would put it alongside General-Yo”. Great yoyos come from both companies.
I think if you play something like a Prestige, it’s just that YYF hasn’t made anything with quite that shape and feel (that I’m aware of). So if that shape and feel speaks to you, there’s just nothing comparable from YYF.
Same with the Space Cowboy, though. I can’t think of anything particularly similar by General-Yo, and definitely not as a bi-metal.
Two companies doing good things…