Yamaha Taps GE for Consumer Finance Program; Installment Credit Now Available at All Yamaha Retail Stores

The Yamaha Retail Finance program will be offered through nearly300 Yamaha piano dealers in North America. Yamaha is a leadingmanufacturer of grand and vertical pianos, as well as the renownedClavinova Digital Piano and the Disklavier Piano.

"Financing is essential in the retail music business, and we wantto offer our customers the best financing options possible," statedPaul Calvin, general manager of Yamaha's Piano Division. "GE has theresources and capabilities we were looking for in a financingpartner."

The new partnership will offer a variety of benefits to Yamahapiano dealers and customers, including experienced underwritersempowered by some of the most aggressive underwriting strategies inthe industry; flexible financing terms up to 144 months and $100,000;a dedicated field support team; marketing support and free in-store,point-of-sale materials; a participation schedule paid up front withfunding; and dealer and customer service available seven days a week.

To support the Yamaha Retail Finance program, GE Consumer Financehas formed a dedicated team of relationship managers, risk managers,dealer sales representatives, loan underwriters and customer servicemanagers experienced in the music industry.

In addition, GE Consumer Finance enjoys many long-termrelationships with Yamaha retailers via GE Commercial Finance; thesedealers can be automatically enrolled in the Yamaha Retail FinanceProgram.

Music sales for Yamaha Corporation topped $700 million in 2004.The company, which was founded in Japan in 1887, opened its Americandistribution in 1960. Yamaha Corporation of America is the parentcompany's largest subsidiary.

"We are thrilled that Yamaha selected GE as the financing servicesresource," said Mike Friguletto, Senior Vice President of GE ConsumerFinance, Retail Sales Finance. "The Yamaha name is well-established inthe music industry. We expect this to be a long and productiverelationship."

About Yamaha

Since 1887, when it began producing reed organs, the YamahaCorporation in Japan (then Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd.) has grown to becomethe world's largest manufacturer of a full line of musicalinstruments, and a leading producer of audio/visual products,semiconductors and other computer related products, sporting goods,home appliances and furniture, specialty metals, machine tools, andindustrial robots. Yamaha now owns 59 subsidiaries and affiliates inoverseas markets in addition to numerous related companies in Japan.

About Retail Sales Finance and GE Consumer Finance

Retail Sales Finance, based in Kettering, Ohio, is part of GEConsumer Finance and provides private label credit card programs,marketing, installment lending and financial services for national andregional retailers in key industries: home improvement, powersports,outdoor equipment, automotive/recreational vehicles, consumerelectronics and appliances, furniture, floor covering, jewelry andhealth care. With $150 billion in assets, GE Consumer Finance, a unitof General Electric Company, is a leading provider of credit servicesto consumers, retailers and auto dealers in 47 countries around theworld. GE Consumer Finance, based in Stamford, Conn. (USA), offers arange of financial products, including private label credit cards,personal loans, bank cards, auto loans and leases, mortgages,corporate travel and purchasing cards, debt consolidation and homeequity loans and credit insurance. More information can be foundonline at www.geconsumerfinance.com. GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversifiedtechnology, media and financial services company dedicated to creatingproducts that make life better. For more information, visitwww.ge.com.

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