CompanyYo-yo BrandEst. 2008
General-Yo
General-Yo was founded in the second half of 2008 by Ernie Kaiser, an aerospace engineer based in Riverside, California. After rekindling his passion for yoyoing following a 25-year break, Kaiser applied his aerospace machining expertise to produce high-precision, American-made metal yoyos. The company’s debut throw — the Torrent — immediately established General-Yo’s reputation for uncompromising quality.
All General-Yo yoyos are machined to extreme tolerances, with Ernie personally rejecting units for wobble or anodizing defects. The brand is known for their proprietary HAT-PAD response system, AIGR (Aircraft Instrument Grade Rated) bearings, and ultra-limited production runs — most models number in the dozens to low hundreds of units. General-Yo has explored nearly every material class: 6061 and 7075 aluminum, 7075 bimetal with stainless steel and brass rings, and a legendary magnesium throw (the Magnum). The brand celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018 and continues producing new models as of 2025.