Yamaha SA2200

Yamaha SA2200 is definitely one of the best semi-hollow body guitars in the market. It does not matter where one starts, from the production perspective, i.e. technology, materials, labour, or from the guitar players' perspective, it is very, very hard for other brands to bid this one - made in Japan by Yamaha. The finish is flawless and electronics are uncomplainable. Wood and materials are of a high quality grade similar to those used by Gibson to make their ES models. I have not found any issue with the structure of the guitar. Yamaha uses ebony to make fretboards for the SA model and more expensive guitars. It gives more high ends, more crunchy sounds and more sustain. Gibson uses rosewood that gives more low ends and warmth. Tone is a personal preference. However, using the tone control knob with Push-Pull Coil Split, I can produce sounds that are more similar to a Fender Strat. Ebony is denser and harder hence more solid and durable than rosewood. The feel is so smooth and very comfortable when playing the guitar the first time. Surprisingly, Yamaha SA2200 has a much lower price than Gibson ES models. So if I had to choose between Yamaha SA2200 and a Gibson ES as free gift, I would take the Gibson then sell it to buy the Yamaha.

Set neck
Fingerboard: 24 3/4 "(628.7mm)
Ebony fingerboard, mahogany neck
Radius 13 3/4 "(350mm)
22 frets
Laminated maple body
TOM bridge Bridge
2 Humbucker Pickups Alnico V
Miros selector 3 positions
Controls: Volume micro sleeve, bridge pickup volume, neck pickup tone, bridge pickup tone, tone knobs are equipped with a "push-pull" to switch from single to double coil on each pickup

UTILIZATION

The handle is a treat for me: you can play for hours and hours without effort. Or too thin, not too thick or too wide or too narrow ... The action can be set low. Try this guitar, you'll love it immediately.

Note that the set neck gives excellent sustain to the instrument, but this (as often on Archtops to set neck) flexibility: when tuning, do not grind the head like a pickaxe handle in penalty of false agree!

For a hollowbody, this Yamaha surprised by its weight: it's not really light. But his balance is excellent; whether standing or sitting game weight is therefore fairly quickly forget.

Access to the treble? Like all kinds hollow ES-335! I am a bad judge: I rarely play on the last frets. Surely much worse than a Strat or SG.

You do not get the sound: it was from the start! The knobs are very progressive and allows for a blend the drive and tone. A treat!

SOUNDS

This is a very versatile guitar. Imagine an ES-335 with sounds a little less "vintage". For my use (jazz, blues, rock too violent), I find it sails very well in all these genres. Lovers of jazz-rock that sounds like the kind John Scofield and Larry Carlton will be filled!

The neck pickup gives much fuller sound, even "woody" with a nice sustain rather fat - less than a LP however. It reacts well with overdrive pedals and distortion (or pushing the gain on the amp) and you can even get long and creamy sound.

The bridge pickup is edgier (normal!) But keeps in the background a "silky". It does not, in his clear, this impression of sound that seems very narrow as it can sometimes hear for example with ES-335-like or even ES-335. Hard to describe sounds with words, but I want to say we feel again the wood in the sounds of the microphone.

Position in inter, we really obtain a balance between the two characters of each microphone: heat, wood, teeth and even massive.

The pickups seem to have a fairly high level of output and use the gain on the amplifier allows fast enough to have a great crunch.

I do not like the sound with single coil pickups with splitted: the marriage of his "woody" and crystal coldness microphones does not turn me too: there is something unusual, artificial in these sounds (especially inter position with 2 microphones splitted). But it's probably a matter of taste some love. Personally, I'm too used to the single coil sounds Stratocaster or Telecaster kind of to me to other singlecoil sounds!

Of all the amps with whom I play, it sounds: Egnater Rebel, Laney CUB12 "Design", Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for six months and quite intensivement- it is such a treat!

Like other guitars I acquired this Yam 'for herself, without trying to compare: the violin is beautiful (this guitar is remarkably well finished), superb sound, it provides incredible playability Du. happiness!

Bireli Lagrene has appeared many times on stage with this guitar. This seems to me talking ...

The pros:
- Build quality
- Aesthetic
- His
- Gameplay
- Makes perfect agreement

The -:
- The form of buttons knobs does not make easy gesture to make during the game the "push-pull" to switch to single coil
- The jack on the table of the guitar (a matter of habit?)

Value for money? Really excellent! How did I live without this Yamaha so long? !!!

Mentioned

UTILIZATION

Perfect inning, with a radius of 13.5, low frets and fingerboard very smooth ebony, this guitar is incredibly easy to play, why I do not play it too much, otherwise I suffer when I go on a strat .

Ergonomics? Cumbersome as all quarters of cases of style.

SOUNDS

It is suitable for a style of music I find quite elegant. I feel pretty comfortable in a jazz blues record, something quite silky, soft, at least not in too punchy style. It is less powerful than a Les Paul for example.

I'm not a fan of splits so no opinion on that, I only use the natural sound of the humbuckers.

OVERALL OPINION

Very good value for money
Beautiful finish
Very easy to play

+ All the

The - it is beautiful, we do not want to bully, and splits because I think it's stupid, it reduces the volume and not as a typical micro strat a strat.