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MGR/Anonymous « Yamaha SGV 800 »
Published on 12/23/03 at 15:00This is the 1967 (maybe even earlier) Yamaha (Nippon Gakki Co.) "sunburst" solid body electric guitar with "Samurai" headstock with slight offset. I could see no model number on this guitar. The re-issue of this guitar is the SGV 800. I got it for free from someone who got it for free from his uncle. Was hardly used. The strings were rusted. Unlike the re-issue models, this guitar has 2 single coil pickups and zero fret fretboard. It was not well set up so after a bit of tinkling around I found how to adjust the neck. The intonation was set not well ajusted either.
It's a very light guitar. Very interesting shape. Very comfortable to play. Very narrow thin maple neck with lots of birdseyes in the wood and rosewood fretboard. Perfect guitar for a person with small hands. Great unique vibrato mechanism that keeps the guitar in tune yet huge amount of action.
At first I did not like this dinky guitar. I was used to big heavy guitars. It felt fragile, but the light weight won me over. There is not much I don't like about this guitar except maybe the general quality of construction seems to be just adequate....not more.
The pickups do not seem to be of the highest quality. These are my first "single coil" pickups. The toggle switch mechanism seems flimsy but is well placed far below the pickups. The re-issue model has the toggle switch a bit too close to the pickups. The tone and volume pots are a bit scratchy but this guitar must have sat for years in some closet. The tuners and guitar strap buttons also seem flimsy but they have given me no problems. The finish on the guitar is minimal. The body of the guitar seems to be made of 2 peices of wood (the joint is visible behind the guitar) that is a bit softer than I am used to. I guess alder. There is a rather nice white plastic that protects the whole lower part of the body. The grain is visible but very fine, straight and ordinary. The frets are about average in size but seem quite hard. The neck is straight. Over-all construction is adequate and not more.
The re-issue models of this guitar are quite expensive. I guess this guitar sold for under 100 dollars in 1967. I did not use this guitar much at first. Now, I use it at home a lot more and sometimes at practice sessions. I was surprised at how many people recognize this guitar as being something almost 40 years old. When I wear it, I almost feel that I have to play some rock or surf music. After carefully ajusting, I started to appreciate it a lot more. No guitar or amp rates a 5. I rate this guitar at 4 because there is no 3.6
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
It's a very light guitar. Very interesting shape. Very comfortable to play. Very narrow thin maple neck with lots of birdseyes in the wood and rosewood fretboard. Perfect guitar for a person with small hands. Great unique vibrato mechanism that keeps the guitar in tune yet huge amount of action.
At first I did not like this dinky guitar. I was used to big heavy guitars. It felt fragile, but the light weight won me over. There is not much I don't like about this guitar except maybe the general quality of construction seems to be just adequate....not more.
The pickups do not seem to be of the highest quality. These are my first "single coil" pickups. The toggle switch mechanism seems flimsy but is well placed far below the pickups. The re-issue model has the toggle switch a bit too close to the pickups. The tone and volume pots are a bit scratchy but this guitar must have sat for years in some closet. The tuners and guitar strap buttons also seem flimsy but they have given me no problems. The finish on the guitar is minimal. The body of the guitar seems to be made of 2 peices of wood (the joint is visible behind the guitar) that is a bit softer than I am used to. I guess alder. There is a rather nice white plastic that protects the whole lower part of the body. The grain is visible but very fine, straight and ordinary. The frets are about average in size but seem quite hard. The neck is straight. Over-all construction is adequate and not more.
The re-issue models of this guitar are quite expensive. I guess this guitar sold for under 100 dollars in 1967. I did not use this guitar much at first. Now, I use it at home a lot more and sometimes at practice sessions. I was surprised at how many people recognize this guitar as being something almost 40 years old. When I wear it, I almost feel that I have to play some rock or surf music. After carefully ajusting, I started to appreciate it a lot more. No guitar or amp rates a 5. I rate this guitar at 4 because there is no 3.6
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com