anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar?

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 06:28 AM

just curious, i have heard these things and they will fool you into thinking its a lp. carlos santana used one on europa, i swore up and down as well as several other friends that it was a lp. would love to see some pics of this interesting axe

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 06:53 AM

heres one on ebay, looks pretty nice

1979 Yamaha SG 1500 - eBay (item 150289343315 end time Sep-07-08 00:49:30 PDT)

djwilbanks · 09-04-2008, 08:42 AM

That's pretty slick.

Like some kind of bastard child of the Firebird, SG, and the Les Paul

***b-squared*** · 09-04-2008, 09:13 AM

Some images off the internet. BB

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 10:08 AM

or how about a fat sg with the tips of the horns cut off, the toggle placed somewhere else?

brianbzed · 09-04-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-squared

Some images off the internet. BB

One of my best buddy guitar friends, had a late 70's Yamaha SG series. I played it live, and it effing SCREAMED!

(circa 1986!) I found out later that he had replaced the stock pickups with Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck models!

He sold that guitar and offered me the JB's for $20 each!

That same JB, bridge position-from 20+ years ago is still in my '87 Standard!

Those old Yamaha guitars played very well!

citrixmeta · 09-04-2008, 01:10 PM

now that black one looks familiar

Here is a pic of my late friend's (R.I.P Raffi) gear, well some of it.

its a Yamaha from the 70's , i will get more info once he gets online.

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citrixmeta

now that black one looks familiar

Here is a pic of my late friend's (R.I.P Raffi) gear, well some of it.

its a Yamaha from the 70's , i will get more info once he gets online.

uh, not trying to be mean but how would that be possible?

citrixmeta · 09-04-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy496

uh, not trying to be mean but how would that be possible?

what do you mean?

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 01:23 PM

you said he passed away
then you said you will get more info when he gets online

citrixmeta · 09-04-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy496

you said he passed away
then you said you will get more info when he gets online

oh god, im so sorry, what i meant was once his BROTHER gets online.

sorry about that.

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 01:26 PM

np

citrixmeta · 09-04-2008, 01:44 PM

heres a nice clip on the history of yamaha SG
YouTube - Yamaha SG Guitar History

bigdaddy496 · 09-04-2008, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citrixmeta

heres a nice clip on the history of yamaha SG
YouTube - Yamaha SG Guitar History

very good video

i would love to get my hands on the song they used

very good stuff though

djwilbanks · 09-04-2008, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy496

or how about a fat sg with the tips of the horns cut off, the toggle placed somewhere else?

Well... if it has a neck through-body... and those hips arent wide enough for an sg... I'll stick with my previous statement

rickym · 09-04-2008, 05:06 PM

Bill Nelson in '78. He knew it was/is a great guitar.

Bill with his Yamaha SG on Be Bop Deluxe's last tour (quality not so good, audio fantastic):
YouTube - Be Bop Deluxe Dangerous Stranger Live 1978

st.bede · 09-04-2008, 10:37 PM

I have an old cheaper one...with a three piece body...I do not play it much but it is nice....and when I pick it up I do enjoy it...(it needs a bit of work)

EEF13 · 09-07-2008, 01:43 PM

i always wanted one of those

lexluthier · 09-08-2008, 07:49 PM

I've had 2-sg500's and a sg1000, both were real nice guitars. The better ones can sometimes be really heavy, though.

Harpozep · 09-08-2008, 08:03 PM

To my ears, Carlos never sounded better than with his yamaha!

Saintsinner82 · 09-09-2008, 07:30 AM

Soooo badass....

citrixmeta · 01-09-2009, 01:51 PM

yikes!!! Heaavvy!!!

YouTube - Sundown Head thru Geezer 1x12

Jaypee319 · 01-09-2009, 02:06 PM

My first guitar teacher has one, and when he pairs it with his MESA Mark III, it... = ...

last.train.home · 08-16-2009, 05:17 AM

I have an sg800 from 79/80 for sale, its like the 1000 thousand but no gold, pickups etc are the same.

dpgumby · 10-27-2009, 03:55 PM

I know this thread isn't exactly new, but as a newbie to the forum I've only just stumbled upon it - I thought I had to reply, cos I actually do own a 1987(?) Yamaha SG2100 - and a Les Paul - so I can give you a direct comparison. If I've read the instructions right, here is a pic of my two lovelies:

Les Paul is An Iced Tea Trad - you know the spec.
As for the Yam SG, well it's been my only electric for the last 22 years, (up until a few weeks ago when I added the LP). It is a fantastic guitar - immaculate build quality and finishing, we're talking thru' neck, ebony fretboard, mother of pearl inlays, multi-ply binding, gold hardware, metal (brass) sustain block under the bridge, push on/off coil taps on both PUPs, poly finish, etc.etc. As for playability, frets are low and fast and upper fret access is easy. In all these aspects, its superior to the LP. It's a bit heavier than the LP (maybe a pound or two).
And yes, they do have a similar sort of sound in that they are both meaty humbucking type guitars.
BUT if they had sounded the same, I wouldn't have bought the LP. Because here's where the LP wins big time. I couldn't believe the beautiful sound of the Les Paul, it sings in a way that the Yam doesn't. What's more it even out-sustains it by a mile (which surprised me). Some of it could be to do with the strings (9s on the Yam, 10s on the LP) and the set-up, but I think it's mostly the PUPs and the guitar design/materials (yes, I do believe the nitro finish has something to do with it as well). The 57 Classics are really smooth, they make the Yam sound a bit gritty by comparison - although the Yam is perhaps less "muddy" and gives better individual string definition.

The Les Paul somehow has so much more "soul" though - if I could sum it up, the Yamaha is like a perfect machine, but the Les Paul is a musical instrument - the Yam sounds a little lacking in comparison. I think it just goes to show what a classic design the Les Paul still is.

(I'm still keeping the Yamaha though!)

BeBop · 10-28-2009, 11:16 AM

I could be wrong but think i've seen Michael Bruce of the original Alice Cooper Band playing a Yamaha SG of some model in the post ACG days. Sounded chunky and tough as i recall.

I would kinda like to get hold of a pair of those pickups to try out . I've never checked into price and availability though.

BrianGT · 10-28-2009, 12:08 PM

I have owned 3 SG 2000's and one SG1000....also had two Sa2200's the Yammy 335 eqivalent.

I came to prefer the SG1000 because it is built like a Les Paul with a set neck and no brass sustain plate under the bridge. To me it sounded fatter.
The 2000 has a thru neck and that brass plate which to me adds too much top end.

Also, the biggest discovery I made about the SG series is that as well as tapping the pickups the tone pots are NO LOAD when on 10!!
That makes a BIG difference to the sound if you always have the tone on 10, you are going straight to the jack plug and it's very bright...back off the tone to 9 and it becomes a regular tone pot back in the circuit...you can easily hear it come back in.
That's why most people who compare them to a LP always say they are brighter.....

Just a little snippet of joy!

elsonsballs · 10-30-2009, 01:39 AM

my first guitar was a sbg2000 lol... lucky me

BrianGT · 10-30-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

my first guitar was a sbg2000 lol... lucky me

Hell yeah! Very lucky you!

I wish I still had my SG1000......I'll get another one day!

elsonsballs · 10-31-2009, 02:01 AM

I thought i might as well give back to this forum by posting my baby : ). sorry if the photos are grainy, taken with cellphone camera because my sister has my regular camera.

hardshell case.

laying next to my refinished MIM strat

neck through, with the maple sandwich.

09-04-2008, 06:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
bigdaddy496 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Euless, Texas Posts: 1,863 Thanks: 0 Thanked 63 Times in 15 Posts	anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? just curious, i have heard these things and they will fool you into thinking its a lp. carlos santana used one on europa, i swore up and down as well as several other friends that it was a lp. would love to see some pics of this interesting axe __________________ To tyrants, I am the day of reckoning; to the oppressed, the hope for the future. 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom 1994 Epiphone Les Paul Birdseye 2012 Fender Stratocaster

09-04-2008, 06:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
bigdaddy496 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Euless, Texas Posts: 1,863 Thanks: 0 Thanked 63 Times in 15 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? heres one on ebay, looks pretty nice 1979 Yamaha SG 1500 - eBay (item 150289343315 end time Sep-07-08 00:49:30 PDT) __________________ To tyrants, I am the day of reckoning; to the oppressed, the hope for the future. 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom 1994 Epiphone Les Paul Birdseye 2012 Fender Stratocaster

09-04-2008, 08:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 27,767 Thanks: 220 Thanked 443 Times in 82 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? That's pretty slick. Like some kind of bastard child of the Firebird, SG, and the Les Paul northernguitarguy likes this. __________________ This post happily existed in all possible states until you observed it. Now it has collapsed into a single state. I hope you're happy. Click Deadpool for my Soundcloud page.

09-04-2008, 09:13 AM	#4 (permalink)
*b-squared* MLP Pacific NW! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Northwest WA Posts: 20,550 Thanks: 626 Thanked 701 Times in 100 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? Some images off the internet. BB __________________ Life's too short to deal with bad tone!

09-04-2008, 10:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
bigdaddy496 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Euless, Texas Posts: 1,863 Thanks: 0 Thanked 63 Times in 15 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? or how about a fat sg with the tips of the horns cut off, the toggle placed somewhere else? __________________ To tyrants, I am the day of reckoning; to the oppressed, the hope for the future. 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom 1994 Epiphone Les Paul Birdseye 2012 Fender Stratocaster

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09-04-2008, 01:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
citrixmeta Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 351 Thanks: 2 Thanked 10 Times in 4 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? now that black one looks familiar Here is a pic of my late friend's (R.I.P Raffi) gear, well some of it. its a Yamaha from the 70's , i will get more info once he gets online. __________________ Dan Electro 56-U2 Epiphone SG junior p90 Epiphone Firebird Studio Peavey Rage Danelectro 15w Nifty Seventy

09-04-2008, 01:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
bigdaddy496 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Euless, Texas Posts: 1,863 Thanks: 0 Thanked 63 Times in 15 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? you said he passed away then you said you will get more info when he gets online __________________ To tyrants, I am the day of reckoning; to the oppressed, the hope for the future. 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom 1994 Epiphone Les Paul Birdseye 2012 Fender Stratocaster

09-04-2008, 01:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
bigdaddy496 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Euless, Texas Posts: 1,863 Thanks: 0 Thanked 63 Times in 15 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? np __________________ To tyrants, I am the day of reckoning; to the oppressed, the hope for the future. 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom 1994 Epiphone Les Paul Birdseye 2012 Fender Stratocaster

09-04-2008, 01:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
citrixmeta Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 351 Thanks: 2 Thanked 10 Times in 4 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? heres a nice clip on the history of yamaha SG YouTube - Yamaha SG Guitar History __________________ Dan Electro 56-U2 Epiphone SG junior p90 Epiphone Firebird Studio Peavey Rage Danelectro 15w Nifty Seventy

09-04-2008, 05:06 PM	#16 (permalink)
rickym Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Monrovia, CA USA Posts: 1,063 Thanks: 21 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? Bill Nelson in '78. He knew it was/is a great guitar. Bill with his Yamaha SG on Be Bop Deluxe's last tour (quality not so good, audio fantastic): YouTube - Be Bop Deluxe Dangerous Stranger Live 1978 __________________ *ShamRockers-1Up/Press Play On Tape-The Eric Clapton Social Group-The VOX club*

09-04-2008, 10:37 PM	#17 (permalink)
st.bede V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fresno Ca Posts: 7,195 Thanks: 245 Thanked 203 Times in 80 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I have an old cheaper one...with a three piece body...I do not play it much but it is nice....and when I pick it up I do enjoy it...(it needs a bit of work) __________________ "The economy is a system of interdependence." “Falsehood has an infinity of combinations, but truth has only one mode of being.” ― Jean-Jacques Rousseau I have slowly morphed into a space alien trying to communicate enigmatic messages to my home world. "to criticize without vision is to be complicitious with dominance" Carolyn Casey "There is no hierarchy of goodness" *Des*

09-07-2008, 01:43 PM	#18 (permalink)
EEF13 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Panama City, Panama Posts: 8,406 Thanks: 307 Thanked 656 Times in 260 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? i always wanted one of those

09-08-2008, 07:49 PM	#19 (permalink)
lexluthier V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: guitar dungeon Posts: 1,196 Thanks: 2 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I've had 2-sg500's and a sg1000, both were real nice guitars. The better ones can sometimes be really heavy, though. __________________

09-08-2008, 08:03 PM	#20 (permalink)
Harpozep V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Near the Casinos...... Posts: 10,268 Thanks: 412 Thanked 139 Times in 55 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? To my ears, Carlos never sounded better than with his yamaha! __________________ "Ape Shall Not Kill Ape” Only 1,969 years until the Reign of Zaius!

09-09-2008, 07:30 AM	#21 (permalink)
Saintsinner82 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: ct Posts: 255 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? Soooo badass....

01-09-2009, 02:06 PM	#23 (permalink)
Jaypee319 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: You just lost the game. Posts: 2,747 Thanks: 24 Thanked 24 Times in 16 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? My first guitar teacher has one, and when he pairs it with his MESA Mark III, it... = ... __________________ My music page: (with poorly done music) John Ucol/Facebook Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/johnucol My YouTube Page with loads of poorly done music and dumb videos: http://www.youtube.com/jaypee319 Bandhappy lessons: http://bandhappy.com/profile/johnucol

08-16-2009, 05:17 AM	#24 (permalink)
last.train.home Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: leicester Posts: 109 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I have an sg800 from 79/80 for sale, its like the 1000 thousand but no gold, pickups etc are the same. __________________ Loving the new slash album http://www.myspace.com/angelswithdirtyfacesok sELLING GIBSON L6S 1974 - 800 OR TRADE !!!!!!

10-27-2009, 03:55 PM	#25 (permalink)
dpgumby Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Posts: 85 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 1 Post	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I know this thread isn't exactly new, but as a newbie to the forum I've only just stumbled upon it - I thought I had to reply, cos I actually do own a 1987(?) Yamaha SG2100 - and a Les Paul - so I can give you a direct comparison. If I've read the instructions right, here is a pic of my two lovelies: Les Paul is An Iced Tea Trad - you know the spec. As for the Yam SG, well it's been my only electric for the last 22 years, (up until a few weeks ago when I added the LP). It is a fantastic guitar - immaculate build quality and finishing, we're talking thru' neck, ebony fretboard, mother of pearl inlays, multi-ply binding, gold hardware, metal (brass) sustain block under the bridge, push on/off coil taps on both PUPs, poly finish, etc.etc. As for playability, frets are low and fast and upper fret access is easy. In all these aspects, its superior to the LP. It's a bit heavier than the LP (maybe a pound or two). And yes, they do have a similar sort of sound in that they are both meaty humbucking type guitars. BUT if they had sounded the same, I wouldn't have bought the LP. Because here's where the LP wins big time. I couldn't believe the beautiful sound of the Les Paul, it sings in a way that the Yam doesn't. What's more it even out-sustains it by a mile (which surprised me). Some of it could be to do with the strings (9s on the Yam, 10s on the LP) and the set-up, but I think it's mostly the PUPs and the guitar design/materials (yes, I do believe the nitro finish has something to do with it as well). The 57 Classics are really smooth, they make the Yam sound a bit gritty by comparison - although the Yam is perhaps less "muddy" and gives better individual string definition. The Les Paul somehow has so much more "soul" though - if I could sum it up, the Yamaha is like a perfect machine, but the Les Paul is a musical instrument - the Yam sounds a little lacking in comparison. I think it just goes to show what a classic design the Les Paul still is. (I'm still keeping the Yamaha though!)

10-28-2009, 11:16 AM	#26 (permalink)
BeBop Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 101 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I could be wrong but think i've seen Michael Bruce of the original Alice Cooper Band playing a Yamaha SG of some model in the post ACG days. Sounded chunky and tough as i recall. I would kinda like to get hold of a pair of those pickups to try out . I've never checked into price and availability though.

10-28-2009, 12:08 PM	#27 (permalink)
BrianGT Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North East Scotland Posts: 2,710 Thanks: 40 Thanked 75 Times in 13 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I have owned 3 SG 2000's and one SG1000....also had two Sa2200's the Yammy 335 eqivalent. I came to prefer the SG1000 because it is built like a Les Paul with a set neck and no brass sustain plate under the bridge. To me it sounded fatter. The 2000 has a thru neck and that brass plate which to me adds too much top end. Also, the biggest discovery I made about the SG series is that as well as tapping the pickups the tone pots are NO LOAD when on 10!! That makes a BIG difference to the sound if you always have the tone on 10, you are going straight to the jack plug and it's very bright...back off the tone to 9 and it becomes a regular tone pot back in the circuit...you can easily hear it come back in. That's why most people who compare them to a LP always say they are brighter..... Just a little snippet of joy! northernguitarguy and upl8tr like this.

10-30-2009, 01:39 AM	#28 (permalink)
elsonsballs Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 33 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? my first guitar was a sbg2000 lol... lucky me

10-31-2009, 02:01 AM	#30 (permalink)
elsonsballs Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 33 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: anyone here own a yamaha sg series guitar? I thought i might as well give back to this forum by posting my baby : ). sorry if the photos are grainy, taken with cellphone camera because my sister has my regular camera. hardshell case. laying next to my refinished MIM strat neck through, with the maple sandwich. northernguitarguy likes this.

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