Used Yamaha Lord Player in gloss black with cream binding, made in Japan 1984-86. These models replaced the earlier Studio Lords and originally appeared in 1983, and seem to drop out of the catalogue after 1986. You get some nice appointments: mahogany body, one piece mahogany neck, vintage Gibson style tuners and a cheeky open-book style headstock. This one is definitely a 'legit relic' example; the finish has a whole heap of cosmetic wear, and you can see the undulations of the grain through the black finish in certain lights. The faded cream binding, switch and pickup surrounds look especially cool against the black. The nut has been recently replaced with a new bone nut by a top notch luthier, which is a nice addition. The humbuckers produce a big, full, warm, crunchy tone... it really does sounds terrific. The neck is slim and superbly comfortable, the guitar loves a big bend and is fast and easy to play. This is an honest vintage Japanese LP with a whole lot of swagger.

Manufacturer: Yamaha
Model: Lord Player LP400
Year: 1984-86 (serial 312725)
Made in: Japan
Finish: Gloss black, cream binding
Body: Mahogany with maple top
Neck: Mahogany
Weight: 4.1kg
Mods: Bone nut installed, pick-guard removed
Neck pickup: Original Yamaha covered humbucker, 6.35k ohms
Bridge pickup: Original Yamaha covered humbucker, 6.37k ohms
Case: none, ask about options

Cosmetic condition notes: significant finish wear. Fairly extensive buckle rash on the back, nothing that exposes the timber. Plenty of scratches, nicks and dimples on the top and around the headstock. Nothing too crazy there. There's a crack in the lacquer around the neck joint, our local professional luthier has diagnosed it as almost certainly only in the lacquer and not a crack in the wood, although he noted if it turned out to be deeper, the cost of repair would be approx. $80aud. The chrome and plastics have aged to a great vintage look. No pick guard. No major cosmetic or structural dramas, ready for another 30+ years. Overall: fair condition.

Playing condition notes: Playing nicely! Neck is straight, action is low, intonation is good. Frets have been played but wear is minor. Very comfortable and enjoyable with low action up and down the neck. Very good indeed.