Yamaha Studio Lord SL500S, brown sunburst, made in Japan 1979. More vintage Yamaha goodness here for your enjoyment... yum. The Studio Lord series was Yamaha's take on the Les Paul, available from 1976-82 and made alongside the famed SG and SA series before vanishing into history. This feels great: the neck is a comfy round C style shape that sits nicely in the hand, and the three-piece build has kept it arrow-straight over the decades. The body is resonant, with plenty of sweet little details in the maple top that reward a closer look. The sunburst finish looks warm and inviting, with a golden glow in the middle fading to a dark chocolate vignette, all with the mellowness that comes with five decades of play. Plug it in, and you get a smooth, fat warm sound with a nice hint of snap and chime on the top end. It's clear and balanced, happily covering jazzy cleans or snarly rock stuff. If you're after a brilliant vintage LP without further destroying your financial future, perhaps you should befriend this here Lord, m'lady.

Model: Yamaha Studio Lord SL500S
Made: Japan, 1979, Nippon Gakki factory
Serial: 003925
Finish: brown sunburst, gloss poly
Body: agathis (asian mahogany), three piece non-sandwich style, plain maple top
Neck: maple, 3-piece, rosewood board, 12" radius, 24.75" scale, moderate 1960 profile
Weight: 4.100kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Yamaha L-III humbucker x2
Accessories: basic gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has dimples on the end and top edge and some scuffs on the front around the posts. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor rub wear only. The back has a bunch of dimples in the elbow area and middle of the body as well as below the control cavity and some scuffs on the bottom horn, around the switch cavity and along the back edge. The sides have scuffs on the top horn, scuffs and surface scratches in the elbow area, scuffs near the jack and dimples on the bottom horn. The front has some minor scuffs around the knobs, back edge and elbow area as well as some play wear on the guard and horns. Three of the knobs are missing their label caps.
Overall: very good condition (8/10)

Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/52 strings.
Fret Life: 8/10, minor wear only