(SOLD) Yamaha SG500 Black 1976
Yamaha SG500, made in Japan 1976, black. This is a very cool guitar indeed. The Yamaha SG series made some serious waves in the 70s and 80s; they were famously played by Carlos Santana among others. The body shape only sort-of similar to a Gibson SG: it has the horns, but it's full depth, chambered, and has a carved top and a body cut contour in the back. It's instantly recognisable as a Yamaha shape, and it's one of the few Yamaha shapes from the 70s to still be in production now. The SG500 is a little less famous (and significantly more affordable) than it's well documented brothers, the SG1000 and 2000, but it still packs a huge amount of mojo. The neck is superbly comfy; it's perfectly weighted against the chambered body. The body is very resonant, it's a pleasure to play and feels great in the hands. The two original humbuckers crank out a bright, balanced, thick tone; it's a bit more defined than a Les Paul and has a thicker, creamier midrange than a Gisbon SG. The well-worn black finish and cream binding are looking very rock-and-roll indeed with 43+ years on the clock, this has a certain Batman-ish aesthetic that absolutely radiates 'cool'. The clouding and checking lines on the front look so cool; this has absolutely been played and played in a past life. This is a superb guitar, it's a different take on the set-neck-with-humbuckers genre that really packs a heap of punch and charisma. Holy smoke, Batman!
Model: Yamaha SG500
Made: Japan, 1976 (serial hard to read but appears to be 1736)
Finish: black, cream binding
Body: asian mahogany, chambered
Neck: asian mahogany, slim 60s-esque profile, 24.75" scale, 12" radius
Weight: 3.900kg
Mods: pickguard removed, one volume knob replaced
Pickup: Yamaha humbuckers, PAF-voiced
Case: non original deluxe padded gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: moderate finish wear. Headstock has some marks on the end, some scuffs on the back and dimples on the front. There's a minor chip in the lacquer only coming off the nut, the joint is intact and there's no headstock breakages. The neck has some scuffing, clouding/patchy fading and a bunch of dimples, but it's smooth in the hands. The board and binding are in good shape. The sides have a number of scuffs, minor dents and small scratches extending around the whole guitar but there's no major gashes. The back has discoloured to a slightly green take on black, plus there's a bunch of light scuffs, small dings etc spread around. The front has some clouding and scuffs below the strings on the bottom horn, a few dents around the knobs and shoulder area, the start of a whole heap of checking lines and some scratches etc from play. Overall: good condition (6/10)
Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Frets have some normal wear, they're not in need of immediate attention and are freshly polished and pretty even, 6/10 for life left. Wearing fresh 10/46s.