Yamaha Studio Lord SL600S Brown Sunburst 1978
Yamaha Studio Lord SL600S, brown sunburst, made in Japan 1978. Vintage Yamaha stuff like this is always excellent, we love it around here. The Studio Lord series ran from 1975-82 or so and referenced the classic Les Paul models of the 50s and 60s. This example is LP Standard-flavoured, so you get tulip tuners, trapezoid inlays, cream binding and a cute plain maple carved top. The sunburst looks a little different to other examples we've had: it's darker around the edges, more like a tobacco burst, than the usual examples that fade to a chocolate brown. It's a cool look, kinda like a sepia photograph with a dark vignette. This was one or two models above the most basic Lord in the series, so you get a tasty tightly grained mahogany back, which looks amazing. The tone is awesome: clear and weighty on the neck pickup, expansive and creamy on the bridge pickup with a complex fullness. These are wildly good guitars, and often less pricy than the equivalent model by Tokai or Greco as they still fly a little under the radar. Hail the Lord!
Model: Yamaha Studio Lord SL600S
Made: Japan, 1978-9, Nippon Gakki factory
Serial: 001582
Finish: Brown Sunburst, gloss poly
Body: mahogany, plain maple carved top
Neck: three piece maple, rosewood fretboard, 24.75" scale, 12" radius, slim C
Weight: 4.695kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Yamaha L-II humbucker x2
Accessories: basic gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has minor chips and dents on the end, scuffs on the edges, minor scuffs on the back and some fading and surface scratches on the front. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, dimples, rub wear and scuffs on the back only. The back has minor chips on the bottom horn and near the cavity cover, scratches on the horns, back edge and elbow area and widespread minor scuffs. The sides have minor scuffs and dimples around the whole body, as well as dents in the elbow area and near the jack. The front has dimples around the knobs, surface scratches and scuffs in the elbow area and back edge, bubbling of the paint along the edge near the jack and some play wear and scuffs on the guard and horns.
Overall: very good condition (7/10)
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 Moonshiners strings.
Fret Life: 7/10, normal wear but playing smoothly