Yamaha Lord Player, Studio Lord ... opinions?

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detroitace

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Hello!

I've seen these on ebay for a while. I wondered if anybody
has one and what the general (or specific) opinion is of them.
Harmony-central has some glowing reviews, but they may be
one-sided.

I see that some are from the early 70's, which seems to indicate
the Yamaha was in the replica game pretty early on.

I'm interested in knowing about the woods, neck thickness,
electronics (pickups, pots) and reliability.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill
 
You may know what the reviews on Harmony central worth...

everything is allways "amazing for its price, definitely worth a Gibson" etc...


I've tried one a few years ago, I'll give you the opinion of my friend who sell MIJ on ebay: they are good guitar. Very underrated because Yamaha is underrated in general. There is no high end models from what I's saw, so don't expect to get something like an "Orville by Gibson" or a Greco eg-1000. BUt the studio lords- for example- can be compared to an eg-450 or similar. Again, I'm not a Yamaha specialist, but I tend to trust this brand as it usually offer some very honest stuff ( when it's not killer guitars like in the accoustic range) and it's really underrated.
 
I have seen 700 models which I think may be as high end as they went...or not. I own several good yamahas and they make great guitars, one of the best kept secrets out there.
I have a USA II
A Pac 10th anniversary strat
A mike Stern 1511
An SAS-1500
An SA-2200
A 1973 SG-35
and an LL33J acoustic.
Love my Yamahas.
 
Well, I got an LP 500 off Ebay for a fair price and I love it.
It's made from several pieces of wood, 9 in total. Two pancakes and a maple cap all made from 3 pieces of wood. I guess this is how they were
making them back then. Anyway, it doesn't seem to effect the sustain much, but it does make it my heaviest les paul. My edwards LE is around 8.2, my two Diodatis (really Tokai LS70s) are 8.8 or so (bathroom scale :wink:

I've done several things to it since I got including:
- changed the original yamaha humbuckers for SD (SH4-, SH-2N in the bridge and neck, respectively)
- put original style keystone tuners on it (had been replaced with grover style, which worked well, but left holes in the back of the headstock)
- put on a gotoh bridge because the old was kind of corroded, but still worked.
- and recrowned the frets.

Now, it's awesome.

I do think this guitar is very solid and should last a long time.
I'll post pictures soon. (Anyone want to help here? I've got some space to put them up, but everytime I do, all I get are links in the message)

Thanks!
 
the 500 series means it sold for 50,000 yen... not a high end model. The higher up you go the better the pqrts and wood...which is not to say a 5oo series can`t be a good guitar , each should be judged on it`s own merits. But thats why it`s made of so many pieces of wood.
 
Strangely... I have acquired a Yamaha SL1000 - which is a Studio Lord LP custom copy of such exquisite beauty and tone that no record of it dare exist anywhere - Google? Nada! Only the original ebay ad I got it from.

I can vouch for it being a genuine Yamy because I own an SG800 of similar vintage that has a very similar feel, approach, hardware, truss rod cover etc but this SL1000 is just a beauty.

I wonder if anyone else has ever seen one - can shed any light? I would love to know...
 
So your the one that won that. I had never seen any above a 700.
I have the Lord Player LP-400 with the Gisbon shaped headstock and it's really a great playing/sounding/feeling guitar.

P.S. detroitace- want to sell those awful sounding Yamaha humbuckers? :lol:
 
Are the 800's and 1000's from the 70's/80's or are they a more recent production?

Anyone know why some are Studio Lord and some are Lord Player?
 
My understanding is the Lord Player's had the open-book headstock and were intended for the Japanese market, while the Studio Lords have an inverted open-book headstock and were for export.

I think they were made the same, otherwise, though.

I've also heard that in the 70's and early 80's the Yamaha's were the Japanese replicas that were thought to be closest to the originals in feel and playability.

-- Bill
 
My SL1000 is definitely 70s/80s as the lacquer has that slightly milky look in places that old Yamahas from that era get.
 
I have received the following information from Yamaha in Japan on my SL1000

Body / Maple + Mahogany
Neck / Mahogany
F.Board / Ebony

Neck Construction /Set in

Production / Sep. 1977
Made in Japan

er...

That's it.

It's a monster guitar and you'se all should be kicking yourselves for not getting to it first... ;)
 
No specific opinion other that I've never been anything less than astonished at the quality of Yamahas high end guitars (and the SL800 will be a high end guitar).

I get the feeling that Yamaha went in for producing really professional quality instruments that happened to look like Les Pauls rather that the other way round (If you get my drift)

I have a Yamaha SG800 which is the first guitar that ever really astonished me with its quality - I've a feeling the SL800 will be equally astonishing :)
 
japlover said:
No specific opinion other that I've never been anything less than astonished at the quality of Yamahas high end guitars (and the SL800 will be a high end guitar).

I get the feeling that Yamaha went in for producing really professional quality instruments that happened to look like Les Pauls rather that the other way round (If you get my drift)

I have a Yamaha SG800 which is the first guitar that ever really astonished me with its quality - I've a feeling the SL800 will be equally astonishing :)

Heh. Seems like it's some pretty high quality instruments the 800 series. Sounds like a bargain for ?450 in that case. I will take the trip and check it out. Thanks for your opinion!
 
japlover said:
I have received the following information from Yamaha in Japan on my SL1000

Body / Maple + Mahogany
Neck / Mahogany
F.Board / Ebony

Neck Construction /Set in

Production / Sep. 1977
Made in Japan

er...

That's it.

It's a monster guitar and you'se all should be kicking yourselves for not getting to it first... ;)

JapL,

How did you receive this info?

I'm so curious if my Yammy Lord Player 400's neck is maple or mahogany.
 
myyamahalordplayer.jpg


this is my Lord Player...I guess its an LP400, the most common of all Lord Players.

I believe the TRC isn't original. I got it without the bridge PU, and the neck PU cover has been removed. Its got extra holes too on the headstock. a small screw hole above every machinehead. Former owner must've installed a set plastic kluson tuners. Shame on its former owner. I installed SD Alnico Pro 2's.

I fell in love with it the moment I struck the strings. Its not too heavy like most Greco EGs and resonates deeply and its not too muddy or middy.

My only gripe is that the fingerboard is wide like the Super R'inRoller Strats.

I just need to know if the neck is mahogany or maple.

Anyone?
 

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