Members travisty Posted November 16, 2014 Members Share Posted November 16, 2014 HNGD to me. As a long-time collector of 20th century Japanese woodcraft, this spoke to me. Above and beyond being an instrument. So I did something stupid. I bought it. 1988 limited edition (of 20) YEG-100a. Curly maple top, Honduran Mahogany back and neck. Ebony fingerboard. Cool carving on the upper horn and headstock. Little LEDs on the fingerboard along with the dots. Yamaha's first use of its passive/active hybrid 2-way pups (H.I.P.S.) which later showed up on a number of guitars. One can get almost the same thing from the Image Custom brought out a year later (same pups, same fb, etc) under the 'auspices' of being a Martyn Booth design. Martyn Booth quit Yamaha the following year and set up shop himself making almost the same thing. Sounds nice. Looks the dogs dangly bits IMHO. Kind of scared to play it, but playing it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted November 16, 2014 Members Share Posted November 16, 2014 It's so fugly,it's kinda cool! I like, and congrats on something truly different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted November 16, 2014 Members Share Posted November 16, 2014 Definitely different. As long as you like it, it's cool. Congratulations and Happy New Guitar Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members travisty Posted November 17, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 17, 2014 Thanks gents. I like it but I come at this one from a different perspective - from the POV that it represents the 'zeitgeist' (which was, in the very late 80s, that of conspicuous wealth creation and consumption, with a slight tilt towards nationalism (the phoenix is 'Chinese', but the Japanese use it as a classical intellectual symbol of national rebirth). But believe it or not it sounds really great. Sustain for miles, and the pups are wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Posted November 17, 2014 Members Share Posted November 17, 2014 Wow, again, never seen one. Still, I love the contours and the headstock, I think it really does work as a piece. Almost more a piece of art than a guitar, in some ways. HNGD! Thanks gents. I like it but I come at this one from a different perspective - from the POV that represents the zeitgeist' (which was, in the very late 80s, that of conspicuous wealth creation and consumption, a slight tilt towards nationalism (the phoenix is 'Chinese', but the Japanese use it as a classical intellectual symbol of national rebirth). But believe it or not it sounds really great. Sustain for miles, and the pups are wonderful. Great analysis, and glad to hear it sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted November 17, 2014 Members Share Posted November 17, 2014 Work of art. Beautiful. Absolutely nothing fugly about it except that it doesn't have to be everyone's taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted November 17, 2014 Members Share Posted November 17, 2014 Congrats!!!! Did.they ever do it without the LEDs or body inlays? I live that guitar body shape, unusual and very pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members travisty Posted November 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted November 18, 2014 Thanks Les Paul Lover,.The materials, body shape/styling with the curleycues, body inlay, and headstock piece were unique to this model - which was a 100th anniversary of Yamaha Group model (by the way the LEDs turn on and off (I had them turned on for photo 'bling') and if they are not turned on, you can't see them - they are little matte black dots on an ebony fingerboard). The technical bits were repeated in the short-lived Yamaha Image Custom from a year later - which was a Martyn Booth 'design' of an SG body. The only other body shape and material which looks 'similar' to me is the Yamaha TSG, which also has a 'curl' on the upper horn, and was also a limited edition (from '85), and also introduced parts and technology which later became standard on Yamaha's higher end guitars. It too is something of an acquired taste, but it is truly a beautiful guitar as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted November 19, 2014 Moderators Share Posted November 19, 2014 Oddly enough, this part of this guitar is actually a volute, unlike the feature on the headstock end of late 60s and 70s angled headstocks Les Pauls and the like, which structurally owes its function to a butress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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