Members RockNote Posted January 2, 2006 Members Share Posted January 2, 2006 Originally posted by fats Something to note about Yamaha's MSRP is that you will likely be able to buy the guitar for 75% or less of that price, at least in Canada. ...back to the *real* discussion - the SG is a guitar I've been lusting over for a long time, but I've never actually seen or played one in person - none of the Yamaha dealers around here ever have any Really, no Yasmmies in the Milky Way? Compared to the Japanese price, it seems prices are quite fair here in Europe. Please let me know what a good deal in Canada is, if you find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 2, 2006 Members Share Posted January 2, 2006 Originally posted by Gentle Thunder It's about 6 months old.....in black. The trouble with SG2000's for me is that they are usually three pieces, centre block and a couple of wings either side and Yamaha don't seem to be fussed about the wings matching. Some look "odd"......you can't see it in black! The first black one i have owned. Incidentally....the SG1000 is closer to a Les Paul in construction..........tenon joined neck (not thru-body) and twp piece body..and also no sustain block. I'll check out the link....but........mine is definately not neck heavy .......but it is an heavy guitar. I think Yamaha humbuckers split better than most others by the way. I care a lot less than most people here, I think, when it comes to looks. I am quite fussy when it comes to everything though! I believe the SG1000 is a great guitar too; it's just not as legendary as the SG2000. Do you feel there are any drawbacks to the brass sustain block? Somewhere I have read the comment that it makes for a harsh sound - but I think this is an unusual viewpoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Gentle Thunder, the pickguard appears to be attached to the body of the SG2000 without using an "external" piece of metal, such as is used on a Gibson LP. How is it attached? What did you pay for yours? Where did you get it? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 The pick guard is attached via two screws........one in the same place as a Les Paul at the neck and the other in the middle of the bottom of the pickguard.......underneath it has a rubber spacer to support it off the body.Sustain block. It doesn't bother me..........I know a friend who had his removed and replaced with wood as he thought it gave the guitar a metallic ring to it. I actually belief that was due to the tone pot....as said before..on ten it is bypassed and the tone is brighter......so when you compare it to a Les paul it does sound brighter. Turning it to nine brings it back to "normal".I also have two friends who prefer the SG1000 or SG1000s so don't overlook them. It might not be as legendary but the sound and build quality is just as excellent. The reason they prefer them is because it doesn't have the brass sustain plate and it has a normal neck joint. It feels just the same as the Sg 2000 to play..the neck joint feels the same...and they are only marginally lighter. For what my opinion is worth......I like them both although initially i was only interested in the SG2000.Now it wouldn't bother me which i owned.......both are superbly made and sound great too.I bought it from Frets in Blackpool, England. I traded for it so I can't really give you a price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Thanks a lot for your response, Gentle Thunder. The problem with these guitars is that I can't really get to try them out. Like many other people in this day and age, I research the market endlessly and ultimately place an order for gear that no shop around here carries. You say the SG1000 is marginally lighter than the SG2000. Does that influence the balance? I know the necks are different, so I hope that it's not just the body that is lighter, which would throw off an otherwise even balance. What is the difference between the SG1000 and the SG1000s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hi Rock note.........I understand you researching before you buy , especially as you can't try them out first. I have been around for a long time .....I worked in a guitar shop at one point......and i have to say that i have never seen a bad SG 2000 or SG1000. They may feel slightly different, may look slightly different but i have never seen build issues with these guitars. I own several Gibson guitars but it has taken me a long, long time to find a 335 that is actually as good as my SA 2000. I am not Gibson bashing........but most have some build issues........mainly fretwork and poor quality fingerborads. Nothing that can't usually be sorted by a fret dress and a good set up but you don't get that with the Yamaha. It means buying unseen is not such a lottery. The Gibson 335 i have is a rare beast.........right colour finish, good fretboard, level frets and a decent weight. I have owned lot's before i got the "right" one which only comes about by experience. I think that the consistency of build is why most people on this forum like them. I am sure i could take any of theres and put my guage of strings on it and just play it. The early SG2000 and early SG1000 had that designation. Later ones had the "S" after the name. I was told by Yamaha UK that the S designated "split" as in coil split........not solid spruce........and although all the earlier ones also had coil splits......it was added to enforce the versatility of the instrument as it's main rival ( Les Paul) didn't have that facility. I can only assume they weren't lying to me!Look around......get pics etc. but don't be worried about build issues. I am sure there must be a rogue one out there but they really must be few and far between! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wader2k Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 I recently purchased a yamaha sbg2000 on ebay -dated approx 1980-84... I haven't noticed it being neck heavy ...it's just heavy all over . I love this guitar! However, I have some problems with fret buzz. It definitely needs a new nut .....bad buzz on open E and A strings. PLayed with the truss rod a bit, but it seems that it may need a little fret work to get the action where it should be. It is very playable as is, but this is a guitar that is worth having it done right! A question for all the other yammy sbg owners out there..... anyone had a complete refret done? What size fret wire did you use? What was the cost? I know the bound ebony finger board adds to the cost. What are the advantages/disadvantages of taller/thin vs. taller/wide frets etc. Am I likely to have problems with pushing too hard on the strings and pushing them out of tune? Anywho..... this is by far the best guitar I've owned and would heartily recommend them to anyone looking for a 2 humbucker les paul type guitar! Wade 8^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 in Japan 20% off list is standard for shops. It is possible to get more off during sales, and haggling can be tried but finding a staff member who actually has the authority to reduce a price is difficult in this city. I have talked about haggling with my students, and most are just too shy to do it in Japan...they do however when they travel outside Japan particularly in other Asian countries. Some shops that sell on Yahoo Japan don`t give 20% off list for whatever reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by Gentle Thunder Hi Rock note.........I understand you researching before you buy , especially as you can't try them out first. I have been around for a long time .....I worked in a guitar shop at one point......and i have to say that i have never seen a bad SG 2000 or SG1000. They may feel slightly different, may look slightly different but i have never seen build issues with these guitars. I own several Gibson guitars but it has taken me a long, long time to find a 335 that is actually as good as my SA 2000. I am not Gibson bashing........but most have some build issues........mainly fretwork and poor quality fingerborads. Nothing that can't usually be sorted by a fret dress and a good set up but you don't get that with the Yamaha. It means buying unseen is not such a lottery. The Gibson 335 i have is a rare beast.........right colour finish, good fretboard, level frets and a decent weight. I have owned lot's before i got the "right" one which only comes about by experience. I think that the consistency of build is why most people on this forum like them. I am sure i could take any of theres and put my guage of strings on it and just play it. The early SG2000 and early SG1000 had that designation. Later ones had the "S" after the name. I was told by Yamaha UK that the S designated "split" as in coil split........not solid spruce........and although all the earlier ones also had coil splits......it was added to enforce the versatility of the instrument as it's main rival ( Les Paul) didn't have that facility. I can only assume they weren't lying to me! Look around......get pics etc. but don't be worried about build issues. I am sure there must be a rogue one out there but they really must be few and far between! Hi GT. I love the sound of Gibson in my CD collection; in fact, I have bought more than one CD just for the sound of one. But I don't even consider Gibson for myself due to the price/quality ratio. Having said that, I must admit that the ES-345 I tried over the summer may well be the best guitar I have ever played. It had a Fenderish sweetness to it, which I have already celebrated in previous posts. But then it costs 3 times as much as what I paid for my SA2200. I don't think the build quality is superior - on the contrary, the consistency issues would keep me awake at night if I put down that much money. But that Fenderish pling-pling sweetness coupled with the varitone - makes it the right choice where money is no issue, i.e. for the likes of Paris Hilton... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by Gentle Thunder ...and a new AS2000 Hi Gentle Thunder (interesting user name),Do you mean "SA" 2000 (or do you own an Ibanez)? Also you mention it is new. So did you mean SA "2200"? Just wondering which guitar you have mentionned beside your SG2000.Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hi! You are absolutely right about my guitar! It is an SA2200 and not a 2000! I just seem to have a bad habit of lumping them all as "2000's" . I do love both guitars and whilst i am not trying to say they are the best guitars ever made i do really like the sound, playability and feel of them. More than most they are the kind of instrument you could buy via mail order without worrying about getting a bad one. I think once you really get in to them you have a soft spot for them the rest of your playing days........you might use other instruments but it's hard to knock them as they are such good instruments.By the way.....mine looks just like the one in your avatar.....same rich violinburst!Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Re-fretting your guitar. A new nut and a refret wil bring your guitar back to being a really playable instrument. After 20 years everything else has settled down and any minor fingerboard ripples etc. can be taken out at the same time.I had a quick look at mine ( a new one) and the frets are over the binding edge so it is easy to refret. I am not sure about the older ones like yours. If i were you i would go with the same size frets as original as it really can change the feel of the guitar. At the time that the SG2000's came out Ibanez had their Sa200 out and it was a lovely guitar but it had quite tall frets that, to me, stopped me buying one. Just a thought.Where are you based? UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Thanks GT ! Yes, the sunburst on my SA2200 is incredibly nice. I remember when I just got it, I would put it on a stand, have a nice cup of coffee (or german beer) and just look at it! Nowadays I mostly play it but I still like opening that case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by Gentle Thunder Hi! You are absolutely right about my guitar! It is an SA2200 and not a 2000! I just seem to have a bad habit of lumping them all as "2000's" . You had me fooled, GT, as there really is an SA2000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 The SA-2000S is my dream semi-hollowbody. Love the spruce top. Not that it's really that different from my SA-1200S, just nicer inlays, gold hardware and more binding. I do wish they had put the jack socket on the side - the ones on the front scare me a bit because they seem like an accident waiting to happen when using straight plugs. Oh and I've refretted my SA-1200S. The original frets had really big nibs on the fret tang, the closest to the original fretwire I could find was the Dunlop 6120 wire, though I think it's taller than the original. This guitar is over 20 years old though so I don't know what the fretwire on the new SG and SA guitars is but it looks about similar in size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by LaXu I do wish they had put the jack socket on the side - the ones on the front scare me a bit because they seem like an accident waiting to happen when using straight plugs. I have thought long and hard about whether or not I ought to change to an angled plug for my SA2200. I always put the chord through the strap to ease the pull in case I step on it. With a straight plug, there is the torque factor; on the other hand, there is not the direct pull you get with an angled plug. I don't know which is worse. I think, LaXu, what you have in mind is that you are far more prone to hit a straight plug with your hand, which is obviously true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 If you want to pamper your guitar, which is better: to always unplug when not playing, or to leave the jack plugged in? Replacing the electronics in a semi hollow is a bit of a challenge I hear, so it makes sense to let the jack last as long as possible. In my Kramer, the jack's grip (on the plug of the chord) is now so loose that I need to either tighten it or replace it. (It seems closed - I don't know how to tighten it.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 One other thing that keeps me awake at night - do the volume and tone pots in a semi hollow wear out quicklier than in a solid body, by reason of their being out in the open air, thus collecting more dust than if they had been tucked away in a little dark cavity with a lid on? (Must sleep.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 I see no reason why the pots would wear faster. As far as the jack goes, I wouldn't bother pampering the guitar that much..just unplug when you're done playing. You should be able to tighten the jack on the Kramer easily, I can't remember ever seeing something other than the jack type where you can bend the blades a bit. I also use the cord through the strap thing with my SA-1200S. With an angled plug I imagine it'd be harder to twist the jack even if something pulled on the cord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 If you leave the guitar on a stand with the lead plugged in you can just bet your bottom dollar that you will trip over the lead and pull the guitar over! I always unplug when i put the guitar down after doing just that very thing!I also always use an angled jack with the 2200 and my 335 it's a pain because when i pick up my Tele i have to change leads as the angle jack won't fit in the Tele socket. Still it just feels safer using an angled jack......I have never had a problem with the pots on my Yamaha's and i can manage to juggle them through the f-holes so although it is a pain it's not the end of the world. I changed pickups on a previous SA 2000 but went back to the originals so i know it can be done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by Gentle Thunder I changed pickups on a previous SA 2000 but went back to the originals so i know it can be done! There you go with your SA2000 again! Thanks for the advice. I'll move on to angled plugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Well......back then it was an SA 2000! Now the new ones are called SA2200 's .....so you see i am right on both counts! And i can tell you that doesn't often happen!I think changing to an angle jack makes sense....there is so much leverage on a straight jack and after working in a music store i have seen so many damaged 335's where the jack plug has cracked the top! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted January 3, 2006 Members Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by Gentle Thunder Well......back then it was an SA 2000! Now the new ones are called SA2200 's .....so you see i am right on both counts! And i can tell you that doesn't often happen! I think changing to an angle jack makes sense....there is so much leverage on a straight jack and after working in a music store i have seen so many damaged 335's where the jack plug has cracked the top! Ooh, that's bad! I'll move on the angled plugs pronto! Regarding the electronics, we had a discussion about wah pots in which a forumite suggested that the presence of dust has an adverse influence on lifespan-before-scatchy. My concern is partly informed by that - the remaining, and probably major, part derives from my being a neurotic wuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wader2k Posted January 4, 2006 Members Share Posted January 4, 2006 Gentle Thunder.... Thanks for the reply! I am in the USA...not too far from Chicago.Far North suburbs actually. I So the high frets scared you off, hey? A friend of mine( probably the best guitarist I personally know) refreted his Gibson Les Paul custom with tall/narrow frets. I can understand Tall/ Wide... but not sure I understand the narrow aspect. I am probably gonna ask him who did his...can't have just anybody doing that kind of work on this guitar I am gonna have to get my hands on some guitars with different fret sizes so I can see how I like them. I hear that larger frets make for easier playing, but must develop a softer touch? Another thing, I am just loving these original pickups... the have the coil tap push push tone control( I think a little micro switch would have been nicer) and it took me a week to adjust to the difference between these and my old beater guitar( an sbg200- grin) ,but I don't know why anyone would want to change these pickups out! I will eventually get a Les Paul, but now I'm not sure if it could be any better than the sbg2000..... Rock on ! Wade 8^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gentle Thunder Posted January 4, 2006 Members Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thank you for the feedback. As you are in the States i can't recommend anyone to do a refret! Just check out a few different guitars and see how they feel to you....that's what's important. Tall frets allow you to get under the string but you can also push things out of tune sometimes. Yes...the pickups are great...try the tone on 9 to allow it to come in to circuit...you will hear a slight difference.Yes get a Les Paul one day....I have two......they are just a different flavor of meat but i tell you one thing........it will allow you to realise how well the Yamaha was built.No matter how many different guitars i buy from bulk manufacturers i can't help but be reminded that the Yamaha stuff is well built and designed.Have fun and enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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