Pretty good one for y’all today. Click below to download the complete 20pp Yamaha Electric Guitars and Basses Catalog circa 1981:
DOWNLOAD: Yamaha_Guitars_1981
Models covered, with text, photos, and detailed specs (chart at end of catalog) include: Yamaha SBG3000, SBG2000, SGB1000, SBG500 guitars; Yamaha SSC500, SHB400, SC600, SC400, SA2000, and SA800 guitars; Yamaha BB2000, BB1200S, BB1000S, and BB400 electric basses.
Above: the Yamaha SBG3000, flagship model of the range, and still highly desirable; the most recent example to sell online went for $2075.
For whatever reason, products of the Yamaha corporation have always played a large role in my musical life. Growing up, my folks’ house contained: a Yamaha baby grand, a Yamaha dreadnought, a Yamaha alto saxophone, three sets of Yamaha hi-fi speakers (I still have the NS30s, and they still sound great). The first electric instrument I ever bought was a $40 Yamaha bass, beat-up but functional; at 16 I was the owner of a circa 1980 Yamaha SG1500, identical to the SBG2000 pictured at the left save for dot fret markers. I played it through a solid-state Yamaha combo amp, their version of a Fender Super; 60 watts with four 10s. Each of these circa 1980 pieces was purchased at East Coast Music mall for around $200 each. Christ anyone remember that place? If yr not from “round here,” take a gander at the clip below and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what the place was like. Oh this one nvr gets old…
No idea what happened to that Yamaha amp, but I am pretty sure that my former SG1500 is still on offer, after nearly twenty years, at the legendary MUSIC GUILD in Danbury CT. How is this possible? If yr ever there, check out the price they are asking. LOL for reals. NEways… even these days I have plenty of Yamaha in my life: at home I play a U3 piano, which is probably the best thing shy of a baby grand or grand; I do all of my music recording and mixing at home with Yamaha HS50s, which I continue to recommend to absolutely anyone looking for good inexpensive compact speakers; and at Gold Coast Recorders we’ve got a few Yamaha pieces that get a lot of use too, from a very nice older MIJ Nylon-string to the venerable CP70 Electric Grand Piano. As I sit here typing this, my eye just landed on a set of 1980s Yamaha PTT1 electronic drums over in the corner…oh yeah then there’s my Yamaha CS01, their amazing little circa 1980 mini analog monosynth… it’s just one of those brands I can’t get away from.
Above: the Yamaha SC600 and SC400
The Yamaha SHB400
For more Yamaha vintage gtr coverage on PS dot com, click here… and for complete information on their circa 1980 Keyboard line-up, click here…
5 replies on “Yamaha Electric Guitars and Basses Complete Catalog c. 1981”
Ed Roman was a trip. A lot of people thought he was a con man but he really did want to improve the products, he just wasn’t very good at delivering on time or managing his workflow. His last store in Las Vegas still has all his rants up.
Those Yamaha guitars were well built, played decently, but always struck me as soulless. Even the Fenders built at the low point of Fender production, when quality sucked, always had a certain character imported guitars never achieved. Don’t know why.
It would usually take several hours of bench time to turn those three bolt disasters CBS was making into something playable, and they were still heavy and crude. But nonetheless, they made you feel like you had some connection with the old Fender players of the past, Buddy Holly, Hendrix, you name them.
Why that was I don’t know. But it was.
You’re full of (expletive deleted) dude !
I have owned an SHB400 since they first appeared in Austin, TX in 1980. That was one of the finest investments I have ever made. I still own it and have no plans to get rid of it. The neck is straight, the frets show very little wear and tear, the sustain and pickups work endlessly and harmoniously. It is in immaculate condition and I plan to keep it forever. I am now looking for a nice Yamaha SG to add to my collection so if there’s anyone out there who has a really nice one I’d love to take a look at it.
Thanx,
Ric
I have a deep emerald green SBG 2000 beautiful with gold trim Yamaha guitar I’m willing to sell.