Yamaha SA2000 S special advanced order

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Yamaha SA2000 S special advanced order

by j. n. hill
(u.k.)

i have the above model guitar....i know it is not the production model....it was part of a set of only about 25..... i believe it was made in 76/77....solid spruce top....one piece back....coil tap.....gold plated fittings....belive it was an order to show the serious skills of yamaha guitar making capability... any knowledge ???

ANSWER

Hi, J.N.--

Here is what the Blue Book says:

- symmetrical double cutaway semi-hollow ES-335-style arched spruce top, multi-ply body binding, two f-holes, set mahogany neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with split pearl block inlays, multi-ply bound headstock with black overlay, Yamaha logo, and stylized inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, raised bound black pickguard, two covered humbucker pickups, four knobs (two v, two tone), three-way pickup switch, gold hardware, available in Antique Stain or Burgundy finish, mfg. early 1980s.

I could find nothing about "Advanced Special Order" in the Blue Book or on the Internet.

Here is the Pricing Info:

Mint $1,200
Exc.+ $1,000
Exc. $850
Avg.+ $725
Avg. $600
General $500

According to most Yamaha owners, Yamaha guitars are consistently undervalued by the Blue Book. Blue Book values are based on the amount of demand by collectors.

Maybe a reader will have more information.

Lynne

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Yamaha SA2000 S special advanced order

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Dec 27, 2010
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SERIOUSLY UNDERVALUED!!!!
by: Anonymous

This is a joke! These guitars are worth double or probably triple the prices cited here. If anyone has a clean example of an SA2000S (btw this is not an SA2000!) I will take it off them for $1000 or £750 any day of the week - get real guys - only 25 made, solid top, rave endorsements by players!!!

Nov 21, 2010
Rating

2000s
by: max

Further to previous comment.

The neck has an original heel block of darker mahogany, odd for this quality.
Its quite light cf a 335 ( due to spruce cenrte?).
The spruce top and maple back/ sides are not particularly high quality/fancy but even and sound.
I think It must have nitrose finish as is now going a lovely golden colour like the old Gibbos.Also feels like nitrose on the neck.
Has the best neck profile I have ever played and has a smooth even tone without the nasal 335 tone. Wonderful straight flat neck.Why arn't they all like this?
Gold plating is still pristine.
Got that Japanese style to shape not as pretty as a 335. So close to being an absolute classic though.
max.d1154@gmail.com

Nov 18, 2010
Rating

and again
by: Anonymous

My blond (ultra rare) sa2000s is still for sale. Its in very good condition even though its now done a few gigs. Yes I agree with the above comments about strings. I use 13-56 (jazz) strings and it does play like butter.The case is also absolute top quality. Didn't know about the spruce center block, explains why it sounds different to a 335. Also has the best neck ever.It is a real players guitar and I've owned a few.
max.d1154@gmail.com
Malvern uk

Nov 12, 2010
Rating

pete olivers sa2000s
by: j n

yep i bought mine from pete when he was at wasp music. i believe pete was involved with the original special deal with the yamaha rep. at the time when he worked at jack woodroffs music shop in birmingham, around the mid 70's. sadly pete is no longer with us but he sure knew about guitars and was himself a great player.
there was an attempt in earlyish 80's to organise a publicity shot with all the owners of this special natural blond sa2000s, but it proved too difficult to organise. the twenty five were scattered accross the globe. apparantly the guy in the beach boys had one. still never bettered a true geat piece of kit.

Oct 18, 2010
Rating

The Stradivari of Semi Acoustics
by: Cec Pitt

Made in honey, wine and sunburst finish circa 1979 to 1980. Yamaha was demonstrating in this small production run that it was very capable of producing top quality instruments with a finish level superior to anything currently available from Gibson. Therefore these guitars enjoyed their finest craftsmen, selected woods, superior electronics with unique coil tapping via push/push tone contols. At the time they also produced the The Studio Lord series of LP style guitars which led to the famous US court case. The Yamaha SA2000s is regarded by many as THE semi acoustic of all time.
The tone of these guitars is sublime perhaps helped by two things. Firstly, the internal bracing block is spruce whereas on most 335 types thereafter it was mahogany. This may impart its airy open tone on clean and yet imparts more clarity of each note played when used overdriven on heavy chords. Also the designation `s` refers to a solid spruce top, with the extra resonance it provides. The high level of finish of the SA2000s was intended to impress a world then dominated by US guitar makers.

I had the good fortune to play a honey one owned by Pete Oliver at Richbitch Studio in Selly Oak, Birmingham many years ago. Pete an accomplished guitarist, then gigging with the band Resistor asked me what I thought of it. Playability and sustain was superb and the guitar made 10-46 strings feel like Super Slinky! He refused to sell it and I certainly couldn`t blame him. He told me that they were very rare and extremely sought after by top recording studios.

Apr 03, 2010
Rating

Yamaha SA 2000s
by: Max

My 2000s was made in 1980 according to Yamaha's help site. Although again their is no mention of a natural blond finish (mine is also blond).It also has the coil taps and solid top. The idea that Yamaha had no more wood left of this quality is just silly.Its a fine guitar but the wood is just a little better quality stuff that's all. Second hand Yam's never fetch much cash so don't get excited.
Max
UK
(I paid £750 for it about 4 years ago from Cranes in Cardif and its still in near mint condition)

Apr 01, 2010
Rating

RE yAMAHA 2000S (Blond)
by: J N Hill

Thank you Lynn for your blue book comments.

However, they still do not describe my guitar. Mine is natural blond finish and they also fail to mention the coil tap facility.

The only identifivation on mine is 015922 MADE IN JAPAN which is engraved into the back of the headstock. This serial number is not tracable through websites.

I first saw this guitar, i think it was 1977, the original owner worked in a music shop in Redditch, Worcestershire UK. I bought it around 1981 from Pete Oliver who owned Wasp music store in Birmingham UK. He had done the original negotiations with the Yamaha rep: when he worked at Jack Woodroffs music shop, also in Birmingham UK.

According to Pete they only made about 25 of them thats all they had enough wood for. There was an attempt in the early 80's to get all the owners together for a publicity shot but it never came off. regards JN

Feb 21, 2010
Rating

2000s
by: max

I own a 2000s.I am not sure of its date of manufacture. Its Blond!! Perhaps some blond ones were shipped to the UK? Its a fine instrument.

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Yamaha SA2000 S special advanced order

Comments for Yamaha SA2000 S special advanced order

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Yamaha SA2000 S special advanced order