Originally Posted by: The Ace... Hey Lord, I've been looking for info. on your Yamaha, but I can't find it anywhere, know of a place to look? ...[font=trebuchet ms]Both of my SBG1000 guitars are black 1984 models. Depending on the status of various lawsuits launched by The Gibson (if you can't beat 'em sue 'em) MI Co, the series was called SG or SBG. They are actually more like a double-cutaway Les Paul than a SG. My review on Harmony Central is here. Mine is the one that starts with:
[/font]Price Paid: 626.50 (Canadian)
Purchased from: Steve's Music Store in Ottawa, Ontario
[font=trebuchet ms]There are a lot more reviews on HC under slight variations of the model number. Look at SG and SBG. The 1000 was a mid-price model. The 500 was entry-level, the 2000 had thru-body neck construction and a brass block under the bridge. The 3000 was a fancy version of the 2000, with beautiful abalone blocks set into the binding strips around the body. They're all great guitars, and one of the few instruments that you can buy on eBay with a fair level of confidence. Build quality was very consistent, so unless it has been damaged or buggered-up by shabby modification, you can be sure it's a good one.
Both of mine have DiMarzio pickups, and I have added some switching options, but the inherent build quality and craftsmanship is all there. There is more sustain than you'll ever need, and as the original note fades away, harmonics fade in, so you can do some eye-popping stuff on slow solos that will have the owners of lesser guitars wanting to build bonfires with their axes. :D These guitars are perfect for players who set-and-forget their amps - you can do it all from the guitar end of the jack cord.
The Yamaha SG & SBG series predate the double-cutaway LP's, so it could be (and was) argued that Gibson was copying Yamaha, but then Gibson is full of **** in my opinion anyway. The lawyers were called in to close down what the guitar shop could not compete with. I've owned a 1962? SG (which was a poorly-designed POS from Day 1), and a 1971 LP Studio (which had truly sorry-assed pickups). Neither one was worth the cost of enough lighter fluid to rid the world of them. When you're too young and inexperienced to know any better, you can be talked into parting with your coin for unworthy equipment. By 1984 I was still ready to give Gibson one more chance, but I rejected a Les Paul Custom in favour of an obviously superior Yamaha SBG1000. And it's such a great guitar that I bought another one on eBay a couple of years ago. I think I posted a detailed comparison on this site a year or two ago - you can probably find it if you use the search icon at the top of the page.
Your mileage may vary. Bear in mind that my favourite production guitar may not be your favourite. For instance, if you think a 24-7/16" scale length feels crowded in the upper register, you're likely to prefer something based on Fender designs.
furthermore:
These search results should give you about a week's worth of reading. Gibson took a lot of flak from a lot of members - stuff like selling factory seconds at full price will have that effect! :mad:
That 1984 comparison between a Les Paul Custom and the Yamaha SBG1000 is here.[/font]
