This guitar is a commission sale - if you have a high end guitar you are interested in selling, please contact us via our easy to find website - search: Sell Us Your Guitar.
Here for sale we have a Yamaha Studio Lord SL500S electric guitar in Brown Sunburst finish. The Studio Lord was Yamaha's take on the Les Paul, and was produced in Japan for the domestic market and not intended for export. These guitars were part of the lawsuit era, when Japanese manufacturers were making copies of popular American guitars. Some of the early models even featured Gibson's open-book headstock design, and along with their construction and specification, even the typeface used for the headstock logo appear in flagrant disregard of Gibson's copyrights. Available between '76 & '84, these guitars went through 3 different runs, but were ultimately discontinued and replaced with the Lord Player range. As they were intended for sale in Japan, there is limited information in English available online on these instruments. The serial number and specification of the instrument indicate that it was manufactured around 1979/80.
These guitars are well-regarded amongst collectors and players for their exceptional Japanese build quality as well as their close resemblance to Gibson guitars. Aligning very closely with Gibson's specification, a set-neck construction is employed and comprises a Mahogany body with carved Maple cap, 3pc Laminated Maple neck and 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Chrome hardware is fitted, including a T-O-M style bridge and Stoptail, along with sealed Yamaha tuning machines. A pair of Yamaha 'L3' uncovered humbucking pickups are installed, and are wired to a 3-way toggle switch, and independent volume and tone controls.
The 3 piece Maple neck plays exceptionally well, with a profile that might be described as a moderately-sized 'D' shape which fills the hand for a substantial yet articulate grip. Well proportioned for bluesy riffs and chord playing, there is plenty of character to the playing experience when on rhythm guitar duties. Lead players are well catered for by the lightly flattened area to the centre rear and the notably flat 16" fingerboard radius. The Rosewood of the fretboard provides a durable and tactile playing surface which feels quite luxurious under the fingers. The carve of the top is perhaps slightly shallower than a Gibson, but the weight of the guitar at 9.45lbs is reassuringly close to that of the real thing.
The pair of Yamaha 'L3' uncovered humbucking pickups installed in this guitar are clearly designed to look and sound very similar to the DiMarzio Super DIstortion. With plenty of power and a broad response across the frequency range, they certainly deliver a tone which is reminiscent of the DiMarzio. The bridge position provides plenty of grunt for pushing your amp into a saturated distortion tone, which works very well for your rhythm playing chords and riffs. The neck pickup is warmer, and produces a thick and full-bodied tone which will easily drive your lead lines and solos to the front of the mix. A typically well-made Japanese instrument with a vintage vibe and interesting history to match its excellent sounds.
This guitar is a commission sale - if you have a high end guitar you are interested in selling, please contact us via our easy to find website - search: Sell Us Your Guitar.
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.
Yamaha Studio Lord SL500S Brown Sunburst c.1979-80 MIJ Electric Guitar
Brand- Yamaha
Model- Studio Lord SL500S
Finish- Brown Sunburst
Year- c.1979/80
Made In- Japan
Body- Mahogany
Neck - 3pc Maple
Fingerboard- Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius- 16" (Measured)
Frets- 22
Scale Length- 24.75"
Nut Width- 1.725"
Pickups- 2x Yamaha 'L3' Uncovered Humbuckers
Controls- 3-Way Toggle Switch, Neck Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Volume, Bridge Tone
Our ID: 112012571272
Weight: 9.45lbs
Serial: 002499
Aesthetic Condition:
Headstock: Overall very good condition. Light chipping which very lightly exposes the wood at the treble side top corner is apparent at the front and rear edges. Light indentation to the front face which does not pierce the finish is present near the 1st E tuner. All aspects of the headstock display light to mild scratching when viewed under direct light, as is common with high gloss finishes. This is most notable to the front face.
Neck: Overall very good condition. Very light cracking of the lacquer is present at the treble side of the heel. His has been tested and presents no structural concern. Light indentation and scratching to the rear of the neck is consistent throughout the register but most notable behind the 3rd fret where the markings are lightly felt under the thumb in the playing position. Beyond the 15th fret, the fingerboard binding shows signs of shrinking, with light separation from the board visible. The binding remains secure. Discoloration to the rear of the neck can be seen at the second fret from certain angles.
Body: Overall very good condition. Exposed screw holes are present where the pickguard has previously been mounted. The pickguard is not included. All aspects of the body display light to mild scratching and indentation, most notable to the front face at the centre of the bottom edge and bass side shoulder on the side of the instrument where the wood is lightly exposed. The most notable scratching is present to the centre of the rear face, with light indentation also present consistent with buckle rash. Further scratching to the front face is most notable at the treble side waist.
Condition of Frets:
The frets show mild signs of use. Very light denting can be seen in the early register and flattening of the frets is noticeable throughout the register. There is moderate material remaining for any light fret work the new owner may wish to perform.
Current Set Up:
Truss Rod: The truss rod has been tightened as far as the threads will allow. This means that the neck cannot be set any straighter than it currently is. The guitar remains very playable with its current set up. Truss rod tool (5mm socket) not included.
Hardware: Overall very good condition. All of the metal hardware displays mild oxidation. The bridge volume control is missing its reflector. The neck pickup ring has snapped at the top of the bass side but remains functional. The pickups display discolouration. Two screws are missing from the control plate, but the plate remains secure.
Structural: No concerns or issues to note.
Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.5mm - Bass 2mm
Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.
Strings on Guitar - 9-42
This guitar demonstrates light fret noise which is not apparent when amplified. This noise does not affect the sustain or bending of notes. The new owner may choose to raise the action to alleviate this.
Electrics:
Fully functional.
Case & Accessories:
Molded hard case.
Functional with moderate signs of wear. The lining of the interior is separating slightly at the treble side lower bout. The bottom latch of the case does not function. The case protects the guitar as intended. Truss rod tool not included.