NGD: Yamaha SG1820

RandallFlagg

Gotta Gotta Gotta Gotta Gotta Gotta Gotta Get Away...

jeztone2

grayn said:

Telejester said:

intrigued by the lack of neck dive, the sg2000 i owned years ago nearly went through the floor if i let go of the neck, shame as it was a nice guitar

I hadn't tried the guitar with a strap, in the shop.  Doh!!
But as I said, it is perfectly balanced, with a strap.
With it's flatter fretboard radius and locking tuners, this SG has been modernised, I guess.

I think the radius is the same. Mines like 13" on a 1983 Yamaha SG1000. 

Schnozz

I've been lucky enough to have owned four of 'em: 1981 SG2000, 1979 SG1000, 2013 SG1802 and a 2009 SG1000...

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/lhoAAOSwEzxYUG9V/$_86.JPG
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/G4QAAOSwx6pYoKbZ/$_86.JPG
Bang for buck they're far better than PRS and Gibson...Which is why I kept going back and it's the same deal for the SA or BB Series. Yamaha's RRP has gone up a lot recently, so I'm not sure how much longer it will be the case and Tokai/Deviser may need to start flying the flag alone.

'Jap Crap' was used a lot on Basschat, but sometimes it was justified if the Bass was made of Sen Ash (awful!! Don't know why Levinson use it), but the stuff made by Navigator (ESP) was incredible etc.

Congrats on the purchase!! Enjoy 

robinbowes

Schnozz said:

2013 SG1802

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/G4QAAOSwx6pYoKbZ/$_86.JPG

The 1802 is the one I've been fancying - specifically, the Gold one.

I have an 80's SG3000S in Wine Red, a modern SA2200 in Tobacco Sunburst, and an 80's SA2000S in Gold (a respray). Lovely guitars.

I still can't shake my Fender habit though

R.

AuldReekie

57Deluxe said:

the only thing against Yamaha SGxxxx/2000 series is that Spandeau Balleteters pranced around with them in the 80s...

And this is how good an SG2000 can sound in the right hands, solo kicks in around 2min 53 - seconds

grayn

Schnozz said:

I've been lucky enough to have owned four of 'em: 1981 SG2000, 1979 SG1000, 2013 SG1802 and a 2009 SG1000...

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/lhoAAOSwEzxYUG9V/$_86.JPG
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/G4QAAOSwx6pYoKbZ/$_86.JPG
Bang for buck they're far better than PRS and Gibson...Which is why I kept going back and it's the same deal for the SA or BB Series. Yamaha's RRP has gone up a lot recently, so I'm not sure how much longer it will be the case and Tokai/Deviser may need to start flying the flag alone.

'Jap Crap' was used a lot on Basschat, but sometimes it was justified if the Bass was made of Sen Ash (awful!! Don't know why Levinson use it), but the stuff made by Navigator (ESP) was incredible etc.

Congrats on the purchase!! Enjoy 

Yeah! I'd love one of those SG1802s, too. What a classic. Fortunately for me, Frets were doing the SG1820 for a great price. PMT are asking for over 3 grand, to order one in.

57Deluxe

any excuse to show mine then...

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ce/e8/da/cee8daf04742d042d4330f940c5e0c4c.jpg

blueskunk

Such cool guitars. 

Phil_aka_Pip

JerkMoans said:

THAT is coooooooool.  Makes me wanna dig out my SG 2000.  They used to call these Yammies Les Paul killers... Reckon you're in for a ton of fun.

They do most things an LP will do plus a little more. What an LP does that an SG2000 won't is be a little more raucous and rather less polite into an amp with rocky overdrive.

I say SG2k is the guitar Gibson should have built but didn't.

grayn

I dislike the LP Killer stuff. Les Pauls come in so many shapes and sizes, with quite a variety of woods and pickups. The higher end SGs and Gibbo LPs are different fish, no doubt. In my experience Yamaha's Q.C. is far better though.

Phil_aka_Pip

grayn said:

I dislike the LP Killer stuff. Les Pauls come in so many shapes and sizes, with quite a variety of woods and pickups. The higher end SGs and Gibbo LPs are different fish, no doubt. In my experience Yamaha's Q.C. is far better though.

I know of 3 LP shapes, the SC shape we all know about, the SG style that Lester withdrew his name from in the early 60s, and the DC shape that turns up from time to time. Within the usual SC shape some are thinner from front-to-back.

The construction of the SG2k is similar to that of a Std Lester, except the neck is straight through. The body is mahogany with a maple cap.

You are right - Yamaha's QC is way more consistent, but this may be due to the CNC machines they make the guitars on giving them a way more consistent product to start with.

EDIT: they're side by side in this family photo
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb376/musophilr/SolidFamily_zpsmdzohzin.jpg

jeztone2

https://flic.kr/p/23g7Aoj

My SG1000 from 1983. Hopefully gonna have her regretted  sorry refretted this year. 

djspecialist

jeztone2 said:

https://flic.kr/p/23g7Aoj

My SG1000 from 1983. Hopefully gonna have her regretted this year. 

My advice: don't - I'm sure you'd be wracked with regret.

Bridgehouse

The thing that amazes me is similar quality late 70s Yamaha basses like the BB series go for peanuts

jeztone2

djspecialist said:

jeztone2 said:

https://flic.kr/p/23g7Aoj

My SG1000 from 1983. Hopefully gonna have her regretted this year. 

My advice: don't - I'm sure you'd be wracked with regret.

Regarding the Les Paul Killer thing. The SG’s have a brighter top end which was always good for cleans. Hence people like Big Country and John McGeoch using them. 

Neil

grayn said:

In my view, the Japanese are at the top of the tree, now.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Model| SG1820
Construction| Set Neck
Scale Length| 24 3/4" (628.6mm)
Fingerboard| Rosewood
Radius| 13 3/4" (350mm)
Frets| 22
Body| Curved Maple, Mahogany
Neck| Mahogany, mid rounded profile
Bridge/Tailpiece| Tonepros AVRII/Tonepros T1Z
Pickups| USA Seymour Duncan ‘59 Covered
Tuners| Grover Locking Tuner
Pickup Switch| 3-Position Toggle(Switchcraft)
Controls| Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Tone
Color| Brown Sunburst
Case| Deluxe fitted hard shell

And yet they still use American pickups, hardware and switches. 

What is the weight BTW?

grayn

Neil said:

grayn said:

In my view, the Japanese are at the top of the tree, now.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Model| SG1820
Construction| Set Neck
Scale Length| 24 3/4" (628.6mm)
Fingerboard| Rosewood
Radius| 13 3/4" (350mm)
Frets| 22
Body| Curved Maple, Mahogany
Neck| Mahogany, mid rounded profile
Bridge/Tailpiece| Tonepros AVRII/Tonepros T1Z
Pickups| USA Seymour Duncan ‘59 Covered
Tuners| Grover Locking Tuner
Pickup Switch| 3-Position Toggle(Switchcraft)
Controls| Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Tone
Color| Brown Sunburst
Case| Deluxe fitted hard shell

And yet they still use American pickups, hardware and switches. 

What is the weight BTW?

Well, there's always room for improvement. Haven't weighed it but it's pretty weighty.

Jalapeno

JerkMoans said:

57Deluxe said:

the only thing against Yamaha SGxxxx/2000 series is that Spandeau Balleteters pranced around with them in the 80s...

True.

Excellent work sir ! LOL'd

kurtrowe2000

I have the Vintage White SG1820 and I agree with all you say. An absolutely stunning guitar with incredible build quality. 

This thing doesnt just rival Gibson’s, it pulls their pants down and gives them a spanking. 

Mine thing I love is the sustain. You can pluck a string, go make a cup of tea and it’s still ringing when you get back. 

Dominic

"JAP CRAP "
How annoying that the American propaganda machine was able to brainwash people for so long ........they did the same with Harley Davidson in the 1970 /80s ....the bikes were 30 years behind the Japanese Honda,Yamaha,Kawasaki etc but they were all JAPCRAP compared to Momma's Apple Pie .Buy American folks ! -just as the USA car manufacturers were also being sunk by Japanese imports.Pure Propaganda from Uncle Sam.
The fact is that the Tokai, Yamaha, Greco premium products of the 70s and 80s was miles ahead of the contemporary American equivalents but the American machine seemed to make the slander stick like shit to a blanket .
 Japanese Waza (craftsmanship) has always been an almost religious experience (it takes 6 years to be a qualified Sushi Chef - ie to learn to cut up a side of fish ......the precision is incredible and an art...........calligraphy and metalwork are a lifetime study .......they made blades in the 17th century sharper than machines can make razors now )
.........why would their guitar making be any less precise......it takes a man 6 months to make a single Shamisen ( Japanese string instrument and they have been doing it for 400 years )they have huge respect for musical instruments .
  Thank goodness that the public has become a bit more worldly in the last 20 years and this contrived smear campaign no longer has gravitas.