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I havent' had a chance to try the Yamaha Surf Guitar,
but I have had a chance to play a couple of their newer
guitars.
One was a stratoclone model at Guitar Center (Musician's Friend)
I had been playing a bunch of guitars through the same amp,
mostly various MIM Strat models. All clean tones.
My favorite was the MIM Powerhouse Strat...
but the Yamaha stratoclone ranked very high in the pack...
probably second in tone to the Powerhouse, and right up with it
as far as the playability of the neck and the from factory setup.
And it was only about $200 vs. the Powerhouse's $500-600 (I forget
exactly)
Note: this was the stratoclone model with enclosed tuners...
the cheapo model with cheapo tuners is not so nice.
But even the cheapo Yamaha stratoclones were better guitars than the
Squiers in the same $100plus-a-few-bucks price range that didn't have
enclosed tuners either.
The other was a baritone guitar, now discontinued, an AESsomethingorother
(I don't remember number sequences well) basically a lespauloid model
with tweaks. But the fit, finish and playability were very impressive.
(considering I am not a baritone player myself.) I actually got to borrow
this
guitar a bit so I got to know it better.
I think it was supposed to be at least a $400 guitar, although a friend
got it on
closeout because the baritone model didn't sell.
And then, can't remember the model... but a guy on another guitar list
had
a Yamaha hollowbody, either top of the line, or very close to it,
and he liked it <almost> as well as his top of the line Fenders and
Gibsons.
Anyway, if this surf model is fairly expensive, I think it may be pretty
decent...
if it's priced as an economy model, I'd wait until someone actually gets
to try one.
Still, I would expect it to offer a lot of quality in its price as far as
the playability of
the neck.
The pickups you can replace.
Michael
Just over a year ago I decided to purchase a cheapo travel guitar,
since I was going to be away quite a bit over the Summer. After
looking around, I ended up getting a Yamaha Pacifica 112 on eBay.
It was only $150. I had it set up for 11s (though I wish I had gone
with 12s now), and I've been happily playing this guitar from Turks
& Caicos and St. Lucia all the way to New York City! It's been a
great travel guitar, and it always plays really well. I have not
paid any attention to the pickups since I never plug it in (and the
bridge pickup is an evil humbucker, anyway). But I was seriously
impressed by the overall quality of the guitar for such a low
price. I think you can find these new for only about $200. It's
got an alder body and maple neck (with some rosewood-like fretboard
wood - very close to rosewood). The neck is very straight, and the
frets are good if not exceptional. The overall resonance is also
very good, since the body is not painted on mine, just has light
finish. The neck-pocket fit is REALLY good. The biggest bummer is
the nut which is a piece of crap. But it's been good enough to let
me enjoy the playing while on vacation or away for work. The other
bummer is the tuners, which don't seem very good. However, The
Strat-like trem is pretty good. Anyway, if you want a cheap Strat-
like guitar, I think the Yamaha Pacifica provides huge bang for the
buck.
Ivan
--- In , Michael S Springer
<springerms@j...> wrote:
> I havent' had a chance to try the Yamaha Surf Guitar,
> but I have had a chance to play a couple of their newer
> guitars.
>
> One was a stratoclone model at Guitar Center (Musician's Friend)
> I had been playing a bunch of guitars through the same amp,
> mostly various MIM Strat models. All clean tones.
> My favorite was the MIM Powerhouse Strat...
> but the Yamaha stratoclone ranked very high in the pack...
> probably second in tone to the Powerhouse, and right up with it
> as far as the playability of the neck and the from factory setup.
> And it was only about $200 vs. the Powerhouse's $500-600 (I forget
> exactly)
> Note: this was the stratoclone model with enclosed tuners...
> the cheapo model with cheapo tuners is not so nice.
> But even the cheapo Yamaha stratoclones were better guitars than
the
> Squiers in the same $100plus-a-few-bucks price range that didn't
have
> enclosed tuners either.
> The other was a baritone guitar, now discontinued, an
AESsomethingorother
> (I don't remember number sequences well) basically a lespauloid
model
> with tweaks. But the fit, finish and playability were very
impressive.
> (considering I am not a baritone player myself.) I actually got to
borrow
> this
> guitar a bit so I got to know it better.
> I think it was supposed to be at least a $400 guitar, although a
friend
> got it on
> closeout because the baritone model didn't sell.
>
> And then, can't remember the model... but a guy on another guitar
list
> had
> a Yamaha hollowbody, either top of the line, or very close to it,
> and he liked it <almost> as well as his top of the line Fenders and
> Gibsons.
>
> Anyway, if this surf model is fairly expensive, I think it may be
pretty
> decent...
> if it's priced as an economy model, I'd wait until someone
actually gets
> to try one.
> Still, I would expect it to offer a lot of quality in its price as
far as
> the playability of
> the neck.
> The pickups you can replace.
>
>
> Michael
You should have bought a Steinberger guitar. I am sure they are great
travel guitars. Plus they would make you look really "cool".
--- In , "ipongrac" <ipongrac@g...> wrote:
>
> Just over a year ago I decided to purchase a cheapo travel guitar,
> since I was going to be away quite a bit over the Summer. After
> looking around, I ended up getting a Yamaha Pacifica 112 on eBay.
> It was only $150. I had it set up for 11s (though I wish I had gone
> with 12s now), and I've been happily playing this guitar from Turks
> & Caicos and St. Lucia all the way to New York City! It's been a
> great travel guitar, and it always plays really well. I have not
> paid any attention to the pickups since I never plug it in (and the
> bridge pickup is an evil humbucker, anyway). But I was seriously
> impressed by the overall quality of the guitar for such a low
> price. I think you can find these new for only about $200. It's
> got an alder body and maple neck (with some rosewood-like fretboard
> wood - very close to rosewood). The neck is very straight, and the
> frets are good if not exceptional. The overall resonance is also
> very good, since the body is not painted on mine, just has light
> finish. The neck-pocket fit is REALLY good. The biggest bummer is
> the nut which is a piece of crap. But it's been good enough to let
> me enjoy the playing while on vacation or away for work. The other
> bummer is the tuners, which don't seem very good. However, The
> Strat-like trem is pretty good. Anyway, if you want a cheap Strat-
> like guitar, I think the Yamaha Pacifica provides huge bang for the
> buck.
>
> Ivan
>
>
> --- In , Michael S Springer
> <springerms@j...> wrote:
> > I havent' had a chance to try the Yamaha Surf Guitar,
> > but I have had a chance to play a couple of their newer
> > guitars.
> >
> > One was a stratoclone model at Guitar Center (Musician's Friend)
> > I had been playing a bunch of guitars through the same amp,
> > mostly various MIM Strat models. All clean tones.
> > My favorite was the MIM Powerhouse Strat...
> > but the Yamaha stratoclone ranked very high in the pack...
> > probably second in tone to the Powerhouse, and right up with it
> > as far as the playability of the neck and the from factory setup.
> > And it was only about $200 vs. the Powerhouse's $500-600 (I forget
> > exactly)
> > Note: this was the stratoclone model with enclosed tuners...
> > the cheapo model with cheapo tuners is not so nice.
> > But even the cheapo Yamaha stratoclones were better guitars than
> the
> > Squiers in the same $100plus-a-few-bucks price range that didn't
> have
> > enclosed tuners either.
> > The other was a baritone guitar, now discontinued, an
> AESsomethingorother
> > (I don't remember number sequences well) basically a lespauloid
> model
> > with tweaks. But the fit, finish and playability were very
> impressive.
> > (considering I am not a baritone player myself.) I actually got to
> borrow
> > this
> > guitar a bit so I got to know it better.
> > I think it was supposed to be at least a $400 guitar, although a
> friend
> > got it on
> > closeout because the baritone model didn't sell.
> >
> > And then, can't remember the model... but a guy on another guitar
> list
> > had
> > a Yamaha hollowbody, either top of the line, or very close to it,
> > and he liked it <almost> as well as his top of the line Fenders and
> > Gibsons.
> >
> > Anyway, if this surf model is fairly expensive, I think it may be
> pretty
> > decent...
> > if it's priced as an economy model, I'd wait until someone
> actually gets
> > to try one.
> > Still, I would expect it to offer a lot of quality in its price as
> far as
> > the playability of
> > the neck.
> > The pickups you can replace.
> >
> >
> > Michael
