Yamaha AES820

You can get the specific features from other reveiws. I like the no tone knobs and the 3 way rotary tone thing with the great pickups.

I play some of everything. Mostly rockish stuff. I run it dirrectly into a Tech 21 Trademark 60, which is an amazing amp... It has no hum on the humbucker and jazzbox settings. The supposed "coil tap" setting hums a bit, especially when in a room with a tv or computer monitor on. I dont think its a real coil tap, and it doesnt really sound like a real single coil, but thats not to say it sounds bad. It sounds almost acoustic when set right. The jazzbox or whatever setting is actually really good. Roll off the volume on the guitar and it does almost sound like a semi-hollow body. The humbucker setting is just that, just the humbuckers. It sounds great. They are realitively bassy, but thats humbuckers... and my amp. I like this guitar much better than my friends gibson sg, its much less muddy and it is much more versatile. And, I only payed 300 for it, he payed 900 for his used. It distorts just as well, but has much better clean sounds. I cant stop playing it because i keep finding better and better sounds. The only thing id like more is if it was a true coil tap. It just doesnt have the single coil clarity, or something. But i like the sound it does have. So im still giving it a ten. Just dont count on it being strat or tele like.

I got it out of the box and started playing. The set up was great. Action was fine. The finish has no flaws. I like how everything is black. The 3 way rotary switch was loose when i got it, but i tightened it up, and everythings fine. Oh, one very very bad point. The input jack gets loose over a relitively short amount of time and is next to impossible to tighten. You have to take the cover off the back, which is hard as crap and kinda pops off when it comes off which is bad because then the wires connected to the input jack can pop off and then u have to solder it back on... I dont know if thats a problem for everyone, but iv done it twice now. Part of the problem is that that wires were not soldered on well to the input jack in the first place.

Playing it live is fine. The thing is built tankishly. The only problem is the input jack, which i just talked about. When its loose its horribly hard to get it to play without cutting in and out. But, as long as u make sure its tight before u play, ur fine.

No idea

Great guitar. Its one downfall is its input jack. I think i got it tight enough this time that its not gonna get loose again. Other than that, everything is great.

Two humbuckers (Dimarzio), two volume, and a prs-type 3-way rotary. Position 1 full humbucker, position 2 coil split, position 3 tone roll off. The tone roll off is selcteble via a small trim pot in the control cavity. The jack is also unique, mounted on the control cavity on the back of the guitar.

Awesome!! I'm not sure what kind of Dimarzios are in here, but they sound good. Actually, I swapped the bridge pickup for a Seymour Duncan Invader, which was no easy task, but the stock one was fine, I'm just anal. The neck pickup is perfect, warm and full sounding, great for clean chording. Even with heavy distortion, clarity remains. Think John Petrucci neck pickup lead sound. I love it. The Invader was very difficult to install, because the Dimarzio has a triangular base plate, and the Invader was square. I had to remove the base plates from both pickups, switch them, and then install the Invader. I'm happy to say it was worth it. Full, crunchy sound. Metal, rock, punk, you name it, it can be found. Also, when split, it sounds almost exactly like a strat!! I can do it all with this guitar. I'm also happy there is no tone, because I either leave it all the way on or off anyways, and I usually disconnect them. Eddie is right, it does sound better without them. With the AES 820, this was not needed, and with the mini pot inside the control cavity, you can attain and sound you need anyways, so no big thing at all.

Very good. Only a few gripes. Of course I adjusted the action, but everyone does that. Knobs, although pretty, are a little slippery. Input jack can become lose as well, and is a pain to get at because of the placement, so get that fucker tight!! Plays VERY well for the money, everything was tight when it came. Brown finish, although not the best to look at, was very well applied, and the satin finish on the neck gives it that nice smooth feel. Love it!! Almost as good as an unfinished neck in feel. Impressed with the tuners as well, not only Sperzel locking, but custom made for a straight string pull. Genius! Very well made, very impressed, especially for the price paid.

Had it for about six months, no problems, but then again I don't beat on my guitars. No problems thought, and none expected.

Never had to deal with them. =)

I have been playing for a little over three years, and I'll admit I am more into gear than my ability should allow. I spent hours in Guitar Center looking for my next axe, and I would buy this one again and again. Very well made, awesome sound, and come on, $279? Tell me you can beat that price for any guitar near this good. You CAN'T!! Awesome, love it.

I'll come back and finish this review, but for now just look at the custom locking Sperzel tuners and notice that each pair is a different size to accommodate the straight string pull. This is the beginning of one fine machine! After looking at how it should be done all other standard heads that bend the strings pulling them to the side look dated. This guitar tunes and holds it tuning better than any other guitar I have owned....OK, it's only my 3rd one...but I tuned a lot of them and this is the best set up IMOP. For $300.00 as some paid it was the deal of the year, too bad I had to hold it first and got it local. Living in Hawaii has it's downfall with shipping costs 2nd day air. Still a good deal. The neck is perfect with 9s on. It's not as pretty looking as the AES 620 that cost less so it gets an 8. Was a hard decision, but I thought the 820 was a better all around sounding gutair and the tuners beat the Grovers out and I liked the neck and frets better even though it was a bolt on neck.

Using a Fender Champ 2 tube amp and Wavestation A/D for effects for the time being...taking back the Digitech GNX1 and getting a Lexicon later on. This is a very nice sounding guitar. I have run it through a class A Gibson and would say the amp used is the final sound judgment. Pickups are very quite and strong. Sometimes wish it had a tone control, but then the sound would be colored by the tone control. There is a reason Yamaha lets you bypass the master volume, SW, and tone control and lets you plug directly into the humbuckers on the RGX 420S...it's called "PURE TONE". Ask any audiophile how bad ANYTHING in the signal loop is. So I am happy with the PU setup

Great!!!! One little flaw in the finish...that all. Nice neck!

It's a Yamaha with good hardware.

Excellent so far....questions about product were answered within 24 hours by a real person that knew the product well.

I'm a keyboard player 15 years (LOL), but needed a new toy, so looked at everything on the market under $800 and this was it. Really a nice machine and in my opinion better than the majority of Gibsons I looked at. The Washburns are nice too, but the fret radius is better on the Yam 820. Some Gibsons are just trash now compared to what is coming out of Asia now.

The Yamaha AES820 is my favorite solid body humbucking guitar.

What I like:

?Ergonomic sculpted Lester-variant shape. Less weight due to alder body composition. Through-body string anchors. Tune-o-matic style bridge. Angled output jack at body back. Two strap buttons at lower bout. Shielded pick up cavity. Chrome knobs. Flat blue finish with nice sparkle and depth

?Comfy rounded profile maple neck. Immaculate medium frets. No fretboard position markers. Straight pull headstock angled to not need string trees. Sperzel locking tuners. Solid four-bolt neck attachment

?Overall look is elegant and subdued, realizing that my perception and application are likely the antithesis of Yamaha's intended market target

?Well balanced neck weight, body weight, and overall configuration, allows balance on lap just like your favorite strat

?Two usable DiMarzio humbuckers w/ 2 volume controls and standard toggle pickup selector. Rotary tone switch for 3 different tones: humbucker, split single-coil, and configurable tone roll off. Decent switch, jack, and pots. Coil split two pick-up position has real nice stratty quack

?Internet purchase for less than $300, new, including 5 sets of flat wound strings and shipping. Also, came with 30-day trial period that I gladly let lapse

I strung it .014, .017, .022, .030, .040, .050., with flat wounds. Truss rod needed less than 1/4 turn to accomodate my favored string gauge

?Great percussive jazz sound from the neck pick up. Rocks like crazy from the bridge. Nice jangle with coil tap engaged

Intonation and setup were great out of the box. So much for the prevailing idea of impossibility of good setups from the factory. Excellent fretwork. Flawless finish

Rock solid, well built

Yamaha customer service is known for being excellent. It is dealer based like Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, etc.

What a fun guitar out of the box for low bucks!

the guitar was made in taiwan. the metallic brown looks better than it sounds. it has a black satin finish on the neck. it has a 24 3/4 gibson scale, a les paul-esque body shape, string thru tune o matic bridge, an alder bldy, sperzel tuners, and dimarzio pickups. it came with a cheap cable, a sheet with an explanation of the tone knob/switch, and why it came with an owners manual for one of their floyd rose equipped guitars is beyond me. all and all the featues described sound like they should be on a much higher priced guitar, they were enough to get me to do one thing i said i'd never do... buy a guitar online!

the dimarzios are super quiet, much quieter that my stock '78 les paul custom, even with the coils split. i play hard rock/punk though a fender showman with a tube screamer, and i normally play my les paul through the rig with all the knobs turned up on everything. while the guitar is no les paul, it definitely sounds way better than i was expecting, it sustains unbelievably well for a bolt on neck, and while not quite as full sounding, it sounds full enough at 2/3 the weight. the split coils also do a decent tele impression. the tone rolloff/sweet sound is too muddy, yamaha should have used a different capacitor. all and all, i'd say the guitar is suitable for any type of music, but some jazz, due to the lack of a true tone knob. i should also mention that i restrung the guitar with dr 11's, the stock 9's sound like caca.

the factory set up in one word sucked. it was super high with the stock 9's. i lowered the bridge, literally all the way and had to adjust the truss rod with an allen wrench that may i add was not included. the high output pickups were set at what is probably the perfect height for pickups with that kind of juice, any higher and there might have been some squealing or sustain issues. the hardware itself was flawless and tough as nails, and the finish was well executed, although the satin black neck looks a bit goofy to me.

i bought this guitar as a hopeful gigging/touring replacement for my les paul, as i'm afraid of anything happining to it, i've already had one pilfered. i'm happy to say it's built to last, and i can say that beyond staplocks and some cosmetic alterations, this guitar after a proper setup, is ready to gig. it's tough enough to last road rigors, although i would have like to have seen a volute behind the headstock. i don't bring backups to gigs and i won't need one, while i won't be recording with it, it is totally suitable for live playing.

the yamaha website is weak, that's why i go to sites like this. musicians friend, i'm 50/50 with, they carry things that i can seemingly only get through them (12 guage speaker cable in 6 foot lenghts, spectreflex, raw speakers...), but the only time i've gotten friendly human service is at thier clearnance center in k.c., and their returns department, their sales people that i've been in contact with are morons.

i've been playing guitar half my life, and touring almost non stop for almost 5 years. i'm very impressed in general, although if i would have known initially that the guitar was built in a country without sweatshop regulations i probably wouldn't have bought it, but the quality is such that i am keeping it. i like the fact that is essentially a les paul on a diet, and for live situations, it is absolutely perfect. i'd recommend it to anyone low on cash who wants a great guitar, or for people like me who want to make sure the les paul stays around to be willed to future generations. this guitar would have been a 10 if i knew it were made in a non sweatshop environment.

good neck, great dimarzio hummers. Tone nob replaced with a tone selector, kind of cool, but would rather a regular tone nob, or maybe even two. For the anal retentive, the volume nobs are a bit slippery. I really like the feel of the neck in this guitar.

good sound, but the heavy tone selection can get a tad muddy, but if you cool the guitar's volume it works. Pickups are very nice on this guitar and produces good sustain. The neck allows for quick and deft playing. Sounds equally magnificent clean or pumped with a TS9.

set up was nice, I think the strings were 9s which will have to go but other than that good. I loved the finish of the guitar. It is a modern day version of the LP, and none of the pictures do it justice. I had the blue one and my favorite part was that it didn't show any finger prints. Beautiful guitar that doesn't get smudgy!

Also a light guitar relative to any other LP's

The input jack is found in the actual back of the guitar which was strange. At first it seemed cool, but it makes wrapping the cable around your strap ackward. Yet I still haven't made up my mind because it may hold without wrapping around. The bad part is that the input jack kind of shorts out and seems to be a quick fix, but became a problem within a week of receiving the guitar, and no one wants to take the ax to the shop a week after buying it.

Please note that in this section I am rating Musician's Friend and not Yamaha.

This guitar came to me damaged yet I took full advantage of the 45 day guarrantee and played it hard to see if I wanted to exchange or just get something else. The customer rep that I talked to was an ass and for that reason decided to get my refund. I will not give a number to rate this section, because I don't want to bring the avg down because I got pissed at musician's friend.

This is the part where I say how cool I am and how you need to listen to what I have to say. irrelevant. The bottom line is this is a great guitar, if delivered without damage. I would have to say that this is THE best guitar you will find under 300 bones. The tone, neck, playability, and quality is first class. I am sure that the short on the input is easily fixed, and maybe you could fix it yourself for those ejumicated folk, I on the other hand would solder my hand to the guitar.

Check Ebay you maybe able to get this new for less than I paid.

AES 820 Flat Blue. The flat blue is really more of a metallic blue. Body shape and finish are first rate. The Dimarzio pickups are very good. Sperzel Locking tuners are fanatastic. Ths neck is thick but very fast. Straight thru neck and tune-a-matic bridge.

The AES820 looks somewhat like a futuristic Les Paul. This is by far the best production model guitar I have ever owned. Unless your willing to pay big bucks for a custom shop guitar, this is as good as it gets. I also had to problem with the input jack loosening, a drop of loctite took care of that, otherwise its perfect. This guitar has great tone and is suitable for many styles of music.

The fit and finish of this guitar is flawless. Set up was fine, no adjustments were needed.

I only play at home for my own enjoyment, but this guitar is well made and I will probably keep it for quiet some time.

I have a lot of yamaha products. IMO, they know music and thay know quality. I have never had a yamaha product that I was dissatisfied with.

I love the sound and the look of this guitar. It looks and feel like a quality musical instrument. If it were lost, I would immediately order another one just like it. My set up is a Boss V Wah, Yamaha MagicStomp, Adrenalin II, Korg PXR4, And Randall RG200.

Dual humbucking design, through body stringing. Les Paul style, but this guitar has an individual shape. 3 way pickup selector, 2 volume and one rotary control that switches between humbucking/sc mode and a "presetable" tone rolloff. Locking tuners. Full details on www.yamaha.com

I play heavy rock music, but like to keep my sound short of saturated distortion. This guitar has a huge sound, you get a lot of clarity from all the strings rather than mush that a lot of guitars kick out. Rolling the volume back cleans up the guitar very sweetly. The single coil mode sounds great too, especially if you're after balancing on the just-breaking-up sound. I have been playing this through a Marshal SLX

Great out of the box. I lowered the bridge slightly but thats all. It has a very fast fat neck - there were no raised fret problems at all. The machining on this guitar is fantastic, best i have seen on a mass production instrument

Its a bombproof construction. BUT... there is a problem with the rear reccessed jack socket - its a great design but the cavity is very small and packed with electronics. If the nut holding the jack socket comes lose and rotates, the terminals can ground out if they touch other components inside, so the guitar can cut in and out. The newer 620 doesn't have this feature, maybe its been a common problem? This is the reason I would have to take a backup. Everything else is tougher than old boots and you can change a string in less than a minute!

Nover had to deal with them

I have been playing for 15 years and hovering between pro and semi pro for the last 10. This is the best guitar I have ever owned. If you need the label or somethig to hang on the wall then buy a Les Paul, if you want something to do the job ad more then you should check this one out. The design flaw with the jack socket is fixable. Some people have complained about the rotary coil tap/ tone control, but if yu don't like it, just replace it with a standard tone control! A dimarzio one will cost abouyt #5.00 and they do a push/pull so you can coil tap if needs be. Me, I'll just leave it as is.
Even though its non trem, the locking tuners make a hell of a difference, its tuning is predictable and very solid.
All round excellent

Standard Les Paul type guitar w/ Dimarzio pickups. Very nice, adjustable bridge, locking tuners and overall high quality equipment. I do have a gripe about the 3-setting tone knob. It's very limited. Yamaha should have included a push/pull pot to get a single-coil sound instead of using the 3 way tone approach.

Great sounding guitar! Plenty of spank and sparkle when clean, great blues tones, and absolutely crushing for any heavy-lifting. I have no complaints about the way the guitar sounds. It can be a little noisy when using the "single-coil" setting on the tone control while using a higher gain setting.

Action was wicked-high when it arrived. But the neck and bridge adjust easy enough. Pickups are a little low but sound fine and have plenty of power where they are. The only problem I've had is with the 3-way switch. It broke on the first day of use. Inpection of switch revealed a cheap plastic unit that doesn't belong on a quality guitar. I replaced it with a higher quality unit.

Everything is great except the previously mentioned 3-way switch. the Guitar loves to be played and is of very high quality.

Yamaha customer support is great. They're knowledgable and will really try to help.

For the price, an absolute winner!

The reason I'm knocking a point or two off features, is the lack of a true tone control. The 3-way rotary is actually kinda cool (though I have no need for the "mud" setting as I call it), but if you're like most guitarists, every now and then you just want to roll a little bit of treble off; can't do that with this guitar. Still, the features are super nice: Dimarzio humbuckers that SMOKE; Sperzel locking tuners with straight string-pull; excellent attention to detail; rececessed cord plug hole in the back of the guitar; nice feeling neck with meaty frets.

Great for rock. Pickups clean up okay, but are really meant for hard-driving rock 'n roll in my opinion. The definition with high-gain is pretty good. Good sounding axe. (playing through a Peavey Delta Blues 210, with a Marshall Guv'nor pedal)

Excellent right out of the box. Needed minor neck adjustment.

Who knows?

Never had to deal with them.

Excellent, gig-worthy guitar. Wish it was a set-neck, but this is one nice humbucker-equipped guitar!