Yamaha AEX 1500

The finish is a gloss over flame maple blonde. Since it's a jazz guitar it features an arched top with "F" holes, single cut-away and a 16inch body width. Tuners are yamaha but feel live grovers, very smooth. All the hardware is gold plated. The scale is a standard 25 1/2 inch and a fast slim neck with an ebony fretboard and floating bridge. It came with a neck adjustment tool, hex wrench and since my wife bought it as a present, she forgot to order a case. I bought a Gretsch case that fits it just fine. Mine is probably a 1998, so I've been playing it about 10 years. It's my primary solo gig guitar. The guitar has only 20 frets which may suit some people fine, I wish it went all the way to D. The wood is gorgeous flame maple and flame sycamore on front back and sides and has a yellow tinted blonde color that really stands out. The onboard electronics include a piezo acoustic pickup in the bridge and a humbucker at the neck. All metal parts are gold plated. The top looks simple with a pickup selector, volume and tone control. On the side however, there's more options. There's a 3 way EQ and a blender that allows you to blend the pickups together. To me, this is the most import feature. The acoustic pickup in the bridge is all treble and would be worthless without the humbucker. Blending the two produces a beautiful, warm jazz sound with a little sparkle from the bridge.

I use this guitar for solo gigs. I've tried it in band situations and it can't reach an acceptable volume when playing in a full band, without excessive feedback. The sound when I play alone is great. I almost always get favorable comments from the audience on the beautiful sound and looks of this guitar. The humbucker alone has a beautiful sound. I happen to favor the 2 together for clarity. I wish the nut width were a little wider like an acoustic, but it's a small complaint because I've been using this guitar for years now and love how it looks and sounds. I'm only giving this an 8 in sound because I've not found it very useful when playing with others because of the feedback issue. It would probably be OK if played thru a small amp and pumped through a PA but you'd have to turn the drums and bass player down an awful lot to pull that off.

The action from the factory was very good, but it came with heavy strings which I immediately changed to something lighter, then had to adjust the neck rod. The front and back flamed wood was bookmatched very tightly. It almost looks like tiger stripes with the flame really standing out. Since it's a top of the line guitar from Yamaha, it came that way. There was nothing that needed correction nor attention. The ebony fretboard was particularly beautiful because it had been polished to a high gloss finish. The one flaw that developed in the first year of my playing was a faulty input jack that started making a lot of noise and cutting out as I was playing. I replaced the jack and that solved the problem. It was easy enough to reach and replace because of a panel on the back that allows acess to the insides.

The guitar has proved more durable than I at first expected. Although it's in the medium to heavy range, arch top guitars are certainly more delicate than your average solid body. I've had to replace nothing over the last ten years and the gold hardware is hardly worn. The finish has been extremely durable and I've scratched the back a bit with belt buckles but it still looks like a new guitar. The over-sized strap buttons have been solid and reliable. I like over-sized; less chance of an accident. The only time I've carried another guitar to a solo gig is when I'm playing in other tunings and don't want to re-tune during the gig.

I've never had to deal with an issue on this guitar. The output jack I replaced was simple enough to do myself. The guitar came with a lifetime warranty and I have no reason to believe that Yamaha wouldn't back it up.
Without real experience dealing with the factory I'm only going 7 on this category

I've been playing over 30 years, started playing guitar at 12.
I bought this guitar because I was impressed with Martin Taylors solo jazz style and I learned a bunch of his songs and then expanded to writing my own. I own about 8 guitars and they all have a place in my playing. For band gigs I play single coil solidbodies. For solo or duo gigs I play acoustic or archtop guitars. One guitar has a whammy bar which I like to use on some songs. Others I keep in various tunings. The three issues I'd like differently on my Yamaha are the weight when it's in a case, the overly bright acoustic pickup and the fingerboard nut width. None really bother me much, just something I'd prefer over what it is. I didn't compare this guitar to any others when I bought it because there weren't any other jazz guitars that featured acoustic and electric capabilities. I'm considering either replacing the piezo on this guitar or just adding a different one so that I could play it as an acoustic electric without using the humbucker. Maybe some day I will, but I enjoy this great guitar a great deal as it is.

MIJ, laminated, humbucker and a piezo pickup,yamaha tuners

Jazz, and all its little Niches can be well covered here. As for the amp I use a blues deville 410 MIM and am very happy with the results. Very Very Warm tones, I am a big fan of the tubes amps it just make the guitar sound real

everything was perfect from the factory even the action was set the way I like it

As far as hollowbodys go this is sturdy but that doesnt mean its indestructable.

I have been playing 9 years, and on top of this guitar I have an ovation 1763 classical, and an american deluxe stratocaster. The amps are a yamaha DG80 210 modelling amp and a fender Blues Deville. If stolen I might get a heritage H575. I love that it doesnt feed back like a carved top, I hate that it isnt a carved top but I really enjoy the neck it is the best neck I have ever played on plain and simple. Compared to other guitars there isnt much in its price range except maybe a nice used heritage (both are great deals). On a final note if its good enough for Martin Taylor its certainly good enough for you.

Superb In every way: much better than the Gibson ES135 that I sold to buy it.
Original humbucker! I wouldn't change it.
Mine is the Sunburst version

Superb. I cannot understand the pickup comments by other users as this guitar gives a unique sound, especially when mixing the two pickups.
Read the comments like "doesn't sound like an L5" An L5 doesn't sound like an AEX1500! I like a hint of brightness and definition to my jazz box sound.
Listen to Martin taylor in the 90's, Chuck Loeb on his album "eBop", Listen to Vinny Valentino of late.He alternates between a AEX1500 and a Yamaha SA2200.
It's got to be the most versatile Jazz box on the market

As well made as any guitar that I have owned, or ever played.
Superb neck and action.

Not owned long enough, but should be fine

Jazzer with mini humbucker and piezo in the bridge. Acrive pre-amp, superb blond maple finish and ebony fretboard. Gold hardware, stunning looker! Great for jazz, blues and acoustic work.

Deep jazzy tones from the humbucker. The tone is superb, just add fingers! Piezo produces a useable acoustic sound, albeit not quite there if you use flatwounds. However, very good with acoustic strings. Pre-amp is useful tool for blending the sounds, although you're stuffed if the battery fails. Leaving that aside the sound is great. I played in a big band recently (doing my Freddie Green impersonation) and the sound was spot on. Never had problems with feedback, but then I play mostly clean.

Bought from one of New York's 48th Street stores in September 2000. I tried every jazz guitar in the shop before settling for this one. Flawless in every respect, a perfect jazz box.

It's lasted 7 years so far, although I have not gigged it that regularly - thse duties fall to the Strat. It's my "Sunday best" guitar. It's reliable and still looks new. However, I would not go into a live situation without spare batteries for the pre-amp.

Never needed it!

Been playing for 30 years, with a Gibson Marauder as my main guitar until the 90s, when I switched to Strats. Always wanted a jazz guitar and this was the best I could find. If lost I would collect the insurance and buy another, if stolen, I'd start a small war.

Beautiful finish and figured woods, absolutely faultless finish all round. Lets face it folks, the Japanese have got it together,this is a beautiful design and sits comfortably, not too heavy either.
The idea of a piezzo and humbucker on the same instrument, separated or blendable seems to be yamaha's invention, i did own the AEX 500 at one time.
Great because you can be playing electric guitar then switch to a real accoustic sound in a split second! That is so useful.

Don't expect a Gibson or heavy duty jazz sound, the stock humbucker pickup is in my view the worst thing about the otherwise faultless guitar. It is also a real problem trying to find a replacement that will fit the space. HOWEVER my clever guitar tech found a way: I noticed the Seymour Duncan SM1 mini HB's were the right size, although body mounted. I bought one, and he managed to extract it from its casing and get it into the casing of the Yamaha p/u! It works beautifully and now the guitar sounds more like a Gretsch doing jazz..and has a lot more character.
I play it through a variety of amps including a custom built 5 watt valve (class A)(for jazz sounds), a fender blued deluxe, Roland BC30, Fender Accoustasonic Jnr. With the accoustasonic there are 2 channels..one can be set for the accoustic p/u, the other for the humbucker and a simple footswitch used to route the signal for fantastic sound.
Accoustic sound: excellent if you adjust the graphic properly, also RECORDS exceedingly well, so have used it in the studio a fair bit.

No flaws, all fine and dandy

Any hollow archtop will produce feedback given half a chance, not its fault really! Most yamaha guitars are built to last, witness the early ones that still turn up everywhere. Actually the build is not unlike that of the Gretsch Double Anni i have, which was made in the Terada factory...maybe AEX came from there too?

No dealings necessary

Been playing 38 years, have masses of kit of all kinds inc guitars, but this one gets played in a jazz duo (2 guitars)
One GREAT thing is that when there are only 2 guitars, its really good if they sound significantly different to each other. Nothing out there really sounds like this one so thats great.

feature packed,

Needs f-hole plugs for live playing or preamp setup which controls feedback. Other than this it is a dream.It is a bit subdued as strictly an acoustic, but amped it is a sonic masterpiece.

Superb, with a bit of fine tuning setup. Rock solid neck etc..

yes to everything on this one.

No use for this, but I know Yamaha, and they'll break their back for you.

You can't buy a better jazz box for the price in my opinion. I've used it live and it got all you want.

1997 The neck is solid as a rock. Frets have remained tight and with minimal lineup work this guitar has fingering to die for.

A bit prone to feedback live, but with preamp help it is great.

Factory setup- rating good

Never needed anything.

10- Best box for the money I think.

fit and finish is very precise and well done.

alot has been said about the non gibson sound of this instrument, and while i agree i do not think this is a problem.The ability to blend magnetic and transducer style pickups allows a full and tonaly accurate and articulate guitar. another interesting observation is allthough inspired by a finger style guitarist, this instrument has great potential when played in a plectrum style.This guitar is a versatile jazz box, and with the right selection of strings has great vintage jazz sound, mellow not muddy. If you like 9's 0r 10's for strings, stick to your 335

the fit and finish of this guitar is without a doubt in the range of guitars costing three to four times its price. I have owned, setup and restored many gibsons over 45 years of playing and the quality over this time has become poor at best, even the custom shop could take lessons from these fine luthiers at yamaha

archtops have some inherant frailtys, however yamaha has built a sturdy and road worthy jazz box capable of constant professional use with normal care.

n/a

i have been playing and working on guitars for 45 years, if lost or stolen i would replace this guitar, as for the price i do not feel you can get a better instrument. i have owned gibsons and played them for many years and i wont compare this guitar to a 60s or 70s vintage L-5 or a johny smith, however if you have played recent gibsons,even custom shop versions i think you will have to admit that the "new gibsons" are just not the instrument they use to be

This is a follow-up.
Yamaha uses the same battery case as on their lowest line of guitars, perhaps they shouldn't. Because this jazz wonder is obviously a professional guitar, and must be absolutely reliable.
I had some problems with this battery case, with some batteries the contacts are not tight and you get pops, noises and even sound interruptions. It is absolutely unacceptable!
I had a bad time during a gig because of this, and you're stuck because even with the balance full on the humbucker you ain't got no sound without battery! Dumb. On the other hand the design is symetrical so you can use a non-shielded very long cable without any problems, provided you don't use a pod or v-amp that are too touchy.
A zoom 503,for instance, works perfectly.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR BATTERY CASE, CONTACT-WISE, VERY CAREFULLY!
For the record, our drummer(yes, in very rare cases it happens) provided the solution: another battery... Thanks again pal!

This is a follow-up, I have this axe since 2001 and it only plays better. Better acoustic sound, and now I put normal electric strings (011-052, but with wounded 020 g-string) and I have better electric sound than with the elixir gore.
I set the action very low and I discovered it wasn't necessary because it plays wonderfully. I can't explain well but it always plays right, detuned a half tone or with higher action, I feel this guitar has some strenght in it, not like the others flatboxes I checked through the years.
As for the tone no problems, only gems newly found. The para-eq works well to reject feedback, but as I'm lazy I drive the yam through a zoom 504(first version, 18bit instead of 16 for the 2nd...) and I just stomp on the pedal if feedback occurs: the zoom faaastly find the faulty frequency and stops the feedback! It is magic, no other words.
Lately I found that driving the zoom through a behringer mic200 tube preamp gave the sound a far better snap and warmth, best of both worlds.
I have to say I don't like to play live with this guitar, too precious and things happen. But in the rehearsal room it does very well, but again I don't have John Bonham as a drummer hee hee.

I can only quote sir royce(or his pal i don't remember): Quality still lasts, when the price is long forgotten.
Not to mention it is very cute to look at, everyone of my pals wants this.