Yamaha SA2200

2 superb Yamaha humbuckers with coil tap on both. The coil splitting capability makes this one of, if not thee most versitile guitar i have ever played.

WOW!!!!! WHAT A GUITAR!!!!!! I have always trusted Yamaha to make quality instruments and i bought this guitar from a certain music company in a guitar magazine without even playing it first because i knew Yamaha would not let me down! I was looking for a 335 style guitar but was not prepared to pay Gibsons rediculous prices, so when i found this guitar going for #1045 i snatched it! I play a wide range of styles. I have always had a taste for blues and classic rock however i have always enjoyed Noel Gallaghers music in Oasis. This guitar can do it all, you want a sound it's got it in spades. I use it through a Roland Blues Cube along with a Marshall Guvner pedal a Boss CE-20 Chorus pedal and a Boss DD-3 Digital Delay. The sound is truly amazing through the CE-20 and the DD-3 on a clean setting, beautiful is the only word i can think of to describe it. This is simply the best guitar i have ever played!!!!!

The factory set up was perfect! Absolutely flawless!

I've only had it a day but i'm sure this guitar has a few decades ahead of it!

Never had any problems with this particular guitar but have dealt with them before and as you would expect from Yamaha they are experts.

Have played various Gibson 335's and not one of them got close to this. If it were stolen i'd find the guy who took it and beat the hell out of him! I will never sell it, it is by far the best guitar i have played! Buy one if you get the chance!

This particular SA2200 is made in 1999. Yamaha Japan factory made. As of 19 Feb 2002, it is still in production so the specifications can be read off www.yamaha.com.

I play a bit of everything except metal, though I am heavily into bebop currently. This guitar is versatile enough to cover everything from Jazz, blues, R&B, soul, funk, pop, rock to a fair amount of hard rock, especially with coil splitting capabilities. Could very well emulate the sound of muddy Les paul and twangy Fender, though it might sound more convincing with some pedal effects.

I used to switch to neck pick-up with tone level at about 3 to achieve a mellow peusdo fat archtop tone. It is the jazz tone that I yearned to have but it could sound really bassy at the lower register, especially when paired up with a lousy amp at the conservatorium. Lately, I have sticked to leaving the tone level at full that allow more definition and clarity in tone quality, yet still maintain warmth and some mellowness.

I plug it directly to a Yamaha G100-212 Mark 3 or a Carvin MTS-3200, with occasional use of an Arion SCH-1 Stereo Chorus in the effect loop.

The set-up was okay but not immaculate. Factory used 0.009-0.0042 as default, action was pretty decent. Personally, I don't trust anything that is factory set-up, so upon receipt of this guitar, I sent it to my trusted luither for set-up to my requirements. Changed the string gauge to 0.012-0.052. It feels better with a heavier gauge. Sound wise - it is fuller and fatter. The neck was mildly adjusted. Not much else was done.

Even though the top is not properly bookmatched, it is only a comestic flaw. The guitar was specially ordered for me by Music Plaza. Knowing that I am looking for a jazz guitar, the company encouraged me to try the Yamaha AEX-1500. And in the event that I might like the latter better, they are willing to void the special order agreement and sell me the AEX. However, I must say that this particular AEX didn't sound as good as the SA 2200, so I walked out the store with the SA 2200.

This guitar has gone through several live playing and it has delivered as it promised. I have replaced the original strap buttons with Jim Dunlop strap-lok to eliminate the risk of dropping the guitar during performance.

There is some typical wearing off e.g. tarnishing on the bridge due to uncountable hours of playing, but these are minor. The guitar should be able to go through a decade before I start replaing parts here and there.

I have played a lot with this guitar without a back-up, and will continue to do so. This axe is definitelt trustworthy.

This is actually a replacement. The original SA 2200 that I purchased from the store has a factory defect and I sent it back to Music Plaza, Singapore. They gladly took it back and ordered a new piece for me. According to them, SA-2200, AEX-1500 & AES-1500 etc. are made in Japan with specific quanitity and order from its distributor, so I waited for about 3 months to receive my "made to order" SA 2200. While waiting, the staff kept me posted of the progress, as well as offering alternatives such as using the credit I have with the company to purchase a Mike Stern Tele or a G&L Legacy or the AES 1500 or the AEX-1500.

The guitar was never been repaired for any reason (touchwood). It was under a one year warranty for the electronics but the warranty has expired. Anyway, if ever anything happened to my guitar, I will send it to my trusted luither.

I have been playing for 12 years now. In my arsenal, there is a variety of gears including a Ibanez LR-6, a Gibson made Steinberger GM7T, a Melancon Pro-Artist Telecaster. My luither has always pushed me into selling off my SA-2200, citing that there is no need for having many guitars around, let alone having two 335 style. However, I insisted on keeping this because it is more versatile than LR-6 with its coil split capabilities. It is has wider range of tonal possibilities than either my Fender strat or EB/Musicman Silloutte.

If it were stolen, I will probably buy it again. Considering the differnt made of 335 style copy around e.g., Ibanez AS 220 (I think), Washburn, Equiphone Sheraton, I will definitely stick to a Yamaha SA 2200 for its workmanship and quality etc.

In term of quality, I think it sounds better than any non-custom Gibson made ES-335. I have the privilege of trying my SA-2200 against a brand new Gibson ES-335. Sound-wise, the Yamaha is much brilliant than the Gibson, and the former's workmanship is more superior than the latter.

More features? I like it just the way it is. There is nothing more that I would ask for from this guitar

The SA2200 is a thinline double cutaway semi-acoustic, similiar in style to a Gibson 335. Two Yamaha humbucker pickups, three way selector, coil-tap on both pickups, passive electronics. Fingerboard is ebony with 22 frets and generous split-parallelogram inlays. Bridge is Tune-O-Matic. Tuning heads, pickups and bridge are finished in gold - no corrosion problems so far.

Overall, nothing desparately innovative in the form factor. It's a classy interpretation of of a familiar theme rather than a groundbreaking concept.

This one is the "brown" sunburst finish on a maple top. To my eye it's an attractive gold rather than brown with a subtle figuring that shows clearly through the finish.

Overall, the guitar looks sophisticated rather than dramatic. The inlays, figured top, sunburst and gold fittings work well together. Overall build quality and finish appears excellent. It definitely looks the business for Jazz and Blues.

This instrument sounds so good I find it hard to put down. To my ear, the sound is warmer and somehow more authoritative than the Gibson equivalent. Even on a clean amp setting, there's plenty of bite with a good top end response - for some jazz styles, you may want to roll a couple of notches off the tone control. The pickups deliver plenty of volume and no noticeable hum.

The coil-tap is a nice bonus and provides a useful and very different sound that works well for funky chord work. If anything, the character of the coil-tap reminds me somewhat of a Telecaster. As you'd expect, you do get less volume and some hum with the coil-tap on.

I generally put it through an old Laney Pro-Tube on the clean channel with just a touch of reverb. It has sufficient character that effects just seem unnecessary.

The sound is characteristically jazzy. Fat, complex chords sound rich, satisfying and clearly articulated. Linear picked passages are precise and warm. It also works well for blues with a surpising sassy edge to the sound.

Construction and setup is generally excellent.

However, the pickup selector gives the bridge pickup only in the middle position. Also, the jack socket is a little picky about leads. It's fine with a Venom lead but other cheaper leads don't make good contact.

Both minor problems but disappointing on a guitar this well made.

It feels as solid and durable as a semi-acoustic can get. No sign of chips or scratches on the finish or any corrosion on the gold fittings. I'd depend on it but take a backup anyway - you can't be too well prepared!

I've bought a range of stuff from Yamaha over the years - sound cards, guitars etc - it's all been a good investment.

Never had to contact them.

This dinosaur's been playing for 30 years or so, recording and occasionally gigging. I like jazz, blues, and roots music. I also use a battered 78 Gibson SG Custom and a Pacifica (surprisingly capable) through a Laney pro-tube and a Cakewalk based PC recording setup.

If it was stolen, I'd definitely look to replace it.

I love the look of the thing and the warm, jazzy sound. I chose it to get the classic jazz tones that a solid just can't deliver - I've not been disappointed.

I've given it a nine because of it's good looks, character, and playability. It's expensive for a Yamaha but good value for a guitar that's definitely in the same league as a Gibson.

This is a Gibson 335 copy. (wide / medium thin hollow body, with a central sustain block running the length of the body) Ebony fingerboard with block mother of pearl inlays, mahogany neck, flamed maple laminated top and back, black pickguard, gold hardware. Stop tailpiece. two PAF style humbuckers with separate tone and volume controls and push-pull coil splitters. Large, accurate, non-locking tuners (yamaha). Brown Yamaha hardshell case included with cable and allen wrench. 1997? Japanese made. 3 way selector switch. The only addition I might make are locking tuners.

Tone is generally excellent with a fairly wide range. It covers B.B., and Clapton Cream very well, and works great with a wide variety of Jazz tones. The coil splitters yeild a very nice approximation of P90s. Sound is quite sensitive to string type. To get anything near a tele-like twang, you need the brightest strings you can find - but I did not expect Tele sounds from a semi-hollow body. I generally run through a Yamaha T100 combo or a little champ practice amp, but for me the sound comes alive with a clean, twin such as a Fender Dual Professional. I am considering such a purchase. I have had no problems with feedback. Full cords on high distortion settings with the humbuckers can yeild a mushy sound (power cords kill), but this is not a style I favor in general so I have not worked on dialing something in. I had previously considered Pauls, SGs, 175s, 295s, as well as a "real" 335, but now I have no need for them. I may buy a Tele or another Strat to round out my rock/surf/country abilities, but for Jazz, Classic Rock, Electric Folk, etc., this is all I will ever need. I reserve the 10 catagory for the fablulous guitar I have never played.

Generally the Guitar is gorgeous with excellent materials and workmanship. However, the dots along the binding strip on the top side of the neck are all smudged. No will see this who is not playing the guitar, but I think that this is a grotesque oversight on an otherwise superb instrument. Except for that, the quality of fit and finish blows away all the Gibsons I have tried. I had my dealer adjust the setup to my liking. The quality of wood and construction make adjustments easy. Action is great all over the board. I am wearing off the gold on the top of the bridge nut because my geasy paw sits there all the time, but I don't think solid gold would be structurally sound - do you? Would have been a 10 but for those dots.

Totally solid. Who would go to an important gig with only one guitar? But seriously, I would only bring a accoustic or solid body for variety, not for backup. Reeks of quality - except for those dots.

I allways go to the shop or my guitar tech.

I've been playing on and off since '64. I also have an old Charvette, Cheap Squire Strat; have owned various Gibson solids, other electics, flat tops and classicals. I use pedals from Fulltone and Danelectro - occationally an ART effects unit. I have Yamaha and Fender amps and am planning to buy a good clean twin. The only reason I might not buy another SA2200 if this were lost, is I love change. I love the warm, sweet tones, the great action, and the rich look. It's the best 335 type out there for the money and one of the most versitile guitars available. I plan to keep this one. Locking tuners, quick release strap locks, and nice clean dots would make it perfect.