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NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 2:08 pm
by wproffitt
Look what showed up in the mail today from Kanagawa, Japan! It’s a 1967 (*edit: it’s a 1972) Yamaha SA-70. I’ll add more later, but here are some first impressions:
-it’s in remarkably good shape for a 53 year old instrument . It must have sat under someone’s bed for a long time.
-the neck feels great! Just like it’s SA-30t brother (also pictured below)
-the mute apparatus is missing it's foam and a thumb wheel, but these are easy fixes.
-sounds clear and beautiful on the neck pickup, but the bridge pickup seems buzzy and microphonic. Thoughts?

Overall, I’m happy, but any pointers on triaging the bridge pickup would be welcome.

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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:47 am
by BoringPostcards
That's a sweet bass! I love old Yamahas.

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 3:40 pm
by wproffitt
Thanks! I’m really into it. Still working on figuring out that potentially faulty bridge pickup! Paging Dr. SuperAxe!

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 8:03 am
by somanytoys
That is really nice, and in beautiful shape. Congratulations!

I think that Shadoweclipse13 has a lot of knowledge in this area, maybe he’ll chime in with some good advice.

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 9:06 pm
by Mechanical Birds
This is awesome!

Really cranking up the self loathing I feel for selling my SA50 instead of pushing thru to the point where I’d start getting along with it.

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 6:28 am
by wproffitt
Thanks for the kind words! I’m a school teacher in a state where almost all schools will be shut down for the next few weeks because of Coronavirus. I’ll definitely have some time to play with it, tinker with the setup, the pickup issue, and online shopping for a gig bag now that I’m likely to be home for quite a while!
The SA50 is a neat guitar, especially with that trem. The neck is not quite like anything else I’ve played. I love them, though.

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:43 am
by CorporateDisguise
Mechanical Birds wrote:
Fri Mar 13, 2020 9:06 pm
This is awesome!

Really cranking up the self loathing I feel for selling my SA50 instead of pushing thru to the point where I’d start getting along with it.
If it’s any consolation, your old SA50 is my second most played guitar. My jazzmaster gets just little more time than it does.

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:44 am
by CorporateDisguise
Also, that bass is super rad.

Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:11 am
by wproffitt
Thanks, CorporateDisguise!
I’m getting a new pick guard made and, soon, it will probably look nearly exactly as it did 50 years ago. I’m loving playing this thing! For some reason, I keep playing reggae bass lines and Queen! ;D

Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:19 pm
by wproffitt
Thanks to forumite SuperAxe, I jow know that this is a 1972 model. Still, it’s in fabulous condition for being a full year older than my sister!😅

Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:22 am
by hexes
the horn shape on the yamahas is such a striking design. beautiful.

Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:41 am
by somanytoys
True. They remind me a lot of my Ibanez guitars and basses, and the Rick basses that they were based off of.

Whole different effect overall with the big body, though.

Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70 (now with pick guard!)

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:29 am
by wproffitt
Update!

It’s now sporting a pickguard courtesy of our own SneakyT. The original was missing and I always feel like a hollow body without a PG looks a bit like a suit without a tie.
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Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:45 am
by countertext
I should have mentioned a month ago that that bass is :-* HOTT :-* .

Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70 (now with pick guard!)

Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 1:49 am
by hexes
wproffitt wrote:
Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:29 am
Update!

It’s now sporting a pickguard courtesy of our own SneakyT. The original was missing and I always feel like a hollow body without a PG looks a bit like a suit without a tie.
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suit without a tie is much nicer than a dress shirt and tie without a jacket.

that said, this looks gorgeous either way. but especially with its pickguard. i love how yamaha managed the horns and the headstocks on these models. beautiful.