NGD Reality check - late 60's Yamaha SA50

[SuperAxe]

Further to my previous post...

Postby infiniteposse » Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:48 pm
I meant to also add that the s/n is 5 digits: 23909. Any idea what year that makes it?

Can you check again? Looks to me like it is 23908.

[infiniteposse]

That's correct. I mistyped.

[daisyglazer]

I'm totally jelly of this guitar....
Glad my trem adaptation has been helpful for you!
And it really looks like that case handle would be a fairly simple fix-- it's a cool case for sure.

[wproffitt]

I'll chime in late here:
Congratulations on this guitar! I think that you're going to be very happy with it. The pickups on these sound great! I also love the neck (if not necessarily the 48-year old frets) on my SA-30T. It has some heft to it without seeming bulky. When I walk down to the basement to play guitar, I usually pick up the Yamaha first and the JM second. I'm really digging the inlays on your fretboard and the JM-ish trem. Mine has a bigsby-esque arrangement that actually works really well. Enjoy!

[infiniteposse]

Thanks so much all. My luthier had been searching to find a proper collet and arm and had no luck. Then, yesterday when I dropped off another project, the guy before me had come in with a JM with a Mastery and a USA trem sitting in the pocket with no home. Now it's all mine! The guitar should be ready Friday:) I'll post some updates and maybe some sound files.

Thanks!

[infiniteposse]

I just received a quick photo update. It looks like she'll be ready for pickup tomorrow. Here's some snaps of the USA JM collet adaption:









From those, I'd say it looks perfect. In a way, it's better than new because if I loose the trem arm, I can just order a new one anywhere... Stoked! I'll post some pics once it arrives home. I hope to record with it this week as well, so I'll post the tune if it makes it onto it.

[Straight6DOHC]

I've been watching one of these on ebay uk for months. I think it started at £1450 ($2000). It's down to £900 now. I envy what quality vintage gear you guys/girls over the pond can pick up for not much more than a new mid range guitar.
Perhaps I should offer the seller a fraction of his £900?
Lovely guitars. If I ever wanted a vintage guitar, an SA-5 or SA-50 would be the one.

[SuperAxe]

Unread postby Straight6DOHC » Thu Jan 28, 2016 3:01 pm
I've been watching one of these on ebay uk for months. I think it started at £1450 ($2000). It's down to £900 now. I envy what quality vintage gear you guys/girls over the pond can pick up for not much more than a new mid range guitar.
Perhaps I should offer the seller a fraction of his £900?
Lovely guitars. If I ever wanted a vintage guitar, an SA-5 or SA-50 would be the one.

Those prices are way over the top. You'd be better off buying one from J-Guitar. Even with shipping I expect it to be cheaper that that.

Don't discount the SA-30. I have three of them and they are as good as an SA50.

[SuperAxe]

Postby infiniteposse » Thu Jan 28, 2016 1:04 pm
I just received a quick photo update. It looks like she'll be ready for pickup tomorrow. Here's some snaps of the USA JM collet adaption:

Good stuff, any part numbers you can quote?

[infiniteposse]

Postby infiniteposse » Thu Jan 28, 2016 1:04 pm
I just received a quick photo update. It looks like she'll be ready for pickup tomorrow. Here's some snaps of the USA JM collet adaption:

Good stuff, any part numbers you can quote?

It was pulled off of a American '62 ReIssue JM. I'm sure folks here could better define what specific part that makes it. The only other printing on it was "Pat# 2,972,923." Is that helpful?

I'm also happy to send on the pics direct for the website if you like.

[frelonvert]

I've been watching one of these on ebay uk for months. I think it started at £1450 ($2000). It's down to £900 now. I envy what quality vintage gear you guys/girls over the pond can pick up for not much more than a new mid range guitar.
Perhaps I should offer the seller a fraction of his £900?
Lovely guitars. If I ever wanted a vintage guitar, an SA-5 or SA-50 would be the one.

I have sent you a PM for finding a Yamaha SA.

[infiniteposse]

Necro update to note something I feel is rather important.

The AVRI arm/collet I put onto the SA50 was always pretty rattly and annoying to me. Travel back and forth always had some slop and really took away from the musicality of the instrument. Accordingly, I order the Staytrem drop-in replacement collet/arm for the AVRI and had it installed. Night and day. The feel of the new arm is like butter compared to the AVRI. The only real issue at the moment is trem arm height, which is still extremely high. It would sit lower in a JM, so it feels like it's quite high up and simply bending the arm isn't the most elegant solution. The short stem of the arm is notched @ Staytrem so it sockets, so it's not as simple as simply making the small end of the arm shorter. I may contact Mr. Staytrem and see if he can make an arm specifically for this mod. It's a great fix for what seems like a common Yamaha affliction.

[SuperAxe]

Necro update to note something I feel is rather important.

The AVRI arm/collet I put onto the SA50 was always pretty rattly and annoying to me. Travel back and forth always had some slop and really took away from the musicality of the instrument. Accordingly, I order the Staytrem drop-in replacement collet/arm for the AVRI and had it installed. Night and day. The feel of the new arm is like butter compared to the AVRI. The only real issue at the moment is trem arm height, which is still extremely high. It would sit lower in a JM, so it feels like it's quite high up and simply bending the arm isn't the most elegant solution. The short stem of the arm is notched @ Staytrem so it sockets, so it's not as simple as simply making the small end of the arm shorter. I may contact Mr. Staytrem and see if he can make an arm specifically for this mod. It's a great fix for what seems like a common Yamaha affliction.

Good update. Does it look different? Photo?

[MattK]

Adjusted for inflation ($450usd) that comes out to approx. $2500 or so. I got the deal of the century!!!

Not quite - there are lots of variables, but ¥53000 was actually worth about $US150 back in 1968. However, the high end Japanese builders were turning out guitars of near equal quality to the major US builders, and that SA50 is worth $600 all day long. Nice find!

[Lee60]

Glad I found this thread!

infiniteposse - I just purchased a red SA-50 from a vintage dealer in Portland, but it's missing the pickguard and tremolo arm. It looks like the photobucket pics of your trem are all deactivated. Any chance you could repost them? I was considering having the shop install a Jazzmaster collet/trem before I pick it up... but would you advise skipping that and buying the Stay-trem instead? Did you ever have a custom Stay-trem arm made?

Also, I may have to hit you up for a pickguard tracing, and a better view of the bracket and spacers to find adequate replacements.

Thanks!

Lee
Los Angeles, CA (soon to be Portland, OR)