NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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wproffitt
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NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Post by wproffitt » Tue Mar 10, 2020 2:08 pm

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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Last edited by wproffitt on Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:26 am, edited 2 times in total.

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BoringPostcards
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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by BoringPostcards » Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:47 am

That's a sweet bass! I love old Yamahas.
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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wproffitt
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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by wproffitt » Thu Mar 12, 2020 3:40 pm

Thanks! I’m really into it. Still working on figuring out that potentially faulty bridge pickup! Paging Dr. SuperAxe!

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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by somanytoys » Fri Mar 13, 2020 8:03 am

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.
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by Mechanical Birds » 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.

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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by wproffitt » Sun Mar 15, 2020 6:28 am

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.

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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by CorporateDisguise » Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:43 am

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.

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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by CorporateDisguise » Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:44 am

Also, that bass is super rad.

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wproffitt
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Re: NBD: 1967 Yamaha SA-70

Post by wproffitt » Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:11 am

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

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Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Post by wproffitt » Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:19 pm

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!😅

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Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Post by hexes » Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:22 am

the horn shape on the yamahas is such a striking design. beautiful.

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Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Post by somanytoys » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:41 am

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.
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

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

Post by wproffitt » 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.
Image

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Re: NBD: 1972 Yamaha SA-70

Post by countertext » Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:45 am

I should have mentioned a month ago that that bass is :-* HOTT :-* .

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

Post by hexes » Sun Apr 05, 2020 1:49 am

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.
Image
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.

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