Yamaha Revstar Standard RSS02T P90 vs Epiphone Worn SG P90 | Affordable workhorse guitar shootout!

Today, we’re comparing two of my favorite personal guitars: the affordable P90-equipped workhorses that are the 2022 Yamaha Revstar Standard RSS02T P90 model in Swift Blue, and the 2020 Epiphone SG Classic Worn P90 model in Worn Inverness Green!
Revstar Standard P90 at Thomann: thmn.to/thoprod/539429?offid=...
At Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/XYKByb
Epiphone Classic Worn P90 SG at Thomann: thmn.to/thoprod/482597?offid=...
At Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/0Z1aQE
Now, I'm a huge fan of P90s, and I love both these guitars for various reasons. They’re both loads of fun to play, feel great, and sound fantastic - but they’re also quite different in other ways, which makes them ripe for comparison!
The $429/€379 Epiphone SG is a stripped back rock machine. You get a satin mahogany body and neck, Epiphone Pro soapbar P90 pickups, and a D-shaped slim taper neck with 21 medium jumbo frets on an Indian laurel board. The scale length is 24.75” and the fingerboard radius is 12”.
The Revstar is basically twice the price of the Epiphone at $799/€779 - but it’s obvious where the extra money goes. Here, you get a chambered mahogany body and a maple top, with a mahogany neck and a rosewood board. The neck is carbon reinforced, and the 22 jumbo frets are stainless steel. The satin neck is a medium to chunky C shape, while the scale length and fingerboard radius match the Epiphone at 24.75” and 12” respectively.
You get way more tonal options on tap with the Revstar too. While the Epiphone offers you the standard 3-way switch, the Revstar has a 5-way - including in-between Stratocaster-type sounds - and a Focus Switch. Activated by pulling up the tone knob, the Focus Switch is a passive boost that gives you a push in volume and aggression, as well as a jump in your low and mid frequencies. Oh, and the Revstar comes in a deluxe padded gig bag too - not too shabby!
Despite all this, though, these guitars are both ‘mid-priced’ electrics that many will see as filling a similar sort of role in their collection. In this video, I really show off all the sounds both guitars have to offer as I play them in as many genres as I can, from country, folk and indie, to pop, rock, blues, punk, metal and more.
Here are some links to the various playing samples and info bits:
00:00 Hello!
00:16 Intro and what we’re doing today
02:00 Epiphone SG specs and info
03:56 Revstar specs and info
06:49 Today’s rig and plan
Clean Sounds
07:36 Clean tone reference chords on all pickup options
08:32 Funky rhythm chords
08:58 Blues progression
09:20 Country ballad arpeggios
09:33 Southern rock arpeggios
09:52 Strummed country pop
10:11 Ascending indie chords
10:25 Bluesy Americana riff
Overdriven Sounds
10:48 Upbeat barre chords
11:11 Droning indie riff
11:44 Choppy barre chords
12:01 Open string indie pop
12:16 Indie rock octaves
12:40 Fat indie rhythm chords
13:09 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
13:24 Driving classic rock riff
13:53 Airbourne inspired rock riff
14:15 Classic rock riff
14:27 Groovy classic rock riff
Heavy Overdrive Sounds
14:53 Hard rock riff
15:09 Glam rock riff
15:24 Classic hard rock riff
15:41 Hair metal rhythm sound
16:01 Alternative rock riff
16:24 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
16:50 Pop punk melodic lead riff
17:05 Punk rock power chords
17:18 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning)
17:32 Modern rock palm-muted power chords (Drop D)
17:55 Rage Against The Machine inspired groovy riff (Drop D )
Metal sounds (all in Drop D)
18:11 Metal chugging riff
18:44 Heavy metal lead sound
19:00 Hardcore punk riff
19:23 Mastodon inspired metal riff with country twang
19:47 Classic metal/sludge riff
20:23 My thoughts
21:01 Looks
21:43 Price
22:19 Build quality and hardware
24:24 Playability and necks
25:22 Weight
26:45 Sounds and pickups
29:34 What other similar guitars are out there?
31:09 My conclusions
32:14 Which guitar do I prefer?
32:57 Thanks and goodbye
My setup was as follows: I ran the two guitars into my Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 head, also using my Revv G3 for heavy distortion sounds. The amp went from the Red Box DI straight into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, which went into Logic Pro X. That's it. No post-processing on the sounds was done.
Here’s some links to those bits of gear:
---
H&K Black Spirit 200 head: thmn.to/thoprod/447827?offid=...
Revv G3: thmn.to/thoprod/437353?offid=...
Focusrite 4i4 (the new 2i4): thmn.to/thoprod/467952?offid=...
---
Backing music from the KZbin Audio Library: Duck In The Alley - TrackTribe.
#YamahaRevstar #Revstar #YamahaGuitar #Epiphone #EpiphoneSG
Note: certain links in the description are affiliate links. If you click said links and purchase anything as a result, I will receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help to support the channel. So, if you do that, thank you very much!
‪@YamahaGuitarsOfficial‬
‪@OfficialEpiphone‬

[@RichWordsMusic]

Here's them timestamps: 00:00 Hello! 00:16 Intro and what we’re doing today 02:00 Epiphone SG specs and info 03:56 Revstar specs and info 06:49 Today’s rig and plan Clean Sounds 07:36 Clean tone reference chords on all pickup options 08:32 Funky rhythm chords 08:58 Blues progression 09:20 Country ballad arpeggios 09:33 Southern rock arpeggios 09:52 Strummed country pop 10:11 Ascending indie chords 10:25 Bluesy Americana riff Overdriven Sounds 10:48 Upbeat barre chords 11:11 Droning indie riff 11:44 Choppy barre chords 12:01 Open string indie pop 12:16 Indie rock octaves 12:40 Fat indie rhythm chords 13:09 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff 13:24 Driving classic rock riff 13:53 Airbourne inspired rock riff 14:15 Classic rock riff 14:27 Groovy classic rock riff Heavy Overdrive Sounds 14:53 Hard rock riff 15:09 Glam rock riff 15:24 Classic hard rock riff 15:41 Hair metal rhythm sound 16:01 Alternative rock riff 16:24 Green Day inspired punk rock riff 16:50 Pop punk melodic lead riff 17:05 Punk rock power chords 17:18 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning) 17:32 Modern rock palm-muted power chords (Drop D) 17:55 Rage Against The Machine inspired groovy riff (Drop D ) Metal sounds (all in Drop D) 18:11 Metal chugging riff 18:44 Heavy metal lead sound 19:00 Hardcore punk riff 19:23 Mastodon inspired metal riff with country twang 19:47 Classic metal/sludge riff 20:23 My thoughts 21:01 Looks 21:43 Price 22:19 Build quality and hardware 24:24 Playability and necks 25:22 Weight 26:45 Sounds and pickups 29:34 What other similar guitars are out there? 31:09 My conclusions 32:14 Which guitar do I prefer? 32:57 Thanks and goodbye

[@petercahill8607]

I have been playing exclusively acoustic for just 3 years. I am really pumped now about getting an electric guitar ! Your excellent reviews are going to help the process. Subscribed.

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@petercahill8607 Hi Peter, thanks so much! Really happy you discovered my channel and subbed (thank you for that!), and also that you've been able to find my videos useful. Good luck in your search for your first electric - it should be an exciting journey for you, coming from acoustic :) If you ever have any more questions about what to go for, or indeed anything about the process, feel free to drop me a line here and I'm always happy to help out if I can! All the best with it :)

[@seankinsella4564]

Man, I've never seen a review like this, testing the gear in so many styles and labelling them. Very nicely done. Liked AND subscribed my good sir!👏 I'm here because I bought the P90 revstar a few days ago, I've had my eye on one for a few years but needed to play one before I decided and they are not easy to find in shops. I had been to the 2 most high profile guitar shops in my city and 2 guitars stood out to me, a Deusenberg Starplayer III for 2,000 and a Novo Voltur for 4,500. When I went to the 3rd shop and saw the RSS02T in Hot Merlot, I couldnt believe I'd finally get to play one. I instantly fell into a groove with it, it felt so natural to play, and I was having a better playing experience than with the other 2 guitars. Not to mention the really cool tonal options and amazing build quality. So i got to take home the best guitar I've played on my journeys and for a fraction of what I thought I'd spend. OH YES!

[@mikedamisch]

The Revstars neck features (stainless Steel frets and carbon fibre reinforcement) is worth every penny. Mine is solid as a rock. Absolutely love the green on that SG. Would love that color on my Revstar.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yep, I agree 100%! They're amazing guitars and more people really should give them a try. And yes, this satin green is simply one of the best finishes out there. There's a green Revstar too, but it's not quite this cool! The world needs more satin green guitars 😎

[@RayFromLUCKYSHADOW]

You are the MAN. Thank you for playing some actual CHORDS. I am so sick of these demo videos where all the dude does is friggin solo. It's so unbelievably pompous. Do they have any interest in showing us what the guitar actually SOUNDS LIKE or do they just wanna prove to us how well they know their pentatonics? You are one of the few who do it right. Sorry, I'm a little fired up, haha. I literally just watched videos on two of the guitars I'm interested in- one being the SG you demo here, but in a different color; the other the Reverend Jetstream RB. Two different KZbinrs. I swear to you, dude, after giving the specs, BOTH of them, for the ENTIRE play portion of the video, they just wailed and ran the fretboard. I wanted to scream at both of them: "WHO is this for? Nobody thinks you're cool!" I mean, wtf do they think guitar playing even IS, just non-step shredding? Anyway. They suck. You rule. Thank you. Sincerely.

[@mrmelon708]

Some of the best demos and reviews on KZbin right now, keep it up

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks so much, so happy to get such kind feedback like this :) Cheers!

[@HorizonMelt]

I'm honestly surprised that most people seem to be picking the Yamaha. The Epiphone pickup was so much more 'vocal', if that's the right word. It also seemed more animal with the higher gain settings, more raucous as opposed to machine-like. And as much as I love the green and black, I would die for it in dark purple and black.

[@unabonger777]

the epiphone pickups braing a lot of noise, not in a good way

[@MotorRoseMusic]

It's so funny; I just bought these 2 guitars new. I haven't done videos yet, but I wanted to see the videos out there on them individually. I didn't think there'd be someone that did a video on both at once! Great video. I love both guitars!

[@RichWordsMusic]

Ha ha, I guess great minds think alike! These are both fairly niche guitars in a way, too, so I'm kind of surprised someone else has both! We clearly have great taste, and yes, they are both lovely instruments. I've just gone across and subbed to your channel so I can see your videos when they are done! Enjoy your new guitars and rock on :)

[@chairmankaga101]

The Yamaha has a much fuller, articulated sound. I can see where the woolier "woof" of the SG would be preferable, but for an all-rounder the Revstar seems like the clear winner.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yes, I have to agree. The Yamaha pickups are real all-rounders too, and the Epis are great for some things, but suffer with others... so for a guitar to cover all bases, it's the Revstar every time for me as well!

[@nankurunice]

Man you did really cool review of guitars! It is awesome. You played almost all genres it is what i really want to see how to sound a guitar in the favorite genre which a guitar i want

[@phryg2035]

Thanks for this! Was looking for a guitar and these were a part of my options. No one does reviews like you!

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks a lot, glad you like my video format! Makes my day to get such nice comments :) And I'm happy I was able to cover two that were on your shortlist. You won't be going far wrong with either of these!

[@elwynsmiles]

The Revstar is exceptional for the price. Love mine 🤘

[@RichWordsMusic]

I totally agree! They really crammed great specs into these guitars at each price point. Glad you're enjoying yours :)

[@gibson2623]

IT IS. I m still trying to understand. Sound wise only is great. THe machineheads are shit, loose, and the wood on the fingerboard is really bad. Anyway, it s 750, no problem. Sound wise is really good, and that s what matters to me

[@leonardgould6657]

@gibson2623 ABSOLUTELY! KILLER TONES from the Yamaha on every pickup selection! and Ten Options! 🌎 EHOEVER HEARD OF THAT! Crikey! You could do a Jazz gig with the cleans!, then next night, blow Arrowsmith out of the Park!, ..then "CHUGG WITH OLA@ - LOL@- "COFFEE WITH OLA ENGLUND! Bloody exceptional! Thanks 😊 🫂, mate, for your great demonstration@, and your exceptional, diverse tastes@ you get a follow@, for that, mate. Cheers!

[@rstuartcpa]

I watched this video because I have a Yamaha Revstar RS502T with P90s in Bowden Green and wondered how it would stack up with the Epiphone Worn SG P90’s. Here’s the best compliment I can give you - I purchased the SG based on your video. The Revstar is easily my number one but I’ve always been curious about an SG. I’ve played a few Gibson SGs but was put off by neck angle and lack of “feel.” The worn Epiphone called to me and I pulled the trigger. Love the SG…light, balanced and comfortable…plus great clean tones. Play the SG a lot lately and am glad to have it. Big difference between the two: the fit and finish on the Revstar is perfect…perfect! The hardware is top notch and it feels and plays astonishing well. The SG has a couple of rough spots on the back and the neck felt a little rough too. There’s also a noticeable indentation on the back of the neck. The tuners feel and look cheap. I was able to sand the rough spots on the back and neck and the finish wasn’t effected…it’s a stain and not a true finish…which is really nice. All in, it’s a great guitar for the price. I’m glad to have both guitars but If I could only have one and the SG came with the differential in cash…I’d take the Revstar every time and without hesitation.

[@thseed7]

Great job on these reviews

[@RichWordsMusic]

Cheers Eric, glad you're enjoying them!

[@leowalless9328]

Excellent! I was surprised to find that I watched this all the way through. I'm a songwriter/producer looking for a good workhorse in the studio so I wasn't expecting to sit all the way through your rock/high-gain examples but I really enjoyed your review and found it very helpful. I grew up obsessed with AC/DC in the 70's/80's and I love cool greens, so I'm 100% behind you on how wonderful the SG looks, but I have to say that the Revstar is the one I'm looking to buy. I just can't make up my mind between the humbuckers and the P90's. Normally, I'd say that humbuckers are probably going to be the most versatile, but, as you say, the Revstar has a certain creaminess about it that makes the S02 really stand out as an allrounder. Anyway... thanks

[@DimKAt21]

Great review friend!

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed this one :)

[@montebradshaw128]

Just picked up a green Epi P90. 4 days in and love it! Can't put it down.

[@RichWordsMusic]

I still can't after over two years! It's such a fun guitar, and lovely a light for playing for hours on end :) Happy new guitar day!

[@josephweiss3931]

Great comparison 👍

[@RichWordsMusic]

Cheers, thanks for watching!

[@jeremywills9303]

I've got the Epi SG Classic in the red color. For what it is solid nice playing guitar. I got lucky and bought it used for $200 USD. Hardly a scratch on it. The Revstars look pretty sweet. I'll have to keep my eye out for a good deal on one.

[@richardvirginia3037]

I love the grit and look on the Epi.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Me too... they got everything right looks-wise with this guitar, and when you pick it up it's just screaming at you to let rip with the riffs. Such an inspirational instrument, and you can't ask for more at that price! A guitar that you can't resist picking up and just playing every day is always a keeper.

[@keithferris9574]

I would absolutely get the Yamaha, but that Epiphone color is awesome.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yes, the color on the Epi is simply show-stopping! Having it in a satin finish was a great choice too... it means I'll pick that guitar up so often because it's so inspiring to look at. But yes, overall the Yamaha is the superior instrument!

[@keithferris9574]

​@@RichWordsMusic I just pulled the trigger on this exact Revstar!!!

[@JacubWhite38]

I couldn't hear much difference until that focus switch was engaged. Don't know if that feature is worth $300 extra to me, but it's definitely a really cool feature

[@hodomin]

VERY DETAIL DEMO..THANKS

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks a lot! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@LoweCommotionStudio]

I just picked up the humbucker version since it's the only version they sell in lefty model. I will probably find p90s for it. I did manage to find a virtually unplayed used model for $605 shipped though! I'm a Carvin/Kiesel guy and this will never be my #1 over those, but this is probably the best guitar under $1k USD right now. It plays and feels great. The 5-way electronics won't be for everyone, but it's fairly versatile. SS frets, chambered, satin neck, graphite reinforcement rods, binding, and a maple top for under $1k? Yes, please. The only real drawback is the fact that everything plastic that isn't the pickguard is extremely cheap, which is odd considering the quality of the rest of the instrument. The nut is a bit odd and I may replace it. But I would buy this again is something happened to mine. It's a killer deal and very well made.

[@50gary]

Great review and comparison. I knew you'd pick the green SG heart over head rules every time. I wonder how the Element RevStar would have measured against the SG, the price point would very close to one another. I liked the RevStar sound(s) more variety and more defined. Fit and finish Yamaha, but the SG thin coat finish is very appealing and the Inverness Green is off the hook cool best new color in years. Epiphone is doing the future owners of the 2020 SG a favor, they will have a great worn patina in the future. I would like my Revstar to have a thin Nitrocellulose finish for the same reason. I also think the guitar will 'breath' a bit with the thin nitro finish, silly maybe?

[@HughesandKettneramps]

very well done - love it! - greetings from "the guys"

[@RichWordsMusic]

Ha ha, cheers guys ;) Still using my Black Spirit every week on here!

[@flrpitflrp1965]

Nice, and the P90 can do anything it is asked of it. Love me some P90’s

[@RichWordsMusic]

It absolutely can! They're such great pickups, and criminally underrated by so many guitar players!

[@johnkoehler7955]

Thank you for so many sound samples... Was very impressed with Rev tones! But, double?

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks John! No, none of the sounds are doubled, if that's what you mean. I don't do any post-production on the sounds in my videos, so the tones are exactly what I heard as I played them.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Oh wait, maybe you meant double the price... that's what it is where I live in Europe - €800 as opposed to €400 for the Epi. Is it worth it? That's a tough question! For me, yes.

[@isaiahj117]

Personally prefer the Yamaha Revstar, sounds amazing, more clarity, very versatile with the Focus Switch.

[@RichWordsMusic]

It's definitely the higher quality guitar for sure, and totally has more clarity and versatility... it's a wonderful guitar :)

[@michaelmilburn3094]

Excellent demo. I terms of sound, Yamaha sounds tighter in comparisons where I can tell a difference, and Epi is a little hairier; I guess pickups returning a bit different frequencies. Both sound good. Yamaha sounds a bit more mix ready maybe? I struggle to understand the purpose of the "Focus" on the Yamaha though.

[@jkf9167]

I know for a fact that I prefer the ergonomics of the Revstar. However the focus switch would give me options paralysis. I think I also prefer the earthier sound of the SG. If I had to own one, I'd choose the Yamaha, but this is a tone demo.

[@keithb5612]

I'm glad you got the opportunity to review these guitars. I was considering the Revstar P90 in Hot Merlot for a while. Is it easy to change strings with the unorthodox tailpiece? Cheers

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks Keith! The Hot Merlot is a lovely color. And yes, it's as easy as it could be with the tailpiece - there are slots that the string ends just slot into, so it only takes a second. It's hard to describe in writing, and difficult to photograph too, but really the process is very easy, so no need to worry about it at all.

[@Brian_Vallejo]

Great question! Something I’ve been wondering about for a while 🤔

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@Brian_Vallejo I should probably show this a bit more clearly next time I do a video with mine then 👍 There's no info about it anywhere really (apart from here now!).

[@JS-mz4xf]

I actually have both standards, the P90 and Humbucking. I found the trapeze tailpiece much easier to string. As stated all you have to do is place the strings in the slot. Went very quickly.

[@keithb5612]

@@JS-mz4xf Thanks. How are you finding the P90 noise/hum compared to your humbuckers? Also..... do you know if the P90 version has usable tones with digital effects as well as analogue? Cheers

[@justmehere6094]

I definately prefer the Revstar looks, and the upper scale features, value for $, like the SS frets, binding etc AND build quality. But, imho, it just sounded better as well. The Revstar had more bottom end, and a nicer midrange. The Epi was very mid focused, and the mids were a little spiky. And, I like the weight of my Revstar (I have an SG as well), but then I am coming from my LPs to the Revstar, looking it as more a replacement/alternative for an LP

[@RichWordsMusic]

That's really interesting, and I totally get where you're coming from seeing as you're more of an LP player thinking about an alternative. The Revstar is a natural progression from an LP for sure - close enough to feel like home, but with different quirks and features. Similar tones too, if you want them, but also plenty more options too. They're great guitars for LP players, definitely. The Epi is totally what you say - a rawer, meaner punk machine. It's super light and rough and ready, and sometimes that's all I need! Other times I switch back to the Revstar and it's like getting into a Rolls Royce after being in a go kart or something. I love them both though. Cheers and rock on!

[@justmehere6094]

@@RichWordsMusic I widh I had held on to a fantastic P90 Epiphone SG, with a Nat finish.

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@justmehere6094 Yeah, we all have that one that got away... keep a look out for another used one and you never know!

[@bassyey]

Of course, it's twice the price lol.

[@Archerinho]

Great review, thanks! Love the details! I think it's Yamaha that wins this though! :)

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed! Yes, overall the Yamaha is the higher quality guitar for sure. I just sometimes need the Epi's raw punkiness! Cheers :)

[@Archerinho]

@@RichWordsMusic Yes, I get it! On a completely different (and expensive) note, have you ever had the experience with Music Man Luke 3? I held it briefly over the weekend and I'm still stunned how good that guitar was. I want someone to confirm that I was not dreaming haha.

[@650thunderbird5]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@RichWordsMusic]

My thanks as ever for watching 😎

[@Fusso]

I thought the bridge pickups sounded almost the same (without the boost), but the neck pickup on the Yamaha is really something else. It's very rich and... creamy? Can we describe tone as creamy? I'm going with it anyway. Sad about the price tho. That being said, I still use a early 2000s Yamaha AES620 hollow body, and the only problem I have with it is feedback, but the 2 hambucking seymour duncans make it kind of a dirt monster, I'm still on the lookout for a guitar with a lighter tone for some kinds of gigs that demand a more tameable tone.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Sure, we can call the neck pickup's tone creamy! That's a good description. And the Epi is more like cream with bits of sand in... grittier somehow. Both great guitars, though. Hmm, when it comes to a lighter, cleaner sound, my go-to suggestion is always a Tele - or an Esquire, if you're feeling brave! That would be a great opposite to your AES620, in my opinion :)

[@Fusso]

@@RichWordsMusic my experience with single coils was never that good, they buzz like crazy. And I often play on bars with electrical equipment all around, that I have the impression that it makes it even buzzier. It's not usually a problem, I can just lower the volume or pedal switch it off. It just annoys me haha. I even have a Tele-partscaster that I built with my uncle some 6 years ago, and I use a weird 3 pickups configuration (regular tele pickup on the bridge and neck and a reverse polarity strato middle pickup just because I could). It sounds great on the clean channel and is absolutely untameable with any kind of overdrive.

[@barrycreed9886]

Stick some mini humbuckers in that SG! Would be cool.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Ooh, that's actually a great shout! Something I have to try for sure.

[@chrismason5152]

Hands down Epiphone mean Green!!

[@RichWordsMusic]

It's hard to look past that beautiful finish, for sure!

[@wknagy]

I like the revstar, does the p90s have 60 cycle hum? Noisy?

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yes, it's a fantastic guitar! The P90s do have more noise than a standard humbucker, sure, but it really doesn't bother me at all - and they are quieter than many other classic P90s I've used before. Unless you're using massive amounts of gain at all times, I don't think the noise should be anything to worry about!

[@wknagy]

@Rich. Words. Music. thanks for the feedback, actually i was concerned on the noise while using the clean sound. So i do understand that its only noisy on using gain. In this case a noise gate will solve this issue.

[@maggiewagmore8778]

I've never understood the big deal with 60-cycle hum with P90s. No worse than a Strat, really. And people realize, (I hope) that the hum is eliminated when your hands are on the strings...like when you're playing lol. If it bothers you between songs, turn your volume down. Anyway, there wasn't much time spent comparing clean sounds, which is unfortunate. The Revstar was much better sounding. More articulate and balanced. The SG sounded pretty uninspiring with its cleans. For a blues/R&B/jazz player, I would take the Revstar and it wouldn't even be close, honestly. The rest of the review was all crunch and distorted tones. I skipped ahead after a while to the conclusion. I love P90s. What's great about them is their responsiveness. Back off on the attack, and they can clean right up. Lean into it and you get some grind and the magical tones that only a P90 can deliver. It's really a shame that the review didn't explore the nuances of these pickups more. Thin neck on the SG is a no-go for me. I like beefier necks. I also don't understand why the 2 and 4 positions were left out. I mean, those are part of the Revstar's tone palette. Folks ought to be able to hear those tones. You know what sucks about the Revstar? Trying to get your hands on one to play. I have three Guitar Centers near me, and they never have any in stock. P90 or humbucker versions. I'd like to be able to play one acoustically, at least...or plugged into a Deluxe Reverb would be nice. They would be more than happy to sell me one though...sight unseen. I guess that's the new normal. Such bullshit. Half the fun of owning and playing electric guitars is experimenting with pickups. With so many flavors of P90s out there (along with pots and caps options), I think there's a good chance that most would find something for either of these guitars that would get them where they want to go.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yes, exactly! You're speaking total sense here about P90s. Somewhere along the line they got a bad rep for being noisy, which I think has stuck with people for whatever reason. It's a shame, and those people are missing out massively! Having one guitar in your collection with P90s just gives you different flavors to play with. It is a shame that Revstars have been hard to come by in North America. I've had quite a few people write this, and I have no idea why the guitars are seemingly more available in Europe. Apparently there are also certain finishes (like the Standard Sunburst) which you can get in Europe, but they don't have in the USA - which is odd. One thing I can say is that Yamaha's Customer Service guys in my area are always extremely helpful and responsive to questions and feedback - perhaps you can contact your local Yamaha partner and see if there's any way a guitar could be sent to a store a little closer to you? I do hope you get to try one soon. Oh, and I'm sorry there weren't enough sounds to your liking in this vid - I try to go through as many genres/tones as I can in each video without it being over an hour long ;) And yep, I left out the 2 and 4 positions here because the Epi doesn't have them, and this video is all about the A/B comparison. I do have a dedicated video on the Revstar Standard P90 model where there's more clean tones and some more 2/4 action: kzbin.info/www/bejne/roepgIp4qbeFack

[@edmoore9610]

Revstar!

[@vittoriobassi9880]

Yamaha RSS02t: - middle - 08:38 - 2nd position - 8:51

[@RichWordsMusic]

I love that sound!

[@sometimesdimneverthin8901]

Thanks you must be a mind reader. I still don't know but am confident that my reasons for indecision are correct. Full featured and sleek or it's cheap and punky older brother.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yes, I knew you'd want to see this, ha! It's not the easiest of decisions, that's for sure, and I'd always recommend trying them out in person if you get the chance as well. In the end, though, I find a lot of it is about inspiration... pick a guitar that inspires you to play it and you're on to a winner! Enjoy, and if you still have any questions about either of these let me know. Always happy to help. Cheers!

[@sometimesdimneverthin8901]

​@@RichWordsMusic Some tips on how to explain to my wife that I need an eighth guitar when I can't play one properly would be useful.

[@RichWordsMusic]

​@@sometimesdimneverthin8901 Ha ha, now that is something maybe even I cannot help with ;) My usual line is "but it does something that none of the others do"... followed by refusing to answer any more questions ;) Good luck with it!

[@unabonger777]

I would pay $200 max for the SG, because I know the tuners and pickups will be garbage I'll have to upgrade

[@steverolfeca]

I’m calling BS on not using the in-between positions on the Revstar. Do you avoid them on a Strat? Did you think it an “unfair advantage”?

[@RichWordsMusic]

Well, I'm really not a Strat guy. I have one, and I am trying to learn to love it, but it's a challenge! I like the 2 and 4 on a Strat for clean noodling with ambient reverb, but apart from that I don't really use them. I'm mainly about the bridge pickup on the Fender. I do find the Strat's 2 and 4 sound pretty different to the Yamaha's too. I should learn to love them all more, I guess!

[@andrewbecker3700]

Wouldn't it have made more sense to compare a higher end model of Epiphone SG to the Yamaha? Maybe the '61 reissue with Burstbuckers.

[@RaiderJay9092]

No. This is a p90 comparison. The 61 has humbuckers.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yeah, price-wise maybe, but this was more about the double cutaway, P90 pickup thing. What I would really love is if Yamaha came out with a Revstar Element with P90s... that would be a surefire winner!

[@MrBarnejstinson]

While yamaha looks more apealing to me, soundwise epi is like level above, revstar has some muddy bottomend whitch may be problematic in a mix.

[@gibson2623]

You could have stretched the mile to a proper Gibson..... And the yamaha would be on par, cause i have both, though my the sg s are HB ;).....This yamaha is actually good for the price

[@RichWordsMusic]

One day I will own a real Gibson too! It's good to hear you say the Yamaha is on par with the Gibson though... they really are great guitars for the money. Cheers for watching!

[@aaronlarsen7447]

The Yamaha is tighter, smoother, punchier, more modern sounding. The Sg sounds more authentic for classic styles. It's darker, more bass, more raw and dirty. It's not bad for half the price.

[@PooNinja]

Both beautiful looking but I gotta go Yamaha I tend to pull the neck outta tune on those SG’s

[@RichWordsMusic]

Indeed they are lookers! Good point on the SG neck thing - never been an issue for me but you're not the only axe slinger I've heard make that comment...

[@PooNinja]

@@RichWordsMusic some of us play heavy handed, hence my penchant towards playing large guage strings and having 5 strings on most of my floyd equiped guitars. I need to work on “light touch “ and not use so much force.

[@RichWordsMusic]

​@@PooNinja You seem like a really dynamic player in your videos! But yeah, playing lighter would possibly help. When I first started out I battered my guitar - that was a mistake, ruined the axe and they threw me out of the restaurant too - but later getting into more indie and folk stuff made me play lighter. I found playing more acoustic affected my electric strumming technique as well. Made me gentler. What gauge do you normally play?

[@PooNinja]

@@RichWordsMusic 10-56 for E or E flat I use a 60 for the low e on drop D and 13-60 for C# tuning. The jem jr stays stock with 9-42’s to teach myself to go easy.

[@DMSProduktions]

Those bionic hands of yours tend to be OVER powerful, even WITHOUT the Force!

[@joachimlindback]

Thanks

[@RichWordsMusic]

And thank YOU for watching! Cheers :)

[@juddadam2]

The pickup I most wanted to hear, then when you got to it, used the focus and didn't use the front pickup with some distortion. Yamaha sounded a bit more strat like up there, but focus switch kiboshed that

[@DMSProduktions]

Not a LOT in it! O/D is a big leveller!

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yep, makes them all sound the same! The only way to get one better is, of course, a BAD MONKEY ;)

[@DMSProduktions]

@@RichWordsMusic LOL! That is a JOKE!

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@DMSProduktions Ha ha, I've been watching JHS and apparently the only way I could sound better is by buying one... practicing more doesn't even come into it!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@RichWordsMusic LOL!

[@AJG_69]

I would never buy an Epiphone next to a Yamaha, it would have to be an overwhelming difference, what the Yamaha offers the Epiphone does not offer, plus frets for life... don't look for the jazz sound in the Epi and also the Epiphones lack of many things that Yamaha has. I have had three of each brand and Yamaha is clearly far superior...

[@shaneglackin]

Signature guitars; I nearly bought an Emily Wolfe Sheraton, without having heard anything by her. I've heard her since, and the music's great, but I hadn't when I was looking at it; I ended up getting a Gretsch, but not because the Sheraton wasn't an awesome guitar. Here's my view on signature guitars and being a fan; how often do y'all listen to Les Paul records? Then shut up.

[@CC-fi3pp]

Can't stand Epis - it's always worth it to save up for a Gibson.

[@RichWordsMusic]

On the whole I would agree that saving up is worth it if you can, but I love Epis myself. My first real electric was an Epi SG and I've had a bunch of great ones since then. And some dogs too of course ;)

[@blah1632]

These guitars are similar enough to be indistinguishable in a mix with other instruments. Or maybe I'm going deaf.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

I find all these NEW refined modern takes on classic amps, guitars and pedals very appealing. BUT, they in the end rip the soul out the originals doing it. The originals are distinct and in spite of their warts and fobiles they have a totally defined sonic personality. The New and improves are indistinct and bland. In the end it is like the difference between real wood and something made of a high tech plastic with faux veneer finish.

[@adamjacksonmedia]

I desperately want to love the SG... being a long-time Sabbath/Mike Oldfield fan. But the SG sounds so junky. It's so grainy and brittle sounding. I have to go with Yamaha here

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yeah, I know what you mean… in a direct A/B against the Yamaha it does suffer a bit. It’s something you notice less in isolation of course, and maybe more characterful P90s would help as a mod. It is a little bit of a shame because otherwise this Epi is the absolute business!

[@Alienkiwi730]

I have that SG. After a good setup and better tuners, it's an incredible guitar

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yep, it's a great guitar indeed! I think I might upgrade the tuners on mine too, though, and then I'm set... everything else about it is top notch!