Yamaha SA2200

[@RichBischoff]

Hey guys, Thanks for watching! Let me know what you think of this Yamaha SA2200 guitar. Please remember to like and subscribe, and stop by Spotify to listen to some music. open.spotify.com/artist/3GoaK66hG2Al2gf6ync58b?si=L7XJVS7aTCWMPUMLTpFD3Q&dl_branch=1

[@ogitanguyen5901]

See how easy you toy with this guitar to get great sound out of it. I used to think SA2200 is only for jazz but apparently that's not true. Great review. Thanks for sharing.

[@296victor]

Ho questa chitarra dal 2014 ed è una chitarra fantastica.

[@fernypirata1054]

My father back in 1995 bought me my first electric guitar and it was a sa800 yamaha from a good family friend, i played it a live long then it was stolen, then i find it again in a second hand store and buy it back and i just have it… strange story but real! I love that guitar!!!!!

[@OBACCA]

I bought Yamaha SA2000s in 1981, and still have it. It had been my main guitar until 2002. This video reminds me it’s a very nice guitar,so I’d like to play it again. Thank you.

[@jazzman1954]

I’ve owned both 335s and this Yamaha. I have to say regrettably the Yamaha is a the better instrument. Also just about 70% of the price of a bog standard USA 335.

[@stevej8513]

Hot damn! I'm a Yamaha guitar NUT and to watch/hear you channel yourself thru the SA2200 really blew me away! I own several made in Japan Yammies and each one of them is absolutely amazing. I don't have the SA2200 yet or the AS jazz model but they're next on my "must own" list. Thanks for sharing all that with us. EFFIN' SWEET !

[@VoxMax1200]

Great review, indeed! Yamaha has always been consistent in the quality of all their instruments. Whether it's guitar, bass, keyboards or drums. The only "flaw" is that it is not as iconic as Gibson or Fender. I own a Pacifica and can fit next to any Fender Strat!

[@peterszakal]

Well, yes, there is life outside the Gibson-Fender universe, and I would also recommend FGN guitars from Japanese manufacturers. However, the solo at the beginning of the video is very much there, excellent sound and inspiring, in fact, I follow your channel for these gems. Thank you!

[@RichBischoff]

Thanks!

[@valkimber3706]

Fantastic playing Rich. You get better and better!

[@RichBischoff]

Thanks Val!

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

Coincidentally, I purchased a precursor to this model back in November 2022. It’s a wine-red SA-2000 assembled in 1980. I’m so glad I got that one, since 1980 is the year I was born and I have always wanted the equivalent (for instance) of a 345 without having to dish out the dough necessary to get one. It predates when most manufacturers were implementing coil splitting in their guitar models, but that is something I can live without. It definitely is a better value for anybody’s currency than the Gibson equivalent.

[@gwalt1985]

After owning a Yamaha SG model in the 90's, I find myself rediscovering this company. They make some of the best musical instruments, including guitars, that money can buy.

[@zazoomatt]

Love my Yamaha's both BASS & 6 string ! Never had a problem with them. Nice Ranking of THIS Yamaha Hollow Body I Agree. Thanks !

[@bluessumlin...7067]

Yamaha guitars always quality well built sound immense had a Pacifica for years this SA2200 is no exception.. great playing Rich!🙂👍🎸

[@RichBischoff]

Thanks!

[@nicholaspetergagg7769]

my main guitar I would love this in a natural finish but none the less this is a world beating guitar and the only guitar you will ever need.

[@georgemoore7231]

What an amazing guitar and top tier playing by Rich.

[@TheBdriver]

Waiting on one since June. Apparently next month

[@ek2thehands]

Wow! I had just heard about this guitar a few days ago and looked it up for recent videos of it, and you're now doing a demo on it. You sound great playing it! I don't need another guitar but man, fighting the urge to get one .

[@RichBischoff]

It's a good one for sure!

[@valkimber3706]

G.A.S is a real thing :)

[@josephlerz6889]

@@RichBischoff how much better is it, compared to a sheraton pro ii epiphone

[@0800338833]

Don’t fight the urge! Treat yourself!

[@ek2thehands]

@@0800338833 🤔. 💵💰🏧💳 I know, maybe room for 1more.

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

Just sold my 1981 sbg2000. Absolutely fantastic guitar. I have no doubt this is just as good. I still love my Les Paul's and my es335. Different from Yamaha but as good , for sure. I paid less for all mine thanks to Chicago music exchange's ridiculous clearance deals, but I agree the 2500 for the Yamaha beats the 4000 for the Gibson. Both top quality, 2nd to none. Btw, Yamaha does EVERYTHING perfectly. Airplane parts, motorcycles, stereo equipment, instruments, you name it.

[@stefanthorpenberg887]

I tried out a lot of es335s before I found my used SA2200. It feels like it’s made of wood, not plastic. ;) The body is slightly smaller than an es335, it has the size of an es345. I’ve made some upgrading of the hardware, the tuners are now Grovers, it has a switchcraft pickup switch, a new tone control and custom wounded Wolfetone marshalheads pickups. Still, with the upgrades, it’s still a long way up to the price for a used es335.

[@stevedawson4055]

I purchased my first Yamaha (an SG45) back in the seventies. They definitely weren’t a cool brand in those days, but to be honest I never really wanted to look or sound like a gazzilion other guitarists. I never stopped owning Yamaha guitars and in later years I treated myself to an SA2200. I certainly could afford a 335 now but the Yamaha is just a better guitar in my opinion. Buy one if you can 👍

[@lydianian]

いいですね、YAMAHA SA2200。Made in Japanで繊細でしっかりした作り。サウンドがすばらしい。ただGibson 335にしか出せない音もある。

[@moose6676]

What a great all round guitar 🙈 I want one. Great demo thanks 👍🏻

[@burnnlearn]

Just when I thought the ES-335 is attractive, the SA2200 just screams lust all over.

[@2006axis]

My 1991 says SA-2200 on truss rod cover. I guess that would add extra cost but why not on high end axe? Your playing is great, great review

[@twowaymuir]

Sounds fantastic Rich. I am subscribed, but for some reason I quit getting notices of your new videos and I see I have missed quite a few. You have the best quality demos IMO.

[@RichBischoff]

Thanks, go click on the bell icon and see if notifications are on.

[@raymondvaughan6262]

Beautiful guitars tried one years ago at guitar show played Beautiful loved the sg yamaha they made bought yamaha sf 700 years ago plays great as well nice playing mate lovely sound

[@kyle8575]

Dude, you're a great player!

[@RichBischoff]

thanks!

[@manurewaboy]

Thanks for the great review and playing. Have you played Eastman guitars and if so how does it compare Rich?

[@LinoMegabass]

Bellissima prova. Hai un grandissimo fraseggio in cui mi riconosco. E quella chitarra mi interessa molto.

[@shaft9000]

Good playing, m8 My SA2200 is the Queen of the studio! 👑 It bridges the gap of an acoustic and electric guitar as well or better than anything I've played. So flexible from Sco-jazz to ambient, Chuck Berry to Beatles through Smiths, from dad-rock to shoegaze to psychobilly to whatever punk-rock fury one cares to summon. Gigs nicely, too. Amazing recording axe, especially through a dry amp cranked in a bathroom or other chamber. Takes to germanium fuzz (black Catlinbread Fuzzrite is outstanding) pedals very well - also many silicon Fuzz-faces and others that clean-up when rolled back are good. While it's fine at doing the "Lifeson ripping a plexi" thing, I much prefer to lay off the cascading tube gain and instead stacking low-gain drives in different clipping-methods in combos. MUCH prefer this approach with this guitar, as the pickups compress&collapse very easily through cascaded tube clipping and saturation. At low volume I usually goose it with a Blues driver and put a Centaur as the last pedal in the drive-chain always-on as a "conditioner", i.e. as a peak-leveler and/or for midrange "glue". It is EXPRESSIVE in ranges and style-transitions that few other guitars can, so too much gain often throws that potential away. I'm sometimes tempted to trade in a Lollar or what-not at the bridge, but in becoming closer to an ES-347 (not a "335" clone, as is commonly assumed) it loses some of it's "SA" uniqueness in return. If it isn't broken or an egregious design flaw - what am I really changing the pickups for, and why buy "the egregious design flaw" in the first place? Flawless? No, but the most trouble it's given me is replacing the bridge T-o-M after ~12 years. For regular maintenance the push-pushies need a shot of D5 every other month, and I have to adjust the truss rod twice every year to mitigate buzz on the 9/10th fret, to reset the action - I assume, due to seasonal moisture change. p.s. alnico "V" is a roman numeral referring to a standardized "#5 formula" of specific proportion of Aluminum to Nickel to Cobalt in the alloy. Cheers and keep on rockin' 🍻

[@shaft9000]

@ a live gig pre-pandemic, covering a Depeche Mode tune (into bluesdriver, whetstone phaser and mesa express 50-watt ) kzbin.info/www/bejne/haqbmIlura6MiK8

[@chuckwolfboyer7830]

DAM WHAT A GUITAR🎉 👀👍😍✨️

[@duanetalton755]

You sir are one hell of a guitar player.😎

[@RichBischoff]

Thanks!

[@sixbladeknife44]

Sounds great and always enjoy the playing! I have an ‘82 Yamaha SG1000 which is a terrific sounding guitar and great quality, Yamaha’s always made excellent instruments. I already have a Gibson ES-335 and a newer Epi Bonamassa ‘62 ES-335, but always room for one more, right? 🤔

[@RichBischoff]

Always room!

[@ltvddvtl]

Great. What is your take on it compared to the SA800 and SA700?

[@Ronno4691]

Tasty playing, Guv.

[@guydadon1]

Hello. Great video. How much for a second hand its a good price?

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Sounds good man

[@noternunstoned]

Alnico Roman numeral 5 written as "V" truthfully, this guitar could have II II IV or V or ceramic pickups, they all would sound good, such is the construction and unplugged sweet sound of this guitar.

[@JackZucker]

not "better" than a gibson. It's a great guitar but it's super bright. Not sure if it's the materials or the pickups. The dirty tones on it sound a little shrill. IMO, yamaha should ditch the coil tapping feature and just put in a good PAF style humbucker that has the warmer gibson type of tone.

[@davidmcmillan6346]

100% agree with this. I have the SA 2200 and the SA2000s. I will try some vintage Ibanez Super 58s first and then Lollar Imperials.

[@tawanseventies]

fully agreed! I have tried yamaha and only thing that’s suck is all of the electronic parts. why do people really want that coil splitting? why don’t get another tele or strat 😂

[@Peterwilliams-l1u]

What amp are you playing Rich ? Great playing too.👍🏻

[@RichBischoff]

Fractal fm3 Friedman BE 100 model.

[@jeffflint9086]

Some nice playing again Rich. It was said some years ago Larry Carlton did a tour in Japan and Yamaha provided him with a SA2200 which he liked very much. The Sire Larry Carlton range of guitars have a model very similar but much cheaper and said to be excellent value.

[@zazoomatt]

Reminds me of my new Epi 339 which I love You are Just a bigger GUY ?- But this Yamaha is Great ! Pricey for me 😞 Thank you !

[@jacquestancrez4704]

Certainement excellente mais j’aimerais en avoir une avec un corps plus petit comme la “FLORENTINE“.

[@ethelwulfmountbattenderoth2286]

Sycamore. Is this a common wood for guitars?

[@RichBischoff]

I don't think so.

[@glennmattison3180]

@@RichBischoff Sycamore is a type of Maple

[@296victor]

Yamaha, fantastic brand

[@RichBischoff]

It sure is!

[@vanillacreem816]

Rich , this was a great video. When I listen to your incredible playing, I think you could review the cheapest piece of garbage on the market and still make it sing! Regarding your review, that Yamaha seems like a great guitar but let me ask you this : the price for that when I checked on Amazon was around 2k. If you were to go instead with a Gibson Es335 , do you think it would retain its value more in the long run over the Yamaha? Or do you think they are more or less equal?

[@RichBischoff]

A buddy of mine has this guitar and all it has done is increased in value. I like this one better than the Gibsons I have played.

[@Headbutter-Lettuce90]

Looks like my Ibanez as73

[@Starkalicious07]

Well, you don't suck at guitar!

[@frankieroberts3444]

This playing im sorry is just a mess of sound no call or response no musical harmony sorry

[@RichBischoff]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pojHlWmVj92LbsUsi=o0EhU1_wsL7KD-e9

[@ggman946]

😂👍🏻

[@guitarandotherthings6090]

It may be great, but not better than a Gibson Semi-hollow. The title thumbnail will attract most people to click, since the target audience is on a limited budget. Yamaha is good, but again, you get what you pay for.

[@RichBischoff]

Yeah funny thing is, is that it is better than a Gibson, at least all the ones I've played.

[@jeffhamula]

I own one of these and agree they are better than Gibson’s on average. I have played dozens of 335’s of various vintages and they are all over the place in terms of how they play/feel/sound. I played 5-6 SA2000s and found the Yamaha's all were very consistent and very good. I only played 2 335s which were memorable and equivalent (one was like a hammered1968 like 10k and the other was a recent custom shop - priced about 6-7k pre Covid). I would never recommend buying a Gibson without playing it, but I would buy one of these unless you just have to have the logo.

[@gerdpfeil]

Did you ever hold one in your hands?

[@guitarandotherthings6090]

@Gerd Pfeil Ive held both, im not saying the Yamaha isnt good, i just mean its still not the same quality as the Gibson. It is good in its own right.

[@jeffhamula]

@@gerdpfeil yes, I had three different 335s for 1-2 weeks to try and fall in love with them… just didn’t. I admit, there has to be selection bias in that the great instruments don’t ever go for sale.

[@mr.pickitt5426]

Nice display of how versatile this guitar is. I bought mine in 2017, so yours might have different specs. However, aside from the color (mine is violin brown) they look like basically identical to me. I love this guitar and play it with .09 strings. It's a bliss. I always find comparisons with other brands difficult, but I will say this: As far as I know, the ES 335 doesn't have coil splits. However, whenever I play an ES 335 and then my Yamaha, I can't help but think that these are two very similar albeit not identical animals. The Gibson just feels different, and I like how both feel. The quality of the Yamaha, however, is unrivaled. I never had an issue with the G-string being out ouf tune (more than the other strings that is) and I often heard that ES -owners complained about an issue with that. So, from a player's point of view and someone who is looking to get the most value for his hard earned money, my choice is clearly the Yamaha.

[@gerdpfeil]

The SA2200 is not a "clone" bound to clone Gibson's design flaws that were introduced in the 50s, then corrected in the 60s (along with the introduction of new flaws), then reintroduced again in recent times - for example the G-string issue caused by the general headstock design and exacerbated by a high headstock angle, which ends up terrible in conjunction with less-than-optimum nuts. Yamaha (and everyone else than Gibson for that matter) had the freedom to cherry-pick vintage thinline series specs and modern era appointments to create a guitar like the SA2200, similar but technically better in all kinds of metrics. Unlike Gibson, they were not held back by their own legacy and customers insisting on Gibson sticking to it so they could re-think the 3n5 series in a way Gibson never could. It's not like Gibson didn't try but besides their customers not liking innovation, they were also not good at it and came up with strange guitars like the 335 Artist and that crazy Moog contraption or the (actually not completely unreasonable) 347.