Yamaha AES guitars?

[blong]

Anyone play or own one of the Yamaha AES series, preferably a 620 or higher (720 or 820) series guitar?



They look really nice and interesting, but I know very little about them from other players. No one locally carries them.



Thanks in advance for any input,



Bob



also posted on BaM

 

[marinblues]

I tried one the other day: big fat chunky neck and fat rock tone with 59/JB pickups. Good quality workmanship.

Excellent value for money.


Yamaha: excellent Q/P ratio, pathetic marketing.

 

[AndyZ]

I traded one of my Tele's with my daughter, who I bought the AES620 for about a year ago. I was gonna sell it, but it just plays and sounds too good to get rid of. They really did that one right all the way around. I was fortunate enough to get mine on from a consideration deal from Yamaha and it was hand picked by their top Q/C guy in Chicago at their main dist center for playability and look.

You can find them used for under $400. I highly recommend their Yamaha hard shell case if you go that route. The guitar is a bit different shaped and finding a suitable hard case is tough.

 

[journo]

Hi,

Yamaha never ceases to amaze on two accounts.

1. They consistently have the best value-for money ratio at almost all price points they enter. I just got a Pacifica 612v that is a good working axe for silly money. I already had a Pacifica 604W and I got this as a back up. I have tried their new jazz box and semi 335-style and they just blew the competition to smithereens.

2. They consistently have the worst marketing in the business. If they do alright with what they do today there's no limit to what they could accomplish with some long term views on marketing.

Cheers,

Mats N

 

[gtrplayer23]

i have the aes620 with the duncans and flametop. great guitar for the money and plays even better. i owuld say its a cross between and les paul and SG.

 

[Reeek]

They got the GP Editor's Pick Award within the last 12 months too

 

[theelectic]

Are the AES the USA made ones with the necks by Warmoth?

 

[Robotechnology]

Originally posted by theelectic
Are the AES the USA made ones with the necks by Warmoth?

No the AES are made in Yamaha's Taiwan factory. I think you are referring to the Pac 1 and Pac 2.

 

[rotren]

I tried one of these AES guitars a while ago, and I was hugely impressed. Excellent quality guitar. It's on my list of things to wish for...

 

[Relicula]

I have an orange 1500 with a bigsby, split coil humbuckers, nice flame top, just a beautiful rock/jazz/ blues guitar.

 

[Jon Silberman]

Below is an earlier model, Taiwanese, AEX520, that I call my Jackie-Jet. Obviously, I've "Gretschified" it but it was a great sounding and playing axe stock, too (with minihums).

 

[Grap]

Yamaha. I'll agree with the sentiments expressed so far. They make bomb proof guitars that perform well at all price points from beginner to pro and get no respect at all from us chattering classes

That's me, in all my out of focus overweight glory, beating the living daylights out of a Yamaha PAC-1511MS (don't those model names just roll off the tongue?). It cost me about US$530 new (If I'd hung on another six months the store blew them out their last couple in an even more steeply discounted sale at about US$430...). Made in Japan, solid as a rock and with USA Seymour Duncan pickups it covers a lot of bases. Tele to Les Paul, pretty much.

- Steve

 

[LaXu]

Originally posted by Robotechnology
No the AES are made in Yamaha's Taiwan factory. I think you are referring to the Pac 1 and Pac 2.

Actually the AES are made in Korea afaik and the top end AES920 is made in Japan.

I've got two Yamaha guitars, an old SA-1200S and a more recent (but sadly discontinued) Pacifica 812WX. Excellent guitars.

I totally agree about Yamaha marketing, their signature artists on the guitar side are fairly niche type guys and while their guitars get great reviews in mags they don't really seem to be advertised at all. All I've seen is ads for the Magicstomp stuff and the AG/UD/DG-Stomp units. It's a real shame that they didn't market their modeling amps much either, I've had a DG80 combo longer than any other amp and it still kicks ass when compared to more modern modelers. Not bad for 1996-1997 technology, eh?

Currently there are three guitars I'm GASing for and all of them are Yamahas. One day I'll hopefully have the Pacifica 1511, a SAS-1500 (smaller size, chambered mahogany bodied semi-hollowbody) and the new RGX A2. The RGX A2 is propably the first I can afford, for under 400€ it's simply stunning.

 

[rorschah]

Lemme revive this thread -

I played a new low-end 420 and the neck was great. Can anyone compare these to the 620s and up?

-thi

 

[A440]

a friend had one of the AES for sale at the philly show over the weekend. not sure if he sold it, but I can find out if you're interested.

 

[blong]

A440, ask him which model and what price. I might be interested.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Phloored]

I have a AESFG and I think it is a really great guitar. Playability is easy and the construction is unique. I love the way the fretwave puts it in tune. The wilkinson trem is really nice too. Rear loaded pups and trem along with a neck ankered trem springs and full upper fret acess is great . I really like it and the construction of this (Japenese) is tops IMO. Good Stuff