The Guitar I Wish I Had

smitty_p

smitty_p

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Although I don't have any intentions right now to get any more guitars, there is one guitar I have always liked since I first saw one in the '80s:

This the SBG 3000, one of the higher-end models in the venerable Yamaha SBG (or, SG outside of the US) line of guitars. I've always admired the elegant symmetry of these guitars.



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Very cool guitars; I always liked them. SG style but with the thickness - and balance - of a Les Paul.
I've never like the odd balance of SGs. They just feel all wrong to me.

AFAIK those only came in solid colors. I think probably all mahog, not a maple cap like (most) LPs.
Santana used them for a while.
 
Those were really awesome and before he switched to PRS, Carlos Santana was a big proponent of them. They featured a fairly large brass block embedded into the wood, beneath the veneered top directly under the stop bar posts. This let the strings resonate and gave it some incredible sustain, far greater than even the best Les Pauls could achieve.
 
Here's an image and a cross section of what I was talking about with the brass block. I incorrectly said it was under the stop bar posts, when it in fact is located under the bridge and is really a PART of the bridgeYamaha_SG2000_16.jpg Pretty cool design in my opinion and strange it didn't catch on elsewhere

8a14d1ac650c49a54c251aec26594bae--yamaha-guitars-vintage-stuff.jpg
 
Clockworkmike said:
Here's an image and a cross section of what I was talking about with the brass block. I incorrectly said it was under the stop bar posts, when it in fact is located under the bridge and is really a PART of the bridgeView attachment 90563 Pretty cool design in my opinion and strange it didn't catch on elsewhere

View attachment 90562
Click to expand...
Had forgotten about the sustain block, pretty cool. I believe the Artists had those too.
I guess I was wrong about it not having a maple cap though.
 
eclecticsynergy said:
Had forgotten about the sustain block, pretty cool. I believe the Artists had those too.
I guess I was wrong about it not having a maple cap though.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised the block wasn't more popular as it was considering how it worked, honestly. Pretty ingenious design and very effective; could've improved a lot of different brands that didn't have as much natural sustain
 
Clockworkmike said:
I'm surprised the block wasn't more popular as it was considering how it worked, honestly. Pretty ingenious design and very effective; could've improved a lot of different brands that didn't have as much natural sustain
Click to expand...
Agreed. Ironically, the Gibson SG would've been a great candidate. Better sustain, and enhanced highs to help balance out the strong mids.
Also an extra few ounces on the body, to shift the center of balance to the right a bit. (Or to the left, if you're lefty...)
 
Clockworkmike said:
Those were really awesome and before he switched to PRS, Carlos Santana was a big proponent of them. They featured a fairly large brass block embedded into the wood, beneath the veneered top directly under the stop bar posts. This let the strings resonate and gave it some incredible sustain, far greater than even the best Les Pauls could achieve.
Click to expand...
When I think of these guitars, the first thing that comes to mind is Santa holding notes for eternity in "Europa" on the Moonflower album.
 
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