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1970s Yamaha SL500 Studio Lord LP-Style Vintage Electric Guitar Cherry Sunburst, Japan

$1,049.99

+ shipping

Up for sale, a 1970s Yamaha Studio Lord model SL500 in excellent condition and in perfect working order. Crafted in Japan, this set-neck Studio Lord takes its cures from the ‘70s LP Standard with a two-piece carved maple top on a mahogany body, and a maple neck with volute capped by a bound rosewood fretboard. At 9lbs 9oz, this Studio Lord dishes out plenty of natural punch and sustain, with the warmth and top end articulation inherent to the tonewood complement and faithfully captured by the stock pair of humbuckers. The pickups are clear and authoritative, both metering at 6.9k ohms with a balanced, sparkling tonal profile. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, this Studio Lord is dialed in with fresh 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.

The maple neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve with moderate shoulder at the nut, gaining additional heft further up the fretboard, measuring .805” deep at the 1st fret and 1.015” at the 12th. The bound rosewood fretboard has lightly rolled edges for added comfort, featuring pearloid trapezoid inlay and flawless medium jumbo fretwire. This guitar plays cleanly up the 24 3/4” scale with a straight neck and a responsive, optimally-adjusted truss rod. The hand-carved bone nut measures 1 11/16” in width. The headstock sports an “SL500”-embossed truss rod cover and gold “Studio Lord” script, with original Yamaha Japan-branded tuners that turn smoothly and hold accurate pitch.

All of the electronics work as intended, with a three-way selector switch and individual Volume and Tone controls for each humbucker capped by original reflector cap knobs. The harness features full-size pots and green chicklet tone caps. Chrome-plated hardware includes the ABR-1-style bridge, stopbar, and pickup covers, all displaying consistent patina.

The bold Cherry Sunburst finish is framed on top by cream binding, and cosmetic wear includes a number of small dings on the lower bout on the back and body perimeter, one small ding central to the treble-side waist on the top, and a handful of faint scratches on the body as a whole. The neck profile retains its smooth gloss finish with just a few shallow marks on the profile length.

A Yamaha-branded gigbag is included.