Up for sale, 1967 Yamaha SA-5 hollowbody electric guitar in excellent condition and in perfect working order. These guitars don't surface often, and we can see why. They are impressively built and somewhat of a rare commodity to those in the know, as the SA-5 model was only produced for a period of seven months from December of '66 through June of '67. The precursor to the SA-50, the SA-5 boasts horn and heel binding not seen on later iterations and also has a chunkier, shorter Yamaha logo inlaid on the headstock face.

At first glance, this guitar may be banished to the realm of the "Gibson knock off" like so many of its contemporaries of the era and origin. However, its unique design with dual deep cutaways, slim headstock, dynamic vibrato, and glued-in neck joint separate it from most Japanese imports of the late '60s. Upon picking it up for the first time, the player will immediately understand the care that went into the building of this instrument, and keep the mysticism alive that surrounds the Nippon Gakki factory.

The guitar is loaded with stock humbuckers, Master Volume and Tone controls, a three-way pickup selector, and a "Balancer" pot which provides a smooth gradient between the two pickups when both are engaged. Often mistaken for single coils due to their tonal properties and smaller stature than a more traditional humbucker, the SA-5's pickups are sparkling and detailed, while still retaining round, full low end. They are however true humbuckers in every sense, employing a large coil for picking up the string vibrations from the fully hollow body and a smaller coil for eliminating hum. The guitar has a very smooth and full acoustic voice that cuts through nicely, and the F holes have inset black plastic covers to minimize feedback at high volumes. Weighing in at 7lbs 8oz, this Yamaha has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, with comfortable action and solid intonation.

The maple neck has a big chunky C shaped profile paired with a bound rosewood fretboard. The fretboard features abalone split parallelogram inlays and has been professionally refretted with 6105 wire which has the width of vintage wire yet appreciably more height and crown. The frets show virtually no wear and the guitar has a zero fret as well. The scale length is 24 3/4" and the nut measures at 1 5/8" in width. The headstock employs stock Yamaha-branded open back tuners that function perfectly.

All electronics are functioning perfectly along with the very unique vibrato tailpiece. The taller, smaller diameter spring gives the vibrato a feel that's a cross between a Mosrite and a Bigsby vibrato, providing a range from subtle to deep bends. Coupled with the nylon roller saddles on the bridge, the vibrato action is particularly smooth. The rich Cherry finish on the body is accented by multi-ply binding and the chrome hardware has near flawless plating with incredible shine. The guitar has one spot of targeted buckle rash on the bass side of the back, some scuffs adjacent to the rear strap button, one small finish chip on the top next to the armrest, and a few minor, scattered nicks on the guitar as a whole. The instrument is structurally sound with zero repairs and is 100% original aside from the professional refret. This Yamaha is dialed in and ready to be played!

The original hardshell case is included.

Check out our shop "Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar," and please let us know if we can answer any questions!

Shipping in the continental USA will be $75, fully insured and shipped via FedEx Ground. Expedited shipping available for an additional fee at buyer's request. We will happily ship WORLDWIDE, but please contact us for an accurate international shipping quote before bidding or buying, as cost varies by buyer location.

International orders will be declared as “merchandise,” and the value of merchandise will be declared as the amount paid. We cannot declare anything as a gift or for a lesser value. No exceptions! The customer is responsible for all taxes and duty, which may be collected upon delivery, as well as any additional charges involved with import. We have all necessary CITES paperwork in-hand to ship rosewood worldwide.

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