NGD (not Hamer)

[Camstone]

Here's a weird one.

So I have been jonesing for a P90 guitar since I sold my two Hamer P90-loaded guitars a couple of years ago.

I have been looking on Reverb at this Yamaha VG Standard Asuka model for a few months and almost pulled the trigger a couple of times, but am glad I held off. I found the one that just landed on Ebay being sold in Japan. And knew it was "the one". It has a book-matched flamed maple top on it and all the other ones that I had seen were plain tops. Plus it has a really cool fitted hardshell case and all the others had gig bags.

Amazingly it was shipped last Monday from Japan and landed at my place last Wednesday. Came FedEx. I looked at the tracking, it went from Narita, to Memphis, to Spokane, to East Wenatchee, to me all in two days.

Anyway, after a cleaning and set-up, I am really happy. Plays and sounds great. And looks cool as F. It is heavy! The F-holes are fake, it's solid. I haven't weighed it, but it weighs more than my Les Paul for sure.

I guess Asuka was a Japanese musician from the '80s? 

I have a rehearsal with one of the two bands I am in tomorrow night and am looking forward to rockin' it at full volume with the boys.

 

 

[JGale]

HA! That is the epi-tome* of coolness!!

 

 

* that’s how I pronounce it and I’m not wrong. 

[velorush]

Found this from an old listing on Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar:

Quote

This rare, discontinued Yamaha was produced in Japan from 1993-2003, with unique features including the distinctive violin-shape body with faux f holes, YGSB-A1G P-90 pickups, and gold hardware. The VG is the signature model of Japanese singer-songwriter Ryo Asuka, aka Aska of the popular duo Chage and Aska.  

CHAGE and ASKA【CHAGE and ASKA Official Web Site】 (chage-aska.net)

 

Cool guitar!

[velorush]

Here's the whole listing as it might have some information of interest:

Quote

Up for sale, a 1993 Yamaha VG Standard Aska signature model in exceptional, 100% original condition and in perfect working order. This rare, discontinued Yamaha was produced in Japan from 1993-2003, with unique features including the distinctive violin-shape body with faux f holes, YGSB-A1G P-90 pickups, and gold hardware. The VG is the signature model of Japanese singer-songwriter Ryo Asuka, aka Aska of the popular duo Chage and Aska.  

This first-year VG Standard has a mahogany body, maple top, and a bolt-on maple neck capped by a rosewood fretboard. This guitar has a warm, detailed acoustic character, and unlike a traditional P-90, these pickups feature Alnico V magnet construction, offering a bit more sweetness and chime while still having a glassy cut and rich midrange-forward growl. Lightweight at just 7lbs 1oz, this Yamaha has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.

The three-piece maple neck has a medium C-shaped profile carve with ample shoulder and faintly rolled fretboard edges, measuring .830” deep at the 1st fret and .915” at the 12th. The rosewood fretboard has a 12” radius, offset dot 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, and the nut measures 1.650" in width. The headstock is framed by cream binding, and the gold-plated Yamaha-branded tuners function reliably.

All of the electronics function as intended, with the pickup pair governed by a three-way selector switch and Master Volume and Tone controls. Solder joints appear untouched, and the Volume pot dates to February, 1993. The gold hardware is notably clean, including the ornate trapeze tailpiece and the Nashville-style Tune-o-Matic bridge. The original pair of reflector cap knobs with ridged surrounds are present.

Cosmetic wear on the Antique Sunburst finish is limited to a few tiny dings on the lower bout perimeter, a small area of light buckle rash central to the waist, and a handful of faint scratches in the clear coat on the body as a whole. The smooth gloss finish on the neck profile is flawless.

A gigbag is included.

 

[Camstone]

56 minutes ago, velorush said:

Here's the whole listing as it might have some information of interest:

 

Yes, that's one of the domestic ones that I had been watching. There's another one in Idaho. They are both $1200, with plain tops and gig bags.

I paid $975 shipped from Japan and got the flamed top and cool fitted case. 

[velorush]

Yep, the top on yours is much better and that case is amazing.  

[Camstone]

13 minutes ago, velorush said:

Yep, the top on yours is much better and that case is amazing.  

The odd thing about the case, it has a handle at one end and four casters at the other. I would never trust the case to stand on four casters on the 6" x 18" end plus the handle is at the body end and the casters at the headstock end, so the guitar would be hanging upside down. You can see the handle in the first picture.

[velorush]

Did not notice that.  Really strange.

I'm with you.  I had an SG headstock snap when it fell over sitting on the feet along the long side.  I'd never sit one up on the short side.  And upside down?  

 

ETA: on second look, that case looks tight enough I don't think it would move hanging upside down.  That's still odd, but that case looks perfectly formed for the guitar.

Edited April 30, 2024 by velorush

[Camstone]

So after playing the guitar at rehearsal with the band last night, I am going to pull the P90's and drop in a set of Lollars that I just ordered. This guitar plays great, I like the feel of the neck, but the pickups have very low output. Weaker than my Strat.  

Edited May 1, 2024 by Camstone

[Travis]

Very cool. Never seen one of those before.  Congrats!

[scottcald]

Whoa, that looks phenomenal!

[Camstone]

The thick plottens!

Just showed up today. Waiting on a couple of 500-ohm pots.

Decided to go with the hotter Staple in the bridge.

 

[Pieman]

Did you buy from a Japanese store?

[HSB0531]

On 4/29/2024 at 3:57 PM, Camstone said:

Here's a weird one.

So I have been jonesing for a P90 guitar since I sold my two Hamer P90-loaded guitars a couple of years ago.

I have been looking on Reverb at this Yamaha VG Standard Asuka model for a few months and almost pulled the trigger a couple of times, but am glad I held off. I found the one that just landed on Ebay being sold in Japan. And knew it was "the one". It has a book-matched flamed maple top on it and all the other ones that I had seen were plain tops. Plus it has a really cool fitted hardshell case and all the others had gig bags.

Amazingly it was shipped last Monday from Japan and landed at my place last Wednesday. Came FedEx. I looked at the tracking, it went from Narita, to Memphis, to Spokane, to East Wenatchee, to me all in two days.

Anyway, after a cleaning and set-up, I am really happy. Plays and sounds great. And looks cool as F. It is heavy! The F-holes are fake, it's solid. I haven't weighed it, but it weighs more than my Les Paul for sure.

I guess Asuka was a Japanese musician from the '80s? 

I have a rehearsal with one of the two bands I am in tomorrow night and am looking forward to rockin' it at full volume with the boys.

 

 

NICE!

[Camstone]

2 hours ago, Pieman said:

Did you buy from a Japanese store?

Yes, I did. Could not have been smoother and got here in two days FedEx.