I have the lower cost model from the 80s: The SBG 200. It's my favorite guitar in the entire world. Most people say the pickups sound crummy, but there's so perfectly suited for me. They're loud, jangly, perfectly midranged, etc. I wish yamaha could reproduce these guitars again.
He's talking about guitar as a totem or fetish object, as a manifest Icon in the literal sense. Something to connect you to the mystique of rock and roll, as opposed to a tool which is either convenient, effective and efficient or not. I totally understand and I think it's good to talk about because not too many people talk about gear in emotional or even "spiritual" terms despite it being a reality of the human experience as a musician. Lots of placebo effect and woo in guitar. Remember that soundboard vibrator from bitd? Pretty funny I play a Les Paul because Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson from Thin Lizzy did, and also because of Les himself. All I could afford 25 years ago was an Epi paul special, but got one with transparent green paint over bookmatched flame maple and cream hardware. I think it was 600$. I'm seeing a comparable one on reverb for 700 now, which is a pretty serious depreciation accounting for inflation lol. I never got rid of it and never got anything more expensive, just a bunch of other stuff I got rid of or held on to now and then if friends had something they were getting rid of or wanted. That guitar is rock and roll for me. I honestly couldn't tell you how well it plays any more than I could explain what the inside of my own mouth tastes like. I get a fret job and deep clean & setup every 7-8 years. A lot of cool guitarists played oddball stuff either because it was all they could afford from the pawn shop, or deliberately because it looks wild, or because it has unique tone which in most contexts is "total shit" but works for them and becomes part of their sound and changes their playing even if they move on later. That's definitely part of post punk. Robin Guthrie comes to mind. Cobain loved jank guitars too because he had that same awareness of "oh let's take this weird old half forgotten model and see what it'll do, that's punk"
Santana and takanaka. I want the fancy one. Sg3000. But it is random and rad the doc hammer is into them for totally different reasons Yamaha made a bunch of great guitars in that era
Love listening to Doc Hammer and his extensive knowledge of guitars. Plus Doc's paintings are phenomenal and, this comes from painters, artists and illustrators I've shown his work to who are some of the greatest living artists, is one of the current masters of Oil Painting. Like his work is an amazing subversion of the current art trends because Doc is one of those guys who is oddly traditional and yet rebellious. I hope he sees this because I know people who know him from his paintings and his music first and have never even heard of "The Venture Brothers".
Just listening to this passion for music, the passion for a guitar is making me ashamed for my lack of knowledge of music I take for granted. Thank you so much! Just knowing there’s a chance you might see this, makes me happy.
I enjoyed watching that! Thanks! I also recall the auction for the late, great man's Yamaha SG but knew that acquiring such an item would be beyond my financial means. Treasure it!!! :)
Fantastic! I love John’s playing, especially in PiL with which I was obsessed in grade school. Big influence on my playing. Glad you own it, keep it safe.