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Average Price: $1,435

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$400

$1001+

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Description

Unleash your musical creativity with the Yamaha SG-3, a solid body electric guitar built for both the novice and the seasoned performer. This model is a revival of the iconic SG series, known for its unparalleled playability and tonal versatility. Crafted with precision, the SG-3 blends vintage charm with modern reliability, offering you a robust platform to explore various genres from rock to jazz.

One of the standout features of the Yamaha SG-3 is its dual humbucking pickups, which provide a rich, full-bodied sound with minimal noise interference. This makes it an excellent choice for those who need a reliable partner on stage or in the studio. The set neck construction ensures sustained resonance and a warm tone, adding depth to each note you play.

The guitar's sleek design is complemented by a rosewood fingerboard and a mahogany body, offering a comfortable playing experience with a touch of elegance. The SG-3 is equipped with high-quality hardware, including a Tune-O-Matic bridge for accurate intonation and stable tuning. Whether you’re performing live or recording in a studio, the Yamaha SG-3 is engineered to deliver consistent performance.

Key Features:

  • Dual humbucking pickups for a rich and full sound
  • Set neck construction for sustained resonance
  • Rosewood fingerboard and mahogany body
  • Tune-O-Matic bridge for stable tuning and accurate intonation
  • Classic SG series design with modern reliability

Product specs

Brand Yamaha
Model SG-3
Finish Coral Red, Pearl White, Sunburst
Year 1966 - 1971
Made In Japan
Categories Solid Body Electric Guitars
Body Shape Double Cutaway
Body Type Solid Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type Tremolo Tailpiece
Color Family Brown, Red, White
Finish Pattern Sunburst
Finish Style Gloss
Fretboard Material Rosewood
Neck Construction Bolt-On
Neck Material Maple
Number of Frets 22
Number of Strings 6-String
Offset Body Offset Body
Pickup Configuration SSS
Right / Left Handed Right Handed
Scale Length 25.5"
Wood Top Style Opaque, Plain

FAQs

What type of music genres is the Yamaha SG-3 best suited for?

The Yamaha SG-3, with its SSS pickup configuration and versatile tone, is well-suited for genres like rock, surf, and blues, offering bright, articulate sounds that can cut through mixes.

How does the tremolo tailpiece on the Yamaha SG-3 affect playability?

The tremolo tailpiece on the Yamaha SG-3 allows for expressive pitch modulation, making it ideal for styles that benefit from vibrato effects, such as surf rock and blues.

What is the neck profile like on the Yamaha SG-3?

The Yamaha SG-3 features a bolt-on maple neck with a comfortable profile, suitable for fast playing and providing a smooth, responsive feel.

Is the Yamaha SG-3 a good choice for beginner guitarists?

While the Yamaha SG-3 offers excellent playability and sound quality, its vintage design and features may appeal more to experienced players or collectors familiar with handling vintage-style guitars.

What are the standout features of the Yamaha SG-3's pickups?

The Yamaha SG-3's single-coil pickups deliver bright, clear tones with excellent articulation, making them ideal for clean and slightly overdriven sounds typical in rock and blues music.

blueblackred11

blueblackred11

1967 (66?) Yamaha SG-3 Guitar

Video thumbnail for 1967 (66?) Yamaha SG-3 Guitar by blueblackred11

1967 (66?) Yamaha SG-3 Guitar

blueblackred11

blueblackred11

Video thumbnail for SOUND HOROR YAMAHA SG 3 JAPAN TH 1966 RARE ‼ Demo by Mr. Sangaji Etalasemusik by Havid Pipic Vansuri | etalasemusik

SOUND HOROR YAMAHA SG 3 JAPAN TH 1966 RARE ‼ Demo by Mr. Sangaji Etalasemusik

Havid Pipic Vansuri | etalasemusik

Havid Pipic Vansuri | etalasemusik

Reviews

Critic Reviews

Wizard of Odd: My Favorite Vintage Japanese Guitar - Premier Guitar

premierguitar.com

The Yamaha SG-3 is a vintage gem from the 1960s, celebrated for its over-engineered design and robust build quality. Drawing inspiration from Mosrites and Fender's Jazzmasters, it boasts an offset body, slim neck, and unique pickup configuration, offering a powerful, aggressive sound. Its innovative electronics, though complex, allow for versatile tonal blending, while the craftsmanship is evident in its smooth roller-bridge and tremolo. However, its intricate controls might be daunting for some. Overall, the SG-3 stands out as a well-crafted instrument, making it a prized find for vintage guitar enthusiasts.

positive

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 2 Ratings

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kalam_mahardhika

Ahead of it’s time

I recently bought a ‘67 SG-3 at a local secondhand music shop. This model has been on my list of “yamaha grails” forever. I didn’t expect the guitar to actually perform as well as it does:

The bridge and tremolo system are years ahead of a JM model IMO. It stays in tune and doesn’t need much adjustment. The tremolo is near perfect and as far as I’m concerned has been my favorite tremolo system I’ve veer played on any guitar, ever.

The pickups are surprisingly very versatile. The neck pickup especially sounds very airy with pronounced mid-highs. The rhythm circuit is much more usable than (again) on a JM or Jag model (to my ears at least). The darkness doesn’t get too muddy/muffled and there are many more sweet spots when adjusting the tone roller.

The bridge pickup blend would be my only complaint (albeit very minor). On my particular guitar, when set to the faux humbucker the output signal is significantly lower than on other settings. However I mostly use the neck and middle positions so I don’t see it as much of an issue (When set to the middle position the output issue no longer exists).

The neck is very very playable. Bending with 10’s sort of feel like bending with 09’s in terms of ease.

Right now, these go for quite a bit but I managed to get a fair deal for these. On mine, the metal nut was no longer glued on, and the trem arm was stuck but with 1 very simple and short setup by my guitar tech, everything came back good as new.

I’d say that out of all the vintage guitars I’ve had the chance to play/own, this one has the most mojo.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

Neck pickup, normal circuit, tone at around 8-9 o’clock

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Joey Walker uses Yamaha SG-3

Joey Walker

Singer, Guitarist

King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo of Joey, he can be seen playing a 60s Yamaha SG-3.

See how Eduardo Alquinta uses Yamaha SG-3

Eduardo Alquinta

Singer, Guitarist

Los Jaivas

...
Verified via YouTube

The SG-3 can be seen at 0:30. Gato used this guitar in early 70s.

See how Grant Mullen uses Yamaha SG-3

Grant Mullen

Guitarist

Naked Giants

...
Verified via YouTube

You can see its a Yamaha at 58 seconds in and throughout the video.

Community setups

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lordfuzzman

lordfuzzman

Gear IQ 194

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