Yamaha SG1500

$1,650.00 Price Tier: High-end

4.5 (2)

1 Critic Review

1 Review

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Yamaha SG1500

6 wishlisted

8 saved

Page last updated Jun 08, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated June 8, 2026.

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Price

$1,650.00 5 available Used

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Average Price: $1,650

High-end/Boutique

$400

$1001+

Price Tier

In the Solid Body Electric Guitars category, Yamaha SG1500 is priced in the High-end/Boutique range. This premium gear is built to very high standards and offers premium features.

Budget

Standard

High-end

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Description

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The Yamaha SG1500 is a classic in the world of solid body electric guitars, renowned for its combination of craftsmanship and performance. This guitar is perfect for musicians who seek both heritage and versatility in their sound. Crafted by Yamaha, a brand with a rich history in musical innovation, the SG1500 offers a robust build that caters to a wide range of genres, from rock to jazz to blues.

This model pays homage to the original SG series, known for its enduring popularity among both professional and aspiring musicians. The SG1500 features a set neck construction, which enhances sustain and resonance, delivering a rich, full-bodied tone that remains consistent across all playing styles. Its dual humbucker pickups are engineered to produce a warm yet articulate sound, making it suitable for both stage performances and studio recordings.

The SG1500 is equipped with a rosewood fingerboard, offering a smooth playing experience and adding to the guitar's overall tonal depth. Its hardware is meticulously designed for durability, ensuring that the instrument remains reliable and in tune even after extended use. Yamaha's attention to detail is evident in every aspect, from the finely-crafted body to the precision of its tuning machines.

Key Features:

Solid body electric guitar with a set neck construction
Dual humbucker pickups for a warm and articulate sound
Rosewood fingerboard for a smooth playing experience
High-quality hardware for durability and tuning stability
Versatile tonal range suitable for various musical styles

Product specs

Brand	Yamaha
Model	SG-1500
Finish	Black, Cherry, Cherry Sunburst, Oil Stain (Brown), Translucent Green
Year	1980 - 1982
Made In	Japan
Categories	Solid Body Electric Guitars
Body Material	Mahogany
Body Shape	Double Cutaway
Body Type	Solid Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type	Stop-Bar
Color Family	Black, Brown, Green, Red
Finish Pattern	Sunburst
Finish Style	Gloss
Fretboard Material	Rosewood
Neck Construction	Set-Neck
Neck Material	Mahogany
Number of Frets	22
Number of Strings	6-String
Offset Body	Non-Offset Body
Pickup Configuration	HH
Right / Left Handed	Right Handed
Wood Top Style	Opaque

FAQs

What is the neck profile of the Yamaha SG1500?: The Yamaha SG1500 features a set-neck construction with a comfortable, slightly thicker neck profile, providing a solid feel and enhanced sustain, suitable for various playing styles.
What type of pickups does the Yamaha SG1500 have?: The Yamaha SG1500 is equipped with dual humbucking pickups, offering a rich, warm tone with excellent sustain, ideal for rock, blues, and jazz genres.
Is the Yamaha SG1500 suitable for advanced players?: Yes, the Yamaha SG1500 is well-suited for advanced players due to its high-quality construction, versatile tonal range, and professional-grade hardware.
How does the Yamaha SG1500 compare to the SG2000?: The Yamaha SG1500 is similar to the SG2000 but features a set neck instead of a through neck and chrome hardware instead of gold, making it a slightly more affordable option with a similar tonal character.
What finishes are available for the Yamaha SG1500?: The Yamaha SG1500 is available in Black, Cherry, Cherry Sunburst, Oil Stain (Brown), and Translucent Green finishes, offering a variety of aesthetic choices for musicians.

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha SG1500.

Features and functionality

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The Yamaha SG1500 features coil taps, which some owners had installed as an extra feature for added tonal versatility.
Source

Build quality

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Some SG1500 models include a big brass block set into the body under the bridge, enhancing sustain.
Source

User experience

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Owners appreciate the guitar's sustain, often described as "sweet" and "long-lasting," contributing to its reputation for rich sound.
Source
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Despite its weight, owners find the SG1500's playability rewarding, though it might be physically demanding over long periods.
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Comparisons

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The Yamaha Revstar series is noted to have design influences from the SG1500, suggesting a similar aesthetic and possibly performance characteristics.
Source

Critic Reviews

Yamaha SG1500 Review | Guitar Jar

guitarjar.co.uk

The Yamaha SG1500 earns its "Les Paul Killer" reputation with robust sustain and a solid build, offering a vintage charm that stands out. While it delivers impressive sound quality, especially with its hot pickups, its significant weight poses a challenge for prolonged play. The guitar's reliability is commendable, though some users have experienced an unpleasant ringing issue, possibly due to prior mishandling. Overall, if you can manage the weight, the SG1500 is a formidable contender in the electric guitar arena, promising a powerhouse performance for rock enthusiasts.

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 2 Ratings

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2 star

1 star

michiel_jansen

182

over 5 years ago

Reliable and versatile classic

I've had this SG since the eighties. Split coil function, so many different sound settings. The heaviest guitar I own, you really feel it's there after 2 hours on stage or so. I scalloped this one years ago, which I now really regret, should have left it the way it was. Action is super low, plays better than my Gibson LP. Not crazy about the pickups, I guess the SG2000 is a better choice in that respect. Mine has a cherry sunburst finish.

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Blues Rhythm and blues

Artist usage

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John Frusciante

Guitarist

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Verified via Photo

John Frusciante owns few Yamaha SG1500s, according to Premier Guitar interview:

"My main guitars are Yamaha SG2000s. My favorite is a purple one from 1980. I have a few others, and a few SG1500s. I switched from the Strat to the Yamahas in late 2010. I’ve played the Strat once in the last three years, and only on one little recording."

Colin Hay

Singer, Guitarist

Men at Work

Verified via YouTube

Colin uses an yearly black Yamaha sc-1500.

EDIT: The website originally linked to appears to be down or non-existent at this point, so a better piece of evidence is this live video of Men at Work performing in 1983. Around the 2:12 mark, we can see Colin's SG when the camera zooms in and pans down for his solo.

John Carruthers

Guitarist

Siouxsie & the Banshees

Verified via Muzines

John Carruthers, with two years tenure, is the newest member of the group, and plays guitar. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a neatly handwritten piece of paper: it reads

GUITARS: Green Yamaha SG2000/brown sunburst SG1500/Hofner 'Verithin' semi T65/Ovation 'Glen Cambell' 12 string acoustic/Yamaha FG450 six string acoustic/Ovation Breadwinner solid body. EFFECTS: Drawmer Compressor/Boss Heavy Metal/MXR Flanger/Eventide Harmonizer & Delay/Ashley Twin Parametric/Yamaha 1010 analogue delay/Cry Baby Wah Wah/Boss Tuner; built into Quark Custom Rack with individual noise gates. AMPS: Marshall MV50 x2/Roland JC120 with ATC speakers x2.

Mick Abrahams

Guitarist

Jethro Tull

Verified via Welcome to Squirrel Music - the official website for Mick Abrahams and Blodwyn Pig

According to Mick himself, during 1979 he used Yamaha SG1500.

John O'Neill

Guitarist

The Undertones

Verified via YouTube

Seen in this clip of the Undertones performing "Get Over You" live. Distinguishable from the SG2000/1000 by the dot fret markers.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Rock

Pop

Electronic

Folk, World, & Country

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Yamaha SG1500, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Yamaha SG2000 Solid Body Electric Guitars

Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Electric Guitar Pickups

Gibson SG Standard Solid Body Electric Guitars

Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar Solid Body Electric Guitars

Gibson Les Paul Recording ‘70’s Solid Body Electric Guitars

Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal Distortion Effects Pedals

Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars

Squier Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitars

MXR M-117 Flanger Flanger Effects Pedals

Gibson Les Paul Junior Solid Body Electric Guitars

Similar

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2 alternative and related items for Yamaha SG1500, curated by the Equipboard community.

Yamaha SG1000 Solid Body Electric Guitars

$883.90

1 available store

4.5 (6)

cheaper alternative

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Yamaha SG2000 Solid Body Electric Guitars

$1,494.50

1 available store

5.0 (10)

Vintage or Discontinued high-end alternative

The main differences between the Yamaha SG1500 and SG2000 are the fingerboard material (rosewood for the 1500, ebony for the 2000), the presence or absence of a sustain plate, the bridge structure, and the decorations. The SG2000 is the top-of-the-line model with a rich, full sound, while the SG1500 is an early 1980s model characterized by a lighter, warmer midrange sound.

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