Sharpened Flat celebrates its 50th worldwide sale and is promoting the event ‘eBay $1 start’. Put up here is 1980 Yamaha SA-1000, a masterpiece semi-hollow body, made in Japan. Putting $1 as start price has nothing to do with lower quality or any serious defect of the guitar. It is fully functioning and hard case also coming along. Photos indicates some scratches on the body, minor dents around the lower neck and pickup cover wear but none of those degrades impeccable craftsmanship and superior playability of this beast.

Here in Japan, SA-1000 has been one of the most popular 335 alternatives since its inception in Dec 1977. The retail price JPY 100,000 at that time was not cheap at all for the average workers, but its still reasonable price compared to 335, coupled with outperforming quality from Yamaha’s obsession on the perfectness easily caught the market. Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour even boosted sale by playing Yamaha when playing live in Japan.

To those who are more familiar with its higher end sisters SA-2000 and SA-2500, this guitar features Alnico II pickups which has stronger magnetic attack than Alnico I in SA-2000, and chrome hardware. It plays bright and mellow sound, not as muddy as solid body. Center block holds sustain and moderate hollow tone. I often come across the forums in which the players discuss replacing the pickups with Saymour Duncan, but so far I am happy with the original Alnico pickups. I also saw some forums state the color being Burgundy Walnut but the official Yamaha web page advises this is brown. Seems Japanese obviously have different view in naming the color...

Wannabe owners, your lowest price bid is welcome. I am shipping worldwide.