Rare Vintage Yamaha CP-500 late 70s - Made in Japan

Brand: Yamaha

Model: CP-500

Specs: 

Top: Solid Spruce

B/S: Indian Rosewood

Condition:

Very Good. This Yamaha CP-500 shows some cosmetic wear consistent with age and use.

• Top has light surface scratches and small dings, most noticeable around the lower bout and near the bridge area
• Back and sides show light scuffing and fine finish marks
• Neck and headstock show minor wear and patina
• Tuners show some oxidation and age but function properly
• No visible cracks or structural damage
• Frets show light wear. (There is a bit of fret sprout, and might want to consider having it smoothened. I personally don’t mind as it doesn’t bother me at all.)
• Overall finish remains glossy and vibrant

Structurally solid and fully playable. This guitar has clearly been played and loved, not abused.

Description:

Crafted in Japan by Nippon Gakki during Yamaha’s golden era, this CP-500 wears its age beautifully. The spruce top has mellowed into a warm amber glow, with a grain pattern that seems to ripple like still water under light. Every small mark and gentle scratch feels less like damage and more like punctuation in a long, quiet story. It is roughly a 50 year old guitar!

The rosewood body carries a deep, chocolate tone, framed with elegant binding and purfling that still shines after decades. It resonates easily in the hands, offering a voice that is warm, balanced, and intimate — the kind of tone that invites a late afternoon jam, playing slow melodies by the window or late-night playing in the living room, when everyone is asleep.

This is not a museum piece. It’s a companion instrument — one meant to be played, held close, and listened to. It has the soft authority of age, where notes bloom instead of bark, and chords feel like they settle rather than strike.

If you’re looking for a guitar with soul, patience, and a past — this one is waiting.

Important note: 

This guitar has been in storage for a long time before I got it, and I have not had it checked with a luthier. I have many vintage guitars and I play all of them, but I strongly suggest that you have a professional check it first, because although these made in Japan guitars are built like tanks, I just want to set your expectations so your experience is great. This is a roughly 55 year old guitar after all. The specs, I got are from online sources so you may want to cross check it to be sure. The ones I sell are usually very rare and information about it are sometimes hard to find.

I can vouch that this guitar sounds great, and I can show you a video of how it sounds and plays, if you are really interested to buy it. I intend to post videos on youtube in the near future, but since I have a busy schedule I provide videos for decided buyers in the meantime. 

I want to make sure you, the buyer will have no surprises, when you get the guitar.  I definitely would prefer not to sell a guitar than have a bad review, integrity for me is paramount. That being said, please ask all the questions you need before buying, and check the pictures carefully, I used a professional grade camera to take pictures of the guitar so I can show everything that there is to see about the guitar. Please don’t hesitate to ask for more pictures of certain angles if you need them. I will respond ASAP.

I am open to negotiations if reasonable. Don’t hesitate to ask.

Shipping:

I use EMS JAPAN POST, for shipping as I find them the most reliable. It costs more but nothing beats peace of mind. I charge a flat rate of 27,000 yen for shipping and handling for some areas. 

Currently it has been challenging to ship in the US, but fortunately the buyers I had work with were happy with the transactions. If you are a buyer from the US, please don’t hesitate to message me if you have questions.

I do my best to ship the guitars very securely, with a sturdy specialized cardboard for guitar shipping, that is why it might be a little expensive.

FULL REFUND, is guaranteed in accordance with Reverb shipping policies, if you do not receive your guitar or if it got broken when delivered. Please review Reverb’s shipping policies for details.

Ships in 3-7 business days. If you make a payment on a weekend the guitar will be shipped on a Monday.