1977 Yamaha AE-18 Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Natural w/ Case

Up for sale, a 1977 Yamaha AE18 in near-mint condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This premium archtop was Yamaha’s top-of-the-line offering in the ‘70s, designed to compete with the likes of Gibson’s L-5, featuring premium tonewoods, a 17” lower bout width (3 1/4“ deep), and gold hardware.

Tonewoods include arched maple back and rims with a deeply carved spruce top, a two-piece maple neck, and a bound ebony fingerboard. The guitar has a bold, detailed natural acoustic quality, with ample foundational warmth and detailed woody cut, providing an ideal platform for the humbuckers. Described as “new, powerful pickups” by Yamaha, these humbuckers feature a PAF-style response, metering at 7.7k ohms, delivering the airy warmth, sweet, smooth trebles, and midrange clarity of that iconic design. Weighing 7lbs 15oz, this AE18 has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-53 flatwound strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Two-piece maple
-Shape: Substantial C, full shoulders, measuring .870” 1st fret, .960” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Bound ebony, pearl arrow inlay, 350mm radius
-Frets: Slender, virtually no wear
-Scale Length: 640mm (25.19”)
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone (upgraded)
-Tuners: Yamaha sealed diecast

Body Specs:

-Wood: Arched maple back and sides, deep carved spruce top
-Pickups: “52” date stamps on humbucker baseplates translate to 52nd year of Showa period (1977)
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, three-way pickup selector switch
-Hardware: Tune-o-matic bridge with rosewood base, trapeze tailpiece with embossed leather insert
-Plastics: Four-ply tortoise pickguard, witch hat knobs

The gloss Natural finish is framed by multi-ply binding, and cosmetic wear is limited to just a handful of tiny marks in the clear coat on the body as a whole. There is also a small, cleanly doweled mounting hole of some sort on the back of the headstock. The smooth gloss finish on the neck profile is immaculate.

The original brown tolex Lifton-style hardshell case with blue crushed velvet interior is included.