1981 Yamaha SG800, Made in Japan - Persimmon Red / Bi-Sound / Pro Setup

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1981 Yamaha SG800 – Persimmon Red – Made in Japan

An absolutely gorgeous 1981 Yamaha SG800 in its stunning Persimmon Red finish! These early '80s Japanese-made Yamaha SGs are truly something special, combining outstanding craftsmanship, incredible playability, and a rich, powerful sound that easily stands alongside some of the finest guitars of their era.

The SG800 delivers everything you'd expect from a great vintage Japanese guitar - thick, singing sustain, warm and articulate cleans, and a punchy, dynamic response when pushed into overdrive. The original pickups sound fantastic, with plenty of clarity and character, while Yamaha's signature Bi-Sound coil-splitting system adds another dimension of versatility, taking you from full-bodied humbucker tones to brighter, more open single-coil sounds.

The guitar is in good overall vintage condition, with plenty of honest playwear that gives it a great vintage vibe. There are various dings, scratches, and cosmetic imperfections throughout, including a noticeable dent on the back of the neck and a small area of discolored finish below one of the tuning machines. Nothing serious or structurally concerning, and allimperfections are clearly documented in the photos.

The frets show normal, even wear for their age, with no significant grooves or dead spots. The guitar plays beautifully across the entire neck.

Both original pickups are stamped 541212, and all electronics remain original, including the fully functional Bi-Sound system.

A seriously cool piece of Japanese guitar history that looks incredible, sounds huge, and has all the character you'd want from a 45-year-old instrument. Definitely not just another SG!

No case included.

The following work has been done: full fretboard conditioning with lemon oil, fret polish, pickup height adjustment for balance and clarity, and a fresh set of D’Addario 10-46s installed. String height at the 12th fret on the low E is right at 1.8 mm - set for comfortable playability. 

Body

• Construction: Solid body, set-neck
• Wood: Mahogany body with Maple top
• Finish: Persimmon Red, gloss
• Shape: Yamaha SG symmetrical double-cutaway
• Binding: Cream body binding
• Contours: Carved top with double-cutaway design
• Weight: 8.98 lbs

Neck

• Material: Mahogany
• Joint: Set-neck
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Inlays: Split-wing
• Frets: 22
• Scale Length: 628 mm / 24.72"
• Nut Width: 43 mm / 1.69"
• Neck Profile: C
• Neck Depth: 0.82" at 1st fret / 0.98" at 12th fret
• Fingerboard Radius: 12"
• Neck Binding: Cream
• Truss Rod: Checked, fully functional

Hardware

• Bridge: Yamaha Tune-O-Matic-style bridge
• Tailpiece: Yamaha stopbar tailpiece
• Tuners: Yamaha sealed die-cast tuners
• Knobs: Gold speed knobs
• Pickup Rings: Cream
• Hardware Finish: Chrome

Electronics

• Pickups: 2x original Yamaha humbuckers, stamped 541212
• Pickup DC Resistance:
• Neck: 7.26 kΩ
• Bridge: 7.12 kΩ
• Controls:
• Volume (neck)
• Volume (bridge)
• Tone / Bi-Sound (neck)
• Tone / Bi-Sound (bridge)
• Bi-Sound System: Independent push-push coil split for each pickup
• Switching: 3-way pickup selector
• Output Jack: 1/4" mono
• Configuration: HH
• Electronics: Original

Other

• Model: SG-800
• Year: 1981
• Made in: Japan
• Finish Color: Persimmon Red
• Hardware Color: Chrome
• Condition: Good vintage condition
• Frets: Approximately 50% life remaining, with normal, even wear and no significant grooves or dead spots
• Electronics: Original Yamaha pickups and electronics; fully functional Bi-Sound system on both pickups
• Cosmetic Condition: Various dings, scratches, and signs of honest vintage playwear throughout. A noticeable dent on the back of the neck and a small area of discolored finish below one of the tuning machines. No major structural concerns. All imperfections are clearly shown in the photos
• Truss Rod: Checked and working properly
• Case: No case included
• Setup: Professionally set up, inspected, and ready to play