Up for sale is a rare Yamaha HR-III, made in Japan around 1988 — a hard-to-find model inspired by Kyoji Yamamoto (of Bow Wow/Vow Wow fame). This is a true Japanese 80s metal guitar, with wild curves, a recessed tremolo system, and fast neck—perfect for collectors, modders, or anyone who loves vintage Japanese craftsmanship.
These HR-III guitars were only produced for a short time in the late '80s and are getting very hard to find—especially outside of Japan. It’s a killer vintage shred machine!
Don’t miss your chance to own this piece of MIJ rock history.
Specs:
- Body: Contoured basswood
- Neck: Maple
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 24 jumbo frets
- Pickups: Yamaha Power Guerilla II humbuckers (Bridge may be replaced)
- Controls: Volume*2, Master Tone
- Bridge: Yamaha locking tremolo (Rockin' Magic-style) with fine tuners
- Finish: Gloss Black
- Weight: Approx. 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg)
Condition:
- Frets have plenty of life left, low action with no buzzing.
- Finish has minor scratches and dings typical for its age.
- Neck is straight, trussrod is also ok
- All electronics work as they should.
This item is sold As-Described
This item is sold As-Described and cannot be returned unless it arrives in a condition different from how it was described or photographed. Items must be returned in original, as-shipped condition with all original packaging.Learn More.
| Listed | 20 days ago |
|---|---|
| Condition | Very Good (Used) Very Good items may show a few slight marks or scratches but are fully functional and in overall great shape.Learn more |
| Brand | |
| Model |
|
| Finish |
|
| Categories | |
| Year |
|
| Made In |
|
| Right / Left Handed |
|
| Number of Strings |
|
| Finish Style |
|
| Body Type |
|
| Finish Features |
|
| Body Shape |
|
Product safety information may be available here.
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 1](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--ovKR23Hn--/quality=medium-low,height=800,width=800,fit=contain/sdtplzq8sm3bnud9kv4z.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 1](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--xl8j9h9s--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/sdtplzq8sm3bnud9kv4z.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 2](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--GeYooTFY--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/f2zrhblg2qdr2z7jnaix.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 3](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--F7w9WE81--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/zahgwivducslhtprsuwn.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 4](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--h29BF9Zw--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/ksqeyjfatojhzmhmbggi.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 5](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--40NflLO7--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/wla0lqmexdtic4fpm4w1.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 6](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--Y0HeqdqR--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/yp3tlhhi4vpogcmq8rgf.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 7](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--v7cWr0-c--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/dcab9nfsotyd41usvnbv.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 8](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--hocd1aE6--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/tw1uhn5ngevvkhafyo7v.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 9](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--EdWem0NS--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/f4lswt40evwk5aa8tdk4.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 10](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--YmSXG7J3--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/zsyagn9iysxhbfhnwccp.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 11](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--45Q_gWB8--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/rnmbix2kh60rnab3nhbu.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 12](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--DckG5dxW--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/zrveagipvrf3uhjeaxyt.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 13](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--edcOxoOd--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/esh9bs4um9cg2sfnkh8c.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 14](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--7ru781Mz--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/cdj32v72paode3zqbqnn.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 15](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--VlA6m1Rc--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/sde4ialdfmtjvxc0uqc8.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 16](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--fFCJ6iQR--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/sb5clzfnu5ld6uxkpqc5.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 17](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--IRIh2th_--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/rw1kjvyt6zb4xim00eia.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 18](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--8zE-JXgZ--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/qmzxzitabsuoi1nzhub6.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 19](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--aRgTUInV--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/mpilsw3oqfpqf6cgo3uv.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 20](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--PDXP_8v1--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/dyoqpkv1y5agud6fgsf1.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 21](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--nowDkJJ5--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/m7tmwy2xhymb1ntqcsf4.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 22](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--u2815DQD--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/lc5bi8ihexpc48dfmu0i.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 23](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--ZYhrhL3G--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/llwhdn5zayhrtchfz4sk.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 24](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--khtMMCtP--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/a41xwacpvespgebyl19d.jpg)
![1986 Yamaha Explorer HR-III Kyoji Yamamoto [Bow Wow] Signature Model, Vintage Japan MIJ - Black Gloss image 25](https://rvb-img.reverb.com/i/s--AwKMcVhW--/quality=medium-low,height=400,width=400,fit=cover,gravity=bottom/xid8smbtxkmmac7ocjdw.jpg)
