This guitar promised to be amazing. But I didn't keep it...
The Yamaha Revstar RSP02T Crisp Gold looks fantastic. (Although looks and sound are subjective). The paint job, the finish, the hardware, are top notch. The P90s do not sound vintage. Yamaha designed their pickups with a unique, modern (yet not exaggerated,) twist. I did not expect it, but I do like it a lot. (I‘ve always been a fan of vintage gear). From delicious cleans to even more delicious overdriven sounds. Balanced, versatile, maybe slightly too much high frequencies, but that can easily be tamed. A perfect fit between humbuckers and single coils. An almost “I can do it all” guitar. I dare say I like it more than my Custom Shop Gibson 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue VOS, which I sold because it never really clicked. I tested the Yamaha Revstar on a Star Sirius Reverb 30 (Class A tube amp by Mark Sampson) and a 1971 Marshall Super Lead. Straight into the amps, no pedals, no reverb, all EQ flat. I have quite a few electric guitars, Fenders, Duesenberg, Ibanez, Maybachs, Gretsch, Gibsons, Eastman,... both vintage and new. All great instruments, but this Yamaha seemed ready to take the stage. The neck plays super easy and pleasant. I am a fan of the 24 3/4 neck scale. The radius combination works really well for me.
Still, I returned it...
The guitar had an awful setup. The action was bad, rattling strings, no accurate tuning possible on the 12th fret, the harmonics or with open strings. A nightmare. It also kept detuning, before and after replacing the standard strings with new ones. Would be a complete fiasco for live gigs. The frets were so sharp that, after a while, it became uncomfortable and I had to put the guitar aside. Of course, you could bring it to a good luthier and spend a lot of money to get it right, but I gave up on that. It is just not what I expect and not acceptable for a guitar in this price range. Yamaha could learn a lot from its compatriot Ibanez in this regard. The weight was also very disappointing. At 3.82 kg – this guitar even has a chambered body – it is the second heaviest guitar I own. Not ideal for a long concert. (I don't change guitars during a performance). For these reasons, I returned it.
One more small detail. The case is rather ordinary. Nothing wrong with that, but it's really one out of a dozen, whereas high-end guitars often get to show off in a more luxurious, stylish and sturdy case.
It is such a beautiful guitar with a fantastic sound. But I don't want to hang it up against the wall and just look at it. I want to play it and gig with it. Over and over again. What a shame. It could have been such a perfect instrument.
