Yamaha Revstar RS420 Guitar in Black Steel

The Yamaha Revstar RS420 is a great quality guitar for blues rocker on a budget who needs a real workhorse on the road. You will not believe how good this guitar is for the money as it punches way above its price bracket.

The Build

Using Yamaha's new Revstar body shape this offset guitar body sits comfortably close to your body and with a fantastic amount of spacing. This makes it comfortable to play both standing up and sitting down.

The body is made out of Nato which is very similar to Mahogany in terms of tone. Topped with flamed Maple this guitar has a bit of extra snap compared to an all Mahogany or Nato guitar. This makes it much better for lead tones where you want to be able to cut through a mix.

The neck is also made out of Nato but with a Rosewood fingerboard for better playability. In fact playability is a big part of what Yamaha wanted to push with this guitar. So much so that they carved the neck to have a smooth and slim shape that you will love to play.

Smooth Alnico Humbuckers

If you are a classic rock or blues fan a lot of your favourite albums were probably recorded on 50's alnico humbuckers. While these are not strict reproductions they have the same character and feel as those used by the pros in years gone by.

One of the coolest parts about the pickups in this guitar is that they are connected to what Yamaha call the 'Dry Switch'. Instead of working like your normal coil tap or coil split this switch sits somewhere in between to give you a stunning true single coil sound. Best of all volume drop is minimal so you don't need a boost pedal just for your single coil sections.

The History

Yamaha have a long history in the world of electric guitars. From their great line of Pacifica super 'S' type guitars to the powerful SG range they have great options for a wide range of musicians. Revstar now joins this list as their first completely new electric guitar in the last 20 years.

Designed in collaboration with teams from both England and Japan everything about this guitar has been thought through to the finest of details. Nothing was kept 'just because' or 'that is how it is always done'. Between the designers, the engineers and the players every aspect of this guitar has been looked over so you get an instrument unlike anything you have played before.

The Design

When it came to the looks and feel of the guitar Yamaha wanted something truly special. It was not just as simple as using an old body shape delivering the same sound every other manufacturer creates.

The basis for the design was London and Tokyo's vintage street racing motorbike scenes. This is what gave it the slightly offset shape and the smooth curves that almost look aerodynamic.

By using a world respected design agency and some of the top people in that field they managed to create something simple and beautiful. Similar to something you would have seen before but somehow completely different at the same time.

Here's what Yamaha say about the Revstar range

Drawing inspiration from London and Tokyo's vintage street-racing motorbikes, Japan's heritage of engineering excellence, and Yamaha's 50-year legacy of guitar craftsmanship, every detail of each Revstar model has been carefully engineered to bring out the unique personality of each guitar in the lineup. From the curves and contours of the ground-up body design to the distinctive colours and finishes and custom-wound pickups that perfectly match the guitar's character, the Revstar collection comprises a diverse lineup as the guitarists who play them.
This is Revstar - Meet your other half!

From the moment we started, Revstar had a different approach. We worked with a leading design agency and a global team of designers, to research and develop every element of the guitar, searching for the perfect balance of uniqueness and familiarity in every curve, component and colour. True design process is used in every aspect of our lives, but guitars aren’t designed this way. Until now.

Nothing made it to Revstar’s final design because “that’s how we do it”. Everything was questioned, everything was validated, everything is what we believe is right. Each detail, from the arm cut to the neck joint has been debated, argued about and chosen because it’s what the guitar needed. This isn’t change for the sake of it, it’s the search for perfection.

Every detail of Revstar is designed to make you want to play. To create something amazing. From necks designed to feel great for today’s players, to pickup tones which add a certain something different, this isn’t a guitar to be admired. It’s to be played.

Specifications

• Country Of Origin: Indonesia
• Construction: Set Neck
• Scale Lenghth: 628mm (24.75")
• Neck Material: Nato
• Neck Profile: Slim
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Radius: 350MM (13.75")
• Frets: Medium
• Body: Maple/Nato
• Body Cut: Back Only
• Tuners: Diecast
• Hardware Colour: Nickel
• Nut: Plastic 43mm
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
• Tailpiece: Stopbar
• Pickguard: 3-Ply
• Pickups: Alnico Humbucker
• Controls: Master Volume / Tone
• Additional Function: Dry Switch (Push-Pull)
• Finish: High Gloss
• Case: N/A