#1
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Why do I like my Yamaha SC400 so much?
Is anyone familiar with the SC400? It's a through-neck 3 single coil from the mid 80s, it is very playable, though with quite a dark sound. I'm toying with the idea of replacing a tone capacitor. It works well as a couch guitar, I don't know how it would gig or in mixed sessions. Any comments gratefully received.
(This is not a picture of my actual guitar). |
#2
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tone capacitor may help some but the tone knob may be the best. also, tweak the amp.
play music!
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2014 Martin 00015M 2009 Martin 0015M 2008 Martin HD28 2007 Martin 000-18GE 2006 Taylor 712 2006 Fender Parlor GDP100 1978 Fender F65 1968 Gibson B25-12N Various Electrics |
#3
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That makes sense, I'm usually operating with tone fully bright, volume wide open, and on the neck pickup. It just seems generally darker sounding than my other electrics. Still, I wonder if anyone knows that model guitar.
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#4
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Why do I like my Yamaha SC400 so much?
I've owned the more conventional-looking (kinda SG-meets-Gretsch Corvette) but similarly-appointed SSC-500 since '82; served as my main stage guitar until '86, my backup until 2011, and my beater since then - here's my tuppence worth:
It's a little late and I don't want to incur the wrath of my S.O. - but I'll be pulling mine out tomorrow morning, firing up the Bugera V22, and reminding myself why I like my Yamaha SSC-500 so much...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#5
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Hi Steve, thanks for the very comprehensive reply, worth a bit more than tuppence, if you ask me. My SC400 is MIJ, in 1982 by the looks of it. I'm glad you rate it so highly. After your long list of desirable high end valve amps, I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit it's generally played through my Roland Micro Cube RX, (don't let on). I do use the Black Panel model though.
Compared with my Strat and Mustang, it does have a darker sound, something that a little amp tweaking would likely sort out. The poor guitar is rarely played in company, our sessions are usually acoustic based. I really ought to unearth the Fender Super 60 from my shed, it is scary loud though. Thanks again, C. |
#6
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Yamaha have got quite an impressive record across many different types of musical instruments. The best they make can be really excellent and the cheaper ones tend to be excellent value for money which often outperform anything else in a similar price range.
If it's too dark definitely try a new tone cap - get two or three with different values and see which one you like best. If that doesn't do it, swap out the pickups. Or rewind the ones you've got (it's not that hard). EDIT: as clintj mentioned below better advice is to check the pot values & try higher resistance. Last edited by moon; 11-15-2018 at 10:45 AM. Reason: bad advice |
#7
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If you have the tone knob dimed, the tone cap is bypassed out of the circuit as long as the tone pot is working right. I'd look first at pickup adjustment, especially height, before digging into the guitar to alter the sound. Single coils are finicky about that.
My list to consider would be a treble bleed mod, then value of the pots (higher resistance pots will brighten things up). My bandmate has the cousin to that guitar, the model with the humbucker bridge pickup, and it shouldn't really be hurting for clarity and brightness.
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"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." -Zig Ziglar Acoustics 2013 Guild F30 Standard 2012 Yamaha LL16 2007 Seagull S12 1991 Yairi DY 50 Electrics Epiphone Les Paul Standard Fender Am. Standard Telecaster Gibson ES-335 Gibson Firebird |