Yamaha SA-50 | 1968 Hollow Body | Made in Japan

Made in Japan at the Nippon Gakki factory. Fully hollow sycamore body. Bound maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. Zero fret. Hum-cancelling pickups. Feather Touch tremolo. Weighs 3.3kg. Includes non-original hard case.
 
This 1968 Yamaha SA-50 is a premium, collector-grade example from Japan's golden Super Axe era. Finished in a highly sought-after Natural Blonde that retains incredible deep luster. The slim fully hollow body features figured sycamore, bound maple neck with rosewood fretboard, and a zero fret showing no signs of wear.
 
The guitar is in remarkable condition for its age, displaying only light signs of aging without major cosmetic damage. The original Feather Touch tremolo and roller bridge are excellently preserved. Electronics are fully functional with original hum-cancelling pickups and the unique pickup balancer/blender pot. Apart from one control knob that has been fixed or replaced, the instrument remains remarkably well preserved.
 
Test it for yourself at our Sydney shop, or we can ship it safely to your door anywhere in Australia. Contact us for a shipping quote.
In stock at Guitar Garage Sydney. $1,750
 
Key Features
Year: 1968
Made in: Japan (Nippon Gakki factory)
Serial: 8122
Model: SA-50
Finish: Natural Blonde, high-gloss polyurethane
Body: Fully hollow, figured sycamore
Neck: Bound maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood with parallelogram inlays
Frets: 22 with zero fret (no wear)
Pickups: 2 x hum-cancelling (anisotrophic ferrite magnet)
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, Balancer (blender) knob, 3-way toggle switch
Bridge: Early production roller bridge
Tailpiece: Yamaha Feather Touch tremolo system
Feedback Protection: Plastic baffles (wings) inside f-holes
Weight: 3.3kg
Case: Non-original hard case included
Condition: Remarkable for age, minor blemishes, fully original except one knob
 
Sound and Tone
The hum-cancelling pickups deliver bright, spanky tone while remaining noise-free. When the 3-way switch is in the middle position, the balancer knob blends the output of both pickups for varied textures. The fully hollow sycamore body provides resonance and depth, while internal baffles reduce unwanted feedback.
 
Feel and Playability
Slim hollow body is comfortable and lightweight at 3.3kg. Zero fret ensures consistent open string tone. The Feather Touch tremolo offers smooth pitch modulation.
 
Condition
Remarkable condition for 1968. Light signs of aging without major cosmetic damage. Minor blemishes across the face of the body. Tailpiece shows light wear. Hardware excellently preserved. Electronics fully functional. One control knob fixed or replaced. Fully original otherwise. A remarkably well-preserved piece.
 
Background
The Yamaha SA series (Super Axe) was produced by Nippon Gakki in the late 1960s. These slim hollow bodies were designed to compete with Gibson's ES-335 series but with unique features like the zero fret, hum-cancelling pickups and internal feedback baffles. The SA-50 is the natural blonde version of the SA series, rarer than its sunburst counterparts. Early 1968 examples feature a roller bridge unique to this period.