5 May 2018

Yamaha AES820


Just like the previous post, it's another repair file from my un named New Folders. This is a Yamaha AES820 that came for a while in mid 2000 I think. The thing that caught my eyes when I was checking old Yamaha catalog was the tuner placement. Initially I thought it was a print error on Yamaha's side.
I mean just look at it. Honestly speaking I laugh quiet hard when I saw it on catalog. Probably the same guy was responsible for the Yamaha AESFG too?


I can't tell you how long I've waited for AES820 to reach my workshop. I thought maybe due to its funny looking tuner placement, the thing would never be brought in what more being sold here. Yes, How wrong was I to be but to my defense I'm sure a big discount could've help it out the store.




 I did some online research comparing the open book tuner placement to this cross eyes tuner placement and found the latter was intended to improve the tuning stability. You'll see PRS is doing the same too.

This AES just needed a clean and setup work nothing major however I did find the truss rod has max out with some relief on the neck. I don't like it but it is what it is.


The electronic controls featured a Neck,Bridge Volume and 3 position rotary switch. I thought the bloody tone pot had ceased to work initially. Good thing the owner told me about it. I couldn't understand what the rotary switch were about audibly then but from the schematic I think it's configured to do TONE IN(for both pickups),TONE OUT with COIL TAP(both pickups) and TONE OUT with NECK BYPASS to output. A trimmer pot were installed on the circuit board for the user to tweak the NECK BYPASS output level. Don't worry readers,I didn't meddle with it. Hehe.


In the end I couldn't enjoy playing this Yamaha due to the relief. Had the truss rod not max out I'm sure the string action would've been better. Last but not least despite the fugly looks of this Yamaha AES820, I give a thumbs up to Yamaha Design Team. Although you implement the cross eyes tuner style on only two models, you have made several good points. Not forgetting the output jack location. Yes.Another thumbs up to that.



Thank you
yustech


No comments: