Yamaha RGZ612PL

This Yamaha RGZ612PL was a pre owned purchased by a friend/client of mine. Sold at a quite attractive price too.The new owner wanted me to restring it to its correct orientation. This Yamaha was previously strung for right hand picking or the left wing camp. Might as well do some checks and setup said the new owner.

 At first look this circa 92/93 Yamaha is solidly well made. The neck profile, body aerodynamics and on board hardware was rightfully built for rock (and pop too).

I took it apart so to know more about this made in Taiwan RGZ design thoughts and to look what's under the hood.

The neck heel revealed past evidence of it residing on another guitar body. Good thing I did took it apart in the first place.

I told the owner what I about it but he wasn't worry about the newly discovered holes. There was nothing out of the ordinary when he bought it so there's no need to patch up the witness marks. Coincidentally were my thought too, as long as both neck and body has good coupling union.

The stock pots and 5 way selector still works. Those and its surrounding area only needed cleaning with dusting off.The neck pickup were swap out along its lifetime. I couldn't make out the brand and model as there were no marking on it. My humble assumption would be it's of Fendery or Squiery origin?

On catalog the right hand RGZ600 series is spots the TRS-PRO Bridge. I think Yamaha order didn't meet Takeuchi MOQ for the lefty version. Yamaha went for Ping Well PT505. I did an online check on other RGZ612PL and they all equip with the same Ping-Well. So nothing been change. The bridge were officially chosen.

Despite it was made in Taiwan, the RGZ612PL definitely had the package to rival Ibanez RG series. However the RGZ along with its cousin (the YG series) did not manage to stay long enough on the market for consumers to give their benefit of a doubt. Perhaps Its failure because of the high price and high depreciation value. Consumers would just rather go for other pointy e.g. Ibanez,Jackson and ESP. 

Yamaha evidently at the time (still is) didn't have a substantial list of influential players blowing their horn. Marketing was weak as if the TZR250 adds on the back of their 1987 guitar catalog would push guitar sales too. Come to think of it, it’s not that bad of an idea now. A Yamaha PAC1221VR46 model included with every purchase of YZF-R1M. Honestly as it stands, Yamaha has their hands in too many business sector. Had it not occurred to them that those many businesses could've overshadowed the visibility of their guitars?

Long ago I too had thought they only make good bikes and generators for pasar malam years before knowing about their well-made guitars.

Thank you

yustech