There are several custom and one off models produced by Yamaha Artist Services in California, mostly these are commissioned
by professionals to their specifications. Sometimes although they do serious work I get the impression that they make some
guitars just for fun. Yamaha tend not to shout about them so info can be hard to find. I will feature those I can
find adding to this page as time goes on.
I would be surprised if you came across any of these models but if you do let me know.
A jazz fusion player you can find out all about him on Youtube and Google. He has had a guitar designed and built specially for him.
The Honduran mahogany body is chambered for weight relief. The flamed-maple top has a three-tone sunburst and nitrocellulose finish,
accented with a cream pickguard and gold hardware. The neck features pill-style inlays and Luminlay fluorescent side dots, and the heel
has been carved for a smooth contour. The guitar uses a 5-way blade switch instead of the standard 3-way selector, for additional
splitting options for the Lollar Imperial pickups.
For NAMM 2017 YASLA commissioned Tokyo Hiro a US based Tatoo artist to hand paint a Revstar as a prize in a competition. He
chose a Phoenix style design and came up with the guitar pictured below. A single pickup job. No idea where this guitar is now.
It was built by Pat Campolattano here is what he says about it
“The guitar was an unfinished white wood body and neck that I routed for our specs (bridge/tuners/pickups/etc)” chimes in Pat.
“The custom features include Custom Champagne Gold metallic Nitro Finish, Hand Carved Scalloped Bone Nut, Kluson Tuners with Tullip
Buttons, Thorn Staple Top GT90 Bridge Pickup and Jescar Stainless Steel Frets!”
From the Punk revival band AFI he played a standard RSP20 on stage and really liked it YASLA built him a custom model based on it.
Main features are:
Wraparound bridge replaced with a T-O-M bridge
Single stock RS20 Humbucker with 1 volume and no tone control
Black Hardware
Satin Finish on neck and body
Custom AFI Graphics.
This guitar was built by Pat Campalattano it seems because he wanted to do it rather than for a particular artist.
Here is what he has to say.
“The Korina guitar is something I have always wanted to do,” said Campolattano. “I think Korina wood sounds
amazing and the amber tinted look is super old school. As a big fan of the '59 Explorer and Flying V styles that used
Korina wood, I wanted to have some of that mojo while adding my own twist with all the rosewood and tortoise parts and
custom inlays. I decided on a three-pickup version of the RS502T because people always chat about it around the shop,
and three-pickup set necks from the 1950s and 1960s were the most deluxe version you could get, which gives the Korina a luxury feel.
I also used polished hardware for a more classic look, and carved the back of the lower horn for a more comfortable access to the higher frets,
continued Campolattano. “The frets are stainless steel because they give the best feel and never wear down. The body is also
about 2.5 millimetres thinner than a standard Revstar which reduces the weight a bit.”
Again I think this one is just for fun or interest here is what he has to say on this one
“The Bolt-On guitar was an exercise in changing the construction of the Revstar, and still maintaining balance and feel,”
concluded Campolattano. “The body is thinner than standard, and its custom contouring feels very comfortable. I balanced the guitar
with a full 25.5 scale length and by doing so, I changed the point where the neck meets the body. I incorporated a three-bolt dovetail
design that ensures the neck can’t move in the pocket at all. I was aiming for a Tele-esque vibe with a maple neck, but I didn’t
want it to be bright white, so I used roasted maple with a half bridge. Gold foils are my favorite pickups, so I popped those in to
give it the best possible tone.”
YASLA built Chris Buck a Revstar to his own specifications really an amended 502. He had played a 502 on stage for a few
years and when asked made a few amendments which are:
Changed the tone pot to a second volume control to allow him to blend in the pickups as he wanted.
Added aged Grover tuners
Used 720 style block inlays instead of dots
Had aged nitro checking on the headstock to match the aged nitro finish on the body.
He says the body has started to age interestingly already.
I cannot find any pictures of this guitar but there are some good Youtube videos of him playing it.
Here are a few others with the blurb from Yasla
