An SR700 the top of the range
These guitars are early copies of Fender Stratocasters some have large 70s style headstocks others 60s style but with
truss rod adjustment at the headstock end.
All however have 4 bolt necks not 3 bolt. They all have typical strat specs 21 frets, 25.5" scale, body mounted jack,
1 volume and 2 tone controls.
However they have the typical Yamaha radius of 13.75" rather than the much rounder Fenders. They first appear in 1976 and last
through to 1982, all made in Japan for the domestic market only. This seems to be a common theme among early Fender copies, maybe
they thought why would the west buy Fender copies when they can buy Fenders. You don't see many of these for sale in the UK but
to give an idea of price an SR550s in good condition sold on Ebay in 2017 for £378. You do see a few from Japan on various Ebays
recently there has been a 500 for $289 and a 700 for $471, add in costs to get it from Japan and still not expensive guitars.
| Model | 400 | 400s | 450s | 500 | 500s | 550s | 700 |
| Release Year | Nov 76 | 81 | Mar 82 | Nov 76 | 81 | Mar 82 | April 78 |
| Year Discontinued | 79 | 82 | 83 | 79 | 82 | 83 | 81 |
| Price when Released yen | 40,000 | 40,000 | 45,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 55,000 | 70,000 |
| Body | 2 ply sen | sen | sen | sen | alder | ? | ash |
| Neck | Maple | Maple | Maple | Maple | Maple | Maple | Maple |
| Fretboard * | Maple or Rosewood | Rosewood | Maple | Maple | Maple | Maple | Maple |
| Pickups | 3 R-11 single coils white covered on white pickguard | 3 R-11 single coils white covered on white pickguard | 3 Alnico V single coils white covered on white pickguard | 3 R-11 single coils white covered on white pickguard | 3 R-11 single coils white covered on white pickguard | 3 Alnico V single coils white covered on white pickguard | 3 Alnico V single coils white covered on white pickguard |
| Hardware | Chrome | Chrome | Chrome | Chrome | Chrome | Chrome | Chrome |
| Headstock | 70s 2 square string trees | 60s 1 round string tree | 60s 1 round string tree | 70s 2 square string trees | 60s 1 round string tree | 60s 1 round string tree | 60s 2 square string trees |
| Tuners | Yamaha trap style | Yamaha trap style | Vintage Kluson Type | Yamaha Gotoh Style | Vintage Kluson Type | Vintage Kluson Type | Yamaha Gotoh Style |
| Weight | 3.7kgs | 3.7kgs | 3.8kgs | 3.4kgs | 3.8kgs | ||
| Colours | Natural or Sunburst | Natural or Sunburst | Natural, Black or Sunburst | Natural or Sunburst | Natural or Sunburst | Metallic Red, BrownSunburst or Yellow Sunburst | Natural or Tobacco Sunburst |
* Some sources suggest that all models were available with Maple or Rosewood Boards, the catalogues all show maple boards only, except for the 400s which shows Rosewood only, I have seen a picture of a 400 with a Rosewood board but can't find any other models with Rosewood.
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