The Yamaha Super Axe Guitar Pickups from 1977 onwards

I often get asked about pickups on the SAs so I have decided to do a separate page on random pickup Information. I will post photos of most of them if any of these photos belong to you and you would like me to remove them or credit them to you please let me know.
It is obvious as you investigate this that models often have more than one type of pickup set for the same model and whilst most are marked with the date and model often they are marked just SA or with a different SA number.

Edited version of a summary I made a while ago
500 Yamaha Hbs Not in Archives
700 Yamaha Alnico 3 Hbs verified Archives say A-III
800 Spinex aka SAH-SAIG Not in Archives*
900 Yamaha Alnico 5 Hbs SHA-SAII verified by catalogue Archives say Alnico V
950 No info
1000 Yamaha Alnico 2 Hbs SAH-SAII some marked SA1500 some marked SA1000 one owner measured at 8.8k
Described in Archives as Humbucking A-II could use 2 different types of Pickup Alnico V and Alnico II depending on how they are marked
1100 Alnico V Archives just say Alnico V 1988 catalogue says Alnico V SAH-SA1C
1200S Alnico 2 Described in Archives as Humbucking A-II but comparison sheet below says Alnico V
1300 Alnico V SAH-SAII verified by catalogue Described in Archives as Alnico V
1300W spinex labelled SA800 verified Not in Archives
1800 Spinex aka SAH-SAIG verified by catalogue and in archives
2000 Alnico 1 one owner measured at 8.8k Described as A-1 in archives
2000S Alnico 1 Described as A-1 in archives In the catalogues the 2000 and 2000S are described as
Dual High Intensity Humbucking Pickups
2100 Spinex aka SAH-SAIG verified by catalogue but other catalogues say Alnico V Not in Archives
2100 II Spinex aka SAH-SAIG verified by catalogue 1990 cat says Alnico V Archives say Alnico V
2200 Alnico V verified by catalogue Not in Archives
2500 Spinex aka SAH-SAIG x verified by catalogue Archives say Spinex

*The SA800 pickups are described identically in both the 1981 and 1985 catalogues they are the same description as other SAs which are Spinex and are described as a new kind of magnet 1987 catalogue says Spinex. However pickups from the 800 often look different see below.

In older Yamahas generally a yellow wire indicates a neck pickup and a green one a bridge pickup

This image from a Yamaha Catalogue gives some interesting comparisons

However it shows the 2000S at Spinex which isn't consistent with other information


A look at some models first the SA700



One is marked SAM the others have no markings at all and all have no dates.

The SA 800

The above is an early one 1982


both above from 1983

1984

1985
Are these all Spinex

SA1000



Note on the top one that the date is above the model name you usually see that on the older pre-77 models not so much on the post 77 models.

SA1100

These pickups belong to Sean TheSupposedStringMeitser

SA1200S


Alnico II pickups marked just SA or are they Alnico V probably not.

SA1300


SA1300W


SA2000 and 2000S Same guitar except for Spruce top

from a 1979

1980 The year though doesn't seem to affect whether they are marked SA or SA2000
SA2100

These are from an SA2100 but marked SA2500 I don't know if there are any marked differently.

SA2100 II


SA2200

Note lack of markings or date.

SA2500