500 Models

Yamaha Session and SE Guitars The 500 serial no. Models


The Session 11 503, 512, and 520 guitars were launched in the 1985 Japanese catalogue and are featured on the first models Japanese pages. This page will detail the rest of the 500s, which are the Session 11 503p the 503pm (m indicates maple board) and the 512p
These are the non-locking trem versions of the 503 and 512 and are essentially the same guitar one being SSS and one SSH as you can tell by the numbers. The only ones I have seen have been made in Japan but that isn't to say they weren't made elsewhere as well

 
A 503p and a 512p


The basics specs are
Available from July 1987 until 1988
Released at 50,000 yen
Neck Maple with Rosewood Fingerboard (Maple on the 503pm)usual 22 frets 648mm scale and wide radius
Body Basswood
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Vintage DX
Pickups YGS-A1BO (AlnicoV) × 3 on the 503 and "YGS-A1BO (AlnicoV) × 2, "YGH-F1CO (Ceramic) × 1 on the 512
Controls 1 volume and 2 tone
Available Colours Black White and Red

The pickguard and pickup covers are white on all the 503s I have seen and black on all the 512s doesn't mean they are all like that though.

 
front and back of a 512p headstock shows the Made in Japan


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