Yamaha SEs and Sessions in The English Catalogues
The SEs first appear in the 1985 English catalogue so seemingly earlier than in Japan. Whilst the Japanese catalogue
refers only to budget models the English catalogue includes a much wider range with some very good quality models,
I do not have all the launch prices but the 700s were launched at 80,000 yen according to the archives as always
with Yamaha the higher the number the more expensive the guitar. The top of the range was the 700 line consisting
of 4 models the 700E,M,HE and HM These are essentially the same guitar the E indicating an Ebony fingerboard and
the M a maple one. The H indicating a 2 Humbucker configuration instead of the 2 single coils and one Humbucker
on the others.
A 700M with a 700HM in Candy Apple Red
Specifications 700 range
Body Bound Alder
Neck Maple bolt on
Fretboard Ebony or Maple 21 frets 25.5" scale
Headstock Matching on the Es Plain on The Ms Yamaha and Model name written on no string trees or bars
Tuners Black Gotoh Diecast
Pickups Spinex SSH or HH all black coverless
Controls 1 volume 1 tone 3 way on HH 5 way on SSH
Nut 41mm locking
Hardware Black
Bridge Locking
Pickguard None
Colours 700E Black, Candy Apple Red, Regal Blue and Pearl White 700HE Black Pearl,
Candy Apple Red, Regal Blue and Cream White 700M as 700E but no Regal Blue
700HM as 700HE but no Regal Blue
Years available 1985
Other Models
The other models launched at the same time were the SE200, 300 and 450. Here are the details from the 1985
catalogue.
An SE300 in a colour not in the catalogue
But thanks to lespaul1968 from the Strat forum I now know this is called Flip Flop pink
The 200, 300 and 450 were made in Taiwan and are essentially Strat copies, the similarity to
the Pacificas is fairly obvious. The one in the picture above was made in January 1985 so an
early model yet in a colour not in the catalogue, thank you Yamaha.
The details I have of these models is not complete and the 450 in particular is quite rare here is what I know
| 200 | 300 | 450 | |
| Body | Nato | Nato | Alder or Maple |
| Neck | Nato Board is Buvingha 21 Frets | Nato board is Rosewood 21 Frets | Nato Board is Rosewood 21 Frets |
| Headstock | Matching Body YAMAHA SE200 on 1 String tree | Matching Body YAMAHA SE300 on 1 String tree | Plain Body YAMAHA SE450 on 1 String tree |
| Tuners | Yamaha Diecast | Yamaha Diecast | Yamaha Diecast |
| Pickups | 3 Yamaha Ceramic SCs | 3 Yamaha Alnico SCs | 3 Yamaha Alnico SCs |
| Controls | 1 Vol 1 Tone Black Plastic plus 5 way switch | 1 Volume 2 Tone Knurled Chrome plus 5 way switch | 1 Volume 2 Tone Knurled Chrome plus 5 way switch |
| Hardware | Chrome | Chrome | Chrome |
| Bridge | Hardtail | Yamaha Vibrato | Yamaha Vibrato |
| Pickguard | Black | White | Black on the black one and white on the others |
| Colours | Black Cream White or Regal Blue | Black Candy Apple Red or Pearl White | Black Candy Apple Red or Two tone Sunburst |
Notes and Anomalies
The 200 and the 300 have Nato bodies often in adverts sellers describe them incorrectly as Mahogany
The 450 is described in the catolgue as having a body of Solid Alder but in the notes it says Selected Maple and Alder used in body
I suspect the Sunburst is Maple and the other colours Alder but have no proof of this.
The jack socket on the 200 is in the pickguard where the second tone would be on the other models it is in the normal place at the side of the body
Colours are as described in the catalogue but there are others, as well as the 300 pictured I have also seen a blueburst 300 see picture below.
Note also the 300 pictured above has the "wrong" control knobs
Here's the 300 in Blueburst at least it has the right control knobs