1978 Yamaha AE2000 – Hollowbody Archtop – Solid top sides and back – Acoustic Electric – MIJ

VINTAGE 1978 YAMAHA AE2000 – Carved Archtop solid top back and sides. 

The AE2000 was the top of the line jazz archtop from 70s onwards until in the 1990s. Modeled after the L5, this guitar features remarkable specs of carved spruce top, set maple neck and 20-fret bound ebony fingerboard with diagonally split block inlays.

This guitar is over 40 years old (1978) but remains in very good playing condition overall.

The electronics work great, but have aged, yet still function as intended. The bridge, top sides and back are smooth and mostly clean – some minor scratches here and there.  No cracks or splits.  You can see in the pics any minor some scratches on the body top and side.

The AE2000 model was loved and played by the prominent jazz players like Joe Beck, Bireli Lagrene and Martin Taylor.  

Serial number: 001270 (stamped on headstock)
Production year: 1978
Made in Japan  (stamped on headstock)
At Tenryu/Wada Factory 

Body: Solid carved Archtop
Top: Solid Spruce, Archtop
Sides: Solid Birch+Beech
Back: Solid Birch+Beech
Bridge: Granadilla/African Blackwood
Fingerboard: Black Ebony
Fingerboard Width:  0 Fret is 43mm, 20th fret is  55.5mm
Frets: 20
Fretwire: Medium Jumbo
Inlays: Split Block Pearl

Neck: Maple (set neck)
Neck Thickness: 1st fret 14.7mm, 9th fret is 17mm
Neck Shape:  It’s difficult to explain the shape of its neck, and how comfortable it is. Slim and mostly flat, like a soft C. The wrist can reach/turn around it easily.
Scale: 640mm, 25.2″
 – NOTE: The owner’s manual is incorrect, the scale is not 600mm.

Total Body Length: 42 1/4″
Total Body Width: 17″
Body Depth: 3.5″
Weight: 8.9 lbs

Electronics:

PU: Two (2) Custom Yamaha Center-Tapped, Alnico V Magnet, Gold plated Humbuckers
–  a unique 3 point adjustment on each pickup for angle perfection
– Push Lock system allows smooth change from humbucker to Single Bobbin

Controls:

Switch: 3 point selector
4 Knobs:  Front Vol, Rear Vol, Front Tone with push lock, Rear Tone with push lock

* For those who may be interested in what distinguishes this guitar from the AE-1200, AE-2000 has carved top and the AE-1200 has arched single ply top. Grenadilla, or African Blackwood, which is mostly used for a clarinet body, is the source of AE-2000 bridge.

Another comment about AE2000 given by The Edge in Guitar World ’87 interview:

“I also use a new Yamaha guitar that I’ve recently been given called an AE2000, which is a big, almost-jazz guitar in style, the big cello wide-body, single-cutaway and F-holes. It uses really tough, big gauge flatwound strings and it sounds sort of classical. I fell in love with it.”

Used for the solo of “In God’s Country” on “The Joshua Tree” album together with the “symphonic” preset of a Yamaha SPX-90. Only time it was used live was the conspiracy of hope tour in 1986 to play “Pride” on it. You can also see this guitar in the video official “with or without you” even it was not used for recording on this song.