1978 Yamaha SG-700

I still have much to learn about the SG series, but from what I understand,
the SG-700 is a relatively rare model.

This kind of mid-range model isn’t listed in the serial-number chart
in The History of YAMAHA Guitars: Over Sixty Years of Innovation.
In such cases, the pickup date stamp becomes the key to determining the year of manufacture.
On this guitar, the back of the pickup is stamped “53.5.2,”
which indicates May 2, 1978—so it’s safe to say this instrument was built in 1978.

Even when the serial number doesn’t reveal the production year,
the pickup date is a reliable clue—one of the small conveniences of collecting SGs.

The body construction is typical of the era:
a two-piece hard maple top over a two-layer mahogany “pancake” back.
It’s a familiar late-’70s Yamaha specification, solid and well-built.

Weight: 4.55 kg (including strings).
(Updated August 28, 2016)