What the fuck is up with this guy? I freakin' love him. I've never seen a guitar/amp demo that had such clear info. it's like he's generous instead of egotistical or self-conscious. (Seems like maybe a life choice for him though.) The whole video just had an uptempo feel that was awesome. AND the cat can play. He knows tone but is also super articulate about differences in tone. Shit man. This is tops. This dude will be north of 200K subs by this time next year.
The revstar is better than my USA fender and gibson guitars, spent 28 years trying to find the guitar that is perfect and this is it. Just buy one , it will be your forever guitar guarenteed.
like most guitarists, over the years i have ignored Yamaha because, essentially, they have never offered anything i couldn't get from another brand. but the Revstar might be the first PROPER Yamaha choice they have put forward. it is it's own thing, AND, it's good. this guitar deserves to be popular. i need a p90 guitar and Revstar just made the short list.
The P90 sound with the humbucker look would be my choice, although I loved the sound of both of them. If I had to pick one I would waffle back and forth and never leave the store.
@@FlorentChardevel or drop in some p-94 type, can get similar sound to p-90 and if you get from GF they have the quick plugs so you can swap back and forth or 1 of each or what have you, easy as a couple screws and a string change, no need to buy 2 of the same guitar, unless you are super particular on having an exact "true p-90" sound, but ive not found the diff to be such that a little EQing cant easily tweak the sound to be the same, or really damn close.
I think this update to the line moves the Revstar platform into the "classic" camp. It wouldn't be weird for someone to say "I'm a Revstar guy" in the same way someone might say "I'm a Strat guy."
Doubtful. They've had guitars in this form factor for ages, ie the SG. Even in the Pacifica line, they have super embelished models, but nobody in the general audience would say, "Oh check out that Yamaha PAC612V!"
I just got a merlot P90 model today. A friend of mine got a black one recently and was raving about it and i had never owned a electric Yamaha guitar before. I own about 40 guitars. Ranging from G&L, Fender, Gibson etc. This guitar is hands down one of the nicest guitars for the $. Just like all of the Yamaha products ive recently obtained, its all good stuff. Recently I got into buying cheap Yamaha acoustics, along the way i ended up with a SLG200S and this and im happy I was pointed this direction. So far in 6 months my Yamaha collection consists of: F310 (traded a cheap microphone for) F325 (Blem model $85 delivered) F325D (Blem model $75 delivered) F335 (Blem model $95 delivered) FD01S (Used model $105 shipped) FG700 (Used $148 shipped) FG800 (New $230 Zzounds) SLG200S (New $729 Sweetwater) Revstar p90 (New $799 Sweetwater) I had never owned a Yamaha before recently and everyone of these guitars has been great additions to my collection and nice thing is obtaining all these guitars didnt cost an arm and a leg like some of the guitars i own. With the acoustics I just replaced saddle and nut with bone and intonated saddle and wood pins. Did basic setups. Guitars sound like a million bucks now. The Silent Guitar and the Rev are to me something unique and was needed in the guitar world. The Silent Guitar is worth checking out, it is NOT a toy, it is a REAL guitar. Dont let the looks fool ya. With the Rev they nailed the electronics and did something that isnt done enough. Pickup variations. Most P90 guitars have a 3 way. This was nice to get a 5 way and the mid boost. The only complain i had and have had with any of the Yamahas ive gotten, scratchy frets. Easy enough fix, but def more elbow grease on the Rev's stainless steel frets for sure. Yamaha has something going for it in many ways and among them is the finish or lack of finish on the back of the necks. I shave the back of all my necks (yes every guitar i own weather its a $800 guitar or a $5000 guitar has no finish on the neck). I tour and play festival stages in humidity, cold, rain, you name it. Sticky necks SUCK to deal with as your feel like your spending all your energy making sure your hand is going where it normally would go with little to no effort. I wish more companies would do this. THe Yamaha FG700 is one of the best acoustic guitars ive every played, not making that up. For $148 ! The Rev is worth all of $800 imho. 2 issues with the Rev: Black 5 way tip (doesnt match the rest of the guitar, i ordered a cream one) Scratchy frets Thats it and for someone like me to only find 2 issues on a guitar and small issues at that, thats saying something. I do want to make a rosewood guard for mine and get chrome pickup covers. Anyone know of anyone who makes guards for these newer rev's?
This is the first video I’ve seen of Jay’s. can’t believe that I’ve never come across this channel before. An absolute beast of a guitar player and reviewer.
I love the Revstar guitars. The shape looked iconic from the moment Yamaha released them. I've played electric guitars for fourty years now and even though I have a good bunch of perfect and often expensive guitars, I NEVER had a guitar with P90's. So that version would be my choice. Pretty good chance I'll buy one, because they're crazy cheap. And it's hard to find a Yamaha guitar that isn't good. These guys know how to build guitars! And again, I just love the looks of them. ❤️
I have to disagree. The Pacifica was once the best affordable, import strat style guitar. However, they haven’t changed their guitars since the rise of sooo many better imported s style guitars. Id much rather play an mim fender than the top of the line Pacifica. Id rather play any squire than a comparable price Pacifica. They gotta update that line or drop it altogether because currently it SUX!
Great video for a really interesting guitar. For all those wondering where the intro riffs come from (beautifully executed): The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk
Jay . . . I've watched this review several times ... I love hearing the guitars ... love hearing you talk about them ... Enjoy your playing ... But the one thing it hasn't done, is help me make up my mind! I definitely want both!
I really appreciate this video as an example of the general difference in sound between p90s and humbuckers: the humbuckers sounded compressed and thus smoother, but depending on the sound a person is going for they might find the humbuckers sounded a bit sterile compared to the p90s. And on the other hand, the p90s sound livelier and more nuanced, but a person could also call the sound less-focused and noisier. It all depends on what you wanna hear coming out of your own fingertips. Nice playing as well!
Very good indeed. Maybe you can help me. I play mostly complex chords on a crunch to overdrive rock sound. So what I need is a good note resolution in complex overdriven chords with a smooth and ear-pleasing tone.
@@bille77 It's really personal taste, lots of people have gone for the tones it sounds like you're going for with both p90s and humbuckers. IMO p90s are pretty great for setting up your amp with higher gain and lower volume so your guitar sounds clean with the guitar volume turned down, but then dirty's up into overdrive when you turn the volume knob up. I think the main reason for this is that p90s are (generally) heavier in bass and midtones than other single coil types, so you can play single strings gently and the tone will be bell like and clear like a Tele, but then if you lean into like 3-4 strings at the same time it'll break seamlessly into beautiful saturation. This same characteristic can make p90s sound overly dirty at higher gain levels, but in a lot of early punk rock they chose Gibson's with p90s specifically because of that dirty overdriven sound, so again it depends on what you want. But if you're going for "smooth, good note resolution with complex chords on higher overdrive" maybe Humbuckers are what you need, as they're more controllable in my experience. P90s on high overdrive is just a big fat wall of beautiful crunch and shred, but maybe too muddy if you're looking for note resolution. On the other hand, if you like to play with a mix of clean and slightly overdriven tones, p90s are hard to beat as far as liveliness, richness, and versatility goes. Both Rhett Shull and Chris Buck use p90s in their main guitars and both have great videos on TH-cam demonstrating that "edge of breakup" tone. And I'm nowhere near their level, but for my personal taste I never found a guitar where I truly got obsessed with the tone until I tried p90s on light overdrive.
Funny thing is - Yamaha makes both the P90 AND humbuckers, that aren't typical / standard, their have their own ceramic Alnico thing going on, that separates Yamaha sound from thr redtl of the market and actually make their P90 and humbuckers sound more like a classic Telecaster / Stratocaster than a Gibson stuff.
I can only say this to a guitarist, you really know how to play with yourself. I mean that in the best possible way. I could hear a drum machine or band in the background even though there was none. Your timing, rhythm and feel is incredible. I prefer the P90 for looks and tones. It’s unfortunate that all the new guitars are not in stock and may not be available for months. Tough times. Thanks for posting this video
P90's all the way. I think of all the pickup designs, the P90 sounds the best - bark when you want it but with a clarity and sparkle that humbuckers lack. If I were to get one of these, I'd probably end up coughing up the dough for a set of noiseless Kinmans or Lollars. A big investment but sadly, the 60 cycle noise of P90's is the fly in the honey.
I like the P90 pickups better than the humbuckers for the Revstar Standard. The P90s have more dynamic range and sound clearer to me. I would definitely buy the P90 version.
The new Revstar updates with 41.9mm nut, satin neck finish, chambered body and stainless steel jumbo frets are very appealing! I lean towards teles and strats typically, so the P90 version would be my choice :)
I have the P90 version in sunset burst on order from Sweetwater for a few months now and probably won’t get it for a few more months, but I can’t wait to get it!
YOU are a very good guitar player, and a very talented videographer and you are very good at communicating subtle nuances that are hard to explain anyway. Thank you for your fantastic review! If you have time, I would be happy if you could tell us something about the signal chain. I really love that sound!
Great review. Your demo justifies me owning both. (I just got the P90 version!) The P90 is a little brighter than the thick crunchy humbucker. As you have said, they both maintain clarity in all positions . I wanna be a Revstar guy!
The P90 version is the one for me. Amazing clarity and dynamics, and when you kick on a little bit of overdrive with the focus switch engaged in position 2, it gives a pretty convincing bridge humbucker tone. When you’re in position 4 with tone rolled off to around 7 and playing clean, it has an acoustic-esque thing going on. Incredibly versatile.
I love P90s and humbuckers. I love filtertrons and fender single coils too. I like them all as long as they’re not high gain or active. Even when I play high gain I still want a low output pickup.
This guitar dropped at the perfect time for me. Longtime Yamaha fan…. Have played their acoustics and basses but very intrigued by the revstar! P90 for me!
P90 version all day long. I love that dynamic range, and the aesthetic with the tailpiece. Plus, the focus switch with the buckers just seems too muddy and unusable.
Like most people on here, I think that your review was super. I especially liked how you played them both back and forth in each switch position. You really could hear the difference. I think i slightly prefer the p90, also i like the tailpiece. But the HB one was also great. I have the element model in HB, and it is excellent. But i'm excited about the stainless frets and neck improvements on the standard. Thanks again Jay!
Two immaculate guitars. Both sound and look great. Already have an older Revstar with P90's that I'm more than satisfied with. So the choice is easy for me. Yamaha are as good as it gets in guitars.
JLJ is the absolute best! I watch these regularly. Jay runs through different playing styles, and understands musicians' expansive use/playing style of an instrument, which many others don't have the same skills to do. THANKS JAY! I wanna' buy all the new gear. :)
Best guitar videos I have ever seen. a beginners dream.. spoken in a way that is informative and in away that I can really decide which model I would like to buy.. thank you P90's thx
Finally someone who reviews guitars playing lots of different styles & without swamping the sound with over the top reverb/delay and distortion pedals! Hello Americans! Only joshing! Or am I?
P90's! A lot of variation in sounds available! And with the focus switch on, gets you into humbucker sounding territory! And like you said, it pops! Excellent demo and superbly excellent playing!
As you may see from my photo, green is a favourtie colour of mine, and the green version is beautiful in my opinion, but man, it was hard to vote agaist those P90 pick-ups. Exactly as Jay said, they've got so much more dynamic response, I just don't like the creamy plastic look of them even though its a classic look for them. I looked at the many Seymour Duncans P90s, so it would be tempting to go with either black or chrome with a set of theirs, but it'd add a lot to your costs just for the sake of looks.
I just got the Indonesian version in the exact Merlot colour he played. It is an awesome guitar. The fit and finnish are high quality. Make no mistake, the Indonesian model sound and finish is brilliant. QA is very good.
They both sound great, but the P90's really stroke my soul! The green with racing stripe is very eye-catching ... but I really like the gold top model that Chris Buck plays as well. Cheers 🍻 great, unpretentious, informative, tasty, and fun video!! Thanks!!
Okay, I have to add this, I like the looks of that green with the black stripes HB model. I want that same color combo with the P90's though, that would be epic.
Well done, Jay! Thanks for the work, talent, and energy you put into this review. I had two previous generation RevStars and ended up moving them on to other players. But these new editions have me looking with fresh eyes. So many reviewers focus on the technical details of the instrument, but in the end we pick up the guitar that delights us with sound and 'soul', not its mechanics. You demonstrated what really matters at the end of the discussion; passion. Thanks again. I've had my finger on the 'Complete Purchase" button several times and backed away. Yamaha should thank you properly for doing a more convincing promotion of these guitars than their own marketing. Keep up the great work, my friend.
Both sounded great. As I've got a Les Paul with humbuckers and a Strat I'm liking the P90 version to add variety to my sounds. But I wish I could have both! This is the first guitar not of the Fender, Gibson, PRS families that has caught my eye. Finally!
Thank you JLJ for showing me and my sons the Yamaha Revstar lineup at the Cosmo Music Yamaha Mezzanine Grand Opening. You're a fantastic guitar player. Had the Blue P90 Revstar for a week, love the tonal versatility...one to keep. The hardshell case looked a lot better in real than in picture.. Hope you'll come to Toronto to perform again.
It was an absolute joy to meet the fam and help you make your choice!!! I hope that beautiful axe gives you years and years of great music :) Please keep in touch and I hope to catch you next time I'm in Ontario :)
@@JayLeonardJ What a wonderful shopping experience I had. :-) By the way, my son won one of the Wireless Yamaha THR-II Guitar Amp from the Cosmo Yamaha Prize draw, what a timely complement to my Yamaha Revstar !!!!
bro everytime i stumble upon one of your gear reviews i get mezmerized by your playing. your noodleing is just 10 times better than my playing when i try my best :D
Gotta say for me I'm RSS220 all day! Green with the humbuckers. So interesting how Yamaha chambers the inside of the guitar. This guitar is all about subtleties and detail. Also FANTASTIC review!
The P90's are definitely brighter and more articulate. but listening with headphones on I could hear the 60 cycle hum during the comparison. The humbuckers sounded warmer and less articulate, but not as good as other video Revstar demos I've seen with the same pickups. I'm sure the amp has and settings have a lot to do with that. I was thinking the Revstar was going to be my SG alternative, but those P90's are speaking to my single coil obsession. Great demo.
I really dug the P90 one. It did sound like a tele to me, beefed up a bit. The clarity and dynamics and its openess to the sound are great. I’m not a fan of how compressed the humbucker sounded, though it was a nice sound.
Dude you love playing these guitars so much it's contagious! Thanks for a really decent walk-through and getting serious with them. Really enjoyed this! EDIT: I have to have them both - that's all there is to it.
Excellent, in depth, review. The comparison is spot on, helps making the choice of the instrument super easy, simple, and clear. You are a very dedicated and meticulous educator! I salute you and thank you for this beautiful analysis.
Great demo! How have I not seen this channel before? Subscribed immediately. To me, the P-90 is the way to go. There are so many useful tones available (especially the in betweens) and the Focus switch darkens it up to put it in humbucker territory. I can see why some might not like the tailpiece, but I think it gives the guitar a vintage vibe sort of like a Gretsch or an old arch top. The humbucker is quite nice as well, particularly in the in between setting where it has a bit of that nasal early 70s Les Paul sound.
I’ve had my eyes on the Revstars since I saw you playing it when they came out. Love the look. With the new lineup, I think I’d have to go with the P90’s, tho both sounded great. Thanks for the video!
I bought the P90 version. It has a very wide dynamic range without ever sounding muddy. The Humbucker version sounds Les Paul generic to me and it doesn’t cut through the mix like the P90 version. I love mine.
Reminds me of Malcolm Youngs gretch just has all its pups. I love those p90’s. However, with the boost, the gorgeous clarity of the buckers and icing on the cake is how damned versatile it is. Best sounding pups/electronics package of any guitar out now!
I was a sound man for 3 bands back in the 80's and the lead guitar player had a Yamaha SG1600 he named it Elaine and man! Did that guitar have a great mid crunch rock tone that Les Pauls don't come close to! He played thru a Yamaha RD210 amp, it had some breakup trying to play clean at high volumes on country songs but that was a very nice compact amp too. It I was a guitar up and comer and would ask to take that SG1600 home to play around with at home. It was the first time I felt what playing a FRETLESS WONDER was like! I recall that sweet double cutaway and the great 7 layer edge binding with the black body and cream color binding, abalone fret board and the distinct mother of pearl butterfly inlays. Those Humbuckers were great clean or in overdrive. I would love to pick up any of the SG Yamahas. The neck feel was great, less front to back thickness with about a 13 inch neck radius. If I could only afford what these now fetch! It is, in some cases higher than a lot of Les Pauls!
I can't believe how much thought was put into these guitars, and within this price range? It's just unbelievable value. I can't say that I freakin love the design, not my cup of tea tbh, like I kinda like it and hate it at the same time, but the sound, versatility and craftsmanship seems unbeatable. I was hesitating between this one and a PRS se custom 24, looking for a nice reliable working horse, but this will definately be my next purchase. The only thing that would have make it perfect, at least for me, would´ve been a tremolo version, but you know, you can't have it all. Amazing video, demo and review too btw!!
Something about the yamaha, my dad has had his yamaha sg since 1979. He used to plug it in and play it every Friday evening after work. It was the highlight of the week for me watching my dad play. He still owns it but doesn't play it often. He's 76 now so his rock'n'roll day's are behind him lol. He said its mine when he passes on.
What the fuck is up with this guy? I freakin' love him. I've never seen a guitar/amp demo that had such clear info. it's like he's generous instead of egotistical or self-conscious. (Seems like maybe a life choice for him though.) The whole video just had an uptempo feel that was awesome. AND the cat can play. He knows tone but is also super articulate about differences in tone. Shit man. This is tops. This dude will be north of 200K subs by this time next year.
Yes he's great, and with so much genuine enthusiasm. Only problem is that everything he plays sounds so good!
He could play toaster and i would buy it :)
He is a tele man, so you know his heart is in the right place...
He’s just a great player. It’s a pleasure to listen to him demo this stuff … kid was born to play the thing.
just discovered him today, Subbed!
The revstar is better than my USA fender and gibson guitars, spent 28 years trying to find the guitar that is perfect and this is it. Just buy one , it will be your forever guitar guarenteed.
How so?
like most guitarists, over the years i have ignored Yamaha because, essentially, they have never offered anything i couldn't get from another brand.
but the Revstar might be the first PROPER Yamaha choice they have put forward. it is it's own thing, AND, it's good. this guitar deserves to be popular.
i need a p90 guitar and Revstar just made the short list.
In case anyone is wondering; intro song is instrumental version of Walk Idiot Walk by the Hives.
The P90 sound with the humbucker look would be my choice, although I loved the sound of both of them. If I had to pick one I would waffle back and forth and never leave the store.
The P90 model fits my style. It's clarity is amazing.
Me 2..lol
Buy both.....
I guess I'll eventually buy both. I went for the humbuckers version because it fits my needs better at the moment, but I just love the P90s sound.
@@FlorentChardevel or drop in some p-94 type, can get similar sound to p-90 and if you get from GF they have the quick plugs so you can swap back and forth or 1 of each or what have you, easy as a couple screws and a string change, no need to buy 2 of the same guitar, unless you are super particular on having an exact "true p-90" sound, but ive not found the diff to be such that a little EQing cant easily tweak the sound to be the same, or really damn close.
I think this update to the line moves the Revstar platform into the "classic" camp. It wouldn't be weird for someone to say "I'm a Revstar guy" in the same way someone might say "I'm a Strat guy."
Hilarious, I was actually just talking to someone about that same thing a few weeks ago!
Doubtful. They've had guitars in this form factor for ages, ie the SG. Even in the Pacifica line, they have super embelished models, but nobody in the general audience would say, "Oh check out that Yamaha PAC612V!"
@@9unslin9er -- There are plenty of vids on TH-cam that do the very thing you doubt.
Funny you say that. I own a strat and am seriously looking into buying a Revstar... so you could say I'm ahhh.... Revstrat guy??...
@@9unslin9er The shape is so not an SG o.O that's like saying every asymmetric double cut is a strat...
The Hives jam totally sold me on the P90s! Bravo sir
Glad the vid helped!
I ain't got the most descriptive way to put it, but the P90s just have more personality to my liking. Jay makes everything sound great.
I just got a merlot P90 model today. A friend of mine got a black one recently and was raving about it and i had never owned a electric Yamaha guitar before. I own about 40 guitars. Ranging from G&L, Fender, Gibson etc. This guitar is hands down one of the nicest guitars for the $. Just like all of the Yamaha products ive recently obtained, its all good stuff. Recently I got into buying cheap Yamaha acoustics, along the way i ended up with a SLG200S and this and im happy I was pointed this direction.
So far in 6 months my Yamaha collection consists of:
F310 (traded a cheap microphone for)
F325 (Blem model $85 delivered)
F325D (Blem model $75 delivered)
F335 (Blem model $95 delivered)
FD01S (Used model $105 shipped)
FG700 (Used $148 shipped)
FG800 (New $230 Zzounds)
SLG200S (New $729 Sweetwater)
Revstar p90 (New $799 Sweetwater)
I had never owned a Yamaha before recently and everyone of these guitars has been great additions to my collection and nice thing is obtaining all these guitars didnt cost an arm and a leg like some of the guitars i own. With the acoustics I just replaced saddle and nut with bone and intonated saddle and wood pins. Did basic setups. Guitars sound like a million bucks now. The Silent Guitar and the Rev are to me something unique and was needed in the guitar world. The Silent Guitar is worth checking out, it is NOT a toy, it is a REAL guitar. Dont let the looks fool ya. With the Rev they nailed the electronics and did something that isnt done enough. Pickup variations. Most P90 guitars have a 3 way. This was nice to get a 5 way and the mid boost. The only complain i had and have had with any of the Yamahas ive gotten, scratchy frets. Easy enough fix, but def more elbow grease on the Rev's stainless steel frets for sure. Yamaha has something going for it in many ways and among them is the finish or lack of finish on the back of the necks. I shave the back of all my necks (yes every guitar i own weather its a $800 guitar or a $5000 guitar has no finish on the neck). I tour and play festival stages in humidity, cold, rain, you name it. Sticky necks SUCK to deal with as your feel like your spending all your energy making sure your hand is going where it normally would go with little to no effort. I wish more companies would do this. THe Yamaha FG700 is one of the best acoustic guitars ive every played, not making that up. For $148 ! The Rev is worth all of $800 imho.
2 issues with the Rev:
Black 5 way tip (doesnt match the rest of the guitar, i ordered a cream one)
Scratchy frets
Thats it and for someone like me to only find 2 issues on a guitar and small issues at that, thats saying something.
I do want to make a rosewood guard for mine and get chrome pickup covers. Anyone know of anyone who makes guards for these newer rev's?
This is the first video I’ve seen of Jay’s. can’t believe that I’ve never come across this channel before. An absolute beast of a guitar player and reviewer.
Thanks!
Yea, he's an all around good dude.
Omg P90 on neck position is holy grail! 🤘
Attracted by the Revstar review...I like this guy's personality!
J's great. He burns more calories playing seated than I do all day
He's got some chops too
Excellent demo! I like the blues and distortion, so Ill go with the HB version.
He is having a great time playing. His energy is joyous as are the noises he can make with a guitar.
I love the Revstar guitars. The shape looked iconic from the moment Yamaha released them.
I've played electric guitars for fourty years now and even though I have a good bunch of perfect and often expensive guitars, I NEVER had a guitar with P90's. So that version would be my choice. Pretty good chance I'll buy one, because they're crazy cheap. And it's hard to find a Yamaha guitar that isn't good. These guys know how to build guitars!
And again, I just love the looks of them. ❤️
I also have a heap of expensive guitars, and a revstar 502t, it is equally as good......... seriously
@@johnmurray3346 So do I, I have a 620 with the wraparound and the steelwool top and both is gone, hm.
I have to disagree. The Pacifica was once the best affordable, import strat style guitar. However, they haven’t changed their guitars since the rise of sooo many better imported s style guitars. Id much rather play an mim fender than the top of the line Pacifica. Id rather play any squire than a comparable price Pacifica. They gotta update that line or drop it altogether because currently it SUX!
Love the comparison of the two, but hands down, IMO, the humbuckers sound so much better. I also love the color pattern of the humbucker version too.
My next guitar, I think... as soon as I lean to play the ones I have. Outstanding video!
Great video for a really interesting guitar. For all those wondering where the intro riffs come from (beautifully executed): The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk
Yes, the video deserves a like just for that alone!
Jay . . . I've watched this review several times ... I love hearing the guitars ... love hearing you talk about them ... Enjoy your playing ... But the one thing it hasn't done, is help me make up my mind! I definitely want both!
I really appreciate this video as an example of the general difference in sound between p90s and humbuckers: the humbuckers sounded compressed and thus smoother, but depending on the sound a person is going for they might find the humbuckers sounded a bit sterile compared to the p90s. And on the other hand, the p90s sound livelier and more nuanced, but a person could also call the sound less-focused and noisier. It all depends on what you wanna hear coming out of your own fingertips. Nice playing as well!
Good description. That's about right.
Very good indeed. Maybe you can help me. I play mostly complex chords on a crunch to overdrive rock sound. So what I need is a good note resolution in complex overdriven chords with a smooth and ear-pleasing tone.
@@bille77 It's really personal taste, lots of people have gone for the tones it sounds like you're going for with both p90s and humbuckers. IMO p90s are pretty great for setting up your amp with higher gain and lower volume so your guitar sounds clean with the guitar volume turned down, but then dirty's up into overdrive when you turn the volume knob up. I think the main reason for this is that p90s are (generally) heavier in bass and midtones than other single coil types, so you can play single strings gently and the tone will be bell like and clear like a Tele, but then if you lean into like 3-4 strings at the same time it'll break seamlessly into beautiful saturation. This same characteristic can make p90s sound overly dirty at higher gain levels, but in a lot of early punk rock they chose Gibson's with p90s specifically because of that dirty overdriven sound, so again it depends on what you want.
But if you're going for "smooth, good note resolution with complex chords on higher overdrive" maybe Humbuckers are what you need, as they're more controllable in my experience. P90s on high overdrive is just a big fat wall of beautiful crunch and shred, but maybe too muddy if you're looking for note resolution.
On the other hand, if you like to play with a mix of clean and slightly overdriven tones, p90s are hard to beat as far as liveliness, richness, and versatility goes. Both Rhett Shull and Chris Buck use p90s in their main guitars and both have great videos on TH-cam demonstrating that "edge of breakup" tone. And I'm nowhere near their level, but for my personal taste I never found a guitar where I truly got obsessed with the tone until I tried p90s on light overdrive.
Funny thing is - Yamaha makes both the P90 AND humbuckers, that aren't typical / standard, their have their own ceramic Alnico thing going on, that separates Yamaha sound from thr redtl of the market and actually make their P90 and humbuckers sound more like a classic Telecaster / Stratocaster than a Gibson stuff.
One of the best demos ever. Really gives the listener clear differences. Great job!
Thanks a lot!
I can only say this to a guitarist, you really know how to play with yourself. I mean that in the best possible way. I could hear a drum machine or band in the background even though there was none. Your timing, rhythm and feel is incredible. I prefer the P90 for looks and tones. It’s unfortunate that all the new guitars are not in stock and may not be available for months. Tough times. Thanks for posting this video
It's interesting that a number of them are in stock in Europe, but not in the US for some unknown reason. 🤔
hands down the best guitar review and comparison I've ever watched, amazing personality and straight to the point the viewer wants
5:33 those bluesy runs! The world needs to hear more of this good action 👍
P90's all the way. I think of all the pickup designs, the P90 sounds the best - bark when you want it but with a clarity and sparkle that humbuckers lack. If I were to get one of these, I'd probably end up coughing up the dough for a set of noiseless Kinmans or Lollars. A big investment but sadly, the 60 cycle noise of P90's is the fly in the honey.
Awesome! A lot of these reviews dropped over the last few days, yours blows all of them away! Well done!
Thanks a ton!
I like the P90 pickups better than the humbuckers for the Revstar Standard. The P90s have more dynamic range and sound clearer to me. I would definitely buy the P90 version.
Ditto
The new Revstar updates with 41.9mm nut, satin neck finish, chambered body and stainless steel jumbo frets are very appealing! I lean towards teles and strats typically, so the P90 version would be my choice :)
That P90 tone is out of this world. Amazing video! You’ve convinced me to get one !
Enjoy!
What a fantastic review. A very charismatic presenter I could listen to all day long. Great guitar playing too. I want the P90 version now ☺
I have the P90 version in sunset burst on order from Sweetwater for a few months now and probably won’t get it for a few more months, but I can’t wait to get it!
YOU are a very good guitar player, and a very talented videographer and you are very good at communicating subtle nuances that are hard to explain anyway. Thank you for your fantastic review! If you have time, I would be happy if you could tell us something about the signal chain. I really love that sound!
I really appreciate it, thanks!
Great review. Your demo justifies me owning both. (I just got the P90 version!) The P90 is a little brighter than the thick crunchy humbucker. As you have said, they both maintain clarity in all positions . I wanna be a Revstar guy!
i was there the whole time. haring that energy. felt like i was chillin with a fellow guitar buddy and he was just riffin
The P90 version is the one for me. Amazing clarity and dynamics, and when you kick on a little bit of overdrive with the focus switch engaged in position 2, it gives a pretty convincing bridge humbucker tone. When you’re in position 4 with tone rolled off to around 7 and playing clean, it has an acoustic-esque thing going on. Incredibly versatile.
Amazing ability to describe tones. GREAT job. Awesome playing. Shocked how much I like the P90 sounds.
Thanks! The P90 definitely rocks!
I love P90s and humbuckers. I love filtertrons and fender single coils too. I like them all as long as they’re not high gain or active. Even when I play high gain I still want a low output pickup.
Had to hit the like button during the intro song... It's way too good !
I am working my way through this and I can't believe how great a player Jay is. I'm a new subscriber.
Welcome to the page! Really glad you dug the vid :)
This guitar dropped at the perfect time for me. Longtime Yamaha fan…. Have played their acoustics and basses but very intrigued by the revstar! P90 for me!
Great guitars! Hope you enjoy it!
Great review . . . thanks! Both of these guitars are rock machines, but those P90s have a really unique sound!
I still like the older versions looks wise. Great demo Jay whose been around for yrs as a great player and demo guy and plays in a band too.
This is the best review of the Revstar I've seen. Fantastic review and playing! This is how it is done. Thanks, Jay!
Really appreciate it :)
I like the stripes and the bridge of the HB, but God, the sound of the P90, is absolute killer
Excellent review. The detailed commentary about the pickups was very informative. Now I want both versions of the Revstar.
Correct answer, haha
Yes, you do!
I've got an rs320 (humbuckers) and the new standard with p90's.. Love them both.
P90 version all day long. I love that dynamic range, and the aesthetic with the tailpiece. Plus, the focus switch with the buckers just seems too muddy and unusable.
Totally agree!
Yup!
Like most people on here, I think that your review was super. I especially liked how you played them both back and forth in each switch position. You really could hear the difference. I think i slightly prefer the p90, also i like the tailpiece. But the HB one was also great. I have the element model in HB, and it is excellent. But i'm excited about the stainless frets and neck improvements on the standard. Thanks again Jay!
Two immaculate guitars. Both sound and look great. Already have an older Revstar with P90's that I'm more than satisfied with. So the choice is easy for me. Yamaha are as good as it gets in guitars.
Best demo and review of this guitars ever. Awesome!
Thanks so much :)
Jay I preferred the humbucker setup I felt as it had a better all round sound and playability. Thanks for the demo as usual u play AWSOME!!!
JLJ is the absolute best! I watch these regularly. Jay runs through different playing styles, and understands musicians' expansive use/playing style of an instrument, which many others don't have the same skills to do. THANKS JAY! I wanna' buy all the new gear. :)
Best guitar videos I have ever seen. a beginners dream.. spoken in a way that is informative and in away that I can really decide which model I would like to buy.. thank you P90's thx
Rock on!
The best revstar review.
I like the humbucker looks the best
P90X sound the best but can be bad for noise and hum at time.
Finally someone who reviews guitars playing lots of different styles & without swamping the sound with over the top reverb/delay and distortion pedals! Hello Americans! Only joshing! Or am I?
P90's! A lot of variation in sounds available! And with the focus switch on, gets you into humbucker sounding territory! And like you said, it pops! Excellent demo and superbly excellent playing!
This guy is a monster! I love his playing every time i watch his video I'm inspired and he looks like he's having fun.
Thanks so much, really appreciate it :)
Very helpful!! a lot of reviewers forget (or maybe can't) show the full dynamics and range of the instrument.
Really appreciate it!
Dang; that P-90 sounds killer. Great playing, Jay!
That was some killer jammin' there at the beginning. Masterful playing on beautiful instruments, all the way through; terrific vid, thank ya.
As you may see from my photo, green is a favourtie colour of mine, and the green version is beautiful in my opinion, but man, it was hard to vote agaist those P90 pick-ups. Exactly as Jay said, they've got so much more dynamic response, I just don't like the creamy plastic look of them even though its a classic look for them. I looked at the many Seymour Duncans P90s, so it would be tempting to go with either black or chrome with a set of theirs, but it'd add a lot to your costs just for the sake of looks.
P-90’s … forever. ☮️
I just got the Indonesian version in the exact Merlot colour he played. It is an awesome guitar. The fit and finnish are high quality. Make no mistake, the Indonesian model sound and finish is brilliant. QA is very good.
Sold! Humbuckers.
Excellent review.
Just need some guitars in stock to buy.
They both sound great, but the P90's really stroke my soul! The green with racing stripe is very eye-catching ...
but I really like the gold top model that Chris Buck plays as well.
Cheers 🍻 great, unpretentious, informative, tasty, and fun video!! Thanks!!
Okay, I have to add this, I like the looks of that green with the black stripes HB model. I want that same color combo with the P90's though, that would be epic.
I have the old version. I like the dry switch more than that new "dull-switch".
I really like the sound of the P90s. Realky sweet. Thanks.
Best guitar demo I've ever seen on TH-cam. The playing, the knowledge, the information. Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Love his playing. Great tone m8! & Getting The Cars/Elliot Easton vibes in the introoo
Well done, Jay! Thanks for the work, talent, and energy you put into this review. I had two previous generation RevStars and ended up moving them on to other players. But these new editions have me looking with fresh eyes. So many reviewers focus on the technical details of the instrument, but in the end we pick up the guitar that delights us with sound and 'soul', not its mechanics. You demonstrated what really matters at the end of the discussion; passion. Thanks again. I've had my finger on the 'Complete Purchase" button several times and backed away. Yamaha should thank you properly for doing a more convincing promotion of these guitars than their own marketing. Keep up the great work, my friend.
That really means a lot! Thanks for writing :)
Both sounded great. As I've got a Les Paul with humbuckers and a Strat I'm liking the P90 version to add variety to my sounds. But I wish I could have both! This is the first guitar not of the Fender, Gibson, PRS families that has caught my eye. Finally!
Thank you JLJ for showing me and my sons the Yamaha Revstar lineup at the Cosmo Music Yamaha Mezzanine Grand Opening. You're a fantastic guitar player. Had the Blue P90 Revstar for a week, love the tonal versatility...one to keep. The hardshell case looked a lot better in real than in picture.. Hope you'll come to Toronto to perform again.
It was an absolute joy to meet the fam and help you make your choice!!! I hope that beautiful axe gives you years and years of great music :) Please keep in touch and I hope to catch you next time I'm in Ontario :)
@@JayLeonardJ What a wonderful shopping experience I had. :-) By the way, my son won one of the Wireless Yamaha THR-II Guitar Amp from the Cosmo Yamaha Prize draw, what a timely complement to my Yamaha Revstar !!!!
bro everytime i stumble upon one of your gear reviews i get mezmerized by your playing. your noodleing is just 10 times better than my playing when i try my best :D
I have both the p90 and the HB. If you can only get one go the p90. It’s epic.
Gotta say for me I'm RSS220 all day! Green with the humbuckers. So interesting how Yamaha chambers the inside of the guitar. This guitar is all about subtleties and detail. Also FANTASTIC review!
The P90's are definitely brighter and more articulate. but listening with headphones on I could hear the 60 cycle hum during the comparison. The humbuckers sounded warmer and less articulate, but not as good as other video Revstar demos I've seen with the same pickups. I'm sure the amp has and settings have a lot to do with that. I was thinking the Revstar was going to be my SG alternative, but those P90's are speaking to my single coil obsession. Great demo.
I really dug the P90 one. It did sound like a tele to me, beefed up a bit. The clarity and dynamics and its openess to the sound are great. I’m not a fan of how compressed the humbucker sounded, though it was a nice sound.
The Yamaha revstar series blows a telecaster out of the water.
I sold my telecaster for a revstar very happy.
P90s sound for me. Love the look of the metalic green with the black plate though!
Good demo - thank you.
Dude you love playing these guitars so much it's contagious! Thanks for a really decent walk-through and getting serious with them. Really enjoyed this! EDIT: I have to have them both - that's all there is to it.
I was thinking one could buy the P-90 Standard and also buy the more affordable Element-series humbucker model to own both on a budget. 😎
The humbucker one for me. I wish I can afford it right now!!
Excellent, in depth, review. The comparison is spot on, helps making the choice of the instrument super easy, simple, and clear. You are a very dedicated and meticulous educator! I salute you and thank you for this beautiful analysis.
Really appreciate it, thanks for watching!
The Humbucker version hits the sweet spot between LP and 335. Great demo!
Can't decide! I'll take one of each! Thanks, JLJ!
Correct!
Great demo! How have I not seen this channel before? Subscribed immediately.
To me, the P-90 is the way to go. There are so many useful tones available (especially the in betweens) and the Focus switch darkens it up to put it in humbucker territory. I can see why some might not like the tailpiece, but I think it gives the guitar a vintage vibe sort of like a Gretsch or an old arch top. The humbucker is quite nice as well, particularly in the in between setting where it has a bit of that nasal early 70s Les Paul sound.
I’ve had my eyes on the Revstars since I saw you playing it when they came out. Love the look. With the new lineup, I think I’d have to go with the P90’s, tho both sounded great. Thanks for the video!
Yeah, I've had many great years with my old Revstar. Really loving where they are taking the line and, yes, that P90 is awesome!
I bought the P90 version. It has a very wide dynamic range without ever sounding muddy. The Humbucker version sounds Les Paul generic to me and it doesn’t cut through the mix like the P90 version. I love mine.
Really wonderful axes :)
By far the most convincing demo of these guitars online. Good job!
Reminds me of Malcolm Youngs gretch just has all its pups. I love those p90’s. However, with the boost, the gorgeous clarity of the buckers and icing on the cake is how damned versatile it is. Best sounding pups/electronics package of any guitar out now!
I was a sound man for 3 bands back in the 80's and the lead guitar player had a Yamaha SG1600 he named it Elaine and man! Did that guitar have a great mid crunch rock tone that Les Pauls don't come close to! He played thru a Yamaha RD210 amp, it had some breakup trying to play clean at high volumes on country songs but that was a very nice compact amp too. It I was a guitar up and comer and would ask to take that SG1600 home to play around with at home. It was the first time I felt what playing a FRETLESS WONDER was like! I recall that sweet double cutaway and the great 7 layer edge binding with the black body and cream color binding, abalone fret board and the distinct mother of pearl butterfly inlays. Those Humbuckers were great clean or in overdrive. I would love to pick up any of the SG Yamahas. The neck feel was great, less front to back thickness with about a 13 inch neck radius. If I could only afford what these now fetch! It is, in some cases higher than a lot of Les Pauls!
Best video I have seen for these guitars!
Thanks so much :)
Great review. You really put this guitar through it's paces. Made my decision easy to buy one. That Santana lick hit the spot for me.
Mr Leonard is an excellent guitar player and an excellent producer of clear, informative content. Very well done.
Thanks!
@@JayLeonardJ Mr pleasure. I hope YT are treating you well.
I can't believe how much thought was put into these guitars, and within this price range? It's just unbelievable value. I can't say that I freakin love the design, not my cup of tea tbh, like I kinda like it and hate it at the same time, but the sound, versatility and craftsmanship seems unbeatable. I was hesitating between this one and a PRS se custom 24, looking for a nice reliable working horse, but this will definately be my next purchase. The only thing that would have make it perfect, at least for me, would´ve been a tremolo version, but you know, you can't have it all. Amazing video, demo and review too btw!!
those p90 have such a presence and range. love'em both !
FANTASTIC playing. You sold me on one of these bad boys.. Love your funk and rock fusion vibe
I'm not having buyers remorse after watching this video . I'm looking forward to my Yamaha showing up now .
Hope you enjoy it!
Man, you showcased the two that I would buy! Those P90s sound amazing but I love that Flash Green!
P 90 s are great
Makes me wanna buy this guitar and start playing some tunes
Great review .
Oh man that opening jam was sublime
Thanks!
I had a similar Yamaha axe back in the 70s/80s. It was called the SF or Superflighter.
Hey Jay, lovin' the love you show the Revstar
Something about the yamaha, my dad has had his yamaha sg since 1979. He used to plug it in and play it every Friday evening after work. It was the highlight of the week for me watching my dad play. He still owns it but doesn't play it often. He's 76 now so his rock'n'roll day's are behind him lol. He said its mine when he passes on.
I had an 85 SG1200s, damn covid makes me sell it, i keep regretting that even after 4 years later