Is this too much for a 2000 Les Paul Custom (Yamano)?

[Son-of-a-Gib]

I'm trying to find what LP Customs are going for on Reverb from all sorts of years, including Yamano ones. The prices seem all over the place so it's hard for me to tell. Is this a fair price or will there be wiggle room to negotiate? I know right now is a weird time to try to be selling anything so I'm wondering if a shop will entertain a lower offer on this.

 

[garywright]

is that a Nashville bridge ?…I don’t believe 490/498 pups are stock ..but could be wrong

 

[Son-of-a-Gib]

is that a Nashville bridge ?…I don’t believe 490/498 pups are stock ..but could be wrong

It is a Nashville bridge according to the description. Also mentions CTS pots and paper-in-oil caps upgrades so it's possible the pickups are also a mod.

 

[jb_abides]

is that a Nashville bridge ?…I don’t believe 490/498 pups are stock ..but could be wrong

Nashville and 490/498 appropriate on the non-Historic Reissue LP Custom. Also 2000 ... still USA.

OP: Not sure why Yamano may be desirable on this type of model unless they were able to get preferred weights...? So you'd need to assess alternatives against that specific attribute.

 

[Son-of-a-Gib]

Nashville and 490/498 appropriate on the CS non-Historic Reissue LP Custom.

OP: Not sure why Yamano may be desirable on this type of model unless they were able to get preferred weights...? So you'd need to assess alternatives against that specific attribute.

It's 9lbs 2oz. How's that stacking up against other Customs? From reading around here on the forum, Yamano was a bit of a buzz word for a while but it's worn off. So I'm wondering if this price is just trying to cash in on that trend or if it's fair regardless.

 

[garywright]

pass

 

[jb_abides]

It's 9lbs 2oz. How's that stacking up against other Customs? From reading around here on the forum, Yamano was a bit of a buzz word for a while but it's worn off. So I'm wondering if this price is just trying to cash in on that trend or if it's fair regardless.

Yamano was mostly valued for their insistence on good examples of maple tops on Historic Reissue models, which probably extends a 'halo effect' for quality and subsequently folks' marketing efforts. And that buzz is not as strong as before as you've mentioned. Of course, you can negotiate on these points as well. So, yeah, there may be a name premium being applied... after all is said.

OK, that's a nice non-Historic LP Custom which would be considered a "normal" LPC or today a "CS-serial" LPC, and can be found elsewhere with equivalent specifications.

Now, mind you, the 2000 year wouldn't yet have an inked CS-serial in today's sense, but an impressed serial with 'Made In USA' below. I am just using CS-serial as nomenclature to provide "Specification Equivalency" with all Non-Historic Reissue Customs, which were made in the USA Nashville plant until the went to the Custom Shop later. ​

CS-serial LPC have 9-hole weight relief... unless the Yamano has verified proof of a different spec with very light wood i.e. no relief [not sure if they ever did, some might know better or you could search more extensively].

Further:

• I believe ~2003-on the CS-serial LPC moved from the USA Nashville line to be built in the separate Custom Shop, so that's something to consider.
• 2014-on should also get the hide glue construction.
• Recent models 2017-on have a long tenon [If any of these attributes becomes important factors in your decision, please search to verify this information].

My recommendation would search out the best LPC you can find and play, assuming you are committed to the CS-serial model. Some are heavy, but yes plenty can be found in the 8-9 lbs range.

That prices seem creeping towards the high side unless it can be demonstrated that a Yamano-spec LPC is different in base construction to today's equivalent "CS-serial" LPC, without the 9-hole Swiss cheese, or that there's some other spec that's important, then it's down to the weight and mystique. I'm pretty sure you could find a 1957 Custom Historic Reissue Black Beauty in that range... might be preferable to you if you are OK with Historic spec e.g. no maple cap solid mahogany construction and all the other Reissue specs.

Unless that one is in your hands and giving off stellar vibes and sounds, I'd say feel free to shop around.

Hope I helped a little -- there may be some hard core Yamano expert lurking that can provide more concrete information -- as always, check the details in the specs.

Good luck.

 

[jb_abides]

pass

Terse but fair

 

[1allspub]

In today’s soft used market… yeah, that’s too much $. I just sold a pristine 2022 LPC 57 RI from the CS for several hundred less. It’s a buyer’s market right now. The days of the Covid seller's market are gone.