AES420 Review

For a little more edge, the AES420 offers more aggressive features like direct-mounted pickups, wrap-around tailpieces, black hardware, and unique finishes. The Yamaha AES420 is the new lowest cost set-neck, solid body electric guitar. Cool painted body binding shows off its sleek look along with a wrap around bridge for ease of string replacement.

Features:	7
Sound:	9
Action:	7
Reliability:	7
Impression:	7
Overall rating:	7.4
Users rating:	6.3
Comments:	8

overall: 7.4

Reviewed by: rowan89, on july 05, 2007

Price paid: $ 439.2

Purchased from: Wembley Guitar centre

Features: The AES420 features a solid mahogany body with a set neck, A wrap around bridge, 2 hum bucker pickups, a master and a tone control. Comes in black or red. Oh and the body style is LP. Gave it a 7 cause it's got everything you need but hasn't got as much stuff as say a JEM. // 7

Sound: The guitar sounds incredible for the price, much heavier tone compared to other starter guitars. Very versatile can play any type of music and sound amazing. I personally use it for mix of metal/rock and the odd blues riff. I would describe the sound has warm and full sounded, with lots of sustain. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Since factory I have lowered the action and raised the pick ups. The finish is brilliant, it's quite easy to damage though as the guitar is very heavy and if dropped or banged etc more damage will occur compared to say Fender. Given 7 because I believe a 10 deserves to have some kind of artwork or something. // 7

Reliability & Durability: It keeps tunning for a long time, probably because of it's set neck (I think). Strap buttons very solid, if one were to fail you have a spare one at the base of the guitar. The black finish will last ages, not sure about the silver lining though, looks like it's printed on. My only complaint is that the jack plug some times dosent go in all the way, you have to push it in quite hard to make sure it's in, some times when some one comes over they don't push in enough and find nothings coming out the amp, to which end they get up and check the amp. // 7

Impression: The guitar has amazing sound quality No Doubt, you feel the guitar rumble when you play power chords which is amazing. The down side to this is the weight, when I sit down to play it hurts my leg after about an hour, and if I lean back it kinda crushes ur ribs. Comparing this guitar to my dads Gibson LP (it's black so I think it's custom) I can say the yamah is more comfortable, it has indents on the sides. If this guitar broke, I would probably buy a Fender or Ibanez the next day, because it would be more comfortable to play. I'm not saying I wouldent buy this guitar again though, if I were to buy a LP again it defently would be Yamaha as already said, it's the most comfortable. I love the guitars sustain. Voted 7 because I like the guitar but am not entirely satisfied with it. // 7

Comments

[Ian_Hendrix]

I always play standing up so im ready for live. if the guitar busts your ribs up you could try that

[mimimimi]

if i was you and i lost it (though fuk noes how you lose a guitar) id play your dads gibson as ots free and there fukin gud guitars

[blink182plus44]

Wait... you'd choose a Yamaha over a Gibson???

[the_random_hero]

I love the necks on these suckers. For their price, they are really good guitars.

[carlyroxmysox]

I have the AES720 model, and the first thing I noticed was the weight. They seem a little bit to heavy, but apart from that, they're GREAT guitars!

[danielrobbyshor]

what are direct mounted pickups?

[saad_nirvana]

450 bucks for that?!

geez you could get an epiphone or even a strat

[dilbert_5150]

The user ratings for this guitar are bullsh*t! I recently tested this baby in a local guitar shop and, considering the price, this guitar kicks ass! I totally agree with the guy who wrote this review, yamaha has a great tone and sustain + it feels (and looks!) fantastic. I had an epiphone ones and it sounded like crap comparing to this one.