2022 Yamaha Revstar in-depth comparison: Standard vs Element | Which should you buy? Guitar Shootout
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- Опубликовано: 16 июл 2024
- Today we’re comparing the two best new and relatively affordable guitars I’ve had the pleasure of playing so far this year: the Yamaha Revstar Element and the Yamaha Revstar Standard!
Revstar Element at Thomann: thmn.to/thoprod/539487?offid=...
Revstar Element at Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/21JNnA
Revstar Standard at Thomann: thmn.to/thoprod/539446?offid=...
Revstar Standard at Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/DKJNjb
I’ve been mightily impressed with both of these guitars - they both play, feel and sound fantastic - but which one is right for you? And is the Standard model - which costs around $799/€799 - worth the extra $300/€300 it costs over the $499/€499 Element? That’s what we’re going to try and find out today.
If you spring the extra money for the Standard, you get a maple top on your mahogany body, Yamaha’s VH5 humbuckers with a five-way switch and their Focus Switch passive boost option - as opposed to the VH3s, a three-way switch and the Dry Switch high pass filter in the Element. You also get stainless steel frets and a carbon-reinforced neck, and a decent gig bag too.
Is that worth the extra money? Let’s play the guitars and see! In the video, I test both Revstars out in as many different musical genres as I can - from pop, folk and blues to indie, rock, punk, metal and more - and I also give you my opinions on which guitar I think might be the best one for you, depending on your circumstances.
Here are some links to the various playing samples and info bits:
00:00 Hello!
00:18 Introduction and what we’re doing today
01:32 Revstar Element specs and info
03:03 Revstar Standard specs and info
05:33 Today’s rig and plan
Clean Sounds
06:20 Clean tone reference chords on all pickups/Dry + Focus Switch options
07:25 Poppy barre chords
07:56 Blues progression
08:20 Funky rhythm chords
08:47 Ringing open indie pop chords
09:14 Country lead sound
09:28 Atmospheric droning chords
09:48 Strummed folk pop chords
Crunch Sounds (Clean Channel w/Greer Lightspeed)
10:22 Indie rock barre chords
10:45 Indie octave chords riff
11:14 Fat indie rhythm chords
11:43 Edgy indie rock chords
11:57 Kings Of Leon inspired indie riff
12:27 Indie rock octave chords
12:52 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
13:22 Airbourne inspired classic rock riff
13:34 Classic rock riff
13:51 Groovy classic rock riff
14:16 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff
Lead Channel Sounds
14:32 Classic hard rock riff
14:50 Hard rock riff
15:23 Glam rock riff
15:52 Foo Fighters inspired modern rock sound
16:27 Alt rock riff
16:50 Pop punk riff
17:16 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
17:42 Punk rock power chords
17:55 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning)
18:26 Modern rock palm-muted power chords (Drop D)
18:51 Rage Against The Machine inspired groovy riff (Drop D)
Clean Channel w/Revv G3 Distortion Pedal (all in Drop D)
19:22 Metal chugging riff
19:55 Melodic hard rock lead sound
20:10 Rammstein inspired industrial metal riff
20:38 Mastodon inspired metal riff with country twang
21:01 Classic heavy metal/sludge riff
21:35 My thoughts
22:20 First impressions out of the box
23:34 Playability and necks
23:57 Weight
24:21 Frets - stainless steel vs normal
25:27 Hardware
25:38 Sounds, pickups and switching options discussion
28:16 Is the Standard worth the extra money over the Element?
29:42 What other guitars are out there that compete with the Revstars?
31:13 My conclusions on the Revstar
31:50 Which Revstar model would I buy?
32:28 Thanks and goodbye
More info on the various Revstar models - and some cool pics of their chambered bodies - are here:
yamaha.io/3JIjkwn
My setup was as follows: I ran the Revstars into my Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 head, using my Greer Lightspeed for the overdrive and my Revv G3 for the heavy distortion sounds. The amp went from the Red Box DI straight into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, which went into Logic Pro X. That's it. No post-processing on the sounds was done.
Here’s some links to those bits of gear:
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H&K Black Spirit 200 head: bit.ly/HKBS200rwm
Greer Lightspeed: bit.ly/GreerLightspeedRWM
Revv G3: bit.ly/RevvG3RWM
Focusrite 4i4 (this is the newer equivalent of my 2i4, which they don’t make any more!): bit.ly/Scarlett414RWM
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Enjoy!
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Backing music from the RUclips Audio Library: Duck In The Alley - TrackTribe.
#YamahaRevstar #Revstar #YamahaGuitar #YamahaGuitars
Note: certain links in the description are affiliate links. If you click said links and purchase anything as a result, I will receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help to support the channel. So, if you do that, thank you very much!
@YamahaGuitarsOfficial 
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And here's your timestamps:
00:00 Hello!
00:18 Introduction and what we’re doing today
01:32 Revstar Element specs and info
03:03 Revstar Standard specs and info
05:33 Today’s rig and plan
Clean Sounds
06:20 Clean tone reference chords on all pickups/Dry + Focus Switch options
07:25 Poppy barre chords
07:56 Blues progression
08:20 Funky rhythm chords
08:47 Ringing open indie pop chords
09:14 Country lead sound
09:28 Atmospheric droning chords
09:48 Strummed folk pop chords
Crunch Sounds (Clean Channel w/Greer Lightspeed)
10:22 Indie rock barre chords
10:45 Indie octave chords riff
11:14 Fat indie rhythm chords
11:43 Edgy indie rock chords
11:57 Kings Of Leon inspired indie riff
12:27 Indie rock octave chords
12:52 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
13:22 Airbourne inspired classic rock riff
13:34 Classic rock riff
13:51 Groovy classic rock riff
14:16 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff
Lead Channel Sounds
14:32 Classic hard rock riff
14:50 Hard rock riff
15:23 Glam rock riff
15:52 Foo Fighters inspired modern rock sound
16:27 Alt rock riff
16:50 Pop punk riff
17:16 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
17:42 Punk rock power chords
17:55 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning)
18:26 Modern rock palm-muted power chords (Drop D)
18:51 Rage Against The Machine inspired groovy riff (Drop D)
Clean Channel w/Revv G3 Distortion Pedal (all in Drop D)
19:22 Metal chugging riff
19:55 Melodic hard rock lead sound
20:10 Rammstein inspired industrial metal riff
20:38 Mastodon inspired metal riff with country twang
21:01 Classic heavy metal/sludge riff
21:35 My thoughts
22:20 First impressions out of the box
23:34 Playability and necks
23:57 Weight
24:21 Frets - stainless steel vs normal
25:27 Hardware
25:38 Sounds, pickups and switching options discussion
28:16 Is the Standard worth the extra money over the Element?
29:42 What other guitars are out there that compete with the Revstars?
31:13 My conclusions on the Revstar
31:50 Which Revstar model would I buy?
32:28 Thanks and goodbye
Enjoy!
I thought I'd save some money on the guitar and put it towards a new amp. So I chose the Element (in yellow as well) and I gotta tell ya, the element is an amazing guitar. It sounds absolutely beautiful. Can't wait to go back for the standard later on in the year. Don't let the cheap price fool you, the element is awesome
Yes, I totally agree - no one should make the mistake of looking at the Element as an inferior or beginner guitar... it's a fantastic instrument! I love the tones on offer, and the Dry Switch as well, and that Neon Yellow finish is most definitely an eye catcher! Enjoy yours :)
@@RichWordsMusic Absolutely. I've been playing guitar for 15 years now and you're right it's a cracking piece of gear. Coupled with a THR30 amp, what more do you really need ?
@@experienceanimation217 Exactly - with those two items, you're actually covered for every musical need. I still love my old THR10. Sure, there are other things you might WANT... but needs and wants are a different thing when it comes to guitar gear ;) Happy playing!
Thanks for the info
Thanks for this video - I found the pacing between the A/B to be really nice, gave my brain a chance to focus on both guitars. It amazing how many guitar comparison videos are out there that are hard to watch and you skip through them…. So, well done!
I’ve been thinking about a standard for some time but I’m now leaning towards the element. Feels like the Japanese (or should I say Indonesian) love child between an SG and a tele.
Love your instrument review videos! Unlike other channels you always answer the questions I may have.
Thanks Lee! I am really happy to hear that. I always try and answer all the questions I might have in these reivews/comparisons, and so while that might sometimes mean the videos get pretty long, I feel it's the best way to actually get the answers out there! Cheers :)
My brother in law left a Standard with P90s at my house for a few days for me to try. Honestly I didn't have any interest in messing with it because it wasn't really the style of guitar I normally play, but I picked it up anyway and I was blown away, by the sound, feel, and build quality of the guitar. The following week I bought an Element in Swift Blue. I have nothing but good things to say about that guitar, I've been playing it ever since, over my other more expensive guitars. I had planned on upgrading to locking tuners but this guitar stays in tune so well I'm not going to bother. I also will get a Standard with P90s soon.
Thanks for the excellent comparison video. It was very helpful and informative. I’m a total REVSTAR fanboy. Last year I bought the RSS20 in black and the RSS02 in sunset burst after selling off several Squier, Epiphone and Fender guitars. I just bought the RSE20 in white to backup the Standards on stage. I am very impressed by the appearance, build quality, playability, tone, ergonomics, and value of these guitars.
Really good way to set out the comparison between the two guitars. Too many videos out there at the moment are simply jamming along and not playing the same thing and for somebody like myself who's not the world's best guitarist. It's hard to hear the difference. But I can easily hear the difference in the way that you have set it up. Thanks for that. Some really nice tones in there too. That is a really nice guitar. I think I'm leaning more towards the standard. I think it's got a bit bigger of a sound.
Fantastic video. I got the Standard recently. No regrets, the frets and the tonal options absolutely make it for me, and I was lucky to get a natural looking flame on the top. The Element does sound great here though, especially for palm muted power chords. The Standard here doesn’t quite keep up with those quick attack, transient sounds. I do play lead though and I love a creamy dark lead tone, so the focus switch is ideal for me. Two great guitars.
Great review, Rich, as usual👍🏻👍🏻 I have the standard in Sunset Burst with P90s coming today, coincidentally.
Thanks, and happy new guitar day! Let me know your thoughts once you've had a chance to play that beast... I can't wait to try the P90s either :) Rock on!
That was a great no-nonsense review
Thankyou so much
No problem, thanks for watching!
Great review. This should be the standard of review vids over RUclips. Thanks a lot!
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! And I would agree - it would be amazing if more reviews had this level of detail. That said, I also know how much work and time it takes, so I get why many others don't bother ;)
Great review. Thanks
Thanks for watching, Mike, and glad you enjoyed it!
Great comparison and good job. As Always! Fun to see all the different opinions in the comments section and the two guitar seem like different beasts. Really pleased with my standard, but may make room for an element or a used rs420 (same pickups and dry switch but sadly gloss neck).
Thanks Jens! I agree - it's really cool to hear what everyone thinks, and it seems these new Revstars have really caught the eye of the guitar playing public. And Yamaha simply can't make them fast enough right now, which is a cool problem for them! I'd like a Standard with a 3-way selector switch and a Dry Switch, I think. I'm with you in that I wouldn't want a gloss neck... and I've also heard the older Revstars can be exceedingly heavy. Is yours like that?
@@RichWordsMusic That would be a really cool option! I do not use all the 5 positions either, so it would be awesome with three way! I used to have an Rs620 from the old versions (the old version of the nowaday standard) and yes, it was really heavy and too chunky of a neck for my taste. Still have two rs320 from the old versions, though (yes, I have TOO many Yamaha guitars). They are a bit lighter with way thinner necks and great mod platforms.
Fantastic review! Thank you!
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it!
I enjoyed it so much I bought an RSE20 based on it. Forward this to Yamaha and tell them you need a commission!
Great review, thx!
Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for watching!
Excellent review sir!
Thanks a lot, I'm really glad you enjoyed it! Cheers :)
Nice, very thoughtful and thorough review; thank you! I've been thinking about getting one of these for some time now, and I think I'll go for the Standard, mostly because I don't own a guitar with stainless steel frets and I'm curious about how that will feel. Another thing I like about the Revstars is that there are so many LP-, S-, and T-style guitars out there. I love my Les Paul, my Tele- and Strat-style guitars, but damn... it's nice to have something that isn't just another clone!
Brilliant review 👍
Thanks a lot, glad you liked it!
Great video! I still can’t decide which model to get! Haha!
Thanks! Yeah, it's actually a very tough decision. If I had to choose right now (having played both this morning one last time before they get packed up and sent back to Yamaha) I'd go with the Element. I don't need the gig bag, and I'd love the stainless steel frets on the Standard, but I prefer the Dry Switch on the Element to the Focus Switch on the Standard. But yeah, ask me again tomorrow and I might have changed my mind ;)
Very useful video … you crammed in all the relevant stuff that I was curious about … I’ve long been a Yamaha player of basses guitars and amps …. I’ll be heading over to Reverb later to buy a lefty Element in black … new for under £400.
Many thanks . Subbed.
Thanks so much for making this video.
No problem, glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely fantastic video, really just brilliant honestly, thank you so much.
Personally I played both down at the shop, along with the professional model which was lovely but out of my price range, and I must say that dollar for dollar the Element is unbeatable in its price range.
That said I went with the Standard because I fell in love with the weird phase shifting qualities the 2 and 4 settings offered, they reminded me of a sound I have only ever gotten before when one of my pedals broke and was stuck half on half off lol.
And thank YOU for watching - I'm glad you enjoyed it! I totally agree with your assessment of the guitars. For the price, the Element is an incredible guitar, and I am a huge fan of the Dry Switch. That said, there is something a little bit magical about those in-between tones on the Standard... ha ha, if you ever find that pedal again, I'm sure that's an effect that could be replicated and sold! Enjoy your Standard and rock on :)
Another great A/B comparison. Great idea about Yamaha offering the 3 way toggle and dry switch on the standard model.😉
Thanks a lot! I think if the Standard had the 3-way selector and the Dry Switch that's be my top choice! All the bits about the Element and the Standard that I really love in one guitar :)
@@RichWordsMusic Exactly.
It wasn’t till I picked one up in a shop that I realised what you meant about the great feel they have. It is a very comfortable and quality feeling instrument, and I think my next guitar purchase.
Yes, exactly! There's only so much you can learn from videos like this, so I'm really glad you managed to get a Revstar in your hands and feel what all the fuss is about. They simply feel like boutique guitars - even the Element feels expensive! Hope you manage to add one to your collection soon :)
For me the colour makes a job, that fluo yellow is amazing! For only colour choose I’m choosing yellow element.
Yeah, the color is spectacular for sure! I never thought I could love a guitar that is so neon bright, but this one proved me wrong :) And it plays and sounds amazing too - for the price it's incredible.
I finally settled on an Element model in black that weighs 7lbs. 13ozs. The stripes are a bit more subdued, and the pickgaurd, headstock face and control cavity cover all match the black ones. I had a vision for it, and dubbed it the DEATHSTAR! I had some pickups and tuners laying around, along with almost everything for the build. The only parts I needed to buy were an Emerson Oak Grigsby 3way switch, PureTone output jack, Mojotone capacitor and a treble bleed curcuit. Oh, and Schaller straplocks. I had everything else already. The only factory parts left are the bridge and tailpiece. The SD Distortion in the neck can be coilsplit, and with the treble bleed curcuit I can dial the volume back and get some really versatile tones out of it. Even the middle position when the Distortion is coilsplit, blends really well with the bridge. The key is the ability to dial the volume back and still retain clarity. Buy the way, they all have treble bleed curcuits from the factory. It's a huge benefit.
Nice review. I think the carbon reinforced neck and stainless steel frets would lead me to the standard model. I have seen a review of P90 standard and the sounds are quite good. Yamaha electrics are very underrated.
I absolutely agree - Yamaha electrics deserve way more of a higher profile than they currently enjoy. And I'm with you on the reinforced neck/stainless steel frets debate... perhaps the P90 Standard is the model I need! I hope to try one soon. Thanks for watching :)
Great Video.Thank You.
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it!
this is amaazing indepth review. thank you good sir.
No problem, thank you for watching and I'm happy you enjoyed it!
@@RichWordsMusic hey, thanks for responding. have you considering too do a review on sire guitar lines?
Great review! I have a Revstar 502 with P90s and really like the dry switch. Would make a lot of sense with humbuckers. Based on your review I just don’t quite understand the focus switch. I already have a nice Yamaha gig bag so put me down for an Element in Swift Blue!
Thanks Chris, glad you enjoyed it! And yes, I totally agree with your comments on the Dry and Focus Switches... I do think the new Revstar Standard (at least humbucker version) would be a better guitar if it had the Dry Switch instead. I have seen some videos where some jazzier players have made the Focus Switch make a little more sense than I did, though! The Element in Swift Blue would be my next choice if I'm to buy another Revstar - top choice! Thanks for watching and rock on :)
Aaah yes, a person who actually documents the setup they use with connector sequence, well done. +1
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed the vid! I'm nothing if not thorough ;) Cheers!
How you doing? Your reviews are the best and you can really talk fast and clear, lol. I'm going to get one of them for sure, thanks. 🕊️ Peace.
Hey Douglas, just saw your other comment. Ha ha, sorry about the super fast speaking... I guess I don't notice I'm doing it when I'm in the flow! Which of the Revstars are you going to go for in the end? I think they're all pretty great. I own the Standard P90 one but next on my list is the Element :)
@@RichWordsMusic I really want to get the standard, the flash green. The best guitar I've ever owned is a Squier classic vibe'60's stratocaster so I want to know what I've been missing out on. I started with a Yamaha acoustic so why not. That was a compliment to your fast talking. Maybe your in the wrong business. Take care.
Great review. Definitely hearing the difference. Standard has a deeper n more sustain tone. Element has more top end. Guess the chambering and all the additional tech does work
Just bought the blue standard with the P90s. 20% off sale. So, basically a steal if you ask me. I love it. Such a great guitar for the price. Thanks for all your reviews.
Yeah, that's an absolute steal - great score! If I ever see that deal anywhere I'll be getting another one ;) Enjoy yours, cheers for the kind words and rock on!
Music Mill in Manchester, NH has regular sales, on everything in the store! Unlike any other music store. Worth checking out on-line. Large inventory, and they move a lot of gear.
I love Yamaha (I have their AC5R rosewood acoustic). Just got the Element model today. Really blown away by the quality for the money. That realization mixed with your info here (like how the standard has a 5 way switch) has left me kind of wishing I got the standard model. Honestly I thought the differences was, the blinding and the inlays. I didn't realize stainless frets / 3-way vs 5-way was also a consideration. That said, this isn't my only guitar so I doubt I'll play it until the frets get worn. My main beef is zero quack when set to both pickups. Sounds like the standard has that. But there is a video from a tech online on how to improve the neck/cleans on the Element version so I may look into that.
Magnifica comparació !!!
Gràcies per la teva excel·lent feina
Thanks a lot, really glad you enjoyed the video! Cheers for watching 😊
I tried that yellow element and the ergonomics and playability were fantastic. I wasn't in the mood for bright yellow, but the thing was good, and I kind of like the color. I prefer the sound of the Element, and I'd rather have a dry switch than a focus switch.
Very, very helpful video! Good job!
I fell in love with the standard because it is just so damn pretty. That said, I was looking for something new to mostly play stoner rock on, and both in terms of actual needs and also listening to you playing it, I think I'll go for a red Element. Sounds hotter somehow and sludgier.
Gonna go check'em both out.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! And I totally think the Element is going to be a great choice for stoner rock stuff... the pickups do have a little bit more of a raw aggression to them than the ones on the Standard. And you've always got the Dry Switch to thin things out and tighten them up if needed. Go try one and I hope it gives you the tones and playability you need!
Hi Rich, great Video there comparing the Revstars Element and Standard. And you had quite a lot of musical styles that you played them thru. Unfortunately, I am missing the Blues or Bluesrock style in your comparison. Does that mean that these two guitars are not suited for this type of music?
Thanks and best regards, Pieter
My RSE20 pickups were horribly microphonic at high gain and would squeal uncontrollably so much that I had to remove the chrome covers. The pickups on the RSS20 are perfectly quiet and handle high-gain settings flawlessly.
Exceedingly helpful, thank you. Now I just have to decide whether to wait for the lefty elements to find their way back in stock, or allow impatience to overcome me, dig up some extra money and go liberate a sunburst player telecaster from guitar center. If I'm not particularly interested in gain and just want to make pretty jangly noises, should I give in and get the tele, or would I be happy with the element? I see from your vids you have a lovely blue MIM.
No worries, glad this was useful! Hmm, that's a good question. If you absoultely want jangle as your main thing, then the Tele is the way to go, I'd say. With the Revstar Element, you can use the Dry Switch to get a thinner sound than the standard humbucker, but it won't quite do that Tele jangle and twang. I'd say try the Tele out, and if you find one you bond with 100%, that's the guitar for you :) And if you don't wait around until the Revstars are there and try one when you can. The ones I'Ve played have all been fabulous and I can't recommend them enough! Hope that helps :)
And yes, I absolutely love my MIM! It's been my number one since I got it new in 2014 :)
Absolutely love my Standard. The Carbon reinforced neck, stainless frets and the aestetics is enough for me to play the extra compared to the elements.
I play heavy rock and slow metal/prog/doom and I will be changing the bridge pickup to one of the mid to high gain Lundgren eventually. To me the Revstars 5's are pretty good but there's something about the voicing that doesn’t work 100% with the tone I'm going for.
Yeah, these are the best new guitars I've played in 2022 so far. They basically excel at anything I play - OK, I don't play the kind of music you do really, but everything else! I actually think the Revstar Element's pickups would be better for doom because they are more aggressive and modern sounding than the Standard's, but I'm with you in that you'll probably get even more out of the guitar if you switch to some dedicated Lundgrens for the job! Rock on!
@@RichWordsMusic Fot sure, such an amazing guitar.
Thanks for the review. Yep....the P90 model review would be nice to see. Its unfortunate that Yamaha do not offer locking tuners at any price point. This means extra cost for new locking compatible tuners eg Hipshot, for any of these models even the MIJ model.
Have you ever checked out the gretsch g2655t-p90 streamliner double-cut with bigsby? Those P90 Fidelosonic pickups are supposed to be very nice. Cheers
Yes, I was surprised at first when I saw that the tuners are the same on all three levels of the Revstar. It does feel like locking tuners would've been a natural thing for the Professional model.
I've not checked out the G2655t-P90, no... but I just googled it after reading your comment and now I may have to! It looks like a really cool guitar, and I've never actually owned a Gretsch despite wanting to for a long time. Will check one out when I can!
First, I really appreciate your video, thanks! 🙂👍
Also, I was watching this because Im trying to decide which Revstar to get. I have tried out multiple guitars at multiple stores over the last month or so, and the Revstar has risen to the top for my choice. (I sold all of my electric guitar/gear a handful of years ago, have only had acoustics since, but since my son had gotten better and better at the drums, jamming with him with an electric guitar will be just a tad more fun than the acoustic-electric. 🙂)
I had only considered the Standard P90 version (the one I was leaning towards when first going to the store after watching/hearing reviews, and I had a P90 guitar in the past, I really like their sound), but I also wanted to try out the humbucker version. With all of the different pickup switch options + focus switch option combinations, for me, the P90 was DEFINITELY the better choice! The Standard HB sounds good, but I pretty much only get the one sound out of it; whereas, the the different pickup switch options + focus switch with the P90 version gives me a variety of tones! Being that I only want one electric guitar for jamming with my son, mostly, it makes more sense. I REALLY like the beef, the strength, that gets added to the P90 version with the focus switch on! 😀
Well, I couldn't decide on which color, but as I was trying out different amps, I found one I really liked (EVH 5150 Combo), and it's a used one at the store, in white, and I thought I would be funny and be matchy-matchy with the guitar and amp, so I picked up the white Revstar Element with black pickguard... WOW!!! 😲😀 AMAZING! I had never even given it a shot because I was eyeing the "nicer" versions, but it had SUCH a great tone! 😀 Lively, aggressive, clear, and a great sweet, clean tone, also! It was also lighter! It was a LOT of fun! That's what led me to check out this video in its entirety, and I'll check out your Revstar P90 video, also. 🙂👍 The fretboard and frets were not quite as nice on the Element, and I thought the neck felt a bit less "satin-y" than the Standard, but it was SO GOOD in the tone department! 😀 And, it still plays great, also! Oh, and an added plus/bonus, imo, for the Element is that the neck and back of the Elements are the same color as the front, so it has cool, nice-looking unified design. The Standards all have a deep burgundy (Mahogany) back and neck.
The store is transferring a couple of other colors to their store that I SHOULD get to try out this week. I have it down to the Standard P90 Sunset Burst and the Black/Cream models, and the Element White/Black and Black/Black humbucker models. ALL great guitars! ☺️👍
Oh, and the "dry switch" is DEFINITELY better and more useful, imo, for the humbuckers than the "focus switch."
The best comparison vedio
Thanks Yola!
Yeah I really felt like to me the Element sounded better. I would also really like to see a standard model with the Element electronics as kind of a mid-step between the Element and Standard. If it were me, I would more than likely buy a standard model since I love stainless steel frets but then swap the Element electronics in it later. I am really glad Yamaha brought these models out though, I have seen a handful of guitar players from bands I like using them in their rotations already.
I´d choose the element, the frets are not a problem since when it comes the time for changing the frets you got the chance to replace them with stainless frets.
Yeah, that's a good point. For me too, I think I'd choose the Element - I prefer the Dry Switch over the Focus Switch and I don't need a gigbag either.
If you're lucky enough to get a good luthier that can replicate the Standard SS frets crowning which is impossible, plus it'll cost you $400 for a SS refret
I always go for at least the midrange guitar so at least it can re sale easier as the entry level guitars are hard to sell for a reasonable price. That said I would like to hear an unplugged sample of this model as it is supposed to be resonant. I have a cheap model Danelectro NOS 59 that has beautiful resonance from the routering. I also have a 1970’s Japanese Strat model that resonates very well while not plugged in. It is a worthwhile consideration when getting a guitar as it is fun to play without bother, as well as electronics are not difficult to change but feel is.
An "Elements Plus" with Stainless frets would do it for me, charge 50-70 quid more or something.
The other stuff is pure optional extras really.
Yeah, I'd be totally down for that too! That's the one thing from the Standard I'd really like the Element to have. Maybe Yamaha will give us more options this year...
Question for you. Have you ever tried any of Reverend's humcutter pickups? They are somewhere between p90s and humbuckers and sound amazing I've got an extra set and am looking for a guitar to drop those into and wonder how you think they would work in these and if they would be better with the dry or focus switch (why can't they out both on the same guitar?). I would assume the dry switch since it is closest to Reverend's base contour control.
No, I have never tried a Reverend for more than a couple of minutes at a trade show, but I've heard so many great things! Sadly, they're pretty rare in my part of the world. I checked out some Railhammer/Humcutter videos though, and now I really want to try one! It's actually a really interesting idea to think about putting them into a Revstar... I also feel like the Dry Switch would be the cooler way to go, as that does a similar high pass sort of thing. Let me know if you ever do this, as I'd love to see how it goes!
I'm not a fan of painted backs and stainless frets are nice so would go for the Standard. Ideally a no bag and simple three way switching option for £100 less would be my choice. The humbuckers are unlikely to make the slightest cost difference so should be the same on both models.
Yes, I agree with you completely there. I think a slightly cheaper Standard model - without the bag, and the 3-way selector switch and Dry Switch - would fly out the door! Hopefully Yamaha extend the range and we'll get that model in the future. I'm also holding out for an Element model with P90s :)
The element I can actually find this year, standard is sold out everywhere til the end of January.
Yep, it's the same situation where I am. Good news for Yamaha, I guess!
@@RichWordsMusic I ended up getting an element revstar cos I didn't want to wait for a standard. I might end up selling it and upgrading to a standard one day but maybe I'll keep it, it will be with me today.
If I could afford the extra $300 the upgrades are worth it for sure. However I was surprised how close they sounded in the review.
Honestly, when playing the Element I NEVER miss the extras. It is such a great guitar for the money! I even prefer the Element's Dry Switch to the Standard's Focus Switch. If you dig stainless steel frets, though, the Standard is the one!
i ordered the standard solely due to the stainless steel frets. I'd like to see a video comparing the element with the rs320.
I think the stainless steel frets are definitely worth it. If there Standard had the Element's Dry Switch and three-way pickup selector that'd be my ideal new Revstar. And sure, if I can find someone local to me with an RS320 I could use, I'll get that video done!
Hey Rich, I want to start playing guitar soon and I’ve been going back and forth through looking at revstars because they captivate me from looks alone, but I’m really not sure which is for me; would you be able to help me out?
Hey there, sure! It's always a good start if a guitar inspires you before you've even picked it up... this will encourage you to pick it up more often and play it when you do get it. So you're already on the right track there. Do you have any specific wishes with the Revstar otherwise? If not, I'd say you absolutely can't go wrong with the Element. It's a truly fantastic and versatile guitar. Most of the extras you get with the Standard are "nice to have", but not essential in terms of playing and enjoying the guitar. Hope this helps, but just let me know if you have any more questions! Cheers :)
Can you describe the comfort forearm cut? I seem to tire quickly of all non-strat guitars because of the sharp edge.How are these?
If you want a nice rounded edge, the Revstar should be right up your street. It's not quite as exaggerated in its roundness as the typical Strat forearm cut, but it does provide (in my opinion) the same amount of comfort and the edges themselves are nicely rounded. You've also got a tummy cut on the rear of the body, by the way - all in all, it's an extremely ergonomic guitar. Try one out if you can, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Thanks so much for the review! Its the only way to "touch" it without actually touching it. If that makes any sense.
The one "main" difference for me, is the look. Finishes and Binding!!! If you have always had guitars with binding, then you may not get it.
But for me, having binding on (most) guitars is huge! And this is the main visual difference of these two guitars. And we know that looks are everything (almost) LOL.
Thanks again. Just throwing in my two cents worth.
No problem, glad you enjoyed the video! And I totally know what you mean. In this day and age, when lots of us buy gear online, videos like this have actually become a lot more important. I spend far too much of my time watching them ;)
I totally know what you mean about the binding. I guess you don't miss it on the Neon Yellow guitar, but on the Standard sunburst, it totally gives it a certain elegance. And on the necks, it's always nice to have.
And it might be shallow, but you're right - I only buy guitars I love to look at too, because they inspire me to pick them up and play them! Cheers and rock on :)
I'm a beginner and have been doing tons of research. I keep coming back to the Revstar. Thoughts on whether it's a good choice for someone just starting? Excellent video!
Hi Tony! That's a good question. I'd say that if you're a beginner and you have the budget for a Revstar, then I can't imagine a better guitar to start out on. They are excellent, reliable and versatile, plus they look fantastic too!
Just a couple of questions, though, as maybe I can make a couple of other recommendations (if you want, of course!): what kind of music are you looking to play? Do you have any favorite bands or guitar players you'd like to sound like? And what's your budget? If you tell me those I can have a little think and maybe there's a couple of other options I can suggest that you may not have thought of so far. But, that said, the Revstar is definitely going to be way up there regardless!
@@RichWordsMusic Hi Rich! With bands and players my interests are pretty wide from Oscar Moore (King Cole Trio), Django, jazz-style guitar up to The Cure, The Smiths, The Replacements, Sex Pistols, White Stripes, XTC. Jangly is something I like. I'd say the Standard model of the Revstar would be the max budget I have (not that the Element is necessarily cheap and I'm sure I'd be ecstatic with that as well) because that's not a price I can afford to waste so learning is paramount. I've probably been doing far too much research on electric guitars like the Ibanez AZES, Thinline Teles, Epiphone Uptown Kat's, Jazzmaster/Jaguar but there's something about the Revstar that keeps drawing me back (plus a current artist I like - Steady Holiday - had her own custom one made in Japan!). Thanks!
@@FrankRemley Well, that Steady Holiday Revstar looks the absolute business! I will be giving her a listen this weekend too, so thanks for the tip :) I love the Ibanez AZES guitars too (plenty of videos about them on my channel), but they are a little more rough and ready than the Revstars. An outsider tip could also be the G&L Doheny Tribute - I just had one of those to try recently and fell in love. That guitar is super jangly and incredibly versatile - it's this one: ruclips.net/video/CiRsAoH_z1g/видео.html
But really, the Revstar will cover you for just about everything. You could also consider looking at the P90 Standard model (that jangles more than the humbucker one, but won't go quite as thick and full-sounding). With a Revstar, you can coax pretty much any kind of sound from the one guitar - it's a real all-rounder - and I have a feeling that it's also captivated you in the right way. That might sound weird, but as a guitar player, I find that inspiration is a massive factor too. It is clear that if you buy a Revstar, you'll love looking at it, and that will inspire you to pick it up and play it more... and that is a huge advantage to someone just starting out on their guitar journey :) I hope this helps a bit!
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks, Rich! In all the research I did I thought I was going to go the AZES route for quite a while then I thought maybe a Thinline Tele then maybe one from the Paranormal line or maybe a Jaguar or Jazzmaster. Even considered a Rickenbacker (all hail Johnny Marr!) but in the end I weighed everything I'd seen or heard and so two days ago I ordered my Revstar Element! They're really hard to find right now. I took features like the reinforced neck, stainless steel frets, and P90s (even finishes - that Sunset Burst is lovely) as well as price into concern and as much as I wanted the Standard, as a beginner, I couldn't justify the price (and being excited to start playing I didn't want to wait til summer for them to come back in stock). I was able to see a Standard in a local store (only one in my city and one of very few Revstars in my state right now and I live in Indiana where Sweetwater is located) and the feel of the guitar was great. Had some heft but still felt balanced. I was lucky enough to find a great online retailer so fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow undamaged. I know it'll be more than I need while just learning but it'll make it so I can do so many things and last me forever. If I really want jangle I'm sure I could upgrade to P90s, yeah? I really appreciate your videos. They went a long way towards helping me make this decision! Oh, and Steady Holiday just released a new album last week!! She's pretty great.
@@FrankRemley Oh, that's great to hear! I hope the Element arrived and you're pleased with it? Let me know. The wonderful thing about the Element is that it feels surprisingly similar in quality to the Standard, and it plays basically just as well as the Standard - get a setup if you need to (that almost always helps any new guitar,m regardless of price). Most of the Standard's upgrades are things that shouldn't have any direct effect on how you progress as a player, which is good - they're more like luxuries, like racing trim and slightly better tires on a car where the base model is already pretty darn decent!
And I still think you've made the right choice :) A Rickenbacker, for example, would be amazing too, but they're overall more limited than a Revstar. I've actually been eyeing up Johnny Marr Jaguars for years, but they're out of my price range for now. But with a Revstar, you really will be able to tweak the guitar and your setup to get close to any sound. You may never need P90s or anything else, who knows! It all depends on exactly how jangly you want to be ;) Use the Element with both pickups on, the Dry Switch engaged (pulled out) and the tone knob up high, and you'll be pretty close already! Dialing in your amp might get you the rest of the way.
Happy playing and I wish you a great start into your guitar journey! And if you ever have any more questions I can help with about anything, just let me know :) I'm always more than happy to chat about this sort of stuff.
I had to have the standard!
I want to try yours soon! Yamaha are going to send me a Standard with P90s to try soon, so very much looking forward to that!
I've heard that the Revstar is quite loud even without an amp because the chamber is empty. I'm thinking about buying this guitar, but I'm worried about the noise issue when I play in my room. what do you think about this?
Good question! Well, the Revstar is chambered, yes, but it is still much quieter than a standard acoustic guitar. It's maybe 10/20% louder than a solid body electric when unplugged, so I don't think you would have any problems with it being too loud to play in your room. Hope this helps :)
Isn’t the sunburst one a professional? I can’t find it online if it’s a standard. Thanks!
No, it's a Standard for sure - however, I am guessing you might be based on North America. I've heard other people from there say that you can't get the Sunburst Standard in the States/Canada, and apparently it's an EU-only thing! Which is strange, but there we go... That'd mean you might need to import one if you really wanted that finish, or you could also try contacting your local Yamaha dealer/distributor and asking if they could source one for you. Hope that helps :)
As a newbie that prefers the sound of the standart alot should I bite in the sour apple or not
Ha ha, the sour apple is delicious indeed! Try both if you can, then you'll know which one tastes better for you :)
Neck binding too
Yes, that's another point and it definitely adds an air of sophistication to the Standard :)
Standard:
- 2nd position - 8:20
- middle - 8:26
Elements:
- middle - 8:35
- middle (dry) - 8:40
These middle/in-between tones work great on the Revstar!
Save for what you really want, but it’s a Yamaha so no matter what you choose it’ll be good 🤘🏽.
Triple pitch fork = quality
Never a truer word (or words) spoken! I have come late to the Yamaha party but you're spot on as usual.
@@RichWordsMusic I hope that spot doesn’t leave a stain.
@@PooNinja I'm so late it probably won't wash out now :(
Hydrogen peroxide, It’s not just rocket fuel
@@PooNinja Good tip! I would've tried baking soda otherwise.
How was the tuning stability?
In my experience, totally solid!
Element all day!
If you don't need the Standard's extras, definitely - the Element has more than enough for me too!
I wish the Standard's humbucker model still had the dry switch like the pre-2022 lineup. Focus switch for P-90 models, maybe. But for humbuckers? I just don't know... The review was great btw. Thanks for all the AB style sound samples. Must have taken lots of time to record. I enjoyed them thoroughly!
Ha ha, thanks! Yeah, it always takes a while to make these A/B comparison videos, but I enjoy it too. I totally agree with you, by the way - I'd love to see the Standards with the Dry Switch. It's just a lot more usable in so many situations... I'm yet to try the Standard with P90s, but I might get to see one this week and hopefully the Focus Switch makes more sense there!
I preferred the Element in terms of sound! The Standard sounds too calculated, kind of "neutral" to me. The Element's pickups are both warm when they need to be and have the vintage "bite" when pushed a bit harder. The 5 way switch seems to do strange things in the Standard, I much prefer the "bread and butter" Element arrangement with the 3-way switch. Element wins in my books :), and you save 300 €.
I know exactly what you mean! And in many respects, I agree. I definitely prefer the Dry Switch over the Focus Switch when it comes to these two guitars, and I love the character of the Element's pickups. I don't need the five-way switch either! The Standard is smoother sounding, which is sometimes nice to have, and sometimes not what I want. I do kind of wish the Element had the stainless steel frets, but that's about it.
Incidentally, I just posted my video of the Standard Revstar with the P90s... and that changes things again! The Focus Switch works much better here, fattening the P90s up in a very pleasing way to my ear, at least with gain. So for me, I'm having a tough time now choosing between the Element and the Standard P90 model! Here's the P90 guitar: ruclips.net/video/xVFOWBtRR3g/видео.html
@@RichWordsMusic Or you can have 'em both, still less money than one Gibson Les Paul :).
@@tomwhittaker9461 And that is 100% the truth! Totally worth it as well, in my opinion.
I would buy the cheaper one. It is only by playing a guitar in my band for a couple of weeks that I can really judge a PU. Add to that I hate the tone of a split coil HB. A half decent cheap 'real' single coil blows away anything I have ever heard at any price point. I nearly always pull a neck PU HB in favor of a single coil. These days you can get a great drop in of everything or get a mounting plate that drops in but holds the single coil in it's top plate.
Yeah, if you'd be doing a pickup swap then I'd say save the money and go for the Element. I do have to say, I love the Dry Switch on these guitars - it's not a coil split, but it does thin out the humbucker and give you more clarity. Although I suppose there are humbuckers that sound like that naturally anyway?
What about the stainless steel frets and carbon reinforced neck stuff though? Nothing for you?
@@RichWordsMusic I am 75 and had a lot of guitars. I have never ever felt I had worn my frets out. I have not often kept a guitar for more than 10 years and usually owned at least two. Still only one out of 4 was ever new. I have what I feel is a fairly aggressive touch and way above average at bending strings. Any note over a quarter note gets string vibrato from habit. These days it is unusual to either not have 2 or 3 guitars or to keep them a very long time. I think a lot of guys just do not think it thru. It is not a bad thing but the marketing guys are playing games with it.
@@RichWordsMusic I have 20 year old guitars that still don't need the frets dressed. I have never needed to do more than once a year giving the guitars a decent setup. Mind you I tend to buy guitars over 10 years old which by then have dried out and the sap hardened. I chose them for their bones in the fist place. On day one they need work that's often part of the cheap price I get. Once fixed sometimes not even more than a once year tweak.
how much heavier is the standard over the element?
They're almost exactly the same (about 8 lbs. or 3.5 kgs) - I talk about it here: ruclips.net/video/65BCvT4U1HM/видео.html
It's funny, but I must've played at least 10 of the new Revstars now and they all weigh around that. I'm guessing Yamaha is speccing them to be that weight.
27:38 Or a Pacifica
Indeed, the Pacifica nails all the Strat tones!
Going to be 100% Honest. This vid makes me glad I went with the Standard. Don't get me wrong. The Element sounds fantastic (specially in your hands). And if I never heard both, I would be perfectly happy with that tone.
But, even on RUclips, I can hear the difference. The standard's tone is just a bit more complex, 3d, with just a few more good harmonics. REALLY hear it on the clean where pedals are not manipulating and compressing the tone. But even on the Crunch and lead sections I can hear the same. The VH5 are more balanced and complex, which is what I prefer. If for nothing else, I find that to sound and interact differently with different amps better.
I was also surprised, how little it seemed the Element's dry switch changed the tone, well as it comes over on RUclips. Now, I WOULD like to see that same comparison Dry on or off in the mix, where I think it might shine. The Focus however was a noticeable difference on and off. And, mostly that was good.
And, I like the Aesthetics better, and the SS Frets and Maple Cap are big for me. Ultimately, I also love the Flash Green color, which only comes in Standard. The GIG bag doesn't factor for me, as I only use Hard cases (and yes I have found one that fits a Revstar snugly)
Yes, I have to agree with you that there's something finer about the VH5 pickups in the Standard. As I said in the video, I'd love to hear those in the Element, with the Dry Switch! They do have a more complex tonality to them, for sure. Doing tones in a mix is also something I need to look at soon as well.
I'm still in favor of the Dry Switch over the Focus Switch, although it could simply also be down to the way I play, and the types of music I play. I don't see why the Standard couldn't have both switches, actually! Why not?
At the end of the day, though, it's about what works for each individual person. I actually think I'd take a modified Standard, if I could (or why not a Professional, actually) for the pickups and the stainless steel frets, and get the Dry Switch as a mod. I don't need a 5-way switch either - the 3-way would do me :) And in Swift Blue, of course! But before that, I need to try the P90 version of the Standard...
Which gig bag would you recommend? In case I do end up with an Element...
Yeah the element model is a great classic hard rock guitar.
What’s the focus switch like? Similar to Clapton mid boost?
@@keithcostanza96 The Focus Switch boosts mids, but it boosts the low end too (while taking off high end) so it can do that Clapton-esque thing if you want. I think it will definitely do the 'woman tone' thing if needed - creamy lead lines, etc. That's not something I personally use or need, but the option would be there. One other thing to note is that you don't get much of an actual volume/dB boost out of the Focus Switch, at least in my opinion. It's more of a tone shifting device than a volume boost to my ears.
@@johnsmith-ug5tp It's perfect for that, absolutely! The slightly more aggressive pickups do the whole rock thing really well.
I really prefer the sound of the Standard but if I was able to make some changes I would have the Element switching options on the Standard because I really don't like the boosted sound of the Standard.
My thoughts exactly: a Standard model (with the VH5 humbuckers and stainless steel frets) with a Dry Switch and a 3-way selector switch would be my ideal Revstar too :) I hope that option becomes available at some point!
standard no doubt
Honestly, the difference here is binding and inlays.
There's a bit more that shape my decision - stainless steel frets and the carbon reinforced neck on the Standard. It comes in a gig bag too (who doesn't have a gig bag though?). But the actual killer point for me is the Dry Switch on the Element, which I much prefer to the Focus Switch on the Standard... and would make me pick the Element over the Standard if I was buying another.
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Focus switch = Mud switch. Why ?
I've also tried the Standard P90 Revstar model, and the Focus Switch on that really fattens the P90s up nicely... but I do agree with you that for the kinds of music I tend to play, the Focus Switch does seem to muddy up the humbuckers a fair bit. The Dry Switch works much better for me. There's videos on here of jazzier players making the Focus Switch sound better than I can!
Is it just me who wants a Neon Yellow Standard? 😂
Ha ha, I'm sure there are more neon fans out there... I wish Yamaha did the more expensive models in that color too! There's not enough Neon Yellow options out there ;)
Why do you wear headphones when playing an amp?
Because I live in an apartment where I can't be loud, so I don't use a cab for these vids - I'm going from the amp's Red Box DI straight into my audio interface/Mac and I use the amp's headphones out. Not ideal I know, but I gotta work with what I've got... which is neighbors ;)
@@RichWordsMusic Ah, ok I understand. I thought the amp was playing out into the room and I couldn't figure out what the headphones were for lol. I'm also trying to figure out how to play guitar through headphones. Really complicated stuff. I can't figure it out at all. I miss living with my parents in a house where I could play out loud haha.
why the comments are so longgggg??? be honest, which is better?
All the comments are very long, which one is better? short
I don't know what you like in this guitars, the are both crap
I think they're both great! And I love the way they look, sound, feel and play... pretty much everything ;) What don't you like about them? And what would you recommend instead?