I know it's hard to hear small sound differences over RUclips, but man, your 2015 looks so much better to my eyes. Classier, less "Shiny and New". Given a choice, I'll take the 2015. Lover your channel!
I like the older model more. Always thought the look was unique and cool. I've never played one, but sounds like I would like the neck better. Great comparison!
Revstar’s make les Paul’s seem obsolete. I absolutely love this guitar. It’s exactly what I want from a guitar 2022. Its what I hope to see Gibson do eventually, hopefully. I want one now.
I see you’ve been practicing 👍. Excellent video, and your guitar skills are through the ceiling. Rock on, and thanks for posting. (Wish I could leave 100 thumbs up 👍).
Wow. Excellent demo and your thorough explanation of how each guitar feels really helps a lot. Revstar’s got my full attention and looking to play one as soon as I can.
Bought a Revstar when they were first released I originally was aiming for the Japanese CR20 but I wanted a trem system so eventually went for the 820b with bigsby and the beautiful tiger stripe maple cap, it’s a wonderful guitar. Yamaha guitars are exceptional in my opinion
@@kensmechanicalaffair yeah I'm very pleased with mine I was lucky enough to get it brand new of Ebay for about 375 quid. I was watching it no bids was up for about 600 I just messaged if they'd accept 375 including postage to my surprise they said yes I couldn't believe it. I own a few Yamaha Guitars always excellent quality
Nice comparison. Thank you. I‘ve got a new Revstar RSS20 and I love it. I wonder about differences between the RSS and RSP models. Would it be worth upgrading???
I wanted to get the old one back in 2017, it still has amazing looks in my opinion, i love the wear og the surface as you use it. But I just got the p90 standard version in hot merlot now, and it is gorgeous. It's classy, vintage looking yet still modern somehow. I honestly love the new ones. If I was not a beginner I'd definitely pickup the pro version, even with the standard I'm going to have a guitar here for life. Amazing instruments.
Man, I want to try one of these so bad. Thank you for the video! Do you still find yourself picking up the prs s2 often? I am thinking of getting either that or a revstar for my next axe.
I'm sticking with my 2017 RevStar. Like it's 43mm nut vs the new model that has a much skinnier 41.88mm nut. Anything under 42mm feels a little cramped when playing down the neck. 🤘
It depends also on the cut and how wide it goes towards the end. I would also say the Ibanez AT neck is too narrow judging by nut size however width increases a lot as you go into soloing territory and it's actually more comfortable this way.
Saving up for one, hopefully I can get one in a couple months. I really enjoy Doom and Fuzz tones and I think this guitar will make it super easy to find good tones. Seems really versatile overall.
Interesting seeing everyone prefers the older model. I personally like the more “classy” “fancier” look and feel of the newer model. And the tone of it to me is just absolutely incredible, especially for Jazz. I’m probably biased but my interest in the RP came from listening to Matteo Manusco absolutely kill it on that thing.
Damn man, great demo of both! Your playing is so nice! Tonally I think I kinda like the new one better. I could see that working for me a bit better with the more clear sound and the switch to get the fatter nastier sound. Looks wise though... Give me the old one every single day of the week! It just has more character and vibe. The new model is just pretty but doesn't look "special" compared to other pretty guitars.
It makes sense. The old one has warm pickups with switch to thin them out. The new one has bright pickups with a switch to warm them up. The new one seems to work better, as the old Dry switch is too subtle to be useful.
This makes sense. I prefer the warmer pickups of the older one, and getting a bass cut once in a while when you need it is useful. Hard to say when that is but I like the treble cut circuit rather than a bass boost.
I have the 620. Absolutely love the neck, my hands aren't particularly large but the string spacing is excellent at allowing me to quickly fret chords without accidentally muffing the fingering. I also like the chunkier sound, even with the dry switch. But, I will be swapping the pickup magnets out for Alnico II, I like more laid back, clean tones. The pickups are a tad too hot. What I don't like are the bridge and the tuning machines. A Gotoh wraparound bridge will fit the posts and the radius. I added hipshot machines for the convenience of string changes. The pro's look sweet. But a couple of minor mods to my 620 and I'll feel more in the zone.
The first time I saw a Revstar was from a JLJ video, and ever since I've been wanting to own one. Today I'm receiving a Standard model in hot merlot with double humbucker. I'm so freaking excited for this guitar. Ive been loving the revstars since they came out and now finally getting my hand on with one😊
They both have their own kind of identities. The newer ones are... shinier. I dig that copper pickguard on the old one and think they should have kept the racing stripes on every version of the new ones. Bit disappointed to hear that the chambering doesn't significantly improve the weight as I *really* don't like heavy guitars. Really like that fade on the blue burst though. Pro is a bit too rich for my blood anyway. Think I'm going to get a standard with the P90s; not a fan of the soapbar look, but I like the bridge on those and the dynamics. Nice comparison vid; thanks for putting it together and articulating the differences so well.
Great video! I love the playing, and it was really informative! 6/6. I have the RS620 and like it a lot, and like that it has quite a lot of LP character, with some positive changes (I like both my LPs and the Revstar). I like the nut width of the old one, not sure how I would like a more narrow nut width
Hi J. First I want to let you know I’ve been watching your videos for a few years and I enjoy your great talent and the way you seem to be enjoying what you are doing (I believe you are). I like both guitars. They sound pretty good their way. Very nice comparison and very nice playing as always. Blessings!!
The Tone Pros bridge that came with the former line drove me crazy in regard to restringing. I changed it to a Schaller Signum wrap-around because it does not have the same problem with strings feeding through properly. The Signum does not have any extra holes for the strings to come out. They are just straight channels through the metal as they should be. The new bridge's posts fit right into the Revstar's bushings so it was a pretty effortless upgrade. It was tricky to get intonated (I did it myself) but once I did, the thing has been rock solid and a breeze to change strings. The bridge radius is slightly different than that of the neck, but it has not caused any playability issues. That being said, I think I'd still prefer the traditional stop tail and tune-o-matic on the new models. The reinforced neck seems nice too. My 820CR's neck seems to move around more than I'd like, so I always keep the truss cover off so I can adjust it regularly. I'm confused. I love my current 820, but the new ones have some nice QOL improvements. I may just have to have both of them!
The Revstar is one of the few guitars that get my attention nowadays. Some proper innovation going on, but still good attention to heritage and craftsmanship.
Yamaha blew this release. I was all about the Rev Star after seeing all the release videos. I went right to Sweetwater and ordered one. Just to get contacted by Sweetwater the next day to tell me the guitar wouldnt be in stock for 8-9 months. Well, that wasnt working for my G.A.S. So I ordered a Reverend from Wildwood. It cam in today and it is awesome.
I think the original look is so unique and tough looking. The copper pick guard on the grey-blue finish is awesome. In that way the old one is "it's own thing".
New body looks huge. I know they said they only added like 3% but it went from goldilocks just-right to looking massive for a (mostly) solid body guitar.
That to me, the fact that you did get that first one after the video, says a LOT about the quality. I own a Yamaha Mike Stern from Japan and the quality you get for the price is mind blowing. It's up there with my CS Gibson, and Fender. Yamaha and Ibanez can't be beat in price/quality... They are way above anyone else. So I suspect buying a REVSTAR PRO could be the best alternative to a possibly dodgy high quality Gibson SG for twice the price + propbable fretjob and setup... I bet those revstars are super straightforward and better set up. Better quality control too so... Yamaha and Ibanez are outstanding companies 👏 👌 🙌 👍 I'm almost sure this is a 100% satisfaction instrument. They also released a few Yamaha SGs, very high end!
The Yamaha Rep in my city is absolutely in LOVE with his Mike Stern. He has been trying to get me to try it for a while now!! I should definitely give it a look :)
Great review JLJ! I loooooooove the aesthetic of the older one (stunning!), but the clarity of the newer. As for getting that thicker/grunty/chuggy sound - easily enough done w effects IMO. So my choice would be the newer version as I think it has more 'range'.
Good comparison I was wondering if anyone would do this. I think I prefer the older version. Definitely like the chunky neck better. I have a 620 in black not the Japan model but it’s still a good guitar. I also think I like the electronics in the older model. It is nice to be able to clean up the bottom end say when you hit a boost to solo.
I own a 620. Nice guitar but to me the head is too heavy. Constantly plunging when playing up. There is to me a serious weight inbalance issue with this model. Your opinion ?
I'm trying to find one of these in stock to play, but they're out of stock in every shop within 2 hours of me. I'd love to compare the Standard and Pro models, p90s preferably. I more or less just wanted something in the 1k range to take around with in the car and not have to worry about. Nice demo though, they both sounded awesome!
The standard series are really good value, nothing wrong with those, I’ve played all 3 levels- element, standard and pro. Don’t feel you need to go for the Japanese Pro models, I certainly don’t
Man, that 2015 one looks incredible to me. The newer one is nice as well but not as pretty to my eye. Tone-wise, I might also prefer the older one...? They're close for sure. Great review, JLJ, as always
Great comparison. I have an older p90 model and I'm torn about upgrading to the a japanese made new one, not sure about the thinner neck though, I kinda liked the chunkier profile of mine. The new in between sounds of the newer models seem very cool though and ss frets are a big plus.
For change there's also LH models, and not only the lowest model in black. Guitar makers tend to think lefthanders are also colorblind and poor. To bad the Pro model is not available and the choice is limited: blue with stripes or...black . But it's still an improvement as the previous serie was RH only. Yamaha was never very LH friendly, but they seem to progress..
I’m really curious about the copper scratch plate, and how or if it contributes to the sound differences. Just for grins, have you ever thought of removing the copper plate to see how it compares? A guess could be that it absorbs some of the higher frequencies kinda like an acoustic capacitor. Me I like them both. Too hard to choose one over the other
Great video. Might now be leaning towards the humbucker model. Was eyeing the P90 standard and test drove one today. I was honestly expecting more and found the P90’s somewhat noisy (the dreaded 60 cycle hum). I’ll give it a second go in a different environment.
I like the older one. I have an RS320 and it reminds me of that. I like that thicker sound. I also have the new standard with p90s. Could be I'm just a humbucker person. I like my RS 320 over my new standard. The only thing that might put me off your older one is the less easy string change.
I tried the new one recently. Disappointing. Felt like I was playing a jazz guitar. I much prefer the old style, feel and sound (but I am sure may people will prefer the new model.) Your video does a great job of highlighting the differences I experienced.
The idea with the tuners was to lighten the weight of the headstock to avoid any neck dive. That is why they also went with the classic tuner buttons as well over the heavier metal ones. The Pacifica definitely benefits from the locking tuners because of the whammy bar, but since Revstar doesn't vibrato, it was probably worth the nix from the Yamaha team.
@@JayLeonardJ Thanks for the reply sir but here are some points. 1) There are similar plastic button style locking tuners available. 2) Locking tuners are only a few grams heavier than the non locking counterparts. 3) During manufacturing and considering bulk orders, locking tuners should not add too much to the overall cost. (Assumption but based on the Pacifica which is similarly speced and priced). Thanks. Let me know what you think about this.
I can totally see what you are saying. I think, when designing something to fit a specific price, spec'ing is a give and take process. Although they are priced somewhat similarity, Pacificas may have locking tuners but they also do NOT have Stainless steel frets and carbon reinforcements on the neck. Companies have to decide what the priorities are for their models: making decisions on what is an essential and non-essential cost to make that guitar perform at it's absolute best while meeting a specific price point. For arguments sake, say the price upgrade to locking tuners is the same as the cost of the new push-pull circuit. Yamaha decided that the new circuit was more important to them than the cost of upgrading the tuners. If using regular tuners frees them the budget to keep the new circuit and well as having the benefit of being a touch lighter lighter, more mechanically simple, and subtly improving the overall balance of the guitar, I would guess they would see that as a slam dunk. Keep in mind that many of the top level Gibsons and Fenders don't have locking tuners either. Why do some cheaper Strats have locking tuners and some expensive ones do not? The art of spec-ing a guitar is definitely a delicate balance and everyone has their own priority list of what they need from their guitar. That's why there are so many choices out there to match guitar players from all tastes, styles, budgets, and needs :)
It is definitely worth going for the guitar with the features and price that suit you the best. With the amazing assortment of guitars out there right now, it is correct to make sure the guitar you pick matches your personal style and demands the best. Rock on and take care :)
If I had to choose only between those two kinds, I´d go with the new one for the better seeming versatility. In real life I´d also would have a closer look to one of the more affordable versions. They might be more than good enough for me. I´m wondering myself, why it "clicked", a few months ago, suddenly recognizing, how attractice the design of a Revstar really is to me. I even saw a couple of episodes with Chris Buck, using one. And I still didn´t G.A.S. for it. But since the new versions came out.. oh yeah: A new "original", that will be a classic soon. Only thing is, I got a couple of guitars already. To feel more reasonable, I would have to sell one of them first. And then I´d still have to fight myself to choose between a Gretsch Double Jet or a Revstar so..just luxury problems, I guess.
Such a good player ,, gonna be honest out of 100s of guitars owned the old rsp20cr is my all time fave guitar ,, I actually prefer the older model , it sounds so mellow and vintage and aggressive love it
I have the Revstar II in green with the Humbuckers. One day when I can get another without my wife divorcing me 😂… I’m getting an original p90 version. I love the more worn look.
I'm diggin' the blue one the most. After listening back trough the video and comparing the two guitars, I really think the blue one has a little more something something going on.... different as you said... it's own thing... and I like it! Thanks for the great demo/ review Jay... You ROCK !!! 😎🤘🎸
Older models imo look a lot nicer. But I like a thinner neck. I love that motorcycle look. Idk I think they should’ve left it with the older look. It was very different looking than most other guitars. Plus, very cool looking. P 90’s are great but too noisy.Just love hbs best. And prefer the nickel worn covers over the shiny hb covers.
The treble control on the new revstars have a massive 'sweep', I roll mine back a fair bit for a Les Paul vibe. The mid boost is great too for a Les Paul on steroids!
...Add stainless steel frets, eliminate the neck drop/improve the body balance, workshop different body chambering patterns, experiment with carbon fiber reinforcements, create a transformer based tone circuit, change the hardware, add more clarity to the overall voicing of the guitars, come up with a horizontal style sunburst color pattern and new colors, streamline the whole lineup... All while keeping the price at a reasonable place... promoted.
That’s the thing though the Gen1 revstars were all over the place. Super fat neck, or thin, some were boat anchor heavy, one in my collection is 6 pound 1oz. No one ever mentions all that ( in consistency) but I’m probably the only person crazy enough to own one of each in every finish. Thanks for responding I love your playing and presentation style!
I have a revstar old model with P90 and just yesterday I tried the HH standard model. The strange thing is that the neck of the new one felt chunkier of mine old one 🤔. Anyway although the guitar looks amazing I didn’t buy. Not sure about the sounds offer. I tried afterward a fender Meteora ( new one ) and even it has less sounds options … the attack of the notes were another world.
I get that. One thing I forgot to mention is that the older Revstars had different neck profiles depending on the model. Maybe the older Revstar you played was one of the thinner neck models.
I own a rs620. Love this guitar but imo it is not for playing standing up. The head and neck too heavy, are constantly plunging. It is à constant struggle to raise the head of the guitar when playing up. Anybody to share his feeling on this point?
I've heard that problem a lot. My old RSP20CR luckily doesn't really suffer from that but I do know that fixing the balance was one of the priorities for the new models.
@@JayLeonardJ thanks à lot i feel less lonely now! Im so in love with my 620 that im going to add some weight on the back plate of the guitar. Im thinking about adding a lead plate. If i find à solution i will tell you. I guess they have solved this problem on the new series. But when i see that they have chambered the body im a bit scared....
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I know it's hard to hear small sound differences over RUclips, but man, your 2015 looks so much better to my eyes. Classier, less "Shiny and New". Given a choice, I'll take the 2015. Lover your channel!
I would love if the 2022 model had the 2015 colors
I like the older model more. Always thought the look was unique and cool. I've never played one, but sounds like I would like the neck better. Great comparison!
older lose only in regular frets, while new has SS ones. 14 radius and 43mm nut are better on older (12'/41.9mm new)
Fantastic comparison. I've wanted an RSP for several years now and finally pulled the trigger on the 2022 in Midnight Blue.
Congrats!!! I love that Blue :)
how do you like the RSP?
2015 model looks so good it beats the 202w on looks alone. Sound is also warmer, better for me.
Love to see and hear a sound comparison between the Pro vs Standard
Same here. It's nearly impossible to find one of either in stock, nevermind both together right now. I'm looking at the p90 versions myself.
There is no difference in sound, sorry to spoil it
@@sgeggbub1008 how do you know?
@@barulicksama3838 Tried both, only difference is one is "played in" which essentially is the same as playing the standard for a few weeks
@@sgeggbub1008 I'm sorry, I don't get it. What is "played in"?
I'd go with the more recent one because it became its own thing. Great demo, thanks!
Picked up the new Pro from Rufus Guitars about a month ago. LOVING IT! It's in a gorgeous
Sunset Burst. Jay...great demo as always.
Love the people there! Glad you dig the guitar!!
Revstar’s make les Paul’s seem obsolete. I absolutely love this guitar. It’s exactly what I want from a guitar 2022. Its what I hope to see Gibson do eventually, hopefully. I want one now.
I completely agree. Gibson LP - a fabulous guitar of its time. Yamaha RS - a fabulous guitar for today. Cheers 🍻
Gibson is somewhat irrelevant.
If Gibson HAD done this they would probably not be suing other guitar companies and losing so much money!
Les Paul obsolete? They are not even in the same league dude, my god
@Gib Son Correct. Yamaha has surpassed Gibson. Even the Standard owns the Les Paul.
I see you’ve been practicing 👍. Excellent video, and your guitar skills are through the ceiling. Rock on, and thanks for posting. (Wish I could leave 100 thumbs up 👍).
Wow. Excellent demo and your thorough explanation of how each guitar feels really helps a lot. Revstar’s got my full attention and looking to play one as soon as I can.
They are both great guitars. Although I prefer the innovotains that the newer revstars have , I prefer the body size on the original ones.
Bought a Revstar when they were first released I originally was aiming for the Japanese CR20 but I wanted a trem system so eventually went for the 820b with bigsby and the beautiful tiger stripe maple cap, it’s a wonderful guitar. Yamaha guitars are exceptional in my opinion
820b was the first version i played, fell in love immediately.
@@kensmechanicalaffair yeah I'm very pleased with mine I was lucky enough to get it brand new of Ebay for about 375 quid.
I was watching it no bids was up for about 600 I just messaged if they'd accept 375 including postage to my surprise they said yes I couldn't believe it. I own a few Yamaha Guitars always excellent quality
Nice comparison. Thank you. I‘ve got a new Revstar RSS20 and I love it. I wonder about differences between the RSS and RSP models. Would it be worth upgrading???
I wanted to get the old one back in 2017, it still has amazing looks in my opinion, i love the wear og the surface as you use it. But I just got the p90 standard version in hot merlot now, and it is gorgeous. It's classy, vintage looking yet still modern somehow. I honestly love the new ones. If I was not a beginner I'd definitely pickup the pro version, even with the standard I'm going to have a guitar here for life. Amazing instruments.
Man, I want to try one of these so bad. Thank you for the video! Do you still find yourself picking up the prs s2 often? I am thinking of getting either that or a revstar for my next axe.
I'm sticking with my 2017 RevStar. Like it's 43mm nut vs the new model that has a much skinnier 41.88mm nut. Anything under 42mm feels a little cramped when playing down the neck. 🤘
I hate it when companies change specs on something so important.
It depends also on the cut and how wide it goes towards the end. I would also say the Ibanez AT neck is too narrow judging by nut size however width increases a lot as you go into soloing territory and it's actually more comfortable this way.
@@AtacamaHumanoid Well they basically rebooted the line-up and the older models should still be available both new and especially used.
agree, and the radius 14 vs 12 on new
Thanks for the upload: love these demos
Both pro versions are fantastic instruments. Each have their own unique tone and vibe.
I have an RSS02T in Hot Merlot, and I absolutely see some Rickenbacker in the new ones, especially with the larger body and headstock.
Saving up for one, hopefully I can get one in a couple months. I really enjoy Doom and Fuzz tones and I think this guitar will make it super easy to find good tones. Seems really versatile overall.
To answer which I like best? Definitely the 2nd gen. I will be in the market next spring for one. Thanks again. You rock 🎸🎸🎸.
Interesting seeing everyone prefers the older model. I personally like the more “classy” “fancier” look and feel of the newer model. And the tone of it to me is just absolutely incredible, especially for Jazz.
I’m probably biased but my interest in the RP came from listening to Matteo Manusco absolutely kill it on that thing.
Damn man, great demo of both! Your playing is so nice! Tonally I think I kinda like the new one better. I could see that working for me a bit better with the more clear sound and the switch to get the fatter nastier sound. Looks wise though... Give me the old one every single day of the week! It just has more character and vibe. The new model is just pretty but doesn't look "special" compared to other pretty guitars.
Just purchased the pro in the sunset finish. Losing my mind with excitement!
That's my fav color! Enjoy it :)
@@JayLeonardJ Arrived today, gorgeous!
The original in that color is one of the coolest guitars I've seen
It makes sense. The old one has warm pickups with switch to thin them out. The new one has bright pickups with a switch to warm them up. The new one seems to work better, as the old Dry switch is too subtle to be useful.
I might have to agree with you on that one :)
This makes sense. I prefer the warmer pickups of the older one, and getting a bass cut once in a while when you need it is useful. Hard to say when that is but I like the treble cut circuit rather than a bass boost.
I have the 620. Absolutely love the neck, my hands aren't particularly large but the string spacing is excellent at allowing me to quickly fret chords without accidentally muffing the fingering. I also like the chunkier sound, even with the dry switch. But, I will be swapping the pickup magnets out for Alnico II, I like more laid back, clean tones. The pickups are a tad too hot. What I don't like are the bridge and the tuning machines. A Gotoh wraparound bridge will fit the posts and the radius. I added hipshot machines for the convenience of string changes. The pro's look sweet. But a couple of minor mods to my 620 and I'll feel more in the zone.
The first time I saw a Revstar was from a JLJ video, and ever since I've been wanting to own one. Today I'm receiving a Standard model in hot merlot with double humbucker. I'm so freaking excited for this guitar. Ive been loving the revstars since they came out and now finally getting my hand on with one😊
LOVE that color! Hope you dig your axe :)
@@JayLeonardJI'm in my honeymoon phase with my revstar. Absolutely diggin it. Clarity and note definition on these humbuckers is insanely good! ❤
I have the RSP20X and absolutely love it.
Phil McKnight sent me. Nice video, I’ve been waffling back and forth on these and you’ve helped me decide to get one
One of the nicest guys in the whole world. Thanks so much for watching and have a killer day!
They both have their own kind of identities. The newer ones are... shinier. I dig that copper pickguard on the old one and think they should have kept the racing stripes on every version of the new ones. Bit disappointed to hear that the chambering doesn't significantly improve the weight as I *really* don't like heavy guitars. Really like that fade on the blue burst though. Pro is a bit too rich for my blood anyway. Think I'm going to get a standard with the P90s; not a fan of the soapbar look, but I like the bridge on those and the dynamics.
Nice comparison vid; thanks for putting it together and articulating the differences so well.
Great video! I love the playing, and it was really informative! 6/6. I have the RS620 and like it a lot, and like that it has quite a lot of LP character, with some positive changes (I like both my LPs and the Revstar). I like the nut width of the old one, not sure how I would like a more narrow nut width
You are such a great reviewer. You are so genuine. That lends a degree of sincerity that makes it all so “legit”. Subscribed!
I really appreciate it! Thanks so much :)
Also here from Know Your Gear! Great review and outstanding playing. Subscribed! 👍
Thanks so much! Phil is one of the coolest and most genuine guys out there. Loves gear, players, and is an absolute joy to spend time with.
New one is also fantastic. Great review sir
great video jay... super informative and upbeat. dig your playing style and tone too. keep on rock, funk n jazzin :)
Hi J. First I want to let you know I’ve been watching your videos for a few years and I enjoy your great talent and the way you seem to be enjoying what you are doing (I believe you are). I like both guitars. They sound pretty good their way. Very nice comparison and very nice playing as always. Blessings!!
Thanks!
The Tone Pros bridge that came with the former line drove me crazy in regard to restringing. I changed it to a Schaller Signum wrap-around because it does not have the same problem with strings feeding through properly. The Signum does not have any extra holes for the strings to come out. They are just straight channels through the metal as they should be. The new bridge's posts fit right into the Revstar's bushings so it was a pretty effortless upgrade. It was tricky to get intonated (I did it myself) but once I did, the thing has been rock solid and a breeze to change strings. The bridge radius is slightly different than that of the neck, but it has not caused any playability issues. That being said, I think I'd still prefer the traditional stop tail and tune-o-matic on the new models. The reinforced neck seems nice too. My 820CR's neck seems to move around more than I'd like, so I always keep the truss cover off so I can adjust it regularly. I'm confused. I love my current 820, but the new ones have some nice QOL improvements. I may just have to have both of them!
The Revstar is one of the few guitars that get my attention nowadays. Some proper innovation going on, but still good attention to heritage and craftsmanship.
I like the wraparound bridge of the original. The specs and materials ofthe new ones are truly superior though.
Really enjoy your reviews. Great discussion.
Yamaha blew this release. I was all about the Rev Star after seeing all the release videos. I went right to Sweetwater and ordered one. Just to get contacted by Sweetwater the next day to tell me the guitar wouldnt be in stock for 8-9 months. Well, that wasnt working for my G.A.S. So I ordered a Reverend from Wildwood. It cam in today and it is awesome.
Seriously, how do you release a new guitar and then immediately not be able to deliver any of them for almost a year?
@@thebigsmooth99 don’t know, but they definitely lost a sale from me. But hey, maybe I’m the only one
I'm sure the new ones are great. But I've had my RS502 for a few years, and it's one of the best guitars I've ever played.
Right on! I have a 502 in billet green, I love that guitar.
I think the original look is so unique and tough looking. The copper pick guard on the grey-blue finish is awesome. In that way the old one is "it's own thing".
Revstar is thinking, ooo, I'm getting played by JayLeonardJ, I'm gonna sound incredible :D
New body looks huge. I know they said they only added like 3% but it went from goldilocks just-right to looking massive for a (mostly) solid body guitar.
That to me, the fact that you did get that first one after the video, says a LOT about the quality. I own a Yamaha Mike Stern from Japan and the quality you get for the price is mind blowing. It's up there with my CS Gibson, and Fender. Yamaha and Ibanez can't be beat in price/quality... They are way above anyone else.
So I suspect buying a REVSTAR PRO could be the best alternative to a possibly dodgy high quality Gibson SG for twice the price + propbable fretjob and setup... I bet those revstars are super straightforward and better set up. Better quality control too so...
Yamaha and Ibanez are outstanding companies 👏 👌 🙌 👍
I'm almost sure this is a 100% satisfaction instrument.
They also released a few Yamaha SGs, very high end!
The Yamaha Rep in my city is absolutely in LOVE with his Mike Stern. He has been trying to get me to try it for a while now!! I should definitely give it a look :)
Great review JLJ! I loooooooove the aesthetic of the older one (stunning!), but the clarity of the newer. As for getting that thicker/grunty/chuggy sound - easily enough done w effects IMO. So my choice would be the newer version as I think it has more 'range'.
Good comparison I was wondering if anyone would do this. I think I prefer the older version. Definitely like the chunky neck better. I have a 620 in black not the Japan model but it’s still a good guitar. I also think I like the electronics in the older model. It is nice to be able to clean up the bottom end say when you hit a boost to solo.
I own a 620. Nice guitar but to me the head is too heavy. Constantly plunging when playing up. There is to me a serious weight inbalance issue with this model. Your opinion ?
I'm trying to find one of these in stock to play, but they're out of stock in every shop within 2 hours of me. I'd love to compare the Standard and Pro models, p90s preferably. I more or less just wanted something in the 1k range to take around with in the car and not have to worry about. Nice demo though, they both sounded awesome!
The standard series are really good value, nothing wrong with those, I’ve played all 3 levels- element, standard and pro.
Don’t feel you need to go for the Japanese Pro models, I certainly don’t
I like them both. But I do lean towards the old series
What an impossible choice to have to make, 😮... I'll take both please, just wrap 'em up to go! 😊
Humbucker or P90 version for the standard I can't make my mind up I am feeling the P90 version more I think
If it helps, I made a vid comparing the two: ruclips.net/video/Bq4dYFNb0l8/видео.html&lc=UgxAu9b7B8Uo9LlwXSN4AaABAg
Love your style...badass
HeY Jay, big fan of the channel, have you ever reviewed the Yahmaha SA2200? I would love to see that.
Tried both - bought the older model - it’s absolutely fantastic but to each there own 👍
Are the pickups the same in the standard and the pro revstar lines? Or is the standard revstars the Indonesian recreation?
Man, that 2015 one looks incredible to me. The newer one is nice as well but not as pretty to my eye. Tone-wise, I might also prefer the older one...? They're close for sure. Great review, JLJ, as always
very good review. I'm really pleased with my new rsp02T ( in swift blue)
Great choice!!
@@JayLeonardJ Thanks ! See my (poor) unboxing video ( for a good laugh)
Great comparison. I have an older p90 model and I'm torn about upgrading to the a japanese made new one, not sure about the thinner neck though, I kinda liked the chunkier profile of mine. The new in between sounds of the newer models seem very cool though and ss frets are a big plus.
I'd like to know what your signal chain was for this video. Your tones were excellent.
I believe it is just the two Channels on the Tone King Imperial and a tuner :)
I love your playing! Are these pickguards the same size? I just ordered an RSS20, but I'm looking to get a custom pickguard.
I haven't compared directly, but I don't think they would 100 line up since the body on the new Revstars is shaped a bit different.
I have the RS502 and loving it!
Yeah! Those guitars were awesome :)
Give me the aesthetics of the old one and the sound of the new one....
For change there's also LH models, and not only the lowest model in black. Guitar makers tend to think lefthanders are also colorblind and poor. To bad the Pro model is not available and the choice is limited: blue with stripes or...black . But it's still an improvement as the previous serie was RH only. Yamaha was never very LH friendly, but they seem to progress..
Gotta say I prefer the sound of the older model. It has less clarity, but has more of a rock sound, to me.
Amazing playing !!
Thanks!
I bet the new Revstar with the brighter pickup voicing would sound killer with low tuning.
I’m really curious about the copper scratch plate, and how or if it contributes to the sound differences.
Just for grins, have you ever thought of removing the copper plate to see how it compares? A guess could be that it absorbs some of the higher frequencies kinda like an acoustic capacitor.
Me I like them both. Too hard to choose one over the other
You nailed it regarding the Tone Pro which is a PITA when changing strings, unless you remove the whole thing from the two posts.
Yeah, too bad because those are such great bridges in so many other ways.
I got the new standard with P90s. It is a great guitar and the pickups are awesome.
With you 100%, I'm getting addicted to the P90s. Really cool guitar. I can't find fault with it at all. It was perfect from the factory.
So glad you like it! Those are super fun guitars!!!
Great video. Might now be leaning towards the humbucker model. Was eyeing the P90 standard and test drove one today. I was honestly expecting more and found the P90’s somewhat noisy (the dreaded 60 cycle hum). I’ll give it a second go in a different environment.
I like the older one. I have an RS320 and it reminds me of that. I like that thicker sound. I also have the new standard with p90s. Could be I'm just a humbucker person. I like my RS 320 over my new standard. The only thing that might put me off your older one is the less easy string change.
I tried the new one recently. Disappointing. Felt like I was playing a jazz guitar. I much prefer the old style, feel and sound (but I am sure may people will prefer the new model.) Your video does a great job of highlighting the differences I experienced.
I love the MKI. Because it's less heavy.
The old Revstars are heavier
@@Pete_Harris I have the RS420. It's lighter than my other guitars. Squier Affinity Telecaster, Yamaha EG112 and two locally-made electric guitars.
The original looks a lot better imo, it has it's own thing and the new one looks like any other guitar, not a fan. Give me the old one anyday
exactly!
Yea very different looking than other guitars.
Yes, I prefer the old, rugged look with the satin finish as well.
I love the old copper plate. I prefer the new fret markers though, I have them on the the BBP34. A minor note, but I find dot markers a little boring.
Same, I like the look of the old one but like the features and specs of the new one
Should have added locking tuners also. The similarly priced Pacifica has it.
The idea with the tuners was to lighten the weight of the headstock to avoid any neck dive. That is why they also went with the classic tuner buttons as well over the heavier metal ones. The Pacifica definitely benefits from the locking tuners because of the whammy bar, but since Revstar doesn't vibrato, it was probably worth the nix from the Yamaha team.
@@JayLeonardJ Thanks for the reply sir but here are some points.
1) There are similar plastic button style locking tuners available.
2) Locking tuners are only a few grams heavier than the non locking counterparts.
3) During manufacturing and considering bulk orders, locking tuners should not add too much to the overall cost. (Assumption but based on the Pacifica which is similarly speced and priced).
Thanks. Let me know what you think about this.
I can totally see what you are saying.
I think, when designing something to fit a specific price, spec'ing is a give and take process. Although they are priced somewhat similarity, Pacificas may have locking tuners but they also do NOT have Stainless steel frets and carbon reinforcements on the neck. Companies have to decide what the priorities are for their models: making decisions on what is an essential and non-essential cost to make that guitar perform at it's absolute best while meeting a specific price point.
For arguments sake, say the price upgrade to locking tuners is the same as the cost of the new push-pull circuit. Yamaha decided that the new circuit was more important to them than the cost of upgrading the tuners. If using regular tuners frees them the budget to keep the new circuit and well as having the benefit of being a touch lighter lighter, more mechanically simple, and subtly improving the overall balance of the guitar, I would guess they would see that as a slam dunk.
Keep in mind that many of the top level Gibsons and Fenders don't have locking tuners either. Why do some cheaper Strats have locking tuners and some expensive ones do not? The art of spec-ing a guitar is definitely a delicate balance and everyone has their own priority list of what they need from their guitar. That's why there are so many choices out there to match guitar players from all tastes, styles, budgets, and needs :)
@@JayLeonardJ hmm... Guitars are getting cheaper. So I'll wait till they bring out the locking tuners.
It is definitely worth going for the guitar with the features and price that suit you the best. With the amazing assortment of guitars out there right now, it is correct to make sure the guitar you pick matches your personal style and demands the best. Rock on and take care :)
Love your enthusiasm Jay! Keep them coming 😀
Appreciate it :)
If I had to choose only between those two kinds, I´d go with the new one for the better seeming versatility.
In real life I´d also would have a closer look to one of the more affordable versions. They might be more than good enough for me.
I´m wondering myself, why it "clicked", a few months ago, suddenly recognizing, how attractice the design of a Revstar really is to me.
I even saw a couple of episodes with Chris Buck, using one. And I still didn´t G.A.S. for it.
But since the new versions came out.. oh yeah:
A new "original", that will be a classic soon.
Only thing is, I got a couple of guitars already. To feel more reasonable, I would have to sell one of them first.
And then I´d still have to fight myself to choose between a Gretsch Double Jet or a Revstar so..just luxury problems, I guess.
i want one of these so bad
Nice video… you know, this video made me go for the old one revstar till I found it…. Is the one for me.
Hi, Jay. Do you think Yamaha is trying to make a Gibson LP replacement with their the Revstar series?
I felt that way about the original Revstar. This one does seem to be moving it more into a different direction.
Such a good player ,, gonna be honest out of 100s of guitars owned the old rsp20cr is my all time fave guitar ,, I actually prefer the older model , it sounds so mellow and vintage and aggressive love it
Dude, you are a rockstar. Leather jacket or not 🌞💥🤙🏻
Thanks! I do have a leather jacket but I can't ride a motorcycle to save my life, haha.
I have the Revstar II in green with the Humbuckers. One day when I can get another without my wife divorcing me 😂… I’m getting an original p90 version. I love the more worn look.
May I ask what picks did you use? touching touching so cool！
Usually those yellow Dunlop Tortex picks :)
@@JayLeonardJ so cool!
I'm diggin' the blue one the most. After listening back trough the video and comparing the two guitars, I really think the blue one has a little more something something going on.... different as you said... it's own thing... and I like it! Thanks for the great demo/ review Jay... You ROCK !!! 😎🤘🎸
Same!
Thanks so much for writing!! Always great to hear from you :)
@JayLeonardJ is this better than say PRS Vela? I have a pending trade for this. thanks
Those Velas look awesome, but I unfortunately have never played on in person before! Sorry
Older models imo look a lot nicer. But I like a thinner neck. I love that motorcycle look. Idk I think they should’ve left it with the older look. It was very different looking than most other guitars. Plus, very cool looking. P 90’s are great but too noisy.Just love hbs best. And prefer the nickel worn covers over the shiny hb covers.
Congrats! I hear those Revstars are hard to get a hold of: enjoy!!!
The treble control on the new revstars have a massive 'sweep', I roll mine back a fair bit for a Les Paul vibe. The mid boost is great too for a Les Paul on steroids!
I have a SG Junior with that bridge. I changed it for a Wilkinson nonadjustable just sounds better.
Here’s an idea. Make the nut narrower, round out the radius, put in a 5 way switch because and make the body bigger! *promoted!
...Add stainless steel frets, eliminate the neck drop/improve the body balance, workshop different body chambering patterns, experiment with carbon fiber reinforcements, create a transformer based tone circuit, change the hardware, add more clarity to the overall voicing of the guitars, come up with a horizontal style sunburst color pattern and new colors, streamline the whole lineup... All while keeping the price at a reasonable place... promoted.
That’s the thing though the Gen1 revstars were all over the place. Super fat neck, or thin, some were boat anchor heavy, one in my collection is 6 pound 1oz. No one ever mentions all that ( in consistency) but I’m probably the only person crazy enough to own one of each in every finish. Thanks for responding I love your playing and presentation style!
Your original has all the character
The older one looks better, more classy and refined. The newer one looks cheaper
I have a revstar old model with P90 and just yesterday I tried the HH standard model. The strange thing is that the neck of the new one felt chunkier of mine old one 🤔.
Anyway although the guitar looks amazing I didn’t buy. Not sure about the sounds offer.
I tried afterward a fender Meteora ( new one ) and even it has less sounds options … the attack of the notes were another world.
I get that. One thing I forgot to mention is that the older Revstars had different neck profiles depending on the model. Maybe the older Revstar you played was one of the thinner neck models.
I own a rs620. Love this guitar but imo it is not for playing standing up. The head and neck too heavy, are constantly plunging. It is à constant struggle to raise the head of the guitar when playing up. Anybody to share his feeling on this point?
I've heard that problem a lot. My old RSP20CR luckily doesn't really suffer from that but I do know that fixing the balance was one of the priorities for the new models.
@@JayLeonardJ thanks à lot i feel less lonely now! Im so in love with my 620 that im going to add some weight on the back plate of the guitar. Im thinking about adding a lead plate. If i find à solution i will tell you. I guess they have solved this problem on the new series. But when i see that they have chambered the body im a bit scared....
Love the neck on the new one
Why the Humbucker as opposed to the P90?
Because the older Revstar Pros didn't have a P90 version unfortunately.
The original doesn't look 'aggressive' at all. Just looks vintage - nothin' aggressive about it all. It's really modern vintage.