What the fuck is up with this guy? I freakin' love him. I've never seen a guitar/amp demo that had such clear info. it's like he's generous instead of egotistical or self-conscious. (Seems like maybe a life choice for him though.) The whole video just had an uptempo feel that was awesome. AND the cat can play. He knows tone but is also super articulate about differences in tone. Shit man. This is tops. This dude will be north of 200K subs by this time next year.
like most guitarists, over the years i have ignored Yamaha because, essentially, they have never offered anything i couldn't get from another brand. but the Revstar might be the first PROPER Yamaha choice they have put forward. it is it's own thing, AND, it's good. this guitar deserves to be popular. i need a p90 guitar and Revstar just made the short list.
The revstar is better than my USA fender and gibson guitars, spent 28 years trying to find the guitar that is perfect and this is it. Just buy one , it will be your forever guitar guarenteed.
I’m not a guitarist, but at 57 I fell in love with a few bands that inspired me to learn. If I bought the one with P90’s and wanted to swap one pickup for a humbler, where would you put the humbler? or is it insane? I’m definitely buying this guitar.
This is the first video I’ve seen of Jay’s. can’t believe that I’ve never come across this channel before. An absolute beast of a guitar player and reviewer.
I just got a merlot P90 model today. A friend of mine got a black one recently and was raving about it and i had never owned a electric Yamaha guitar before. I own about 40 guitars. Ranging from G&L, Fender, Gibson etc. This guitar is hands down one of the nicest guitars for the $. Just like all of the Yamaha products ive recently obtained, its all good stuff. Recently I got into buying cheap Yamaha acoustics, along the way i ended up with a SLG200S and this and im happy I was pointed this direction. So far in 6 months my Yamaha collection consists of: F310 (traded a cheap microphone for) F325 (Blem model $85 delivered) F325D (Blem model $75 delivered) F335 (Blem model $95 delivered) FD01S (Used model $105 shipped) FG700 (Used $148 shipped) FG800 (New $230 Zzounds) SLG200S (New $729 Sweetwater) Revstar p90 (New $799 Sweetwater) I had never owned a Yamaha before recently and everyone of these guitars has been great additions to my collection and nice thing is obtaining all these guitars didnt cost an arm and a leg like some of the guitars i own. With the acoustics I just replaced saddle and nut with bone and intonated saddle and wood pins. Did basic setups. Guitars sound like a million bucks now. The Silent Guitar and the Rev are to me something unique and was needed in the guitar world. The Silent Guitar is worth checking out, it is NOT a toy, it is a REAL guitar. Dont let the looks fool ya. With the Rev they nailed the electronics and did something that isnt done enough. Pickup variations. Most P90 guitars have a 3 way. This was nice to get a 5 way and the mid boost. The only complain i had and have had with any of the Yamahas ive gotten, scratchy frets. Easy enough fix, but def more elbow grease on the Rev's stainless steel frets for sure. Yamaha has something going for it in many ways and among them is the finish or lack of finish on the back of the necks. I shave the back of all my necks (yes every guitar i own weather its a $800 guitar or a $5000 guitar has no finish on the neck). I tour and play festival stages in humidity, cold, rain, you name it. Sticky necks SUCK to deal with as your feel like your spending all your energy making sure your hand is going where it normally would go with little to no effort. I wish more companies would do this. THe Yamaha FG700 is one of the best acoustic guitars ive every played, not making that up. For $148 ! The Rev is worth all of $800 imho. 2 issues with the Rev: Black 5 way tip (doesnt match the rest of the guitar, i ordered a cream one) Scratchy frets Thats it and for someone like me to only find 2 issues on a guitar and small issues at that, thats saying something. I do want to make a rosewood guard for mine and get chrome pickup covers. Anyone know of anyone who makes guards for these newer rev's?
The P90 sound with the humbucker look would be my choice, although I loved the sound of both of them. If I had to pick one I would waffle back and forth and never leave the store.
@@FlorentChardevel or drop in some p-94 type, can get similar sound to p-90 and if you get from GF they have the quick plugs so you can swap back and forth or 1 of each or what have you, easy as a couple screws and a string change, no need to buy 2 of the same guitar, unless you are super particular on having an exact "true p-90" sound, but ive not found the diff to be such that a little EQing cant easily tweak the sound to be the same, or really damn close.
I think this update to the line moves the Revstar platform into the "classic" camp. It wouldn't be weird for someone to say "I'm a Revstar guy" in the same way someone might say "I'm a Strat guy."
Doubtful. They've had guitars in this form factor for ages, ie the SG. Even in the Pacifica line, they have super embelished models, but nobody in the general audience would say, "Oh check out that Yamaha PAC612V!"
Jay . . . I've watched this review several times ... I love hearing the guitars ... love hearing you talk about them ... Enjoy your playing ... But the one thing it hasn't done, is help me make up my mind! I definitely want both!
Great video for a really interesting guitar. For all those wondering where the intro riffs come from (beautifully executed): The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk
I love the Revstar guitars. The shape looked iconic from the moment Yamaha released them. I've played electric guitars for fourty years now and even though I have a good bunch of perfect and often expensive guitars, I NEVER had a guitar with P90's. So that version would be my choice. Pretty good chance I'll buy one, because they're crazy cheap. And it's hard to find a Yamaha guitar that isn't good. These guys know how to build guitars! And again, I just love the looks of them. ❤️
I have to disagree. The Pacifica was once the best affordable, import strat style guitar. However, they haven’t changed their guitars since the rise of sooo many better imported s style guitars. Id much rather play an mim fender than the top of the line Pacifica. Id rather play any squire than a comparable price Pacifica. They gotta update that line or drop it altogether because currently it SUX!
YOU are a very good guitar player, and a very talented videographer and you are very good at communicating subtle nuances that are hard to explain anyway. Thank you for your fantastic review! If you have time, I would be happy if you could tell us something about the signal chain. I really love that sound!
P90's all the way. I think of all the pickup designs, the P90 sounds the best - bark when you want it but with a clarity and sparkle that humbuckers lack. If I were to get one of these, I'd probably end up coughing up the dough for a set of noiseless Kinmans or Lollars. A big investment but sadly, the 60 cycle noise of P90's is the fly in the honey.
I can only say this to a guitarist, you really know how to play with yourself. I mean that in the best possible way. I could hear a drum machine or band in the background even though there was none. Your timing, rhythm and feel is incredible. I prefer the P90 for looks and tones. It’s unfortunate that all the new guitars are not in stock and may not be available for months. Tough times. Thanks for posting this video
I really appreciate this video as an example of the general difference in sound between p90s and humbuckers: the humbuckers sounded compressed and thus smoother, but depending on the sound a person is going for they might find the humbuckers sounded a bit sterile compared to the p90s. And on the other hand, the p90s sound livelier and more nuanced, but a person could also call the sound less-focused and noisier. It all depends on what you wanna hear coming out of your own fingertips. Nice playing as well!
Very good indeed. Maybe you can help me. I play mostly complex chords on a crunch to overdrive rock sound. So what I need is a good note resolution in complex overdriven chords with a smooth and ear-pleasing tone.
@@bille77 It's really personal taste, lots of people have gone for the tones it sounds like you're going for with both p90s and humbuckers. IMO p90s are pretty great for setting up your amp with higher gain and lower volume so your guitar sounds clean with the guitar volume turned down, but then dirty's up into overdrive when you turn the volume knob up. I think the main reason for this is that p90s are (generally) heavier in bass and midtones than other single coil types, so you can play single strings gently and the tone will be bell like and clear like a Tele, but then if you lean into like 3-4 strings at the same time it'll break seamlessly into beautiful saturation. This same characteristic can make p90s sound overly dirty at higher gain levels, but in a lot of early punk rock they chose Gibson's with p90s specifically because of that dirty overdriven sound, so again it depends on what you want. But if you're going for "smooth, good note resolution with complex chords on higher overdrive" maybe Humbuckers are what you need, as they're more controllable in my experience. P90s on high overdrive is just a big fat wall of beautiful crunch and shred, but maybe too muddy if you're looking for note resolution. On the other hand, if you like to play with a mix of clean and slightly overdriven tones, p90s are hard to beat as far as liveliness, richness, and versatility goes. Both Rhett Shull and Chris Buck use p90s in their main guitars and both have great videos on UA-cam demonstrating that "edge of breakup" tone. And I'm nowhere near their level, but for my personal taste I never found a guitar where I truly got obsessed with the tone until I tried p90s on light overdrive.
Funny thing is - Yamaha makes both the P90 AND humbuckers, that aren't typical / standard, their have their own ceramic Alnico thing going on, that separates Yamaha sound from thr redtl of the market and actually make their P90 and humbuckers sound more like a classic Telecaster / Stratocaster than a Gibson stuff.
I'm a huge fan of the honky P90 nasal tone. I have a custom built guitar with some handwound 90s and holy cow are they good. Noisy sometimes, but that's their nature.
I can't believe how much thought was put into these guitars, and within this price range? It's just unbelievable value. I can't say that I freakin love the design, not my cup of tea tbh, like I kinda like it and hate it at the same time, but the sound, versatility and craftsmanship seems unbeatable. I was hesitating between this one and a PRS se custom 24, looking for a nice reliable working horse, but this will definately be my next purchase. The only thing that would have make it perfect, at least for me, would´ve been a tremolo version, but you know, you can't have it all. Amazing video, demo and review too btw!!
I have the P90 version in sunset burst on order from Sweetwater for a few months now and probably won’t get it for a few more months, but I can’t wait to get it!
Best guitar videos I have ever seen. a beginners dream.. spoken in a way that is informative and in away that I can really decide which model I would like to buy.. thank you P90's thx
Finally someone who reviews guitars playing lots of different styles & without swamping the sound with over the top reverb/delay and distortion pedals! Hello Americans! Only joshing! Or am I?
Great review. Your demo justifies me owning both. (I just got the P90 version!) The P90 is a little brighter than the thick crunchy humbucker. As you have said, they both maintain clarity in all positions . I wanna be a Revstar guy!
Thank you JLJ for showing me and my sons the Yamaha Revstar lineup at the Cosmo Music Yamaha Mezzanine Grand Opening. You're a fantastic guitar player. Had the Blue P90 Revstar for a week, love the tonal versatility...one to keep. The hardshell case looked a lot better in real than in picture.. Hope you'll come to Toronto to perform again.
It was an absolute joy to meet the fam and help you make your choice!!! I hope that beautiful axe gives you years and years of great music :) Please keep in touch and I hope to catch you next time I'm in Ontario :)
@@JayLeonardJ What a wonderful shopping experience I had. :-) By the way, my son won one of the Wireless Yamaha THR-II Guitar Amp from the Cosmo Yamaha Prize draw, what a timely complement to my Yamaha Revstar !!!!
This guitar dropped at the perfect time for me. Longtime Yamaha fan…. Have played their acoustics and basses but very intrigued by the revstar! P90 for me!
Like most people on here, I think that your review was super. I especially liked how you played them both back and forth in each switch position. You really could hear the difference. I think i slightly prefer the p90, also i like the tailpiece. But the HB one was also great. I have the element model in HB, and it is excellent. But i'm excited about the stainless frets and neck improvements on the standard. Thanks again Jay!
JLJ is the absolute best! I watch these regularly. Jay runs through different playing styles, and understands musicians' expansive use/playing style of an instrument, which many others don't have the same skills to do. THANKS JAY! I wanna' buy all the new gear. :)
bro everytime i stumble upon one of your gear reviews i get mezmerized by your playing. your noodleing is just 10 times better than my playing when i try my best :D
They both sound great, but the P90's really stroke my soul! The green with racing stripe is very eye-catching ... but I really like the gold top model that Chris Buck plays as well. Cheers 🍻 great, unpretentious, informative, tasty, and fun video!! Thanks!!
Excellent, in depth, review. The comparison is spot on, helps making the choice of the instrument super easy, simple, and clear. You are a very dedicated and meticulous educator! I salute you and thank you for this beautiful analysis.
The P90 version is the one for me. Amazing clarity and dynamics, and when you kick on a little bit of overdrive with the focus switch engaged in position 2, it gives a pretty convincing bridge humbucker tone. When you’re in position 4 with tone rolled off to around 7 and playing clean, it has an acoustic-esque thing going on. Incredibly versatile.
Well done, Jay! Thanks for the work, talent, and energy you put into this review. I had two previous generation RevStars and ended up moving them on to other players. But these new editions have me looking with fresh eyes. So many reviewers focus on the technical details of the instrument, but in the end we pick up the guitar that delights us with sound and 'soul', not its mechanics. You demonstrated what really matters at the end of the discussion; passion. Thanks again. I've had my finger on the 'Complete Purchase" button several times and backed away. Yamaha should thank you properly for doing a more convincing promotion of these guitars than their own marketing. Keep up the great work, my friend.
Great review and excellent playing, my dude! You truly understand what to play and which guitar, and play so many genres so well. I'm super envious! Also your ability to sound so complete and full just by yourself is commendable.
Best comparison demo I've seen, covered all the important things, gave you everything you needed and nothing you didn't, humbucker for me, though both sound great, each unto their own
Gotta say for me I'm RSS220 all day! Green with the humbuckers. So interesting how Yamaha chambers the inside of the guitar. This guitar is all about subtleties and detail. Also FANTASTIC review!
The new Revstar updates with 41.9mm nut, satin neck finish, chambered body and stainless steel jumbo frets are very appealing! I lean towards teles and strats typically, so the P90 version would be my choice :)
Can't tell you how much I appreciate your sense of what to play when demoing guitars. It's balanced and inclusive of various rhythms and syncopated picking along with the flashier runs. That goes a long way for me, because it exposes the tonal facets of a given instrument and opens up the possibilities in my mind as to what can be accomplished. Yours is the 3rd demo on these fiddles that I've watched, and I'll put it this way: If I had seen yours first, I wouldn't have had to sit through those other demos. Great work, JLJ! Many thanks!
Okay, I have to add this, I like the looks of that green with the black stripes HB model. I want that same color combo with the P90's though, that would be epic.
Excellent review! Man….the only trouble is finding any of these to try out. I even live in Japan…haven’t seen any of them anywhere. Would love to try a standard. On my list! Thanks 🙏!
This is the better example of good teaching skills, some said that the best teacher for a starter is just another beginner a couple of steps ahead, unfortunately for someone who is 1000 steps above the new comers, most of the time they cant avoid the huge amount of useless info (for a starter) and just put in simple words what is truly going to make a difference aiming the most probable audience, in this case, non professionals, starters, avid learners with a positive use of their own ego, and more... Great video, from someone who knows how to communicate (or maybe it natural for him) nevertheless, follow guys like this, they are very rare to find on any media today.
I like the P90 pickups better than the humbuckers for the Revstar Standard. The P90s have more dynamic range and sound clearer to me. I would definitely buy the P90 version.
Two immaculate guitars. Both sound and look great. Already have an older Revstar with P90's that I'm more than satisfied with. So the choice is easy for me. Yamaha are as good as it gets in guitars.
I just got the p90 version of the standard in Swift blue. It looks amazing, and the sounds are exactly as you described. It sounds absolutely amazing with a good healthy amount of overdrive
I love P90s and humbuckers. I love filtertrons and fender single coils too. I like them all as long as they’re not high gain or active. Even when I play high gain I still want a low output pickup.
Very nice demo of 2 very nice guitars. I owned a Yamaha Pacifica many years ago but these are in a very different league. Currently have a 2007 Trevor Wilkingson super strat with triple P90s but these Revstars may well be a step up in quality and performance.
What the fuck is up with this guy? I freakin' love him. I've never seen a guitar/amp demo that had such clear info. it's like he's generous instead of egotistical or self-conscious. (Seems like maybe a life choice for him though.) The whole video just had an uptempo feel that was awesome. AND the cat can play. He knows tone but is also super articulate about differences in tone. Shit man. This is tops. This dude will be north of 200K subs by this time next year.
Yes he's great, and with so much genuine enthusiasm. Only problem is that everything he plays sounds so good!
He could play toaster and i would buy it :)
He is a tele man, so you know his heart is in the right place...
He’s just a great player. It’s a pleasure to listen to him demo this stuff … kid was born to play the thing.
just discovered him today, Subbed!
like most guitarists, over the years i have ignored Yamaha because, essentially, they have never offered anything i couldn't get from another brand.
but the Revstar might be the first PROPER Yamaha choice they have put forward. it is it's own thing, AND, it's good. this guitar deserves to be popular.
i need a p90 guitar and Revstar just made the short list.
The revstar is better than my USA fender and gibson guitars, spent 28 years trying to find the guitar that is perfect and this is it. Just buy one , it will be your forever guitar guarenteed.
How so?
Which one do you have?
I’m not a guitarist, but at 57 I fell in love with a few bands that inspired me to learn. If I bought the one with P90’s and wanted to swap one pickup for a humbler, where would you put the humbler? or is it insane? I’m definitely buying this guitar.
In case anyone is wondering; intro song is instrumental version of Walk Idiot Walk by the Hives.
The Hives jam totally sold me on the P90s! Bravo sir
Glad the vid helped!
This is the first video I’ve seen of Jay’s. can’t believe that I’ve never come across this channel before. An absolute beast of a guitar player and reviewer.
Thanks!
Yea, he's an all around good dude.
hands down the best guitar review and comparison I've ever watched, amazing personality and straight to the point the viewer wants
I just got a merlot P90 model today. A friend of mine got a black one recently and was raving about it and i had never owned a electric Yamaha guitar before. I own about 40 guitars. Ranging from G&L, Fender, Gibson etc. This guitar is hands down one of the nicest guitars for the $. Just like all of the Yamaha products ive recently obtained, its all good stuff. Recently I got into buying cheap Yamaha acoustics, along the way i ended up with a SLG200S and this and im happy I was pointed this direction.
So far in 6 months my Yamaha collection consists of:
F310 (traded a cheap microphone for)
F325 (Blem model $85 delivered)
F325D (Blem model $75 delivered)
F335 (Blem model $95 delivered)
FD01S (Used model $105 shipped)
FG700 (Used $148 shipped)
FG800 (New $230 Zzounds)
SLG200S (New $729 Sweetwater)
Revstar p90 (New $799 Sweetwater)
I had never owned a Yamaha before recently and everyone of these guitars has been great additions to my collection and nice thing is obtaining all these guitars didnt cost an arm and a leg like some of the guitars i own. With the acoustics I just replaced saddle and nut with bone and intonated saddle and wood pins. Did basic setups. Guitars sound like a million bucks now. The Silent Guitar and the Rev are to me something unique and was needed in the guitar world. The Silent Guitar is worth checking out, it is NOT a toy, it is a REAL guitar. Dont let the looks fool ya. With the Rev they nailed the electronics and did something that isnt done enough. Pickup variations. Most P90 guitars have a 3 way. This was nice to get a 5 way and the mid boost. The only complain i had and have had with any of the Yamahas ive gotten, scratchy frets. Easy enough fix, but def more elbow grease on the Rev's stainless steel frets for sure. Yamaha has something going for it in many ways and among them is the finish or lack of finish on the back of the necks. I shave the back of all my necks (yes every guitar i own weather its a $800 guitar or a $5000 guitar has no finish on the neck). I tour and play festival stages in humidity, cold, rain, you name it. Sticky necks SUCK to deal with as your feel like your spending all your energy making sure your hand is going where it normally would go with little to no effort. I wish more companies would do this. THe Yamaha FG700 is one of the best acoustic guitars ive every played, not making that up. For $148 ! The Rev is worth all of $800 imho.
2 issues with the Rev:
Black 5 way tip (doesnt match the rest of the guitar, i ordered a cream one)
Scratchy frets
Thats it and for someone like me to only find 2 issues on a guitar and small issues at that, thats saying something.
I do want to make a rosewood guard for mine and get chrome pickup covers. Anyone know of anyone who makes guards for these newer rev's?
The P90 sound with the humbucker look would be my choice, although I loved the sound of both of them. If I had to pick one I would waffle back and forth and never leave the store.
The P90 model fits my style. It's clarity is amazing.
Me 2..lol
Buy both.....
I guess I'll eventually buy both. I went for the humbuckers version because it fits my needs better at the moment, but I just love the P90s sound.
@@FlorentChardevel or drop in some p-94 type, can get similar sound to p-90 and if you get from GF they have the quick plugs so you can swap back and forth or 1 of each or what have you, easy as a couple screws and a string change, no need to buy 2 of the same guitar, unless you are super particular on having an exact "true p-90" sound, but ive not found the diff to be such that a little EQing cant easily tweak the sound to be the same, or really damn close.
I think this update to the line moves the Revstar platform into the "classic" camp. It wouldn't be weird for someone to say "I'm a Revstar guy" in the same way someone might say "I'm a Strat guy."
Hilarious, I was actually just talking to someone about that same thing a few weeks ago!
Doubtful. They've had guitars in this form factor for ages, ie the SG. Even in the Pacifica line, they have super embelished models, but nobody in the general audience would say, "Oh check out that Yamaha PAC612V!"
@@9unslin9er -- There are plenty of vids on UA-cam that do the very thing you doubt.
Funny you say that. I own a strat and am seriously looking into buying a Revstar... so you could say I'm ahhh.... Revstrat guy??...
@@9unslin9er The shape is so not an SG o.O that's like saying every asymmetric double cut is a strat...
My next guitar, I think... as soon as I lean to play the ones I have. Outstanding video!
Jay . . . I've watched this review several times ... I love hearing the guitars ... love hearing you talk about them ... Enjoy your playing ... But the one thing it hasn't done, is help me make up my mind! I definitely want both!
love these demos, you're obviously loving playing these guitars!
One of the best demos ever. Really gives the listener clear differences. Great job!
Thanks a lot!
Great video for a really interesting guitar. For all those wondering where the intro riffs come from (beautifully executed): The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk
Yes, the video deserves a like just for that alone!
I love the Revstar guitars. The shape looked iconic from the moment Yamaha released them.
I've played electric guitars for fourty years now and even though I have a good bunch of perfect and often expensive guitars, I NEVER had a guitar with P90's. So that version would be my choice. Pretty good chance I'll buy one, because they're crazy cheap. And it's hard to find a Yamaha guitar that isn't good. These guys know how to build guitars!
And again, I just love the looks of them. ❤️
I also have a heap of expensive guitars, and a revstar 502t, it is equally as good......... seriously
@@johnmurray3346 So do I, I have a 620 with the wraparound and the steelwool top and both is gone, hm.
I have to disagree. The Pacifica was once the best affordable, import strat style guitar. However, they haven’t changed their guitars since the rise of sooo many better imported s style guitars. Id much rather play an mim fender than the top of the line Pacifica. Id rather play any squire than a comparable price Pacifica. They gotta update that line or drop it altogether because currently it SUX!
Omg P90 on neck position is holy grail! 🤘
Awesome! A lot of these reviews dropped over the last few days, yours blows all of them away! Well done!
Thanks a ton!
One of the best reviews and demos! Thank you so much! You are Ana amazing player!
I ain't got the most descriptive way to put it, but the P90s just have more personality to my liking. Jay makes everything sound great.
5:33 those bluesy runs! The world needs to hear more of this good action 👍
YOU are a very good guitar player, and a very talented videographer and you are very good at communicating subtle nuances that are hard to explain anyway. Thank you for your fantastic review! If you have time, I would be happy if you could tell us something about the signal chain. I really love that sound!
I really appreciate it, thanks!
Attracted by the Revstar review...I like this guy's personality!
J's great. He burns more calories playing seated than I do all day
He's got some chops too
Excellent demo! I like the blues and distortion, so Ill go with the HB version.
He is having a great time playing. His energy is joyous as are the noises he can make with a guitar.
That P90 tone is out of this world. Amazing video! You’ve convinced me to get one !
Enjoy!
I am working my way through this and I can't believe how great a player Jay is. I'm a new subscriber.
Welcome to the page! Really glad you dug the vid :)
P90's all the way. I think of all the pickup designs, the P90 sounds the best - bark when you want it but with a clarity and sparkle that humbuckers lack. If I were to get one of these, I'd probably end up coughing up the dough for a set of noiseless Kinmans or Lollars. A big investment but sadly, the 60 cycle noise of P90's is the fly in the honey.
I can only say this to a guitarist, you really know how to play with yourself. I mean that in the best possible way. I could hear a drum machine or band in the background even though there was none. Your timing, rhythm and feel is incredible. I prefer the P90 for looks and tones. It’s unfortunate that all the new guitars are not in stock and may not be available for months. Tough times. Thanks for posting this video
It's interesting that a number of them are in stock in Europe, but not in the US for some unknown reason. 🤔
Holy crap, Jay can wail! Nice descriptions of the sounds and capabilities of the instrument.
Excellent review. The detailed commentary about the pickups was very informative. Now I want both versions of the Revstar.
Correct answer, haha
Yes, you do!
I've got an rs320 (humbuckers) and the new standard with p90's.. Love them both.
Had to hit the like button during the intro song... It's way too good !
I really appreciate this video as an example of the general difference in sound between p90s and humbuckers: the humbuckers sounded compressed and thus smoother, but depending on the sound a person is going for they might find the humbuckers sounded a bit sterile compared to the p90s. And on the other hand, the p90s sound livelier and more nuanced, but a person could also call the sound less-focused and noisier. It all depends on what you wanna hear coming out of your own fingertips. Nice playing as well!
Good description. That's about right.
Very good indeed. Maybe you can help me. I play mostly complex chords on a crunch to overdrive rock sound. So what I need is a good note resolution in complex overdriven chords with a smooth and ear-pleasing tone.
@@bille77 It's really personal taste, lots of people have gone for the tones it sounds like you're going for with both p90s and humbuckers. IMO p90s are pretty great for setting up your amp with higher gain and lower volume so your guitar sounds clean with the guitar volume turned down, but then dirty's up into overdrive when you turn the volume knob up. I think the main reason for this is that p90s are (generally) heavier in bass and midtones than other single coil types, so you can play single strings gently and the tone will be bell like and clear like a Tele, but then if you lean into like 3-4 strings at the same time it'll break seamlessly into beautiful saturation. This same characteristic can make p90s sound overly dirty at higher gain levels, but in a lot of early punk rock they chose Gibson's with p90s specifically because of that dirty overdriven sound, so again it depends on what you want.
But if you're going for "smooth, good note resolution with complex chords on higher overdrive" maybe Humbuckers are what you need, as they're more controllable in my experience. P90s on high overdrive is just a big fat wall of beautiful crunch and shred, but maybe too muddy if you're looking for note resolution.
On the other hand, if you like to play with a mix of clean and slightly overdriven tones, p90s are hard to beat as far as liveliness, richness, and versatility goes. Both Rhett Shull and Chris Buck use p90s in their main guitars and both have great videos on UA-cam demonstrating that "edge of breakup" tone. And I'm nowhere near their level, but for my personal taste I never found a guitar where I truly got obsessed with the tone until I tried p90s on light overdrive.
Funny thing is - Yamaha makes both the P90 AND humbuckers, that aren't typical / standard, their have their own ceramic Alnico thing going on, that separates Yamaha sound from thr redtl of the market and actually make their P90 and humbuckers sound more like a classic Telecaster / Stratocaster than a Gibson stuff.
I'm a huge fan of the honky P90 nasal tone. I have a custom built guitar with some handwound 90s and holy cow are they good. Noisy sometimes, but that's their nature.
Amazing ability to describe tones. GREAT job. Awesome playing. Shocked how much I like the P90 sounds.
Thanks! The P90 definitely rocks!
FANTASTIC playing. You sold me on one of these bad boys.. Love your funk and rock fusion vibe
I can't believe how much thought was put into these guitars, and within this price range? It's just unbelievable value. I can't say that I freakin love the design, not my cup of tea tbh, like I kinda like it and hate it at the same time, but the sound, versatility and craftsmanship seems unbeatable. I was hesitating between this one and a PRS se custom 24, looking for a nice reliable working horse, but this will definately be my next purchase. The only thing that would have make it perfect, at least for me, would´ve been a tremolo version, but you know, you can't have it all. Amazing video, demo and review too btw!!
I have the P90 version in sunset burst on order from Sweetwater for a few months now and probably won’t get it for a few more months, but I can’t wait to get it!
Best guitar videos I have ever seen. a beginners dream.. spoken in a way that is informative and in away that I can really decide which model I would like to buy.. thank you P90's thx
Rock on!
This is the best review of the Revstar I've seen. Fantastic review and playing! This is how it is done. Thanks, Jay!
Really appreciate it :)
i was there the whole time. haring that energy. felt like i was chillin with a fellow guitar buddy and he was just riffin
Love the comparison of the two, but hands down, IMO, the humbuckers sound so much better. I also love the color pattern of the humbucker version too.
Best demo and review of this guitars ever. Awesome!
Thanks so much :)
Finally someone who reviews guitars playing lots of different styles & without swamping the sound with over the top reverb/delay and distortion pedals! Hello Americans! Only joshing! Or am I?
That was some killer jammin' there at the beginning. Masterful playing on beautiful instruments, all the way through; terrific vid, thank ya.
Very helpful!! a lot of reviewers forget (or maybe can't) show the full dynamics and range of the instrument.
Really appreciate it!
Great review. Your demo justifies me owning both. (I just got the P90 version!) The P90 is a little brighter than the thick crunchy humbucker. As you have said, they both maintain clarity in all positions . I wanna be a Revstar guy!
Dang; that P-90 sounds killer. Great playing, Jay!
I have both the p90 and the HB. If you can only get one go the p90. It’s epic.
Love his playing. Great tone m8! & Getting The Cars/Elliot Easton vibes in the introoo
This guy is a monster! I love his playing every time i watch his video I'm inspired and he looks like he's having fun.
Thanks so much, really appreciate it :)
Best video I have seen for these guitars!
Thanks so much :)
Great review . . . thanks! Both of these guitars are rock machines, but those P90s have a really unique sound!
Jay I preferred the humbucker setup I felt as it had a better all round sound and playability. Thanks for the demo as usual u play AWSOME!!!
Wow! Top notch demo! Well done tone comparisons and the playing is off the charts! The HB one was nice, but that P90 one is just freakin amazing! 😊👍
Thanks a ton!
Thank you JLJ for showing me and my sons the Yamaha Revstar lineup at the Cosmo Music Yamaha Mezzanine Grand Opening. You're a fantastic guitar player. Had the Blue P90 Revstar for a week, love the tonal versatility...one to keep. The hardshell case looked a lot better in real than in picture.. Hope you'll come to Toronto to perform again.
It was an absolute joy to meet the fam and help you make your choice!!! I hope that beautiful axe gives you years and years of great music :) Please keep in touch and I hope to catch you next time I'm in Ontario :)
@@JayLeonardJ What a wonderful shopping experience I had. :-) By the way, my son won one of the Wireless Yamaha THR-II Guitar Amp from the Cosmo Yamaha Prize draw, what a timely complement to my Yamaha Revstar !!!!
This guitar dropped at the perfect time for me. Longtime Yamaha fan…. Have played their acoustics and basses but very intrigued by the revstar! P90 for me!
Great guitars! Hope you enjoy it!
Like most people on here, I think that your review was super. I especially liked how you played them both back and forth in each switch position. You really could hear the difference. I think i slightly prefer the p90, also i like the tailpiece. But the HB one was also great. I have the element model in HB, and it is excellent. But i'm excited about the stainless frets and neck improvements on the standard. Thanks again Jay!
Awesome demonstration and really good playing. I’m definitely sold. Thanks!
Awesome, thank you!
Sold! Humbuckers.
Excellent review.
Just need some guitars in stock to buy.
What a fantastic review. A very charismatic presenter I could listen to all day long. Great guitar playing too. I want the P90 version now ☺
JLJ is the absolute best! I watch these regularly. Jay runs through different playing styles, and understands musicians' expansive use/playing style of an instrument, which many others don't have the same skills to do. THANKS JAY! I wanna' buy all the new gear. :)
I like the stripes and the bridge of the HB, but God, the sound of the P90, is absolute killer
bro everytime i stumble upon one of your gear reviews i get mezmerized by your playing. your noodleing is just 10 times better than my playing when i try my best :D
They both sound great, but the P90's really stroke my soul! The green with racing stripe is very eye-catching ...
but I really like the gold top model that Chris Buck plays as well.
Cheers 🍻 great, unpretentious, informative, tasty, and fun video!! Thanks!!
Mr Leonard is an excellent guitar player and an excellent producer of clear, informative content. Very well done.
Thanks!
@@JayLeonardJ Mr pleasure. I hope YT are treating you well.
Can't decide! I'll take one of each! Thanks, JLJ!
Correct!
Great video and review..Great player..Now I want one of each 😊👍
Excellent, in depth, review. The comparison is spot on, helps making the choice of the instrument super easy, simple, and clear. You are a very dedicated and meticulous educator! I salute you and thank you for this beautiful analysis.
Really appreciate it, thanks for watching!
Great video, I now have one of each and they're great. BTW I love the Tabla there in the shot. I have a couple of Dholak drums sitting n my studio.
The P90 version is the one for me. Amazing clarity and dynamics, and when you kick on a little bit of overdrive with the focus switch engaged in position 2, it gives a pretty convincing bridge humbucker tone. When you’re in position 4 with tone rolled off to around 7 and playing clean, it has an acoustic-esque thing going on. Incredibly versatile.
P90s sound for me. Love the look of the metalic green with the black plate though!
Good demo - thank you.
Well done, Jay! Thanks for the work, talent, and energy you put into this review. I had two previous generation RevStars and ended up moving them on to other players. But these new editions have me looking with fresh eyes. So many reviewers focus on the technical details of the instrument, but in the end we pick up the guitar that delights us with sound and 'soul', not its mechanics. You demonstrated what really matters at the end of the discussion; passion. Thanks again. I've had my finger on the 'Complete Purchase" button several times and backed away. Yamaha should thank you properly for doing a more convincing promotion of these guitars than their own marketing. Keep up the great work, my friend.
That really means a lot! Thanks for writing :)
Great review and excellent playing, my dude! You truly understand what to play and which guitar, and play so many genres so well. I'm super envious! Also your ability to sound so complete and full just by yourself is commendable.
Thanks!
You're rad dude, great review.
Glad you enjoyed it!
He is enjoying himself……good work
Best comparison demo I've seen, covered all the important things, gave you everything you needed and nothing you didn't, humbucker for me, though both sound great, each unto their own
Gotta say for me I'm RSS220 all day! Green with the humbuckers. So interesting how Yamaha chambers the inside of the guitar. This guitar is all about subtleties and detail. Also FANTASTIC review!
Best guitar demo I've ever seen on UA-cam. The playing, the knowledge, the information. Thank you!
Thanks so much!
The new Revstar updates with 41.9mm nut, satin neck finish, chambered body and stainless steel jumbo frets are very appealing! I lean towards teles and strats typically, so the P90 version would be my choice :)
The humbucker one for me. I wish I can afford it right now!!
Can't tell you how much I appreciate your sense of what to play when demoing guitars. It's balanced and inclusive of various rhythms and syncopated picking along with the flashier runs. That goes a long way for me, because it exposes the tonal facets of a given instrument and opens up the possibilities in my mind as to what can be accomplished.
Yours is the 3rd demo on these fiddles that I've watched, and I'll put it this way: If I had seen yours first, I wouldn't have had to sit through those other demos. Great work, JLJ! Many thanks!
I really appreciate it! Really glad you dug the vid and thanks for writing :)
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen on youtube. Great playing man!
Thanks!
OOft! nice bit of jazz in the middle there. Nice one man.
Kind of stumbled across this UA-cam channel by accident, shopping for a revstar, great review ,excellent playing and demo
Thanks!
Okay, I have to add this, I like the looks of that green with the black stripes HB model. I want that same color combo with the P90's though, that would be epic.
The best revstar review.
I like the humbucker looks the best
P90X sound the best but can be bad for noise and hum at time.
Excellent review! Man….the only trouble is finding any of these to try out. I even live in Japan…haven’t seen any of them anywhere. Would love to try a standard. On my list! Thanks 🙏!
Yeah, they are impossible to find anywhere! I don't think Yamaha was expecting the drop to be nearly as crazy as it became :)
This is the better example of good teaching skills, some said that the best teacher for a starter is just another beginner a couple of steps ahead, unfortunately for someone who is 1000 steps above the new comers, most of the time they cant avoid the huge amount of useless info (for a starter) and just put in simple words what is truly going to make a difference aiming the most probable audience, in this case, non professionals, starters, avid learners with a positive use of their own ego, and more... Great video, from someone who knows how to communicate (or maybe it natural for him) nevertheless, follow guys like this, they are very rare to find on any media today.
It really means a lot! Thanks so much for writing and rock on!
By far the most convincing demo of these guitars online. Good job!
I really like the sound of the P90s. Realky sweet. Thanks.
Hey Jay, lovin' the love you show the Revstar
I had a similar Yamaha axe back in the 70s/80s. It was called the SF or Superflighter.
I like the P90 pickups better than the humbuckers for the Revstar Standard. The P90s have more dynamic range and sound clearer to me. I would definitely buy the P90 version.
Ditto
Thanks!
Really appreciate it, thank so much!
Two immaculate guitars. Both sound and look great. Already have an older Revstar with P90's that I'm more than satisfied with. So the choice is easy for me. Yamaha are as good as it gets in guitars.
Looks like I'm in the minority but I prefer the HBs. Of course its all about the sound you're going for. Can't wait to try one out!
I have both and my fav is the humbucker.
I just got the p90 version of the standard in Swift blue. It looks amazing, and the sounds are exactly as you described. It sounds absolutely amazing with a good healthy amount of overdrive
Great choice! Wonderful guitar!
I love P90s and humbuckers. I love filtertrons and fender single coils too. I like them all as long as they’re not high gain or active. Even when I play high gain I still want a low output pickup.
I have the old version. I like the dry switch more than that new "dull-switch".
Very nice demo of 2 very nice guitars. I owned a Yamaha Pacifica many years ago but these are in a very different league. Currently have a 2007 Trevor Wilkingson super strat with triple P90s but these Revstars may well be a step up in quality and performance.
I still like the older versions looks wise. Great demo Jay whose been around for yrs as a great player and demo guy and plays in a band too.
Great review and awesome playing. I am quite close to buy revstar but not sure which one. Possibly the humbucker.