Yamaha Revstar RSS20 Lefthand Black

Yamaha Revstar RSS20 Lefthand Black review

The Yamaha Revstar RSS20 Lefthand Black is a left-handed, six-string electric guitar with a double-cutaway body and two humbuckers. Its listed price is 733. The model has been available since March 2022, and it comes with a gig bag. There is no hard case in the package.

The Revstar's appeal rests on a mix of familiar ingredients and its own sound. One player's experience was that it initially felt comfortable in the hands and against the body, with a sound that quickly showed more personality than a straightforward copy of a classic guitar design. That first impression matters on a left-handed instrument, where a comfortable fit and intuitive controls can make the search for a suitable guitar much easier.

Construction and setup

The body is chambered mahogany with a maple top. A three-piece mahogany set neck has carbon reinforcement, and the rosewood fingerboard has white line inlays. The 629 mm (24.76-inch) scale is paired with a 305 mm (12-inch) fingerboard radius, a 41.9 mm (1.65-inch) nut, and 22 jumbo stainless-steel frets. Yamaha lists a PPS nut.

The hardware includes a Tune-O-Matic bridge with a stop-bar tailpiece, die-cast tuning machines, and chrome fittings. The guitar has no tremolo. Its black pickguard is three-ply, and the factory strings are Elixir Nanoweb Light,.010 to.046. The supplied gig bag was described by one owner as soft but substantial, with thick material and enough structure to feel protective.

Feedback on workmanship was strongly positive. One player reported clean finishing, accurate intonation, and smooth-running tuners. The factory string height felt a little high to that player, but there was room to lower it by roughly one or two tenths of a millimeter. Another owner also found the guitar reasonably well set up on arrival and preferred it after lowering the strings. Setup is personal, but the reports suggest the instrument may benefit from a small adjustment to suit an individual playing style.

Pickups and controls

The pickup set consists of an Alnico 5 VH5b humbucker at the bridge and an Alnico 5 VH5n humbucker at the neck. A five-way pickup switch provides more choices than a simple neck-and-bridge selector. Master volume and master tone controls keep the layout direct, while the tone control has a push-pull function for focus mode.

In owner feedback, the guitar remained appealing across different amplifier and control settings. Clean arpeggios had a clear, bright character without excessive treble. Rolling back the tone produced a rounder sound suited to jazz, with an airy attack, though it did not imitate a semi-hollow guitar exactly. Blues tones were available from the switch's in-between positions, while the neck pickup could deliver a thicker sound with added gain.

The reports also highlight good note separation. Even with substantial distortion and complex chords, the sound stayed defined rather than turning muddy. Sustain was described as surprisingly long for a chambered guitar. The humbuckers were considered less suited to the heaviest metal tones by one player, so guitarists seeking a dedicated high-output metal instrument may want to compare alternatives.

Playing feel and practical tradeoffs

Several comments point to an easy, familiar playing feel. The guitar sat comfortably against the body, and the neck shape worked well for one player without causing fatigue. Neck dimensions and finish preferences vary, but the satin finish was specifically appreciated. Another owner said the guitar felt natural right away, without a lengthy adjustment period.

Weight is the main physical reservation in the feedback. The chambered body does not make this a light guitar, and one owner compared its heft with that of a Les Paul. Players comfortable with a heavier instrument should find this manageable; anyone prioritizing low weight should try one in person before buying.

Focus mode also has a small switching caveat. One player heard a brief pop when turning it on or off while playing with substantial gain, and delay effects could repeat that sound. Switching between songs or before a solo avoided the issue in that player's use. The reported volume change from engaging the function was slight, if noticeable at all.

Verdict

The Yamaha Revstar RSS20 Lefthand Black is a compelling option for left-handed players who want one guitar to cover clean, jazz-leaning, blues, and moderate-to-heavy rock sounds. Its five-way switching, tone control with focus mode, clear chord definition, and comfortable feel are the strongest points in the available playing feedback. The chambered body is still heavy, and the humbuckers may not satisfy players who need especially aggressive metal output. At its listed price of 733, it offers a distinctive, flexible setup with a gig bag included.