Lee Ritenour

**Jim Soloway** · 01-16-2019, 06:38 PM

LEE RITENOUR WITH A $500 YAMAHA REVSTAR RS420

This is from NAMM last year but I also saw him playing the same guitar on a video from last summer's Java Jazz festival so apparently he likes it. (The sound is a lot better on the Java Jazz video

Here's the one from Java Jazz. He plays the Yamaha on the opening song and then switches to his Gibson.

**Gitfiddler** · 01-16-2019, 07:33 PM

He still sounds like Lee Ritenour...wonderful!

Nice to see Patrice Russian on keys in the NAMM video. And his son, Wes, on drums in the next video. Good stuff.

**Robertkoa** · 01-16-2019, 07:45 PM

Is the Revstar 25.5" scale .

Sounds nice in the first clip .

If it was somehow fatter with the same mids and top- it would be great .

-This is how I would want my Neck PU to sound in Parallel Mode- not hard to achieve.

@Jim Soloway- maybe the wood and light body kinda made me think Humbucker on long scale - it has an airy sound here ...

**Jim Soloway** · 01-16-2019, 07:53 PM

24.75" scale length.

**Jimmy Mack** · 01-16-2019, 11:46 PM

Still sounds like RIT. I prefer the L5 though.

**p1p** · 01-17-2019, 03:50 AM

Is it like an SG copy?

**Doug B** · 01-17-2019, 07:55 AM

More like a double cut away Les Paul

**lawson-stone** · 01-17-2019, 04:45 PM

the L5 has the F-holes plugged. OCD... I feel better now...

**Blues Fuse** · 01-17-2019, 05:51 PM

I don't think this has been mentioned on this forum, but Lee Ritenour's beautiful home in Malibu was totally destroyed last fall by the fires that swept through that area. He had his recording studio there and other musical equipment. Here's an article about his home from 2017.

Jazz Guitarist Lee Ritenour Selling His $8M Malibu Home | realtor.com(R)

**fep** · 01-17-2019, 07:40 PM

I think that tone is instead of his Gibson ES 335, or his Ibanez semi hollow body (use to play the Scofield one before it was known as the Scofield one). Not really to be compared to the hollow body.

**Drumbler** · 01-18-2019, 08:41 AM

The Yamaha guitar sounds excellent.

Yamaha has always made good guitars but they are kind of off the radar.

Go to Sweetwater and Yamaha is listed under "other" brands.

**LtKojak** · 01-18-2019, 09:06 AM

This. In the classic guitar domain, Yamaha's been present for over hundred years, so they certainly know how to make guitars.

They're snobbed only because they're not outrageously priced.

**Robertkoa** · 01-18-2019, 11:08 AM

Honestly. I don't think this Guitar is anything special. But it sounds good for a low price .

Much like the Yamaha Pacificas - they are fully pro Guitars for very low prices.

I wish Yamaha would do some innovation like they did in the 80s...

I remember they had a chambered semi hollow neck thru 25.5" scale / no floyd rose - fixed bridge - deeper body .

Never got to see or play one -

**feet** · 01-18-2019, 12:56 PM

been tempted by a few models of these rev stars- the green one with the p90s and the neat tail piece because it is sort of cheap and they make a mij one, too. the "thinnable" humbucker circuit thing is sort of interesting and it doesn't sound as gimmicky as that kind of thing usually does. not 100% on board with the aesthetics, but they did their own thing and it generally looks pretty good. wonder how swappable the parts are, if you choose to go aftermarket.

yamahas are something i've always recognized as good, but have never had a chance to really try. but i occasionally come close to rolling the dice on some undervalued gem from the past, or maybe of the silent guitars, or the baby guitarlele thing.

**fep** · 01-18-2019, 06:50 PM

Remember the Yamaha SG2000 from the 1970s, those where fairly popular and really nice guitars.

**Rhythmisking** · 01-18-2019, 08:49 PM

My '79 SA 2000 was the first guitar I ever bought brand new from a music store. Still have it. Changed the pups for WCR Darkbursts and never looked back. It's the best "335" I've ever played.

I had an SG 2000 for a while as well; great guitar but just too darn heavy.

**consumerduck** · 01-18-2019, 10:01 PM

I have a friend that tours the world with a pop band we’ve all heard of with one of those green revstar Yamahas with the p-90s. It has an awesome neck. He says it’s a little heavy but he likes it. I’ve been on the lookout for one as I love the aesthetic and the sound and the neck. Then low and behold, a 1978 sg2000 shows up on Craigslist for $400. I’m about to get it back from my tech this weekend!!

**Robertkoa** · 01-18-2019, 10:22 PM

Isn't that the one that Santana got those fat tones from ? With awesome sustain ?

If it is - the cleans might be great for Jazz too , in addition to lots of other stuff.

**Rhythmisking** · 01-18-2019, 10:24 PM

That is a MAJOR score.

**takauya** · 01-19-2019, 12:12 AM

An old SG-2000 for $400!? Congrats!
I've played an old SG-1000 before my buddy sold it and I laughed because it sounded better than any Gibson Les Pauls I'd ever played. If I ever need a Les Paul sound I'd definitely go for one of them.

**no disclaimer** · 01-19-2019, 01:25 AM

Saw him a couple of months ago in a small club setting. Fantastic show and he did a clinic also. Super nice and very knowledgeable guy. Played a les Paul and the Rit but most of the show was the Les Paul.

**voxss** · 01-19-2019, 01:59 AM

**fep** · 01-19-2019, 12:57 PM

Pretty cool that he plays with his son playing drums. Larry Carlton's son Travis plays bass. I hope they do a Carlton/Ritenour tour with just the four of them.

**Gitfiddler** · 05-07-2020, 09:00 PM

Considering the tremendous talent Lee Ritenour I'm surprised to not see his name mentioned much on this forum. Yes, there are a few mentions of his signature archtop, but not much else. What gives? Is it the purist's curse of anything smooth jazz, his adventures into Brazilian music, or something else? I love his playing, no matter if he's on classical guitar, 335 or archtop (with or without a slide).