Reverty Used Guitars Japan — every instrument inspected, set up, and played before listing.
1980s Guyatone LG-1200 "Sharp Five" - Made in Japan Bizarre Guitar, Red Sparkle
The LG-1200 was Guyatone's flagship electric guitar and the final evolution of the celebrated Sharp Five line. Introduced in 1982 at a list price of 120,000 yen - roughly a Japanese university graduate's starting monthly salary at the time - it was one of the most ambitious instruments the company ever produced.
The Sharp Five lineage began in 1967 with the LG-350T, developed with input from Nobuhiro Mine, lead guitarist of Munetaka Inoue & The Sharp Five, one of the defining groups of Japan's 1960s electric guitar boom. The LG-1200 refined that concept with a heel-less neck joint, standard string spacing and a return of the zero-fret era detailing, wrapped in a dramatically sculpted, German-carved body. Guyatone outsourced production of its top-tier instruments, and these are rarely seen outside Japan.
This example wears a deep red sparkle finish with multi-ply body binding and gold-finished hardware that has aged into a warm, tarnished patina. The pickups have been replaced with a set of three Lace Sensor single coils, making this a genuine player's piece: vintage looks and feel with modern, quiet output.
== SPECIFICATIONS ==
- Model: LG-1200 "Sharp Five"
- Year: 1980s
- Country of Origin: Japan
- Color: Red Sparkle
- Body: Alder, German carve, multi-ply binding
- Neck: Maple, heel-less joint (no bolt-on neck plate)
- Fingerboard: Ebony with star position inlays
- Pickups: Three Lace Sensor single coils (replacement, not original)
- Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
- Switch: Toggle switch
- Bridge: Roller bridge with large vibrato tailpiece
- Weight: 3.65 kg
== CONDITION ==
Overall: Very Good
- Body: Scratches and playwear consistent with age
- Neck: Straight
- Frets: Approximately 70-80% remaining
- Hardware: Slight tarnish on metal parts (vintage patina)
All electronics function correctly and the guitar plays as intended. The tremolo arm is not included. Please review all photos carefully for the exact cosmetic condition.
== INCLUDED ==
- Gig bag
== WHY THIS GUITAR ==
Sharp Five models rarely surface outside Japan, and the LG-1200 sits at the very top of the family. The combination of a sculpted alder body, ebony board with star inlays, and that oversized vibrato gives it a presence few instruments can match, while the Lace Sensor set makes it genuinely gig-ready rather than a display piece. For players and collectors drawn to Japanese surf and bizarre guitars, this is a hard one to replace.
Please feel free to message with any questions before purchasing.
Setup & Inspection
Cleaned, set up, and inspected by our luthier before shipping — neck relief and action adjusted, frets and fingerboard cleaned, intonation set, and tuners and electronics checked. Your instrument arrives ready to play.
Shipping from Japan
Shipped worldwide from Japan with full tracking and insurance, carefully packed with protective wrapping and the strings detuned to relieve neck tension in transit. Orders are processed and shipped within 2–4 business days. Please message us with any questions before purchasing.
