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The Guitar and the Player... Becoming One
(The story behind the development of the RGXA2 and RBX4A2)
Design of the RGXA2 centered on developing a lightweight instrument that would bring the guitar
and player closer together. The focus was on providing the player with greater freedom, much like
an air guitar, breaking down the boundaries between what is in the player's head and what comes
out of the amp.
In creating a lighter guitar, one absolute condition set down was that sound quality could not
be sacrifi ced. For this reason, a great deal of time and effort went into the creation of numerous
prototypes. The A2 project had to combine three crucial factors—great sound, light weight, and
suffi cient strength to withstand the huge forces generated by strings under tension. Intensive
research and development led to the creation of A.I.R. (Alternative
Internal Resonance) technology. Although it uses a solid body de-
sign, the incredible resonance created by the unique construction
method produces a big, open sound that resonates throughout
the guitar's entire body. To match and compliment this instru-
ment's unique characteristics, original bridge and pickup systems
were developed—the resulting tone and response shattering the
widely accepted concept that "lightweight means light sound".
The RGXA2 brings a revolutionary approach to guitar design.
The quest for the perfect design naturally took the route of trying to build the lightest possible
guitar, but early prototypes, while incredibly light, didn't deliver the sound or playing experience
that was essential. The fi nal weight for the RGXA2 was set at around 2.5kg, a perfect balance—
around 30% lighter than a regular solid body guitar but with all the feel and sound that players
were looking for. This is lightweight design taken to the extreme.
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A. I. R. (Alternative Internal Resonance) Design
Using Yamaha's original Alternative Internal Resonance technology the RGXA2 and RBX4A2 offer players
excellent lightweight characteristics without sacrifi cing sound quality.
The body consists of a lightweight core sandwiched between hard woods on top and back. (1)
Three metal tubes (sound tubes) installed under the bridge plate transmit string vibration to the
body, and return body vibration to the bridge. (2)
The top board quickly responds to string vibration passing through the bridge. Special sound
tubes passing through the body produce rich resonance in the core material. The backboard resonates,
exciting the entire body structure and creating a full, powerful, and resonant tone with distinctive pres-
ence and body that are truly unique. (3) (8)
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