Quote:
Originally Posted by Van_The_Man
I've collected older Japanese (1969-1971) FG's for many years. They're called 'Red Labels'. They sound very loud/warm/bright at the same time.
Recently I sold my 1970 FG-180 to my step-father and these days he really enjoys this guitar. About a year ago it's been refretted and it played
like a dream after that. I was really obsessed by the FG-180 (owned two of them), for sound, playability, looks, mojo, history, just everything.
I can remember an old, well played-in 70's Japanese FG-375S (with solid top) I had about 4 years ago that sounded out of this world; extremely sweet and bell like when fingerpicking and it played better than any acoustic I've ever touched. What a jewel that was! Sold it, like every great
old FG. I really regret that! 
My favorite Yamaha these days is an FG-340 from 1980 I still have, very loud and punchy. It's great for acoustic rock, especially when strung with Elixir 11's. |
go back a bit further and get a first run laminate light green label that came out before the red labels...by the late 60s, Yamaha was building tons of models, some much better than others.
Go back further yet and get an all solid wood Yamaha for almost nothing...thats what I do. I see red labels all over the place here but honestly the Dynamics are light years ahead...and almost completely unknown outside Japan.