1969 Yamaha FG-140 Revived after 30 Years in Closet

tdowns · March 21st, 2008, 12:18 AM

Well folks, this is my first post in Acoustic Heaven, and sadly enough, it is my first time to truly visit. Very soon, I saw Mr. Rice's Dreadnaught build thread and now I deeply regret not getting over to this side of the forum before now. That is an incredible post. I'm sure I will see many other great ones.

This may not have much meaning to any of you you, but this is my '69 Yamaha FG-140 that my Dad bought me new at a music store in Winston Salem, NC in 1969. I wore that guitar out. The frets were toast by the time I went to college. When I moved to TX in 1980, it stayed in the closet. It was not really playable due to the frets, except when using a capo. After learning to do fret replacements, I decided this would be a definite project. It was definitely a challenge. The fret kerf was so wide, standard fretwire just fell into the slot. By making maximum use of the Stewmac barb crusher and glue, I was able to make it work.

I forgot how loud that guitar was. It really surprised me. Anyhow, I thought I would share.

If anyone has a spare truss rod cover from a Yamaha they want to sell, let me know.

Tim Armstrong · March 21st, 2008, 12:28 AM

Terry, nice work!

My very first guitar was a Yamaha FG-160, bought new in 1974 with $110 of paper route money. My brother helped me pick it out, playing a bunch of guitars in that price range and telling me this one was the keeper of the bunch. I played the heck out of it, until over time the neck warped beyond truss rod range. It sounded like a million bucks with new strings on it!

I sold it to a guy in Fort Collins, Colorado, about fifteen years ago...

Cheers, Tim

tdowns · March 21st, 2008, 12:56 AM

Thanks Tim. Those were the days. That's interesting about your neck. The neck on mine has a back-bow too. It has 12-56 strings on it now, and I still have a rattle on string 1, fret 1. The truss rod is completely loose. I believe going up to the next gauge will pull it out of convex mode.

garytelecastor · March 21st, 2008, 01:00 AM

tdowns-I have an FG-300 that I bought in 1971. In the last 3 or 4 years I am getting some bridge buckling. You have any suggestions on what to do? It is so dry up here in da Nord.

tdowns · March 21st, 2008, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garytelecastor

tdowns-I have an FG-300 that I bought in 1971. In the last 3 or 4 years I am getting some bridge buckling. You have any suggestions on what to do? It is so dry up here in da Nord.

Goodness no. I have virtually no acoustic guitar repair experience, except for re-fret and basic stuff. Hopefully someone else can help.

tdowns · March 21st, 2008, 01:30 AM

OK, I hesitated to do this, but what the heck. This pic is from a 4-H talent show in April of 1971, with me playing that guitar. Apparently there was a photographer there, and this picture wound up in my scrap book, along with the program and some great notes took by my mother. The notes show I got 1st place, and won a $15 scholarship. I have no idea what the scholarship was for. I have several other pictures of me playing that guitar back then. It reminds me how big that guitar was compared to me.

sneakyjapan · March 21st, 2008, 09:42 AM

I`m a huge fan of old Yamahas...yours look great. I got a whole bunch of em...mostly Dynamics though, going back from the mid 50s to mid 60s when they went out of production once Yamaha introduced their first two laminate light green label models. The Dynamics are all solid wood and if you like your FG, I highly recommend you give any Dynamics you may come across a spin..they are fabulous little guitars.

Joe Chaney · March 21st, 2008, 01:53 PM

i have a 1977 yamaha fg330, really hard to play but sounds lovely

tuuur · March 21st, 2008, 08:21 PM

That's a nice job you done there!

Actually I got a FG140 myself. No idea how old it is, bought it second hand around 1990 for approx $12. It's got a great bassy tone and is indeed loud. Although it has pretty bad fretwear and fretboard wear as well, it is still my main acoustic.

kp8 · March 21st, 2008, 08:43 PM

I been looking to replace a long lost Yamaha FG-340. I miss that puppy. Great pictures Terry! I like the truss cover on tuuur's! Along with the shooting star... Very cool~

kp8

RickG501 · March 22nd, 2008, 12:01 AM

Looks like you've mastered the re-fret task.

I had a 72-73 Yamaha 360 that was a great box. Wish I hadn't had to sell it. A real quality workhorse for the dough.

Great coming out of the closet story...:)

tdowns · March 22nd, 2008, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneakyjapan

I`m a huge fan of old Yamahas...yours look great. I got a whole bunch of em...mostly Dynamics though, going back from the mid 50s to mid 60s when they went out of production once Yamaha introduced their first two laminate light green label models. The Dynamics are all solid wood and if you like your FG, I highly recommend you give any Dynamics you may come across a spin..they are fabulous little guitars.

I've never heard of Dynamics. I'll look for that. It appears like you live where thay are made????

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Chaney

i have a 1977 yamaha fg330, really hard to play but sounds lovely

Yes, the bridge needs to be lowered on most of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuuur

That's a nice job you done there!

Actually I got a FG140 myself. No idea how old it is, bought it second hand around 1990 for approx $12. It's got a great bassy tone and is indeed loud. Although it has pretty bad fretwear and fretboard wear as well, it is still my main acoustic.

Hey tuuur. It's good to see you on this forum too. That's a nice one you have pictured. Mine had the exact same truss rod cover. Those frets do not last very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kp8

I been looking to replace a long lost Yamaha FG-340. I miss that puppy. Great pictures Terry! I like the truss cover on tuuur's! Along with the shooting star... Very cool~

kp8

Thanks. I regret every instrument I ever sold.

Mine don't have the shooting star. tuuur, did you add that yourself?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickG501

Looks like you've mastered the re-fret task.

I had a 72-73 Yamaha 360 that was a great box. Wish I hadn't had to sell it. A real quality workhorse for the dough.

Great coming out of the closet story...:)

Thanks. Well I wouldn't say I mastered it, but I got it done.

I hear you, more seller regrets.

BrianF · March 22nd, 2008, 03:22 AM

We must all be on the same wavelength. I too have an old Yamaha acoustic (FG-230 12 string)...

I bought this 12 string acoustic guitar in 1971 when I was 17 for $108...had just enough money left to get home on the subway in NY. ;-)

For years it was my only decent guitar, but for a much longer time now it's been sitting in my closet all dusty and un-played...

Recently I pulled it out of the closet and re-strung it and had some work done to it at Buffalo Brothers which is nearby... This guitar has a neck like a tree trunk but man what tone!

sneakyjapan · March 22nd, 2008, 05:54 AM

yeah I`m living where they are made but I`m Canadian.
Few pics of my Dynamics and a little of what I`ve learned about them...as early as the 50s Yamaha was building Dynamics for export...the #30, #50 and #70s were made to be sold over seas...the oldest I have is a #30 from the mid 50s as I said before...most of my others are late 50s or early to mid 60s...the labels underwent several changes over the years and changed to the white with red checkered border, the most commonly seen here. They also made a #15 for export early 60s and from what I`ve been able to find out, they started working on laminates as a response to cracked tops that they put down to climate change on exports. After the all solid Dynamics came the S series Dynamics, Yamahas first attempt at laminates...S series Dynamics can be distinguished because they don`t say Dynamic on the headstock, just Yamaha...one thing I forgot, on the first export models they changed the logo to arc across the headstock, domestics say Yamaha Dynamic Guitar in script straight across the top of the headstock, they are slotheads with steel winding posts and some guys here string them with steels, I tried that too but find they really sound great with nylons...saddles were not intonated...usually a straight piece of what appears to be bone, some have a brass rod as a saddle...even got one with a Japanese toothpick as a saddle...Japanese toothpicks are round. My books say the 6 digit serials appeared in 1960, as did the final label change to white/red border. By the time the light green labels appeared, the Dynamics were gone, then came the red lables and after that...many types of labels appeared. Domestic Dynamics came in many models...No. 1, 1-B No. 2, No.4, No.8, No. 10, 10-A, 10-B, No. 15 No. 20, No. 40 and No. 80...some models were called sister models...the No. 2 and 20 for example...very similar but with different rosettes...some models...No. 40`s had MOP around the rosette while the No. 80 had MOP all around the top...and are perhaps the rarest now and sell for several hundreds when they show up and thats not often...the most I paid for a mint No. 20 was about $120.oo...the least was about $10.oo so they are still great bargains. Another thinag about the Dynamics...they have FAT necks...my three No. 40s have the fattest of the bunch and are the heaviest of the Dynamic series I own. These were not cheap at the time, I have a few of Yamahas earliest classicals as well as the Dynamics and the top end amaha classical in 1960 sold for 6 weeks wages...I know because I teach some retired folks who told me their starting salary in 1960 was 10,ooo a month...I can`t even have an evening out with the wife for that any more.
Anyhow...I`m sure I`m forgetting stuff about em but will post as I remember...now...pics...I own 26 Dynamics now and 13 of the classicals but won`t bore youse with pics of all of em...

sneakyjapan · March 22nd, 2008, 05:58 AM

[IMG]http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i198/shot-glass/forsaleIII131.jpg
[/IMG]

sneakyjapan · March 22nd, 2008, 06:02 AM

I believe the finish on the Dynamics is lacquer...it has crazed on almost every one I own...

sneakyjapan · March 22nd, 2008, 06:04 AM

links to a web site over here dedicated to Dynamics...

http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/catalog.html

sneakyjapan · March 22nd, 2008, 06:05 AM

...

audio...
http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/kyoku/original.html

tuuur · March 22nd, 2008, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

Hey tuuur. It's good to see you on this forum too. That's a nice one you have pictured. Mine had the exact same truss rod cover. Those frets do not last very well.

I remember now the finish on the neck didn't last long as well... there were patches of bare wood on that neck even when I bought it. I ended up scraping the lacquer off that neck with some old credit card.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

Mine don't have the shooting star. tuuur, did you add that yourself?

Yep, it's out of a set of glow-in-the-dark stickers for children.

Joe Chaney · March 22nd, 2008, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

Yes, the bridge needs to be lowered on most of them.

way ahead of ye, still hard to play though

tdowns · March 22nd, 2008, 03:19 PM

Wow sneaky, that's quite a collection you have there. I enjoyed the museum, sound clips, and especially your personal pics.

I remember my Dad payed $75 for that FG-140 in 1969. That was very cheap for a guitar back then.

sneakyjapan · March 22nd, 2008, 11:34 PM

thanks...since buying my first Dynamic about 3 years ago, I can`t seem to stop buying them. Played my FG-170 last week and the saddle appears to be glued in...just won`t budge... the break angle is low so I wanted to put a new, higher one in but can`t get the old one out and I don`t want to risk breaking it.
prices on red labels are all over the place in Japan now...from very low to hundreds. The first two light green models seem to be going for more at this time.

tdowns · March 25th, 2008, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianF

We must all be on the same wavelength. I too have an old Yamaha acoustic (FG-230 12 string)...

I bought this 12 string acoustic guitar in 1971 when I was 17 for $108...had just enough money left to get home on the subway in NY. ;-)

For years it was my only decent guitar, but for a much longer time now it's been sitting in my closet all dusty and un-played...

Recently I pulled it out of the closet and re-strung it and had some work done to it at Buffalo Brothers which is nearby... This guitar has a neck like a tree trunk but man what tone!

Brian,
I somehow didn't respond to your post, and I apologize for that. That FG-230 is a beauty. I'm sure it sounds good too.

I bet being a 12 string, that didn't result in a neck back-bow problem???

eryque · March 30th, 2008, 10:17 AM

What a sharp looking young man! No wonder the modeling career got going!

Those old Yamahas are nice. A buddy let me play his old one from the early 70s once, and I was amazed by the tone. It had that real dry, earthy, bassy tone to it that's perfect for strumming chunky chords.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

tdowns · March 30th, 2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eryque

What a sharp looking young man! No wonder the modeling career got going!.......

Thanks. Eat your heart out Redd !!!

tonfarbe · March 30th, 2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

If anyone has a spare truss rod cover from a Yamaha they want to sell, let me know.

+ 1

I have a 1970s FG-335 and guess what's missing? Yep, the truss rod cover.
Besides that, my Yamaha is in perfect condition - no neck bow or bridge issues.

sneakyjapan · March 30th, 2008, 10:34 PM

have youse contacted Yamaha Japan and asked? There are rod covers for sale on Yahoo Japan all the time.

cantonkid · June 11th, 2008, 12:30 PM

Hey there "Sneakyjapan", was wondering what you thought of the Dynamic no.4, circ 1958 w/black label.... there is a guy selling one locally for $500 CAN, I am hoping to go by and take a look at it, but if you had any other info???

cheers

sneakyjapan · June 12th, 2008, 12:54 AM

I have a #4, I keep a record of all the Dynamics I buy but for some reason I forgot to write that one down and I don`t remember how much I paid for nor the serial. The most I`ve paid for a near mint #20 was about $150.oo...have paid as little as $10.oo for a few so $500.oo seems really high to me. The oldest I have has a 4 digit serial starting with 66** and I was told that it`s from the mid 50s on a web site over here. Theres one #4 pictured in one of my books with the serial 19027 and it has a black label, they are listed as being from the early series but I just got a #50 on line this week...haven`t actually received it yet...and that one was from the first of 3 export models they made...#30, #50 and #70...can`t wait to get it. Evidence points to Yamaha building those from the early 50s and they stopped mid 60s.
But I really like my #4...fat neck and all solid maple with spruce top, beautifully sunburst finished, they sound great too. I guess if it`s in mint condition it might go for a few hundred in Japan if not try to get a better price. Give a really good look over, make sure the tuners work well...many of mine have to be tuned using a string winder because they are stiff and I don`t want to risk beaking the buttons, but the winder works very well...I`ve had to buy some as donor guitars because getting parts is nearly impossible. The gears often need to be soaked, I use a bathroom tile cleaned and a plastic peanut butter jar and let em sit for a couple of hours, but they come out looking great. I like using the Gibson polish in the orange pump bottle, works great in bringoug out the flame maple. Check the binding all around see if it has even been reglued. Frets may be brass so look for wear. Saddle should be a cylinder type...material looks like bone but I`m not certain, though some of mine came with a brass saddle. None of mine have neck issues of any kind and I think it`s because they are so thick so ya gotta like fat necks. See if the words Yamaha Dynamic run straight across the headstock...export models have them arched over the top...but as far I can tell the #4 was not made for sale overseas...but I`ve been surprised with MIJs before so nothing is gospel.
Let me know what you think after you get a chance to play it, I`m curious to know what others players think of Dynamics and there just aren`t that many guys outside Japan who seem to own em.
Good luck.

sneakyjapan · June 12th, 2008, 04:19 AM

just pulled the #4 to check the serial...it`s 862**...I have 3 others excluding the #30 that have lower numbers. So I`m curious how the seller knows his is from the 50s, and please tell me about the serial once you`ve seen it. By the way mine also has the black label.
OH yeah...the other 3 with lower numbers are model #s 1 and 2. One of my other #2s has a 6 digit number and the white and red label thats widely regarded as being from the early 60s...no JIS symbol means prior to 1963...with the JIS means after. Also have a #1A with a 6 digit serial. If theres a way to identify the year precisely by serial number, nobody seems to know. Folks here go by label color and number of serial digits to get a ballpark date.

superchicken_VI · June 12th, 2008, 12:25 PM

Okay, I need to chime in, too. I have an FG-75, almost a parlor-size. The serial number and an educated guess shake it out to be a 1972 instrument. The neck has a bit too much relief and the truss rod won't turn any more without stripping the nut (guess how I know!). It's missing a part, too. Guess which one...

Yep! The truss rod cover!!

Here's my pic...

And the story...

While I was a music ed major at a small college (about 400 residents), everybody on campus knew that my roommate and I had an acoustic singer/songwriter duo act. A guy named Johnny that lived in my dorm (the only male dorm at the time) had this old beater Yamaha guitar that he wanted to sell because he was getting a new guitar for Christmas, and he brought it by my room to see if I was interested. He wanted $20 for the guitar and a Marshall Lead 12 amp. The amp's speaker had been destroyed, and the amp had been in the back of a car during a crash and had glass in the cab. I only had $10 on me, but he said I could pay him the rest after the Christmas break.

So, after break I go up to him to give him his $10 and he says, aww, forget about it. He got a bunch of money for Christmas and could use the karma.

So, for $5 and some karma I got the above-pictured guitar. When I search Lead 12s on eBay, they're running in the $200 range. Mine currently has a Jensen MOD in it, and does a very nice 80s overdriven sound, and a mighty fine ZZTop rendition. I think I did fine for my $10!!

(edited to add this)

I just did a quick search, and mine was made the day before this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-fg-75-Vin...QQcmdZViewItem Kinda cool!

tomkatf · June 12th, 2008, 05:58 PM

Wow, lots of Yamahas! My first decent acoustic was an FG-180, bought new c.1970. Nice guitar... Sold it when I ran across a well used but incredible sounding 1932 Martin OM-18 (#52345) for a song in Eureka, CA... That one was stolen in San Francisco around 1972... along with a 1968 ES-335, a BFDR and a
BFPR... not a good day!

Best,
Tom

sneakyjapan · June 12th, 2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superchicken_VI

I just did a quick search, and mine was made the day before this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-fg-75-Vin...QQcmdZViewItem Kinda cool!

there a pic from a catalog in one of my books, and all the info is in English so I`ll assume the 75 was an export model. Retailed for $65.oo at the time but theres no mention of year in the pic. I see from pics in the link there are two sets of numbers...one on the block the other near the soundhole...none of mine have the set near the soundhole...possible Yamaha did that for guitars sold abroad and wouldn`t be the first time they did things differently for export models. I`ve read that the reason they started laminatung was because they were getting complaints of split tops on models they shipped outside the country which they put down to climate changes, so they made the S series Dynamics first then the FGs and then all hell broke loose with labels of many colors and all kinds of models. FGs are all over the place here, and very cheap for the most part, only a few models sell for more.

superchicken_VI · June 13th, 2008, 05:34 PM

A quick hit in the CPI-based inflation calculator makes that $329 in 2007 dollars. I could see this guitar selling for about $250 new, so that makes sense. It's very balanced-sounding.

This is an interesting thread...

sneakyjapan · June 13th, 2008, 08:35 PM

saw a 75 on line here last night so now I`m not so sure it was exclusively for export.
Got my Dynamic #50 last night...what I thought were little divots on the fretboard turned out to be little mounds of grime that had built up over the years so it took me over two hours of scrubbing to clean this one, didn`t even have a chance to string it up yet I`ll do that tonight...gotta work today... and I`ll post pics. It has a 3 digit serial starting with 5... so if my 4 digit serial #30 is supposed to be mid 50s...ipso fatso...this one might be early to mid 50s, I`ll see what the guys on the Dynamic web site here say.
Some of the high end Dynamics sold for two months wages at the time...I was talking to some of my retired English students and they told me how much they were making in those years...so even though I`m getting them at good prices now, new they weren`t cheap.

sneakyjapan · June 14th, 2008, 08:12 AM

OK... a few pics of the rescued #50 Yamaha Dynamic. Since this was an export model the pics may come in handy for reference if youse ever come across any in a yard sale or something.

see lower right side of this pic for an idea of how much these have checked and crazed over the years...

Westerly Sunn · June 23rd, 2008, 08:17 AM

My 2nd guitar (1st decent one -

) was an FG-110E. What a sweet little guitar that was! I still have an FG-312 (12 string, slotted headstock) and I always loved it to death... Right now, it's not in use as it is in bad need of a re-fret.

Gibby · June 23rd, 2008, 01:14 PM

Yamaha red label guitar....!! awesome

sneakyjapan · June 23rd, 2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gibby

Yamaha red label guitar....!! awesome

sometimes.

andrewb · July 20th, 2008, 02:58 PM

old pic of my yamaha....fg345
no idea of the age.... much older than me... (is really my dads lol.. he had it before i was thought of lol)
need to take new pics.... it is so beat up now....
still playing strong though.... bit of high e trouble... looks like its in need of a new nut... (my nightmare comming true :( ... spent years playing this thing to get the binging and nut to the yellow colour it is)
binding on the bottom side of the neck is black and yellow lol... top is getting there.....
lots of dents... chips.... gouges.... scratches....
it has darkened alot over the years....
i love it to death.....
no other acoustic has the sound this has.... pretty bassy... loud as hell....
action is a lil high.... but hey... its pretty much the exact same setup as when i first picked it up.... like.. 12 years ago? lol
:)

i really need to take some new pics lol

March 21st, 2008, 12:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	1969 Yamaha FG-140 Revived after 30 Years in Closet Well folks, this is my first post in Acoustic Heaven, and sadly enough, it is my first time to truly visit. Very soon, I saw Mr. Rice's Dreadnaught build thread and now I deeply regret not getting over to this side of the forum before now. That is an incredible post. I'm sure I will see many other great ones. This may not have much meaning to any of you you, but this is my '69 Yamaha FG-140 that my Dad bought me new at a music store in Winston Salem, NC in 1969. I wore that guitar out. The frets were toast by the time I went to college. When I moved to TX in 1980, it stayed in the closet. It was not really playable due to the frets, except when using a capo. After learning to do fret replacements, I decided this would be a definite project. It was definitely a challenge. The fret kerf was so wide, standard fretwire just fell into the slot. By making maximum use of the Stewmac barb crusher and glue, I was able to make it work. I forgot how loud that guitar was. It really surprised me. Anyhow, I thought I would share. If anyone has a spare truss rod cover from a Yamaha they want to sell, let me know. __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

March 21st, 2008, 12:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,047	Terry, nice work! My very first guitar was a Yamaha FG-160, bought new in 1974 with $110 of paper route money. My brother helped me pick it out, playing a bunch of guitars in that price range and telling me this one was the keeper of the bunch. I played the heck out of it, until over time the neck warped beyond truss rod range. It sounded like a million bucks with new strings on it! I sold it to a guy in Fort Collins, Colorado, about fifteen years ago... Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

March 21st, 2008, 12:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	Thanks Tim. Those were the days. That's interesting about your neck. The neck on mine has a back-bow too. It has 12-56 strings on it now, and I still have a rattle on string 1, fret 1. The truss rod is completely loose. I believe going up to the next gauge will pull it out of convex mode. __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

March 21st, 2008, 01:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 4,985 18 Photos	tdowns-I have an FG-300 that I bought in 1971. In the last 3 or 4 years I am getting some bridge buckling. You have any suggestions on what to do? It is so dry up here in da Nord. __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é What in the world do I know???? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

March 21st, 2008, 01:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	OK, I hesitated to do this, but what the heck. This pic is from a 4-H talent show in April of 1971, with me playing that guitar. Apparently there was a photographer there, and this picture wound up in my scrap book, along with the program and some great notes took by my mother. The notes show I got 1st place, and won a $15 scholarship. I have no idea what the scholarship was for. I have several other pictures of me playing that guitar back then. It reminds me how big that guitar was compared to me. __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

March 21st, 2008, 09:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	I`m a huge fan of old Yamahas...yours look great. I got a whole bunch of em...mostly Dynamics though, going back from the mid 50s to mid 60s when they went out of production once Yamaha introduced their first two laminate light green label models. The Dynamics are all solid wood and if you like your FG, I highly recommend you give any Dynamics you may come across a spin..they are fabulous little guitars. __________________ quasi mojo

March 21st, 2008, 01:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
Joe Chaney Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: aude, France Age: 17 Posts: 455 2 Photos	i have a 1977 yamaha fg330, really hard to play but sounds lovely __________________ If you're not careful, It'll stick to your cheeks, and You'll smell like a native, For a couple of weeks In France

March 21st, 2008, 08:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
tuuur Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: the Netherlands Age: 41 Posts: 1,785 7 Photos	That's a nice job you done there! Actually I got a FG140 myself. No idea how old it is, bought it second hand around 1990 for approx $12. It's got a great bassy tone and is indeed loud. Although it has pretty bad fretwear and fretboard wear as well, it is still my main acoustic. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/tuuur

March 21st, 2008, 08:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
kp8 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Seoul, Korea Posts: 3,321	I been looking to replace a long lost Yamaha FG-340. I miss that puppy. Great pictures Terry! I like the truss cover on tuuur's! Along with the shooting star... Very cool~ kp8

March 22nd, 2008, 12:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
RickG501 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Age: 55 Posts: 1,346	Looks like you've mastered the re-fret task. I had a 72-73 Yamaha 360 that was a great box. Wish I hadn't had to sell it. A real quality workhorse for the dough. Great coming out of the closet story...:)

March 22nd, 2008, 03:22 AM	#13 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,333 7 Photos	We must all be on the same wavelength. I too have an old Yamaha acoustic (FG-230 12 string)... I bought this 12 string acoustic guitar in 1971 when I was 17 for $108...had just enough money left to get home on the subway in NY. ;-) For years it was my only decent guitar, but for a much longer time now it's been sitting in my closet all dusty and un-played... Recently I pulled it out of the closet and re-strung it and had some work done to it at Buffalo Brothers which is nearby... This guitar has a neck like a tree trunk but man what tone!

March 22nd, 2008, 05:54 AM	#14 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	yeah I`m living where they are made but I`m Canadian. Few pics of my Dynamics and a little of what I`ve learned about them...as early as the 50s Yamaha was building Dynamics for export...the #30, #50 and #70s were made to be sold over seas...the oldest I have is a #30 from the mid 50s as I said before...most of my others are late 50s or early to mid 60s...the labels underwent several changes over the years and changed to the white with red checkered border, the most commonly seen here. They also made a #15 for export early 60s and from what I`ve been able to find out, they started working on laminates as a response to cracked tops that they put down to climate change on exports. After the all solid Dynamics came the S series Dynamics, Yamahas first attempt at laminates...S series Dynamics can be distinguished because they don`t say Dynamic on the headstock, just Yamaha...one thing I forgot, on the first export models they changed the logo to arc across the headstock, domestics say Yamaha Dynamic Guitar in script straight across the top of the headstock, they are slotheads with steel winding posts and some guys here string them with steels, I tried that too but find they really sound great with nylons...saddles were not intonated...usually a straight piece of what appears to be bone, some have a brass rod as a saddle...even got one with a Japanese toothpick as a saddle...Japanese toothpicks are round. My books say the 6 digit serials appeared in 1960, as did the final label change to white/red border. By the time the light green labels appeared, the Dynamics were gone, then came the red lables and after that...many types of labels appeared. Domestic Dynamics came in many models...No. 1, 1-B No. 2, No.4, No.8, No. 10, 10-A, 10-B, No. 15 No. 20, No. 40 and No. 80...some models were called sister models...the No. 2 and 20 for example...very similar but with different rosettes...some models...No. 40`s had MOP around the rosette while the No. 80 had MOP all around the top...and are perhaps the rarest now and sell for several hundreds when they show up and thats not often...the most I paid for a mint No. 20 was about $120.oo...the least was about $10.oo so they are still great bargains. Another thinag about the Dynamics...they have FAT necks...my three No. 40s have the fattest of the bunch and are the heaviest of the Dynamic series I own. These were not cheap at the time, I have a few of Yamahas earliest classicals as well as the Dynamics and the top end amaha classical in 1960 sold for 6 weeks wages...I know because I teach some retired folks who told me their starting salary in 1960 was 10,ooo a month...I can`t even have an evening out with the wife for that any more. Anyhow...I`m sure I`m forgetting stuff about em but will post as I remember...now...pics...I own 26 Dynamics now and 13 of the classicals but won`t bore youse with pics of all of em... __________________ quasi mojo

March 22nd, 2008, 05:58 AM	#15 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	[IMG]http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i198/shot-glass/forsaleIII131.jpg [/IMG] __________________ quasi mojo

March 22nd, 2008, 06:02 AM	#16 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	I believe the finish on the Dynamics is lacquer...it has crazed on almost every one I own... __________________ quasi mojo

March 22nd, 2008, 06:04 AM	#17 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	links to a web site over here dedicated to Dynamics... http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/catalog.html __________________ quasi mojo

March 22nd, 2008, 06:05 AM	#18 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	... audio... http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/kyoku/original.html __________________ quasi mojo

March 22nd, 2008, 03:19 PM	#21 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	Wow sneaky, that's quite a collection you have there. I enjoyed the museum, sound clips, and especially your personal pics. I remember my Dad payed $75 for that FG-140 in 1969. That was very cheap for a guitar back then. __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

March 22nd, 2008, 11:34 PM	#22 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	thanks...since buying my first Dynamic about 3 years ago, I can`t seem to stop buying them. Played my FG-170 last week and the saddle appears to be glued in...just won`t budge... the break angle is low so I wanted to put a new, higher one in but can`t get the old one out and I don`t want to risk breaking it. prices on red labels are all over the place in Japan now...from very low to hundreds. The first two light green models seem to be going for more at this time. __________________ quasi mojo

March 30th, 2008, 10:34 PM	#27 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	have youse contacted Yamaha Japan and asked? There are rod covers for sale on Yahoo Japan all the time. __________________ quasi mojo

June 11th, 2008, 12:30 PM	#28 (permalink)
cantonkid NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: vancouver bc canada Posts: 1	Hey there "Sneakyjapan", was wondering what you thought of the Dynamic no.4, circ 1958 w/black label.... there is a guy selling one locally for $500 CAN, I am hoping to go by and take a look at it, but if you had any other info??? cheers

June 12th, 2008, 12:54 AM	#29 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	I have a #4, I keep a record of all the Dynamics I buy but for some reason I forgot to write that one down and I don`t remember how much I paid for nor the serial. The most I`ve paid for a near mint #20 was about $150.oo...have paid as little as $10.oo for a few so $500.oo seems really high to me. The oldest I have has a 4 digit serial starting with 66** and I was told that it`s from the mid 50s on a web site over here. Theres one #4 pictured in one of my books with the serial 19027 and it has a black label, they are listed as being from the early series but I just got a #50 on line this week...haven`t actually received it yet...and that one was from the first of 3 export models they made...#30, #50 and #70...can`t wait to get it. Evidence points to Yamaha building those from the early 50s and they stopped mid 60s. But I really like my #4...fat neck and all solid maple with spruce top, beautifully sunburst finished, they sound great too. I guess if it`s in mint condition it might go for a few hundred in Japan if not try to get a better price. Give a really good look over, make sure the tuners work well...many of mine have to be tuned using a string winder because they are stiff and I don`t want to risk beaking the buttons, but the winder works very well...I`ve had to buy some as donor guitars because getting parts is nearly impossible. The gears often need to be soaked, I use a bathroom tile cleaned and a plastic peanut butter jar and let em sit for a couple of hours, but they come out looking great. I like using the Gibson polish in the orange pump bottle, works great in bringoug out the flame maple. Check the binding all around see if it has even been reglued. Frets may be brass so look for wear. Saddle should be a cylinder type...material looks like bone but I`m not certain, though some of mine came with a brass saddle. None of mine have neck issues of any kind and I think it`s because they are so thick so ya gotta like fat necks. See if the words Yamaha Dynamic run straight across the headstock...export models have them arched over the top...but as far I can tell the #4 was not made for sale overseas...but I`ve been surprised with MIJs before so nothing is gospel. Let me know what you think after you get a chance to play it, I`m curious to know what others players think of Dynamics and there just aren`t that many guys outside Japan who seem to own em. Good luck. __________________ quasi mojo

June 12th, 2008, 04:19 AM	#30 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	just pulled the #4 to check the serial...it`s 862**...I have 3 others excluding the #30 that have lower numbers. So I`m curious how the seller knows his is from the 50s, and please tell me about the serial once you`ve seen it. By the way mine also has the black label. OH yeah...the other 3 with lower numbers are model #s 1 and 2. One of my other #2s has a 6 digit number and the white and red label thats widely regarded as being from the early 60s...no JIS symbol means prior to 1963...with the JIS means after. Also have a #1A with a 6 digit serial. If theres a way to identify the year precisely by serial number, nobody seems to know. Folks here go by label color and number of serial digits to get a ballpark date. __________________ quasi mojo

June 12th, 2008, 12:25 PM	#31 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,255	Okay, I need to chime in, too. I have an FG-75, almost a parlor-size. The serial number and an educated guess shake it out to be a 1972 instrument. The neck has a bit too much relief and the truss rod won't turn any more without stripping the nut (guess how I know!). It's missing a part, too. Guess which one... Yep! The truss rod cover!! Here's my pic... And the story... While I was a music ed major at a small college (about 400 residents), everybody on campus knew that my roommate and I had an acoustic singer/songwriter duo act. A guy named Johnny that lived in my dorm (the only male dorm at the time) had this old beater Yamaha guitar that he wanted to sell because he was getting a new guitar for Christmas, and he brought it by my room to see if I was interested. He wanted $20 for the guitar and a Marshall Lead 12 amp. The amp's speaker had been destroyed, and the amp had been in the back of a car during a crash and had glass in the cab. I only had $10 on me, but he said I could pay him the rest after the Christmas break. So, after break I go up to him to give him his $10 and he says, aww, forget about it. He got a bunch of money for Christmas and could use the karma. So, for $5 and some karma I got the above-pictured guitar. When I search Lead 12s on eBay, they're running in the $200 range. Mine currently has a Jensen MOD in it, and does a very nice 80s overdriven sound, and a mighty fine ZZTop rendition. I think I did fine for my $10!! (edited to add this) I just did a quick search, and mine was made the day before this one... http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-fg-75-Vin...QQcmdZViewItem Kinda cool! Last edited by superchicken_VI; June 12th, 2008 at 12:57 PM.

June 12th, 2008, 05:58 PM	#32 (permalink)
tomkatf Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: San Diego Posts: 279 12 Photos	Wow, lots of Yamahas! My first decent acoustic was an FG-180, bought new c.1970. Nice guitar... Sold it when I ran across a well used but incredible sounding 1932 Martin OM-18 (#52345) for a song in Eureka, CA... That one was stolen in San Francisco around 1972... along with a 1968 ES-335, a BFDR and a BFPR... not a good day! Best, Tom __________________ "it's really groovy to be here... didn't even rain... no buttons to push"... Jimi Hendrix, Monterey 1967

June 13th, 2008, 05:34 PM	#34 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,255	A quick hit in the CPI-based inflation calculator makes that $329 in 2007 dollars. I could see this guitar selling for about $250 new, so that makes sense. It's very balanced-sounding. This is an interesting thread...

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.

June 13th, 2008, 08:35 PM	#35 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	saw a 75 on line here last night so now I`m not so sure it was exclusively for export. Got my Dynamic #50 last night...what I thought were little divots on the fretboard turned out to be little mounds of grime that had built up over the years so it took me over two hours of scrubbing to clean this one, didn`t even have a chance to string it up yet I`ll do that tonight...gotta work today... and I`ll post pics. It has a 3 digit serial starting with 5... so if my 4 digit serial #30 is supposed to be mid 50s...ipso fatso...this one might be early to mid 50s, I`ll see what the guys on the Dynamic web site here say. Some of the high end Dynamics sold for two months wages at the time...I was talking to some of my retired English students and they told me how much they were making in those years...so even though I`m getting them at good prices now, new they weren`t cheap. __________________ quasi mojo

June 14th, 2008, 08:12 AM	#36 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,962 3 Photos	OK... a few pics of the rescued #50 Yamaha Dynamic. Since this was an export model the pics may come in handy for reference if youse ever come across any in a yard sale or something. see lower right side of this pic for an idea of how much these have checked and crazed over the years... __________________ quasi mojo

June 23rd, 2008, 08:17 AM	#37 (permalink)
Westerly Sunn Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. North Carolina Posts: 1,663 45 Photos	My 2nd guitar (1st decent one - ) was an FG-110E. What a sweet little guitar that was! I still have an FG-312 (12 string, slotted headstock) and I always loved it to death... Right now, it's not in use as it is in bad need of a re-fret. __________________ My white hairs had you fooled, didn't they, son? Yes, Sir! Ha! Drive on!!!

June 23rd, 2008, 01:14 PM	#38 (permalink)
Gibby TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Arkansas Age: 50 Posts: 11	Yamaha red label guitar....!! awesome

July 20th, 2008, 02:58 PM	#40 (permalink)
andrewb Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 329	old pic of my yamaha....fg345 no idea of the age.... much older than me... (is really my dads lol.. he had it before i was thought of lol) need to take new pics.... it is so beat up now.... still playing strong though.... bit of high e trouble... looks like its in need of a new nut... (my nightmare comming true :( ... spent years playing this thing to get the binging and nut to the yellow colour it is) binding on the bottom side of the neck is black and yellow lol... top is getting there..... lots of dents... chips.... gouges.... scratches.... it has darkened alot over the years.... i love it to death..... no other acoustic has the sound this has.... pretty bassy... loud as hell.... action is a lil high.... but hey... its pretty much the exact same setup as when i first picked it up.... like.. 12 years ago? lol :) i really need to take some new pics lol