NOGD-- 70s Yamaha FG335

[stillrockin]

Took a drive across town to check out a 90s-era Washburn dreadnought at a used instrument shop. Also on display was a 1978 Made-in-Taiwan FG335 Yamaha. Both were recently restrung at the shop w/ fresh 12s. The Washburn (D21S solid spruce top) sounded darn nice. But when I asked the sales guy (an older gentleman) to strum some open chords on each guitar, the plywood-bodied Yamaha took the day... hands down. I measured the string action at 12th fret to be 9/64". $150.00 bucks? SOLD! I spent a couple hours cleaning the guitar yesterday. (It was a 44-year-old sticky, gooey, filthy mess.)
Lesson learned: As ubiquitous as these old Taiwanese Yamahas are, you may, indeed, come to love and appreciate them. I certainly have! Keep on pickin'!

 

[brookdalebill]

Nice!

 

[Freeman Keller]

I am a great fan of the old red label Yamahas (my first guitar was an FG-150 which I still have). The one caveat however, and it sounds like your guitar is in this boat, is that they are really difficult to reset the neck. I did resort to sawing the neck off of mine and converting to bolt on but I don't do this for others.

You should probably do a complete evaluation and see what you are faced with.

 

[stillrockin]

I am a great fan of the old red label Yamahas (my first guitar was an FG-150 which I still have). The one caveat however, and it sounds like your guitar is in this boat, is that they are really difficult to reset the neck. I did resort to sawing the neck off of mine and converting to bolt on but I don't do this for others.

You should probably do a complete evaluation and see what you are faced with.

You're so right, Freeman. Thankfully, I'm an 'open chord/ first position' kinda guy. 60s/70s folk tunes. And, down toward the nut, things are quite playable. There won't be any neck reset ($$$) for this guitar. I am, however, toying with the idea of installing a JLD Bridge Doctor (just to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else. )

 

[Freeman Keller]

You're so right, Freeman. Thankfully, I'm an 'open chord/ first position' kinda guy. 60s/70s folk tunes. And, down toward the nut, things are quite playable. There won't be any neck reset ($$$) for this guitar. I am, however, toying with the idea of installing a JLD Bridge Doctor (just to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else. )

I have fairly strong opinions about the Bridge Doc, which I will keep to myself. I'll be interested in your experience, however.

 

[Bruxist]

Congrats, man! I have had 2 of the Taiwanese Yamahas and they are my favourite Yamahas.