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A Yamaha FG150, on ebay

Yamaneck

By Yamaneck
in Acoustic Guitars

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Yamaneck Newbie

Yamaneck

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"Can you post photographs clearly showing the string height at the 12 th fret, bass side? It looks like there's not much saddle left, and most old Yamahas need to have the necks reset."

 

I thought this was reasonable, and non-confrontational. His reply:

 

 

"No need to reply with rude remarks as this writing is not menat to be offensive..just straight forward..! We have been around and dealing with guitars for just about 40+ years..since mid sevenities and are players..! You must have Speed Reading the Ad. Do you really think we would spend $400.00+ or a Top Pro SF BAY area shop would install new frets and nut on a guitar that needs a Neck re-set..?? Come on..! Did your "Good Player" FG-180 you sold also need a neck re-set..since it was an old Yamaha..?? Don't Dan Erlewine would make that dumb statement that "MOST" old Yamahas need a re-set..don't think so..! You must have meant the Old Martins and the Old Gibsons..right..? The Yamaha Red label FG-Guitars are in the slot with the best of quality and when not Weathered or Abused have NO problems. the Ad also states the saddle was lowered to get the best action (plays like an Electric) with NOT one Single Buzz on any string,..might ad that...! We really are not idiots here! Since we can only post 12 photos which one do you suggest we remove to post what you want..which would tell you Nothing.(the Bottom of the large Bas -the Low E -52- gauge string - height when looking under the string with a mm gauge is 6 mm.. meaning it's set at about 7-1/2 to 8 at the center of string at the 12th fret and high E is set at 4-1/2 mm. Really you should PASS on this one..since you don't know the value of the guitar, the Work, our extensive AD time and time to answer this..in detail..! Good luck in your search,UTMP "

 

It went downhill, from there:

 

"6 mm = 0.236220

 

Nearly 1/4" at the 12th fret? "Electric" action?

 

Best of luck, really."

 

 

"Dude you are way off and in the Twilight Zone.. Here is your Reply Mr. wanna be Dan E. (AKA) - MKIA - figure that out too..! "

 

"That's a spruce plywood topped guitar, too.

 

Take a chill pill."

 

"What was that junk piece you dumped? "

 

"I'm someone who has specialized in Yamahas, especially neck resets. You appear to be an idiot."

 

"Sure MKIA..., Mr. Know It All.. if you were so smart you would have known that Electric Guitar action meant 6/64ths and 4-1/2 64ths..,Genius..!

* Our pants legs are already rolled up to our knees with all of your B/S blabbering about yourself...we knew your game from the first email. Been around the block more then you might think! Before you start slandering name calling and accuse others of been an idiot..Remember the old Eric Clapton song..."Before you accuse me"- "Take a look at yourself" which we are sure you never do..! Bye, Bye go bother someone else you might impress it's not happening here."

 

Guy's a real piece of work. Why do I have the feeling this guitar's not going to fetch $625?

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pinchegordo Newbie

pinchegordo

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i just sent him a message with some inquiries of my own:

 

Can you please tell me in detail what was done to the guitar that cost $400? i read your ad but it is vague at best.The pictures you have supplied show a saddle with very little showing...meaning that since your neck angle is off(usually due to climate)it will clearly need a neck reset,not a bad thing but very common with Yamahas also am interested in info regarding any bellying behind the bridge,which also adds to high action and would explain the lack of saddle remainging.I would like you to post some pics and more details in regard to saddle height and string height.It says low action how low is it at the 12th fret?Thanks

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Christhee68 Newbie

Christhee68

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Remember the old Eric Clapton song..."Before you accuse me"- "Take a look at yourself" which we are sure you never do..! Bye, Bye go bother someone else you might impress it's not happening here."

 

 

This guy's friendly and knowlegable sales pitch should be worth a few hundred dollars extra.

 

Should I send him a message reminding him the "Before You Accuse Me" is a Bo Diddly tune?

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kujozilla Newbie

kujozilla

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Hello Sir, What is your name..? We have been around and dealing with guitars for just about 40+ years..since mid sevenities and are real players..! We would not have spent $400.00 or the "Top Pro SF BAY Area Shop" we use would not have install new frets and nut on a guitar that needs a Neck re-set..?? Not all or "MOST" old Yamahas need a re-set, unless they have been bably abused or severly weathered, correct..? We too have a few others mostly the FG 300. Replaced the bridges with Fixed ones. Great guitars, the Yamaha Red label FG-Guitars are in the slot with the best of quality ( surely you know that) and most we run across have not had problems. However we are close to just taking this AD down ...just tired of all the dumb and real Stupid questions..way to many..! NOT YOURS...your are senseable questions. The saddle was lowered only to get the best action (plays like an Electric) with NOT one "Single Buzz" on any string,..might ad that...! A Bone or plastic can be easily changed out to lift up if someone desired to do so..we wouldn't it plays just awesome..! Since we can only post 12 photos we picked the best we had but seemed to miss what you want so here are the Specs. the Bottom of the large Bass -the "Low E" -52- gauge string - height when looking under the string with a 64th'gauge is 6/64th.. meaning it's set at about 7-1/2 at the "Center" of string at the 12th fret, and 3-1/2 64th at the 5th fret and "High E" is set at 3ish 64th's. We have the relief is just very slight on the Bass side and hardly none on the Hihg side. The top looks just fine no big appears problems...even if you tilt it in all direction..can see the even most ever so Slightest wipple only at the mount of the bridge on the Loiw E side...super Duper Slight..! This guitar is ready to play and plays extrememly well. Best to your "Musical Endeavors", Don@UTMP.. I hope you not only Collect but Plat them too..!

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Freeman Keller Apprentice

Freeman Keller

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I'm going to watch this one too to see what my old FG-180 might be worth. Some interesting (and contradictory) information in the ad, your request for information and the post just above mine -

 

1- add says improvements being we have had the Bridge lowered - lets hope that really is saddle - most repair people consider shaving the bridge a rather hack way of getting more saddle on a guitar that really does need a reset

 

2 - Cost of install with bridge work was $400.00 plus..! Bryan Kimsey, one of the best Martin techs around charges $195 for a fret job to 14, $225 for a full (when he did the reset on my D18 he only replaced the first 5 for $40, on my D12-28 he just crowned them). Bryan charges $45 for a new bone nut (or saddle). That would be max $270 for the repairs listed. fwiw Bryan charges about $300 for a reset and throws in the nut and saddle as part of the job.

 

A big question in my mind is why would someone put that kind of money into a guitar like this?

 

3 - If I read the figures in the post above mine right I get 6/64 (0.0937) low E and 3/64 (0.04687) high. Those are pretty normal numbers, maybe a hair low on the high E side. Since the quickie test for needing a reset is IF you have acceptable action (sounds like it is) AND you have at least 1/8 saddle sticking out of the bridge (doesn't look like it) THEN the angle is OK. A better way for the seller to demonstrate that would be to post a picture of a straightedge on the fretboard pointing to the bridge - that would tell us a lot.

 

4 - Has 10-52's on it - fairly light gauge strings, probably appeals to an electric player. I like 12's on mine.

 

5 - The guitar is, of course, laminate top, back and sides. The fact that these "plywood cheapies" sound so good is discussed often in these forums. For a long time I swore my top was solid until I really looked closely at the edge of the sound hole.

 

6 - I won't show the ad to my English teacher wife. Wait, maybe I will....

 

I gave $100 for my '69 red label FG-180 years ago, it has very similar looking original plastic saddle and definitely needs a reset (which I will do one of these days). I love the old guitar and figure it is worth about what I paid for it. 'twill be interesting to see what, if anything this one brings. On my watch list too, but not on the "WAIT..until the last minute to bid "GAME"..."

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kujozilla Newbie

kujozilla

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I'm going to watch this one too to see what my old FG-180 might be worth. Some interesting (and contradictory) information in the ad, your request for information and the post just above mine -


1- add says
improvements being we have had the Bridge lowered
- lets hope that really is saddle - most repair people consider shaving the bridge a rather hack way of getting more saddle on a guitar that really does need a reset


2 -
Cost of install with bridge work was $400.00 plus..!
Bryan Kimsey, one of the best Martin techs around charges $195 for a fret job to 14, $225 for a full (when he did the reset on my D18 he only replaced the first 5 for $40, on my D12-28 he just crowned them). Bryan charges $45 for a new bone nut (or saddle). That would be max $270 for the repairs listed. fwiw Bryan charges about $300 for a reset and throws in the nut and saddle as part of the job.


A big question in my mind is why would someone put that kind of money into a guitar like this?


3 - If I read the figures in the post above mine right I get 6/64 (0.0937) low E and 3/64 (0.04687) high. Those are pretty normal numbers, maybe a hair low on the high E side. Since the quickie test for needing a reset is IF you have acceptable action (sounds like it is) AND you have at least 1/8 saddle sticking out of the bridge (doesn't look like it) THEN the angle is OK. A better way for the seller to demonstrate that would be to post a picture of a straightedge on the fretboard pointing to the bridge - that would tell us a lot.


4 - Has 10-52's on it - fairly light gauge strings, probably appeals to an electric player. I like 12's on mine.


5 - The guitar is, of course, laminate top, back and sides. The fact that these "plywood cheapies" sound so good is discussed often in these forums. For a long time I swore my top was solid until I really looked closely at the edge of the sound hole.


6 - I won't show the ad to my English teacher wife. Wait, maybe I will....


I gave $100 for my '69 red label FG-180 years ago, it has very similar looking original plastic saddle and definitely needs a reset (which I will do one of these days). I love the old guitar and figure it is worth about what I paid for it. 'twill be interesting to see what, if anything this one brings. On my watch list too, but not on the
"WAIT..until the last minute to bid "GAME"..."

 

 

Freeman I am no expert on Yamahas, but I have more experience with old ones than most. This guy is clearly scamming. The Yamaha's from back in the day that need a reset haven't been abused they just have a tendancy towards neck issues. Also the fact he mentions something offhandedly in his reply to me about how the top has "minimal" wave means the top is in jeopardy. The major reason almost all old Yamaha guitars sound so damn good is the THIN AS HELL TOP. I pity the person that buys this piece of what he has turned into junk.

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zenbu Newbie

zenbu

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The Yamaha's from back in the day that need a reset haven't been abused they just have a tendancy towards neck issues.

 

 

that may apply to FGs but it certainly is not the case with the Yamaha Dynamics I have and I have a lot of those as well as their first run classical types. There are very few FG models I would buy, they are all over the place in this city and pages of them on Yahoo Japan but honestly I have yet to find any that sound better than my Dynamics.

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FretFiend. Rookie

FretFiend.

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Okay, you guys got me curious too. Here's what I asked:

 

Hello,

That's a cool old guitar. I need to know what the action is, the distance between the bottom of the strings and the top of the frets, up around the twelfth fret. Also, I need to know what the height of the bridge and saddle is. Some good close pictures of the bridge and the fretboard near the sound hole would probably tell me what I need to know.

 

Thanks

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kujozilla Newbie

kujozilla

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that may apply to FGs but it certainly is not the case with the Yamaha Dynamics I have and I have a lot of those as well as their first run classical types. There are very few FG models I would buy, they are all over the place in this city and pages of them on Yahoo Japan but honestly I have yet to find any that sound better than my Dynamics.

 

 

My FG-435 is a Martin killer. I do, however, find old FG's to be a little over rated. I own a couple and have owned quite a few. They are great guitars but too easily broken (prepares for the {censored} storm).

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zenbu Newbie

zenbu

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well, some of my Dynamics go back to the early `50s so I wouldn`t say those are easily broken, I`m certain they will outlast me. I own 30 of the Dynamics and 14 of the old classical types, and one FG-170...I don`t feel the need to add any more FGs...other than the 1000, 1200, 1500 or 2000 models...but those are selling for thousands of dollars now and unless I come across one at a better price I guess I`ll just have to struggle through the rest of my life without one.

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FretFiend. Rookie

FretFiend.

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Hello Sir, What is your name..? We have been around and dealing with guitars for just about 40+ years..since mid sevenities and are real players..! We would not have spent $400.00 or the "Top Pro SF BAY Area Shop" we use would not have install new frets and nut on a guitar that needs a Neck re-set..?? Not all or "MOST" old Yamahas need a re-set, unless they have been bably abused or severly weathered, correct..? We too have a few others mostly the FG 300. Replaced the bridges with Fixed ones. Great guitars, the Yamaha Red label FG-Guitars are in the slot with the best of quality ( surely you know that) and most we run across have not had problems. However we are close to just taking this AD down ...just tired of all the dumb and real Stupid questions..way to many..! NOT YOURS...your are senseable questions. The saddle was lowered only to get the best action (plays like an Electric) with NOT one "Single Buzz" on any string,..might ad that...! A Bone or plastic can be easily changed out to lift up if someone desired to do so..we wouldn't it plays just awesome..! Since we can only post 12 photos we picked the best we had but seemed to miss what you want so here are the Specs. the Bottom of the large Bass -the "Low E" -52- gauge string - height when looking under the string with a 64th'gauge is 6/64th.. meaning it's set at about 7-1/2 at the "Center" of string at the 12th fret, and 3-1/2 64th at the 5th fret and "High E" is set at 3ish 64th's. We have the relief is just very slight on the Bass side and hardly none on the Hihg side. The top looks just fine no big appears problems...even if you tilt it in all direction..can see the even most ever so Slightest wipple only at the mount of the bridge on the Loiw E side...super Duper Slight..! This guitar is ready to play and plays extrememly well. Best to your "Musical Endeavors", Don@UTMP.. I hope you not only Collect but Plat them too..!

 

 

That's the same spiel he gave me. Hard to believe this guy sells anything.

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