yamaha fg 230

[finboy]

so a few years back, my dad snagged a 12 string from a garage sale for $30, turns out its a "red label nippon gakki" according to ebay. this guitar needs a serious set up and i'm having trouble finding much of any information on it.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Yamaha-FG-230-12-String-Red-Lablel-Nippon-Gakki_W0QQitemZ150087000397QQihZ005QQcategoryZ33033QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

so i'll take a guess and say its an entry level plywood guitar? i thought it would be worth getting a cheap setup on just to have a 12 string to bash around on for a while.

 

any info you guys might have would be greatly appreciated

thanks

[babablowfish]

Here, I copied this off the Yamaha archive site:

 

Year(s) Sold: 1968-72

Original MSRP(US$): $149.00

Top: Spruce

Back / Sides: Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Notes: 12 String

 

You would be safe in assuming that this guitar is all laminate. So what?

Although I am not familiar with this particular model Yamaha made some all laminate guitars that sound outstanding, as good as or better than many higher priced solids. If it sounds good and is comfortable to play, then you have a winner. Congratulations.

 

PS My FG340 and FG365s both benifited from having a bone saddle and nut installed. You might want to consider doing the same.

[riknofx]

Hey finboy,

I picked one of these up awhile back to fill the 12-string void(also nippon Gakki) 71' I believe, and after a couple adjustments it really sings. Its definetly all lam but if you put a little love into it it can really sound great. Also you'll have to get used to the ball-bat neck-but its really grown on me. Hope you fix er up... and good luck:thu:

[Cripes]

This was my first guitar. I paid $130.00 for it new in 1972 and taught myself fingerstyle with it. I learned to play Wedding Song as well as ol' Noel Stookey himself and played it at my sister's wedding inside some huge church in Chicago. The PA was good and that little bugger filled the place. I doubt it's "worth" fixing but if you do it's a sweet sounding guitar.

[seifukusha]

this was my first yammie. i got it after spending the nite in a church in osaka in like 1995 and it was hanging on the wall and i asked if i could have it and they gave it to me. now the head is cracked and blah blah blah but it still sounds like heaven. in fact, i just bought my 10th old school yammie. theyre lovely..

[Freeman Keller]

I also had one years ago, and it too had serious issues. Be aware that the necks on these are very difficult to reset - they were apparently glued with something (epoxy?) that doesn't come apart with steam. There are ways to do it but probably not worth it.

 

Run thru the Sick Guitar measurements and see what you've got.