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Should I buy a 20 year old Yamaha FG400A for $65?


omg_otters

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Yamaha FG400A specifications:

 

Year(s) Sold: 1989-95

Original MSRP(US$): $259.00

Top: Spruce

Back / Sides: Nato (looks like mahogany)

Neck: Nato

Fingerboard: Bubinga (looks like rosewood)

Tuners: Chrome

 

Talk 'em down to $50....;)

 

But seriously if it's playable and the strings are not too high off the fretboard

or the body is not all cracked and busted, I'd say $65 is good for a "beater" you can take to the cottage or camping etc...

It's an all laminate guitar (not solid wood) so it's not as sensitive to sudden climate & humidity changes.

 

Have you tried it out yet? That's the important factor.

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Neck angle, neck angle, neck angle. It is almost impossible to reset the neck on old Yamies and many need it. $65 is a lot to pay for a slide only guitar. However, if you can get it for ten or twenty bucks and want to gamble on my resetting it, I would try (I've been looking for one to practice on before I do my FG-150). The Sick Guitar article in the Annex tells how to check the angle.

 

Other potential problems - bad tuners (there are some Grovers that fit for about $50), frets (crown and dressing runs $40, replacement about $10 each). The pickguard on mine was lifting and made a buzzing sound, and some have bad or broken truss rods.

 

With a good neck and other wise structurally sound you sometimes see them selling for a couple of hundred (which seems high)

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Neck angle, neck angle, neck angle. It is almost impossible to reset the neck on old Yamies and many need it.

 

This is very true although I recently owned a 1978 model FG -331 that still had a good neck angle and played nicely once I had a new bone saddle made for it. Sometimes you get lucky.

 

An easy way to see if the neck angle is bad is by checking the saddle. If the saddle looks like it's been sanded as far down as it will go and the strings are still way too high off the fretboard pass on the guitar....don't buy it. This is generally a sign that the guitar needs a neck reset which like Freeman says is almost impossible to do easily and inexpensively.

 

Good luck!

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. . . Fingerboard: Bubinga (looks like rosewood) . . .

Sorry but bubinga is an African wood similar to mahogany. My 12-string has bubinga back and sides and it looks like slightly dark mahogany. I wouldn't mistake it for rosewood in the dark.

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Sorry but bubinga is an African wood similar to mahogany. My 12-string has bubinga back and sides and it looks like slightly dark mahogany. I wouldn't mistake it for rosewood in the dark.

 

I'm afraid you is both right. Bubinga also goes by the name "African Rosewood," even though it is not actually a rosewood. I don't think it looks particularly like rosewood or mahogany. If forced, I'd say it looks a little more like mahogany, but Bubinga's grain is sort of blob-like and a little bit arbitrary. Very dinstinctive stuff.

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sorry...youse are all wrong. More like a distant relative to the New Jersey native grown "baddabinga", the chosen timber by many familes, used for making baseball bats, but not for playing baseball...if youse know what I mean.

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Should I buy a 20 year old Yamaha FG400A for $65?

The 20 standard answers on a Magic 8-Ball are:

 

* ? As I see it, yes

* ? Ask again later

* ? Better not tell you now

* ? Cannot predict now

* ? Concentrate and ask again

* ? Don't count on it

* ? It is certain

* ? It is decidedly so

* ? Most likely

* ? My reply is no

* ? My sources say no

* ? Outlook good

* ? Outlook not so good

* ? Reply hazy, try again

* ? Signs point to yes

* ? Very doubtful

* ? Without a doubt

* ? Yes

* ? Yes - definitely

* ? You may rely on it

 

Bubinga

bubinga1dssm.jpg

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Sorry but bubinga is an African wood similar to mahogany. My 12-string has bubinga back and sides and it looks like slightly dark mahogany. I wouldn't mistake it for rosewood in the dark.

 

My old Yamaha G-50A had a bubinga fretboard and I kinda thought it looked strange but sort of nice. It has a different grain to it. I too had read that it was supposed to be an "African Rosewood...:idk:

 

I know...it's not a great pic...

G50A%20004%20%28Small%29.jpg

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I have a 20 year old FG400A....it's a beater, but it plays. I don't know that it's worth $65, but it was my first acoustic so I'm attached to it.

 

Yep! I have a 20 year old FG351SB. It sounds kind of dull next to my new ones, but its ol reliable.

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  • 6 years later...
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i just bought an fg400 for 60 dollars.......i own six yamahas' date=' all newer and higher end except for my old f110, this old 400 has quickly become my go-to for practice and playing for friends. it is all i have ever asked for in an acoustic.[/quote']You own several newer high end Yamaha guitars and a $60 beater is everything you could ask for in a guitar. How does that work again?
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  • 5 years later...
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On 7/8/2008 at 3:53 PM, omg_otters said:

Can someone tell me anything about that guitar? :3

 

I have an oppertunity to buy one for $65

I've owned this guitar for 25 yrs. Played the hell out of it for the first 10, then it sat for 10 yrs, and I picked it back up 5 yrs ago. This instrument has always held its tune very well and is fairly rugged. Like someone else said, if it's not beat up too bad and has good action, it's worth $50-$65 for sure!

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12 hours ago, sfolsom001 said:

I've owned this guitar for 25 yrs. Played the hell out of it for the first 10, then it sat for 10 yrs, and I picked it back up 5 yrs ago. This instrument has always held its tune very well and is fairly rugged. Like someone else said, if it's not beat up too bad and has good action, it's worth $50-$65 for sure!

Hi and welcome to the Forums. Probably good advice but the OP asked the question nearly 12 years ago. I'm pretty sure he/she's made a decision by now.

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  • 1 year later...
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I just wanted to chip in here as I recently pulled my old FG400A out of the wardrobe where it sat for several years I was looking around on the ‘net to see if anybody else had one or still used one. 
 

My FG400A was the first decent acoustic I owned. I bought it new from Yamaha dealer Chappell’s Music in Milton Keynes here in the U.K. in August 1993 (serial number says manufacturered March 1993) for £250 - around £480 today. 
 

Mine’s in good condition, plays well and hold tuning adequately. It could do with a set up as the action is a little high higher up the neck but it sounds very sweet and I’m glad to have it back out. I was considering buying something ‘cheap’ to keep out and accessible in the living room, but I think I’ll just leave my old Yamaha out. Nice to be reacquainted with an old friend. 

 

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