Yamaha no.120 nippon gakki classical

[AVWIII]

Any idea about these things? I did a search of the forum, but there's not too much said about them.

There's one listed just down the street from me for $150 CAD. I love Yamaha products, especially their older electrics, but I've never tried any of their vintage classicals. Yay? Nay?

[sixgunner455]

Well, they have used many different prefixes in their numbers.

 

Here's a CG120A in the HC reviews:

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Yamaha/CG-120-A/10/1

 

And there's also the G120A:

 

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Yamaha/G120A/10/1

 

Price-wise, I don't know what these things are going for in Canada, but one of the reviewers said he paid 200 Canadian several years ago for a G120A, so I would imagin that it's not a terrible price.

 

Check it out beforehand, if you can. The old Yamaha acoustics have a good reputation for a reason -- but if it's beat up, or the neck is separating, or something like that, it's not such a hot deal.

 

Nippon Gakki is very popular among those who like the "vintage" Yamaha acoustics. Other model years may have been made in Taiwan. Both seem to be good.

[zenbu]

if the label looks like the one pictured below...except it says 120... I have one. These were Yamahas earliest classical types...before the first GCs were introduced in 1967 and before they got involved with the Spanish builders. My Japan Vintage acoustic book vol. 1 says the No. 100s were made by Yamaha best luthiers at the time and were top of the line...so the 120 was right up there too...my 100s are solid maple, my 120 is solid mahogany and my 150s are solid Palisander rosewood...so these were all solid wood...I did once see a 120 that was flame maple on line here. They have wider flatter necks seen on classicals today. I find my Dynamics have a deeper voice but those early classicals are real nice too. Paid about $60.oo CDN for mine a couple of years ago, most I`ve paid for one from that series was about $120.oo for a No. 150 that was very clean...many of the ones I got...I have 14 of those models now...were extremely dirty when they arrived, like they hadn`t been cleaned in 40 years. I have a No. 60, 80, 100, 120 and 150...just need a No. 25 to complete the series but that model was all laminate...maybe one day I`ll get one, we`ll see.

I`m very happy with the ones I have and the 100 sold for about 5 weeks wages at the time...not a cheap guitar by any means. I know this because I teach some retired folks here and they told me how much they made in the early `60s when the 120 was made and the Yamaha web site lists the price as 12,000 yen in March 1963 when they were introduced...once the GCs entered the Yamaha line-up in `66 I think it was, that series of classicals went out of production so they weren`t made for a long time.

So...if it`s worth the asking price to you, buy it...it is an all solid wood guitar from the early `60s...not sure there are many of those for $150.oo where you live. Personally...if the guitar doesn`t have any structural damage I`d buy it. To me the price isn`t outrageous, I suppose you offer the seller less and see if youse can settle somewhere in between...if you have a watchmakers loupe bring it along and check to see if the top is solid...I know they were on domestics `cause I own some...however Yamaha did change things on export Dynamic models so they may have done so with those classicals if they ever intended them to be exported, with on line shopping these days it may have been made for the domestic market and found it`s way to Canada by some other method.

Good luck and keep us posted on events...certainly worth having a look at in my opinion.

 

[Tony Burns]

if it has a decent sound i wouldnt hesitate - whats a 150 CND for any decent guitar you like !

Im a big fan of old Yamahas -

[zenbu]

bit more to add...looking around the Yamaha Dynamic site a few minutes ago I saw somebody scanned some old Yamaha catalogs...and theres some info on the No.120...along with other Yamahas from that era...huge news for me because I have so many Dynamics and am finally able to get a look at what the catalogs and the model descriptions looked like...not to worry regular members...won`t post pics...again.

Got my wife to read what they say about the 120...says they used pine for the top...best quality pine they say, and the same for the rosewood fretboard and bridge...whatever `best quality rosewood` was at the time, not sure if folks were going as wild over Brazilian then as we do now since it was much more available but they do mention mahogany for the back and sides, interestingly they don`t say solid but I know they are...least mine are, and my books do mention that. The guy who posted the pics say he`s not sure of the year but has entered them as 1966, guess there was no year printed on the cover. Got to see the S series Dynamic too, precurser laminates to the FGs. Hard to say if they were made in the Yamaha factory which opened around the same time or were made by Suzuki or Tenru who supposedly made the Dynamics before Yamaha had their own facility.

Party on.

[blue2blue]

FWIW, I have a G-130a (a classical) I bought used in '74 (it was at least a few years old at that point). And I love that guitar. But it was never designed to be a particularly expensive guitar, I don't think. (I bought it used for $37.50, equivalent to $161 adjusted for inflation per USG numbers.) It's marked "Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd."

[zenbu]

so...what happened?

[zenbu]

so...whats the poop?

[AVWIII]

Sorry 'bout the lack of update, and many thanks for the info!

Unfortunately, it moved before I was able to even try it out. Wah wah waaaaaahhhhh.

[zenbu]

well, you know what they say eh...he who hesitates...misses out on the great old Yamaha. No plans to sell any of mine, sorry.

[ventoncarter]

Hi.

 

I have just come across a No. 100 Nippon Gakki Yamaha and am trying to put an age and estimated value on it with a view to acquiring it. I would also like to know what materials it is likely to be made from. It's serial number is 490233 and the view through the sound hole is identical to the picture in the post from zenbu above.

 

It currently belongs to a lady who doesn't play and has had it sat in a hard case since her husband (who did play) passed away. She told me she met her husband in 1968 and he had owned it for a fair while at that time and she thought it unlikely that he would have bought it new - no further info. available...

 

I have given it a bit of a service as the tuners were in a poor condition (some corrosion - very stiff) and treated it to it's first new set of strings in a LONG time... It is not a pristine example (some scratches and a few dings here and there) but is basically sound in structure and everything appears to be straight and true. It plays nicely with good projection across all strings/frequencies.

 

It sounds like zenbu may the man who I need to discuss this with but any relevant pointers from anybody with more knowledge than I have (not hard!) would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Cheers!

[zenbu]

I have three of the No. 100s and I can tell you exactly how much I paid for each of em, I keep a record of that stuff...

 

serial # 537149 cost me...$24.00

" " 593789 cost me...$10.00...not a typo

" " 656648 cost me...$31.00

 

 

so as you can see it`s almost criminal how little these all solid wood models go for, I mean if you can find a 1960s solid maple back and sides with a solid Ezo spruce top for less then I recommend you go for it...I can`t.

I love mine, the Japan Vintage vol. 1 says these were made by the top luthiers of the day, but they ain`t perfect...I see glue inside but hey for the price...not to mention the mojo...I certainly will not complain.

As far as I can tell Yamaha hit 6 digit serials in 1960 and these early classicals were made between 1960 and 1966/67 when Yamaha opened their first factory...evidently all earlier Yamahas were made for them by some other factory...with Suzuki getting mentioned a lot over here, and it makes sense since they were set up for it and had been building nylon strings since at least 1948 `cause I have one, and I bet they were making them before that. Seems the JIS symbol on the headstock where the truss rod cover would be first appeared in `63 so...without that JIS...between 1960 and `63...with the JIS between `63 and `66/67.

So look, if the lady is well off and doesn`t need the money offer less...if she looks like she could use it, why not offer her $100.00...hard to say for sure, I`d wager they are rarer overseas...not sure where you are located... but they show up somewhat regularly on line in Japan, and they never fetch more than a couple of hundred for ones in excellent condition. So.....between $10.00 and $200.00 is what I`ve seen.

I have to always take the tuners off, take them apart and let them soak for an hour or so in a bathroom tile cleaner we have here, placed in a plastic peanut butter jar and swirled around a couple of times...works great...won`t remove the rust but cleans the gears right up...they look like brass after...before they are just black...and I use a string winder when I tune the guitar up...distributes the pressure better...I`ve already broken a button on one I had and find the string winder works great...finding 32mm tuners is not easy here.

In my case I prefer the No.100, 120 and 150 models from that series...all three are solid wood...maple, mahogany and rosewood respectively...the No. 25, 60 and 80 are partially laminate or completely laminate. Keep me posted on what happens with the guitar, there are so few of us who own them I sometimes feel like nobody believes me when I gush about them...and I should stop now `cause regular members have heard this all before.

[mjuenem]

 

bit more to add...looking around the Yamaha Dynamic site a few minutes ago...

 

 

Where would that site be, Zen?

[zenbu]

http://rara.jp/mmasm/

[zenbu]

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

 

 

 

original catalog...

http://www.oldguitar.jp/catalog/yamaha/ETC/YAMAHA%20GUITAR%20UKULELE(66.11)_0003.jpg

[JazzNar]

if the label looks like the one pictured below...except it says 120... I have one. These were Yamahas earliest classical types...before the first GCs were introduced in 1967 and before they got involved with the Spanish builders. My Japan Vintage acoustic book vol. 1 says the No. 100s were made by Yamaha best luthiers at the time and were top of the line...so the 120 was right up there too...my 100s are solid maple, my 120 is solid mahogany and my 150s are solid Palisander rosewood...so these were all solid wood...I did once see a 120 that was flame maple on line here. They have wider flatter necks seen on classicals today. I find my Dynamics have a deeper voice but those early classicals are real nice too. Paid about $60.oo CDN for mine a couple of years ago, most I`ve paid for one from that series was about $120.oo for a No. 150 that was very clean...many of the ones I got...I have 14 of those models now...were extremely dirty when they arrived, like they hadn`t been cleaned in 40 years. I have a No. 60, 80, 100, 120 and 150...just need a No. 25 to complete the series but that model was all laminate...maybe one day I`ll get one, we`ll see. I`m very happy with the ones I have and the 100 sold for about 5 weeks wages at the time...not a cheap guitar by any means. I know this because I teach some retired folks here and they told me how much they made in the early `60s when the 120 was made and the Yamaha web site lists the price as 12,000 yen in March 1963 when they were introduced...once the GCs entered the Yamaha line-up in `66 I think it was, that series of classicals went out of production so they weren`t made for a long time. So...if it`s worth the asking price to you, buy it...it is an all solid wood guitar from the early `60s...not sure there are many of those for $150.oo where you live. Personally...if the guitar doesn`t have any structural damage I`d buy it. To me the price isn`t outrageous, I suppose you offer the seller less and see if youse can settle somewhere in between...if you have a watchmakers loupe bring it along and check to see if the top is solid...I know they were on domestics `cause I own some...however Yamaha did change things on export Dynamic models so they may have done so with those classicals if they ever intended them to be exported, with on line shopping these days it may have been made for the domestic market and found it`s way to Canada by some other method. Good luck and keep us posted on events...certainly worth having a look at in my opinion.

Hi Zen, I see you were looking for a No.25.
I have one of those. I myself do not play the guitar, however i see that you have quite a collection. If you still do not have a No.25 let me know, i am considering selling my one.

[maccaminnie]

 

http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/catalog.html original catalog... http://www.oldguitar.jp/catalog/yamaha/ETC/YAMAHA%20GUITAR%20UKULELE(66.11)_0003.jpg

 

 

Hi Zenbu, just looked at the Geocites site very nice:thu: Black Label No8 and Red boarder labels no 80 caught my eye

[zenbu]

not really looking for a No. 25, have passed on the chance to bid on several on line here in Japan...not all that impressed with the No.60 or No. 80 that were higher end models, my favorites are the sold wood models. Plus, I wouldn`t buy a guitar from somebody with one post, no offense, and I don`t know where you are located anyways.

There were a couple of # 8 models on line here recently, one with a starting bid of $700.00...they are more rare than other models...and another that went for about half of that. The 8 and 80 were sister models, very much the same only the white/red label came later. The inlays around the top are very very thin, if they are like my 1950 Kiso Suzuki...and come off real easily, and the inlay is what I don`t like about those two models. My #40s are pretty much the same minus the inlays.

[maccaminnie]

Ah OK didn,t realise they wern,t solid wood:facepalm: But the 100 and 120,s are:thu:

[zenbu]

right...the 25 and 60 are laminate but the 80 may have a solid top...haven`t looked for a while...the 100, 120 and 150 are all solid wood according to books and guitars I have. The Dynamics are all solid but the S series Dynamics...S-50 and S-70 were all laminates...easy to tell apart...the Dynamics have Yamaha Dynamic on the front of the headstock, the S series do not say Dynamic on the headstock they just have Yamaha, and of course the labels inside are different.

[wbusch]

I just got this guitar a couple weeks ago. I live in the US just north of Pittsburgh Pa. The guitar is in okay condition. It was missing a few parts when I got it. Anyway it only says Yamaha on the headstock (no Yamaha symbol) and has a serial no. 550779. Can you give me any info on this guitar? Also says made in Japan on the back.

[aias]

Legacy guitar database

G-120A

November 1970 release date

1976 year

end sale Price 12,000 yen at the time of the release

table plate Spruce

Sapele back plate

Side plate Sapele

Pole NATO

Fingerboard India Rose

Under bridge India Rose

Chord length 658mm

The price revision to 14,000 yen from December 1973

[swflnse]

I have a Yamaha no. 120 Nippon Gakki. This is on a gold label. The serial # is 9202 & written in gold on the bottom of headstock & Yamaha written in the center of it. I purchased it new for $100 in 1970-71. It is in good condition except for small dent on front of body. Can anybody give me any information or value of this guitar? Thanks!

[zenbu]

9202 is not the serial, it is the JIS number and there were two, I think the other was 9204 but I don`t have that info handy right now....the serial should be on the neck block seen through the sound hole, from what I have read, they reached 6 digits in 1960. JIS stands for Japan Industrial Standard, still used today for companies. I have a 120 made of mahogany but have seen them made from flamed maple too. Worth?...depends on the buyer and where you are, in Japan, they don`t sell for a lot of money in fact, riduculously little in many cases. Nice guitars but under appreicated in my opinion.

[ExPatBrit]

I realize these are rather old posts, but just thought I would chime in. I recently bought a G120 Nippon Gakki from a friend - it looks as if they have hardly ever touched it as it looks pretty well brand new. Serial number is 989076 - the label shows "NO G-120" with "NIPPON GAKKI" under that. Tan colored label. I am pretty impressed with it, but strangely the back and sides look rather "flamed" despite being a dark finish back and sides - almost looks like a "darkened" flame maple.
I am by no means a classical "expert" - my main acoustics are a steel string Lowden O32c and several Larrivees - but this G-120 plays very well - intonation is good up the neck, which has not always been true of other classical guitars I have tried - and I like the well-balanced sound. I do have one other Yamaha - a red label Nippon Gakki FG180 which my grandmother bought for me, new, in about 1970. (That FG180 is a surprisingly good guitar BTW, although now in need of a refret.) 
My question would be whether anyone knows when this might have been made, based on that serial number. I have checked Yamaha's serial number site, but it doesn't really seem to help.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!