Members Mike Fiasco Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I picked this up via Craigslist from a guy who had two Suzuki parlor guitars. I don't know much about it. As much as I can tell its from the 50's or 60's. It's a small guitar of course, and it looks like it was competing in the same market as Harmonys and Kays that were popular at that time. The materials and workmanship are a lot better in this Suzuki than from other parlors that were popular. The rosewood on the neck and fretboard, for instance, are great, and it had sthree ply binding. No, it's not a classical despite the slotted headstock and the looks of the bridge. This guitar has been holding its top with light gauge steel strings for decades. The action is a respectable 3/32. There is no way to adjust the truss rod, and maybe I'd like a little more relief in the neck, but I should be happy. The neck is narrow - much narrower than a classical and even narrower than my dreadnaught. It's still playable and I've got large hands. The sound is very bright, which I attribute to the maple back and sides. The top? I don't know what it is and I don't know if it's solid wood. It is pretty, though, and it has a really tight grain. The rosette and the fret markers are mother of pearl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Fiasco Posted February 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 For such as small guitar it sure is loud. Not exactly mellow either. I have to learn to play to this guitar's strengths, since it's weaknesses are obvious at first. It's harsh and it doesn't sound good on a hard strum. It can sound like a toy if I play it too hard. It sings with single note fingerpicking, though, and it can even pull of some acoustic punk brashness if I get a little agressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gitnoob Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 No, it's not a classical despite the slotted headstock and the looks of the bridge. This guitar has been holding its top with light gauge steel strings for decades. I think that just makes it a very robustly built classical. That bridge was not meant for steel strings. It might be interesting to poke around inside with an inspection mirror -- classical guitars are typically fan-braced rather than X-braced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Neal Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 Yes, in agreement with gitnoob, it is a classical guitar. 'Tis an inexpensive one though, so put light gauge steel on it to the heart's content! Sometimes that works out ok. You'll notice the bridge is a "tie bridge". Dead giveaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 22, 2012 Members Share Posted February 22, 2012 I have several Suzuki`s...older ones are dated on the labels...1948 and 1950, different labels too...this yellow one I see a lot on line in japan, sellers date it to the `70`s at the earliest, the truss rod cover is something from that time period too. My guess....all laminate....sound hole is covered with in black, that one piece back is also something seen on laminated models.I also own a lot of old Yamaha Dynamics going back to the early `50s...and like yours, they don`t have the conventional classical guitar type necks...flat and wide....mine are fatter and thicker which by your description sounds similar...and the Japanese guys wo collect the Yamahas name Suzuki as one of the possible builders because at that time, before the FG`s, Yamaha did not have an acoustic guitar factory so somebody else was building them for Yamaha, Tenryu is another factory that could have been involved....according to info I got on line and from books in Japan, so can`t say for sure. I do have what appears to be a higher end Suzuki that, from what my wife tells me, says special on the hand written washi label and it does look to be all solid wood, I know my `48 and `50 are solid wood so they did make em. Yamaha did have Dynamic string sets made specifically for that line of guitar and from the old packs I`ve seen on line they were steel strings but with a non compensated saddle, they don`t intonate well....I tried steels on one of my Dynamics but it sounded crap so I put nylons back on. The metal winding posts are another feature of the Dynamics and I see old Tokai nylon strings that look identical to the Dynamics along with other more obscure brand names so could be Suzuki was building guitars for lots of people. Personally I`d either get a compensated saddle or go to nylons for yours, that cylindrical shaped saddle is something that the Yamahas came with and there should be a MOP or plastic dot covering that screw in the bridge. They`re cool guitars but not at all rare, it`s the one you should let people play when they ask to play one of your guitars....easily replaceable and build like a tank. Hope you have fun playing it, I love my old MIJ nylon strings to bits, and so far many more people are fixated on the FG red labels which keeps prices ridiculously low of on many great old nylon strings that hardly get noticed...I`ve paid next to nothing for most of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 22, 2012 Members Share Posted February 22, 2012 heres a couple of old Yamahas...not Dynamics but built the same way...same fat, thick necks and all solid wood....one of my No. 45`s and a No. 85...with the wider grain...look familiar? No. 45 front view...with the original hard case that was hand delivered to me by the seller for $100.00.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 22, 2012 Members Share Posted February 22, 2012 Heres a couple of Yamaha Dynamics which went out of production when the FGs began in 1966.....same headstock as yours, same bridge and saddles, same shape, same tuners....many of the same features, not so far fetched that Japanese players think Suzuki was involved...but if you like yours, watch for a Dynamic....all solid wood and beautifully voiced, not bright at all to my ears, and still dirt cheap in Japan... back view of a Dynamic...beautifully figure maple and Ezo spruce tops and they came in several colors...but all were solid wood and many were not cheap in their days, some selling for 3 months wages at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Fiasco Posted February 22, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2012 Thanks for your detailed information Zenbu. I tried nylon strings on the Suzuki and it sounded unbelievably muffled. I think the bracing or the top is too heavy for nylon strings. Also, the neck is so thin that the nylon strings were hitting each other and the fretboard on vibration. (I'm a little heavyhanded I suppose). I put the steel strings back on and it started singing again. While the bridge isn't a pin bridge, it still works quite well for steel strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gitnoob Posted February 22, 2012 Members Share Posted February 22, 2012 There are steel-string pinless bridges that look somewhat like classical bridges. Harmony used them, for example. But yours has the straight saddle and tie-block typical of nylon-string bridges. Anyway, if you prefer steel on that guitar, and it holds up to the tension, then all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 23, 2012 Members Share Posted February 23, 2012 True enough...your guitar, your choices. Wonder of anybody makes a compensated saddle that would fit into that slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Fiasco Posted February 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 23, 2012 That would be tough to make a compensated saddle. The bridge is slotted for a dowel-shaped bridge. There isn't enought material to allow the few millimeters it takes for correct intonation. I'm not so bothered by the intonation on this guitar. I mostly play "cowboy chords" on this one anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 24, 2012 Members Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yeah, I have a lot of those Dynamics with the same saddles and bridge, a skilled tech with a router might be able to do something, don`t know never tried because I am not of of those and don`t have the tools to try. Like I said, you like...thats what counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Fiasco Posted February 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2012 I checked the intonation, and I'm surprised that it off but just a little (sharp) at the 12th fret. Nothing that absolutely stands out to my ear, but to my tuner. I almost misspelled tuner as tinear. What can I say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 24, 2012 Members Share Posted February 24, 2012 Say no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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