Members kwakatak Posted December 30, 2008 Author Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 Click on the image below. That's pretty minimal, but yeah that's what I'm seeing. I noticed it on a FG720S last nightObviously you're not gonna see it on a Taylor but I haven't seen it on comparably-priced Alvarez or Takamine. I have a friend who collects Yammies and he claims that it's the way they do the finish. Like I said, with my Tak it was glue that was applied outside the joint. I tend to believe that it maybe indeed be the finish, though. My Tak is beat. Again, I'm not bashing Yammies but maybe this is why the FG's are so inexpensive? Just trying to keep an open debate here. BTW - also take a look inside the soundhole. They wrap the braces with some sort of porous fabric too. I find it interesting. I wonder what the rationale is there? To be honest, I'd put the FG700 series against any Tak G series or even the Natural/Supernaturals with regards to tone and playability, and certainly above the Alvarez Regent & Artist series. My friend has a couple of older (FG300?) that I'd put against a much more-expensive Martin's tone any day and a sweet little all-koa parlor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 That's pretty minimal, but yeah that's what I'm seeing. I noticed it on a FG720S last night. Obviously you're not gonna see it on a Taylor but I haven't seen it on comparably-priced Alvarez or Takamine. I have a friend who collects Yammies and he claims that it's the way they do the finish. Like I said, with my Tak it was glue that was applied outside the joint. I tend to believe that it maybe indeed be the finish, though. My Tak is beat. So which do you think it is? Glue or finish? And if it's finish, what's your take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 That's pretty minimal, but yeah that's what I'm seeing. I noticed it on a FG720S last nightObviously you're not gonna see it on a Taylor but I haven't seen it on comparably-priced Alvarez or Takamine. I have a friend who collects Yammies and he claims that it's the way they do the finish. Like I said, with my Tak it was glue that was applied outside the joint. I tend to believe that it maybe indeed be the finish, though. My Tak is beat. Again, I'm not bashing Yammies but maybe this is why the FG's are so inexpensive? Just trying to keep an open debate here. BTW - also take a look inside the soundhole. They wrap the braces with some sort of porous fabric too. I find it interesting. I wonder what the rationale is there? To be honest, I'd put the FG700 series against any Tak G series or even the Natural/Supernaturals with regards to tone and playability, and certainly above the Alvarez Regent & Artist series. My friend has a couple of older (FG300?) that I'd put against a much more-expensive Martin's tone any day and a sweet little all-koa parlor. The use of glue impregnated gauze is simply reinforcement of the x-brace joint. Another option is to use a wooden splint/splints across the joint. Overlapping the finish at the neck:body transition simply ensures a water tight joint and reduces the likelihood of potential cold weather finish checking problems I've seen on instruments by various other makers (Takamine, Alvarez, Martin, Gibson, etc.). It basically prevents/reduces expansion and contraction of the neck:body joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knockwood Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 Just a wild guess, but I'm wondering if for some reason some of their gits may have the necks joined prior to application of lacquer. Chiyo's sequence makes perfect sense to me, but I have seen shop photos (not Yamaha) wherein necks/bodies are joined pre-lacuer. This would make it very difficult to buff in that tight corner along the neck/body seam, which might account for the comparatively milky appearance there. Even in ChiyoDad's sequence with the neck/body joined post-lacquer, if there's a final buffing step at the seam, it's easy to imagine an imperfect buffing job now and then in a mass-production setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiyoDad Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 BTW - also take a look inside the soundhole. They wrap the braces with some sort of porous fabric too. I find it interesting. I wonder what the rationale is there? The cheesecloth patch at the intersection of the X-bracing has been a construction tradition for all high-end X-braced guitars for ... hmm ... decades (I believe). You'll find them on Martins as well. I've seen them inside vintage and current Martins. If I recall correctly, it's there to reinforce the joint. Gary would probably know best. EDIT: Gary responded. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiyoDad Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 Kwak, I'm guessing that you're comparing the Yammies' seam to a seam like this one on a Godin guitar? Both the neck and the body have the same semi-gloss finish and there's no "join" finish in the seam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiyoDad Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 Here's another seam. Both neck and body are high-gloss. This is a Pac-Rim Martin copy. Presumably, the finish was applied to both the neck and the body after the neck was attached. The seam is somewhat clean. BTW, the milkiness that you see on the body is the effect of the flash's reflection on the glossy finish of the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JRUBICON Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 My F335 has sloppy finishes around the neck joint. When I get home I'll snap a pic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greenbean Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 My FG700S has what Kwak describes. I have always thought that it is glue. It doesn't bother me, though - the guitar was only $200 so I'm not picky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hudman Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 My FG-735S has a really clean finish. I always assumed the guitars were sprayed after they were assembled (not prior to attaching the neck). Same finish with different finishing methods on the gloss body and the neck. I assumed they taped off the neck prior to polishing the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Melodeous Posted December 30, 2008 Members Share Posted December 30, 2008 I have seen what Neil is mentioning on a lot of guitars and it just appears to be some pooling of the finish after application. If that finish was the lusterless or semi-gloss it will appear milky when dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted December 31, 2008 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2008 Yeah, I think it is the finish and not glue. I suppose that yes, they do apply the finish after the guitar is fully-assembled instead of doing the neck and body separately. Gary brings up a good point: it seals the joint. Not a bad thing I suppose. I wonder how many Yammies need neck resets after 30 years? I'll have to ask Yamaha Junkie. He's had a couple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guildfire Posted December 31, 2008 Members Share Posted December 31, 2008 Have 30 year old FG 340. No neck reset, no sloppiness around the neck joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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