Members dgreenb1 Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 Is there anybody familiar with this model guitar. I just purchased it used and in what appears to be excellent condition with hard shell case for a reasonable price (I think). The Yamaha archive has a listing with materials and years from 1985-1990. The previous owner says it is a 1986 and I have no reason not to believe him The serial number and model designation are in an unusual place inside the guitar where the neck meets the body and is 111003 with no other indicators. I called Yamaha in CA and they said it may have been sold originally in Japan. It is marked made in Taiwan. I can't find any other info or reviews. Anybody with some knowledge would be greatly appreciated.TIADGFort Myers, Florida Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 Not enough numbers. Yamaha should have eight digits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dgreenb1 Posted February 28, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 Does that mean it's a counterfeit? Who would bother. Is there such a thing as a gray market guitar?DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 The serial number should be on a small block of wood just under the sound board at the neck side of the sound hole and visible through the hole. Sometimes they're hard to read but normally not. unless the guitar is really old. Use a good light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 my oldest Yamaha has a 4 digit serial, most of my Dynamics have 6 older ones have 5. Doesn`t mean yours in not genuine...`course doesn`t mean it is either but I`ll see if any show up on line here and try to get a serial from them. I have an LL33j thats a great guitar, pretty sure you`re gonna like yourn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jake7 Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 All those handmade Yamaha's I've ever got to play have been excellent! Many happy miles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 my oldest Yamaha has a 4 digit serial, most of my Dynamics have 6 older ones have 5. Doesn`t mean yours in not genuine...`course doesn`t mean it is either but I`ll see if any show up on line here and try to get a serial from them. I have an LL33j thats a great guitar, pretty sure you`re gonna like yourn. That's probably true for their classical guitars but the all the steel strings I've seen or heard of have eight digits and on an earlier version of their serial number wizard there was a statement to that effect. I could be different with the LL series but the wizard says it's an invalid number.That said, none of the guitar manufacturers have really good records so anything found relating to years should really only be used as a guide and not gospel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Regardless of this serial number issue, Many Congrats on your newly purchased one. Yammie builds some fine gits. Enjoy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dgreenb1 Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Thanks for all your responses. I'm pretty happy with my purchase. I paid $250 and I'm pretty sure I would have to have paid two or three times as much to get a comparable new guitar. Three more quick questions: I just had it set up and the frets dressed this evening. He lowered the action quite a bit using the truss bar. Now the lower E and A strings are buzzing. Is it something I can remedy or do I need to bring it back to him? Second question is that it could use a good wipe down. Any suggestions for what to use, he said windex. Lastly, the hard shell case smells like mildew and/or cigarette smoke. Any ideas for cleaning it up?Thanks again,DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Regardless of this serial number issue, Many Congrats on your newly purchased one. Yammie builds some fine gits. Enjoy!! Oh Yeah! I second that. Those LL series Yamaha guitars are tremendous. I've played several and if I'd have had the money when I played one of them some years ago at a Mars Music store I'd be the proud owner of one.Enjoy that baby, it's a keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 OH OK, just sounded like all Yamahas had 8 digit serials in the first post. From what I gather from my books the first Yamaha classicals appeared early 60s, the Dynamics are not really considered classicals as many here string them with steels. Not sure who puts up the data at the wizard site but many Japanese makers from that time did not keep great production records so even the wizard may not have everything...shoot, the guys who write the books here don`t even have it all...they add mail addresses at the end of their books for people to help them with info they lack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Thanks for all your responses. I'm pretty happy with my purchase. I paid $250 and I'm pretty sure I would have to have paid two or three times as much to get a comparable new guitar. Three more quick questions: I just had it set up and the frets dressed this evening. He lowered the action quite a bit using the truss bar. Now the lower E and A strings are buzzing. Is it something I can remedy or do I need to bring it back to him? Second question is that it could use a good wipe down. Any suggestions for what to use, he said windex. Lastly, the hard shell case smells like mildew and/or cigarette smoke. Any ideas for cleaning it up?Thanks again,DG If it's buzzing now it's a bad set up. Take it back and have him do it over until he gets it right, or get your money back and have someone else do it.You don't set action height/clearance with the truss rod adjustment, you set the relief, if it's needed. You'd, basically, lower the action by dropping the saddle height if the action is too high or raising it if it's too low.The setup is a combination of several things including but not necessarily limited to the height of the saddle, the height of the nut and the relief.Go Here and follow the directions in "Is My Guitar Sick". I think you'll find it interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 OH OK, just sounded like all Yamahas had 8 digit serials in the first post. From what I gather from my books the first Yamaha classicals appeared early 60s, the Dynamics are not really considered classicals as many here string them with steels. Not sure who puts up the data at the wizard site but many Japanese makers from that time did not keep great production records so even the wizard may not have everything...shoot, the guys who write the books here don`t even have it all...they add mail addresses at the end of their books for people to help them with info they lack. All the major guitar builders have the same problems. You want a fiasco check Epiphone and Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Here is a link to a Yamaha page that you might be interested in - especially the chat at the bottom. http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/guitar/aguitar/history.html I have an L-5A and it is an incredible guitar. I will put it up against my Martin D28 and it will do very well. I put Silk and Steel strings on mine and love the tone. That guitar is a keeper and a helluva deal at$250... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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