Members allthumz Posted August 3, 2006 Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 I'm thinking of buying a FG-75 off E-Bay. So much for my advice of demo, demo, demo. There has been so much great stuff written here and in the HC Reviews about Yamahas that I am going to take a chance on one. There are two label types. Yellow label 75s are from Taiwan. Red labels are from Japan. Is one any better than the other? It seems that red label 75s are held in very high esteem. Is that true or am I imagining this? Yamaha experts (babablowfish et al;)) tell me what you know! Thanks! - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babablowfish Posted August 3, 2006 Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 First of all, I am no expert. Just needed to get that out of the way. Yes, the Red Labels have a certain collector's appeal. Just as everyone laughed at Yamaha when they first made guitars - "What?! Japanese making guitars? Get outta here.," so too did everyone scoff at the likelihood that the Taiwanese would ever produce anything worth playing. Recently we have seen the same prejudice regarding guitars coming out of China. Fact is, the Taiwanese produced some truly great guitars, my FG-340 among them. And the mainland Chinese are producing some real knockouts as well. So where a guitar was made is not as important as where that particular model was made. What I mean is, some Taiwanese made models were great, some not. Some Red Label Yamahas may have more collector's value but are not necessarily better than other models which were made in Taiwan. I have no first-hand experience with the FG-75. The reviews on HC are very favorable though My advice would be to read those reviews and see what those who have them say. See if the one made inTaiwan are as highly regarded. If so, then it is all a matter of collector's value, like the difference between a first edition and a second edition. Same book but different collector's value. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 3, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 Originally posted by babablowfish First of all, I am no expert. Just needed to get that out of the way.Yes, the Red Labels have a certain collector's appeal. Just as everyone laughed at Yamaha when they first made guitars - "What?! Japanese making guitars? Get outta here.," so too did everyone scoff at the likelihood that the Taiwanese would ever produce anything worth playing. Recently we have seen the same prejudice regarding guitars coming out of China. Fact is, the Taiwanese produced some truly great guitars, my FG-340 among them. And the mainland Chinese are producing some real knockouts as well.So where a guitar was made is not as important as where that particular model was made. What I mean is, some Taiwanese made models were great, some not. Some Red Label Yamahas may have more collector's value but are not necessarily better than other models which were made in Taiwan. I have no first-hand experience with the FG-75. The reviews on HC are very favorable thoughMy advice would be to read those reviews and see what those who have them say. See if the one made inTaiwan are as highly regarded. If so, then it is all a matter of collector's value, like the difference between a first edition and a second edition. Same book but different collector's value.Anyway, that's my 2 cents. I called on you because you stick in my mind because of your favorable experiences with your Yamaha. Both the red and yellow labeled FG-75s get good to great reviews on HC. As long as I get one in good condition, I read Freeman's thread, it shouldn't matter what label it has. Thanks baba! - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babablowfish Posted August 3, 2006 Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 Good luck with purchasing your Yamaha. My guitar went from good to amazing with the addition of a bone saddle and nut, brass bridge pins and a set-up by a Luthier who knows what he is doing. From what I've read, the FG-75 has good mojo, but if you aren't thrilled, you might want to consider similar modifications. Anyway, please let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted August 3, 2006 Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 I love my 35 year old red lable FG-150. As long as the FG-75 is structurally sound and the neck and action are good the color of the label and place of birth shouldn't matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 3, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 Thanks guys. Baba I will most likely do some modifications. As much to make it my own guitar as anything. A bone or tusq saddle is a certainty. Freeman, that is a great looking 150. I hope I am as lucky as you two. Here's a true and sad story. While in college in the 1970s, I lived with some bluegrass musicians. They taught me 4 chords so I could play with them. I was bitten by the bluegrass bug and I do mean HARD! So I went to the nearest guitar shop and asked them to set me up with a good, inexpensive guitar. The guy showed me a Yamaha. Yamaha (???) I'm thinking! Who the hell are they? The sales guy calmly told me it would be the best money I ever spent on a guitar. Well, I took the plunge. I believe I bought a FG150. I jammed with my room mates all summer long. It was a great summer! Well, in the course of starting a career and getting married for the first time, I sold that 150 to someone. At the time I had no regrets. I wasn't playing any more so i didn't need a guitar. Thirty years later, I'm bitten by the music-bug again. Oh to have that Yamaha back! Man do I wistfully regret my actions of thirty years ago! The wife I don't want back but that Yamaha? Oh yeah. If I had known then.... Oh well, I'm going to get a FG75. I want a smaler guitar. I just hope I haven't built myself up for a big disappointment. Only one way to find out! Babablowfish and Freeman, if you are still with me here, thanks for your input. Anybody else have any FG75 experiences? - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babablowfish Posted August 3, 2006 Members Share Posted August 3, 2006 If you put in a bone saddle, go with replacing the nut as well. Believe me it really makes a difference! If you need to understand the science behind it check out the thread "Bone nut bone bridge" Good luck and keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted August 4, 2006 Members Share Posted August 4, 2006 i've never played an Fg-75. but i've seen one in a pawn shop recently. It's very similar in size to my fg-110, but has more of a sloped shoulder design (here's a pic of the fg-110): while not a top end guitar by any stretch of the imagination, it's a perfectly adequate little "campfire" guitar, and is suprisingly loud for it's size. I replaced the old plastic saddle with a bone one & it made all the difference in the world. I've seen the fg-75's on ebay (& at that pawn shop) for around a bean, so how can you go wrong? if you wind up hating it, just sell it... there's a market for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 4, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 4, 2006 Originally posted by thatsbunk i've never played an Fg-75. but i've seen one in a pawn shop recently. It's very similar in size to my fg-110, but has more of a sloped shoulder design (here's a pic of the fg-110): while not a top end guitar by any stretch of the imagination, it's a perfectly adequate little "campfire" guitar, and is suprisingly loud for it's size. I replaced the old plastic saddle with a bone one & it made all the difference in the world. I've seen the fg-75's on ebay (& at that pawn shop) for around a bean, so how can you go wrong? if you wind up hating it, just sell it... there's a market for them! hmmm... Might get one of those instead. - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted August 4, 2006 Members Share Posted August 4, 2006 btw, mine's made in Taiwan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 4, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 4, 2006 Yellow label. It seems that the headstock on the Taiwan Yamahas is angled in instead of out at the top. Like a Washburn headstock. - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted August 4, 2006 Members Share Posted August 4, 2006 Robert, my only humble advice when you go shopping is to take a 24 inch straightedge along and read my "Sick Guitar" sticky. Like any other old gits, a Yamaha can have a bad neck angle and since they have a dovetail joint it would be expensive to fix. I briefly owned a Yamaha 12 string that was everything wrong about inexpensive used 12's - it was almost unplayable. If you are dealing on evil bay or something get the seller to take a picture of the straightedge on the neck pointing to the bridge (and how much saddle is sticking out) - it will tell you a lot about whether you want to bid on it. The other comment - the tuners on mine are real garbage, but they seem to be somewhat non-standard. I haven't made a big effort to replace them but I know that the Rotomatics off my Martin won't fit. Also the bridge pins are smaller that Martin. These are minor things and I'm sure that if you want to change saddles, pins, etc someone like Colosi can help. Last thing I will add is that this was my first guitar and I will never part with it. It has been a dear friend through a lot of my life and playing it makes me smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MyM.O. Posted August 4, 2006 Members Share Posted August 4, 2006 Originally posted by allthumz Well, in the course of starting a career and getting married for the first time, I sold that 150 to someone. At the time I had no regrets. I wasn't playing any more so i didn't need a guitar. Thirty years later, I'm bitten by the music-bug again. Oh to have that Yamaha back! Man do I wistfully regret my actions of thirty years ago! The wife I don't want back but that Yamaha? Oh yeah. If I had known then.... - Robert Talk about kicking yourself, my guitar from the late 60s was an Espana classical, all wood and made in Spain. I always kinda looked down on it because it wasn't a steel string. While my kids were growing up one of them stepped on it and cracked the top. I ended up throwing it out several years ago. Then I met a luthier who told me he could've repaired it easily. A "duh" moment for me . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 5, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 5, 2006 Originally posted by MyM.O. Talk about kicking yourself, my guitar from the late 60s was an Espana classical, all wood and made in Spain. I always kinda looked down on it because it wasn't a steel string. While my kids were growing up one of them stepped on it and cracked the top. I ended up throwing it out several years ago. Then I met a luthier who told me he could've repaired it easily. A "duh" moment for me . LOL My "duh" moment was more of a "dumbass" moment. Well, nobody's perfect. Espana classical. How nice was that? - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChainsawCharlie Posted August 8, 2006 Members Share Posted August 8, 2006 I got an FG 75 (yellow label) for my 20th birthday, 30 years ago. It is a nice little guitar. I think my folks paid $99 for it. The store we bought it at is gone, but I still have the guitar. It is a bit beat up, but still plays well and sounds good. I do keep extra light strings on it. that may explain why it has lasted so long. They are very nice small guitars, you should enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 10, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 10, 2006 Originally posted by ChainsawCharlie I got an FG 75 (yellow label) for my 20th birthday, 30 years ago. It is a nice little guitar. I think my folks paid $99 for it. The store we bought it at is gone, but I still have the guitar. It is a bit beat up, but still plays well and sounds good. I do keep extra light strings on it. that may explain why it has lasted so long. They are very nice small guitars, you should enjoy it. ChainsawCharlie - Sorry for taking so long to reply. I traveled to North Carolina with my ailing mom for a few days. Didn't have my laptop with me. That is a good story and wise advice about strings. But... In an impulse move, I decided to try an Art & Lutherie AMI instead of a FG 75. The reason is that I really like my A&L Cedar. The neck feels better to me than anything else I've tried. If the AMI feels as good I'll be set for at least a week! Maybe then I'll get a 75. Based on all the great experiences I've read in this thread, it seems that I should at least try a 75. It won't cost much to try one. I seem to have constant GAS! When I set my sites on expensive guitars I'll be in BIG trouble. - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babablowfish Posted August 10, 2006 Members Share Posted August 10, 2006 Art & Lutherie makes great guitars. No reason not to go with one if you like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allthumz Posted August 11, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 11, 2006 Originally posted by babablowfish Art & Lutherie makes great guitars. No reason not to go with one if you like it. Yep and a FG 75 is still whispering in my ear. - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members postalsock Posted August 11, 2006 Members Share Posted August 11, 2006 yamahas do make great guitars, ive been recomended by 2 people to get one so i finally did. Hopefully ill still have this guy in 30 years, but if i dont i dont. Im not holding onto it for dear life know what i mean. Really the Fg series are nice, but now that i bought my new yamaha i kinda want to try something else. Im a big fan of 300 dollar acoustics(mine was 200) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tlp Posted February 11, 2020 Members Share Posted February 11, 2020 On 8/3/2006 at 11:06 AM, allthumz said: I'm thinking of buying a FG-75 off E-Bay. So much for my advice of demo, demo, demo. There has been so much great stuff written here and in the HC Reviews about Yamahas that I am going to take a chance on one. There are two label types. Yellow label 75s are from Taiwan. Red labels are from Japan. Is one any better than the other? It seems that red label 75s are held in very high esteem. Is that true or am I imagining this? Yamaha experts (babablowfish et al;)) tell me what you know! Thanks! - Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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