Members stp fan Posted May 15, 2004 Members Posted May 15, 2004 has anyone tried this it looks nice and it doesnt hurt the wallet either http://www.music123.com/Yamaha-FX310CS-i128775.music
Members PapaTom Posted May 15, 2004 Members Posted May 15, 2004 My ex-wife has a F310 that she got in the 1980's. On the plus side, they are extremely durable (like all Yamahas) and the tone isn't bad for a plywood top guitar. They are also small enough to play comfortably. On the minus side, there is no way that they sound as good as a guitar with a solid top. Good beginner or campfire guitar, though.
Members madog99 Posted May 15, 2004 Members Posted May 15, 2004 I would have to say that the yamaha's are very durable but the tone isn't much good. For the same price as a 310 there are much nicer sounding guitars out there . The A&L wild cherry, for one, sounds a lot nicer to my ears and was selling for $20 more than the 310 last time I checked. But my 19 year old yamaha FG450 had stood up to a lot of abuse without any issues , just doesn't sound that great.
Members zenbu Posted May 16, 2004 Members Posted May 16, 2004 disagree... my LL33J is all solid and is amazing... different price range though. If you do a search you should find threads with a lot of folks who love their yamahas.
Members madog99 Posted May 16, 2004 Members Posted May 16, 2004 Originally posted by zenbu disagree... my LL33J is all solid and is amazing... different price range though. If you do a search you should find threads with a lot of folks who love their yamahas. Yes , the L series are a different animal though , my FG doesn't sound anything like an L5 that a friend had years back. But having gone the shopping route for a buddy in the sub $200 range a few months ago to my ears the 310 doesn't have the sound of some of the other budget makes. Well made and looks nice but sound wise ... ? I haven't tried any of the more upscale Yamaha's as the mission was for cheap starter.
Members 59refin Posted May 16, 2004 Members Posted May 16, 2004 I have an L-11 I like a lot but lo, after only 5 years, the top is cracking.
Members Essex Posted May 16, 2004 Members Posted May 16, 2004 Every Yamaha I have ever played has been great for the price...i own an F-310 and take it everywhere with me besides shows....thats what i have a martin for... Cheers Essex
Members guitarcapo Posted May 19, 2004 Members Posted May 19, 2004 I'm always amazed at all the guitars out there with plywood tops. Is spruce THAT expensive? I'd think the cost difference between plywood and solid wood when dealing with a wood like spruce wouldn't be worth it in terms of all you lose in tone and value. I can understand the hardwood back and sides...
Members geek_usa Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 looks nice, but probably wouldn't sound as good without a solid spruce top.
Members wpod Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Not so fast there, sparky... You can get a Yamaha FG series guitar these days with a solid Englemann spruce soundboard for $300. Check this out: http://www.music123.com/Yamaha-FG04LTD-i117765.music In my opinion, you have to move up to a $500 Tacoma DM9 to get a better sounding new acoustic. Plus, the Tacoma is made in America (which is the other reason I traded in my FG04LTD for my DM9).
Members FingerBone Bill Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Originally posted by guitarcapo I'm always amazed at all the guitars out there with plywood tops. Is spruce THAT expensive? I'd think the cost difference between plywood and solid wood when dealing with a wood like spruce wouldn't be worth it in terms of all you lose in tone and value. I can understand the hardwood back and sides... I paid $110 (australian) for the bare timber I used on my guitar (sitka spruce). You'd pay a lot less for ply. Now I don't know how much a ply top would cost but lets guess and say 50%? Now take a big US manufacturer, lets say you are pumping out 20,000 units a year. If you could use ply thats over a million dollars per annum - big bickies! Now US manufacturers tend to use solid wood, the labour costs tend to push them into the higher price bracket, so they have to create a better product. Asian manufacturers don't have the high labour costs so they can concentrate on the volume market. How many acoustic guitars do Samick push out a year? I don't know but a LOT! (Multiply THEIR production number of ply guitars by $50 and you get a BIG NUMBER! Next point - ply is a much more stable and stronger product than solid wood, therefore less warranty problems and a longer lasting more stable instrument. If ply didn't sound crap we'd all want it!
Members zenbu Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 well... Japan does have high manufacturing costs which is why some companies have shifted production elsewhere in the region. High end models are made here though, and there are plenty of makers producing excellent guitars in Japan.
Members Bajazz Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Originally posted by FingerBone Bill If ply didn't sound crap we'd all want it! My experience is, it doesn't! I have and have had several guitars with solid and ply tops. I think there are many more important things that makes a guitar sound good. Right now, my wifes Fender DG5 ply is the bassies, volumest and mellowest guitar at home. My sold-top Washburn costing 5-6 as much doesn't come close.... But don't tell my wife!
Members proax Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Don't know about the laminated tops but I have a couple of Yamaha solid tops and they are excellent. Yamaha makes consistently good products across the board. I've also owned their keyboards and they are great too!
Members FingerBone Bill Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Originally posted by zenbu well... Japan does have high manufacturing costs which is why some companies have shifted production elsewhere in the region. High end models are made here though, and there are plenty of makers producing excellent guitars in Japan. Sorry zenbu, "Asian" was an over-generalisation. Yes Japan is now having to deal with higher manufacturing costs (and the Japanese economy is suffering due to this like most western countries). I'm certainly not saying that asian manufacturers cannot/do not make high end instruments - just that low manufacturing costs lend themselves to lower priced mass-production.
Members FingerBone Bill Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Originally posted by Bajazz My experience is, it doesn't! I have and have had several guitars with solid and ply tops. I think there are many more important things that makes a guitar sound good. Right now, my wifes Fender DG5 ply is the bassies, volumest and mellowest guitar at home. My sold-top Washburn costing 5-6 as much doesn't come close.... But don't tell my wife! Which shows that "crap" is a subjective term.
Members madog99 Posted May 20, 2004 Members Posted May 20, 2004 Originally posted by Bajazz My experience is, it doesn't! I have and have had several guitars with solid and ply tops. I think there are many more important things that makes a guitar sound good. Right now, my wifes Fender DG5 ply is the bassies, volumest and mellowest guitar at home. My sold-top Washburn costing 5-6 as much doesn't come close.... But don't tell my wife! yep my solid top Yamaha from mid 80's(FG-450) doesn't sound as good as my pawn shop Ibanez PF-10 (must be ply , it's the cheapest one I think) and have played some really nice cheap guitars lately , laminated as they say. guitars are better now IMHO
Members proax Posted May 21, 2004 Members Posted May 21, 2004 Originally posted by madog99 yep my solid top Yamaha from mid 80's(FG-450) doesn't sound as good as my pawn shop Ibanez PF-10 (must be ply , it's the cheapest one I think) and have played some really nice cheap guitars lately , laminated as they say. guitars are better now IMHO While I agree guitars are better made today, I've never heard a laminate that was as good as a solid top.
Members obiwan Posted July 2, 2004 Members Posted July 2, 2004 I have had my Yamaha FG-411 Black for years, and I absolutely love it! It plays so easily, and the sound is great...not to mention the sentimental value of it (I write all of my songs on it). It's also been autographed by a few members of Dream Theater. This guitar has quite a number of miles on it!
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