Members sinker Posted January 10, 2004 Members Share Posted January 10, 2004 It's a Yamahs FG335E acoustic/electric, and I bought it new, I think in '81 or '82 for right around $200. I played it in an acoustic rock band for about three years, then just off and on till about a year ago when I hooked up with a band at church. You know what? It still sounds good. I mean, it just 'rings.' And even with the 20-yr-old technology (it's even got the battery inside the body against the neck joint) it sounds pretty good plugged in, too. I've been thinking about replacing it, but it seems (my opinion only) that I have to look at guitars over $1000 before I find something that plays and sounds as nice as my old Yamaha. The neck is straight, it stays in tune and sounds great. Would I trade it for a Taylor 814ce? Well, yeah. Would I sell it for $500? No way. Of course, maybe it's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cortfan Posted January 10, 2004 Members Share Posted January 10, 2004 If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. Just play it, and enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SurrealMcCoy Posted January 10, 2004 Members Share Posted January 10, 2004 My older (96) Taylor 410 (with old strings) sounds better than any dred I've ever played. She doesn't sound like any other Taylor either...... This isn't just my opinion either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted January 10, 2004 Members Share Posted January 10, 2004 You'd be surprised what a good setup will do for an old guitar. I would recommend checking it out it your Yamaha could use any professional care. I was pleasantly surprised in my case. I have a 30 year old Takamine F360 "Martin lawsuit" (full laminate, made in Japan). I've had it since 1991 and I took it in because it was starting to warp and crack and the strings were so high up that my left hand would cramp up after 10-20 minutes of play time. The repairman I took it to did a pretty decent job of gluing everything back together. He also went several steps further and gave it a good setup: lowered the strings, gave her a good polishing, got the old skin gunk off and oiled the fretboard too! When I picked my little geisha up a week later it was like she had had a makeover! The old girl was glowing and she's been singing praises ever since. With everything back in place, she plays better, sounds better and I swear even smells better! It kept the GAS gods happy for about six months and now I won't even look at another dreadnaught! And the cost as quoted was less than $100 because she didn't even need a neck reset! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seven7 Posted January 10, 2004 Members Share Posted January 10, 2004 Originally posted by Cortfan If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. Just play it, and enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chiisu Posted January 10, 2004 Members Share Posted January 10, 2004 i bought a used Yamaha for around $100, my first guitar. i swear no acoustic has sounded so good. only thing it needs is some new frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarplayer Posted January 11, 2004 Members Share Posted January 11, 2004 Bought my neice a Yamaha starter pack acoustic for Christmas. $200.00 I can not believe how good it sounds! How do they do it???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cortfan Posted January 11, 2004 Members Share Posted January 11, 2004 Yamaha is very under rated. They make excellent gear in all price ranges. Their acoustics are excellent, their sound systems are as good as any brand. Electric guitars and basses are excellent. They just don't have a super wide range of guitar and bass amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members likkafella Posted January 11, 2004 Members Share Posted January 11, 2004 Yamaha just builds quality stuff at affordable prices. I have a fg 432 solid top and will have it in 20 years time. Don't see why I should ever upgrade to a more expensive dreadnought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members illuminatus99 Posted January 12, 2004 Members Share Posted January 12, 2004 Originally posted by Cortfan Yamaha is very under rated. They make excellent gear in all price ranges. Their acoustics are excellent, their sound systems are as good as any brand. Electric guitars and basses are excellent. They just don't have a super wide range of guitar and bass amps. even their other instruments are great, my first flute was a yamaha that I paid $200 for, when I finally upgraded I had to look at pro model flutes to find one that sounded better, ended up spanding $2000 on the new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted January 12, 2004 Members Share Posted January 12, 2004 Great posts and topic. I own an off brand guitar from 1973 made by Yamaha. It sounds great. The tuners and the overall intonation are not perfect but it is a very solid guitar. I bought it new. I plan on getting the neck reset and having it all 100% playable again. This might cost me hundreds of dollars but it's worth it because I like the guitar. You are a smart person for seeing the good in that guitar. Enjoy your guitar because you sound like a person with a good head on their shoulders. Yamaha is one crazy company with guitars ranging from 100 dollars to 10,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SurrealMcCoy Posted January 12, 2004 Members Share Posted January 12, 2004 I recently acquired a Yamaha CPX15EA mini jumbo. I wasn't too sure at first about this instrument as while it is an acoutic/electric........it's forte is to be plugged in for performance situations. It's very well constucted and nicely balanced with a crisp midrange and high end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted January 13, 2004 Members Share Posted January 13, 2004 Originally posted by kwakatak You'd be surprised what a good setup will do for an old guitar. Yup. I posted a topic like this a few months ago. I always loved my Seagull S6+Folk. It was cheap and looked like hell at the time. I was considering looking for something else, but I couldn't find anything that I was really willing to drop cash on. The 'ol 'Gull just sounded so darn good, and played like an old friend. A little bit of work later -- just the usual stuff, cleaning the fretboard, polishing the frets, slight truss rod adjustment, little sanding on the saddle -- and I was in no hurry to buy anything. I'm sure for some people that only a $5,000 guitar will do. But there's more to a guitar than its price and what appointments it had. Eric Clapton sold his guitar collection, but the one he regretted the MOST was a cheaper Martin with a bumpersticker on the side of it. He said he took it with him everywhere. That's the type of intangible you can get with any guitar, regardless of price. Pedigrees are wonderful, but I still like having a mutt around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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