ExPatBrit

I realize these are rather old posts, but just thought I would chime in. I recently bought a G120 Nippon Gakki from a friend - it looks as if they have hardly ever touched it as it looks pretty well brand new. Serial number is 989076 - the label shows "NO G-120" with "NIPPON GAKKI" under that. Tan colored label. I am pretty impressed with it, but strangely the back and sides look rather "flamed" despite being a dark finish back and sides - almost looks like a "darkened" flame maple. I am by no means a classical "expert" - my main acoustics are a steel string Lowden O32c and several Larrivees - but this G-120 plays very well - intonation is good up the neck, which has not always been true of other classical guitars I have tried - and I like the well-balanced sound. I do have one other Yamaha - a red label Nippon Gakki FG180 which my grandmother bought for me, new, in about 1970. (That FG180 is a surprisingly good guitar BTW, although now in need of a refret.) My question would be whether anyone knows when this might have been made, based on that serial number. I have checked Yamaha's serial number site, but it doesn't really seem to help. Thanks in advance for any feedback!