1985(?) Carlos Model No. 238 Acoustic Guitar

Another vintage high-end dreadnought from the Korean makers, this one might be the best yet

This is the 8th or 9th Carlos acoustic guitar that I've found since the end of summer and it's another really nice copy of a Martin or Guild, like the 249 that was featured yesterday, but this one has a natural finish. The serial number on the support beam reads either 1983 or 1985, it's a little smudged and hard to decipher.

The bridge has started to come up from the body, so I'll have to repair it before it can really be used for anything serious. There is hardly any wear on this guitar though, a couple of scuff marks on the edges, but the frets are still in great shape and the finish on the neck/headstock area are as nice as ever.

It sounds nice as is and as soon as I can remove the bridge and reattach it, this will probably end up being my #1 acoustic. I may end up sounding like a broken record, but don't pass up a Carlos guitar from Korea if you come across one at a good price.

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1970s Taka Model TA500 Acoustic Guitar

Rare vintage dreadnought, sounds and plays beautifully, made in Japan

Here is another great little guitar that is at least 40 years old, still in great condition and sounds absolutely beautiful. There isn't much information at all available on this brand that I've been able to find online, but I have seen them selling at some auctions for as much as $700.

This particular model sounds great, I installed a new bone saddle on it and it projects really well. Both the high and low ends are very clear. That new saddle did raise the action a little and once this set of strings is worn out a little, I'll make some adjustments to bring it back down.

This is something that if you stumble upon it and the price isn't outrageous, you should pick it up. Not sure if it's an early version of a Takamine or maybe a knock-off, but it's certainly a quality guitar. Most of these no-name vintage Japanese and Korean imports generally go for around $100-$200.

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1995 Ibanez RX 170 Electric Guitar

Vintage Ibanez budget-line guitar, worlds better than what is out there today in this price range, made in Korea 

Here is an interesting guitar, a low-end model, but one that is worthy of investing some money into for hot rodding. The body is made of plywood and the hardware isn't anything to write home about... 

But, the neck is one-piece maple and the HSH pickup configuration means that the sky is the limit in terms of the number of sounds that this guitar is capable of putting out. Throw in some high-end pickups and tuning machines and this guitar suddenly becomes a monster shredder.

Haven't seen too many of these floating around, most cheap Ibanez's available secondhand are the next generation Gios. $250 is a fair deal for a stock version like this one, but finding one in decent shape for about half that number is possible too.

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1970s Taka Model No. TATG-300 Classical Guitar

Vintage Japanese classical guitar, shows some wear and tear, but rock solid and well-aged

Now that I've been on the lookout for Taka guitars, they've been popping up all over the radar. This is the 2nd that I've gotten my hands on in the last couple of months and the first classical. This one has a TG distinction in the model number, but I'm not sure what it means yet.

There is a small crack on the bottom-right side of the body and a little chip in the binding along the fretboard. The crack doesn't go all the way through though, so there are no holes in the guitar and the sound is not effected at all. There is also a bit of discoloration along the tuning pegs, but these flaws are purely cosmetic and also don't really jump out at you.

I set it up with a set of LaBella Folk Singer strings as soon as I got it and it plays and sounds really nice. Once again, these can sometimes be found for as little as $50-60, but they play at the level of at least a $200 guitar.

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1960s Conqueror Short Scale Bass Guitar

Killer vintage 4-stringer, complete with all-original hardware, in great playing and cosmetic condition 

Another quality Japanese import, this one is likely closer to mid-60s than 1970s, but it's in great shape and even with a set of strings that probably at least 10 years old, it still plays and sounds good too. These were distributed through the C. Bruno and Son company out of Atlanta back in those days and the Bruno makes have developed a following in the collector's market.

There are a couple of minor cosmetic flaws on this one, but when you consider that it could be approaching 50 years old, it's about as good as you're going to find. It looks like all of the original hardware is intact, even though the chrome definitely shows some wear, but the original sunburst finish is absolutely gorgeous.

This bass sounds and plays great, the electronics are still nice and smooth and the short scale makes it easier to play than a normal bass. I'm glad I found this one and will be keeping my eye out for anything else from the Bruno line that gets put out there.

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1972 Yamaha FG-200 Acoustic Guitar

Beautiful Japanese dreadnought, over 40 years old and still in tip-top condition

Yamaha has been one of the top names in acoustic guitars for about 45 years now, with the late-60s Red Label guitars being a top choice of collectors in the vintage market. This model was the next generation in the early-70s, still made in Japan and still a beauty over 40 years later.

The FG series was a budget-line for Yamaha back in those days, with these models retailing for around $150-200. You'll be lucky to find one in good condition for that price today, as the vintage market is booming and tone junkies are always scouring the internet for good buys.

This one is definitely one of those. There is barely any wear on this guitar, a few scratch marks on the back are the biggest flaws. It plays real easy and there isn't much fret wear for a guitar of it's age. The tone on the low-end is similar to the FG-160-1 that was featured a few months back, but this is a superior guitar.

I have a feeling this will end up being my new #1 acoustic guitar for recording. Trying out some D'Addario Custom Light strings for the first time. If you're looking for a nice acoustic guitar and want to spend about $200, check craigslist or eBay for a nice Japanese-built model.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution pictures here.

2000s Takamine G-230 Acoustic Guitar

Indonesian budget-line guitar, this one is in critical condition

The first G-Series guitar that I've ever played is a nice one, but when it arrived in the mail, the back of the neck had a crack that went nearly all the way across. That's unfortunate, but that happens sometimes when you buy guitars sight unseen.

Luckily though, it's still fully functional. I set it up with a fresh pack of D'Addario Acoustic Light strings and it sounds pretty nice. There is some buzzing, so a new nut and or/saddle would probably fix those issues. This guitar does play super easy, with nice low action and a thin neck.

I've used a higher-end Takamine G334 as my main guitar for almost 20 years now and this is basically a poor man's version of that. I think these retailed for about $200-$250 and that's about right for what you're getting. This one was obviously well-made, as it survived a major fall at some point and still has some life left.

The Takamine name, without Jasmine anywhere to be found always attracts guitar players, this model shouldn't go for any more than $150 today. Since this one is already beat up, it's perfect to have around to play at parties or the beach or something...

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.