1978 Yamaha FG375S Acoustic Guitar

Vintage solid top, made in Taiwan, in top playing condition with slight surface wear

Most of the guitars that I buy are purchased out of sheer curiosity. Sometimes I've never heard of the brand or its something that I've seen or heard about and never actually played, so I'll at least check it out to see if its playable and then make my decision. This is a rare case where I saw something that I had to have and it will be tough for me to let go.

Along this now 3-year long journey of testing out vintage gear, Yamaha is one of the names in acoustic guitars that has made a good impression on me. I've been able to find many FG models from the early-to-mid 1970s and even more contemporary models. I even picked up a FG400A from the early-90s during a trip home to Philadelphia a couple of years ago. All of these guitars have been very good players, especially for the price and a some of them have been absolutely beautiful.

This one falls into that category. It doesn't possess the booming low-end tone of the FG-160s and 200s, but it plays like a much more expensive guitar. The diamond inlays and thick binding give that impression and other than a few nicks on the face and headstock, she's still in very good cosmetic condition as well. Someone slapped a set of Grovers on there and probably a long time ago, as they read "patent pending" on the bottom. I'm absolutely ecstatic with this guitar. I paid a little more than I normally do for what is featured here, but it was well worth it and my arsenal of acoustic guitars just got a really big gun.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1974 Yamaha FG-200 Acoustic Guitar

An update on this 40-year old gem from the FG series, made in Taiwan

About a year and a half ago, this beauty was found about 20 miles away from me and the private owner that was selling it said that it had been sitting around for years. It had been through alot, with all sorts of dings, chips and scratches along the sides, back and face of the guitar. The original tuning keys had also had some casualties.

The first time new strings went on this guitar, the end of another tuning key snapped off, so it was time for replacements. The solution was a chrome set of Grover tuners. The screw holes matched the original set, so it was an obvious choice. The slots didn't really line up though, so new holes were made slightly to the side. The headstock does look a bit off, but its not an eyesore.

This guitar also brings about another cool story. All of these guitars have photos that are posted on Facebook and people from all over the world stop in to either talk about these guitars or ask questions that they may have. One fellow in Pennsylvania saw the photos and commented that he had broken one of his tuning machines years ago and could never find another one. Since the originals had been replaced on this one, he sent in his address and we were able to make his guitar complete again.

Thanks for looking, more (updated) high-resolution photos here.

1974 Yamaha FG-200 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage dreadnought, made in Taiwan, a little beat up, but still a great player 

Though not as nice as the first FG-200 that I picked up last year, this one sounds and plays beautifully, even if it has more than a couple of cosmetic flaws. One tuning key is a little off-center and another has been replaced completely, but at least a Grover was used as the replacement.

There are too many dings and scratches to count along the body and face, but nothing too deep and none of them effect the structure at all. Someone also installed a strap holder at some point, but they did a fairly good job of it.

One thing that caught my eye was that the tuners say "Made in Japan", but the guitar was clearly built in Taiwan, as stated on the label. This must have been one of the first batches made over there, with some of the parts being imported from Nippon Gakki. It has a sweet low-end tone, like the other four vintage FG series guitars that I've been lucky enough to find. I installed a set of Martin SP Light strings and will definitely show this one some love in the coming weeks.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1975 Yamaha FG-165S-1 Acoustic Guitar

Awesome Black Label dreadnought, sweet sunburst finish and dovetail pickguard, made in Taiwan

This is the 2nd Black Label Yamaha that I've been able to get my hands on within the last year and this one is a rare sunburst model in real good shape nearly 40 years later. As with the other two 70s FG Yamahas that we've featured, this one plays easy and has a nice low-end tone.

The sunburst finish and pickguard only add to the vintage vibe. There is some heavy wear on the face from hard playing and the finish is worn off a bit around the soundhole, but that's really it. Signs of heavy use, but no abuse. 

This one isn't as nice as the FG-200 that was featured a couple of months back or an FG-160-1 that we just picked up yesterday and will be featuring soon, but it was still a great find. Can't get enough of these old Yamaha, Takamine and Carlos acoustics. 

Thanks for looking, more high-resolutions photos here.