1975 Takamine F400S 12-String Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Martin lawsuit copy, solid top 12-string, made in Japan

The quest for vintage solid tops may have ended, as this guitar is definitely an upgrade from the F-385 that I picked up a few months ago. This will require some TLC though. The body has warped and con-caved at the soundhole and one of the braces inside the body has also cracked. I wanted this guitar so bad, that I bought it knowing that I'd have to put some cash into it and I even took the train down to Oceanside to pick it up...

As soon as I got back home, I took the guitar to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar to assess the damages. I was relieved to hear that giving the wood some moisture would help the body go to back to something resembling its former shape over time. After only 4 days of this treatment, I can already see the difference and I plan on taking new measurements on Saturday. There is also a crack on the bottom edge of the body, but it looks like it may only be in the clear finish.

This is something that will definitely have before and after photos, like the Yamaha FG-200 that I found last year. That one didn't really have any structural damage, but it was still in bad shape and now it looks and plays great. Hopefully, this will have a similar outcome. Clay also noted that the action wasn't bad, even though the body had sunken in so deeply and the bridge and neck are both in good shape. Hopefully we'll have good news to report in a couple of months.

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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.

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1960s-70s Crown 639 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Japanese Gibson J-35 copycat, possible solid wood build

Despite the fact that I've been a guitar hawk for the better part of three years now, I hadn't come across many other Crown acoustic guitars since the classical featured a couple of years ago and this was the first one that I had seen locally since then. This one at least has a model number, but there is still zero information available about this guitar.

It seems to be a solid top and the guitar is about twice as heavy as any other that is currently mingling in the collection. There are no specs that can be found, so the "possible solid wood build" in the abstract is pure speculation. It is not labeled a Crown Professional, but the logo inside is very similar and the abalone inlays on the fretboard look to be of good quality.

There are some other features that stand out on the neck. For one, its a bit rounder than most and also thicker right where the headstock begins to arch back a little. It sounds super nice as well and I'm especially liking what is happening on the low end. The Carlos 240S and this now give me two really nice solid tops to record with and this one could be pushing 50 years old...

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1980s Carlos Model No. 240S Acoustic Guitar

Vintage solid-top dreadnought, date unknown, but sweeter than words can describe 

If you've been following this blog, by now you know that I'm a full-blown Carlos enthusiast. I had never even heard of them before I came across a Model No. 249 in August 2012, but the way that one played and sounded was enough to get me hooked. This is the 12th Carlos guitar that I've picked up since then and four of them are still in my possession.

This is the first Carlos solid-top model that I've had my hands on and it sounds absolutely incredible, with both the low end and brights ringing out loud and clear. Cosmetically, there are just a couple of small dings on the face of the guitar, but not really any other flaws. The wood on both the front and back of the guitar are very attractive and the cream binding also classes it up.

I'm having trouble dating this one, as there is no serial number listed anywhere, but my educated guess would be somewhere between 1981 and 1985. I did have a Model No. 240 at one point, but that one was an older one, based on the style of the tuning pegs and the adjustable saddle. The Carlos logo on the headstock of this guitar is also unlike any other that I've seen thus far. If you have any information on this model, please pass it along...

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1997 Hohner Model No. HW700S Acoustic Guitar

Sweet 15-year old solid spruce top dreadnought, gorgeous mahogany on the back, made in Korea

This is the 3rd Hohner guitar that I've picked up in the last couple of months and it's been a complete trifecta, as there has been a 1970s electric, a 1980s classical and now this 1990s acoustic. All 3 have been quality guitars and nice players, with both the classical and acoustic being made in Korea.

After I put a new set of Martin SP XLs on this guitar, my fears about the original nut and saddle were validated, as this guitar amazingly has both high action and a little bit of a buzz. The nut definitely needs to be bigger, I had filed down a new bone saddle for this one, but the buzzing was even worse. I'll probably have to take this one in, because fitting for a nut is a bit trickier than a saddle and I really just want it done, so I can hear what this beauty really sounds like.

As it stands, the current setup really kills all of the tone, the G and high E strings are both hitting frets when struck, creating the buzz and the indentations on the saddle make the two highest strings sound really tinny. You can see in the photos that I've stuck some masking tape in between the nut and the strings, that cuts out the buzz, but also robs just as much tone.

This is a nice guitar though, it has Schaller/Grover style tuners and the hold tight. Finding an entry-level guitar with a solid top is always nice, when it's 15 years old and not made in China, even better. The solid mahogany back is the nicest feature to me. This one still looks great, the original owner played the hell out of it, but took good care of it.

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2000s Fender GD-47S/12 Acoustic Guitar

Killer solid top 12-string acoustic, made in Korea and upgraded with Grover tuners

Today we showcase a beautiful 12-string that just come from the original owner and is still in like-new condition. This one was upgraded with gold Grover tuning keys when it was first purchased from Guitar Center and that just ups the quality.

The Fender logo on the headstock is inlaid with abalone, as are the fret markers and abalone also surrounds the soundhole.

A solid spruce top is the main feature of this beauty, giving it a full sound and a strange thing to note...there is no pickguard.

When I changed the strings, I noticed that the saddle was made of bone and not plastic, so when I put on that new set of D'Addario XLs, they really sang. These go for as much as $500 on eBay and despite Fender's so-so reputation in the acoustic market, this is a real nice one and will be taken in to the personal collection.

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1980s-90s Jasmine By Takamine Model No. S80S Acoustic Guitar

This beauty was among the first Jasmines ever made, with exotic Brazilian Rosewood on the back and sides 

 

Don't be fooled by the Jasmine name on this absolutely astounding guitar, this one plays and sounds as nice as guitars that retail for twice the price.

Not sure exactly when this one was made, but I've read the line began around 1995 and this was the only solid top acoustic listed in their discontinued models, so it's only logical that it's an early model.

The beautiful dyed Brazilian rosewood on the back really gives it a unique touch and the way it plays and sounds make it more than just a pretty box. Also has a set of gold Ping tuners, which were stock on this model.

Thank you for looking. More high-resolution pictures here.