1980s Fender F 220 SB Acoustic Guitar

Vintage mid-level dreadnought with sweet sunburst finish, made in Korea or Japan

When I found this guitar, I initially thought it was much older than it really is. Partly because of the label and headstock designs, but mostly because the back of the neck looks like it had been played virtually nonstop for about as long as I've been alive. It turns out that these were produced between 1982-88, but I haven't been able to confirm exactly when or where it was made.

I've featured a few different Fender acoustic and classical guitars over the years and while all of them played surprisingly well (Fender acoustics do not have a great reputation), this one is easily the best of the bunch. It already played great before I took it to Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar and after he was finished with it, it just about plays itself.

The action is nice and low and the sound it produces is better than expected. The sunburst finish and snowflake fret markers definitely make this guitar stand out from the bargain bin jobs and the natural relic look of the neck gives it tons of mojo. I'm definitely happy that I made the move to pick this one up, as it is in really good shape and is a solid guitar.

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. 

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1970s Hohner Telecaster Electric Guitar

Vintage Japanese import, real nice short scale copycat model

One of the few electric guitars to have made it's way into the showcase, this little Tele copy looks and plays great and sounds even better. I'm not sure exactly when it was made, but the gentleman that I acquired it from said it was 1978.

The body is real small and slim, loaded with a single P-90 style pickup. Whatever that pickup is, it gets the job done, especially on the clean channel. The sunburst finish still looks great, although there are a few nicks here on there, mostly around the edges.

Aside from the performance on the clean channel, the other that really stands out about this guitar is the neck. It feels great abd looks real nice with binding down the sides and what looks like a regular-size 22-fret neck (didn't measured it).

I had never played a Hohner electric before, so when I had the chance at this deal, I took it. It's a nice little guitar that could easily be used for recording and gigging, but the small size makes it a great beginner too.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution pictures here.

2000s Johnson Model No. JG-620-SC Acoustic Guitar

Another Chinese cutaway, this one living up to the reputation of a low-quality cookie-cutter guitar

This is one of those cases where I just picked something up because it was available real cheap and I was curious to know how this particular brand played, being that I'd seen a ton of them for sale over the last 8 months or so.

Everything that I'd read about these cheap Chinese acoustic guitars being virtually unplayable was true about this box. Even with a new set of strings and a proper setup, there was hardly any projection at all and even a few dead notes along the 2nd and 3rd frets.

The body was also warped, raising up along the soundhole, even though the bridge was completely flat against the body. Avoid at all costs, in the same league as Harmonia and Ariana. If the difference between this and say an entry-level Yamaha is even $60, spend the extra cash. The only way you want to come across one of these is if someone gives it to you for free. I guess it looks pretty, at least...

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1960s-70s Trillo Model No. 108 Acoustic Guitar

Beautiful classic sunburst finish, distributed right here in SoCal back in the day!

Not much is known about these guitars, from what I've been able to find out, they were made overseas in the 60s and 70s and with this one being made in Korea, the 70s are a better bet.

The sunburst finish has a couple of little nicks on the front side, but it still looks great after all of this time. The bridge definitely needs to be replaced, as it's coming up at the sides. The tuning keys on the right side were replaced at some point as well.

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

1960s-70s Checkmate Model G235 Acoustic Guitar

Sweet-looking vintage guitar, gorgeous cherry sunburst finish and double-pickguards

 

Like the Carlos brand, Checkmate is another vintage guitar brand that I've recently become familiar with and this is the 3rd that I've had in the last month or so.

These are not great quality guitars to begin with and this one needed some work somewhere (maybe a new saddle?), as notes are lost between the 7th and 14th frets.

But collectors seem to love these things, mainly because they usually look great and this one most certainly does. It shows signs of mild wear, considering it's probably over 40 years old and the pickguards are still in great shape too.  Some players like to use these as slide guitars, because they do sound OK for the price. You can find them from anywhere between $80-$150.

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