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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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.

1976 Yamaha FG-160-1 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage folk guitar, Black Label era, made in Taiwan 

Looks like I've settled on a few brands on my quest for affordable vintage acoustic tone: Carlos, Takamine and Yamaha. This is the 2nd FG-160 that I've had in the last year and this one is a better player by a mile.

Like that other 160, this one is not in museum-quality condition, with a fair amount of nicks scattered along the face, back and sides of the body. But, all of the flaws are cosmetic, the guitar is still rock-solid, no breaks or cracks and all of the tuners are in good working order.

Whoever had this before set the action pretty low, but that suits me just fine. I set it up with Martin SP Custom Light strings last night and cleaned it up a little bit. Even with the smaller gauge strings, the low-end is still nice and warm. All of these FGs have been players, the next Japanese model that comes my way will be staying...

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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.

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.

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1970s Yamaha F-160-1 Acoustic Guitar

Beautiful vintage instrument has aged very well, just needs a little love

Mid-70's Yamaha acoustic guitar in great playing shape and still rock solid. The first number in the S/N is tough to read, but these black label Yamahas were only made from 1974-1976 and the only thing missing is one of the original covers for the tuning gears.

A new nut would be advised, as the B string sits down too low in the slot and buzzes out hard. I stuck a piece of masking tape in there as a temporary fix and it works just fine.

It still sounds great though, especially the low end. If you can find one of these in playing shape, I highly recommend it. I've seen them pop up every now and again from $100-$300.

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

2004 Yamaha F-335 Acoustic Guitar

Great all-around guitar: look, sound and feel, gorgeous tobacco sunburst finish

Mid-2000's Yamaha acoustic guitar, this one is the next class up from the F-310 that we featured a few days ago. Like that F-310, this one is a terrific player and a fantastic option for a first guitar.

Longtime players can also use this as a backup to carry around with them and hold their heads high, as Yamaha has been a well-respected maker of acoustic guitars for over 40 years now.

Top: Laminated spruce
Back/Sides: Meranti
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Bridge: Rosewood
Pickguard: Tortoise shell
Finish: Tobacco sunburst gloss
Tuners: Gold die-cast

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

1997 Yamaha F-310 Acoustic Guitar

Great all-around guitar: look, sound and feel, in excellent condition

Late-90's Yamaha acoustic guitar in great cosmetic and playing shape. Nice, deep tone from this 15-year old mid-level dreadnought, with just the slightest signs of wear from regular playing.

Top: Spruce
Back / Sides: Meranti
Neck: Nato
Fretboard: Rosewood
Bridge: Rosewood
Hardware: Open Chrome Tuners
Finish: Natural Gloss

Much like the Ibanez PF5NT, this guitar is a great player from a trusted company in Yamaha. The mid-level model is a terrific first guitar or a backup for the seasoned veteran.

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