2014 Yamaha L Series
 

For you Yamaha fans

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music...cial/l-series/

Pretty obvious target audience.

From the website:

"A reevaluation of string spacing, string height, fingerboard binding, and neck taper led to a new neck shape that better fits today’s traditional players. The new design offers stable grip and smooth playability over the full length of the neck."

That is interesting to me. I'd still have my LS6 if the string spacing were a little wider. Hopefully that's what they did. If so there may be another in my future. :)

I noticed that they did reduce the profile of the neck.

A combination of reducing the profile and widening the string spacing would make them better guitars for me.

Regardless, I still like my LL16, just a little jealous that the new ones get a 5 ply neck, similar to the 26 and 36.

I did a little poking around the website and they listed the neck width as 44mm or 1 3/7" for the LS. That's about where it was before. Still though, maybe the new neck shape and whatnot may make for a wider string spacing. I'll have to find one and try it out.

If the neck volume has been reduced, I'm out. I'm over this whole fascination with paper thin necks. It's not always good to have big hands.

I think they had a typo and meant 1-3/4" nut.

Either way, that is identical to the previous generation, so I don't have my hopes up for a wider string spacing.

Which is good because I'm done GASing for now...

But there was that one Recording King I wanted...

I agree. I liked the L Series because it had a chunkier neck than the FGs.

I was stating that it was known that they reduced the profile. I would only like that if they also widened the spacing, which is most likely not the case.

UK L series range
 

Many thanks for this info, Azaro!

I only noticed today that the acoustic L Series range on the UK Yamaha website had disappeared, with just the 'X' models showing under the electro-acoustic heading...

All a bit concerning for us Brits, and I'll be keeping a close eye on the website for the new L series to be available over here. Particularly with the introduction of models with mahogany bodies.

The new neck profile may well suit me better if it's a little slimmer.

The new SRT zero impact pickup sounds great too, as this is pretty much the approach I've rigged up for myself with my LJ16 - I fitted a passive JJB 330 Prestige UST which sounds great, out through my K&K Pure pre-amp to my Fishman Loudbox.

You're very welcome. I, too, am excited about the mahogany b/s.

I wonder what the price range will be, as the L_X were priced quite a bit higher than the L. Now that the standard L's come with a pickup, the base price may be higher.

A couple of articles here on the new L Series:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/acous...odels-591901/3

http://www.acousticmagazine.com/news...tion-l-series/

I was very pleased to see the second article from UK Acoustic magazine saying the new models will launch in March 2014.

Better start saving up! (Though the LL56 may be out of reach...)

Some more info from NAMM 2014...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=oo_luppwNlo

Nice, well explained video. I wanna strangle the guy on the drums though.

Me too! lol

Great video from NAMM. The new neck profile (not tapering out so much up the neck) sounds great to me, as I find the current L series necks a little too wide going up beyond the 7th fret (doesn't stop them being my main guitars though).

Really seems like Yamaha are doing the right things to modernise the L series.

What they are doing with the 'zero impact' pickup is v interesting (pretty much like putting in a K & K or JBL but it's a UST) and it will be interesting to see if other companies follow suit.