Quote:
Originally posted by nhsmitty
Bumping.. Hoping Steve314 might be able to kick in some info since he is a Yairi man..
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Aw, you betcha'...
I've got an '86 Yairi DY-66. best guitar I've ever owned, bar none. Here ya' go; have a look:
I got this guitar in 1987, and it was in absolutely pristine condition. Well, I was having none of
that!
My point is that I have beaten this thing repeatedly over the last 17 years, and it's still my "go to" guitar. After 17 years, it still plays as well (if not better) than the day I got it.
I wouldn't be as put off by the cracks as I would the other things you've mentioned, specifically the issues in front of and behind the bridge. The important thing to remember is that the bridge likely has little to do with what you're seeing.
In all probability, the braces are shot. The bulge behind the bridge is a tell-tale warning sign of braces giving up the ghost. When the top starts to sink in
front of the bridge, the braces really are no longer doing what braces are supposed to do. Can it be fixed? Probably. Can it be fixed economically? Depends on the extent of the damage.
Bottom line, though, is that price. It's ridiculously high. When I got the DY-66, I was selling a Gibson Blue Ridge for $400.00. The guy who owned the Yairi wanted the Gibson, and I wanted the Yairi, so we simply traded. Ergo, I paid $400 for the Yairi
seventeen years ago. Current Orion Blue Book pricing has it, in good condition, at around $200.00 (of course, it's absolutely priceless to
me). Is mine in "good" condition? Ummm... anyway...
As good as Yairi's are, they rarely, if ever, appreciate in value. I can't think of a scenario which would put a reasonable value of $300.00 on that guitar,
especially since it's going to need more than just a little bit of work.
In all honesty, I would probably pass on such a guitar, even at a hundred bucks. Yairi's in this series pop up on eBay regularly.
Hope this helps...
Steve