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Old 12-05-2011, 04:51 PM
theaxeman theaxeman is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Just West of St. Louis
Posts: 426
Default Bought A Pair of Vintage Yamahas, An FG-110, and An FG-75

After doing extensive reading here on the forum, I decided to look for some vintage Yamaha guitars to use for slide blues. I wanted one to tune in Open D, and another to tune in Open G.

If you have read any of my other threads, you may have noticed that I have a preference for smaller bodied guitars. I did not know that these older Yamaha guitars were smaller bodies. After doing some research, I discovered that the FG-75 was considered a "folk" guitar, so I started to look for one.

I found and FG-75, and an FG-110 that both are small enough for me to play.

I got the FG-110 first off of Craig's List. I called the seller and asked him to measure across the lower bout, and what he told me was close enough to go try it out.

Here are the specs on the FG-110:

Upper Bout - 10-7/8"
Waist - 9-18"
Lower Bout - 14-7/8"
Depth at tail - 4"
Depth at neck - 3-3/8"
Frets to the body - 14
Body Length - 19-1/2"
Total Length - 39-1/2"

From Yamahas database:
Year(s) Sold: 1967-1974
Original MSRP(US$):$99.50
Top: Spruce
Back / Sides: Agathis
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Bubinga
Bridge: Bubinga

EDIT: The FG-110 uses a form of X-bracing.

The serial number on this one wouldn't match the online wizard, so I contacted Yamaha. They said that it was unavailable to them as well, but was likely to have been made in 1970 - 72 range.

It is a Red Label, Nippon Gakki, "Made in Japan" model. I was blown away by it. Tons of volume, sustain, and good rich sound. I was very pleasantly surprised.

I'll post the pictures of the FG-110 here, and will follow with the FG-75 in the second post. The second picture of the label below is really of the mark over the label and off to the side. From my research, I believe that is a Japanese signature of the luthier. If anyone can read Japanese, they can verify that for me.











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Last edited by theaxeman; 12-05-2011 at 05:27 PM.
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