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#1
03-10-2010, 03:55 PM
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Yamaha LL11 - first acoustic!
Hi, I'm new here, and I've just bought my first acoustic. I've been playing tele for a while... anyway, I scored this really cheaply at a local Cash Converters (sort of general second hand store)...
 She needed a little TLC, but now she's fine! This is the label:  The letters would suggest October '86 or October '96, but the chap at Yamaha I spoke to in London, said the numbers for the LL guitars didn't work like other numbers. Does anyone here know when this guitar might have been made? It certainly looks 10-20 years old. Phil 
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#2
03-10-2010, 04:05 PM
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You scored a nice guitar!
Here is Yamaha's take; LL11 Year(s) Sold: 1995-99 Original MSRP(US$): $759.00 Top: Solid Spruce Back / Sides: Indian Rosewood Neck: Mahogany Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood Bridge: Indian Rosewood Body Depth: 100-125mm Color(s): Natural Finish: Urethane Tuners: Gold String Length: 650mm Nut Width: 43mm Notes: Hand Crafted You have a nice guitar that likely should be tuned/tweaked by a guitar tech. It should cost a nice dinner to get that guitar sounding and playing like a VERY expensive guitar. Welcome! Thanks for posting pix!
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#3
03-10-2010, 04:49 PM
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Welcome gumbooat. I'm a noob here but I can tell that that is a nice find.
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#6
03-10-2010, 08:50 PM
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Beautiful!!
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#7
03-14-2010, 01:16 PM
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Followup
Hi, as Yamahajunkie said above (thanks!) Yamaha only claim to have made this model between '95 and '99. Strangely, lots of people claim to have, or have seen, older ones. For instance, Wikip has, in their article on Bert Jansch, a line that claims he has "...Yamaha LL11 1970s jumbo guitar."
Also, they claim (this is from Yamaha Japan) that the numer on the label is not a serial number, though I can't find another number anywhere. They suggested the neck heel and the back of the headstock, but there is nothing there. I saw another LL-11 advertised that had a number very similar to mine, so it could be an early run (this idea from Yamaha UK). Here's the actual reply from Yamaha Japan: "Actually, I don't know what this serial number "NX-353" shows. The only thing I can answer is this guitar was made between 1995-99 and made in TAIWAN. Sorry, I can answer only this information." It doesn't say whether all LL-11s were made in Taiwan. Another topic that's been much exercised is whether the sides and backs on early models were made of solid rosewood, or laminate. I thought mine was solid at first, as the colour and grain are consistent inside and outside. But on closer inspection, I can't say for sure, and there's no official mention of the subject. What I can see is that Yamaha advertise the LL-16 as 'solid tonewood', but not the LL-11 or the LL-6. So I guess it's laminated rosewood. Anyway, I hope this is of some interest. I'm very happy with the guitar, she's a beaut!
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#9
03-14-2010, 01:55 PM
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Quote:
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#10
03-14-2010, 02:03 PM
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Very nice find Gumboot! If Yamaha Junkie is impressed, you have really scored!
Regards, Glenn
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#11
03-14-2010, 03:15 PM
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Quote:
 . That is the ultimate FG!
__________________
Yamaha - Custom - Ukulele Last edited by Dek431; 03-14-2010 at 06:13 PM.
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#12
10-31-2010, 09:12 AM
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Hi phil, I wouldn't say I'm a Yamaha buff but I have played Yamahas for 40 years, FG150/180/461s/LA8/LL11E. I recently bought a Taylor DN8 and it cost more than twice the LL11E, but after a while, the only difference I could hear between the Taylor & my 2 Yams (LA8 & LL11E) was that the Taylor is louder and has a more even tonal range, the Yams tend to be a little bassier. So as far as I'm concerned, these £500 Yamahas are just as good as a £2k Taylor, if not as loud/highly finished. I wouldn't worry if the back/sides are laminate if you like playing it.. I would just say that the LL11Es stereo pickups and preamp are a bit fussy, if you ever want to amp your LL11, just get a nice clip-on drum microphone, clip it onto the soundhole and bend the arm so it doesn't foul your strings, then you can be amped without any work being done on your guitar - my LA8 sounds gr8 with an old ramsa drum mic..
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#14
10-31-2010, 12:13 PM
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[QUOTE=
The letters would suggest October '86 or October '96, but the chap at Yamaha I spoke to in London, said the numbers for the LL guitars didn't work like other numbers. Does anyone here know when this guitar might have been made? It certainly looks 10-20 years old. Phil[/QUOTE] Your LL11e was made in October 1997 (According to my copy of "A history of Yamaha guitars" book). Bert Jansch swears by them, and has done for years, and Ralph McTell has one or two as well, so what`s not to like! They are fabulous well balanced guitars, laminated back & sides, although rumour, and I stress rumour says that some of the very early ones had solid back & sides. Bert Jansch started using Yamaha acoustics in the early 70`s, with his first being an FG-1500 (Which he still has, and brought out of retirement for the recent Pentangle tour). He then moved onto the LL-11e model, which he has used ever since (Even though it is no longer in production). For his 60th birthday Yamaha gave him an LL-86 custom shop model, which he says is too good for performing with. Yamaha L series guitars are great period. Great score by the way, enjoy. Steve.
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Guitars. 1980 Daion Heritage 78. 1982 Aria Pro II TA-60 Matsumoku. 1982 Fender Stratocaster Dan Smith with custom Mahogany Hardtail body. 1984 Ibanez JA500 Jumbo acoustic. 1994 Gibson J100 Xtra. 2008 Stanford Performer PSOM-10CEQ. 2017 Fender Telecaster 1961 replica in LPB. 2017 Faith Blood Moon Neptune. 2021 Martin OOO-15M. Last edited by frenchie; 10-31-2010 at 12:36 PM.
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