Request For Vintage Yamaha FG Info

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by slowesthand

I have a fg140 red label, The only markings I can find in it are on the neck block.

1342594, no other markings anywhere I can find, of course there is almost 50 yrs of dust in there too!

It's in there. You'll need a mirror and a light, but it's hard to see and too far away. But the easiest way is to take the strings off and use a flashlight and zoom in with your cell phone camera.

That number should be right around September 1, 1970. Date code should be about 45.9.1.

[slowesthand]

Originally Posted by CTGull

It's in there. You'll need a mirror and a light, but it's hard to see and too far away. But the easiest way is to take the strings off and use a flashlight and zoom in with your cell phone camera.

That number should be right around September 1, 1970. Date code should be about 45.9.1.

I've looked several times with a mirror and lights, still don't see any other #, Next time I take the strings off I'll be able to take a better look all around.

Thanks

[Quake17]

Originally Posted by CTGull

The date markings are usually too far back to see without a light and mirror. Hopefully you can find it.

By what data I have so far, yours was probably made in very early 1970.

It's common for the pick guard to be falling off. They're made of celluloid, the same very flammable stuff movie film was made of. It also shrinks with age. I got my FG-300 with the pick guard barely hanging on, it shrunk 1/16" all around. I found they left most of the area of the top under the pick guard unfinished, except for a 3/8" strip on the perimeter. The glue they used didn't stick to the bare wood. As the pick guard shrinks it looses grip with the very small surface area. I removed all the old glue from both surfaces, filled the unfinished area with many layers of shellac, and used Stew Mac's pick guard adhesive sheets to re-attach it. It was nowhere as easy as it sounds!

The inside number appears to be 18 17. I don't see any smudged numbers before though. Thanks for the tip about the pick guard!

[srick]

Originally Posted by CTGull

I haven't done any refretting. Yet. I've measured the 15th frets that were taken out for the neck resets but I haven't taken the time to match it up with a modern fret. There has to be something. I'll get to that eventually. All the old Yamaha's I have have very low flat frets. I was able to crown most of them but someday I'll have to replace them. At least for my favorite guitars. All I need is time. This work and family stuff takes up WAY too much of my time!

I was in Rocky Hill and Newington over the weekend, not far from you!

Cool - I would love to get the CT AGF'ers together for a Toby Walker workshop/House Concert. We'll see ("Honey, there'll just be a few guitar guys and Toby - you'll see - you'll have fun too!")

best,

Rick

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by Quake17

The inside number appears to be 18 17. I don't see any smudged numbers before though. Thanks for the tip about the pick guard!

It should probably be 45.1.7. Take another look if you can.

Send me a PM for a link to a post I made in another forum for steps I took to put the pick guard back on. It's a bit more complex.

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by srick

Cool - I would love to get the CT AGF'ers together for a Toby Walker workshop/House Concert. We'll see ("Honey, there'll just be a few guitar guys and Toby - you'll see - you'll have fun too!")

best,

Rick

dkstott is in Middletown.

[slowesthand]

Ct Gull, found it..
FG140 red label, neck block #1342594, date code on the side looks like 45 8 4. has the truss cover that just says Yamaha with the tuning fork logo.

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by slowesthand

Ct Gull, found it..
FG140 red label, neck block #1342594, date code on the side looks like 45 8 4. has the truss cover that just says Yamaha with the tuning fork logo.

Great!! August 4, 1970. That falls into the range, although I would have expected the date to be a little bit later. The date code is probably when the sides of the guitar were made, not the actual built date of the guitar. So it's possible this set sat longer than others.

I know have 101 entries in the table but only 27 sets (s/n & date code) of numbers.

[srick]

So I'm looking, looking and looking for that stamped number. I have a neck block number and a heel block number. Can you be a little more specific as to where I might find the date number? Upper bout? Lower bout? op wood? bottom wood? Inconsistent?

Would love to find this!

Rick

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by srick

So I'm looking, looking and looking for that stamped number. I have a neck block number and a heel block number. Can you be a little more specific as to where I might find the date number? Upper bout? Lower bout? op wood? bottom wood? Inconsistent?

Would love to find this!

Rick

The lower side of the lower bout. It's just beyond the area under the pick guard, just far enough in that you can't see it by eye. You'll need a flashlight and the camera on your cell phone. Check both sides, just in case.

[srick]

Unfortunately - there is no date in my FG140. I used a great little Pentax camera and took several dozen shots, but SOL. The neck block is #1054031 and the heel block is #44017.

Rick

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by srick

Unfortunately - there is no date in my FG140. I used a great little Pentax camera and took several dozen shots, but SOL. The neck block is #1054031 and the heel block is #44017.

Rick

That serial number puts in 1969. The other number starting with 44 is also consistant with 1969. Could you post pictures of the 44017 number and it's location? It sounds like a date code. 44.10.17 would be about right.

[srick]

IMGP0156 (Medium).jpg

Here's a photo of the heel block. (Yamaha FG-140 #1054031)

[CTGull]

That looks like the end block, on the opposite end of the guitar from the neck block. I've never seen that before. The numbers make sense. September 17, 1969.

Can you post a pic of the neck block marking?

[srick]

IMGP0157 (Medium).jpg
Neck block from Yamaha FG-140

Glad to provide you with yet another piece of the puzzle!