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  #1  
Old 11-21-2014, 12:11 PM
VanMorrissey VanMorrissey is offline
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Default Yamaha FG300 Price Question

I recently found a good condition Red Label FG300 at a shop near me going for $699... It says it's been set-up professionally. Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the price... I've heard great things about it and i'm sure you guys have some opinions either way. it seems a little steep to me but the guitar has been speaking to me in a certain way...

Thoughts?








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  #2  
Old 11-21-2014, 12:16 PM
Pheof Pheof is offline
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I dunno. My opinion is that would be the limit for that model in absolute, drop-dead mint condition WITH the OHSC. Check the nut, tuners, neck, frets, neck joint, TRUSS ROD FUNCTIONALITY, bridge, saddle height, maybe even take it to another pro for a second opinion. Look for cracks or repairs, replaced parts, filled drill holes, make sure that saddle contraption is original and works properly.

Then, if you drop-dead love how it sounds and plays, offer $450. If you can't work out a deal for under $600, I'd walk. You can get a heck of a nice new Yamaha for less than that.
And by the way - that's not a vintage guitar by any stretch, so value cannot be based upon that.
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  #3  
Old 11-21-2014, 12:20 PM
kaos kaos is offline
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Did you play it? I think the 300 was a top of the line model back in the late 60s / early 70s. I think it has a solid top. Looks like it has an adjustable saddle. I would be interested in the sound and how far away it is from a neck reset. And if I did decide I wanted it I would ask for less than 699.
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  #4  
Old 11-21-2014, 12:55 PM
leatherguy leatherguy is offline
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I've researched these and my opinion is that if it plays as good as it looks, it's worth about $500 tops...but of course if you really have to have it, what's a few bux more? Make sure the neck is straight.
And I believe anything as old as 40 years or so is considered vintage in the guitar world.
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Old 11-21-2014, 01:24 PM
Pheof Pheof is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leatherguy View Post
I've researched these and my opinion is that if it plays as good as it looks, it's worth about $500 tops...but of course if you really have to have it, what's a few bux more? Make sure the neck is straight.
And I believe anything as old as 40 years or so is considered vintage in the guitar world.
Not directed at you leatherguy, you just reminded me of a topic I felt is worth mentioning, a gospel I preach all the time:

"Vintage", where guitars are concerned, generally applies to quality and age rather than just age alone. Mostly American guitars are "allowed" to be in the vintage category, to the exclusion of foreign "piggy backers". A 40 year old Yamaha is a 40 year old Yamaha, but not something to be entered into any true vintage market. Aside from Stradivarius violins (the real impetus behind vintage guitar collecting), it is the high quality American names that are truely of vintage class today. Brands like Martin, Gibson, Fender, D'Angelico and a handful of others are obvious includes, but only up to about 1964/65. "Vintage", in the guitar marketing sense, in no way applies to an instrument that's merely old or one that's not made in the USA.

There's an awful lot of mysticism and mythology placed on anything that's simply "old" these days. But when people speak about old instruments, more accurate labels would be "classic" or "antique". Most true vintage guitars have all been accounted for today.

That said, would I personally favor a 40 Yr. old Yamaha at twice the price of a new one today? Well, that antique guitar would need to be a much better guitar than what I can buy new. Old guitars can be worth more because lets' face it - older instruments in excellent condition should be loved and played, and they do retain value. But this business of labeling everything that's over 30 as "vintage" is merely a matter of false perception. Why? Because everyone thinks they're sitting on a gold mine. Even when they aren't. And most never will.

Buy what you love. Enjoy it. Cherish it. But be soberly honest about what you have and what you're really buying.
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  #6  
Old 11-21-2014, 01:59 PM
stardot stardot is offline
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Default Fg300

Well, it's always good to find a good one of these. Good news bad news. It doesn't have the original pick guard, but many don't. As far as the setup, it couldn't be easier, since the bridge is adjustable. Once the truss rod is set, a screwdriver can set the bridge height in seconds.

Now, I have 3 of these, and would never part with any of them. For the record, they are all laminate, BUT constructed of amazing laminate materials and with superior workmanship. The sound and playability is outstanding, far beyond any reasonable expectation.

The price of a decent one will seldom drop below $500 and I would think the asking price on this one is not crazy, but I would certainly think $600 is about what I'd expect to pay. Double the price of a new FG730? Yeah, I'd pay that without hesitation.

I have owned 100 or more yamahas and have 40 or more at present.

The FG300 stands alone as a top quality laminate.
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Last edited by stardot; 11-21-2014 at 04:20 PM.
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  #7  
Old 11-21-2014, 02:10 PM
Buck62 Buck62 is offline
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The term "vintage" is a matter of opinion and certainly arguable. Also, just because an old guitar has a highly regarded American name, that doesn't automatically make it good or collectable. For instance, it's widely known that Nolin era Gibson guitars of the late 70's were junk. The Japanese were making better copies of Gibson guitars than Gibson itself. But that's just one example.
Anyway, I was a hard core Yamaha acoustic guy for the first 30 years of my 40 years of playing. So, I know the old Yammies pretty well. That being said, I wouldn't pay more than $550 (max) for that FG-300... and ONLY if it was far removed from needing a re-fret or neck reset.

.
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Old 11-21-2014, 04:27 PM
Pheof Pheof is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buck62 View Post
The term "vintage" is a matter of opinion and certainly arguable. Also, just because an old guitar has a highly regarded American name, that doesn't automatically make it good or collectable. For instance, it's widely known that Nolin era Gibson guitars of the late 70's were junk. The Japanese were making better copies of Gibson guitars than Gibson itself. But that's just one example.
Anyway, I was a hard core Yamaha acoustic guy for the first 30 years of my 40 years of playing. So, I know the old Yammies pretty well. That being said, I wouldn't pay more than $550 (max) for that FG-300... and ONLY if it was far removed from needing a re-fret or neck reset.

.
The vintage guitar market is a well-documented and enormous area of research and study.
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  #9  
Old 11-21-2014, 07:01 PM
Buck62 Buck62 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pheof View Post
The vintage guitar market is a well-documented and enormous area of research and study.
I was talking about the word "vintage" itself, as it applies to guitars, cars, wines, etc.

Either way, the word gets tossed around quite often and there's still grey areas and varying opinions of "vintage" anything.


.
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Last edited by Buck62; 11-21-2014 at 07:07 PM.
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  #10  
Old 11-21-2014, 07:24 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buck62 View Post
I was talking about the word "vintage" itself, as it applies to guitars, cars, wines, etc.

Either way, the word gets tossed around quite often and there's still grey areas and varying opinions of "vintage" anything.


.
Once again, the word vintage means nothing unless it is linked with a date, year or era.
It doesn't mean old, good or valuable - it just means "of that ...... time."
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  #11  
Old 03-02-2020, 05:14 PM
guitarguy92 guitarguy92 is offline
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Smile That's my guitar! I bought it.

I was not the one who posted the original thread, but I was the one who ended up buying it! Not for that price, but no regrets in buying it....this dealer sets their instruments up right.
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