Yamaha Nippon Gakki Dynamic No.20

[Wilmer]

Hi all,

New to this form and a beginner guitarist.

I've recently acquired a yamaha Nippon Gakki Dynamic No.20, I'm wanting some advice on what strings I can use to restring. I've seen pics with ball end nylon sting on the no.20, am I able to use standard nylon strings and string it normally like a classical guitar? Also I've read some where, the no.20 was designed for steel strings? If so what steel sting would you recommend?

thank you in advance.

Wil

[sneaky]

I`ve never read anything anywhere that the 20`s were built any differently than any of the other models in the Dynamic series, and there were quite a few models some of which came in several colors, like the 10`s. The 20 was a sister model to the model #2. I own around 30 of the Dynamics and all are solid wood, my oldest I`ve been told because of the serial number dates to the early `50`s and my understanding is the Dynamics went out of production mid `60s when the FGs came is, could have been some overlap but thats the same time the first GC`s came in so maybe Yamaha figured there was no need to have the Dynamics anymore but to me, I prefer the Dynamic necks, fatter thicker compared to classical guitar necks which are wider, flatter. I have seen pics of the Dynamic string packages though I have not seen the strings themselves, I know Yamaha listed nylon strings along side the Dynamic strings in catalogs but just how different they were, I don`t know. I have tried steel strings on one Dynamic but didn`t like the sound of them and without a compensated saddle to fit the narrow slot of the Dynamic bridges, steel strings just don`t intonate. With technology today I`m sure it is possible to make a compensated saddle for the slot, I`ve hed Dynamics come with thicker or thinner cylinder saddles, even right across so I use regular nylon strings on mine.

[Wilmer]

Thanks Sneaky, sounds like you have a very impressive guitar collection and knowledge of the Dynamics series!! I'm loving the fatter neck of the 20 and it just ooze vintage

Thanks again for your advice, I'll restring her tonight with the nylon string set

[toomanyknots]

Cool, congrats on the new guitar! I've been wanting to get my hands on one of these for a while. I saw a no. 150 on ebay a week ago or so. There is also a yamaha gc on there from the 70's or so I think with Brazilian b/s for about a 1000 right now. Guitarchive says it has "jacaranda", which I believe is the same thing, right?

[sneaky]

Got a couple of those No. 150`s, listed as Palisander...really nice guitars, and that series started with the No. 25 then, the 60, 80, 100, 120 and 150. I own some 100s that are maple, pretty much like the Dynamics...my 120 is mahogany and 150s rosewood. According to books I have, the 100s and up are solid wood. Been a while since I played em...actually some time since I played anything really...but if I remember correctly that series has necks that are more like current classical guitar types...flatter and wider than the Dynamic necks I mentioned above. Personal preference I know, but I like the Dynamics more...better suited to my hands.
Do you recall how much the 150 went for?

[toomanyknots]

Originally Posted by sneaky

Got a couple of those No. 150`s, listed as Palisander...really nice guitars, and that series started with the No. 25 then, the 60, 80, 100, 120 and 150. I own some 100s that are maple, pretty much like the Dynamics...my 120 is mahogany and 150s rosewood. According to books I have, the 100s and up are solid wood. Been a while since I played em...actually some time since I played anything really...but if I remember correctly that series has necks that are more like current classical guitar types...flatter and wider than the Dynamic necks I mentioned above. Personal preference I know, but I like the Dynamics more...better suited to my hands.
Do you recall how much the 150 went for?

I don't know how much it sold for, but it got up over 1000 real quick. I was thinking about buying it maybe (not really, more like "fantasizing", ) before the price took off.

[sneaky]

US dollars?

[toomanyknots]

Originally Posted by sneaky

US dollars?

Yes, us dollars

[Wilmer]

thanks toomanyknots and thanks again sneaky. I'm love the sounds coming out of the 20, I just can't put it down just makes learning even better.

[sneaky]

No problem, lots of folks tend to think maple lacks bottom end from what I read but the Dynamics I own sound really deep to me....could be the bracing, might be the old wood...not sure, but I love em and like the necks on em, just fit me right. My favs are the #40`s I think, look great and are heavier than other models I have from the series for some reason. There are also the No. 45 and 85 models...came out early `60s according to what I read and have the fat necks too...both models came in natural only with the higher end model featuring ivory saddle, tuner buttons and nut.

[kazzelectro]

Originally Posted by sneaky

I`ve never read anything anywhere that the 20`s were built any differently than any of the other models in the Dynamic series, and there were quite a few models some of which came in several colors, like the 10`s. The 20 was a sister model to the model #2. I own around 30 of the Dynamics and all are solid wood, my oldest I`ve been told because of the serial number dates to the early `50`s and my understanding is the Dynamics went out of production mid `60s when the FGs came is, could have been some overlap but thats the same time the first GC`s came in so maybe Yamaha figured there was no need to have the Dynamics anymore but to me, I prefer the Dynamic necks, fatter thicker compared to classical guitar necks which are wider, flatter. I have seen pics of the Dynamic string packages though I have not seen the strings themselves, I know Yamaha listed nylon strings along side the Dynamic strings in catalogs but just how different they were, I don`t know. I have tried steel strings on one Dynamic but didn`t like the sound of them and without a compensated saddle to fit the narrow slot of the Dynamic bridges, steel strings just don`t intonate. With technology today I`m sure it is possible to make a compensated saddle for the slot, I`ve hed Dynamics come with thicker or thinner cylinder saddles, even right across so I use regular nylon strings on mine.

Hello. I've read several of your posts and it has made me try to seek out a Dynamic model. You mentioned that the ones you've owned are all solid wood. I had the opportunity to play a no. 10 model and it had laminated back and sides, and right now there is a no.45 on ebay and it has laminated back and sides. I wonder at what number do they become all solid wood?

[sneaky]

According to the books I have and the guitars I own, they are all solid wood...I took one apart and saw the solid wood. The Japan Vintage series of books, on acoustics, have extensive articles on the Dynamics as well as an interview with Me. Ueda, who says he was transferred from the motor division to get Yamahas first guitar factory up and running in the mid `60s I figure, if anybody knows, it would be the authors, who have access to people and information folks thousands of miles away who don`t speak the language, probably don`t have and Mr. Ueda. I have a couple of No. 45s as well as some 85s. they are solid wood. I also have some #10s in most if not all the colors they came in, solid wood.
Curious where you got your info from.

[sneaky]

For the Dynamics, the higher the number does not mean the better the quality...I mean, the #2 and the #20 were sister models....like the 4/40...and the only difference was the rosette, they were all made of solid maple with Ezo pine tops. I have bought donor Dynamics because it`s not easy finding parts for them, and some had cracks, easy to see they were solid wood...but hey, I am not trying to convince anyone of anything...in fact it`s better if people want to believe these are cheap laminated guitars, that will certainly help in keeping the prices down. My oldest is a #30 from the early `50s and according to what I have read, one reason Yamaha experimented with laminates for the FGs was because of the complaints of cracked guitars they were shipping over seas.


Heres a Japanese site dedicated to Dynamics, they have them listed from earliest to latest top to bottom. You can always ask these guys about Dynamics, if you have Japanese font on your PC and know someone who speaks the language. I used to go here a lot for info on models I was buying, they proved invaluable to me. You can see the changes the labels went through which is the best way, so far, to get a ballpark time frame for when a guitar was made...that and serials...my oldest has a 3 digit serial and the guys here told me it was from the early `50s, which was the oldest known at the time...been a while since I been to the site though.

http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/catalog.html

[sneaky]

Heres a list of members Dynamics with serials...looks like mine is still the oldest known so far.

http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/dg.html

[sneaky]

This is the part of the site where members post pics and data on their models.


http://rara.jp/mmasm/