FG 180 advice on repairs, mods, concerns...

[JLS]

Originally Posted by snow creek

"Original Yamaha plastic saddles were loose. Not good."

Yup- you nailed it. The saddle is most certainly loose then. Would the tight fit apply to the ends of the saddle as well? Mine can wiggle left to right just barely....Thanks for the tip- I had never given any thought to the saddle being loose

Yes, ends as well. This obviously takes longer to fit, but is well worth it.

[CTGull]

Did you get this guitar on ShopGoodwill.com last November?? I examined a 1967 FG-180 at the regional Goodwill warehouse that had the problems you described. Because the auction ended at midnight I was unable to bid high enough to get it. I was looking forward to bringing it back from the dead.

[snow creek]

I got it in 2013 from a used furniture/home goods store in Redding Ca that I decided to check out one day. I think I paid $67 for it. It was so dirty I thought it had no finish left on it. I have seen many fg 180's with cracked bridges just like mine had. I have a theory that they did not drill the holes properly so when they punched through they chipped out wood on the underside. Mine had a lot of wood chipped out like that- which is why the bridge kept having micro cracks after I removed, re glued, and put the bridge back on. Once I smeared Epoxy on the underside of the bridge- those cracks have pretty much stopped. Though in hindsight it was a bonehead move as I glued in the two small bolts I installed on the back of the bridge- permanently affixing the compramised bridge. I should have bought a new bridge but at the time I did not understand scale length and the guy on Ebay who had a good fg 180 bridge refused to sell it to me at a decent price... So I glued the old one back on exactly in the same place as I took it off. So yeah the guitar has issues...

[CTGull]

COOL!!! I love finding bargains like that!! I paid $20 for my FG-180 and $40 for my favorite FG-110.

How did you determine it was made in 1967?? The 6 & 7 digit serial numbers are sequential with no relation to the date they were made. I have a large list of serial numbers and internal date codes. I could tell you when it was made, to the nearest month. If you were to find the internal date code, that would tell you when the sides were made. Typically the guitars were finished 3 to 6 weeks later. Could you share the serial number and date code for my list?

[Imbler]

Originally Posted by snow creek

I got it in 2013 from a used furniture/home goods store in Redding Ca that I decided to check out one day. I think I paid $67 for it. It was so dirty I thought it had no finish left on it. I have seen many fg 180's with cracked bridges just like mine had. I have a theory that they did not drill the holes properly so when they punched through they chipped out wood on the underside. Mine had a lot of wood chipped out like that- which is why the bridge kept having micro cracks after I removed, re glued, and put the bridge back on. Once I smeared Epoxy on the underside of the bridge- those cracks have pretty much stopped. Though in hindsight it was a bonehead move as I glued in the two small bolts I installed on the back of the bridge- permanently affixing the compramised bridge. I should have bought a new bridge but at the time I did not understand scale length and the guy on Ebay who had a good fg 180 bridge refused to sell it to me at a decent price... So I glued the old one back on exactly in the same place as I took it off. So yeah the guitar has issues...

Should you ever need to remove the bridge, applying heat from a heavy duty soldering gun tip to the bolt will release the epoxy,
Mike

[snow creek]

The guitar has no serial code. It does however have the japanese date it was manufactured inside the body on the side of the guitar. Mine is hard to read- but I make it out to be a 67. The shape of the label also puts the guitar in that period. I only found out about that date inside the guitar this year- its virtually impossible to see without some kind of dentist mirror. But its there if you look
edit: Got a better look with a friends I phone. its marked 47-2-25 with a big 8 in a circle next to it. I thought that date meant febuary 25 1967. But a website says a 1966 from the same month/day would be marked 41-2-25. But if thats the case then wouldnt it mean my guitar is from 1972?
I am confused... Anyone got the goods on what year this thing really is?

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by snow creek

The guitar has no serial code. It does however have the japanese date it was manufactured inside the body on the side of the guitar. Mine is hard to read- but I make it out to be a 67. The shape of the label also puts the guitar in that period. I only found out about that date inside the guitar this year- its virtually impossible to see without some kind of dentist mirror. But its there if you look
edit: Got a better look with a friends I phone. its marked 47-2-25 with a big 8 in a circle next to it. I thought that date meant febuary 25 1967. But a website says a 1966 from the same month/day would be marked 41-2-25. But if thats the case then wouldnt it mean my guitar is from 1972?
I am confused... Anyone got the goods on what year this thing really is?

You are correct. The first 2 digits of the date code are the year of the current Emperor's reign. 47.2.25 is 2/25/1972. Yours probably had the triangular truss rod cover. The earliest ones had a bell shaped truss rod cover, changing to the familiar triangular cover in August 1968.

[CTGull]

Originally Posted by Imbler

Should you ever need to remove the bridge, applying heat from a heavy duty soldering gun tip to the bolt will release the epoxy,
Mike

Yamaha didn't bolt the bridges on AND they didn't use epoxy. They used hide glue that's been there for 40-50 years. Hide glue releases with moisture, not heat, although heat will soften it slightly. I've removed the bridge from 3 or 4 vintage FG's and done 10 neck resets. All used hide glue. The smell and consistency are completely different from epoxy. I guess it's easier to keep spreading the rumors and assumptions than accept my experience.

[Imbler]

Originally Posted by CTGull

Yamaha didn't bolt the bridges on AND they didn't use epoxy. They used hide glue that's been there for 40-50 years. Hide glue releases with moisture, not heat, although heat will soften it slightly. I've removed the bridge from 3 or 4 vintage FG's and done 10 neck resets. All used hide glue. The smell and consistency are completely different from epoxy. I guess it's easier to keep spreading the rumors and assumptions than accept my experience.

And I guess it is easier for you to insult me, than to read the OP post where he said he smeared epoxy on the bolts and feared they wouldn't come out if he needed to.

[MC5C]

Originally Posted by CTGull

Yamaha didn't bolt the bridges on AND they didn't use epoxy. They used hide glue that's been there for 40-50 years. Hide glue releases with moisture, not heat, although heat will soften it slightly. I've removed the bridge from 3 or 4 vintage FG's and done 10 neck resets. All used hide glue. The smell and consistency are completely different from epoxy. I guess it's easier to keep spreading the rumors and assumptions than accept my experience.

OP said that HE used epoxy to do a repair. After the original install and the subsequent original repairs failed. Such is the life of an old, cheap guitar, sometimes...

[CTGull]

The OP said "Epoxy under the bridge inside the guitar, non circular bridge pin holes -don't work on a guitar drunk". No bolts. It does sound like he fixed the bridge with epoxy and it dripped thru the pin holes. But I'm assuming. I only use epoxy for something I absolutely don't want to come apart. In the case is this "fix it or junk it" guitar, epoxy is probably OK.

My pet peeve is the constant regurgitation of false truths by people who have never experience the actual process or problem. It only hides any possible correct answers in dozens of copycat posts. I don't know how the experienced builders or repair people keep their sanity. I generally don't post unless I have something meaningful to add. I guess in this case (and in the future) I should have kept my mouth shut. Let people believe what they want.

[snow creek]

Sorry for all the confusion. I removed the bridge myself and glued the crack in the middle with Titebond. Once dry I put the bridge back on with Titebond. Every tiny- real tiny- crack that has appeared since was filled with Epoxy. Inside the guitar-Under the bridge- I smeared epoxy directly onto the underside of the laminated top. When I did this the bolt end and screw to tighten them were covered with glue. the bolts themselves were installed without glue. I did this because there was damage there (from the crack that went through the body, and other damage) and I felt that was contributing to the small cracks appearing. It seems to have worked

Hope that makes sense

And yes- its all hide glue. I have removed the neck and fretboard. No bolts when I got it. But it now has two holding the neck tight..

[Imbler]

[QUOTE=CTGull;5970043]The OP said "Epoxy under the bridge inside the guitar, non circular bridge pin holes -don't work on a guitar drunk". No bolts. It does sound like he fixed the bridge with epoxy and it dripped thru the pin holes. But I'm assuming. I only use epoxy for something I absolutely don't want to come apart. In the case is this "fix it or junk it" guitar, epoxy is probably OK.

Nope, you still missed it. Original poster added bolts. See below:

"Once I smeared Epoxy on the underside of the bridge- those cracks have pretty much stopped. Though in hindsight it was a bonehead move as I glued in the two small bolts I installed on the back of the bridge- permanently affixing the compramised bridge."

[snow creek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D36FBCnrgy0

A sample of how the guitar sounds.

[snow creek]

I decided to make a brass saddle for the heck of it. It sounds pretty good to me.I drilled holes in the saddle and it weighs 11.5 grams. the old plastic one was 2.8. The guitar really needs a fret leveling but the frets are so low- I cant do it. So I made the brass saddle a little taller and it helps a little.
Sorry for the poor playing...I was trying to get something similar to the other vid...You either got it or you dont with music.. and I aint got it. But I have fun- and thats the point right? LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukUx_qhb5lw