Yamaha LL16 vs LS16

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

The 16 and 16D are identical except for the increased bling on the D. Save the 200.

Good to know. I love abalone but not enough for that much of an upcharge.

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

Several stores in Canada have the LJ16's. LA Music is one. I am uncertain whether the Rosewood back and sides would have trouble at the border due to CITES.

I do not know why stores in the USA don't carry them.

Yeah, the only models I found on Reverb were in Canada save for one that's at Kraft music. While I have received a few anecdotes recommending it, it does seem to be a harder to find guitar with fewer sound samples on YouTube. I'm inclined to go LL16 as I can get it from a big box company like Sweetwater.

[MrErikJ]

Now the question is natural or sunburst?

[PerryE]

I went for dark tint - looks great!

[dgt178]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

The LJ16 does seem like the best compromise of the two but unfortunately, it's difficult to find in the US. I think I might go with the LL16 if I don't find a LJ16 suddenly for a steal of a price.

Now, the tough call is whether to get the LL16 or the LL16D. That abalone trim is nice but I don't know if it's 200 bucks more "nice." Kinda depends on whether the guitar is better or the aesthetics are just better.

.....the LL16 and LL16D are the same guitar, with the only difference being the D (Deluxe) has Abalone purfling......

[RP]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

Now the question is natural or sunburst?

Originally Posted by PerryE

I went for dark tint - looks great!

Yamaha's dark tint and sunburst are both very well done....

[Tony Done]

I'm a fingerpicker, and I fairly consistently prefer dreads to jumbos or 000 size, for their strong bass and "simpler" sound. So I would be looking first at the LL.

[MrErikJ]

I've noticed the Rosewood on the LL16 isn't East Indian. Does anyone know what kind of rosewood it is?

[Filum]

Strumming? Go for LL, if comfort is not an issue at that size.

But, as you start playing longer and longer in duration.. you will start thinking about the LS.. comfort is the question in mind..

This is the same between Dreads and OM/000s..

[dgt178]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

I've noticed the Rosewood on the LL16 isn't East Indian. Does anyone know what kind of rosewood it is?

...according to Guitar Interactive Magazine......

"Unlike the all-laminate FG-180, the new LL16 ARE is made of solid woods and features the traditional Engelmann spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides and a mahogany neck that features two padauk inserts."
— Bob Thomas

[3notes]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

It isn't odd to GAS over a great guitar! The LS is smaller with a brighter tone and probably wouldn't have been my first choice from new, BUT Yamaha 'L' series (and I have owned several), mellow considerably over a few months.
I use my LL16 A.R.E for pretty much everything. Being a modified dread with a different body shape, it suffers none of the sometimes overblown bass you hear in many dreads. It also features, like all the 'L' series, a slipper heel neck join which (I'm told), contributes to better balance.
I agree with an earlier poster who suggested the ideal compromise could be the LJ16 medium jumbo. I have the '6' with laminate b/s and it works equally well for fingerstyle and plectrum work. Here's the '6': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a99z5LX8v0
And amplified: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sg2...=RD4sg2Qfc-i68
More on the LJ6 and LL16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EJO3vOgVdU

Nice burst on that guitar. Wow.

[lgherb]

Originally Posted by PerryE

I went for dark tint - looks great!

If I hadn't found a deal on a lightly used LL16D, I would have gotten the dark tint on an LL16. That is a beautiful finish that grew on me over time.

At first I was unsure if I liked it, but now it would be my 1st choice.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by dgt178

...according to Guitar Interactive Magazine......

"Unlike the all-laminate FG-180, the new LL16 ARE is made of solid woods and features the traditional Engelmann spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides and a mahogany neck that features two padauk inserts."
— Bob Thomas

That's at odds with what Yamaha says:https://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/LL...-LL16ARE-SUPER
No mention of EIR. Strange, it never occurred to me that it would be anything else but EIR when I bought mine! I have no idea what else it might be, but it sounds good anyway. According to Yamaha's 2016 print catalogue, EIR is available on the Japanese 36 and 56 models only; all others are specified as 'solid rosewood', including the Japanese LL26 which costs several hundred more than a standard D-28!

Edit: I just finished a long telephone conversation with Yamaha's UK guitar technician who tells me that the rosewood species used in the 6 and 16 models is dalbergia latifolia, and that it is grown on Yamaha's own Indonesian plantation. This man is a mine of information and he graciously took the time to explain a lot of stuff I had no previous knowledge of. Impressive.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/32098/0

[Filum]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

I've noticed the Rosewood on the LL16 isn't East Indian. Does anyone know what kind of rosewood it is?

Many manufacturers have went ambiguous after CITES hoo-ha..

I do believe it is still EIR.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Filum

Many manufacturers have went ambiguous after CITES hoo-ha..

I do believe it is still EIR.

See my edited post, above.