1979 Yamaha FG-331, to reset or not??

[BigToeify]

Originally Posted by L20A

Best of both worlds.
Go buy a new guitar. After 40 years you deserve it.
In the meantime find out how much it will cost to repair your Yamaha.
If you don't mind the price, get it fixed. This could be up to a 6 month wait for the repair.
Who wants to be without a guitar for that long?

That is true. If I get the repairs done my guitar will be out of my hands for God knows how long. I have an electric I can play but it's not the same thing as you well know. Ive always thought I would get a Martin if I ever got a new guitar. The D-18's and D-28's are beautiful guitars. Or one of the Godin brands for much much less. The Martin would take awhile to get though.

[BigToeify]

Does anyone know what making a neck a bolt-on is all about when it comes to a reset? Is that just like an electric bolt on. Would there be visible screws? That is a weird concept for an acoustic.

[Jcamp]

If finances are literally not a problem I’d have the Yamaha neck fixed and new frets and anything else I’d want done (mayb a new fret board after all those years of hard playing or mayb my signature inlaid into it somewhere) and also get me a new guitar to start “breaking in”.
Acoustic bolt on necks don’t look like the bolt on necks of electrics (with the exception of Tacoma guitars (I think that’s the maker)). A bolt on acoustic neck looks just like a dovetail neck from the outside. I think Taylor guitars make all or a lot of theirs with bolt ons to give u a idea. As far as converting yours to a bolt on that is something u will have to talk to ur luthier about. It’s my understanding that a lot of the Yamaha’s hav to hav the necks cut off. If that is the case I’d thing a bolt on would b easier than a dovetail

[jwellsy]

Ask your luthier about a slide guitar setup. I would retire it to slide duty.

[NotALuth]

There are a number of ways that people have addressed this problem when a traditional steam it off and re-cut the dovetail either cannot be used or in not economical. This does not mean I endorse them or that they are suitable for your needs!!!

Bridge Doctor. This aims to reduce the bellying of the top and therefore restore a more playable action. You will find wildly varying accounts of how successful or not it is and how it does/doesn’t affect the tone of the guitar. If you are over-enthusiastic you can even cause damage to your bridge/bridge plate or like I did crack a brace!

Taper the fingerboard. If your fingerboard has sufficient thickness then the fret can be removed, a taper planed into it (ie. removing maximum thickness at the nut and none by the 20 fret) then re-fretted. This is sometimes done on classical guitars, but it won’t be cheap and after so many years of hard playing your fingerboard probably is insufficiently thick even if it was originally.

Poor man’s neck rest type 1. Cut thin slot in neck heel where it meets the body up to bottom of fingerboard. Use abrasive paper to widen width of slot increasingly (and evenly) towards heel until when pressure is applied to the neck the gap closes and gives correct neck angle. Glue and clamp. Job done. High skill level needed to get gap-less joint and questionable long-term reliability. Most people go to silk&steels after this which will change the sound.

Poor man’s neck reset type 2. Top of the back of the guitar,including any binding,loosened, and back to neck block joint loosened. Then force is applied to the neck so that the back slides up past it’s original position, glued and clamped. Afterwards the “excess” back is trimmed off and any binding re-attached. I probably haven’t described that very well but I’ve seen it work. If epoxy has been used to glue the neck block to the back then this isn’t going to be possible either.

Poor man’s neck reset type3. Hack the neck off at the body joint (very carefully). Plane necessary taper to heel. Drill a couple of holes through the neck block, mark position on modified neck heel, drill holes and fit threaded inserts. Bolt neck onto body.

Poor man’s neck reset type 4. As 3 but release fingerboard extension from body using heat and thin scraper and then only cut neck up to lower edge of fingerboard. Then essentially the same as 3 but need to re-glue fingerboard as well but have option to shim it to maintain new neck angle the total length of the fingerboard.

So, as you can see, you might have options. Whether you would want to risk taking them with an instrument so precious to you is something only you can decide (I would suggest with professional help).

I’m not sue how much that helps, but hopefully it was interesting.

Best wishes whatever you decide to do.

[fuman]

Two things:First, they way they glued the neck joints on these 70's Yamahas makes them a cast iron BadLady to reset.

Second, I had an FG 200. I got it for about $175 in 2005. It was my main player for about 10 years. I even put a Baggs Anthem in it. Sadly, I got ther verdict that it needed a neck reset -- $500. I almost did it.

They're great guitars. What it means to you, I would do it in a heartbeat.

[Everton FC]

As you can see from my signature, I am a proud owner of 331. I paid CDN$145.00 for mine last fall. Neck was fine. I love it. If it needed a reset, I know I could go online and find another for far less the cost of a reset - in fact, one someone else already paid for the reset.

Just my opinion...

[Br1ck]

There are guys that can cut the neck off at the body, cut a mortise in the old dovetail, add a tenon to the neck, and bolt it on like a Taylor or Collings. Cheaper than steaming the neck off. Get it playable that way and buy a nice guitar. It is time.

[bufflehead]

The sad reality is that guitars wear out. I took a Guild that I'd played hard for 35 years to two different luthiers, and both told me that I could replace the guitar, which is still in production, with a brand new model for half what fixing the old one would cost.

It was liberating to move on to a new guitar. Guitars are so much more playable now that in 1973 when I bought that guild.

Looking back, I realize that I'd gotten my money's worth out of that Guild. But I wish I'd moved on from it sooner.

[SouthpawJeff]

My thought is that it doesn’t cost anything to ask. Find out what the neck reset would cost and how long it would take and go from there. Then you can make a decision armed with information.

FWIW I did a neck reset on my old FG-335. A pawn shop buy for about $125 or so that I’ve owned for probably 20 years. I started playing again several years ago and the action made it really tough to play. I found a used Taylor 114 that played like butter and bought it, then after reading up a bit I did the neck reset myself. I cut the neck off and converted to a bolt on. I pulled the frets, cleaned and re-surfaced the fretboard and installed new frets. Also made a new bridge, and added new saddle and nut and re-finished the guitar. The nut took a couple attempts as I was trying to get action as low as possible so went a bit too far on 1st attempts. I’ve now got it pretty close to where I want it and it plays much easier than the Taylor. It’s gone from being near unplayable to being a joy to play.

I wouldn’t have spent the money it would cost to have all that work done by a pro, but I don’t have as much sentimental value to this particular guitar as you seem to have for yours. I’d find out the cost and go from there.

Good luck,
Jeff

[JLS]

FG331s are great instruments!

Do the reset, and your grandchildren will be playing this guitar.

[vindibona1]

Emotions are a tough thing. The value is obviously beyond the cost of a new guitar. Only you can decide if it's worth it.

I had my 1972 D35 reset and refretted at a cost of about $800. It took 3 months to have it done. But it was worth it because I know I'll have it for the rest of my life. If you love your Yamaha so much it's probably worth it to you so you can continue your life's journey with it and love it every time you pick it up.

Yes, you'll be without it for a few weeks or even months. You need to find someone experienced in these kind of repairs. Typcially they steam off the neck, pull the frets, plane the fretboard, refret, reset/reglue and spot refinish.

In the meantime you'll need something to play. So either go get the Martin you have gas for, or pick up a used guitar that's suitable, play it for the necessary period and sell it when you get your Yammie back (or just keep it as a spare).

Good luck.

[Everton FC]

Originally Posted by JLS

FG331s are great instruments!

Do the reset, and your grandchildren will be playing this guitar.

Is this recording w/your 331? Excellent. I love the deepness of the lows, on mine, and I haven't even converted the original plastic nut and saddle to bone. It sounds almost as deep and powerful as a dread when strummed hard, to my ears. And the fingerpicking on these is absolutely fabulous.

Now I'm thinking, when mine is needing a reset (might be 10 more years?!)... Maybe I'll do just that. But I don't have the sentimental attachment the original poster has, with his. But I'd try and find another. For certain.

[One Whisker]

Mate, if it can be done and you can afford it, Do it!

You will love it, and it will be worth every penny. If you spent 300 on a new guitar it wont hold a candle to what you have now if you get it playable again.

To me its a no brainer. There is obviously so much about that guitar that money has no chance of buying back. Collectors talk about resale value. If your a player and the instrument has become part of your voice, it worth it to keep it going for another 10-20 years.

[AndrewG]

If money isn't a problem get it sorted; both you and your guitar will be much happier!
As for what you can expect; a guitar which plays as well (or better),than it did when it was brand new. It will feel different because you have become accustomed to its gradual changes over the years, but the difference you feel will soon fade and it will be good for decades to come.