Bargain find...

[Thomas Dooher]

In another lifetime (senior year in highschool & right after...), I had bought a used Yamaha 12-string. Baseball bat neck, slotted peghead. I don't recall the model #, but it was like the FG-260 of that same time, so was that or it's predecesor. After about a year and a half or so, I had injured (actually severed the tendon on the back of the left thumb) my hand, so playing was limited for quite a while. A friend borrowed the 12-string, and then let someone else borrow it, who then vanished.

Fast forward 31 years....

Looking in Craigslist, someone has a couple of guitars and an old reel-to-reel for sale. One of the guitars was a Yamaha FG-312. I asked about it, he was looking for $110 for it and a HSC (missing partof one latch). I arranged to go check it out. It was like being back in High School again! Guitar has some wear and tear, Serial #/Model combination gets me February 26th, 1980. He was the original owner (had a picture of him playing it 30 years ago). Original frets, still in pretty good shape, action is good, very very slight belly behind the bridge. I had to have it! Sentimental feelings took over...

From what I can find, it's a spruce lam top. But, comparing to any of the 'new' lower end solid top 12's at GC, it blows the doors off! I had to get up to the $800-$1000 range before we had competition. I know conventual wisdom says ply tops don't open much, but I think a few decades does some good..

[Mark Swanson]

I have talked about this a bunch of times down through the years- but I am a fan of the old Yamaha guitars. The red label ones, actually made in Japan are the best ones. They are lightly braced, and they do have a laminated top BUT the laminate is all spruce, and not like the laminate that is used today which has the thicker inner layer that makes up most of the top as some kind of brown luan that really sucks.
So what does your guitar say on the label? The people who know about these guitars usually love them and will grab one whenever they show up- I have three or four myself.

[Thomas Dooher]

Mine is the beigeish label, made in Taiwan, Republic of China. Serial # is on the brace on the top you can see looking in the soundhole. Like I said, it comes out to 1980 model.

[Mark Swanson]

The earlier ones made in Taiwan, like yours, were transition guitars and virtually the same as the Japan ones anyway...good guitar!
The neck joints, everything about them was done just like Martin and these are seen as the poor man's Martin of the time.

[Thomas Dooher]

I am happy with it, baseball bat neck and all!

[Jim Ashby]

Nice find! A lot of those older Yamahas are 'hidden gems'. I have a 1980's FG365 SE that was my gigging guitar for too many years until the electrics gave up the ghost. I'd go back to using it if I had the faintest idea how to fix it, as it is, the guitar's on a hanger in my office and I play it every day. Hope you get the same chance with your find!

[Arnt Rian]

I too like my beat up old Yamaha 12-string a lot. When I was 16 or so I shaved down the back of the neck some, but its till quite chunky, and there is no finish on it, and I played it like that for years. The action is way up, too, so it was quite a workout for the fingers to move up the neck much at all. I should probably reset the neck, finish it etc. Hmmm...

[Mark Swanson]

Most of the old ones do need neck resets, but they are easy to do. It a regular dovetail joint, steam it out just as you would do to a D-18.

[Justin Figley]

I have enjoyed this discussion and will be filing "Old Yamaha Acoustic Guitars" into the items of interest section of my brain as the new yard sale season approaches. I thank you guys for planting that seed.

Congrats on your find.

[Steven Wilson]

I have one of these old Yamaha 12 strings as well. Allthough made in the "Republic" it has a very nice sound and has held up well. Haven't searched the serial number on the brace to get a year yet. Love the fat neck.
Steven

[Patrick DeGreve]

I just found this post, and had to jump in. I bought a Yamaha FG 180 (with a red label) in 1970 while I was working my way through college. My older brother had just bought a Martin D28, and I wanted a guitar that was similar, but one that I could afford. Well, I fell in love with that Yamaha FG 180. I played it all through college, and at times it was the only thing that kept me sane (I think). The action was a little high at the nut (OK up the neck), but I took it to a dealer who lowered the action, and it was perfect. About 1976 my younger brother was a classical guitar student at Long Beach State, and playing in a band. He had a Gibson SG, a couple of classicals, but no steel acoustic. I loaned my Yamaha to my brother for a gig, and he still has it. I haven't played it in 35 years, but I still have fond memories of my Yamaha. Last summer while at my vacation house in Maine, I wanted to buy an inexpensive guitar to leave at the vacation house. Because of my fond memories of my Yamaha FG 180, I bought a new Yamaha FG 730. It plays nice, has good action, and a very good sound. For a low end guitar, Yamaha FGs are very nice.