Post by kaspforeva on May 28, 2017 5:26:03 GMT -5
The Story of a Guitar Collector
I began my guitar collecting about 6 months ago. Prior to then I did own some cheap 'lawsuit' guitars - Ibanez, Tokai Catseyes ... Curiously I actually thought they were good value. On a whim I bought a Takamine F390S which is a copy of a Guild F50R. The Guild F50R really appealed to me so I bought a cheap version of it. It turned out to be a very nice guitar and was far superior to my cheap 'lawsuits'. I suddenly woke up to the reality of beautiful, well-made guitars! I realised I had been living in ignorance and contenting myself with mediocre guitars. Soon afterwards the F390S was followed by a Takamine F450S, one of the best models in the F series. It was still a 'lawsuit' guitar - I was still dabbling in these copied guitars that held an appeal to me. Buying these two guitars was the beginning of my excitement for collecting. It wrenched open my savings account and, whether wise or not, I began throwing money around!
Around this time I also bought an Alvarez 5052, which was a copy of a Gibson J200. I sold that about a month later. It was a very good guitar but I was beginning to look at Yamaha as my brand-of-choice.
Next guitar was the Yamaha L6. I bought it because I had read that Bob Dylan had owned one for about a decade, from the late 70's on. Being a big fan of Dylan and reasoning that what he found good must be good, I quickly decided to buy one. It cost me about $950 AU. It's a great guitar - my favourite actually in all my collection. It has a strange tone to which I attribute to the Ezo spruce.
[I've actually bought a second one today - it sold cheaply, so I bought it with the plan of reselling it at a higher price. I should be able to make a couple hundred dollars. I've become such a merchant!
From here on I decided to buy just Yamahas. My next one was an L10a bought for $800 AU. It is quite good though it doesn't have the resonance of the L6. I feel that it might need a saddle and nut upgrade, which I plan to do.
I had decided to buy all-solid wood guitars figuring that solid wood must be best. I took some time to arrive at this conclusion for only a couple of months earlier I barely knew a thing about guitar construction. I remember asking the seller of the F450S if the Jacaranda (Brazilian rosewood?) was solid Jacaranda. I was surprise to find out that the guitar I had purchased was most probably laminate. He wrote back saying, "No, it's not solid! If it was it would be $2000 more!" Each day I was coming into possession of new knowledge and information. I wrote back to him the next day apologising for my stupidity.
The next guitar I bought was an L8 which has similar specs as the L6. It was rather indulgent of me to buy it. It cost me $1300 AU. The sound of it was close to the L6 but a little different. I ended up selling it back to the seller's brother who is collecting the L-series. I preferred the L6 over the L8 - it's sound was more contained in some way. The sound of the L8 seemed to slip my control somehow, half way through a song. It's dynamism overwhelmed me. But this is just my impression. Another person might feel entirely different.
The next guitar was an FG580. This model first caught my attention because the Yamaha Guitar Archives said it had a solid Jacaranda back - Jacaranda is speculated as being the Japanese term for Brazilian rosewood, perhaps the most prized wood among guitar owners. Later on I learnt that the back is laminate despite what the archives said. I still decided to buy the guitar. On forums people raved about how good the model is. It certainly has lived up to its reputation.
The next model was an L10 1st generation. This model is without doubt made of solid Jacaranda, (Brazilian rosewood). I managed to buy one from Yahoo Auctions. I contacted an ebay seller from Japan and asked if he would bid on Yahoo for new. He said he would be glad to. He was willing to deal with the CITES regulations which meant getting a permit. We negotiated the details. He charged $220 AU for himself on top of all other costs. Now that I look back on it, it seems too much the amount he charged. Altogether the additional costs came to $500 AU, on top of the cost of the guitar. Once me and the Japanese man had ironed out our partnership I sat down and began searching Yahoo Auctions. On the very first day I found the model I'd been looking for - the L10 1st gen, selling cheaply! I contacted the Japanese man and got him to buy it at once. A month later the guitar arrived in Australia. Altogether it cost me $2200 AU. It is indeed a lot of money but that's what Brazilian rosewood guitars cost. I am very pleased with the guitar. It has an amazing sound.
I should have stopped there buying $2000 guitars but I still had money and the willingness to throw it around!! I wanted to buy a solid back and sides Jacaranda guitar with a spruce top, (the L10 has Ezo spruce). There are models that fit this description but of course they cost a lot of money and rarely come up. I contented myself with just solid back and laminate sides - I bought an FG800J. It cost me about $1900 AU. This guitar has not been as splendid as I would like. I am in the process of upgrading the saddle and nut with Tusq hoping to enhance its sound. It is not as splendid as the L6 or L10, but it is still good. I consider the sound better than the FG580, which is saying a lot! But I wanted it to sound awesome! - not merely very good.
The next guitar I bought was an FG180 red label. I bought it for $500. Remarkably the neck is straight - there's no warping or neck problems. The guitar has really grown on me in such a short time. It gives a very different guitaring experience to what I have known. Holding such a lightly constructed guitar feels strange and feeling its resonance despite its laminate construction is a joy!
Having wet my beak on an early vintage FG my attention was drawn to them. But before I began scouting for early FGs I decided to buy a 50th Anniversary FG180, just because it was sitting around! I went down to Sydney and bought it brand new from a shop. It truly is an amazing guitar. A wonderful commemoration to the original. I haven't played the guitar much as I've been contending with many newly acquired guitars - attending to their setups. So the guitar has remained in its hallowed case.
Next guitar was an FG770S. I was very pleased to purchase this guitar as it has solid mahogany back and sides. I was pleased to have a guitar made with that particular wood. I cannot tell you how it sounds as I haven't played it yet. I am still in the process of setting it up, which means, waiting for tools from StewMac to arrive. I bought the guitar for $250 AU which was a bargain.
I forgot to mention that I bought a Yamaha LS16 about 3 months ago. It was selling cheaply on Gumtree. It has proven to be a marvelous guitar. Sometimes I feel disheartened for it strikes me that it sounds better than every other guitar I own!! NOOOO!!! Not after I have spent thousands of dollars!! It is really a good guitar ... But I'd say, the one thing it lacks is that wonderful vintage sound. But aside from that, it is surprisingly good!
I was so impressed with the guitar that the next day I bought an LL16, the dreadnought of the series. I sold it soon afterwards because I preferred the LS16. I felt it was too booming, too loud, with its A.R.E. soundboard. The LS16, with its smaller body, seemed to contain the sound better.
Three months ahead ... My next guitar was an FG345 in good condition. I bought it for $350 AU. This is still waiting a setup and possibly a nut and saddle upgrade.
Next guitar, an FG375S bought for $350 AU. I am very pleased with this guitar. It is a joy to play. And in good condition.
The last guitar is an FG250D bought for $400. This requires a new saddle. It is in great condition. Looks like a million bucks! I can't wait to hear what it sounds like!
That's my collection! Am I still wanting more? Of course! I am hoping to buy an FG110, an FG300 and an FG335. Also an Ezo spruce laminate model. On the high-end spectrum I am wanting to buy ... I don't know if I should tell you ... I think I'll keep that close to my chest. But there is one more high-end model I am after ...
Models that are less important to me that I would still buy at a good price and good condition would be an FG75, FG200 and an FG500. Of course I would love to have an FG1500 but they cost an awful lot. That might have to wait for when I go to Heaven ... most probably they play FG1500s up there!
There are some models in my collection that I'm not sure I'll keep. They are the FG580, FG800J and the L10a. There is a desire I have of extracting the quintessential experience of owning and playing guitars, which means, keeping the real exceptional ones. Of my high-end models, that would be the L6 and L10.
As you may have noticed, I have been reduced to buying $300, $400 guitars. My money has been well and truly drained. In some respects I feel I went too far - perhaps the FG800J was not necessary. I have come to realise that I was wrong in thinking that if I didn't want to keep a guitar I could easily sell it ... and not mind losing some money. I'm finding out it doesn't happen like that. People are not so ready to throw money at guitars like I have been - the miserly bastards!! So I have several guitars that are not selling. I am spending time trying to learn how to be a salesman: how to properly pitch a guitar, how to present good photos of them. In the meantime I have over $3000 worth of guitars sitting around waiting to be sold. [Though one sold yesterday, which I am thrilled about. The Takamine Guild copy.]
Though I've pushed it hard buying guitars, I don't have any regrets. If I've made mistakes, what a way to make 'em!!
To wrap up this story, I'd like to thank Yamaha for making such wonderful guitars and having such an honorable history. You have made all this pleasure possible.
I began my guitar collecting about 6 months ago. Prior to then I did own some cheap 'lawsuit' guitars - Ibanez, Tokai Catseyes ... Curiously I actually thought they were good value. On a whim I bought a Takamine F390S which is a copy of a Guild F50R. The Guild F50R really appealed to me so I bought a cheap version of it. It turned out to be a very nice guitar and was far superior to my cheap 'lawsuits'. I suddenly woke up to the reality of beautiful, well-made guitars! I realised I had been living in ignorance and contenting myself with mediocre guitars. Soon afterwards the F390S was followed by a Takamine F450S, one of the best models in the F series. It was still a 'lawsuit' guitar - I was still dabbling in these copied guitars that held an appeal to me. Buying these two guitars was the beginning of my excitement for collecting. It wrenched open my savings account and, whether wise or not, I began throwing money around!
Around this time I also bought an Alvarez 5052, which was a copy of a Gibson J200. I sold that about a month later. It was a very good guitar but I was beginning to look at Yamaha as my brand-of-choice.
Next guitar was the Yamaha L6. I bought it because I had read that Bob Dylan had owned one for about a decade, from the late 70's on. Being a big fan of Dylan and reasoning that what he found good must be good, I quickly decided to buy one. It cost me about $950 AU. It's a great guitar - my favourite actually in all my collection. It has a strange tone to which I attribute to the Ezo spruce.
[I've actually bought a second one today - it sold cheaply, so I bought it with the plan of reselling it at a higher price. I should be able to make a couple hundred dollars. I've become such a merchant!
From here on I decided to buy just Yamahas. My next one was an L10a bought for $800 AU. It is quite good though it doesn't have the resonance of the L6. I feel that it might need a saddle and nut upgrade, which I plan to do.
I had decided to buy all-solid wood guitars figuring that solid wood must be best. I took some time to arrive at this conclusion for only a couple of months earlier I barely knew a thing about guitar construction. I remember asking the seller of the F450S if the Jacaranda (Brazilian rosewood?) was solid Jacaranda. I was surprise to find out that the guitar I had purchased was most probably laminate. He wrote back saying, "No, it's not solid! If it was it would be $2000 more!" Each day I was coming into possession of new knowledge and information. I wrote back to him the next day apologising for my stupidity.
The next guitar I bought was an L8 which has similar specs as the L6. It was rather indulgent of me to buy it. It cost me $1300 AU. The sound of it was close to the L6 but a little different. I ended up selling it back to the seller's brother who is collecting the L-series. I preferred the L6 over the L8 - it's sound was more contained in some way. The sound of the L8 seemed to slip my control somehow, half way through a song. It's dynamism overwhelmed me. But this is just my impression. Another person might feel entirely different.
The next guitar was an FG580. This model first caught my attention because the Yamaha Guitar Archives said it had a solid Jacaranda back - Jacaranda is speculated as being the Japanese term for Brazilian rosewood, perhaps the most prized wood among guitar owners. Later on I learnt that the back is laminate despite what the archives said. I still decided to buy the guitar. On forums people raved about how good the model is. It certainly has lived up to its reputation.
The next model was an L10 1st generation. This model is without doubt made of solid Jacaranda, (Brazilian rosewood). I managed to buy one from Yahoo Auctions. I contacted an ebay seller from Japan and asked if he would bid on Yahoo for new. He said he would be glad to. He was willing to deal with the CITES regulations which meant getting a permit. We negotiated the details. He charged $220 AU for himself on top of all other costs. Now that I look back on it, it seems too much the amount he charged. Altogether the additional costs came to $500 AU, on top of the cost of the guitar. Once me and the Japanese man had ironed out our partnership I sat down and began searching Yahoo Auctions. On the very first day I found the model I'd been looking for - the L10 1st gen, selling cheaply! I contacted the Japanese man and got him to buy it at once. A month later the guitar arrived in Australia. Altogether it cost me $2200 AU. It is indeed a lot of money but that's what Brazilian rosewood guitars cost. I am very pleased with the guitar. It has an amazing sound.
I should have stopped there buying $2000 guitars but I still had money and the willingness to throw it around!! I wanted to buy a solid back and sides Jacaranda guitar with a spruce top, (the L10 has Ezo spruce). There are models that fit this description but of course they cost a lot of money and rarely come up. I contented myself with just solid back and laminate sides - I bought an FG800J. It cost me about $1900 AU. This guitar has not been as splendid as I would like. I am in the process of upgrading the saddle and nut with Tusq hoping to enhance its sound. It is not as splendid as the L6 or L10, but it is still good. I consider the sound better than the FG580, which is saying a lot! But I wanted it to sound awesome! - not merely very good.
The next guitar I bought was an FG180 red label. I bought it for $500. Remarkably the neck is straight - there's no warping or neck problems. The guitar has really grown on me in such a short time. It gives a very different guitaring experience to what I have known. Holding such a lightly constructed guitar feels strange and feeling its resonance despite its laminate construction is a joy!
Having wet my beak on an early vintage FG my attention was drawn to them. But before I began scouting for early FGs I decided to buy a 50th Anniversary FG180, just because it was sitting around! I went down to Sydney and bought it brand new from a shop. It truly is an amazing guitar. A wonderful commemoration to the original. I haven't played the guitar much as I've been contending with many newly acquired guitars - attending to their setups. So the guitar has remained in its hallowed case.
Next guitar was an FG770S. I was very pleased to purchase this guitar as it has solid mahogany back and sides. I was pleased to have a guitar made with that particular wood. I cannot tell you how it sounds as I haven't played it yet. I am still in the process of setting it up, which means, waiting for tools from StewMac to arrive. I bought the guitar for $250 AU which was a bargain.
I forgot to mention that I bought a Yamaha LS16 about 3 months ago. It was selling cheaply on Gumtree. It has proven to be a marvelous guitar. Sometimes I feel disheartened for it strikes me that it sounds better than every other guitar I own!! NOOOO!!! Not after I have spent thousands of dollars!! It is really a good guitar ... But I'd say, the one thing it lacks is that wonderful vintage sound. But aside from that, it is surprisingly good!
I was so impressed with the guitar that the next day I bought an LL16, the dreadnought of the series. I sold it soon afterwards because I preferred the LS16. I felt it was too booming, too loud, with its A.R.E. soundboard. The LS16, with its smaller body, seemed to contain the sound better.
Three months ahead ... My next guitar was an FG345 in good condition. I bought it for $350 AU. This is still waiting a setup and possibly a nut and saddle upgrade.
Next guitar, an FG375S bought for $350 AU. I am very pleased with this guitar. It is a joy to play. And in good condition.
The last guitar is an FG250D bought for $400. This requires a new saddle. It is in great condition. Looks like a million bucks! I can't wait to hear what it sounds like!
That's my collection! Am I still wanting more? Of course! I am hoping to buy an FG110, an FG300 and an FG335. Also an Ezo spruce laminate model. On the high-end spectrum I am wanting to buy ... I don't know if I should tell you ... I think I'll keep that close to my chest. But there is one more high-end model I am after ...
Models that are less important to me that I would still buy at a good price and good condition would be an FG75, FG200 and an FG500. Of course I would love to have an FG1500 but they cost an awful lot. That might have to wait for when I go to Heaven ... most probably they play FG1500s up there!
There are some models in my collection that I'm not sure I'll keep. They are the FG580, FG800J and the L10a. There is a desire I have of extracting the quintessential experience of owning and playing guitars, which means, keeping the real exceptional ones. Of my high-end models, that would be the L6 and L10.
As you may have noticed, I have been reduced to buying $300, $400 guitars. My money has been well and truly drained. In some respects I feel I went too far - perhaps the FG800J was not necessary. I have come to realise that I was wrong in thinking that if I didn't want to keep a guitar I could easily sell it ... and not mind losing some money. I'm finding out it doesn't happen like that. People are not so ready to throw money at guitars like I have been - the miserly bastards!! So I have several guitars that are not selling. I am spending time trying to learn how to be a salesman: how to properly pitch a guitar, how to present good photos of them. In the meantime I have over $3000 worth of guitars sitting around waiting to be sold. [Though one sold yesterday, which I am thrilled about. The Takamine Guild copy.]
Though I've pushed it hard buying guitars, I don't have any regrets. If I've made mistakes, what a way to make 'em!!
To wrap up this story, I'd like to thank Yamaha for making such wonderful guitars and having such an honorable history. You have made all this pleasure possible.