Post by CTGull on Feb 7, 2024 19:35:25 GMT -5
His Story: I purchased my FG450SA new. I and my son went to a guitar and instrument show. I was looking for a new guitar. It was 3/23/1991, Altoona, Pennsylvania. I recall playing this guitar for the first time. It felt and sounded like the one I was after. Great score.
I still have the receipt and documentation which came with the guitar. Serial Number 418490. I also purchased a case to hold the guitar. However, my budget was totally blown on the guitar. So, the case quality was just a step above a cheap bag. But over the years all the stickers I’ve put on the case outside have held that case together and worked their magic. They kept my FG safe and sound. Its even had a few airplane rides without problems. I used a humidifier off and on depending on where I was and the climate.
The guitar is still in good shape with a few dents and nicks from it being my 30 year regular player. And, it still sounds great. I’ve enjoyed so much the sound and tone of this guitar. We hear differently when playing vs. listening. When I hear others play it, it’s sound is just amazing to my ears.
I did have an issue some years after purchase. I first saw it as the belly puffing up causing the strings to sit higher than comfortable. I had not learned yet about how string tension pulls the neck out of position too. I contacted Yamaha here in the USA. They knew of my issues and said if my guitar was purchased two months later it would have been covered and repaired under their new warranty plan. Knowing what I know now, and their use of epoxy to glue parts together they would have most likely just replaced it.
A short time later, I ran across the Doctor. No, not The Doctor, Doctor Who. But the JLD Bridge Doctor. I installed that little gizmo. It helped pull down the belly and set my bridge/saddle back to a better playing position. But not the neck angle.
Its been perhaps 15 years since the Doctor was installed. I’ve been playing along with developing higher action over the years. The action slowly crept higher and higher, even after a couple of professional tries to bring it down.
There are luthiers in my area with lots of experience. 40+ years of experience. Some work with big store chains like The Guitar Center. Some are locally independent owned. Like at McKenzie River Music. Some helped bands the like of Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead. I was just not sure who to take my guitar to. Or, even not sure if I should try to have it fixed. They all said I need a neck reset. No offers however to do that work.
Besides, I did not have the money to have the neck and body fixed.
I have over the years gathered the resources necessary to have this guitar restored. That’s when I found Dave with Yamaha Vintage Guitars and made the arrangements to have Dave do the repairs necessary to bring my guitar back to like new playability. I purchased a new case for shipping and off it went.
~ Captain Wayne Tightlines
Observations: He shipped it in a standard FEDEX guitar box. Inside was some packing at the top (to keep the neck end of the case from shifting, and a SKB TSA hard case. Inside the case was some paper packing to keep the guitar from shifting. There’s also the return shipping label and an address label. In the case pocket is some cool case candy, including ALL the original stuff from when he bought it 33 years ago.
The first thing I noticed is LOTS of finish blushing all over the back and sides. He didn’t mention that. Looking at the pics he sent I can faintly see the same patterns, so it didn’t happen during shipping. I can hit it with the hair dryer and try to take some of that out. Other than the blushing, the wood is absolutely beautiful!!
Other than a few small dings on the top, the guitar is very clean. Not the typical beat to hell late 60’s FG I’m used to seeing.
Tuned to “E”. The neck relief is a hair high on the bass side and good on the treble side. The nut action is low for all strings, holding at the 3rd fret and pressing at the 1st gets no movement. Measuring the gap between the strings and 1st fret I find .008” for the low E and .005” for the high E. Measuring a couple of my guitars I find .015” & .010”. The specs for Martin guitars is .024” & .016”. The action is a little under 1/8” low E and a little over 3/32” high E. The neck projects 1/8” below the top of the bridge with a .015” gap in the middle.
The bridge is .32” thick. The saddle sticks out .07”/.05”. The slots that have been cut in the bridge between the pin holes and saddle show the bridge is probably rosewood and painted black. I assume the fretboard is also.
The frets are full height, with some minor divots in the first 3 frets. The fret level is hard to tell with the strings on, since there is some neck relief. I’ll check it again after the neck is off. I’m sure it will need a fret level.
The nut is 1.69” wide, with 1.41” string spacing (center of E to E). The saddle string spacing is Yamaha narrow 1.96”.
I haven't looked closely to see if this is blushing in the top or just dirty.
Here's the finish blushing, but it's hard to see at some angles, and with the reflections.
Not one mark on the back of the headstock!!
The blushing is a little more obvious here, but at this angle it looks more like smudging.
It's more obvious on the sides. BEAUTIFUL Ovankol!!! It's sort of African rosewood, although tonally it's between rosewood and mahogany. www.wood-database.com/ovangkol/ www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=627160
It's really obvious here.
There are finish cracks in the heel corners.
This crack bothers me. That piece will probably flake off.
The Bridge Doctor screw. I'll add a black dot later.
The action is a bit high.
The nut slots are a bit deep.
The nut action is low.
I still have the receipt and documentation which came with the guitar. Serial Number 418490. I also purchased a case to hold the guitar. However, my budget was totally blown on the guitar. So, the case quality was just a step above a cheap bag. But over the years all the stickers I’ve put on the case outside have held that case together and worked their magic. They kept my FG safe and sound. Its even had a few airplane rides without problems. I used a humidifier off and on depending on where I was and the climate.
The guitar is still in good shape with a few dents and nicks from it being my 30 year regular player. And, it still sounds great. I’ve enjoyed so much the sound and tone of this guitar. We hear differently when playing vs. listening. When I hear others play it, it’s sound is just amazing to my ears.
I did have an issue some years after purchase. I first saw it as the belly puffing up causing the strings to sit higher than comfortable. I had not learned yet about how string tension pulls the neck out of position too. I contacted Yamaha here in the USA. They knew of my issues and said if my guitar was purchased two months later it would have been covered and repaired under their new warranty plan. Knowing what I know now, and their use of epoxy to glue parts together they would have most likely just replaced it.
A short time later, I ran across the Doctor. No, not The Doctor, Doctor Who. But the JLD Bridge Doctor. I installed that little gizmo. It helped pull down the belly and set my bridge/saddle back to a better playing position. But not the neck angle.
Its been perhaps 15 years since the Doctor was installed. I’ve been playing along with developing higher action over the years. The action slowly crept higher and higher, even after a couple of professional tries to bring it down.
There are luthiers in my area with lots of experience. 40+ years of experience. Some work with big store chains like The Guitar Center. Some are locally independent owned. Like at McKenzie River Music. Some helped bands the like of Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead. I was just not sure who to take my guitar to. Or, even not sure if I should try to have it fixed. They all said I need a neck reset. No offers however to do that work.
Besides, I did not have the money to have the neck and body fixed.
I have over the years gathered the resources necessary to have this guitar restored. That’s when I found Dave with Yamaha Vintage Guitars and made the arrangements to have Dave do the repairs necessary to bring my guitar back to like new playability. I purchased a new case for shipping and off it went.
~ Captain Wayne Tightlines
Observations: He shipped it in a standard FEDEX guitar box. Inside was some packing at the top (to keep the neck end of the case from shifting, and a SKB TSA hard case. Inside the case was some paper packing to keep the guitar from shifting. There’s also the return shipping label and an address label. In the case pocket is some cool case candy, including ALL the original stuff from when he bought it 33 years ago.
The first thing I noticed is LOTS of finish blushing all over the back and sides. He didn’t mention that. Looking at the pics he sent I can faintly see the same patterns, so it didn’t happen during shipping. I can hit it with the hair dryer and try to take some of that out. Other than the blushing, the wood is absolutely beautiful!!
Other than a few small dings on the top, the guitar is very clean. Not the typical beat to hell late 60’s FG I’m used to seeing.
Tuned to “E”. The neck relief is a hair high on the bass side and good on the treble side. The nut action is low for all strings, holding at the 3rd fret and pressing at the 1st gets no movement. Measuring the gap between the strings and 1st fret I find .008” for the low E and .005” for the high E. Measuring a couple of my guitars I find .015” & .010”. The specs for Martin guitars is .024” & .016”. The action is a little under 1/8” low E and a little over 3/32” high E. The neck projects 1/8” below the top of the bridge with a .015” gap in the middle.
The bridge is .32” thick. The saddle sticks out .07”/.05”. The slots that have been cut in the bridge between the pin holes and saddle show the bridge is probably rosewood and painted black. I assume the fretboard is also.
The frets are full height, with some minor divots in the first 3 frets. The fret level is hard to tell with the strings on, since there is some neck relief. I’ll check it again after the neck is off. I’m sure it will need a fret level.
The nut is 1.69” wide, with 1.41” string spacing (center of E to E). The saddle string spacing is Yamaha narrow 1.96”.
I haven't looked closely to see if this is blushing in the top or just dirty.
Here's the finish blushing, but it's hard to see at some angles, and with the reflections.
Not one mark on the back of the headstock!!
The blushing is a little more obvious here, but at this angle it looks more like smudging.
It's more obvious on the sides. BEAUTIFUL Ovankol!!! It's sort of African rosewood, although tonally it's between rosewood and mahogany. www.wood-database.com/ovangkol/ www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=627160
It's really obvious here.
There are finish cracks in the heel corners.
This crack bothers me. That piece will probably flake off.
The Bridge Doctor screw. I'll add a black dot later.
The action is a bit high.
The nut slots are a bit deep.
The nut action is low.