Post by CTGull on May 5, 2018 19:46:12 GMT -5
I went to a Yamaha "Dare To Compare" event yesterday at the local Guitar Center. It looks like they're only doing a handful of these around the country. The "prize" for checking out their new models is a Yamaha "Dare to Compare" t-shirt. I'm always up for a free t-shirt!!
Since this is a "Dare to Compare" event, I brought my 1971 Yamaha FG-180, with the fresh neck reset. I got up at 4am to get to work at 5am to leave work a 2:30pm. It sounded like they were going to push the "A" series but it ended up being the new Trans-acoustics. They only had the A1R in stock, the lowest model. A guy I work with recently bought the AC5R, the $1400 Japanese made version of the AC3R, and he loves it. He played my FG-180 today and loved that too! Of course I wanted to hear the LS-TA, I had already heard reviews of the FG-TA & FS-TA and they were OK guitars that needed the effects to make them sound better. Aaaand. They sold the LS-TA earlier. I tried the FS-TA & FG-TA and wasn't impressed.
I did let 4 guys play my FG-180, including the guy running the event. He's not familiar with the vintage models but he knew the guys back at Yamaha would be. He took a few pictures. It blew them all away. It beat any new guitar they played there. It had the "life" the effects the Trans-acoustic added with the effects. And still sounded better!! 2 of the guys asked if it was for sale. I said not really, but maybe at the right price. Neither of them pushed further. I had earlier thought I'd sell it at $500. I could probably get $800-$100 on eBay. Not bad for a $20 investment!!
I looked quickly in the "high End" acoustic room and found mostly sub $1000 Martins and Taylors. Very disappointing.
Sad, sad Guitar Center.
But I had a great time talking about guitars with the guys!!
Since this is a "Dare to Compare" event, I brought my 1971 Yamaha FG-180, with the fresh neck reset. I got up at 4am to get to work at 5am to leave work a 2:30pm. It sounded like they were going to push the "A" series but it ended up being the new Trans-acoustics. They only had the A1R in stock, the lowest model. A guy I work with recently bought the AC5R, the $1400 Japanese made version of the AC3R, and he loves it. He played my FG-180 today and loved that too! Of course I wanted to hear the LS-TA, I had already heard reviews of the FG-TA & FS-TA and they were OK guitars that needed the effects to make them sound better. Aaaand. They sold the LS-TA earlier. I tried the FS-TA & FG-TA and wasn't impressed.
I did let 4 guys play my FG-180, including the guy running the event. He's not familiar with the vintage models but he knew the guys back at Yamaha would be. He took a few pictures. It blew them all away. It beat any new guitar they played there. It had the "life" the effects the Trans-acoustic added with the effects. And still sounded better!! 2 of the guys asked if it was for sale. I said not really, but maybe at the right price. Neither of them pushed further. I had earlier thought I'd sell it at $500. I could probably get $800-$100 on eBay. Not bad for a $20 investment!!
I looked quickly in the "high End" acoustic room and found mostly sub $1000 Martins and Taylors. Very disappointing.
Sad, sad Guitar Center.
But I had a great time talking about guitars with the guys!!