Post by CTGull on Mar 21, 2020 15:09:31 GMT -5
They have 2 homes, primary in Florida, and soon to be retirement home in North Carolina. They travel back and forth often. He would always bring one of his custom guitars with him so he would have something to play while in the mountains.
In early 2019 he decided he wasn’t comfortable traveling that often with his expensive guitars, so he started looking for an inexpensive beater guitar to take on these trips. His requirements were it must sound decent and be playable. During months of search he came across many recommendations for the same guitar. A Red label Nippon Gakki Yamaha FG-180.
As usual, prices on eBay, Reverb, etc. are very high. He wanted to find one locally to see if they were worthy of all the praise they get. One day he checked the Facebook Marketplace and found (2) Red label FG’s nearby. He met with an elderly man who was selling them for a friend who wasn’t on the internet. A 6 string FG-180 and a 12 string FG-230. He had no interest in the FG-230, and FG-180 was in horrible condition with many, many issues. He decides it wasn’t what he wanted and thanked him for showing him the guitars.
As he got up to leave the man told him that he had been given these guitars about 20 years earlier from a woman whose husband had died and she had no use for them. They had sat behind his couch untouched for twenty years. Now the lady was on her deathbed and he was hoping to sell them and take her the cash as she was destitute. While he had no interest in the guitars, he felt bad for the guy who was trying to do something nice for the lady. In the end he gave him $300 to give to his friend for the FG-180. He fully intended to take it to Goodwill and get a tax receipt. However, that night he decided to clean it and put some strings on it. As soon as he tuned it and heard the tone, he was beyond thrilled with it. Ever since, it has been his daily practice guitar even though it is in serious need of repair.
He originally contacted me 11/23/19 about buying a bone nut & saddle for this guitar and information on dating it. The action is very high and the neck angle is bad. On 3/9/20 he contacted me again, asking if would be interesting in taking on the project of repairing this guitar. It also needs the first 3 frets replaced, new tuners, and the heel is badly cracked but no gap. He shipped it FEDEX from Florida on Friday 3/13/20 and I got it on Monday 3/16/20. I was amazed it got to me that quickly, especially over the weekend. So now it's in my hands for the repairs and he can't wait to get it back.
In early 2019 he decided he wasn’t comfortable traveling that often with his expensive guitars, so he started looking for an inexpensive beater guitar to take on these trips. His requirements were it must sound decent and be playable. During months of search he came across many recommendations for the same guitar. A Red label Nippon Gakki Yamaha FG-180.
As usual, prices on eBay, Reverb, etc. are very high. He wanted to find one locally to see if they were worthy of all the praise they get. One day he checked the Facebook Marketplace and found (2) Red label FG’s nearby. He met with an elderly man who was selling them for a friend who wasn’t on the internet. A 6 string FG-180 and a 12 string FG-230. He had no interest in the FG-230, and FG-180 was in horrible condition with many, many issues. He decides it wasn’t what he wanted and thanked him for showing him the guitars.
As he got up to leave the man told him that he had been given these guitars about 20 years earlier from a woman whose husband had died and she had no use for them. They had sat behind his couch untouched for twenty years. Now the lady was on her deathbed and he was hoping to sell them and take her the cash as she was destitute. While he had no interest in the guitars, he felt bad for the guy who was trying to do something nice for the lady. In the end he gave him $300 to give to his friend for the FG-180. He fully intended to take it to Goodwill and get a tax receipt. However, that night he decided to clean it and put some strings on it. As soon as he tuned it and heard the tone, he was beyond thrilled with it. Ever since, it has been his daily practice guitar even though it is in serious need of repair.
He originally contacted me 11/23/19 about buying a bone nut & saddle for this guitar and information on dating it. The action is very high and the neck angle is bad. On 3/9/20 he contacted me again, asking if would be interesting in taking on the project of repairing this guitar. It also needs the first 3 frets replaced, new tuners, and the heel is badly cracked but no gap. He shipped it FEDEX from Florida on Friday 3/13/20 and I got it on Monday 3/16/20. I was amazed it got to me that quickly, especially over the weekend. So now it's in my hands for the repairs and he can't wait to get it back.
