Post by CTGull on Oct 29, 2020 19:40:47 GMT -5
I bought this guitar 2 years ago as a curiosity piece, I didn’t have much expectations for it. It’s the cheapest FG that Yamaha made, listing for $75, probably selling for close to $50. I didn’t pay too much over that. It’s also the most “unique” FG ever made. It’s small, only 21.62” scale vs. the normal 24.88”, 7/8 scale, although Yamaha calls it ¾ scale. The lower bout is only 12.50”, the upper bout 9.43”, and 3.53” thick at the end block, actually it’s the same thickness at the neck block as the larger FG-110 and only ½” thinner at the end block, making it look thick for its size. Since it’s the smallest FG, of course it’s the lightest. 2.83 lbs vs. 3.50 lbs for my favorite FG-110. It uses the same strip tuners as the FG-75, 110 & 140. The bridge is very different, cut thru vs. slotted, and the saddle is only .079” (2mm) vs. the standard .118” (3mm). And the biggest surprises, the neck meets the body at the 12th fret, and the fretboard is flat (no radius)!! And there’s no truss rod!
Here is the FG-45 with a FG-75 to the right.
And the FG-45 with a FG-110 to the right.
And the FG-45 with a FG-180 to the right.
My initial observations: There is some belly behind the bridge and the bridge is tipped forward. The neck projects 1/8” below the top of the bridge. The action is 1/8” low E & 7/32” high E. The saddle sticks out .07”/.10”. The bridge is .28” thick. Along with the nut having no radius, it also has a wider than normal string spacing, 1.42” vs. the normal narrow 1.38”, but the slots have been cut a bit oversize, it’s possible the slots where pushed outward slightly. It has lots of sustain: tone, not so much. Internally - the bridge pin holes break thru the edge of the bridge plate; it’s X braced but the braces are plain and square, with another brace behind the bridge; and large braces on the back. Here’s my review that I wrote 2 years ago. yamahavintagefg.boards.net/thread/110/fg-45-review
The bridge.
The top bracing and damaged bridge plate.
With some belly behind the bridge, the bridge looks to be tipped forward quite a bit. But part of that is the bottom of the bridge was sanded on an angle, exaggerating the forward tip. A week after I bought it I installed an oversize bridge doctor in an attempt to flatten the top some. Removing it after 2 years finds it did very little. And of course the bridge is still tipped forward because of how it was made. If this was a better guitar I’d replace the bridge and fix the bridge plate, but I’ve got more important things to do. I’ll just do a neck reset to make it playable, and hopefully it will sound a little bit better.
The oversize bridge doctor.
Here is the FG-45 with a FG-75 to the right.
And the FG-45 with a FG-110 to the right.
And the FG-45 with a FG-180 to the right.
My initial observations: There is some belly behind the bridge and the bridge is tipped forward. The neck projects 1/8” below the top of the bridge. The action is 1/8” low E & 7/32” high E. The saddle sticks out .07”/.10”. The bridge is .28” thick. Along with the nut having no radius, it also has a wider than normal string spacing, 1.42” vs. the normal narrow 1.38”, but the slots have been cut a bit oversize, it’s possible the slots where pushed outward slightly. It has lots of sustain: tone, not so much. Internally - the bridge pin holes break thru the edge of the bridge plate; it’s X braced but the braces are plain and square, with another brace behind the bridge; and large braces on the back. Here’s my review that I wrote 2 years ago. yamahavintagefg.boards.net/thread/110/fg-45-review
The bridge.
The top bracing and damaged bridge plate.
With some belly behind the bridge, the bridge looks to be tipped forward quite a bit. But part of that is the bottom of the bridge was sanded on an angle, exaggerating the forward tip. A week after I bought it I installed an oversize bridge doctor in an attempt to flatten the top some. Removing it after 2 years finds it did very little. And of course the bridge is still tipped forward because of how it was made. If this was a better guitar I’d replace the bridge and fix the bridge plate, but I’ve got more important things to do. I’ll just do a neck reset to make it playable, and hopefully it will sound a little bit better.
The oversize bridge doctor.
