Post by CTGull on May 15, 2023 4:14:32 GMT -5
I made this forum on 5/15/2017 to share the data I had collected on vintage Yamaha FG acoustic guitars, and to investigate and confirm/deny the many regurgitated rumors that have followed them for decades. I had laid out the framework to make the forum a year before, but I was afraid of my data being stolen.
4 months later I made the website. A couple of people, whose opinions I respected, suggested the data was better shared on a website. While the forum is free, the website costs me money to keep going. Both the forum and website share the same data, but only the forum has the Repair and Replacement Parts sections, and more. It’s easier to ask & answer questions on the forum, but it’s harder to find things due to the sheer volume of sections and posts.
In 2014 I asked for and received the data from Yamaha’s Acoustic Guitar Archive. I've probably spent hundreds of hours reconfiguring, refining, correcting and adding more models I've found.
In May 2017 Yamaha took down the Guitar Archive page. I contacted them and they said they were redoing the website and it would be back up soon. It has never come back. After Yamaha’s Guitar Archive went away, I knew I had to share what I had.
I’ve heard from a couple of people who’ve contacted Yamaha that they sent them to my page for reference. I seem to have more data than they do! I’ve heard from a couple of people in Japan that I have more data than anyone there! But there must be more data in Japan that is lost in translation.
Originally, I created the YGA spreadsheet for my own reference. I was afraid if I shared it someone would steal it and claim it as their own. For the most part, that hasn’t happened, although I have had a few people send me older versions, thinking it was something I could use.
Soon after, I started collecting serial numbers and other data. The scope has expanded as I found more label and serial number variations. I am up to 2995 serial numbers and 489 date codes!
And I have written many articles on various topics. I still have more partially done, I’ve been spending most of my spare time fixing them.
And I started to document and share the repairs I was doing. In August 2018 I started fixing them for customers. So far, I’ve completed 63 vintage Yamaha FG neck resets, with many more to go.
I’ve also gotten interested in vintage Harmony and Silvertone acoustic guitars. I’ve made a spreadsheet for all the Harmony guitar models, based on the data from the archived Demont website. I’ve also fixed a few of both brands, including 16 neck resets. And I have more than a few Seagull guitars.
FUTURE PLANS – I need to fix and sell some of the vintage FG’s and Harmony’s I’ve collected. I have WAY TOO MANY guitars!! And I need to learn to play more, and actually enjoy the guitars I have. I’ve had thoughts of building a few guitars, but that’s another rabbit hole I may not want to go down.
4 months later I made the website. A couple of people, whose opinions I respected, suggested the data was better shared on a website. While the forum is free, the website costs me money to keep going. Both the forum and website share the same data, but only the forum has the Repair and Replacement Parts sections, and more. It’s easier to ask & answer questions on the forum, but it’s harder to find things due to the sheer volume of sections and posts.
In 2014 I asked for and received the data from Yamaha’s Acoustic Guitar Archive. I've probably spent hundreds of hours reconfiguring, refining, correcting and adding more models I've found.
In May 2017 Yamaha took down the Guitar Archive page. I contacted them and they said they were redoing the website and it would be back up soon. It has never come back. After Yamaha’s Guitar Archive went away, I knew I had to share what I had.
I’ve heard from a couple of people who’ve contacted Yamaha that they sent them to my page for reference. I seem to have more data than they do! I’ve heard from a couple of people in Japan that I have more data than anyone there! But there must be more data in Japan that is lost in translation.
Originally, I created the YGA spreadsheet for my own reference. I was afraid if I shared it someone would steal it and claim it as their own. For the most part, that hasn’t happened, although I have had a few people send me older versions, thinking it was something I could use.
Soon after, I started collecting serial numbers and other data. The scope has expanded as I found more label and serial number variations. I am up to 2995 serial numbers and 489 date codes!
And I have written many articles on various topics. I still have more partially done, I’ve been spending most of my spare time fixing them.
And I started to document and share the repairs I was doing. In August 2018 I started fixing them for customers. So far, I’ve completed 63 vintage Yamaha FG neck resets, with many more to go.
I’ve also gotten interested in vintage Harmony and Silvertone acoustic guitars. I’ve made a spreadsheet for all the Harmony guitar models, based on the data from the archived Demont website. I’ve also fixed a few of both brands, including 16 neck resets. And I have more than a few Seagull guitars.
FUTURE PLANS – I need to fix and sell some of the vintage FG’s and Harmony’s I’ve collected. I have WAY TOO MANY guitars!! And I need to learn to play more, and actually enjoy the guitars I have. I’ve had thoughts of building a few guitars, but that’s another rabbit hole I may not want to go down.