FG-75 Recommended String Gauge

misterwitch
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Posts: 4

FG-75 Recommended String Gauge Apr 23, 2024 20:43:56 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by misterwitch on Apr 23, 2024 20:43:56 GMT -5

I recently scored a really nice FG75 Red Label Nippon Gakki at a local GC (they had it labeled as a 1997 lol) and I’m curious about what the manufacturer suggested for strings. I think it had 11s or 12s on it when I got it and it played great with a pick but I also do quite a bit of fingerpicking blues. The heavier strings felt a little too heavy and I wasn’t getting much volume with my fingers.

I tried some 10s tonight and the tension is not quite there. I’m thinking about going up to 11s and tuning down a half step.
Also, what do you folks use on your FG75s specifically?

Also, I will probably share some cool stuff I’ve figured out about this particular guitar and some photos.

Last Edit: Apr 23, 2024 20:52:50 GMT -5 by misterwitch

CTGull
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Vintage YamaNut

Posts: 3,301

FG-75 Recommended String Gauge Apr 24, 2024 4:16:56 GMT -5

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Post by CTGull on Apr 24, 2024 4:16:56 GMT -5

Apr 23, 2024 20:43:56 GMT -5 misterwitch said:

I recently scored a really nice FG75 Red Label Nippon Gakki at a local GC (they had it labeled as a 1997 lol) and I’m curious about what the manufacturer suggested for strings. I think it had 11s or 12s on it when I got it and it played great with a pick but I also do quite a bit of fingerpicking blues. The heavier strings felt a little too heavy and I wasn’t getting much volume with my fingers.

I tried some 10s tonight and the tension is not quite there. I’m thinking about going up to 11s and tuning down a half step.
Also, what do you folks use on your FG75s specifically?

Also, I will probably share some cool stuff I’ve figured out about this particular guitar and some photos.

I normally use D'Addario EJ16 PB Lights. Most people put extra light on them because of the very common high action. A lighter string gage or tuning down won't help with the high action, they typically have a bad neck angle from 50+ years of string tension pulling the neck up and they need a difficult and expensive neck reset. yamahavintagefg.boards.net/thread/685/benefits-neck-reset-fret-level

misterwitch
New Member

Posts: 4

FG-75 Recommended String Gauge Apr 27, 2024 21:06:33 GMT -5 via mobile CTGull likes this

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Post by misterwitch on Apr 27, 2024 21:06:33 GMT -5

Mine has perfect action. Well, it did until I put light strings on it. Then the action dropped and everything got all buzzy and clanky. No good. I went up to a set of 12s and she’s singing like a bird. I really found a good one. And it doesn’t seem like it’s ever left town. I shook a dried up old sticker out of it that had the name and address of a guitar shop that went out of business in the early 80s if not late 70s. The building has remained a music store since then under different owners and different names. Then it wound up at a GC like 10 miles away on the same side of the river.

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Post by misterwitch on Apr 23, 2024 20:43:56 GMT -5

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