Yamaha Dynamic Guitar No 30

Hi. Just want to pass on what I`ve learned about the Yamaha Dynamic line of guitars. Got my first one in a local antique shop almost two years ago now here in Japan. Couldn`t find much info from local shop staff so I started buying books and asking my wife to translate bits for me now and then...and heres what I learned.
The #s30, 50 and 70 were the first Yamahas to get exported and they say the company arched the Yamaha logo across the headstock as opposed to flat across on domestics. Seems they experienced some split tops...and they put that down to climate... which led them to begin experimenting with laminates, and the S series Dynamics were the first, but...back to the #30. Mine is a 4 digit serial number and I`ve been told it`s early 50s.
The finish has checked and crazed all over the body, I believe it`s lacquer. Small body but with a big, deep sound, I use my fingers to play and can get the Dynamics to whisper or growl depending on how hard I play. Tuners on these can be a weak point but some of mine are like new while others were quite rusty by the time I got em and many of the guitars had 40 or 50 years worth of crud on em too, but I take the tuners apart soak them in a bathroom tile cleaner we have over here in old plastic peanutbutter jars and they come out pretty clean. The necks on all my Dynamics are fat and the #40s have the fattest necks of all, but my #30 is quite comfy for me, but these are not for folks who like slim necks. Without a doubt hand made in japan from all solid wood...on domestics... it is possible Yamaha changed more than just the logo with the exports. My Dynamics are made of flame maple...in a variety of colors and finishes.

The Dynamics sound amazing to my ears, very deep which is unusual for a small bodied maple guitar...might be partially because of the bracing system which was patented by Mr. Kintoki...may also have to do with the timber used in the 50s and 60s...I`d wager naturally dried unlike many makers today who have quotas to meet and can`t wait that long.

remarkably, none of my Dynamics require a neck reset as of yet. Bookmatching of the flame maple couldn`t be better, they are as beautiful to look at as they are to listen to. Giving them an 8 because of the tuners, I also own some 1960s Sadao Yairis and he used much better quality tuners so I know there were other options for Yamaha, but Yairi was not putting out nearly as many as Yamaha so it probably came down to cost.

Well, all my Dynamics have been around for a minimum of 40 plus years and most are in great shape...some have top cracks but I`ve glued them and they still sound amazing.

never tried to contact them about the Dynamics but have found a web page over here where I can get info from the small but nearly fanatical Dynamic following in Japan.

welp...I rate these as high as I can. I now own nearly 30 Dynamics, all the models they made except the #8 and #80...the ones with the MOP inlays all around the top of the guitar, they just don`t appeal to me... also have some of the earliest classicals Yamaha produced in the early 60s. From what I have discovered from my books, the Dynamics ended once Yamaha perfected the laminating process mid `60s. The light green labels followed the S Dynamics...S-50 and S-70...own one of each and though they are nice, the Dynamics are much better sounding. Then came the red labels which everybody seems to be going nuts over these days...and thats fine with me...keep em distracted by the red labels, and I`ll keep buying Dynamics at unbelievable prices...for now.
Incidently...the Dynamic labels went through several changes, and the white with the red dotted borders seemed to have appeared in 1960.

Nylon string classical guitar solid spruce top with solid rosewood back and sides. The neck appears to be of mahogany with a lightly colored thick slab of rosewood for the fret board.
There are mother of pearl dot fret markers with a similar dot marker on the bridge.The headstock has a gold script Yamaha logo and inside the sound hole in the ususal spot there is a large square label with the words "Yamaha Dynamic Guitar No 30 Pat No 187409 Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha Hamamatsu Japan".
On the neck block is stamped the serial number,23978.
What dates this yamaha is the picture of a piano on the label and not the usual crossed tuning forks that symbolize the Yamaha guitar range.
Reasonable tuners that keep the guitar in tune and the neck fits snugly in the hand, that is, not too chunky and not to thin.
From the serial number this guitar was built in the late 50s.
I established this after playing a friends Yamaha Dynamic No 20 that was originally bought by his grandfather in 1959 but had a later serial number than my No 30.

After playing my friends Yamaha dynamic No 20 a few years ago that had been passed down through his family I recognised this guitar in a used instrument store nearby.
I talked the store owner down from $450 to $300 and after getting her home and a hurried restring I could not put the guitar down.
The sound is rich and full, well balanced and has a great sustain. It is ideal for the classical music that I play. I've compared it to instruments that cost more than three grand and it compares very favorably. (I buy for sound, not price. It must sound good or it's not worth the money. I've played cheap guitars with a superb sound and expensive guitars that sounded as though they were made of balsa.)

The finish on this guitar has aged well and the sound board has a nice tight grain.I am positive that these guitars where hand made going on the fit and finish and the timbers selected.
The original tuners keep tune well and I have no urge to change them.
The No 30 differs from the No 20 in that it uses solid timbers and is more ornate around the sound hole and edge bindings having a seven ply white/black finish, again a pointer to a hand crafted instrument.

This guitar has stood the test of time, 50 year old and still going strong.The neck is still straight and there is no evidence of any repairs, sound board is nice and level and the bridge still tightly glued to the top with no movement.

I contacted Yamaha and initially was dissapointed with their lack of response. But after persisting I made contact with a very helpfull lady who confirmed that the Dynamic range was one of Yamaha's first guitars.

I have been playing now for 25 years and have had quite a few acoustics and electrics but I still come back to my classical training.
I own a Ramirez and an Esteve but this old Yamaha gets played the most.
If lost or stolen I would scoure the country for another, it is not a guitar that pops up often but if you see one my advice is to grab it and enjoy the sound of a well made, well aged guitar.