Yamaha FG-140

This is 'Made In Japan' - its printed on the headstock - Red Label model. Incredibly 'plain Jane' looks, very similar to a Martin D18." Piece top and what appears to be mahogany back and sides. Mahogany neck, rosewood board. Very simple soundhole 'decorations'. Cream cheap plastic tuners which still work perfectly. Not sure of the age, serial number is 112214--. can anyone help? I'm not sure if 'features' is gradeable, seeing as how there arent any, but then again, what more would you want?

This is more like it. It sings like no other acoustic - with the exception of a '64 D18 I once owned, but that cost me ??1800 in '96 and I sold it 4 years later for ??2000 to buy a '63 Precsision. The guitar is exceptionally light, probably the lightest Ive ever tried, and it resonates like a thing possessed! Ive owned so many acoustics, but none have had the sparkle and clarity of this FG140. I use Martin 11's, which are a perfect match.

I'm told by my guitar tech, that due to Yamaha's manufacturing methods of this period - guessing early 70's - , the set neck postition tends to raise the action after the 7th fret, having said that, I dont play much higher up the neck than that anyway, so its not a big problem, and I suppose, I could always get the bridge filed down if I wanted to get it lower. To be honest, my Alvarez DY77 had a lower action higher up the neck, but compared to the FG, it sounded dead. Honestly. The Alvarez is a beautifully made guitar, probably the best looking acoustic I've owned and beautifully made, but it really lacked the sparkle and clarity of the Yam. Working on the premise that the FG is at 35 years old, the finish is remarkable. When I got it, the frets needed cleaning and I think it still had the original strings - they were black. Using some fine sandpaper and a liberal amount of lemon oil, the frets and fingerboard have come up like new. The frets are showing virtually no wear, and the fingerboard is a stunning piece if figured rosewood which wouldn't look out of place on a ??3000 guitar as would the beautifully figured,mahogany? back. You just don't see this quality of timber on newer guitars, unless that is, you are looking at the really serious and expensive,custom made models.

After 30+ years, everything is perfect. The finish, apart from a few light scratches is bright and shiny. There are no cracks or signs of the bridge lifting. I use Martin 11's, but Im sure that if you wanted to use 13's, it should be fine, but it really does sound perfect with the 11's.
Of course I'd gig with it, but a backup's useful if a string breaks!

Ive not tried, but Yamaha are a top company so I'm sure they'd be helpful despite the original warrenty having probably expired!!!!!

ive been playing since the early 60's and have owned countless acoustics in my search for the Holy Grail, including.. a 64 Martin D18, an '82 Guild D35 and an '86 D25, a couple of Alvarez, including the beautiful DY77, a Yamaha, made in Taiwan FG180, a Lowden a Larivee and Santa Cruz - quite a list. Maybe its the age or who knows what, but none have impressed me in terms of tone - forget the cost - as much as this FG140. Yes, I'd replace it with another if it were damaged or stolen, which I probably wouldnt have done with any of the others, including the Martin.[I'd buy an FG and pocket the ??2000 difference!]I cannot praise these guitars high enough and even though these early Japanese FG's seem to be shooting up in price, you can still buy them for well under ??500, so they are the best bargains out there.

I bought this new in 1971 for my high school graduation present. With case it was $110. Has all the features I expect in a flattop. Six strings, tuners, and soundhole!

After high school, I went to music school. We would play in the auditorium whenever we could. I never was able to play my Yamaha because everyone else had their Martins and Gibsons and wanted to play my guitar. From day one it has had a rich strong sound that has only gotten better with time.

Out of the box it has played great. The action was fantatic. I did replace the tuners in the late 70's and that is the only thing that has ever been done to it. It loves new strings and you can tell the difference of the strings you have. Mine prefers light strings or silk and steel. Wonderful wood!!

It has withstood 37 years of my playing. My son wants to use it all the time when he is playing or recording. I don't plan on making any changes don't need too.

Never even thought of using customer support

near perfect sound Have never found anything under $5000 that sounds as good as my Yamaha.

My Yamaha FG140 has been owned by me from new since the early 1970's. It's a straightforward dreadnought design with no frills. Two piece spruce top.

I bought this guitar because a friend had one and it sounded terrific. He also worked in a music shop in Pompey (Portsmouth UK) so I got a little discount and the choice of all the new models he had in . This guitar sounded great then, and sounds even better now it's aged a bit. I was also heavily influenced by the fact that John Martyn (of John and Beverley Martyn) had recorded with one. The sound is full and rich.

Great action, even today. Still a straight neck.

It's lasted 30+ years of playing in scholls and other venues on a regular basis. Solid.

Never had to use it

I've been playing for over 40 years and have owned many guitars, electric and acoustic, but this is the only guitar I still have from the early days. The only reason it's lasted so long is the sound and the general playability. Most guitars have a fault with the sound somewhere, too bassy, or too bright. This is just perfect and always has been. It's actually got better.

I've had it from new - bought in 1972 for my 20th birthday for ??41 in Exeter, Devon where I was at university. No frills, just good quality, sound, and for many years, action.

It's my only guitar, apart from basses and Spanish, but it's a great sound, quite bright, but plenty of tone and volume

Used to be great to play, but not so good now. It had a partial refret - not a success. It's in for repair now, and the guy says the neck is out, but he can do a major job on it and put it right.I thought it was me who could no longer play, but it was the horrible state of the action and frets. Decision - is it worth it, or buy a new one for not much more. Having read all these reviews, I'm going to have it repaired and keep it.

After 35 years, it's a bit battered - my younger self was less careful, and I've played it on stage, round campfires, in classrooms etc. Never bought a case, so it's weathered, but still beautiful.

35 years and more to come. I hope to pass it on to my younger son when I shuffle off ........

It's a proper musical instrument, and it should last.

not applicable

Great guitar, hope it will be restored to former glory.

Mine has a red label Nippon Gakki sticker inside and a Blabk letter K stamped just above the sticker. There is no serial number.

I can't tell for sure, but it looks like mahoganny back and sides and neck with spruce top. The neck joins at the 14 fret and there are 20 frets. Mine has the original cream plastic tuners which are quite smooth (one is missing a bolt, but the cog stays on once the string is tightened). There is no pickup, but then I assume it was made long before they became a standard feature. I fitted my own strap button on the heel of the neck.

The sound is awesome. I have played a few accoustics in my time and this one blows them all away. The bass tones are nicely rounded. When you start playing, it is very hard to stop. I often hunch over and rest my chin on it when I'm playing in an effort to hear more. The natural reverb when you strike a note is fabulous. In fact you can just hold a chord shape and tap the guitar and it starts ringing. Truly amazing.

The reason I bought this guitar all those years ago was for the action. It is incredibly low for an accoustic and so easy to play. It is just like playing a quality electric with heavy strings, even at the top of the fretboard. Also the neck is quite narrow, nearly the same as my fender strat at the nut and even narrower at the bridge.

Tuning is sometimes problematic when the strings get a bit old. The finish is excellent; great workmanship.

The frets are beginning to show their age; I suspect they have been leveled a few times over the years. The rest of the guitar has aged wonderfully with no structural problems.

Never used it.

I just love this guitar. If I ever move on to building my own accoustic (building an electric at the moment) I will base it on this Yamaha. I would never sell it and am debating whether or not to fit a pickup to it. I would love to gig with it, but am scared to let anyone start drilling holes and such to get one fitted.

This is the red label model of this guitar, which is the more desirable model...I guess it's older.

Although I've been fooling with guitars for four decades, I'm just a dufus...a thrashing strummer with limited abilities. That said, when I start playing I frequently see shock followed by happy approval on listeners faces...it's a humble looking guitar and folks don't expect it to sound so good. It's got a LOT of volume.

I always thought of this guitar as a cheap, thrift store, seventeen dollar guitar...so I didn't worry about it. I didn't have a case for it for many years, and it was just kickin' around the house. Anyone and everyone played it, and I loaned it out to many people over the years. It was in a New Orleans crack house for a month or so before being returned to me, and someone who was high decided one of the tuners needed to be disassembled...and then they lost the parts. I replaced the lost tuner with some crappy alternative, and then one of the plastic gizmos fell off and I had to carry around pliers to tune the thing. That's when I considered buying a new guitar, and went out for a coupla days shopping for a new guitar. I only played guitars under three hundred bucks, but they all sounded like crap by comparison, so I had a new appreciation for my old and abused guitar. It's got nicks and dings all over it, and I decided to remove the pick guard awhile back, but I replaced the tuners with Grover Rotomatics, and the bridge pins with brass Caraco's. Now it looks good, plays great, and sounds terrific. I feel lucky to own it.

I've had a number of guitars over the years, but this is currently my only one. And I've only had one other acoustic guitar that I liked anywhere near as much as I like this one...an old Harmony guitar. but this one's far better. If you wanna see a picture of me with it, maybe this link will work...

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=341962739&size=l

It's the best acoustic guitar I've ever had, and given the price, an incredible value.

As far as I know it has a spruce top with mahogony elsewhere. the pegs are an ivory coloured plastic which isn't very aesthetically pleasing. It could be improved if there were a cut away in the body to reach the higher frets.

I have re-strung my FG-140 to play left-handed which causes all sorts of problems, though I still adore it. I play all styles on this guitar (blues, country, folk, rock, jazz and even punk). The overall sound is still deep and rich. It responds well to picking or strumming and always drowns out other, newer guitars when playing vigourously. very versitile.

I don't know whether this is a result of my re-stringing, because it was obviously never meant to be a Left-handed instrument, but the action is a bit dodgy after the seventh fret. My dad and uncle owned it before me and they never complained about this. The only flaws that aren't of my own making are the loose tuning-peg mounts.

I have REALLY given this guitar a bashing! Many people reading this will cringe when I say that it has been all over the country without a case. It has spent countless nights outdoors (around campfires and the like).There is a great deal of cracking, scratching and denting on the body, especially around where the pick-guard would be if it were designed for a lefty (though I'm sure a good guitar restorer could rectify this). Despite all this neglect and carelessness, this guitar is a beast! It would doubtlessly survive a nuclear holocaust. I enjoy this instrument immensely and treat it better now I'm a bit older and wiser.

Never tried to have it professionally converted as I should imagine it costing a small fortune.

I had this guitar handed down to me by my uncle, who it was given to by my dad, who bought it second-hand in about 1972 (it was pristine when I recieved it in 1991. I have been abusing it regularly since then). I think I would shed a few tears if anything were to happen to my Yammy. Other guitars I own are electric (left-handed Burns Marquee and L/H Black Fender Strat) so I can't compare them to this. But the few modern acoustics I have tinkered with all sound tinny and clunky in comparison.

Like someone before said features belong in cars and movie theaters... not on this beauty.

When new strings are put on this, it seems as though the guitar breathes and gets new life. The sound quality on this is by far better than most out today.

Nothing except for the finish is wrong. The only place that the finish is bad is on the back of the neck, because of my thumb ring.

I use it in church 3 times a week, plus I play when not in church everyday. I still have the original tuners on mine. The finish still shines with a little clean up ebery once in a while.

Never dealt with them.

I've had this guitar since I was 14 (now 17), and it has put up with my abuse. My grandpa bought it in 1970, so he could pick up a past time. Before my grandpa died in 1989, before my 1st birthday I would always dance when he would play or any music for that matter. That day he told my grandma that when he died he wanted me to have when I was ready because I had music in my soul. Thanks to this guitar I'll be playing it till the day I die.

Not sure when this was made. It was bought by my Father in Law (an excellent Folk guitarist before he passed away 10 years ago) as a backup guitar. He replaced the original tuners with a nice set of Grovers. It looks like the original tuners were pretty cheap and I've been told that swapping them out for Grovers was pretty common.

I've since added a Fishman pickup and play it at church a couple of times a month.

Looks to me like it is not a solid top as I can see a seam running from the bridge to the tail.

I love how this guitar sounds. I'm not an expert or particularly picky, but to my ear, its a rich, full sound. It seems to amplify nicely with the Fishman. I sometimes run it through a Digitech pedal to add a notch or two of compression and reverb and that seems to sound pretty nice.

Nice soft action - fun and comfortable to play.

It's a pretty plain guitar - no details in the fretboard and it even has a kind of klunky square head. That's alright with me though - its fun to have a guitar that sounds so nice without looking like much.

Its been around a long time and is still a great guitar.

I love this guitar. I've got the chance to spend some money on a guitar right now and am planning on putting it into an amp and a semi-hollow electric rather than a new acoustic. A Taylor would look flashier, but I love this guitar, and love the connection to my Father in Law.

Do not know what year this guitar was produced. Not sure if it is a solid top, but it sure sounds like one. I bought this guitar from my barber who knew absolutely nothing about it. It was rather neglected and even has a bb imbedded in the top. Definitely adds character. The tuners are horrible and need replaced, but the sound and durability of the guitar far overshadow this.

Although the neck needs adjustment, and the nut needs replaced, the potential for this guitar is great and I have had a blast playing it the way it is. It has a great full sound and playing it up and down the fretboard is smooth and easy. I especially like fingerpicking with it. Many more experienced players I know who have played it are amazed.

The quality of this guitar is awesome and has obviously withstood alot of abuse. The pickguard is starting to peel up and besides the dings, that is it.

I've never dealt with the company, but I would really like to plug in the serial number and find out when it was manufactured if possible.

I feel really lucky to have found this guitar, because it was purely incidental. I do not think I will ever get rid of it.