Yamaha FG-340

amazing gitar!! It has lasted since my dad was 14 and he is now 45!!There is only one noticeable scatch, and its not big at all! it has an amazing glossy finish and plays beutiful sound if in tune. The pick gaurd doesnt fall off easily either.

The sound is amazing.

The finish is great, and it seams as if it will last a lifetime.

amazing.

FG 340-T Acoustic Guitar
1973 Made in Taiwan
20 Frets
Solid Top - possibly cherry (very nice)
Body - possibly cherry
Neck - Mahogany
Neck/Scale - Thin, Rosewood
Body Style - Dreadnaught
Bridge Style - Rosewood, String through body
Tuners - Yamaha Japan

Fits me very well. Mostly play Country, Country Rock, Jazz.
Awesome sound
Not at all noisey
Very rich mid-range, bright high end, Bass good but not quite Martin.
Nothing about this guitar not to like.

About as good as action can possibly be.
This guitar was built right.
Finish is very good.

You could play the Hollywood Bowl with this guitar.
Hardware is 35 years old and is like new.
Finish is still holding up well.
Strap button solid.
Extremely dependable
I have used it for many gigs, no backup necessary.

No experience

Been playing 35 years
I have a Martin D-18, pickups, small amps, mic, etc.
I would definitely buy it again.
This is one of the best guitars I have ever played. I love everything about it. Favorite is that the guitar has virtually perfect harmonics.
I've had many guitars. This guitar is very close to as good as the best Martin D-28. Only the richness of the bass is slightly inferior. Action is better and harmonics are comparable to the best Martin.

I bought this at a music store near Berkeley School of Music in Boston in 1981. Is an FG 340 II with a three peice back and two piece top. I believe this is a Japanese built model (per what I was told at Berkeley. It was fitted with a Fishman some years back, but is normally played without an amp or any kind. I have babied this git for 28 years and it seems to get better sounding with age, more resonant and rich. I have local guy here in Virginia do the maintenance on it and it makes a big difference. The neck is really a perfect shape for all playing styles and preferences. Tuners are Yamaha issue, (standard gears with covers) Finish is a clear high gloss finish on the body and the neck.

My music style is a broad mix, but concentrated in the rock, blues, folk range from Dylan to Zappa, Neil Young to Verve, Freddie King to Mark Knopfler....and from an acoustic perspective this FG340II stands up to all of them.

I normally play without an amp, but the guitar is fitted with an internal Fishman bridge pickup and it really sounds great....

The sound is really bright and clean when elctrified and the mids and lows are very rich. It doesnt boom like a Jumbo but it does very well for its size. It is normally played thru all tube gear.

My son plays a lot of slide and it really does justice to slide playing. The neck and fret setup makes slide a great style on this guitar

When I got it in 1981 i recall that it was set up well and play well right from the store. It still has orginal frets and will soon need refretting. Its F&F was great and still is. The top has a few scars from my kids, but the back sides, neck and head are in great shape with no real signs of wear or age.

Neck Action on this guitar is beautiful and smooth. The neck has been periodically adjusted over time, but only minimally.

This is a great live instrument. It has been played in a group setting many many times and in a few bar band gigs over the years and does great solo or as part of a 3-4-5 or piece band.
The hardware has never been off or had any issues and the finish is very good particularly on the three peice back. I have an elk bone saddle on the guitar and it transmits well with the Fishman. The overall construction is excellent with no binding creep or splits after 28 years.

Ive never had to deal with Yamaha as Ive never had need to in terms of any service level issues. I have a local luthier who is a custom build guy as well as the local go-to repair guy for Martin and Taylor etc., who really knows his stuff, and any work on the guitar has been handled by him directly. He seems to really appreciate the guitar a great deal and normally sits and plays it while I play another guitar when i go to pick it up after he works on it. The guitar seem not to have any idiosynchracies when it comes to being worked on.

I have been playing for about 34 years and would consider myself to be an OK player. I am self taught. I have 6 other guitars, two more acoustic and 4 electric (1 ES335 copy that i built, 2 Les Paul, 1 Tele) and a mandolin and a Uke. This has been a very good purchase and investment over the past 28 years, and if i could find another in the same shape as mine i would likely buy it again. For the money, it stands up in sound, tone, playability, and looks with many other far more expensive guitars. The single best feature of the guitar is its form factor...dreadnought shape with a georgous neck.

Not sure on the exact year made but about 25-30 yrs. old. Laminate spruce top with three piece laminate back (I think mahogany). Martin style bridge with cheap plastic saddle and pins. Dreadnought shape but a bit smaller than most. Beautiful natural finish with a gloss coat, not too thick or thin. What looks like closed tuners but it is actually just caps that cover standard open tuners. They are yamaha brand and look kinda cheap but seem to work very well. Made in Taiwan. For a cheap guitar it has nice appointments and draws a lot of comments.

I really, really love the sound of this guitar. The lows are deep and resonate without being boomy like some cheapos. The midranges are just right and the high end is nice and sweet. I play mostly country and bluesy stuff and I really like this guitars sound. I have a friend that is a fingerstyle expert and he can make this little jewel sing. Can't wait to get a bone saddle and nut, can only get better. My friend plays a Martin DM and a Seagull with a cedar top, I am not going to say this sounds "better" but I damn sure spent a lot less than he did and he still reaches for my guitar everytime he comes over.

I cannot see any flaws. Action was a bit high when I got it, sanded the saddle some, couple of gentle turns on the truss rod and she plays with the best of them. To me the only thing I would change is the string spaceing. It is a little narrow for some one with fat fingers. Narrower than my other gutiars. The three piece back is really beautiful. NOT a handmade acoustic or top end Taylor or something but for a machine made import it is really well constructed.

It has lasted this long and shows no signs of aging. Bonked it a few times around the house and it has passed around the circle a few times at parties with not so much as a scratch.

N/A

This is a nice looking, sounding, playing little guitar. I am so pleased I bought it and will never get rid of it. I use this as my travel, practice guitar. I string it up with .11's or .12's phosphor bronze ususally and she just sings. Beautiful rythym sounds and finger picking too. I would try to seek out another one if it were lost, even contemplated getting one anyway just in case. They can be had fairly easily with a little on line searching. I also own a Fender JV signature strat and a Crafter acoustic. This is not the best guitar I have ever played but, If you can find one and the price is under 300 dollars or so, I promise you wont be disappointed. Only reason I have not bought a more expensive acoustic is because of the sound out of this little plywood box.

Around 1982 my father paid approx. CDN $360 for a Yamaha FG 340 series II on advice from a friend. 26 years later...I can confidently say that was perfect advice. The keys are getting a bit old but will do fine for quite a while longer. I'm not sure which feature is most impressive...value?...sound quality?playabilty?...durability?...and did I mention durability?, I should say bullet proof!
At this point the 2nd and 3rd fret on my treble strings are getting a little worn/grooved but it plays great still. The action is a tad high but it lets me play as aggressive as I want without a hitch. It's acoustic that "I" compare all others to. It ain't perfect I guess but the value makes it more that worth it from alot of angles.
I've played picks and fingerstyle(nail-less) and still use it as my main guitar as opposed to my other toys to pick from. I'm realy not sure how to upgrade on my next purchase without just plain wasting money and making compromises. I basicaly want the same guitar, brand new, with a nice pick up. simple and ready for 40 or 50 years of abuse.

The best sounding acoustic I have ever owned, everyone seems to like the sound. Never compared it to many premium rigs. Expensive guitars were rare in my crowd. Loud, clean and bright. Great for fingers and pick.

Action is a little high but that never bothered me much. Makes it easy to play aggressive.
It has received a few big bangs, big drop on a dirt road, a few adolescent fits , a trip from Ontario to Nova scotia in -30 degrees celsius, strapped to the top of a pick-up load and still looks and sounds perfect except for a few minor scars you can barely notice.

I am completely amazed at what this guitar has made it through with flying colours.

If it ain't broke...don't fix it.

I've owned more electrics than acoustics but have fallen back to my acoustic as I grow up. My Jackson RR now gathers dust but not my Yammy! I like allota different guitars for a wish list...I want them all! But when sense takes the day I worry about replacing my Yamaha and being equaly satisfied. At the moment I don't have the budget to one-up the FG340 II and i realy wonder how much that would cost!?!

Mine was made in 1979 in Taiwan.
There are actually 3 different kinds
of FG-340: the original, with the 3 part back,
the FG-340 ll with solid color back and
a re-issue, also labelled FG-340 from the late 1980s.
All original FG-340 were made in Taiwan between 1977
and 1982.
See other reviews for features.
I'll just say that FG-340s are definitely
laminate spruce tops, not solid.
And they have really nice, thick bridges
which help give them a really big sound.

This guitar sounds great. Very rich and full.
I strum rock and folk songs, usually without
a pick, and this guitar is great for that.
Not long ago it was generally believed that the sound
of laminate guitars would not improve in tone and complexity
with age like solid top guitars do. Yamaha guitars from the
late 1960's, 1970's and early 1980's have totally proven that
belief to be false.

I bought it used from a very good guitar tech.
The action is great. The finish is still nice, but it's
got some ground in dust and dirt and plenty of small
dings etc. The back still looks really nice. Some of the
stain on the fretboard is worn off. The saddle has been
replaced with a compensated one. Otherwise it is all
original. The bookmatch is excellent.

Very solid. All original except the saddle.
The tuners are still perfect.
Unless you really know what you are doing,
stay away from old Yamahas with high action.
Most of them develop "bridge belly" and/or
begin to fold from decades of string tension.
If the saddle is already low and the action is high
the guitar will need a neck reset which costs about $250.
It's best to avoid any guitar that has neck problems.
There are plenty that don't.
That said, this guitar is very reliable and durable.
It has really, really been played a lot and the frets and
everything are still great.

No knowledge.

For the money, this is a great guitar.
Big, rich, complex and versatile sound,
great playability.
I also own a Gibson J-45, sweet but fragile.
Another FG-340 which needs a neck reset.
A Yamaha 336SB which is far inferior to the FG-340.
A new Yamaha LLX6 which is great (see my review).
If mine were lost or stolen ... well, I already
have another one!
For under $300 these are unbeatable.
For strumming rock and folk songs Yamahas can't be beat.
I'm a little dismayed when I here how thin so many guitars
under $600 sound. Believe me, even low end Martins and Taylors
are not as well made as the FG-340.

I bought this Yamaha at the local guitar store for $100 Canadian about four years ago. Overall not too many features,most of them are in other ratings so I wont repeat them. (Just wanted to let everyone know that if you see one, GET IT!) Beautiful feeling neck, and a solid top (for people who dont know sounds much better than a laminate top -better resonance and overall tone) make the playability and sound of this guitar worth every penny. Now I would pay $1000 for a guitar with this sound.

I have played Martin, Fender, Gibson, Taylor, Cole Clark(everyone check these ones out though), Takamine, you name it, and I have only found a few guitars that match the sound of this one, but are worth up to 30 times what I payed for it. Great for any style, depending on what strings you use. Personally I like D'addario EXP or Rotosounds. Right now I am about to put a nice pickup in it (most likely a fishman). I have sold my other acoustic because no other guitar can live up to the FG340II!!!And since it's a solid top the sound will just get better as it gets older!!

The back and sides of this guitar are gorgeous, but the top is nothing to get excited about. (except for the fact that it's solid) The guitar is still perfectly set up, and is very tight, no cracks or manufacture flaws.

TANK. This guitar is built to last. Seeming as how it is already 20 years old, it is in better shape than most guitars at 3-5 years. All the hardware is in perfect condition, the finish is still solid as a rock, I would gig with this guitar without a backup, but it depends on if I was using a pickup or not. The guitar is fine itself, I just wouldn't trust my pickup. The only thing about this guitar is the fret wear from its many hours of much enjoyed playing.

Never dealt with them

Out of any guitar under $1000 dollars, I think this sounds good enough for the top 5 under $1000 (if there was one). If you ever see one, get it, and if you have one and want to know if it is worth it, IT IS. I am so thankful I bought this guitar before someone who wouldn't appreciate it as much did. Once again Out of all the high end brands that will cost you 10-30times more, get one of these used and buy yourself something nice... like a nice tube amp....or ten more FG340s.

Yamaha FG-340 from Taiwan, 1980. Bought it four years ago in like new condition. It's a standard dreadnought body with laminated spruce top, mahogany body/3-piece back and rosewood fretboard. Everything is still original except for the saddle I replaced with bone. The tuners are great and they never go out of tune. Awesome, great feeling neck. It's not as light in weight as the older Japanese FG's, but it can take a lot more abuse while still looking, sounding and playing like new.

I was obsessed by this FG-340, so I played it very often in those four years that I own the guitar and because of that it's turned into a real jewel. You just have to hear this guitar before shaping an opinion about it.

The laminated top is vibrating like it never did before and honestly I've NEVER heard this crazyness in any new OR old guitar before. All the laminated 'stiffness' is gone and it sounds better than any solid top I've ever played/owned. The sound is insanely rich and resonant with BIG volume. Every note seems to merge with each other when playing it. Fingerstyle, fingerpicking, strumming...it's just brillant and a dream to play.

I've owned and played many solid wood guitars such as Taylor, Takamine, Blueridge, Martin, L'arrivee etc. Also I have collected a lot of older Yamaha's from the 60's/70's (including Nippon Gakki's) and I still own the famous Japanese FG-180. However, everytime I'm playing in guitar stores or enjoying my own guitars at home, the FG-340 seems to be the only one with that incredible rich and resonant sound. I've played it with 0.011 strings mostly (from all different brands), but recently I'm enjoying it with 0.010's (phosphor bronze Martin) and it's truly amazing. It even sounds good with dull, old Silk and Steel strings. If that doesn't say enough...

It's against all aging-theory. The older this guitar gets, the sweeter the sound...

When I bought this guitar 4 years ago, the action was way too high, so it was really unplayable. The original owner didn't play the FG-340 much, so it was like new when I got it. I brought it to a luthier for installing a bone saddle and having a professional set-up. After that it played like a dream with a straight neck and low action. No buzzing accross the whole fretboard! I've used many different strings over the years, but everything is still solid and the guitar never needed a second adjustment.

This guitar will withstand just everything. I've had it in my bedroom without case for a while, during winter and summer. It never had any problems/cracks or whatever and that's probably because of the way it's build. By accidence I've banged the FG-340 against the chair many times, but there are no visible signs of that. The frets are still in good playable condition and I don't want to worry about it.

I've totally cleaned her up, putted her in a fresh case and she looks killer now. Grab her out of the case, play an open 'G' or 'D' (with plectrum) and I bet you'll fall in love. It just sings with crystal highs...

Never dealt with the company.

This FG-340 is without a doubt the best guitar I've ever played/owned. Everyone who plays it from me feels similar and always they're amazed by the rich sound and volume coming out of this guitar.

The only thing I did was playing the FG-340 much these four years, so it's only opened up recently. The original owner didn't play it, so that's why after all these years...I'm glad I did. Still it's against all theory. A thick all-laminated wood guitar shouldn't age like this. Even if it was an all-solid guitar the vibrating top/back qualities would be called 'extraordinary'.

Just play it, enjoy it, take care of it and you'll have a monsterous guitar within a few years. No other guitar can touch the vibe of an aged FG-340.

Remember: no playing = no aging

FG 340 II. Gloss front, side, and back, satin neck. Laminated top. Uncomplicated but pleasing appearance. People often think it's a more expensive guitar. Bought new in 1984. I play it daily and haven't changed a thing. It now needs a fret job. I bought it for price and sound, and I'm rating it high for guitars in its class, minus a point for the softshell case, which is almost disintegrated. Best $200 I ever spent.

I finger pick mostly but am using a pick more lately. I find rosewood guitars, like the Martin D-16RGT, sound the most like my Yamaha, which has mahogany back and sides. I should point out that I don't like the crisp brightness of new strings, so I let them mellow quite a bit before replacing them. My Yamaha's a bit muddy in the lower mid-range, which is the only reason I'm thinking of buying something new, but I'll never stop playing the old one.

I've never had it adjusted, and I think the neck has slipped slightly over time. The action was a little firm when I bought it, and it's gotten a tad heavier. I've always wished it tuned better, and that hasn't improved with age. I'm not aware of any flaws from the factory.

I don't play live, but I play all the time. And I play outdoors, summer and winter--and I've lived at the coast for the past ten years. I sweat on it and expose it to salt spray. I've left this guitar in the trunk in summer heat on several occasions. A wave washed over it once at the beach; I never did get all the sand out of it. For all that, its only problems are slight corrosion on the screws (they still work well) and a slight crack in the finish at the neck joint (and worn frets, as I mentioned). As I said, I still play it daily.

I've never had it worked on, and I've never adjusted it myself. It's straight from the factory.

I've been playing for 27 years and have owned my Yamaha for 23. In shopping around for another, I've gained a much deeper appreciation for it. I've never played another laminate top guitar that sounded as good, as full and rich, although it's been pointed out to me that constant playing improves the sound of even laminate tops. I'm shopping for a new guitar because I want more definition in the low midrange and because my old hands need a lighter touch. But I'm also going to have the old one re-fretted and set up. It's my dearest possession and irreplaceable.

1987 FG 340 II. I bought it new in a music store in Montgomery, AL for $289.00 plus tax. Laminate three piece indian rosewood back, laminate rosewood sides and laminate spruce top. No electronics. This guitar was manufactured in Taiwan. Looks very much like my Martin D-35. Actually plays better...

I own Martins, Taylors, Guilds and an early Epiphone. This guitar (Hanna) is my most reliable and true travelling companion. She's been around the world with me including stints in oven-hot & humid SE Asia. Minor correction with the neck truss rod and saddle adjustment has been all I've done in the 20 years that I have owned her. Odd that of the several expensive guitars I own, this is the one people offer to purchase more than any other. She's a charmer...

Originally the action was high. Adjusted once. Plain but pretty...

She's survived where other, more expensive guitars would melt. Solid, rugged and dependable. No need for a backup with this guitar.

Playing, if you call it that, off and on for 40 years. Own martins, guilds, Taylors and an early Epiphone. I love her dependability, reliability, looks and playability.