Yamaha FG-401

I was given my FG-401 in late 1993. I have seen accounts on the internet that this guitar was built from 1994-1997, but the receipt for mine is dated 12/17/93, so they were built at least as early as '93. It is the standard Dreadnought configuration, and seems to be based on the Martin D-28. It features a Spruce top, a Bubinga fretboard, and an Indian Rosewood bridge. It came with a soft-shell case.

This is a very good sounding guitar. It is purely acoustic, no pickup at all, but it records very nicely. I can get good tone from strumming, or finger picking. It shimmers on the high end, projects mids well, but is not highly resonant on the low end. The overall tone is very pleasing, however.

When I received the guitar, the action was too low, and fretted out in the upper range. I raised the bridge slightly, and ..... this is the BEST PLAYING acoustic I've ever played! It has been the benchmark for all other acoustics I, and my extended musical freinds have been around. It plays more like an electric than a lot of electrics! My subsequent guitars have had to measure up to this model.
It's also a very pretty finish; Looking very much like a Martin, until you get up close.

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I've never gigged with this guitar, as it is unamplified. I've done many jams, and recorded with it, however, and it has performed flawlessly. The tuners are not deluxe, but have always kept it in pitch. I've used Elixer strings on it, for the last 8 years or so, and they sound great on it.

I have been playing since the mid '70's. I play mainly electric, and own Les Pauls, Teles, a Lucille, a SG Elegant, and others. My first acoustic was an old Telleno, (like an old boat oar) so this Yamaha was my first good acoustic. I have subsequently bought an Ibanez AEL-20, and a Martin DC-16, but the criteria was that they had to play like the FG-401. I hope I never lose this guitar, however. It's great for sitting on the couch and picking, or going camping.

Not sure of year of manufacture, but research suggests 1998. The guitar has 20 frets, joining the body (in traditional Dreadnought style) at the 14th fret. As with all guitars of this type which have no cutaway, playing beyond the 16th fret isn't really comfortable or feasible. There are no electronics - it's a totally acoustic instrument. The finish is fairly hi-gloss and the neck is as straight as a ruler. I fitted a compensating saddle and at the same time I slightly lowered the action. This caused no problems and there has never been any hint of buzz or rattle from the strings. As far as features go, the guitar is basic, but it is very well built and has virtually no flaws as regards appearance or manufacture.

The 401 has a clear sound, maybe slightly biased towards bass and middle, but nevertheless strong. It suits fingerstyle, flatpick and strumming equally well and is a genuine all-rounder. I have used it with a 'Guitar Man' across-the-soundhole pickup and also a John Pearse acoustic pickup. In both cases, the sound is good, but I prefer the use of an open-mike if I'm going to amplify the sound. Usually, though, I don't. I just rely on its own capabilities and qualities, both of which are good. It's a very reliable guitar and when pushed, can be pretty loud.

I can't comment on the facory set-up because I bought it second hand ... BUT, when I bought it, I strongly suspected that it had never actually been played much (if at all) by its previous owner. The inside of the guitar was pristine and there was absolutely no trace of wear or rubbing on any of the frets. The fingerboard was also pristine, so maybe the guitar as bought by me was still as originally bought and may thus still have been as it was when it left the factory. In that case, I'd have to say the setup was excellent - maybe a tad high for my tastes, but I prefer a very low action because of a damaged hand. For anyone else, the setup would have been perfect. The wood used on the guitar seems to be spruce on the top (can't tell if it is laminated) and Nato for sides, back and neck. The neck is slim (without being too slim) and very comfortable to use. Of note is the fact that as well as fingerboard dot markers at the 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th and 15th positions, these are usefully echoed along the side-edge of the neck. Although Nato isn't as well-regarded as Mahogany and is moderately reddish in appearance, it still produces a very good sound for a guitar in this price range. When strings are new, and for quite a while afterwards, the sound is extremely clear. Harmonics really do have a bell-like ring. Both top and back seem to be one-piece as no matter how hard I look, I cannot detect any central join where two pieces would have been butted up against each other. The heel of the guitar is especially comfortable when playing around the 12th fret. It doesn't bite into your hand but, rather, fits around it. The headstock Logo is unusual in that it features the Yamaha name and a 'leaf' design which is quite attractive. I believe that this logo was only used for a very short time and is therefore a moderately distinctive little feature.

There is only one strap button and, personally, I would never fit another into the heel. I prefer to use a tie behind the nut and below the strings where they lead towards the machine head posts. The guitar is VERY well built and yet doesn't feel as if it is so heavy as to be uncomfortable. The tuners are open and work very well. The guitar stays in tune as well as any I have ever owned. As far as I can see, it would be unfair to give this guitar anything less than a perfect 10 for this category.

Cannot comment. I bought the guitar second hand. It has never needed any form of repair or adjustment.

I have been playing guitar on and off since the early 1960's. I also had an earlier FG model (an FG-160) but the neck on the 401 is slimmer and more comfortable. As with most entry-level Yamahas, this guitar is both very basic as regards features, and yet in terms of quality and playability, is well above what you would expect of any instrument which can be described as 'entry level'. It is reliable, good to look at, very comfortable to play, extremely reliable, strong and affordable. It may lack a truly individual tone, but is nonetheless a guitar to value.

This guitar was found stuffed in a closet in a fiberboard case. It was abandoned at a rental and a family member gave it to me. I have a small shop. I mainly set-up and refin electrics. I haven't run the numbers so I have no idea how old she is. There was a nice assortment of bugs and dust in her though. I'd guess 10-15 years. She's a dreadnought with a spruce top and mahogany sides. 20 fret bone-dry rosewood board, Waverly type open tuners that were fine, though I replaced them with a set of grover's I've had laying around. Cheap thick finish clouding badly on the back. No electronics. Made in Taiwan for Yamaha says the tag. I really like the rosette! simple and elegant. Considering her state of neglect, I think this is a real tidy little entry level strum.

Good bass response and the mid/highs are real subtle and pleasant, especially in a small room. The sound does not project well. I think this is a result of the candy coating of poly they slapped on her. Strangely enough this has proven her very easy to mic. I think she sounds best with a slide. Strums loud and has nice attack but bending is a bit pointless as the radius bottoms the strings out instantly with the tiny frets. An excellent living room guitar. Elixer strings BTW.

The frets got a polishing but they were good, straight and level. The truss rod was snug and a non issue. I was impressed, amazed even. This has set through several rounds of vermont winters and summers in a third floor closet. The top is straight and the bridge is flush. The neck joint is solid but sloppily finished and in need of a sanding. The kerfing was evidently glued in using a Wagner power roller but I find it kind of...charming? I cut a new saddle and nut. Too high on both counts as can be expected but absolutely playable as they were. No separation or cracking. She got a polish and I drenched the finger board in lemon oil three or four times now. Nut and saddle slots were clean and flat. Over all- adequate work that needed a little attention.

Durable? Yes, I would say it was durable as hell! It was pulled out of a musty closet, stuck in a car trunk in Vermont in December and handed to me. I tuned it up and played little wing. If you took this Guitar camping, you could split logs with it then play beside the fire.

They were great when it needed to tune up my 50cc mini wheeler.
Does that count?

I've been playing since you were this tall. I play old motown r&b, rock and funky stuff. I belt out the delta blues like a shower Sinatra even when I'm politely asked not to. I'm very very white, I need to come to terms with it. I play strats and I've built several. I have a '67 tele with a bigsby a '74 SG and a '64 melody maker. I play through a Princeton and a Twins via a wah, mutron phaser, an electric mistress and an arbiter fuzz face. This Guitar plays and sounds very close to a mid seventies Aspen Leaf that I borrowed from my father twenty years ago and keep forgetting to return when I go home for Christmas. Maybe I give him this Yamaha next year. After all, he put me through college. I've become close to this guitar in resurrecting it and I'd like to keep it close. If it were stolen I'd return some beer bottles and get another one, but it wouldn't be the same. Guitars are like kids, the grubby ones are often more interesting then the polished prim and pretentious ones. This is a charming little guitar that serves its purpose as a living room corner strummer that you grab every time you get an ear worm stuck in your head. It's constructed much better then that last sentence too.

1997 FG-401 made in Taiwan. 20 frets. Laminated spruce top. No on-board electronics. I hear that the sides and neck are either nato or mahogany. It has a thick transparent gloss finish, which has begun to fade on the sides, back and neck. The body is a large dreadnought. The tuners are open, non-locking. I bought it in 1997 as my first guitar.

I play all kinds of music, but mostly rock, folk, and country. This is the guitar I play the most at home. I considered selling it for a while, but I've found that it sounds and plays better than my $400 Takamine acoustic, so I'm keeping it. It has a loud, even sound, nothing spectacular like a big Gibson acoustic, but extremely nice for a cheap entry level guitar. Like I said, better than many guitars that cost twice as much. The bass frequencies are very pronounced, the midrange is even but slightly muddy, and the treble attack is nice but not sparkly. Mainly, very loud when strumming chords. When playing single note leads, this guitar really shines. The large body with its pronounced bass and slightly elevated midrange makes single notes stand out.

I use Elixir medium nanoweb strings on this guitar.

The factory set-up was crap, mainly because the saddle was so damn high. Also, the intonation on the B string was bad because the factory saddle wasn't compensated. Back in 1997, I didn't know much about guitar set-up, so I assumed that the action was high because of the truss rod adjustment, but that was incorrect. Later I realized that the saddle was the root cause of the high action, and replaced it with a $10 compensated composite saddle from Allparts, which I adjusted to the right height with some sandpaper. It plays beautifully now. If you have this guitar, do yourself a favor and get someone to replace the saddle with a compensated saddle (with a setback for the B string).

The nut came unglued after about 9 years, so I glued it back in place with super glue.

With the exception of the saddle, the rest of the hardware is fine. It's entry level stuff, but nothing wrong with it at all. The tuners still have a nice feel after 10 years, and they have no problems staying in tune.

This guitar is extremely reliable. It has been beat up, nicked, scratched, exposed to sunlight, lent to friends, dropped, and moved around the country. I expect this guitar will still be sounding and playing great for decades.

The thick transparent gloss finish is fading on the back, sides, and the back of the neck. It has a slightly cloudy look where it is fading. I imagine this is from exposure to sunlight, but it could just be the quality of the finish they used. The finish on the top is still in good shape.

There is one strap button only. It's in good shape, which is surprising after all the time it spent in the corner of different rooms with no guitar stand.

Never dealt with Yamaha. It's never needed any repair, only a set-up. No idea how long the warranty was.

I've been playing guitar since 1994 or so. This was my first guitar. I bought it at Guitar Center in Houston, they had a sea of these guitars on sale in the summer of 1997. There must be a ton of these guitars out there. I played a bunch of the FG-401s that day and picked the one that looked and sounded the best. It's possible that there is a lot of variation in these guitars, but I doubt it.

Like I said, I like the sound of this guitar better than my $400 Takamine. There are nicer guitars out there, but for this one is great and extremely durable for an entry-level.

I'm planning to add a nice Fishman pickup to it in the future. These days I've been using a CAD condenser mic to amplify/record it.

just bought this guitar at a garage sale. 35 bucks for guitar, strap, case and picks. Came with brass strings, very little wear. The gentelman who sold it to me said it was his first guitar.

Just learning how to play, but when I strum this thing, it sounds like how I think a guitar should sound. Warm. Just learned a few chords tonight, and I could not put the thing down. I cant believe that it is me struming on this guitar.

Action may be a bit high, but what do I know. My fingers were able to press down the strings, ok it felt a bit wierd and it did take some pressure.

Just jumped on this site to see if I bought a real guitar or not. It looks as if I did.

Solid finish has held up over last 12 years.
Stays in tune.

It sounds great. Not exactly subtle, but bright and clean.

The factory set action is too high.
I guess that is a matter of preference, but still, for those looking for a guitar in this price range, I would expect that it should be a fair bit lower.

Solid as a rock.

I've been playing this thing for over a decade and still no complaints. I mostly use my Godin Seagull Artist Series for performances, but I feel more comfortable carrying this one around and playing on my porch. It is the kind of guitar that nicks and whatnot give character to.

No extra features, just a standard acoustic guitar.

Top:Spruce
Back and sides:Nato
Neck : Nato
Fingerboard : Bubinga
Bridge : Indian Rosewood
Tuning : Machine Open Chrome
Finish : Natural

I chose this guitar from all of the ones at Guitar Center, not because of the price, although the price was wonderful, but because it just sounded better than all the rest I played. WAY better. I'm serious, I have played many acoustics, but the large body makes this Yamaha sound FANTASTIC!!! Great lows, highs and mids.

The first thing I did when I got this guitar was took it in and got the action lowered. Now it plays wonderful. It is a very large guitar, somewhat uncomfortable on your lap, but what it lacks in fit it makes up for in sound. It's a great campfire guitar because it's loud. I think EVERY guitar needs to be "set up" when you buy them, especially acoustics. I give it an eight because from the factory the action is too hugh and because it's large.

I've had this guitar probobly like 5 years, and I play it ALOT!!! When I go to practice, I usually play for 4-5 hours non-stop. It has a few knicks and scratches, but they were all my fault, and I could leave it in the case for months (although I hardly ever have) and it would still be in tune. The finish is still remarkable, with very few scratches or dings.

Never used it

Like I said, the only cons with this guitar are it's large body and the fact that upon purchase you HAVE to spend the extra $30 and get it set up with lower action and no buzz. The pros are excellent sound, great volume, pretty finish, durable, and inexpensive.

bought it new about ten years ago. 22 frets
very basic no frills no pickup spruce top mahogany sides, back and neck.

Not a bad sounding. When I bought it some 10 years ago, it was the best sounding guitar in the store for the price.it has a decent bass, smooth
midrange, and ok treble but for the same price you can get a much better guitar today.

very well built very nice finish and is absolutley stable, never had any need for repair or adjustments, neck is still perfectly straight.
as good today as the day I purchased it.

very dependable, very well built.

never dealt with it.

Ive been playing about ten years.Dont have any regrets about buying this guitar.Nothing fancy nothing great about the sound but it is a very good work horse and is very reliable.you can buy the same type of yamaha today for about $150, but if you have more money to spend i do recomend other companies.

I bought this guitar brand new in 1994. It has 20 frets, solid spruce top, mohogany back and sides, and a rosewood fretboard. It was made in Taiwan.

The sound of this guitar is fairly bright, but it does have decent low tones as well.

The action on this guitar was great for about eight years, eventually I had to make a truss rod adjustment due to slight bowing, but that is expected for a 12-year-old guitar. The finish has held up well over time, it doesn't scratch or nick easily.

As previously mentioned, I have owned and played this guitar for 12 years. It has seen some pretty serious abuse by me (since I'm clumsy), and has held up beautifully. It does have some cracks on the side now, but those were due to my aformentioned clumsiness. I have had some problems with the tuners being loose now, but again, those were because of abuse. (don't let it fall over sideways from an upright position!) All in all, I couldn't ask for a more durable guitar.

Never had to deal with it.

This was my first guitar, it has stood the test of time over the last 12 years...and, it still sounds great! I would reccomend it for a beginning to intermediate player.

It's an acoustic. 20 frets, no pickups. Tuners keep it in tune pretty well. I got a case and two sets of strings with it from the previous owner.

I'm primary a hard rock/metal guy so i worry about my tone a lot more on my electrics. Here it's just a good set of strings and my fingers and i get a damn fine tone. It's not a Martin, but it's got quite a nice sound for what it is. Mostly play pretty music and chords on it as opposed to the balls to the wall neoclassical RAWK i'm used to. For what i use it for it's sweet. Nice full sound for Nothing Else Matters/Fade to Black balladry. I also play some of the softer stuff, blues/jazz/country/folk on it. So I feel that it's pretty versatile.

few dents but it was used... nothing really noticeable. I had set it up for the original owner earlier that month so i knew it was all in order. I liked it then just playing it (a lot better than the shitty acoustics i'm used to playing at the shop i work at).

don't know yet... probably won't leave the house anytime soon. Unless i do some Icarus' Dream or acoustic ballads to get the ladies, cuz hell, that's what us metal maniacs buy acoustics for am i right?

haven't had to deal with it.

I've been playing for a little over three years (and am doing a damn fine job might i add) Only thing that bugs me is that there's no cutaway, but most of my shredding is done on my electrics anyway, so it's not too awful. At least now i don't have to worry about being yelled at to shut off my Marshall Halfstack/Fender Strat combo at 11 o'clock at night.

1984 model. It was made in Taiwan. Around 21 frets. Solid spruce plastic coated top natrual finish. No pickup. Spruce top and nato backs, sides and neck. Fretboard is bubinga. Natural finish with black pick guard, dreadnaught-type body. Mahogany bridge. Non-locking open tuners. Neck is cumfy, nicely spaced frets. Very large, very sound body. Quality more than quantity in this case, but still a badass deal, and affordable.

I play a rock/blues/soul/metal, it fits my needs as far as acoustics. Very rich, sound carried, bass sound, very good for country, folk, blues, soul, metal acoustic (e.g. Fade to black, Stairway to Heaven...)

Medium-low action. Everything was the way it was supposed to be.

This guitar has been thru so many gigs, still sturdy as ever. The way the guitar was made it would last a life time (trust me, if it can last thru me, it could probably catch fire, not suggesting anything tho). But a few cracks from heavy damage and hit someone with it.

I dont like Yamaha, but I luv this guitar. This guitar has never needed to be repaired. I bought it used so I know nuthin about no warranty.

I would recommend this guitar to any of my friends, or anyone who is a serious acoustic player. Ive been playing for about 4 or 5 yrs (guitar wise) and im a proffesional musician. This is a very melodic, sound carrying, rich sounding guitar. I reccomend if you see this guitar for a affordable price, get it! I luv this guitar!

Laminated spruce top, somewhere around 20 frets. Not much else to say here. No electronics included.

I would describe the sound as bright. Compared to my cousin's jumbo body Gibson from the 60s, it sounds not good. However, it does sound better than a lot of guitars. If it had a solid top, I'm sure the sound would be great.

The action on mine is fantastic, not too low and not to high. No flaws. Feels really nice to play.

Very durable. It is finished and heavily laminated. While this seems to harm the sound, it is good for protection. However, the plastic coating over the pick guard has come undone in the last year.

No dealings.

Been playing this guitar for about eight years, I think. It is a great guitar to learn on, but if you want a better sound, I say go for a solid top.

1997 model made in Yamaha's Taiwan factory. 22 frets, laminated top. No pickup. Spruce top and nato backs, sides and neck. Fretboard is bubinga. Natural finish with black pick guard, dreadnaught-type body. Mahogany bridge. Non-locking open tuners. Rather thick neck. Plastic nut, saddle and bridge pegs. Nothing fancy but still looks good!

Extremely satisfying quality for this entry-level acoustic. Full well-rounded tone with plenty of volume. You can really trash this guitar hard (in a playing sense) and it'll hold together beautifully.

It could have a bit more bass and punch though.

Yamaha has awesome quality. Was set-up beautifully. Good quality finish, hardware and bracing. Almost no fret rattle. However the action, as I've found with all entry level Yamaha acoustics, is very high and makes extended playing and intensive lead work tedious (especially those barre chords!)

Extremely durable. But I had to change the tuning machines because they were open style and I got sand in them when I was playing at the beach. That's the only real drawback. Could have done with another strap button where the neck meets the body. Sadly, the strings start to cut into the bridge at the saddle after a while - not a major problem though. I FULLY DEPEND on this guitar.

N/A

I've been playing pretty full-on for over 5 years. I own an Ibanez RX60 electric, a Laney HC50R amp and a couple of boss pedals.

I'm FULLY satisfied with this guitar (it was my first!). If it were stolen I'd replace it with a slightly more expensive Yamaha with a pickup.

It's rock hard, durable and has a full sound. Definitly value for money - Yamaha wins here for the lower range acoustics. I'll never get rid of it. Even when I get a AUD$5000 Larrivee I'll still keep it. You know, it's the "camp-fire" guitar you take with you wherever you go.

I wish it came with closed tuning machines and an easier action.

If you're starting out, go out and get it now! If you're a pro but you just need a good ol' camp fire guitar - the 401 is it!

Mid 90's Acoustic dreadnought. Spruce Top (Not solid) Nato (lumber grade mahogany) everything else. 20 frets. Made in Japan? Tuners are chrome with plastic metal covered buttons.

One bad feature on mine is that the truss rod is much farther inside the guitar than my other acoustics.

Guitar sounds like what it is, a mid entry level acoustic. My friend has a higher priced Yamaha acoustic with a solid top that sounds much better.

The factory set up had the action painfully high. For a few bucks a local store (Songbird) shaved the nut and saddle.

Only had it a week.

n/a

This is a good mid entry level guitar. There are much worse guitars and much better. For the price I paid who can complain!

If I bought another acoustic it would definetly have a solid spruce top, no nato and fret binding. Also a pickup would with damn cutaway would be nice!

Purchased 1997
Cheap Costing Guitar...not cheap sounding

Played three different of it's kind...chose on the one I fell in love with. Incredible low end, it was the full sound I fell in love with. I've played many other guitars in it's price range and even some upwards of $700, and still like mine better.

Current problems after 4 years of heavy use...intonation problems, and it seems impossible to get any guitar technician to take me seriously when I say I want them to spend some time with it to get it sounding the best...guitar snobs.

Played extremely well when purchased. Even today (4 years later) few complaints. The fingerboard has been marred from playing and is currently grooved below each string. Parts of the frets have been dented (especially close to the head).

This guitar is my only choice for playing live. VERY dependable for any application. I've dropped this thing so many times that I no longer cringe when it happens.

Very Dependable/Likable/Durable/Consistant

I have a question for all you other FG-401 owners. Looking for the perfect string set for this guitar. I've tried many brands and gauges without being as satisfied as what came with the guitar. What are you using? Email me please.

Features? We're talking about an entry-level guitar, here, not a new Ferrari. A cutaway would be nice. But, like I said...

I play it all, and i have to say, this axe sounds pretty good. This guitar is about 8 years old, so it doesn't produce the glowing highs anymore, but the overall sond is pretty warm and never dull.

My action is great...this was my first acoustic after playing a Les Paul for 5 years beforehand, and i never fealt a difference as far as action. nice and low for the solos, not to mention easy on the finers.

Live playing....why not? i had this thing in a doorless storage shed for 2 years in the hot Tucson ummers, and it sounded just as good after i brought it out as it did when it went in. The strap button on the butt of the instrument (the only one on the thing) just recently came out, but a little glue should fix it up right quick. My finish is awful, but the fact that i had a lot of stickers on it at one time couldn't have helped the cause. note to self: don't repeat that mistake again!

N/A

A solid entry-level guitar. no frills, but no flaws. pick one up if you're low on funds, or are looking for the most bang for the buck

20 Fret dreadnought-great accustic guitar

I ran production in a pretty big studio in Nashville for a few years and we had a few studio accustics sitting around. Everyone would bring in their $2000 Taylors and Martins and I'd shove this guitar in their hand and they couldn't believe what had just happened. Best sound, deep and full, of almost any accustic I've heard or played

Action is perfect, I've played all the way from old timin; Bluegrass to some Rock sets on it and the only action problem comes from the fact its not a cut away

It's all good- I bet I can name 2 or 3 albums you own right now that this guitar was played on.

Never used them

Playing for 18 years. Engineered in Nashville for 5 years and recorded 7 top 25 artist. I use it now in my own studio.- I had to Steal it from Nashville!!!!!!-They'll get over it

this is a twenty fret dreadnought style, made in the early 90's. features? it's an acoustic, whaddya want it to do, make breakfast? seriously, it does fine, the tuners and the bridge perform their function. internal electronics might be nice, but i like my dean markley pickup in it, so im not bothered by that.

this guitar has great, great sound. the tone is big, punchy and bright, it sounds like a little orchestra. it stumbles ever so slightly for fingerpicked stuff, but not nearly as much as a fender or an ovation <ovation, ha> this should work well for any style, except classical of course. very good folk guitar. remember though, bronze strings make all the difference.

the action is just perfect on mine. you will need to adjust it once a year or so. the intonation is dead on, the finish is fine.

i got this guitar as a gift when i was a young lad, and in the intervening 10 odd years or so this poor instrument has suffered through every possible humiliation you can think of, including being dropped, kicked, stept on, nearly buried in mud once <i will not explain :)> locked in a hot trunk and nearly burned up in my old apartment. the end result? the tone is a bit warmer. and a few hairline scratches on the back side. some wear on the neck, but hey, i played it basically daily for ten years, and the frets are still fine and dandy.

bottom line, if you hurt this guitar, you are abusing it, cut it out. its built to last.

couldn't tell ya. never needed them.

i have a fair amount of gear. fender tele, an old kramer, a classical <unidentifiable>, and im still collecting, but i have never felt the need to replace this guitar. honestly, i have played martins and taylors that have superior sound in some ways, and i would trade it for a couple of martins i can think of, but nothing else. for the price, it IS the best value you can get. take care of it and it will take care of you.

a real beauty.

Don't know about the year, 20 frets.
Pretty average acoustic guitar, I'd say even pretty cheap.
Doesn't have any special features.

The sound is not that good. It's doin' fine while playing open chords / simple folk songs, but not much more than that. I really can't understand how one can say it's better than Ovation, even unplugged. But than again - it's okay for open chords and simple things and sometimes more than that.

The guitar came from the factory in a good condition.
Anyway the playability is REALLY suck, except for open chords, which sound great. But that's a HARD guitar to play.

I'll never use it for live playing, it's just not good enough.

Been playing for 3 years. I also own a Les Paul Studio and a Fender Princeton 65 amp. I didn't compare it to anything when buying, it was my first guitar and I was new in all this music stuff. Soon I'm gonna sell it and buy a brand new Ovation ELITE. Hahuha.

Basic, no-frills acoustic guitar, but everything is solid and very well made.

I played every acoustic in my price range, and this was the best sounding, by far. It was also far cheaper than many. I love the tone this guitar has.

I've had this guitar for six years now, and I have not had to make any major changes. The intonation was great, the fretwork was great, the hardware is still functioning perfectly.

I have used this guitar without a backup since I bought it. It's been on the road without a case many times. It seems almost bulletproof.

I've never had a problem, so I've never contacted Yamaha.

I've been playing bass guitar and guitar for over 20 years, but I had always played electrics. In the mid-90s, I decided to pick up an inexpensive acoustic. This guitar sounds wonderful, is incredibly durable, and was inexpensive. It was perfect for my needs, and it's still going strong today.

I purchased it in 1997 second handed from the local guitar shop, I was looking for some time for a "good" and cheap guitar that I could take with me to garden parties, BBQ's etc. to plat some simple song at the
fire place. It has no features it just a simple accoustic guitar. I tune it maybe one in 2 or 3 months and it oalmost never get out of tune. The ranking is in relation with the way I use it.

It has a nice sound with open chords. However it sounds muts better then my ovation unplugged.

I did some small customizing to lower the strings, everything looks solid and the tuning devices are okay

I take this guitar whit me a lot, WITHOUT any protection, a good case would be costing mut more then I have paid for this Guitar. There are some bumps in it but the way I treaded it it's no wonder.

For the purposse I have, I can't think of any better

Bought used from a local pawn shop, was my first acoustic in about 15 years, just wanted something to play on to see if I wanted to get back into it again, bought used in 1998, a basic yamaha 6 string, no frills, just a plain jane guitar, all laminate woods, mahogony neck!

Was not very inspiring sound wise, but it did it's job, I had it for about 4 mo, then traded it in on a used guild D-25, but this guitar did get me interested in playing agian and I have been going strong ever since. Being as it was an all laminate guitar, not a very complex sound, kind of a blended together sound, good for rythem playing, and thats about it.

as it came, it was set up ok, not a very low action, but not overly high, again a 7.

A very solid guitar, and one that your not afraid to take to the beach and toss it around the camp fire.

A very nice company to deal with, with a great web site!

Like I said I did trade up not long after buying this guitar, as a guitar to learn on it would be fine, and as all yamaha's, it represents a good value for your dollar. But a martin or taylor it is not! If I was younger and lived on the beach, or did other such outings, this guitar would be the take along I would probubly own!

I have no clue when this was made. I bought it in December of 1995. I'm not real sure how many frets. I honestly can't remember. I think it's 24, but it could be 22. Since it's not a cutaway, the last ones are a total waste! Next time, I'm getting a cutaway. It's a straight up acoustic, so no controls. My strap is adjustable! It's a dreadnought. Tuners are nice. Compared to other Yamahas I've played, they are easily adjusted. I guess the other ones need loosened up.

I have loved this guitar's sound since I figured out a little bit about how to play. I have compared it to other acoustics, both in its price range, slightly below, and twice its price. I played three other Yamaha acoustics and a Fender, a Johnson, a Martin, and some others I cannot recall, and I love this guitar's tone! I just recently switched strings to straight bronze Martins and now, I'm getting a sweet bright sound. I liked the more rich sound of the bronze phosphors, but this bright sound is nice. This is a great sounding guitar.

I've had absolutely no problems with this guitar. Everything works well. No flaws, nothing I would change.

This is real reliable. I dropped it off my bed (I, yeah, I was across the room on the phone when it fell) when I first began playing. The only problem was it went out of tune and I did not have a tuner. I broke a string and didn't have a replacement or a car. I have banged it, bonked in on the concrete, took it in the car on a four hour trip, left it while I went white water rafting and it was fine. I played at campfires (eventually, the fire smell went away), hit it, everything. The thing is fine. The only issue is a TON of scratches on the bottom of the body, where I have banged it constantly. Of course, I'm not interested in re-sell value. You hold on to something this cherry.

iduno

I've been playing this since Christmas of 1995. I have totally enjoyed it. I also have an Ibanez EX electric, a Big Muff Pi, a Dunlop Crybaby, a Rocktek Phaser, a DOD FX50-B overdrive, a Rocktek Vibrato, an RMS volume pedal and a Crate GXT-410 electric amp. My Yamaha is my favorite, though that Muff pedal is pushing the electric over the top! If something were to happen to this guitar, I'd probably cry. I've loaned it out and worried about it while it was absent. I've hidden the tears when someone using it would break a string and I wouldn't have a replacement and it was Finals week and I couldn't go get a string. I missed it. I love the sound of this guitar. I prefer it over every straight acoustic guitar I've heard and played. The only thing I wish it had was a pickup. But, I guess I'm gonna hafta buy an electric-acoustic, and use this as a open E guitar, and mike it, I guess. If only I could find this sound in an electric acoustic. My friend has a Yamaha E-A that sounds awesome, and has weathered many chips in the posterior and keeps on ticking. Yamaha all the way! Don't worry about the expensive, check out the sounds. This blows more expensive guitars away.