Yamaha LD-10

PICKED THIS UP IN 1992 FROM A DAMAGED INSTRUMENT SHOP IN D.C.

HAS A WHITE SPRUCE TOP, ROSEWOOD BACK, SIDES AND FINGERBORD, SATIN FINISHED MAHOGONY NECK, GOLD HARDWARE AND C,B,C BINDING EVERYWHERE.

NO ELECTRONICS, PREVIOUS REVIEWER REVIEWED THE LD-10E.

THIS IS THE NEAR BEST SOUNDING ACOUSTIC I EVER PICKED UP. MARTIN/GIBSON/TAYLOR SNOBS CAN DISH OUT ALL THE CASH THEY WANT, I'VE PLAYED THEM ALL AND HAVE NOT HEARD A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH DIFFERENCE TO SUPPORT THE PRICE. I'VE PUT PEOPLE IN AWE WITH THE SOUND OF THIS GUITAR. I HAD PLAYED EVERY OTHER GUITAR IN THE SHOP AND FINALLY SAW THIS ONE. WHEN I TOOK IT DOWN FROM THE WALL THE SALESMAN SAID " OH NO NOT MY BABY!" "I'VE BEEN HOPING NOONE WOULD NOTICE IT." SEEMS HE HAD BEEN PLAYING THIS ONE FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS, AND DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT GO. HE THEN SAID "PLAY ONE CHORD, YOU'LL BE SOLD.". AND NO JOKE I PLAYED A Gmin3 AND FELT THE HAIRS ON MY NECK RAISE. THIS THING FILLS A ROOM WITH SOUND. ABSOLUTELY ALIVE.

SOMEBODY DROPPED IT AT ANOTHER MUSIC STORE SO IT HAD A CRACK IN THE FINISH. NOT YAMAHAS FAULT THOUGH. OTHER THAN THAT, NOT VERY NICE ABALONY PURFLING AROUND THE BODY AND SOUNDHOLE, BARELY EVEN NOTICEABLE, NO SHINE.

THIS THING LIVED WITH ME FOR 10 MONTHS IN A TENT, THROUGH ALL IMAGINABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS WAS EVEN STORED IN THE BACK OF A CANVAS-BACKED TRUCK FOR ONE ADDITIONAL MONTH. AND IT ONLY HAD TO HAVE THE FRETS REPLACED DUE TO OXIDATION. THE NECK NEVER WARPED THE FINISH DIDN'T DULL. IT SITS NOW IN MY BEDROOM AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED. IT HAS BEEN DROPPED, HAS FALLEN DOWN ON ITS FACE ETC...ETC... AND DOESN'T EVEN SEEM TO GO OUT OF TUNE.

NO REASON TO DEAL WITH THEM. DAMN THINGS BUILT SOLID AS A METAL SLAB.

I WOULD BUY ONE AGAIN, EVEN AT FULL PRICE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE. A GREAT SNAG AT A USED INSTRUMENT STORE OR PAWN SHOP THOUGH. I'D REPLACE THE PLASTIC PARTS (SADDLE A AND NUT ETC...) WITH BRASS OR BONE TO MAKE GREAT EVEN BETTER THOUGH.

Solid top electric-acoustic, made in Taiwan in 1987. See first review for details. DO NOT buy this guitar for its electric components. Probably one of the worst electrical set ups I've had to suffer through. Poor sound translation, and cuts out all the time. If I have to plug in I do it with after market stuff and don't even bother with what comes with the guitar.. it's CRAP. Do yourself a favour if you have one and rip out all the garbage they tried to ruin a perfectly good acoustic with. I rate this five out of ten cause the acoustic half gets full marks and the electric half none.

Having said that, on the acoustic level this is one of the finest axes I've laid ears on. One strum in open E will stroke the rear end of your cerebellum for what seems like hours. Deep, full bodied sound that makes guitars twice the price sound like nails on a black board. I can hear alot of you Martin apostles shaking your heads, but trust me, and give one of these a shot. Pure freaking velvet. If I could, I'd give this puppy an 11 on this score.

No flaws acoustically in the action or initial set up when I picked this baby up in '88, except for the septic material they call electrical components. They were worthless out of the box. Hence the 5.

No complaints so far ... 12 years and counting of daily enjoyment and occasional gigs. Again, on the electic end ... FORRGETTABBOOODIT. Full marks on the acoustic end. If they'd left this an acoustic, they'd be faring much better on this scoring thing.

Don't know never needed it. Maybe I should call them and tear a strip out of them for the electrical stuff.

Would buy this puppy again in a heart beat, but ask them to spare me the electrical stuff before it rolled out of the factory/store. A stunning sounding acoustic from ... who? Yamaha? Yes, Yamaha. Electrical notwithstanding, well finished, durable guitar that's easy to play and easier to listen to. A pleasure to own as an acoustic. 8 of 10 as you can get around the poor electrical, but never a poor guitar, which this isn't.