Product: Yamaki A44OS
Price Paid: US $27.00 used
Submitted
06/02/2001
at
08:47pm
by
Gypsybadboy
Email: gypsybadboy<at>telus dot net
Features
:
8
Yahoo! Just picked this up a church rummage sale today. Paid 40$ Canadian (Approx $27.00 U.S.) Did not have a clue what it was until I got home and checked out this site. I am the proud owner of a 1971 hand made Yamaki 12 string guitar model #A44OS. It was made on Dec 29 of '71 in Nagano Japan (according to the sticker inside). It has Rosewood bottom and sides with a solid spruce (I think) top. Nice wood inlay instead of tape around edges. A thin circle of fancy inlay around the sound hole. The heads are a bit stiff and don't seem to be anything special. It has twenty-one frets on a adjustable neck (not sure of the wood).
Sound
:
10
The sound is big and rich. I went right from the rummage sale to my local guitar shop and put on a set of John Pearse light bronze wound strings. I had a vibration in the high e string but solved that with a bit of leather on the bridge. I'm just a hack player but But I know you don't get this full a sound from a cheap guitar.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
I'm not really qualified to discuss set-ups. I cleaned the guitar and put a light polish on it. It really looks great. It is darkened with age and has a few dings, but I will work on those. The main problem is that the top has started to bow slightly. As far as I can tell this does not effect the sound or play. The Guitar also suffered an injury to the top where there is a crack just beside the neck. This has been solidly repaired but it has marred the finnish. My Guitar Guy is very credible (Neil Douglas, New Westminster, B.C.) and didn't seemed overly concerned. He advised me to string it as a six string with light gauge strings.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
I have had it four several hours and it has not fallen apart yet. Bearing in mind this beauty's age, I'd say it is doing pretty well.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I understand from other entries to this site that the company is long gone. I stand by my local guy.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been playing badly for almost 30 years. I own one old Harmony accoustic and a Ovation 1983 classic accoustic/electric. The harmony is beat I'm afraid and the Ovation is still a great guitar but lacks the booming voice of the Yamaki. I think I got a killer deal on guitar I only intended for use where I would never take my Ovation. I have not been playing this guitar long enough to develope a close personal bond yet. I think I'll call it Louie and anticipate a beautiful friendship.
