Other additional production stamps and identifiers are provided within the guitar body, namely on the neck block. Here, the tan colour of the label and the orders of the text, 'Republic of China' and 'Made in Taiwan' suggests that it was produced between mid-1974 and mid-1975 (see his website for details):

The manufacturer's label also reinforces the age of the instrument, as the layout of the text changed throughout Yamaha's history. According to his site, the serial number is derived from the number stamped on the brace immediately forward of the soundhole, an 8-digit number formatted in YMMDD, in this case '50108379': The level of detail he has provided on his site regarding serial numbers and date codes has enabled me to date this particular guitar to run number 379 of. I'm greatly indebted to Dave who runs the Vintage Yamaha FG webpage for some of the information he's put up regarding this line of instruments. the 'FG' I believe stood for 'Folk Guitar', perhaps a nod to the burgeoning hippie culture that was just emerging at the time in the States with artists like Joni Mitchell, Jefferson Airplane and numerous other folk-rock outfits with a 'J' in their name. For those that are curious, the FG series by Yamaha was first introduced in the late 60s, and included models covering nylon-strung classicals, clones of Martin dreadnaughts, 000's and the like. Indeed, since coming into my possession it has even been fired in anger and was used for some 12-string texture on a recording or two:Įssentially it is nothing more than Yamaha's re-interpretation of a Martin dreadnaught 12-string guitar with a slightly unusual slotted headstock. Unsurprisingly it's had a hard life, but for the most part it still works as expected - it will tune up and make acousic guitar noises, and nothing appears to be irrepairably missing or broken. It was one of those guitars that just hung around various homes, and came and went with people moving in and out of rental properties and student accommodation buildings. Some years ago I was gifted this old Yamaha FG260 12-string acoustic by my old bass player friend.

Perhaps this will keep and happy while I flail around aimlessly trying to pull this off Something a bit out of my comfort zone - an acoustic refurbishment! All those flimsy bits of timber and fragile components is enough to make my teeth curl and toes gnash with fear.

Yamaha fg truss rod