Thanks Ted! There’s a reason why I trusted you with these repairs. For clarity sake, this is my guitar, which was originally handed down to me from my grandpa when I started taking guitar lessons about 20 years ago. It’s been setup a few times and no one could get the relief right and the action was tough to play through. But Ted nailed it. Thanks again!
You know after watching and waiting for everyone of Ted’s new videos to come out. Everything he did seems pretty routine for setting up an acoustic guitar. Stuff I’ve watched him do many time. I guess my perspective is jaded from watching these videos. I might even say I’m a UA-cam certified expert! Lol
In 1971 I bought my first REAL guitar, before I headed off for college. It was a Yamaha FG 75. Before that, I had a $30 Silvertone guitar from Sears. Which I got for Christmas in 1966. Those old Yamaha guitars from the 70s are great guitars and they're worth putting a little bit of money into them after all these years. Thanks for the great video. It brought back memories.
I have repaired several solid top Yamaha guitars from the 70s and 80s for my students. You perfectly described the frustrating neck joints. As always, THANK YOU for sharing Professional experience and insight! However, the acoustic quality and balance of the Yamaha tone wood top construction, and true temperament intonation throughout the fret scale, share the precision, acoustic quality and dynamic range with our vintage Gibson B- series, 1952 Guild F- 20 and Martin guitars. Kind Sir, you are correct that older Yamaha guitars are not worth much as "collector value", but when they are good, they are very, Very Good. When an old Yamaha is donated to our school, I rejoice, because it is Worth Repairing, and will last...knowing that the neck block will be misery if I have to take it apart (huge smile).
One of your impressive qualities is your knowledge and experience regarding different guitar building methods of so many manufacturers! I'm sure it helps keep you out of trouble but its interesting as a free lesson for us subscribers as well. Its always a very interesting and entertaining 20-30 minutes!
A while ago I read that some of the Yamaha Red Labels used laminate on the top to help mitigate warping due to the humidity of shipborne transport to North America. For some reason, perhaps by lucky accident, these laminate topped guitars ended up sounding really nice.
Have even more appreciation for your work after seeing a video by Tanya Shpachuk yesterday, repairing a broken off headstock. The comments were filled with what a great job she did. They obviously havent seen your videos, as I thought it was horrible, and every single thing she did to the guitar had me cringing. For instance, she used a can of brown spray paint, a coarse woodworking file to smooth the crazy glue filled cracks, and she smeared titebond all over the truss rod and nut.
My first guitar was an FG75. Many years and dollars later has led to a different class of guitar, but I'm still grateful to that old Yamaha for getting me started.
I just did a reset, got lucky. hide glue.dovetail. bridge plate was not much thicker than a business card. bad belly. doctor would not work. job was challenging. really enjoyed your video.
I'm a big fan of vintage Yamaha guitars (have a wonderful old Super Flighter in my collection), but I never knew about the dowel necks though. Thanks for the great info!
Jerry Rosa goes for it on the neck reset. It’s a freak show but great watching. It’s the only in depth vid showing everything Ted talks about. Dowel, metal pins, you name it. Super informative at the very least, for the visuals. Jerry is “that guy” that nobody wants to be. As Ted mentions, the red labels are in, and people want them fixed. Jerry, whether you like his style or not, always goes for it, and I personally love it. At least you can see what’s going on with these necks…..And it’s the only video I could find on this. It’s a three or four part watch.
I am a beginner, but I can do pretty neat jobs. I usually take those guitars, that are not "worth" fixing. It's good practice for me, and the customer walks home happily. As I live in Ukraine, I started to target old, cheaply made soviet guitars and rebuild them to be really good. They usually sell for next to nothing, but after a 100-150$ repair, i make them sound like a 3-400$ guitar
Ted, love your videos. Have learned so much. Coincidentally, I am adding a Bridge Doctor to a Yamaha FG75, same as yours in the video, later today. Thanks, for all the information and great teaching style.
This is an older video I know but I am commenting on the steam neck reset. I have an old 72 Fg 160 nippon gakki Yamaha I bought a few years back it sounds fantastic, very loud and cuts through all other acoustics ive heard even 3000 euro martins and Taylor's maybe not as refined but great in sessions, its just louder than all of them. I get looks from people with my cheap old battered Yamaha. I watched the Australian Luthier who i learned it off, I forget his name. My Yamaha needed a neck reset but was not willing to attempt myself or pay 300 or more. I really got a great result, I clamped down the neck and steamed it every 4 or 5 days for 4 weeks. It hasn't really sprung back either. I got the action down to 2.5 mm at the 12th which is reasonable compared to 4 now before this I had already sanded the saddle down to a minimum and some off the bridge The only thing is to not steam it too much in the one go just for maybe 30 secs at a time until the area of the soundboard around the area where fretboard meets the soundboard the feels warm outside to touch. If you steam it too much the laquer begins to melt 😂. Also an after effect of the steaming was a slight paleness on either side of the fret board on the soundboard leading onto the soundboard from the stretching of the wood. Maybe if i was more careful this would not have happened. But now Im so happy with the setup after the steaming I would do it again. The guitar plays and sounds fantastic now. The steaming is supposed to be even more effective on solid wood guitar's, those old Fg Yamaha s are mostly all laminate. Its definitely worth the try just to see what happens! great video man. There is merit in it and I suppose if you do some experimentation and warn people of side effects its worth a try. From Ireland..
Thank you so much. Never heard about that Bridge Doctor. I do own a 1973 Yamaki De Luxe wich was my first steel string. After a failed re glueing of the bridge that was made by a guitar shop i decided to fix it by myself the dirty way screwing the bridge down with 3 screws against a stripe of tin inside the guitar. That was almost 40 years ago. But after some time the whole soundboard bended and it was no more playable. Now 2 days ago after collecting dust for decades I attached an self copied bridge doctor. And she is still in tune.(almost). And . That sound shot me on a journey into the good times of my youth. I really love it. Thank you very much.
I have this same guitar and did the steam application clamping the neck down for 4 weeks. It made it playable and lowered the action. It did spring back a bit more than I wanted so I may do a second try in a few weeks. It’s had strings on it for a month and hasn’t returned to it’s original state. It will be interesting to see what happens over more time. It’s a cheap experiment so what the heck. It sure sounds sweet.
That, drill reminds me of the thing I used to scramble my eggs when I was a kid lol. It was a manual egg beater. Basically a manual hand mixer. I loved using that thing as a kid lol
Wow. Nice sound from that old Yamaha! And really clear and concise explanations, Ted. Being able to teach well is a gift not many have. Multi-talented, you are. Master craftsman and excellent instructor. Good on ya. Thanks for the videos.
I have an old Yamaha DW5S My wife bought me new in the early 1980s, It needs a neck reset I tried my best I was able to loosen the fretboard extension but after an hour & half of steaming and heating I could not get the neck too move at all. Like you showed they packed the neck to body joint with so much adhesive, I finally gave up cleaned up the fretboard extension re glued it down but I had too refinish the guitar because I ruined the finish from all the steam and it’s a tobacco burst finish so it was a bitch. Thanks for all you do.
Your following grows! I like the demo after the repair you do. You play enough to let us hear the guitar but you don’t go too long so as for some to lose interest. When I demo a customer’s guitar, I do it first then let the customer demo. That way they get both perspectives of the sound, in front and in person. I know you choose repairs that don’t replicate other videos you have done, but you can post any and all repairs no matter how simple or involved, or similar to others because let’s face it, you are teaching about that particular instrument. They are different! I highly enjoy seeing a new video and Iread the comments to see how many have the same opinion as I do. Most do! Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
I remember in the ‘80’s that was why Rik Emmett said he loved being a Yamaha endorsee so much. Apparently his deal included whatever they produced and manufactured, not just guitars.
Great video.....All true information.....I've brought 14 pre '74 Yamahas back to life that needed everything. The first one I paid $50 the last one $300 plus shipping....They all got a minimum of a neck reset ,full refret and in most cases re contour the fret board from years of an overtightend truss rod..I am no longer afraid of performing a neck reset.....Martins are a piece of cake.Love these videos.
I have traditionally poo poohed yamaha guitars...I must now reconsider and regret all the ones I have pass by with out even a glance....I enjoy your videos...You are skilled indeed.
You've helped confirm what my local luthier told me when I told him I wanted the belly bulge fixed on my Mitchell 12 string. I bought that guitar new some time between 2018 and 2020, maybe in late 2019 just after Christmas. The action on it when new was so consistently beautifully low all the way up the neck back then. I REALLY wanted it so I bought it. I never got it set up though (that's what he's doing now as I await the call/text in coming days whenever he's done). After awhile I noticed the belly had bulged and the action was much higher. My luthier told me the bulge is mainly caused by humidity rather than string tension, and can reduce in a dryer environment. He checked and found no damage to the bracing on the inside. But he also found the truss rod had no tension on it and the neck was bowed. He also talked about correcting string height at the nut so all the strings would sit evenly. So I'll see what the result is hopefully soon beyond the new strings I paid for to go with the setup (original ~5yo strings were still on it). In regards to humidity, he briefly tried to sell me on a humidity regulator kit but I didn't want to pursue it. I did want to and did buy a hardshell case for it though.
I have an FG 170 bought in '74 and from new the neck had a pronounced lean making a very high action. I got a luthier to do a neck reset and he did it by peeling back the top part of the back, however he did it it has worked. Regarding the truss rod a friend has an FG 180 and it was supplied with a small socket spanner to adjust the rod. Both models have laminate bodies.
I understand the value/sentiment problem. I have an old Goya acoustic, made in Korea, that I've owned since 1983. I put a Fishman pick up in it. At one point, re-fretted it myself because no one would work on it. I did a poor job, being my first time at it. The epiphone case it is in is worth more than the guitar, yet I can't seem to part with the instrument. I played so many gigs with it and it has been everywhere with me all these years.
You cautioned me against attempting a reset on my F453 a few years back. Very wise council as it happens. The Yammy is now my bottle neck banjo.. Thanks.
Ah yes! " Hammer down with your Yamahama!" Sounds great. Somewhere I've read that the Bridge Doctor will add to the tonality of the guitar, maybe that extra ring that you got there?
I have a late 60s fg 75. Looks like this one is in very similar condition. It needs new tuners and possibly a neck set but I still love to play it. It is very light and resonate. Fantastic sounding guitar.
This was a very useful video. My Dad found one of these at the dump heavily beaten, but decided to se what I could do to fix it. Its a 1974, made in Taiwan model. Love your channel.
I watch pretty much any talking video on UA-cam at 1.5 or 1.75x speed, since it always seems like a waste of time to watch them at 1x. I did this for you as well Ted, but the last little while I find I enjoy watching at 1x and savoring your videos like a fine wine. Keep up the great work!
Interesting note on old action specs! I always had a feeling that vintage/ prewar Gibsons and Martins weren't made with super low action right out of the factory.
One thing that should be mentioned. After installation and during tension rod adjustment and tightening, the guitar, at least in my case, started to pop and crack loudly as the top was being levelled. I believe this is normal, but it can be a little frightening if you're not prepared for this. BTW, results were excellent, Bravo Bridge Doctor !
Great detail on the value of faults and fixes on acoustic guitars Some I've discovered and thanks for your expertise on those I suspected being the case
I have owned a few Yamahas over the years. My first guitar was an inexpensive yamaha. They perform well, Get the job done, are great to learn on. They are always well made, put together. The early 1960's mass-produced guitars were awful. Best avoided. Cheap copies of USA guitars. As time went on, they really came into their own. The modern Japanese built guitars are wonderful. They sound great, are a joy to play. The L series is their top end. A good range of selection. I owned a mid-range LS was very decent. The high-end ones can be Expensive! The range of their guitars is massive. We have a very large Yamaha shop here in London! Always had plenty of Yamahas in the UK due to the lack of a large UK based builder. The only reason why I don't have one in my collection is due to the lack of full solid Mahogany builds. My tonewood of choice these days. Great video as always :-)
Put one in my old Fender last night. Watched a lot of JLD and belly bow clips and for sure it is an issue, but you're the _first_ luthier I've seen also mention neck rise/top sink at the heel end. Sure enough, mine's got that too but luckily not very bad.
It's great to see you work on one of these! I have a Yamaha FG Dreadnought that my father bought in the late seventies. It's a great sounding guitar, I love to play it!
@@dennisyounkin644 おはようございます。good morning from Japan(9:30 am Feb 7th Sunday). Canadian luthier treated Japanese old guitar. thank his great skills and 職人魂(しょくにんたましい shoku-ninn-tama-shii. it means craftsman spirit).
@@freesiaboysince goodmorning, I only said Ohayōgozaimasu knowing its morning in Japan and evening here in Michigan USA. i agree he is Great Craftsman and i enjoy his videos very much. I have lived over 9 months in Japan over the years and hope to go back someday... I work for Toyota here in the USA and work with many Japanese staff and always say Ohayōgozaimasu in the morning and they say Good morning to me... :)
I play guitar for over 45 years now. You've taught me how to eliminate all those little bugs that have bothered me with cheap guitars! Thank you very much
I put a bridge doctor in a 12 string which was fairly new at the time, but the bridge had started to rotate forward. It worked in lowering the hump, but it killed the tone, leaving it with too much bass boom, hollowed out mids, and thin and reedy sounding highs. I put up with it for a couple of months, but ended up removing it in frustration. To my surprise, the top held in place. I did put together a custom string set where I dropped the octave strings on the D and A strings by a gauge, and the octave low E by three gauges which lowered the tension by about 15lbs, and it’s still holding 7 years later.
Wonderfully informative ...as always! I really appreciate you so generously sharing of your vast expertise. Thank you! Cheap guitars with plywood tops can get a huge belly below the bridge. Many years ago I made my own bridge doctor to flatten the plywood top of a road weary Mansfield D28 look alike. It still plays just fine.
Thank you so much. I have a very weird guitar from the Sicilian school with very minimal bracing and I was considering my options on the belly, you've cleared up a lot of thoughts
Love these videos..the way you share you vast knowledge and understanding of stringed instruments in a clear and concise way is very educational..thank you sir!!
70's Yamahas are very nice indeed. They seemed to be better made for their price than any other acoustic out there, which may be why they claimed a good bit of the market. As usual a lovely piece of work .
Thank you very much for this video I have a Yamaha FG-200 with action that is similar to this FG-75. I now have a better idea what to expect when I take my guitar in for service.
Glad it didn't take too much to get the guitar playing again. Though not necessary in this case, I was wondering about an alternative to a Traditional Neck reset, particularly on tricky/complicated heel joints. Why not simply remove the fingerboard, and shim (a long thin wedge) underneath it so a correct string angle can be achieved at the bridge? Obviously, some cleanup and leveling of the neck might be necessary/useful. A correction for any underbow could be made on the neck when gluing back the fingerboard, if it was clamped accordingly.
@Ted---Have you ever thought about using a bridge dr. underneath the fingerboard to bring that dip that occurs from the forward rocking of the joint? Maybe do the same thing you're already doing, just doing in the opposite direction? I have no clue if it's possible or not. I am not a Lutherie. Maybe people are already doing this. I have no clue. I just had a random thought & wondered if it's something that could possibly help you & me & everyone else. I love your videos & just want to thank you for sharing.
FYI in Asia, urea formaldehyde resin glues, and resorcinol glues became popular here for general woodworking as the glue is generally stronger than the wood itself, and many are waterproof, or water-resistant. They can be a bugger to remove
I have one of these hanging on my wall! A 1971 I believe, I've been considering trying a neck reset on it, but maybe I'll just be happy with the action as is Lol
We've had an FG-200 in the family since 1977 so for sentimental reasons I'd pay the money to fix the guitar. And it needs fixed - the action is many 64ths at the 12th fret. Given the problems with a neck reset, could you take the fretboard off and shim it with an inclined plane, then refix the fretboard? Great work as always Ted - always a pleasure to watch.
Great information in this video, would not have thought a burr on a tuner peg hole could cause string breaks. The FG180 from this period is my favorite, I have one and my brother has one. The L series from the 90s are also fantastic. I have a '91 LS11 that is the one I reach for most, beautiful tone and very easy to play.
@@pallecla Hello there, for 2020, only select Breedlove models (less than 5 and all imports) came with the “Bridge Truss” system. I had the opportunity to talk to the design team at Breedlove and they mentioned they’re planning on moving away from the system in the next year or two. According to them, Breedlove’s newest bracing techniques let them “sand the tops thinner and obviate the need for a bridge truss”
@@JonNewquist @pallecla i went back and checked which models still had the bridge truss. Here’s what I found. Oregon Concerto Bourbon 12-string CE - Item No. ORCO04XCEMYMY Solo Concert 12-string CE Red - Item No. SLCN01XCERCOV(3) Solo Concert Jumbo Bass CE - Item No. SLJB01BCERCOV(3) Solo Concert Jumbo Fretless Bass CE - Item No. SLJB01FCERCOV(3) Pursuit Concert 12-string CE - Item No. PSCN01XCESSMA(3) Pursuit Concert Bass CE - Item No. PSCN01BCESSMA(3) The reason they’re moving away from the bridge truss is because of their proprietary Sound Optimization process. It’s incredibly good and provides all the benefits of the bridge truss and much more. If it’s sound optimized, there’s no factory-installed bridge truss, no matter what. I had the opportunity to play their Legacy Concerto Koa for a few days and the sound optimization was unreal. It resonated and sustained like CRAZY. Beats my Martin HD28 and Yamaha AC5R with ease.
I am not a guitar repair person but I love your videos. I love the way you show us what it takes to keep these instruments alive. When you do a neck reset would it be possible to remove the heel plate of the neck and drill a hole from there and run your heat wand in from the bottom? Just curious. Thanks for the videos.
"Hey there gang.." has become my new favorite 3 words
Yeah, makes your day better just like that.
Yes, that is an eagerly awaited greeting.
And so is "Hello, friends."
ua-cam.com/users/RosaStringWorksvideos 😁😍🤗
I always say it before him :D
I've been listening to Fred Jones say that since the 1970s.
@@zapa1pnt I like Jerry Rosa too. These are great luthiers.
Thanks Ted! There’s a reason why I trusted you with these repairs.
For clarity sake, this is my guitar, which was originally handed down to me from my grandpa when I started taking guitar lessons about 20 years ago.
It’s been setup a few times and no one could get the relief right and the action was tough to play through.
But Ted nailed it. Thanks again!
Please send him a recently discarded piece of Brazilian rosewood.
Sounds great
You know after watching and waiting for everyone of Ted’s new videos to come out. Everything he did seems pretty routine for setting up an acoustic guitar. Stuff I’ve watched him do many time.
I guess my perspective is jaded from watching these videos. I might even say I’m a UA-cam certified expert! Lol
@@ahf5471 I was gonna mail him a couple G strings ;)
@@tomkirk6942 i am blown away by the tone change and how much more it projects and sustains
In 1971 I bought my first REAL guitar, before I headed off for college. It was a Yamaha FG 75. Before that, I had a $30 Silvertone guitar from Sears. Which I got for Christmas in 1966.
Those old Yamaha guitars from the 70s are great guitars and they're worth putting a little bit of money into them after all these years.
Thanks for the great video. It brought back memories.
This is my story!
I have repaired several solid top Yamaha guitars from the 70s and 80s for my students. You perfectly described the frustrating neck joints.
As always, THANK YOU for sharing Professional experience and insight!
However, the acoustic quality and balance of the Yamaha tone wood top construction, and true temperament intonation throughout the fret scale, share the precision, acoustic quality and dynamic range with our vintage Gibson B- series, 1952 Guild F- 20 and Martin guitars.
Kind Sir, you are correct that older Yamaha guitars are not worth much as "collector value",
but when they are good, they are very, Very Good.
When an old Yamaha is donated to our school, I rejoice, because it is Worth Repairing, and will last...knowing that the neck block will be misery if I have to take it apart (huge smile).
One of your impressive qualities is your knowledge and experience regarding different guitar building methods of so many manufacturers! I'm sure it helps keep you out of trouble but its interesting as a free lesson for us subscribers as well.
Its always a very interesting and entertaining 20-30 minutes!
I'll second that!
@@JB-jo1pf I'll third that!
Those red label Yamaha do have a nice sound.
I think your work is exemplary. The attention to detail is astounding. Many thanks.
The well educated luthier...just like a perfectly tempered clavier
I'm very confident that this is why we watch the erudite Mr. Woodford !
A while ago I read that some of the Yamaha Red Labels used laminate on the top to help mitigate warping due to the humidity of shipborne transport to North America. For some reason, perhaps by lucky accident, these laminate topped guitars ended up sounding really nice.
Thanks, Ted!
Woohoo! First!
Great job and loved the info on the Yamaha guitars - I didn’t know much of that.
Have even more appreciation for your work after seeing a video by Tanya Shpachuk yesterday, repairing a broken off headstock. The comments were filled with what a great job she did. They obviously havent seen your videos, as I thought it was horrible, and every single thing she did to the guitar had me cringing. For instance, she used a can of brown spray paint, a coarse woodworking file to smooth the crazy glue filled cracks, and she smeared titebond all over the truss rod and nut.
Man, Ted’s hands are beat to snot. Props to a guy who puts in the hours!
My first guitar was an FG75. Many years and dollars later has led to a different class of guitar, but I'm still grateful to that old Yamaha for getting me started.
Mine too back in 1971. 🎸👆
I just did a reset, got lucky. hide glue.dovetail. bridge plate was not much thicker than a business card. bad belly. doctor would not work. job was challenging. really enjoyed your video.
Your video popped up and made my Saturday afternoon so much better, thank you sir.
I'm a big fan of vintage Yamaha guitars (have a wonderful old Super Flighter in my collection), but I never knew about the dowel necks though. Thanks for the great info!
I have a Yamaha classical that I bought in either later 1969 or early 1970. It’s still in great condition.
Jerry Rosa goes for it on the neck reset. It’s a freak show but great watching. It’s the only in depth vid showing everything Ted talks about. Dowel, metal pins, you name it. Super informative at the very least, for the visuals. Jerry is “that guy” that nobody wants to be. As Ted mentions, the red labels are in, and people want them fixed. Jerry, whether you like his style or not, always goes for it, and I personally love it. At least you can see what’s going on with these necks…..And it’s the only video I could find on this. It’s a three or four part watch.
I was impressed by it's overall condition. Its stood the test of time very well. Great video as ever!
I am a beginner, but I can do pretty neat jobs. I usually take those guitars, that are not "worth" fixing. It's good practice for me, and the customer walks home happily. As I live in Ukraine, I started to target old, cheaply made soviet guitars and rebuild them to be really good. They usually sell for next to nothing, but after a 100-150$ repair, i make them sound like a 3-400$ guitar
Ted, love your videos. Have learned so much. Coincidentally, I am adding a Bridge Doctor to a Yamaha FG75, same as yours in the video, later today. Thanks, for all the information and great teaching style.
This is an older video I know but I am commenting on the steam neck reset. I have an old 72 Fg 160 nippon gakki Yamaha I bought a few years back it sounds fantastic, very loud and cuts through all other acoustics ive heard even 3000 euro martins and Taylor's maybe not as refined but great in sessions, its just louder than all of them. I get looks from people with my cheap old battered Yamaha. I watched the Australian Luthier who i learned it off, I forget his name. My Yamaha needed a neck reset but was not willing to attempt myself or pay 300 or more. I really got a great result, I clamped down the neck and steamed it every 4 or 5 days for 4 weeks. It hasn't really sprung back either. I got the action down to 2.5 mm at the 12th which is reasonable compared to 4 now before this I had already sanded the saddle down to a minimum and some off the bridge The only thing is to not steam it too much in the one go just for maybe 30 secs at a time until the area of the soundboard around the area where fretboard meets the soundboard the feels warm outside to touch. If you steam it too much the laquer begins to melt 😂. Also an after effect of the steaming was a slight paleness on either side of the fret board on the soundboard leading onto the soundboard from the stretching of the wood. Maybe if i was more careful this would not have happened. But now Im so happy with the setup after the steaming I would do it again. The guitar plays and sounds fantastic now. The steaming is supposed to be even more effective on solid wood guitar's, those old Fg Yamaha s are mostly all laminate. Its definitely worth the try just to see what happens! great video man. There is merit in it and I suppose if you do some experimentation and warn people of side effects its worth a try. From Ireland..
Ted, for the first 10 minutes of this video I thought you were gonna show the world how to reset Yamaha necks, haha. Great video again as usual.
The steam/clamp method worked for me but I had the time to try it and so far so good after a year.
Thank you so much. Never heard about that Bridge Doctor.
I do own a 1973 Yamaki De Luxe wich was my first steel string.
After a failed re glueing of the bridge that was made by a guitar shop i decided to fix it by myself the dirty way screwing the bridge down with 3 screws against a stripe of tin inside the guitar. That was almost 40 years ago. But after some time the whole soundboard bended and it was no more playable. Now 2 days ago after collecting dust for decades I attached an self copied bridge doctor. And she is still in tune.(almost). And . That sound shot me on a journey into the good times of my youth. I really love it. Thank you very much.
sounds great, so glad you play a little after your done it really finishes it off , cheers
I have this same guitar and did the steam application clamping the neck down for 4 weeks. It made it playable and lowered the action. It did spring back a bit more than I wanted so I may do a second try in a few weeks. It’s had strings on it for a month and hasn’t returned to it’s original state. It will be interesting to see what happens over more time. It’s a cheap experiment so what the heck. It sure sounds sweet.
Very well made video. Smart, experienced and articulate luthier! Great job.
That, drill reminds me of the thing I used to scramble my eggs when I was a kid lol. It was a manual egg beater. Basically a manual hand mixer. I loved using that thing as a kid lol
Wow. Nice sound from that old Yamaha! And really clear and concise explanations, Ted. Being able to teach well is a gift not many have. Multi-talented, you are. Master craftsman and excellent instructor. Good on ya. Thanks for the videos.
I have an old Yamaha DW5S My wife bought me new in the early 1980s, It needs a neck reset I tried my best I was able to loosen the fretboard extension but after an hour & half of steaming and heating I could not get the neck too move at all. Like you showed they packed the neck to body joint with so much adhesive, I finally gave up cleaned up the fretboard extension re glued it down but I had too refinish the guitar because I ruined the finish from all the steam and it’s a tobacco burst finish so it was a bitch. Thanks for all you do.
I always feel so serene after watching Ted ply his craft. I'd say he found his calling. Thank you.
Your following grows! I like the demo after the repair you do. You play enough to let us hear the guitar but you don’t go too long so as for some to lose interest. When I demo a customer’s guitar, I do it first then let the customer demo. That way they get both perspectives of the sound, in front and in person. I know you choose repairs that don’t replicate other videos you have done, but you can post any and all repairs no matter how simple or involved, or similar to others because let’s face it, you are teaching about that particular instrument. They are different! I highly enjoy seeing a new video and Iread the comments to see how many have the same opinion as I do. Most do! Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
"I need a motorcycle"
Yamaha: "We got you."
"I need a synthesizer too"
Yamaha: "We got you."
"I also need a guitar."
Yamaha: "We got you."
Don’t forget to pick up your boat engine too!
Fishing rods aside, do they sell sushi?
I remember in the ‘80’s that was why Rik Emmett said he loved being a Yamaha endorsee so much. Apparently his deal included whatever they produced and manufactured, not just guitars.
Tennis anyone?
Yamaha: "we gotchu fam"
Great video.....All true information.....I've brought 14 pre '74 Yamahas back to life that needed everything. The first one I paid $50 the last one $300 plus shipping....They all got a minimum of a neck reset ,full refret and in most cases re contour the fret board from years of an overtightend truss rod..I am no longer afraid of performing a neck reset.....Martins are a piece of cake.Love these videos.
My prayers have been answered by this wondrous conjurer of conjugation.
I have traditionally poo poohed yamaha guitars...I must now reconsider and regret all the ones I have pass by with out even a glance....I enjoy your videos...You are skilled indeed.
Thank you so much for sharing your skills, insight and knowledge. I always learn something new and appreciate your craft.
You've helped confirm what my local luthier told me when I told him I wanted the belly bulge fixed on my Mitchell 12 string. I bought that guitar new some time between 2018 and 2020, maybe in late 2019 just after Christmas. The action on it when new was so consistently beautifully low all the way up the neck back then. I REALLY wanted it so I bought it. I never got it set up though (that's what he's doing now as I await the call/text in coming days whenever he's done). After awhile I noticed the belly had bulged and the action was much higher. My luthier told me the bulge is mainly caused by humidity rather than string tension, and can reduce in a dryer environment. He checked and found no damage to the bracing on the inside. But he also found the truss rod had no tension on it and the neck was bowed. He also talked about correcting string height at the nut so all the strings would sit evenly. So I'll see what the result is hopefully soon beyond the new strings I paid for to go with the setup (original ~5yo strings were still on it). In regards to humidity, he briefly tried to sell me on a humidity regulator kit but I didn't want to pursue it. I did want to and did buy a hardshell case for it though.
I have an FG 170 bought in '74 and from new the neck had a pronounced lean making a very high action. I got a luthier to do a neck reset and he did it by peeling back the top part of the back, however he did it it has worked.
Regarding the truss rod a friend has an FG 180 and it was supplied with a small socket spanner to adjust the rod. Both models have laminate bodies.
I understand the value/sentiment problem. I have an old Goya acoustic, made in Korea, that I've owned since 1983. I put a Fishman pick up in it. At one point, re-fretted it myself because no one would work on it. I did a poor job, being my first time at it. The epiphone case it is in is worth more than the guitar, yet I can't seem to part with the instrument. I played so many gigs with it and it has been everywhere with me all these years.
As allways a brilliant lecture ,
Doctor Woodford ! 😊
Thank you.
You cautioned me against attempting a reset on my F453 a few years back. Very wise council as it happens. The Yammy is now my bottle neck banjo..
Thanks.
“I snugged it up till it started feeling scary”, Ted Woodford. HAHA, another great statement!
I did this to my Yamaha Goodwill rescue, works great! 👍
Been waiting for your video all week!!!
Really. Nice work and enjoyable to listen to you explain. Thanks
I don't remember the other Bridge Doctor having that dowel running through it. Guess I'll have to watch that one again after this.
I don't like bridge doctors, but sometimes they have there place when really needed, this guitar didn't need it.
Ah yes! " Hammer down with your Yamahama!" Sounds great. Somewhere I've read that the Bridge Doctor will add to the tonality of the guitar, maybe that extra ring that you got there?
Another great and informative video; thanks Ted.
I just wanted to say I love watching your videos, I find them relaxing and very informative! Hope you keep making them!
Some very nice inside-the-guitar shots. Nice work, as always. Thanks.
Thanks for the quality content. Good balance of show vs. tell, good editing.
I have the infamous "FG-180" from this line, still a great build!
I have a late 60s fg 75. Looks like this one is in very similar condition. It needs new tuners and possibly a neck set but I still love to play it. It is very light and resonate. Fantastic sounding guitar.
This was a very useful video. My Dad found one of these at the dump heavily beaten, but decided to se what I could do to fix it. Its a 1974, made in Taiwan model. Love your channel.
Superb workmanship as ever, top job 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I watch pretty much any talking video on UA-cam at 1.5 or 1.75x speed, since it always seems like a waste of time to watch them at 1x. I did this for you as well Ted, but the last little while I find I enjoy watching at 1x and savoring your videos like a fine wine. Keep up the great work!
Jeebus that rosewood plug is hardly noticeable at all!
I was mention that. I purposely leave them noticeable so the next guy knows where to find it.
@@twoodfrd I'd rather have a pearl dot. A dot is noticeable in a good way. But if the customer wants it like that, who am I to complain.
I didn't like the pearl thing, so just left the screw showing on my Yamaha. For my own use, I don't mind it.
Great playing at the end! Great luthier and amazing acoustic picker.
Interesting note on old action specs! I always had a feeling that vintage/ prewar Gibsons and Martins weren't made with super low action right out of the factory.
Awesome video !!!!!
Full of information!!!!
One of your best. Thanks.
I always look forward to these!
Lot's of very solid information in this video. Thanks very much.
More Yamaha videos would be awesome! Loved learning the history of Yamaha’s techniques! The Nippon Gakki FG’s are gems!
One thing that should be mentioned. After installation and during tension rod adjustment and tightening, the guitar, at least in my case, started to pop and crack loudly as the top was being levelled. I believe this is normal, but it can be a little frightening if you're not prepared for this. BTW, results were excellent, Bravo Bridge Doctor !
At our store we had a 1951 Yamaha flat top come in for strings, sounded great !
Great detail on the value of faults and fixes on acoustic guitars
Some I've discovered and thanks for your expertise on those I suspected being the case
Thank you so much for this very detailed description and facinating piece of guitar history.
Nice work Ted, clearly explained. I have two red labels - a 75 and a 150... thanks for the info, I understand my old Yamahas much better now.
My first acoustic was an FG-75! Great little guitar!
Ah finally. Something decent to watch this weekend. Thanks Ted 👍
I have owned a few Yamahas over the years. My first guitar was an inexpensive yamaha. They perform well, Get the job done, are great to learn on. They are always well made, put together. The early 1960's mass-produced guitars were awful. Best avoided. Cheap copies of USA guitars. As time went on, they really came into their own. The modern Japanese built guitars are wonderful. They sound great, are a joy to play. The L series is their top end. A good range of selection. I owned a mid-range LS was very decent. The high-end ones can be Expensive! The range of their guitars is massive. We have a very large Yamaha shop here in London! Always had plenty of Yamahas in the UK due to the lack of a large UK based builder. The only reason why I don't have one in my collection is due to the lack of full solid Mahogany builds. My tonewood of choice these days. Great video as always :-)
Put one in my old Fender last night. Watched a lot of JLD and belly bow clips and for sure it is an issue, but you're the _first_ luthier I've seen also mention neck rise/top sink at the heel end. Sure enough, mine's got that too but luckily not very bad.
It's great to see you work on one of these! I have a Yamaha FG Dreadnought that my father bought in the late seventies. It's a great sounding guitar, I love to play it!
kon-nichi-wa!! (こんにちわ) from Japan. I always enjoy to watch from Japan (5:55 am)
おはようございます
@@dennisyounkin644
おはようございます。good morning from Japan(9:30 am Feb 7th Sunday).
Canadian luthier treated Japanese old guitar. thank his great skills and 職人魂(しょくにんたましい shoku-ninn-tama-shii. it means craftsman spirit).
@@freesiaboysince goodmorning, I only said Ohayōgozaimasu knowing its morning in Japan and evening here in Michigan USA. i agree he is Great Craftsman and i enjoy his videos very much. I have lived over 9 months in Japan over the years and hope to go back someday... I work for Toyota here in the USA and work with many Japanese staff and always say Ohayōgozaimasu in the morning and they say Good morning to me... :)
Ah, that big, bright Yamaha sound!
I play guitar for over 45 years now. You've taught me how to eliminate all those little bugs that have bothered me with cheap guitars! Thank you very much
It's got a good sound. I really enjoyed this video.
I put a bridge doctor in a 12 string which was fairly new at the time, but the bridge had started to rotate forward. It worked in lowering the hump, but it killed the tone, leaving it with too much bass boom, hollowed out mids, and thin and reedy sounding highs.
I put up with it for a couple of months, but ended up removing it in frustration. To my surprise, the top held in place. I did put together a custom string set where I dropped the octave strings on the D and A strings by a gauge, and the octave low E by three gauges which lowered the tension by about 15lbs, and it’s still holding 7 years later.
A few of my friends from university in the 70s had Yamaha guitars. They were all pretty nice and good value for the dollar at the time any way.
They still are.
They are great well built guitars.
I had an FG-110 right up until November. Mine was a '72 and it sounded great! I had an FG-75 when I was kid too, that was a '69.
Wonderfully informative ...as always!
I really appreciate you so generously sharing of your vast expertise. Thank you!
Cheap guitars with plywood tops can get a huge belly below the bridge.
Many years ago I made my own bridge doctor to flatten the plywood top of a road weary Mansfield D28 look alike.
It still plays just fine.
Thank you so much. I have a very weird guitar from the Sicilian school with very minimal bracing and I was considering my options on the belly, you've cleared up a lot of thoughts
"A kung fu neck rest", priceless.
Super interesting guitar geometry. Great Ted 🎶🎶🎶
Love these videos..the way you share you vast knowledge and understanding of stringed instruments in a clear and concise way is very educational..thank you sir!!
70's Yamahas are very nice indeed. They seemed to be better made for their price than any other acoustic out there, which may be why they claimed a good bit of the market. As usual a lovely piece of work .
Thank you very much for this video I have a Yamaha FG-200 with action that is similar to this FG-75. I now have a better idea what to expect when I take my guitar in for service.
Glad it didn't take too much to get the guitar playing again. Though not necessary in this case, I was wondering about an alternative to a Traditional Neck reset, particularly on tricky/complicated heel joints. Why not simply remove the fingerboard, and shim (a long thin wedge) underneath it so a correct string angle can be achieved at the bridge? Obviously, some cleanup and leveling of the neck might be necessary/useful. A correction for any underbow could be made on the neck when gluing back the fingerboard, if it was clamped accordingly.
@Ted---Have you ever thought about using a bridge dr. underneath the fingerboard to bring that dip that occurs from the forward rocking of the joint? Maybe do the same thing you're already doing, just doing in the opposite direction? I have no clue if it's possible or not. I am not a Lutherie. Maybe people are already doing this. I have no clue. I just had a random thought & wondered if it's something that could possibly help you & me & everyone else. I love your videos & just want to thank you for sharing.
Great video. Thank you.
These older FGs are really nice sounding and looking guitars.
FYI in Asia, urea formaldehyde resin glues, and resorcinol glues became popular here for general woodworking as the glue is generally stronger than the wood itself, and many are waterproof, or water-resistant. They can be a bugger to remove
I have one of these hanging on my wall! A 1971 I believe, I've been considering trying a neck reset on it, but maybe I'll just be happy with the action as is Lol
Good information and insights. Good video, thx.
We've had an FG-200 in the family since 1977 so for sentimental reasons I'd pay the money to fix the guitar. And it needs fixed - the action is many 64ths at the 12th fret.
Given the problems with a neck reset, could you take the fretboard off and shim it with an inclined plane, then refix the fretboard?
Great work as always Ted - always a pleasure to watch.
Great information in this video, would not have thought a burr on a tuner peg hole could cause string breaks. The FG180 from this period is my favorite, I have one and my brother has one. The L series from the 90s are also fantastic. I have a '91 LS11 that is the one I reach for most, beautiful tone and very easy to play.
My 2002 Breedlove came with a JLD truss when new. I had no idea it was available as an add-on.
It is standard on Breedlove guitars.
@@pallecla Hello there, for 2020, only select Breedlove models (less than 5 and all imports) came with the “Bridge Truss” system. I had the opportunity to talk to the design team at Breedlove and they mentioned they’re planning on moving away from the system in the next year or two. According to them, Breedlove’s newest bracing techniques let them “sand the tops thinner and obviate the need for a bridge truss”
@@pugmager Good info, thank you.
@@pallecla - right. I've seen its use shrinking since Kim sold to the hippie dudes. They're really not much like the original guitars anymore.
@@JonNewquist @pallecla i went back and checked which models still had the bridge truss. Here’s what I found.
Oregon Concerto Bourbon 12-string CE - Item No. ORCO04XCEMYMY
Solo Concert 12-string CE Red - Item No. SLCN01XCERCOV(3)
Solo Concert Jumbo Bass CE - Item No. SLJB01BCERCOV(3)
Solo Concert Jumbo Fretless Bass CE - Item No. SLJB01FCERCOV(3)
Pursuit Concert 12-string CE - Item No. PSCN01XCESSMA(3)
Pursuit Concert Bass CE - Item No. PSCN01BCESSMA(3)
The reason they’re moving away from the bridge truss is because of their proprietary Sound Optimization process. It’s incredibly good and provides all the benefits of the bridge truss and much more. If it’s sound optimized, there’s no factory-installed bridge truss, no matter what.
I had the opportunity to play their Legacy Concerto Koa for a few days and the sound optimization was unreal. It resonated and sustained like CRAZY. Beats my Martin HD28 and Yamaha AC5R with ease.
I am not a guitar repair person but I love your videos. I love the way you show us what it takes to keep these instruments alive. When you do a neck reset would it be possible to remove the heel plate of the neck and drill a hole from there and run your heat wand in from the bottom? Just curious. Thanks for the videos.