In praise of Yamaha...

Nunogilberto

Tell you what, they might not be the most desirable or glamorous guitars, but Yamaha know how to put their guitars together.

I've had a few of them down the years, both new and used, and the quality and general feel have always been consistent. Sometimes I wish they did slightly wider necks, but I guess you can't have it all...

Just last week, I picked up this beaten up 1998 ERG121 on the way back from my hols in Cornwall. I've cleaned it up, tightened up both control knobs, set the bridge flush and restrung it - for £35, it's a fooking bargain.

Just spent the last hour with it plugged in and flying around the board - for a budget guitar it sounds nice enough; the in-between tones are more woody than spanky and lack a little clarity, but otherwise it sounds great. Nice, punchy rock tones and it feels solid. I'm in two minds whether to keep it or not (partly because I could do with the money) but I'm erring towards keeping it for my jam nights...

Phil_aka_Pip

nice one!

ennspek

I agree. They are consistently both good and great value.

joeyowen

No frills, but they defo do what they say on the tin.

Good stuffs

usedtobe

These the ones they did in argos, and catalogues?

Nunogilberto

@usedtobe I think so. I had one going back about ten years ago, and that was a good guitar too.

Sassafras

I don't know about the electrics but I've had some really good acoustics over the years.

guitargeek62

If it's got a black headstock, then it's an RG121(SJ?) rather than an Exx. I had an identical one as my first decent guitar for a couple of years - also in Cornwall funnily enough, don't suppose this was from St Newlyn East area?

impmann

Yamaha make much under rated instruments IMHO.

Nunogilberto

@guitargeek62 - from Exmouth, this one. May have been second hand to the person I bought it off, so you never know.

Gru

I believe the prices have come down too recently. The 112v is under £200, and I was quite suprised to see the 311H selling for just £220

I have had a couple of 112s and they were great. Like all the guitars I have bought and sold, not sure why I sold it on?

Fretwired

Everything Yamaha makes has quality stamped over it .. I picked up a battered 821D a few years ago - real rock axe - and after a setup it played beautifully. I sold it to a forumite .. don't know why. I still have a Pacifica 812W .. these are brilliant - Seymour Duncan pickups, Wilkinson hardware .. you can buy them for peanuts.

Gizmo

Just refinishing an 80's RGZ 211m i picked up a while back off ebay for £65,total bargain and im a sucker for 80's maple FB'ed superstrat's.... it was a pearl white but had some sun/age bleech that didn't look to good,atm Ive refinished taxi cab yellow with a few coats of clear on it (looks kinda like this)



but i think im going to try giving it a suhr dip finish

rossyamaha

You all clearly have exceptional taste and are very knowledgable. Probably well hung too.

xmrchi

rossyamaha;701574" said:

You all clearly have exceptional taste and are very knowledgable. Probably well hung too.

@rossyamaha Reply of the day for me.

Sassafras

Well, I've got poor taste and I'm not very knowledgeable but yes.

DiscoStu

My niece's first electric was an ERG121 I bought it for her in a local auction room for £30.

It was dirty, had black crusty strings, was a fair age and had clearly been badly neglected.

Some elbow grease and a new set of strings later and it was good as new! 

Branshen

My dream acoustic is a Japanese L-series acoustic. My first teacher has one and it's a magnificent instrument.