James Adams' Yamaha FG-360

I received this e-mail James Adams on August 14, 2010:


Hello from New Brunswick Canada!
 
I bought my 1974 FG360 Nippon Gakki last year via EBay from a pawn shop in the southern States for $325 US. It had been adjusted for E flat tuning to prevent bridge pulling/bellying and neck stress, so it is in very good to excellent condition.  I put Grover tuners on it using the original drilled holes (cool!), and I also installed black buffalo horn bridge pins, with a Bob Colosi custom bone saddle built to the original saddle specs. the neck is super straight, and I set the saddle for 7/64 action at the 12th fret.
 
Since this is Nippon Gakki, it has an ebony bridge and fretboard as compared to the later Taiwan FG360's which have rosewood instead of ebony.  Ironically, the Taiwanese models are even rarer and perhaps resulting in being more valuable than it's better quality handcrafted original Japanese counterpart....It's very difficult to determine whether my Nippon Gakki has a solid top or not, but if it isn't, it has a very unique lamination indicative of just how good Nippon Gakki luthiers were back then, and the high grade spruce they were using .
 
I wish I knew where Coral Rosewood comes from....no info out there about it that I can find........it definitely looks similar to Brazilian Jacaranda or Bolivian Rosewood.......it's sound is so unique and epic.....not as snappy as Indian Rosewood, even with an ebony fretboard/bridge, and it has midrange qualities similar to mahogany.......almost like a Koa wood sound.
 
I own several acoustic guitars including Martin, Gibson, and Yamaha Japan/Taiwan, and this guitar is only surpassed by my Martin D35.  It's as good if not better than my Martin D15.  For a 36 year old guitar, the spruce has really mellowed and opened up the midrange, and when combined with the bone saddle and horn bridgepins, the sound is just so full, sonic, and balanced....a true example of what age and high quality tone-wood can produce.....Unbelievable guitar!! I have to hear what the FG360 sounds like recorded!
 
Cheers
 
James
Bathurst, NB
Canada
 
1971 Yamaha FG180 Nippon Gakki
1971 Yamaha FG230 Nippon Gakki (12 str)
1974 Yamaha FG360 Nippon Gakki
1981 Fender F3 ( MIJ )
1991 Takamine Jasmine S46 (white)
1993 Gibson Epiphone PR7E (Ace Frehley's KISS Unplugged guitar)
2000 Martin D15
2002 Yamaha DW15 (UK Edition)
2003 Yamaha DW7-12 (p/u installed)
2004 Martin D35
2006 Gibson J180 EC Special
2006 Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Ultra (modified with Seymour Duncan p/u's)
2007 RD-50-E resonator


Our thanks to James for sharing his story with us.

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