Edwin Meijster's Yamaha FG-360

I was first contacted by Edwin on August 23, 2021. This FG-360 would be the 19th Japanese model that we know of and number 149 overall.

Hi David,

I am Edwin Meijster from The Netherlands. I highly appreciate your initiative to documentate this great guitar.

Yesterday, while I am on holiday in Hungary, I discovered this Yamaha F 360 at a flea market.

After more than 40 years of guitar studying/performing/recording/repairing guitars I automatically get drawn to good guitars.

And I tell you; there are not many on flea markets….

As was the case here. I saw the Yamaha logo and the guitar and immediately picked it up, tuned it and started to play. I was amazed about the rich tonal range of this guitar; the low basses and the Martin like tingling in the high regions. Even though the strings are old and not the best quality at the moment.

During my time as a musician and teacher I came across a lot of Yamaha guitars, mostly from students, and I always have been amazed about the build and sound quality of these guitars. I did not think much of this guitar at first although it played and sounded great immediately. I thought it might be a low end guitar. I never did much research on Yamaha guitars. I once bought a brand new Martin D 42 which I used for recording but which I sold because I was afraid that it would damage/be stolen ( mmmm ). As my main acoustic I play a Martin D copy from the seventies of the brand Bird. Though made of laminated wood, this is a good sounding, well built clone, records well, sounds and plays great. Until now this was enough for me.

The seller of the F 360 asked me 200 euro’s for it but I ended up paying 140 euro’s for it. I doubted if it was worth it. The seller told me that it was a bargain and that he parted from it with pain in his heart. Yesterday I immediately did some research on this guitar and discovered that this guitar is actually a great one and that i made a good deal! Initially I already heard the sound and I noticed the built quality. It also plays like a dream, although the neck is rather thin and small.

After my research I ended up with the following information: the 8 digit serial number, which I discovered on the brace right under the sound hole is 21221625 and suggests, due to my research, that this guitar might have been built around December 21st 1972 or maybe somewhere beginning 1973?.

The tan label says:

Nippon Gakkki CO, LTD.

10-1 Nakazawacho Mammatsu Japan ( I will send you photos of the label, serial no, and the guitar itself ).

According to my research this guitar has not been made for export purposes but solely for the Japanese market. However it ended up in Europe.

The guitar is, apart from some buckle rache on the back and some scratches/dents on the sound board and the top of the neck, in a very good state, body, neck, fretboard etc. are crackless, all the glue inside and outside is still immaculate. Neck relief and string height are great. I believe it is in the original state without any alteration whatsoever. I wanted to electrify it and change bridge pins, saddle and nut, but it is so good as it is, that I decided to leave it in its original state and use it only acoustically and if I want to record it I will use mics. It would be a pity to drill in and alter an almost 50 year old instrument which is still in its original state. I cannot see exactly if the used woods, or at least the sound board is made of massive or laminated wood. There are many contradicting opinions and stories. I also would like to know if it is handbuilt or not. Could you give me more info about this, if possible? My guess is, and some people would agree with me, that the guitar is made of laminated wood of a very good quality. I think this because its state, after so many years, is still so great without any crack at all. On the other hand my, ending 70’s, concert classical guitar, made out of massive real tone wood, is in the same kind of shape.

Any other info you could give me is highly appreciated. Good luck, good health and keep up the good work,

Kind Regards, Edwin Meijster

Our thanks to Edwin for contacting us.

Webmaster's note: Edwin is correct on the date of build but this guitar is one of the early Japanese models that was exported to other countries, but not to the USA.

Edwin Meijster