Yamaha Red Label Guitars

[ducktrapper]

Holey Moley. I've owned two of these legendary guitars. The first I bought new in 1971 for about $125.00 and which I foolishly sold to a good friend on the condition he sell it back to me when he bought his Martin. He reneged. I searched out and bought another one about twenty years ago and I was surprised at what these guitars were selling for at that time. Talking to my son in law about it tonight I decided to look up these things and was rather stunned to see a couple of them listed at $1,300.00. I'm not sure if any guitars that weren't owned by famous people have gone up in value as much as these have.    

[unclrob]

It amazes me what some guitars are going for too.

[ducktrapper]

It amazes me what some guitars are going for too.

Yeah but most of them aren't plywood! 

[jazzereh]

I'm presuming you mean 'Red Label' guitars as these are mostly called.  Do you have a serial number on yours?  And is yours an 'FG 180' or something else?

[Mikeymac]

Yeah ... and just try finding a LEFTY!!!

It's not on my GAS list, but a lot of people have great memories of these, and hold them in esteem along with their D-28's (for which they sometimes served as a backup).

[ducktrapper]

I'm presuming you mean 'Red Label' guitars as these are mostly called.  Do you have a serial number on yours?  And is yours an 'FG 180' or something else?

Tomato/tomahto. I'm Canadian and we talk real funny. I've heard them called both. It had an SN on the back of the headstock but it wore off as did most of the word Yamaha on the front of the headstock (stupid Kysers). It's a red label with Yamaha Guitar FG-180 Nippon Gakki (the old name for Yamaha corp) on it. The 180's are the ones that are most desirable and have gone up most in value but are you implying it's not one of the real deals?

https://reverb.com/ca/p/yamaha-fg-180-jumbo-dreadnought-natural  

[ducktrapper]

Yeah ... and just try finding a LEFTY!!!

It's not on my GAS list, but a lot of people have great memories of these, and hold them in esteem along with their D-28's (for which they sometimes served as a backup).

Sometimes called a poor man's D-28. Apparently, Yamaha has a reissue.   

[jazzereh]

Tomato/tomahto. I'm Canadian and we talk real funny. I've heard them called both. It had an SN on the back of the headstock but it wore off as did most of the word Yamaha on the front of the headstock (stupid Kysers). It's a red label with Yamaha Guitar FG-180 Nippon Gakki (the old name for Yamaha corp) on it. The 180's are the ones that are most desirable and have gone up most in value but are you implying it's not one of the real deals?

https://reverb.com/ca/p/yamaha-fg-180-jumbo-dreadnought-natural  

I happen to be a Canuck and have not heard them called other than Red Label.  I also have an FG-180 from the '60's and was implying nothing.  The link you provide is for one made in Taiwan and is priced way less than you mention and more in line with what I've seen.

[ducktrapper]

I happen to be a Canuck and have not heard them called other than Red Label.  I also have an FG-180 from the '60's and was implying nothing.  The link you provide is for one made in Taiwan and is priced way less than you mention and more in line with what I've seen.

I was just kidding around. I've always considered a label and a tag to be the same thing, however. These guitars were made between 1969 and 1971 in Japan. After that the labels changed colours. Anyway, if you scroll down my link you'll see a few others. I believe the first one is a mistake and it's not Taiwanese. Either that or the year is wrong. From what I can see, the label seems right. And just to be clear, the $1,300 one at the bottom (marked down from nearly $1600) is located in Japan which may put the price way out of line.    

[Mikeymac]

One of the ads (for an $1,100 one) mentions "medium" action, which makes me chuckle: IOW, non-playable above the 3rd fret!

Most old Yamaha's I've run across (including one I bought used for my wife around 1980) need a neck reset, which costs more than many of them are worth (though maybe not the Red Label ones).

[ducktrapper]

One of the ads (for an $1,100 one) mentions "medium" action, which makes me chuckle: IOW, non-playable above the 3rd fret!

Most old Yamaha's I've run across (including one I bought used for my wife around 1980) need a neck reset, which costs more than many of them are worth (though maybe not the Red Label ones).

In 1971, my friend and I bought what we thought were identical FG-180s. I bought mine at a well established music store and he bought his from a record store. Mine was very sweet, nice action, sounded great his, imho, was a dog. We didn't know much about set up so who knows why.
This one (that I got off Ebay for $250.00 USD in 2003), besides the beating it's taken (including two scratched in sets of initials), has had the tuners replaced with Grovers and appears to have had a neck reset. If its sound and playability are any indication and judging from what a used Red Label in good condition might go for in the future, perhaps well worth the expense. $120.00 CDN in 1970, they're already selling for 6 to 10 times their original price. How many plywood guitars have done that?
I had a Dean Markley, Tahoe stereo pickup installed (bought cheap) and it's all good. I love this guitar and would have no problem having it as my only guitar should some kind of tragedy befall the others.

[noyage]

I'm not sure if any guitars that weren't owned by famous people have gone up in value as much as these have.    

Gibson J-45 was $45 when it came out in 1942 ;)

[ducktrapper]

Gibson J-45 was $45 when it came out in 1942 ;)

Point taken and, of course, we could bring in difference in wages. I guess I can see a Martin D-28 which was around $500.00 in 1970 selling for $4,500.00 fifty years later but the laminated Yamaha which was around $120.00 also being worth ten times as much today sort of surprised me. I mean you can get a nice brand spankin' new Yamaha with a solid spruce top for around $300.00.   

[Rockysdad]

I still have my Yamaha, it's an FG-140 Red label from Taiwan purchased new from Hi- Note music store in Oakville Ontario in '73. (first acoustic)
It was around a hundred bucks, had one of my college teachers offer me five hundred cash for it a few times in 74-75.
It has a great amount of sentimental value to me these days.

[ducktrapper]

I still have my Yamaha, it's an FG-140 Red label from Taiwan purchased new from Hi- Note music store in Oakville Ontario in '73. (first acoustic)
It was around a hundred bucks, had one of my college teachers offer me five hundred cash for it a few times in 74-75.
It has a great amount of sentimental value to me these days.

Right on. I've had a half a dozen various Yamahas over the years and am a big fan of their guitars. I'd be interested in trying the 50th Anniversary reissue of the FG-180 from that era. $899.00 They only made 180 of them for the US. It's been upgraded to all solid woods. Hope that didn't ruin them.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzBhXGydMC0

[ducktrapper]

Out of curiosity, I Googled the terms and now it's as clear as mud. Not opposites like cut and paste but not exactly synonyms ... or are they?   

"The difference between Label and Tag

When used as nouns, label means a small ticket or sign giving information about something to which it is attached or intended to be attached, whereas tag means a small label.

When used as verbs, label means to put a label (a ticket or sign) on (something), whereas tag means to label (something)."

Who knows? Maybe I've never heard anyone but me call them "red tags" or maybe I got confused with sales at The Brick ... although they don't sell guitars. 

[Mikeymac]

Dunno...

...but down here (south of the 49th) we all know what a "Red TAG Sale" is, but I've never heard of a "Red LABEL Sale"... 

[ducktrapper]

Dunno...

...but down here (south of the 49th) we all know what a "Red TAG Sale" is, but I've never heard of a "Red LABEL Sale"...  

Check the link. There's four or five of them for sale!  

Although, on edit, I have to admit that I've had the (family) nickname "label" since I was knee high to a stand up bass. But I ain't no red! 

[Mikeymac]

I mean you can get a nice brand spankin' new Yamaha with a solid spruce top for around $300.00.   

I just did that a couple weeks ago. Picked up a lefty FG820 - the lefty version is over $300, though ($379 - why, Yamaha? Other's don't charge an extra $100 these days for a lefty version of their low end guitar... but I digress...).

But it's a very well built guitar, with (as you said) a nice, solid Sitka Spruce top, and what Yamaha says is updated (in @ 2016) scalloped top bracing to enhance the tone. Seems to help. Back and sides on this model are supposedly (laminated) Mahogany, while the cheaper FG800 is Nato, and the next model up (FG830?) has laminated Rosewood b&s. But this is the only lefty in the line.

Doesn't sound like a Martin (Martins are warmer), BUT - it does sorta sound like some Larrivees with it's brighter tone across all the strings (that's the main difference I hear between my Larrys and Martins). Plenty of impressive thump on the low E string, and I think the sound will improve with playing.

I lowered the nut slots a little, and presto, a nicely playing, nice sounding "budget" guitar that can go anywhere w/o fear of loss or damage (unless it's your only instrument).

[ducktrapper]

Looks very nice Mike. Just what you needed. 


I play my old Yammie every day and not just because it's the one that's out on a stand. Kind of a chicken and egg thing, I guess. I hope that one turns out to be as good in 50 years.