Yamaha classical

Started by Denis, April 20, 2008, 04:31:14 PM

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hard to classify exactly what Yamaha was thinking of when they made the Dynamics...part classical guitar part folk guitar. Here are a couple of pics of the bracing they used on them I saved from the web...as I say some guys here string them with steels, I tried that, I used a set of 8 electric strings but didn`t like the tone I was getting now 99% of mine have nylons and I`m happier with that sound.




Quote from: sneaky on April 28, 2008, 09:54:35 PM
hard to classify exactly what Yamaha was thinking of when they made the Dynamics...part classical guitar part folk guitar. Here are a couple of pics of the bracing they used on them I saved from the web...as I say some guys here string them with steels, I tried that, I used a set of 8 electric strings but didn`t like the tone I was getting now 99% of mine have nylons and I`m happier with that sound.



Wow, that is one bracing pattern I've never seen before! 

My little CG131S makes for a fun little fingertstyle guitar and I find I have to make more of an effort to play cleanly with the nylong strings...makes me think of technique a bit more...that's a good thing.

Thanks for the picture of the bracing, it is a strange one. If the back and sides are not extremely "light" I think it would be a Folk git for sure.

I`ve linked this before but hear some Dynamics played by somebody at this site...


http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/kyoku/original.html


Quote from: sneaky on April 29, 2008, 10:31:25 AM
view guitars from members of a web site here...

http://www.geocities.jp/mmasmcb/catalog.html

Those are some sweet looking guitars sneaky.  I`d love to find one of those to try.  How many of those are all solid wood? 

the S series Dynamics, there are pics of the S50 and S70 at that site were Yamaha`s first laminates as an answer to complaints about cracked tops on export models, like the #s30, 50 and 70 at the top of that page...my #30 is from the mid 50s according to info I got from those guys there. Yamaha later made the #15 for export. Their first classical series had several models and the low end No.25, pictured at that site, is not all solid as far as I know...the models in that series went...No. 25, 60, 80 100, 120 and 150.. I bought a No. 60 that I wanted for parts...it was badly damaged so I took it apart to see what it was made like and it was all laminate too. My No. 80 has a solid top at least but I won`t take that one apart...and my No.s 100, 120 amd 150 are all solid...the 100 is maple, 120 mahogany and 150 Palisander. By the way none of those pictured at that site are mine though I own most of those models, so all those not mentioned in this post are all solid...too many to list, and anyways they are listed over there. The members at that site have some real beauties and the Dynamics have a small but rabid following here...present company excluded of course. I`m up to 26 of them now and a #10 sold for about $60.oo last night on line here so they are still very cheap...though some models like the #80 have sold for a few hundred dollars as they are more rare...but personaly I don`t really like all the MOP around the top of that model. A seller had one for 100,ooo recently but no bidders even though it looked to be mint condition so the collectors may be rabid but not stupid eh.   

few of mine...my #30 on the right...





first run classicals... a rare No.85 on the left and a No. 45 on the right...outstanding maple on those and every one I`ve seen is natural finish.





 :nice guitar: :nice guitar: :nice guitar: :nice guitar: :nice guitar: :nice guitar:   Very nice sneaky.  Danny

it`s back on the web now with a reduced buy it now price of $850.oo...

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f57362868

Too much bling for me, but a seldom seen Yamaha Dynamic No 8 on eBay.  Interesting that the string rollers are plastic classical style, while most all of Sneaky's have steel rollers to accomodate steel strings. I've watched the Dynamics on ebay for a few years, and have seen only 1-2 Dynamics with steel rollers.  It seems they kept all the steel roller models at home in Japan.  See Auction Here




D-02E

Quote from: JohnM2001 on June 01, 2008, 03:10:49 PM
Too much bling for me, but a seldom seen Yamaha Dynamic No 8 on eBay.  Interesting that the string rollers are plastic classical style, while most all of Sneaky's have steel rollers to accomodate steel strings. I've watched the Dynamics on ebay for a few years, and have seen only 1-2 Dynamics with steel rollers.  It seems they kept all the steel roller models at home in Japan.  See Auction Here






that price is a bargain...theres a #80 on line here now for 130,ooo ! See below.
Couple of things about that one on e-bay...I`ve never seen a Dynamic with a squared off headstock like that, but the 4 digit serial might mean one from the 50s as does the label and my books don`t mention that model as an export but the web has changed everything, the plastic rollers, well who knows...might be owners changed them out, might be Yamaha put them on models going overseas nobody really seems to know for sure. I agree...I don`t like all the stuff around the top...bit much for my eyes and I see he says some pieces have fallen off, another reason not to buy one for me. But those have come up on line in Japan before and I`ve seen them go for close to $1000.oo...$1300.oo is too much, if the person selling the one linked here drops the ptice by a few hundred I bet he sells it but he may be counting on a buyer spending their June/July bonus money...twice a year full time workers get a bonus that can be up to 3 months wages. But I won`t be paying that much for any of em, probably paid that for ALL of mine.

heres the one on Yahoo Japan.....and the white with red label on this one seems to be from the early 60s so the e-bay guitar is older.
http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b85858818

Blast from the past.  When I got my Dynamic #40 off eBay, it had been sitting somewhere for a long time.  Came with that Gibson pickguard.  It had big balls of lint etc inside on the bottom, an obvious mouse nest, and had a bit of water damage to the bottom endpin area, where the top and bottom were coming loose from the end block.   I squirted in some wood glue and clamped it all down for a few days and it has been solid ever since.  My bridge was loose too, and that little abalone dot in the middle of the bridge?  There is a screw under there that I assume helps hold the bridge on.  In the bracing photos below, you can see the hole where that screw comes through the bridge, I assume there must be a nut or something on the other end of that screw inside the guitar.  I glued down the bridge too, and installed a bone saddle.  Sounds great with nylon strings, and I assume this one was not meant for steel strings (plastic rollers on tuners), steel string tension would probably rip the bridge right off, although the Dynamic models that have steel rollers on the tuners seem to be set up for steel or nylon strings.  this has a huge fat neck, 1 7/8" at nut, all the finish wear reminds me of an old maple tele neck.  Someone played the snot out of this one, and it has a very cool, worn feel to match the mellow tone.  I can only imagine all campfires and beach parties this one attended. 




Quote from: sneaky on April 28, 2008, 09:54:35 PM
hard to classify exactly what Yamaha was thinking of when they made the Dynamics...part classical guitar part folk guitar. Here are a couple of pics of the bracing they used on them I saved from the web...as I say some guys here string them with steels, I tried that, I used a set of 8 electric strings but didn`t like the tone I was getting now 99% of mine have nylons and I`m happier with that sound.




D-02E

not sure about yours but mine have a cylindrical saddle, not intonated so I just couldn`t get steel strings to be in  tune...if you could get an intonated saddle to fit in the slot of the bridge steels may work however, you have plastic rollers...not a good idea.
Yes...there is a nut on the end of the screw going through the bridge, some other brands from that time have two pearloid dots concealing 2 screws. I have seen pics of old Yamaha catalogs and they show gut strings as well as Dynamic strings, though I haven`t actually seen any up close and personal I wonder why they would make Dynamic strings if they already had gut strings...unless...the Dynamics were a special gauge, not sure. Have seen the dust bunnies in some of mine and evidently many had been neglected for years and years because they were covered in grime, so bad that I had to toss the gars after cleaning, just too dirty to even wash.
Still, those are the ones I love to breathe new life into, the ones that people gave up on long ago, I think I get as much pleasure out of resurrecting them as I do playing them. 

I don't play classical, but sometimes just yearn for a change, so some years ago, I bought about the cheapest Yamaha classical I could find. The model is something like a CG111C. When it arrived, I really felt like I'd wasted my money. It was almost unplayable and sounded terrible. I took it to a friend who had recently opened his own guitar store. We talked about whether it was a sow's ear that could be turned into a silk purse.

After about 30 minutes of messing with the saddle and the nut, plus a string change to some Darco strings, (apparently a Martin sub brand?), it's eminently playable and with those strings, it sounds wonderful.

It's no $20,000 Ramairez... (I've played one and believe me, I remember it), but for maybe an hour a week playing nylon strings, it's as much as I know how to enjoy. I was at an Acoustic Guitar Forum jam yesterday and my fingers are still a bit sore. NOW is when the little Yamaha really comes in handy.

OK... supportive rant over.  :nice guitar:
Larrivee L03SP, (all sapele)
Taylor 110
Martin DSM
Silver Creek T-160

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