Yamaha F335, for a beginner?

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SRR

SRR

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My wife has got this bug in her brain that she would like to learn how to play acoustic guitar. And I would love to have her learn. So I get this flyer in the mail today that Guitar Center is coming to town, and their grand opening event is next Thursday. Whoo hooo right? Well in the flyer they have a Yamaha F335 listed for $99. Would this be a good guitar for her to learn on? Anything else in the under $99 catagory that we should be looking at? I did do a search here, found a few threads, and some did suggest Yahama for begginers.
 
I should be playable and certainly better than an Esteban.
 
Yamahas are typically very good guitars for their price but for a beginner MAKE SURE that the action is low enough so not to discourage her due to unbearable fingertip pain!! I don't know about the F335 specifically, but I bought a F-340-II in 1981 for $180 that is a great sounding, and I do mean great sounding guitar and also very playable. I still have it and still love it.

rpe
 
I guess she/we are just gonna have to see what else they have at the grand opening, maybe the 335 will be good enough. If anyone else has something else we should be looking for at the sale, speak up :D.
 
I'd also put light gauge strings on whatever you decide on, maybe as light as 10's.
 
Yamaha

IMO, they are the only budget acoustic worth buying. Once you put on some Martin strings and adjust the action they do not play or sound budget at all.
 
The Yammie can be a great guitar for the piddly money. As folks have mentioned, though, you'll need to have someone there who can check the craftmanship of such a low-cost guitar. Straight neck, smooth frets and bindings, and playing action that's set low enough not to hurt? I used to sell these guitars, among others, and was so impressed back in 1980 that I bought a 345, which I still sometimes use today. I've done some work on it through the years, but it stands up nicely, given its low price, against some of my more expensive guitars. Unfortunately, guitars at that price point (from the same manufacturer) usually have pretty low consistency, so do check a few of the same model before buying.

Good luck,
J.
 
I know we should just stick with going with the yamaha, but I did read some good things about this one: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Acoustic?sku=511192 here on homerecording. The catalog from MF that I got in the mail the other day has it listed for $59 I think......its $79 on the website. Hay if I could save $40 ($59 vs the $99 yammie), that would go along way around here. Any thoughts?
 
SSR,

Follow your link and read the reviews of the Rogue:

The first dozen reviews reveal the following:

1. Buzzing
2. Bridge came loose
3. High action
4. Low quality tuners
5. Nut broke off
6. Bowed neck

I have to admit I've never played a Rogue but I believe you'll be very disappointed if you get one. Once again, consider a Yamaha, and if you can swing it get a solid topped one, like the D10S on page 56 of the MF catalog, $200 well spent.

rpe
 
Alright the $99 Yamaha at GC next thursday it is, hadn't even gotten around to reading the reviews there at MF. Really if she picks it up fast, and likes it, we will buy her a real guitar ($400-500) for her birthday in November. She sings and used to play Sax from grade 5 to grade 12 she was first chair through all of those years, not that sax is a guitar lol, just she is the musician of the two of us.
 
I bought a Yamaha FG-335 back in 1978. It was considered a lower/mid-grade acoustic guitar back then. She cost me $225 with a hardshell case, tax included.

She's still my main player to this very day!

I've had just about everything you can imagine along the way (about a dozen or so other acoustic guitars) but I sold all of them and have only kept my old Yamaha. You can't beat 'em for the money, it's just as simple as that.
 
SRR said:
Alright the $99 Yamaha at GC next thursday it is
Click to expand...

Good move, SRR. You may not realize it, but the solid agreement in this thread is pretty rare at this forum.

Just curious, Buck or others, do you remember what the difference between the old 335 and 345 was?

J.
 
jeffree said:
Just curious, Buck or others, do you remember what the difference between the old 335 and 345 was?

J.
Click to expand...

To the best of my recollection, the FG-335 has binding on just the body.

The FG-345 has both a bound body and bound neck, making it a bit prettier.
 
Yep. Every edge on my 345 is bound, now turned that nice shade of aged yellow.

J.
 
Here's a picture. I had a pre-amp and under the saddle piezo added about 10 years ago.
 

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Since we're on the subject of Yamaha acoustics, does anyone have experience with the L series?
 
rogue acoustic vs yamaha

I remember posting in a thread about rogue acoustics some time back. I ordered several for some students of mine. They were all pretty good right out of the box. One had a blem in the finish and the neck split on another one after some time had passed but Musicians Friend replaced them with no hassles. I got them for $49.00 each. They were pretty good for that price and I think,after a couple of years, all of them are still playable.

Now, after saying all that, for $99.00, I'd go with the Yamaha. It's more money but they are usually great sounding and great playing guitars. My friend has a Yamaha acoustic that I've tried to buy but he won't sell it. I went with him when he bought it. He gave $140.00 for it used. I would still buy it in a heartbeat. He also had a Martin which he did sell to me. That should tell you something about the Yamaha!

I would take someone who knows what to look for to GC and let them advise me if I were you.

Good luck!
 
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You know, guys, this thread has surprised me in a nice way. For 25 years, I've thought that my continuing attachment to my run-of-the-mill Yammie was something no one else could share. Other guitars have come and gone with barely a tear, yet I've never been able to part with my $200 Yammie. I thought that maybe I was lucky when I chose my 345 in 1980, or maybe my enjoyment of this guitar has been more of heart than sound.

But every so often, another musician I respect will compliment my guitar (rather than my playing!), and I wonder if there might be something there. Even a review of one of my tunes by Marty Peters, producer/engineer, in Recording mag (October 2005) mentioned my cheap old Yammie: "The acoustic guitar is very well presented, particularly for a non-boutique instrument..." (with a cheap pre-amp and a $99 mic, no less).

Yeah, I don't know if Yam is making these acoustics like it used to, but the older models seem to have some loyal fans, you and me included. Somehow good to know you're there.

J.
 
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