I used to think all those little details (like wood, shape, size, adornment, etc.) mattered to the sound of the guitar. Then I had an experience that has imprinted me forever. Here's my story.

I own the cheapest guitar ever made -- a plywood 1969 Yamaha FG140. I used to think that it sounded really good...

....but it sorta lacked, I don't know, punch. I heard that to increase it's power it'd have to have a longer scale length (it's 25") -- well, what with the neck being of fixed length, I determined I'd have to remove the bridge and set it back further.

Well, then the intonation just sucked.

So I figured out (through some careful measuring) that all the frets were now in the wrong places relative to the scale length. So I then decided that, as it would hack up the current fretboard too much to just cut for new frets -- I replaced the whole fretboard.

Then suddenly, the bridge, in its new placement, started to pull up. Seems there's suppose to be some sorta bracing right under the bridge!. It was then that I realized (for the first time) that the top was not actually spruce -- rather it was spruce plywood - the same thing (albeit thinner) that I just put down in my bathroom for subflooring.

That just wouldn't do.

So I bought myself a new top. Sadly, the only tops I could find available were Martin tops, available through a kit. I ordered the top.

Well this was just getting ridiculous -- the top didn't fit my Yamaha. It seems that, though the "FG" looks like a drednaught, it is in fact, not.

Fortunately, the kit from which I had taken the new top, had a new back and sides in it -- and they fit.

I was just botching the assembly something awful so, mid-project, I sent my Yamaha to a reputable luthier. A few weeks into the project he called me. He said that, as long as he was working on the guitar, would I like to have a new neck put on behind that new fretboard.

"Sure" says I.

The Yamaha has open back tuners -- no kidding -- who knew they'd become the vintage rage again? But sadly, they were in really bad shape. I had the luthier replace them with some other open-back tuners (Waverlys).   I wanted to keep my Yamaha original.


Then my luthier friend called me up and said that, as long as my Yamaha was all disassembled at this point, I could have him put some cool herringbone trim, some handsome flamed maple purfling, and a little ablaone accent cut around the soundhole.

I asked him if that would change the sound of my Yamaha. He sounded puzzled by my question at first, but them replied (with some hesitation) that he didn't think so.

I gave him the go-ahead.

Well, I gotta tell you my Yamaha FG140 sounds GREAT!! In fact, I own a fine Martin and this Yamaha sounds just as good!

....and I can only tell you all - think twice before you tell anyone that Yamaha doesn't make some really great guitars.