"Banks of the Ohio ~ Freight Train ~ Careless Love" - YAMAHA FG-200D(1981) - Charlie Hosoda

“YAMAHA FG-200D”(1981)

This guitar was the "Yamaha FG-200D" that gift from my dad when I was 14 years old in 1981. This is the first guitar I got in my life. I used it until around 1990, but after that I didn't play it, and I kept it in the closet. Last month, I had it overhauled by "Matsushita Kobo" in Shibuya. I was interested in how the tone changed after about 30 years, and I was looking forward to the finish.
The frets and pegs were replaced with new, and the nuts and saddles were newly made from hard beef bones. I had a medical examination of various other things, but the condition of the neck was very good, and it seems that the top was not swollen and the string height was appropriate. The storage environment may have been good. By the way, Yamaha FG of this era is now precious and made in Japan, and even the cheapest FG-200D (20,000 yen) is made of good materials. According to the catalog at that time, the top is "Ezomatsu" (spruce) and the side back is "mahogany".
By the way, when I stretch the strings and play them ... a nostalgic tone. The well-known FG-specific a "beautiful bell ringing", has been revived brilliantly. However, at that time, I think the treble was a glaring sound, but it seems a little calm because of the years. I felt that the bass was sounding in a well-balanced manner. Is it because the nut saddle made of resin was replaced with beef bones or heavy pegs? However, compared to D-28 etc., it is certainly unsatisfactory overall. But it's wrong to compare with Martin. This is the tone of Yamaha FG made in Japan that has revived for the first time in 30 years. I felt this was a "good sound". I have a lot of feelings. That's why I'm playing this week in a different mood.

1981 ... The day I first held this guitar, I started my life with the guitar from a big misunderstanding, saying, "This should give me a wonderful future (laughs)." ... and the last time I played this guitar, I said, "Oh, I don't like such cheap things anymore. I want a better guitar." ... And now that the repairs have been completed in 2022, I realized for the first time, "It was such a good guitar!" A new guitar life is about to begin. As long as this misunderstanding continues ...

このギターは1981年、14歳の時に父が買ってくれた「ヤマハFG-200D」。人生で初めて手にしたギターです。1990年頃まで使っていましたがその後は弾くこともなく、押し入れの奥に仕舞い込んでいました。それを先月、渋谷の「松下工房」さんでオーバーホールしてもらいました。約30年の年月を経て音色がどんな風に変化しているかに興味があり、仕上がりを心待ちにしていました。

フレットを新しく打ち直し、ペグを新品のゴトーに交換、樹脂製だったナット、サドルを新たに硬い牛骨で作製。その他諸々を診察してもらいましたがネックの状態はとても良く、トップの膨れもなく弦高も適正だったようです。保存環境が良かったのかもしれません。

ちなみにこの時代のヤマハFGは今となっては貴重な純日本製で、一番安いこのFG-200D（２万円）でも良い材料でしっかり作られています。当時のカタログによると、トップは（合板ですが）「えぞ松」、サイド・バックは「マホガニー」です。

さて、弦を張って弾いてみると・・・懐かしい音色。よく言われている、FG独特のシャリーンという「綺麗な鈴鳴り」が見事に復活しています。しかし当時はもっと高音はギラギラした音だったように思いますが、年月のせいか少し落ち着いた感じです。低音までしっかりバランス良く鳴っているように感じました。樹脂製だったナット・サドルを牛骨に替えたり、重量のあるペグにに交換したからでしょうか。・・・ただD-28などと比べて、総合的には確かに物足りないです。しかしマーチンと比べるのは間違っています。30年ぶりに生き返った純日本製ヤマハFGの音色です。これはこれで「いい音」だと感じました。思い入れも多分にあります。そんなわけで今週はいつもと違う気分で弾いています。

If you like, subscribe to my YouTube channel
   / charlie1967  

#AcousticGuitar #YamahaFG200D #FingerPicking #ThumbPick #BanksOfTheOhio #FreightTrain #CarelessLove #オハイオの岸辺 ＃貨物列車 ＃ゆきずりの恋 ＃ヤマハフォークギター ＃ヤマハFG