I was given a Costco Yamaha entry level guitar a number of years ago and it was fine for me not having an acoustic and not having any money to spend on an acoustic,...but it was just a dull sounding, boring, cheapo, soundboard warped, hard to play, hence never played guitar. Probably worth throwing in the campfire. I initially set out to try to find a Squier Offset, but what I'm looking for isn't available for instant gratification. I'm bearing the need for a good acoustic in the back of my mind however. I check out the mom and pops,...some pawn shops, and GC but not really feeling good about anything I'm seeing.
The last place to check out is a mom and pop that I'm not all that inclined to shop at in the first place. The owner is a little,...uh,...rude is not the word I'm looking for,...just,...a bit abrasive; but I went anyway as it was on the way home and why not. In amongst some new Chinese acoustics (nothing against them, he carries a line of acoustics called Wood Song that has and interesting forearm contour like a strat and is comfortable to play and sounds pretty good) is this.....
It's a 1972 Red Label Yamaha FG-75. The neck is chunky and it has a seemingly flat fingerboard radius, but there is something familiar about it (neck honestly feels like the neck on my Warwick Thumb Bass). It's obviously been setup and has new strings on it. I think that's how that store owner operates. It has a boxy, parlor guitar-ish sound...but that's what appealed to me. The upper end just sings,...bass is a little thin,...but again the appeal is in that it just sounds different. The photo makes it appear bigger than it actually is.
I will say that I feel slightly duped. After playing the guitar and falling in love with it; I looked at the "Made in ..." label and mistakenly saw Japan. Instead it said Taiwan. The country of origin is scratched out. You have to look closely and in good light to make out the "Taiwan". I think it's a case of my mind seeing what it wanted to see. That said, comparison shopping with Taiwanese FG-75s on Ebay, I paid a fair price. He also took in trade; two instruments that I'm not bonded with and am not invested in (the entry level acoustic being one of them; a Johnson P-Bass copy being the other). It's definitely an upgrade to my old acoustic.
Nice find. 
