Ah. Sunday. 20 minutes of sanity from Ted. Needed.

Ted, you'd be literally the only creator I would ever consider becoming a Patreon member of. And honestly, I wouldn't want anything in return, only that you continue teaching us all.

I had an FJ dreadnought in the late 70's. I preformed with it for about a year. A decent and sturdy guitar A poor man's D-18. Served me well.

My first guitar was this one's bigger bro, a FG 335 made in 81. Still have it and while not a high end instrument it is a work horse. Neck straight, action good, no buzz or rattles. Same fingerboard and fret wear as this example in the cowboy chord areas. Good to see a Yammi getting some love. All the best to all.

So sorry to hear about your tax situation but I'm very glad to know you're still going to make these videos.

Regardless of what it’s worth, it’s always great to see you breath new life into an instrument. As always, well done.

We really appreciate the work you put into these. Thank you from Nova Scotia

Another fine teaching video from an outstanding teacher. I was thankful to hear you aren't throwing in the towel here on KZfaq. We love you, Ted and are very thankful for your hard work and dedication to the channel. Happy Holidays, kind sir. 🙏

Man I sure hope you don't stop your videos, to be totally honest your channel is my favorite.Even if you don't do a repair I enjoy your discussion and knowledge. I would gladly join you on patrion.I only wish your videos were longer, even if most of it was talking. But I kind of understand the hard work, time, and frustrations dealing with it all. Anyway thanks for all you do and all the many many skills and knowledge you have shared on youtube. I hope the best for you and again thank you.

Sorry to hear your troubles TED…In my opinion you sir deserve way more for your efforts…very conscientious and talented you are… wished I access to your services because of my 30 plus instruments that need some TLC from time time! So glad your gonna stick around TED,thanks for all you do!!! Wish you all the best!!!

Stradivarius, of course, used only the highest quality plywood to create his instruments.

Thanks man your videos got me thru some dark times! I still watch them today from the other side of the mist.

Had a music store in a small town in Arizona back in the '70s and '80s. We were a Yamaha dealer we sold a ton of those FG series acoustic guitars. They were despite the laminated tops a very nice sounding guitar and seem to hold up well. That said, if anything major ever went wrong with them they became a throwaway item really quickly. You did a great job on this one and it sounds wonderful.

Great video. I'm looking forward to every episode. Thank you for you work and efforts.

Mr Yamaha, what a fella. Trained and made organs, went solo guitars and pianos.... Then decided motobikes.. As well ... Engines.... The tuning fork logo used on musical instruments to motorcycles to this day.. 🙂

You know, if the KZfaq thing ain't worth it, and there are more profitable things to be doing with your time... I doubt anyone would hold it against you if you made the more financially rewarding choice. I'm betting most people have followed you long enough to wish the best for you. I will say though, I watch a video or two before bed and seeing a new video from yourself did put a smile on my face tonight.

I have one of these and it's possibly the greatest acoustic I've ever played let alone owned. 99 bucks at a pawn shop in Michigan.

Well Ted, other than buying a few pieces of memory from ya. All I can do is say a very sincere thank you. I do actually realize how much time goes into making these videos. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us and sharing your thoughts. The comforting sounds of Ted 2frd 😁. With that I’ll give ya the old school KZfaq show of appreciation. Thanks for sharing!

Always enjoy watching you work on theses guitars!

As ever Ted, thank you soooo much for taking the time and effort to do these outstanding videos, it is VERY much appreciated. By the way, those old Yamahas sure do sound good and I`ve had a few over the years. Keep safe and thank you once again.

There was merch? I obviously wasn't paying attention. A "Polishing,polishing,polishing" t-shirt would be a thing of wonder.

I thoroughly enjoy your shows, thank you!

There's definitely something to the sound old Yamahas. I wouldn't believe it either but I have an FG-160 that turned 50 this year and it has a sound and resonance that inspires me more than any other acoustic I've played or owned. Many have come and gone but the old Yamaha is still here. I'll gladly pay the price for the neck reset when I need it but will never sell it. If you know then you know.

Thank you Ted from Dallas, TX! Big fan of your luthier knowledge, skills and jokes!

Thanks for all the work Ted! Always a pleasure to watch and listen

Great vid as always. Really appreciate your integrity. Happy holidays.

I've had a number of these vintage Yamahas. You just can't beat them for cheap, vintage, and sounding good. I have a couple 12 strings... that need neck resets. Le sigh.

Sorry to hear about your troubles with your supplier and the Tax Man. I'm thankful that you'll stick with it as you are a pleasure to watch work. Thank you!

Thanky you for another great video. I very much enjoyed your live stream with Psionic Audio, too.

Fantastic. Good sounding guitar.

About 5 years ago I found a Yamaha acoustic sitting at someone’s curb. I didn’t even know what it was on sight, I just saw a guitar neck sticking out of a pile so I did a u turn and grabbed it. It was full of potting soil and ants(score). Ended up being a red label fg300 and in really good shape. I sold it on eBay for about a thousand dollars

I had one of those. It was my first acoustic way back in '83.

Thank you for all the work. May the value you bring to others return 1000 fold☺

Oh Ted, if you could only watch and see from our perspective, how much you, your expertise, your funny lines your ethics and your hard work could monetize, a rough diamond, thank you very much indeed, for sharing it. Cheers.

I got one as my first guitar, and I was a drummer. Self taught to amuse myself around a campfire. If my guitar could talk....We got lots of adventures just the two of us. Great video and I will continue to follow.

I used to busk with one of these in the 80s. Great little basher.

Appreciate the time and effort you put into crafting these presentations. Thank You !!! Ricky from IBM, now Guitar Tech

Very nice guitar for me, I had one like it from the mid 80's to the early 90's

Looks like one of the rare models that shipped from Yamaha with the KORN inscription.

Keep up the good work, Ted! I listen to these in my shop while I work on customer guitars!

Nice blues playing.

I've got a 72 f150 yamaha, Iz still sounds and play great.It has been taken very good care of and kept in a controlled enviroment.Merry Christmas to you and family.

Thanks for the video uncle Ted. The week isn't complete without you and your content. Glad to hear that you will continue. Yes patreon is a good idea. Many of us would love to help, and you deserve it without a doubt. We would like to hear a much more reasonable analytics report next year. Patreon could make that a reality. Thanks again Happy Holidays from the U.S.

Sorry about the tax situation! Love your stuff! You are awesome! ❤

Fine work, well-founded rant, and a beautiful sounding Yamahaha with decent picking ..ty🔥

I'll subscribe to your patreon when you make it. The knowledge you pass on is priceless.

Great live stream with Psionic Audio. Awesome job, and great info!!

Love your content. I am so happy you stated that despite all the problems you would still keep the channel running. I am not a guitar player or in any way linked to the manufacture or sale of guitars. But I love music, and the craftsmanship you employ.

I've played a handful of these guitars. They're really great.

Another awesome video...I love'em.

Just what I was looking for Ted haha thanks! Great channel!

Great job! I enjoy watching a Expert do his job. Thanks for the video.

Great sounding guitar!

You are my Monday morning viewing. I’m a day ahead here in NewZealand. Thank you for these videos, you have taught me a lot.

Just discovered your channel. Enjoyed every minute! Learned a lot! Thanks! What brand are those transducers?

Great video Ted . I have a friend who wants me to put one of those pickups in his old Sigma . After I repair all the loose braces ..... So now I know where to put the pickups , thanks . Peace ✌

Wish my Martin D10e sounded that crisp. That sounds amazing

I love your content! I think you are one of the best repair guys I've ever seen. I don't really know how patreon works for sure but maybe at a certain level of giving, your patreons could ask and received answers to lutherie questions. I'm not sure you would have time for that but I'm spitballing here.

from Boston just found you a couple of weeks ago love the content and technics

sounds surprisingly good!

Glad I found your channel. I've got a 79 mij Fender F65 that needs about the same things done. I appreciate the information from this video! TY

Love your videos man! Love from Uruguay ❤❤

Hi Ted, I ordered one of your headstock recapitation tee's early on in the UK, its was great quality and I've totally worn it out now, I was under the impression they were limited run so didn't think I could grab another! I hope I can re order soon. I work in a big music store and always got great feedback on it. Thanks for the excellent content, not only do i find it relaxing but I've also learnt a lot, enough to make successful repairs on my own instruments.

Had the Japenese equivalent in about 68 - 69. Great guitar to learn and have fun with. And a good sound. Passed on to a friend for not much money and replaced with a mahogany Guild D25, a rather fine guitar. Keep on truckin', and looking forward to the next video.

Massive fan here. Keep going Ted - you are one of the few KZfaqrs I really learn from.

A relaxing Sunday with Uncle Ted. Nothing better. :). Hit the LIKE button and show your appreciation for this master luthier.

Sounds way better acoustic . I always enjoy your videos!!

Thanks Mr. W. Nice meat & spuds type job perfecly executed as always. Well done sir.

I have an FG-770S, the all solid top and back/sides dreadnought from this era. My grandpa bought it new in 1980 for my mom, and she passed it to me. I did a refret and a bone nut/saddle and the guitar was totally transformed! It's a bluegrass rhythm machine now and plays excellently. I used extra tall frets in order to stave off an impending neck reset. Funnily enough the bridge plate on mine is rosewood, just a cool little detail I noticed when poking around inside with a mirror. Also the neck is GIGANTIC, with a sort of soft V shape. Easily the biggest neck I've ever felt on an acoustic guitar

You are not the first channel to have trouble with Spring having outrageously long delivery times. I have heard several of the channels I subscribe to complain about them and many have switched to other print on demand services. Love your channel Ted! I really enjoyed your appearance on Psionic Audio last Saturday. You and Lyle are two of a kind!

I just got my Yamaha FG5 Red Label Dreadnought set up last week - sounds fantastic! ....smothered in glue at the neck just like you said

Please keep the excellent content coming Ted. You are my moment of Zen in a normally busy week. I would happily donate to your Patreon to keep the videos coming.

The first guitar I ever bought myself was a FG410, in 1986- just a few years newer than that one. I still have it, and I'm under no illusions as to its value. But it's an old friend, and I enjoy playing it as much as some of my newer, more expensive guitars.

I have 3 Yamaha's but the one I play the most is a brown sunburst FS830 I bought a few years ago. They hold up really well when taken care of but, the FS830 is a solid top, the other two are plywood (yes there is a pretty noticeable sound difference). The plywood guitars sound good but, the wood never breaks in tonally over the years like a solid top does.

I always love the Django at the beginning! ✌️😎🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶

Please, don’t stop making videos. You bring joy to my life. Thank you.

Have one of your decapitation t-shirts, is a Hanes. Have washed it about half a dozen times and the lettering is flaking off. Glad you are changing suppliers. Love your videos and look forward to them weekly!

Great work as always Ted. Despite taking it on faith that you’d tested the cheap Piezos off camera before installing it, I did have a moment of relief at the end!

My first "decent" guitar was the $125 Yamaha that I bought locally (remember that?) circa 1970 or 1972. I think it was an FG-180 red label dreadnaught. On my way from New Jersey to Wisconsin for college, Greyhound made us change buses in Cleveland. My guitar never made the transfer, and I never saw it again. Now, about 50 years later, I have moved to the Cleveland area to be near my granddaughters. I suppose that if I watch the local Craigslist and Marketplace listings, I might find my own old Yamaha in the hands of someone asking $400 for it. Actually, I just bought a 1971 Madeira (Guild import line from Japan) that is an absolutely wonderful guitar. Solid spruce top and laminate rosewood sides and back for which I paid $140.

sounds pretty good (acoustically)!!

Sounds pretty good! Great work!

I love what you're doing, always looking forward to seeing your latest! My approach to luthiery is the reverse of yours: I'm retired, hoping guitar geeking can reverse the condition. 😊 For giggles, I'm making a Frankengeetar out of a plywood gso (guitar shaped object) that has been danced on with high heels. The frets are as worn as this Yamaha ha ha, which I also interpreted as "It must have sounded ok for while, at least...". Clean break at the headstock repaired nicely, making new nut and saddle next, but will use "The Intonator" to attempt inverted tuning setup to confuse my fellow pickers. A good carcass to practice refretting on, if it sounds like a guitar, maybe? Time will tell. Keep squirrel and carry on 😅

Thanks Ted. Sorry for your troubles but I sure enjoy your content

I'm a former collector, and current vintage Yamaha acoustic enthusiast, so I speak from a position of many years of experience. I'm also an amateur luthier, which is why I watch your excellent work/videos. That said, anyone who says that the early laminate-top Yamahas sound BETTER than a decent solid top is delusional. I've owned several 1971 FG180s that sounded better than a number of inexpensive solid-tops, but such a blanket statement isn't warranted. However, the combination of a thinner laminate and lighter bracing produced a sound quality that could seldom be matched by other guitars costing 3-4 times as much. To this day, Yamaha's L-series guitars have 90% of the sound of a similar Martin or Taylor for 50% of the cost, AND have a more consistently excellent build quality. To me, that's a hell of an accomplishment! Interestingly, I've only come across two FGs (out of hundreds) that needed a neck reset in over 25 years, and I didn't want to tackle either of them due to their notoriously difficult disassembly. Love your work, I wish I was half as good!

Sounds Great!

Particularly nice acoustic sound. Good job. 👍

Always love your videos!

I have a 1993 FG411c I bought new in 1994. Still in good condition after many years on stage. Still one of my favorite guitars in my collection.

I'll stop you right there if I may. I love watching the long videos i only have KZfaq as a social media "App"? Not all of us get to learn the best possible way to tweak guitars like you show us man. love it

Slight correction to the beginning of the video: Yamaha owners don't want to sell them.

I have a mid-seventies Classical Yamaha with a solid cedar soundboard. She has a gorgeous voice and is very dear to me, but she has developed a few “character traits”. Your video gives me hope that she may be “rejuvenated “ for another 50 years! Thank you for that hope.

That sensor sounds better than most piezos. Turned out well, Ted! Yamaha Zealots can be pretty wild. There are many new Yamahas that are very impressive and affordable guitars. So may older ones don't measure up to legend.

Hi Ted. I own a 1970 FG180... I bought 1970 in a Dundee store (Scotland) £37- 10/-. And like yerself I've been doing guitar repairs/setups since the Berlin Wall was torn down & the military electronics business collapsed overnight. Felt like freedom to me! I only really purchased a handful of special tools - made the rest as trial turned to success and happy musicians. Good to see you work. All the very best... the guitar man fae Fife. :)

I bought a cap and it took several months to come to me in LA. I had given up on it, but it finally arrived. Pretty nice cap.

Mine is 43 years old on Monday I love it and enjoy it. Merry Christmas (to me 😂)

I have an 80s FG335ii. It was my Dad's guitar, then he gave it to me when I was a kid to start playing. He used it for gigs and shows at the pubs, and it was full of cracks and had huge divots on every fret. Not to mention the huge hole in the back that's exactly the same size as Larry O'Keefe's face.😂 I fixed it up a bit recently and still play it. I'd love to repair it properly, but still keep all the damage visible, Kintsugi style.

I bought one of these exact guitars second hand in 1981 in Washington State. My girlfriend at the time bought me a Levi jacket and embroidered a beautiful picture of it on the shoulder panel. Both came back to England with me. The guitar got smashed beyond repair and the jacket got stolen. Six years ago I bought another Yamaha FG 331, had it tinkered with by my luthier and gave it to my nephew on condition that if he ever tired of it or decided to sell it, he sells it to me. He loves it and has all but given up on electric guitar to play it all the time. I don't have a great ear for tone but both sounded real sweet to me.

I have a early 80s Taiwan Yamaha 340T that I love so much. I got it new when I was 10 and it's always my go to acoustic guitar and its sound gets better every year. My parents worked at a piano factory that made Yamaha pianos so they would get overstock anything Yamaha for cheap. They paud $50 for this guitar! My first electric guitar was a Yamaha SC300t and it was brand new for $15. Wish they had gotten more!!

Thanks Ted. (Shops teacher here) I hope people realize, the coolest machines ever to have been created are our hands and our brain. You rock Ted.

Between repairing the guitars and your sense of humor, I'm glad you're still making videos.