My Budget Guitar Family

MCH · #1 December 28th, 2005

My Yamaki Custom is a early 70's purchase (if I remember right I paid $150 CAD. It is supposedly a Martin D-28 knockoff. It's very nicely finished. Rosewood back and sides. Ebony fretboard. Spruce (cedar?) top. Nice action and plays very well. My recent purchase is an Epiphone EJ200. This is Epiphone's copy of the Gibson J200. Maple back and sides; and I believe a laminate maple top. Rosewood fretboard with nice inlays. For the price I paid, $300 CAD it sounds very nice and plays with ease. It has incredible sustain. These two acoustics have distinctly different sounds, the Yamaki is darker and Epiphone is more bright. I purchased the Godin Exit22 electric to just have fun hearing some crazy stuff with a Vox 30 amp. It was trip down memory lane to when I was fifteen. I just got back into guitar last year. I hadn't played in over 2 decades. With the advent of the internet it is an incredible journey.

WernHalen · #2 December 29th, 2005

Great collection... I have a lot of respect for the earlier
Yamahas. They had a full, well rounded sound, the newer yamies dont have the same quality IMHO. The guitar has propably aged well and the wood is very mature, giving an even better sound now than it did in the 70's.

MCH · #3 December 29th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by WernHalen

Great collection... I have a lot of respect for the earlier
Yamahas. They had a full, well rounded sound, the newer yamies dont have the same quality IMHO. The guitar has propably aged well and the wood is very mature, giving an even better sound now than it did in the 70's.

Well what I have is not a Yamaha. It's a Yamaki. At first glance the Yamaki lettering looks like Yamaha. This is a different company. It only remained as Yamaki for a few years. Yamaha took them to court and won for their name being too similar to theirs. I think they still produced guitars after but with a different name. But yes, this guitar has a very nice mellow sound.

WernHalen · #4 December 30th, 2005

Interresting... Much like the mike's, roobok's and oaklers we get over here in South Africa...

missileman · #5 December 30th, 2005

Nice collection,
From a distance that does look like a cedar top, I do love the sound of cedar.

Dan Carey · #6 January 1st, 2006

Sure like to spend a little time with your family........

Dan

stratmaniak · #7 February 13th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCH

My Yamaki Custom is a early 70's purchase (if I remember right I paid $150 CAD. It is supposedly a Martin D-28 knockoff. It's very nicely finished. Rosewood back and sides. Ebony fretboard. Spruce (cedar?) top. Nice action and plays very well.

My first guitar was a Yamaki Deluxe, much similar to yours. I bought it used from a friend; nice playing & sounding guitar. I sold it many years ago; wish I held on to it...

allthumbs · #8 February 13th, 2006

I am very fond of Godins. Great guitars for the money. Nicw family you have there.