#Yamaha fg 75 red label no country series#

Maybe it’s because of the big body size-19-7/8 inches long, 16-1/4 inches wide, and 4-5/8 inches deep-but sitting with the FGX3, I couldn’t help but notice how sharp the body’s edges felt. While there’s certainly no mistaking the FGX3 for a vintage instrument, it does have a loose, played-in feel right out of the case and is responsive throughout the frequency spectrum. All of the wood on the FGX3 has been through Yamaha’s Acoustic Resonance Enhancement (A.R.E.)-basically, a torrefaction process that uses heat, moisture, and pressure to mimic wood’s aging process, enhancing sustain and volume. The solid Sitka spruce top features scalloped braces, and the solid mahogany back and sides include additional side bracing, giving the guitar a strong and extra-durable feel. No time was wasted worrying about decorative details when Yamaha created the FGX3-the guitar sports a simple black-and-white rosette and binding, a single-ply black pickguard, and chrome open-gear tuners-but it possesses an understated elegance. On appearance alone, it’s clear that the FGX3 is meant to be a no-nonsense workhorse, much like its predecessors.

I took the FGX3 for a spin to see what these modern Red Labels are all about. The line offers two body styles: the smaller concert and the Traditional Western, which is a big-bodied instrument offered in several models-the FG3, FG5, FGX3, and FGX5. While not copies of the originals, they’re modernized instruments that are inspired by the series. Yamaha has been paying tribute to the first-generation Red Label guitars with its FG/FS Red Label acoustics.

#Yamaha fg 75 red label no country series#

The Red Label series of Yamaha guitars from this period built a reputation as hidden gems amongst a sea of American-made acoustics, and over the years, singer-songwriters such as Big Star’s Chris Bell, Jeff Buckley, and Elliott Smith crafted some of their best work on the FG-180.

This Japanese-made dreadnought offered an affordable alternative to the popular steel-strings making the rounds of the folk circuit and, sure enough, one ended up onstage at Woodstock in the hands of Country Joe McDonald. In 1966, Yamaha introduced its first folk guitar, the FG-180.

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