So has anyone played one of the FG9s at this point? I’ve watched several reviews on YouTube by various retailers. The overall consensus is that the FG9 delivers on tone and build quality. None of the reviews I’ve seen mention the L series guitars. Some of them acknowledge that Yamaha has made excellent guitars for decades, but they mostly talk about the FG9 as if it’s Yamaha’s first foray into the high end acoustic market. Certainly Yamaha is not the first builder that comes to mind when discussing flat tops for bluegrass or folk (at least here in the US), but Mac Wiseman played an LL-55. James Taylor could play any guitar he wants, and for several years his main touring axe was a Yamaha L series guitar. Perhaps Yamaha is trying to put forward a guitar to compete with higher end, smaller shop builders like Collings, Huss & Dalton, Santa Cruz, etc. I do wonder about the motivation for this guitar - maybe it helps maintain brand awareness for buyers who will ultimately choose a more modestly priced Yamaha. There are aesthetic and technical choices I find surprising. The bolt-on neck was a big surprise to me. I know there are many other high end guitars out there with a bolt-on, and servicing is easier over the long term. I have to believe it’s less costly to build a bolt-on. Still surprised me coming from Yamaha. I’m not keen on the offset fretboard inlays or the FG inlay on the heel cap. To me it makes the guitar look a little gimmicky. Just my take, however - YMMV. I find that non-traditional inlay/aesthetics tend to look dated over the long haul, whereas traditional aesthetic treatments stand the test of time. I’m really curious to hear one. I hope one will show up in a shop near me so I can A-B it with my LL26.
Statistics: Posted by lukmanohnz — Wed Nov 29, 2023 3:56 pm