Today is Tuesday, 11.11.2025.
Let’s get to the point:
“The 50 year old Yamaha FG-160 shocked me with its lows, trebles and highs. It stole my heart.” – Shoshin Guitarist
Driving to My New Guitar Friends: Guitar Center, Highland Park, IL
I drove 20 minutes from my northwest side Chicago bungalow north on Interstate 94 and then the Edens to Lake Cook Road in Highland Park. 20 minutes at 60 miles an hour, 20 miles to my favorite Guitar Center in Highland Park, IL.
Sold Two Amps to Afford my Inbound Kustom HV30 Amp
Guitar Center gave me a very generous cash offer on my Orange 12 and Peavey Vypyr VIP-2. Thanks guys. I was surprised at how much they gave me for my amps 🙂
But while Aaron (good guy) of Guitar Center estimated my amp values I wandered into the acoustic guitar room.
Don’t You Love Humidified Acoustic Guitar Rooms at Music Stores?
Gosh, I love humidified guitar rooms, warm and cozy.
Aaron my GC guy told me that the used acoustic guitars were in the back of the room. I walked past the expensive (to me) new acoustic guitars: $2000 here, $1000 there, $499 there. But finally I found the used guitars, perhaps half a dozen of them.
Love at First Play with the Yamaha FG-160
I think I tried a few other “cheaper” under $250 acoustic guitars. Then I tried the Yamaha.
“The Yamaha isn’t pretty. I picked the pretty guitars first. But she sure can sing low, treble and a little bit of high notes. That low E came from somewhere deep. I don’t think the song Deep River Blues ever sounded as good as it did on the Yamaha.” – Shoshin Guitarist
I sat on a “music stool” chair, folded my right leg over my left to prop the guitar, and the Yamaha seemed to sit nicely in my lap.
The guitar felt good in my hands. The neck felt good, not too big, but big enough. I looked at the action at the 12th fret and it was nice and low. Yes the Yamaha looked like it was 50 years old. Let’s play it and find out how it sounds.
- I played my G, Em, G, C, D and G riff.
- I played a treble riff from Proud Mary.
- I think I played or picked Ode to Joy.
“I don’t think I ever played an acoustic guitar with such strong lows, bright mids and decent highs. I played thinking, do I really need another acoustic guitar?” – Shoshin Guitarist
Then I played other guitars in the warm, humidified acoustic room at Guitar Center in Highland Park, IL. But then I returned to the Yamaha FG-160 one last time.
“I played the African-American song “Deep River Blues” that involves some lower notes. I don’t think I ever heard Deep River Blues sound so good on an acoustic guitar. Beautiful deep low sound.” – Shoshin Guitarist
Aaron the Guitar Center associate entered the room.
Richard: Aaron what do you know about this guitar?
Aaron: We have had it for 30 days and tomorrow it’s going on sale.
Richard: Why did it sit for 30 days without going on sale?
Aaron: We always wait 30 days on a trade-in to make sure the guitar or amp wasn’t stolen (law or ordinance).
So I left the room knowing I really liked the Yamaha and it was going on sale the next day for $179. “Fish or cut bait” (fisherman speak for catch the fish or go home).
Sat in GC Parking Lot Researching the Yamaha FG-160
We all do this, don’t we. On a possible physical sale in a store, we sneak away to research the item on the Internet, outside the store.
- It’s a Jumbo, bigger than the dreadnaught. Strange, it didn’t feel bigger than a dreadnaught in my lap. It fit right onto my lap.
- Not a solid spruce top but sure sounded great. Apparently triple layers but not the cheap laminate technique of current days but an older layering technique involving spruce.
- Built in the mid 1970’s in Taiwan (they do good work in my opinion).
- Jake Wildwood, luthier in Vermont, likes this Yamaha a lot. If Jake Wildwood likes it, that’s a big recommendation.
Drove Home but the Yamaha was On My Mind
I drove the 20 miles south to my home in Chicago.
I called Aaron at Guitar Center in the early evening while I walked a chilly Chicago November walk of 1 miles. A bit of negotiating with helpful Aaron. Thanks Aaron.
He gave me good prices on various trade-ins of musical items.
Most importantly, he agreed to put the Yamaha on hold for me until next week. Thanks again.
What will I Trade for the 50 Year Old Yamaha FG-160 ?
I decided to trade-in the Epiphone DR100 for $80 but keep my Fender Mustang LT25 amp.
Trading the Epiphone DR100. It was my first acoustic guitar that I purchased for classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music. When I played it with a pick in the used guitar store I knew it was mine. Wow, great sound. I call the guitar “Boomer”.
But it’s always felt a bit big for me, perhaps in the body and the neck. It served its purpose. But I am trading it in at Guitar Center for $80. And I’m getting an even bigger jumbo guitar: the Yamaha HG160.
Return Visit to Guitar Center in Highland Park, IL to Purchase the Yamaha FG160
I actually came to purchase a used Kustom HV30 amp and the Yamaha FG160.
I decided against purchasing the Kustom amp because it wasn’t any better than my used one at home.
But I gave the Yamaha FG160 it’s final check before purchase.
Yamaha FG160 Final Assessment before Purchase at Guitar Center
- Fritz Card. This business card size device allows me to check string height.
- The Yamaha was NOT high action. Good for me.
- Worn frets. Often, a 50 year old guitar will have worn frets and fretboard.
- The frets were decent, perhaps could use a polishing, one day.
- Fretboard itself was fine. GC hadn’t oiled it but that would be my problem, later.
- Bridge. Looks great to me after 50 years.
- It passed the paper or business card test. I couldn’t slip a business card into the lower part of the bridge. That means the bridge is NOT lifting. Good thing.
- Belly budge. None detected. This is the belly above the sound hole. No obvious “belly” that I could see.
- FORGOT TO TEST TRUSS ROD.
- I forgot to try the truss rod. I hope it’s not stripped. That’s an old lesson I learned on a cheap Chinese electric bass.
- BOTTOM PIN STRAP IS LOOSE. Not a big deal.
- The GC guitar tech said “No Service” on used guitars.
- NECK NEED A RESET?
- Again, the GC guitar tech said he couldn’t tell without looking inside of it.
- To me, the neck seemed fine and wasn’t twisted.
Played the Yamaha HG160 and It Still Sounds Great
And, it’s comfy.
And YES, it Comes with its own CASE
Wow. That was awesome. It made the purchase even better.
Purchased the Yamaha FG160 for $179 plus Tax and Drove Home
I was pleased and the 20 miles southward flew by as I went home.
I’ll do an at home review in another post. I will call it the Yamaha FG160 Review.