Thrift Store Find: Yamaha FG-160

This weekend I needed to put some miles on my car...I just had some work done to pass my smog test and the computer was reset, causing me to need to put about 100 miles on it before going in for the retest. So I headed out to a a smaller town about 25 miles away and wandered into a thrift store. First thing I noticed was an acoustic guitar behind the counter. It was pretty beat up, scraped up, had a tuner and some bridge pins missing, about 10 inches of binding gone, only 3 strings and enough dirt and grime on it to hide what was once a decent guitar.

It was marked at $49.95, but then I noticed that everything was on sale for 50% off. I decided to take a chance. I needed a less expensive guitar to take camping with me and thought maybe, if I could just clean it up a bit and put some new strings on it, it might work.

I took the old strings off...they must have been original to the guitar because they practically disintegrated in my hand when I took them off. There was a dustball inside the guitar about the size of a golf ball. I started to just clean it off, but then I just kept going and ended up buffing and waxing the whole thing. As beat up and dented and scraped as it was, you could tell it just wanted to try to look nice again. Like an old stray dog after it's first bath in years. It still had the scrapes and dings, but underneath it all was a really nice guitar. I found an old tuner I had and screwed it in and found a couple of old bridge pins I had saved from some other old guitar.

I put a new set of Martin SP strings on it and tuned it up and guess what? It sounded fantastic.

Definitely the best $24.95 I have ever spent on music gear.

It's a Yamaha FG-160, made it Taiwan. I hopped online and started doing some research and determined it was made in 1983 and the internet is full of people who just go on and on about how much they love their old Yamaha FG-160. I'm telling you, this thing sounds darn good. It will definitely be the best sounding campfire guitar around. I haven't had time to take any photos yet, but the one I have put here with this story was found on some Japanese website. I will post some of mine when I get the chance.
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MOJO STOMP BOX

This isn't really one that got away, but just wanted to share a cool new percussion box. It's the Mojo Stomp Box. It's one part folk art and one part old time percussion. It's as simple as you get...you keep rhythm with your foot while you are playing guitar (or banjo or uke or whatever you've got). It's got that old jangle sounds from the bottle caps loosely nailed all over the box. There's even a bottle cap opener on the front that doubles as a handle. These are hand made and no two are alike. Pretty cool. Might make a good Christmas gift for that guitarist who has everything.
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Vintage Takamine

Story submitted by Tim M. (Tim, how about a photo?)

About two weeks ago I was onstage about to start “my gig” when one of the tuning keys on my Takamine broke. There wasn’t anything I could do about it at that moment, so I grabbed a guitar from one of our other guitarists and used it for the performance. The next day I decided it was time for a new guitar. I’d had that old cheap Takamine for about ten years and had always known I wanted to buy a better guitar. I took this broken tuning key as a sign that today was the day! So I drove down to Guitar Center, dragging my Takamine along with me to buy a replacement tuning key, but mostly with a new guitar in mind.

After a couple hours in the holy of holies, I decided on a Breedlove acoustic/electric. Nothing particular special about the guitar, but it had a great pick up, solid build, and felt great in my hands. And rather than dishing out the money I’d need to pay for the Takamine repair, I decided to instead trade it in on the Breedlove. And thus the heartache began…

The minute I walked out of that store I regretted trading in my Takamine.

It was cheap, but I had played that thing all over the world; from the Eastern seaboard of the United States, to all over the UK and Ireland, to France and even Eastern Europe. The thing had become an old friend and was full of memories for me. And now I had sold it over $100 worth of new tuning keys.

I literally had trouble sleeping that night. In fact, I didn’t even pull my new guitar out of its case to play that night. And the next morning was more of the same. What had I done?!!! And so, twenty-four hours after trading it in at Guitar Center, I found myself driving back to Fairfax to see if they still had my guitar. They did. And I bought it back at full price. Hahaha!

Oh but it was worth it. I love my new guitar and it will likely be the one I play on stage from here on out. But my old friend is back home with me and, when I’m in the mood to have a guitar in my hands while I’m laying around the house, my Takamine is the one I reach for.

Good to have you back old friend!
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Haunted 1930s Kalamazoo Archtop

Taken from an eBay auction by Statewide Antiques

If ever there was a guitar that has character and possibly a soul, this 1930s Gibson Kalamazoo is it ! Measures 39-1/2". Lower bout is 14-7/8". Depth is 4-3/8". This guitar shows the battle scars of an old time blues player. I think his spirit is still connected to this guitar, so if you're superstitious you shouldn't bid on this guitar for real as I will explain below.

There's a lifetime of heavy playing wear on the upper back of the neck. Pick wear and scratches on the entire upper bout. Fingerboard wear on the first 3 frets from someone who obviously loved to play. Despite the obvious open split on the back, this guitar with old strings plays surprisingly well! Action is low and neck is straight. First 3 frets need leveling or replacing.

There's something about this guitar that captivates and draws you in to play it. For the short 2 weeks I've had her, while playing, it's as if the spirit of the old bluesman starts playing through you. I'd keep her but the strange vibe attached to this guitar has given me 2nd thoughts if it should remain in my home. I've noticed a strange feeling when playing just this guitar. The best I can describe is imagine losing your identity, as if you start becoming someone else as you play.

This guitar is right out of a twilight zone novel. Many people would embrace a guitar with this ultimate mojo. The last straw that has forced me to sell was my wife being awakened hearing what she thought was me playing a guitar and humming around 3:00 AM. She went to roll out of bed to check why I was up so late only to roll over and find me by her side in bed. She wakes me up freaking out and told me to listen. I heard it and nervously went down stairs where I keep the guitar. As soon as I entered the room there was complete silence and the hairs on my arm were standing. For the record I don't hum when playing a guitar.

This indeed is a special guitar for someone who is OK owning a guitar with a possible paranormal connection. It really doesn't bother me but when it starts freaking out the wife, it's time to sell. Only reason I'm sharing this is so the right person ultimately buys this guitar. Preferably someone without kids. Perfect if your mother-in-law lives with you. The only history I know about this guitar is it was purchased from an elderly couple who relocated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Good luck !
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Black Cat Pedals - Shameless Plug

Awhile back I was contacted by the fine folks at For Musician's Only, who make and sell some of the best effects pedals out there. They had just acquired Black Cat and wanted to do a makeover on the graphics. I was more than happy to be involved and, long story short, they just announced the relaunch of the Black Cat brand, complete with the logo I designed for them.

The good thing is that, although the pedals came out looking great, they sound even better. Yes, they are boutique and a little pricier than your standard DOD or Boss, but good sound is worth the price.

Check 'em out by clicking this link.
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A REAL Gibson Les Paul Flametop

I found this item for sale on eBay and asked the owner if I could share the story here at The Ones That Got Away. This is an amazing true story. Check it out, man.

Story by Charlie

GIBSON LES PAUL "REISSUE FLAMETOP" MODEL FROM 1985, STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

I guess this is kind of an unbelievable story but it is all true. I left the house one day and my near mint 1985 Gibson Reissue Flametop was safely perched (or so I thought) on top of a another guitar case, in the corner top edge of my music room. When I returned home a few hours later I was not prepared for what I discovered. I walked into the room and the Gibson case was on the floor smelling of smoke. I looked up to see black soot marks at the top corner of the walls where the headstock end of the case had been sitting. When I turned back and inspected the case I was appalled at what I found.

First off, I noticed that there were three holes directly above where the bridge would have been sitting inside the case. I proceeded to open the case with the latches, even though much of it was disassembled. Upon opening the case I realized that the guitar had been struck by lightning . How could this have happened!!? I basically screamed. It seemed impossible.

I found out that when I was gone, a severe thunderstorm had come through. Outside of the house was a huge pine tree and, upon going outside and inspecting the tree, there was clearly a visible line coming down the tree until it came to an area directly across from the trim of the house. The lightning had struck the huge pine tree and traveled down the trunk until it reached the nails holding the trim to house. Then it jumped across through the nails, went through the drywall, and struck the top edge of the case.

It then went into the case and down the neck of the guitar, vaporizing the strings, (remnants of which can still be seen on the fretboard and frets) also apparently traveling down the truss rod inside the neck. Then it blew out the last few frets on the fretboard above the end of the truss rod before apparently melting the insides of the pickups. It then proceeded to explode some of the bridge saddles outward through the case. Apparently they are responsible for holes I initially saw in the case, which I had no idea how they got there.

I also found where the lightning had grounded into the carpet and cement floor of the room and blasted out a half moon size pocket in the cement about the size of the silver dollar. I have posted pictures of various aspects of the outside house damage and pine tree. The lightning strike also killed the tree.

As I said, before the incident, the guitar was in near mint condition. It remains as I found it, the day of the incident. I have not tried to clean it up in any way. As a one-of-a-kind collectible, I would be very surprised if there is another one of these anywhere one in the world. As a project, it will take some work but I believe it can be repaired with the proper parts and skill. I am including the frets and parts of the fretboard that blew out, as much as I could find. There is only one remaining bridge saddle.

Years ago, two of the original pots were removed, though the original knobs and pointers are still with the guitar. The tailpiece is gone, but the original bridge is still with the guitar. One of the features of this model is the "Thicker '59 Style Neck." In 1991 this model was renamed "The '59 Les Paul Fame Top."
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link to the auction
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Something New

Well, since I sold the Swamp Thang I haven't unloaded anything else and no one seems to be sending in their own stories (hint, hint people!). So I thought I'd share "before" photos of a guitar I have on the way. Yes, I've been selling some stuff off because of tight times, but I paid for this one way back in about October '08 and it's finally almost done. It's a resonator guitar hand built by Mike Franks at M.J. Franks Guitars.

Mike was nice enough to send me photos of the guitar just before it went out the door to get the finish done.

So, I thought maybe I'd share some photos and then, when it's all done, post the final beauties. I have a good feeling about this one...it's going to have a Fishman resonator pickup in it for playing live and I'm not worried about the rest...Mike makes 'em right. It's going to have a dark, dark stain on the back and sides and vintage sunburst top. Oh, and it's all solid mahogany. Just glad I paid for this back then so I could still get my hands on it. Mike suggested picking up the new Fishman Jerry Douglas Aura Imaging pedal at some point to go with it, so if Mike says so, I guess I'll have to start saving up again. Enjoy the photos and I'll post more when it's done.


In the meantime, please, send me your stories. I'd love to keep this thing rollin' and I know everyone who reads this has a story of their own.










UPDATE: Here are a couple of photos I just got halfway through the finish. It's getting a stunning antique sunburst finish and I'm getting antsy. Shouldn't be too long now.








UPDATE FINAL: Here are a couple of photos of the final instrument. It's a beauty and it sounds unbelievable.