• Zurf
  • Zurf
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Topic: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

Does anyone who has played one or one have comments?  It is the entry-level model in Yamaha's line of folk guitars. 

I am thinking of getting one as a beater as I can get it at no cost to me (though there is some opportunity cost wherein I'd give up the opportunity to get other things of value to me). 

I have not found one in a shop to do a hands-on test.  Would appreciate some hands-on information about the guitar to help me take an informed decision. 

- Zurf



p.s. - Also posted in Chat Corner.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

hello zurf, very strange, me everyday on chordie to discover now that you have a yamaha 300.
To be more specific, it is probably the yamaha FG300.
This was my first guitar: bought it in 1977, so already 30 years old. Back than, that guitar was not that cheap, it was more in the midrange price, I think between 400-500$, BACK THAN IN 1977!!!
I still have that guitar, found it back somewhere in my mothers house.
Playing: didn't touch this guitar since probably 20 years, I have to replace the tuning mechanism, because they are moving, and the guitar has only 4 strings left. Probably I will repair her soon.
I remember me that this guitar wasn't bad at all. I am a big collector, and only the acoustic oart of my collection has Martins, from the D-1 (the only electro-acoustic I have), D-1 12 strings, D-15; D-16, HD-28, D-45 and about 6 Gibsons like Dove, Hummingbird and my all time favourite, an UNBEATABLE sound, some people say too much bass sounds, well I don't, a Gibson SJ-200, but a MONTANA GOLD.
So Zurf, I don't know where you live, I live in Europe, and the cheap $, compared to the strong €, gave me the occasion to buy real pearls.
Concerning prices, and advising you, is getting more and more difficult because of the prices going up almost every month.
One of my favourite guitars is the Martin D-15, mahagony brown (completely brown) and a very sweet even sensitive sound. The HD-28, blows you away without using an amp.
A very good site to compare prices and read opinions what other people say is
www.epinions.com and another (for me the best) is www.musiciansfriend.com. On that last site you can choose between hundreds of guitars with prices. The real thing is, having an idea about how much you want to spend, going to a musicstore and compare the guitars in YOUR pricerange. I've been to a store last Saturday to buy a BOSS BR 600, to record songs, and I've played some acoustics. Ovation has very good sounding low budget guitars, they go from 400$ up to 3000$, but if you play electro-acoustic, this should be the one: loud enough to play acoustic. Also check Takamine.
See you

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Zurf
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Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

Thanks Doc.  I'm not so worried about other guitars, but at present looking strictly for comments on the Yamaha F300 or F310 specifically.  I've got the opportunity to get one as a bonus from work (or I can get other things), but NOT other models.  If I get a guitar as a bonus it WILL be a Yamaha F300. 

What I am wondering is whether this guitar is worth having even at the low, low price of free (or essentially free, I'd still have to pay a negligible fee for taxes on it).   I've had some free stuff that wasn't even worth that price.  I'm wanting to avoid one of those.  It would be a secondary guitar.  I'd still be saving for a "good" guitar. 

For guitars I'd have to pay for, my leading contenders are Blue Ridge guitars and Breedlove Atlas series.  And Martin has begun making a lower end composite guitar that still sounds like a Martin.  And I'd have to toss Taylor into the ring.  They're least expensive guitars are still quite good.  The Blue Ridge guitars blow me away for roughly a $500 price tag (American).  Full, rich sound, lots of projection.  They have a Gospel version that is designed specifically for the sort of Country Gospel and folk music I like to play.  The only problem is that it includes a cross in the decorations, and while I'm a Christian I don't like to wear a cross.  Jesus said Christians should be known by their love, which is decidedly different from being known by wearing an insignia.  Not against it for others, but it's just not my style. 

Back to guitars...   I had been sold on Breedlove, Martin and Taylor, but am thinking now that when I buy it will be a Blue Ridge.  Then I will definitely have more guitar than guitar player!   Plus, I'm a true blue honest-to-goodness born and bred Appalachian.  Having a guitar with the nickname of my beloved Appalachian Mountains seems right and just somehow. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

Thanks for answering me. I didn't know exactly what the Yamaha question was. I have 1n my first, and it was, if you go back in time, 30 years ago, already expensive. At that time I was even more interested in electric guitars like Gibson and Fender. It was also quit easy: you had a Stratocaster, and cheaper, a telecaster. You had a Gibson LP standard and a Custom.
I wanted to ask a question, I am a Christian too, a catholic, but I think I am missing something. Since 2-3 years it is like a "fashion", a big boom of people proud to be Christian. Here in Europe, it is a lot more "wind". They are destroying the Catholic churches. They are (I don't blame them) hunting down priests, even Bishops. And I am sitting here with so many questions: why do I still live, and still walk, after having a huge car crash in September 2000 driving 60 miles an hour, ending with that speed against a tree: exploded vertebra (5 pieces, one in my spinal chord) 32 fractures in my left foot. I still have my foot (90% of the doctors would have cut off my foot), and with a piece in or pushing against my spinal chord, I was doomed to stay for the rest of my life in a wheelchair. But non of these happened. I even had twice a cardiac arrest, but there I was again. They know me there as the miracle doc. Also worship a statue of GOD is not my thing. God can be found in every little tiny thing, under a rock, and worse all those wars, for who: ALLAH and ALLAH = GOD.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Zurf
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Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

Well, it may make sense to take this conversation to a more private forum.  I'm not against discussion my religion publicly, but there are some who would just as soon not be bothered.  Those folks have rights too.  If you're one of those folks, tune out now.  No point in reading on.

As far as Allah = the Christian God, that just doesn't stand up.  The Christian God is described as a Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Three parts of one God.  Allah is described as being one and only one.  It would be blasphemous in the Muslim faith to suggest that Allah could be separated from Himself as Christians believe that the Son was separated from the Father on the Cross.  Further, while Muslims recognize Jesus as a great prophet, they do not recognize Him as God.  And while Christians believe that the Father gave all authority to Jesus, Muslims believe that Jesus was subject to Mohammed.  Most importantly, of course, is that Christians believe in Jesus devine, resurrected, and alive.  Muslims do not believe that.  (I focus here on Jesus only and not Mohammed for two reasons.  One: I am addressing a claim about equality of Allah vs. Christian God from a Christian perspective.  Two: I know very little about Muslim beliefs regarding Mohammed and wish to avoid unintentional insult.)  Clearly, these are not consistent concepts.  Logically speaking, two different mutually exclusive claims about the nature of the same entities cannot both be right.  They can both be wrong, but they cannot both be right.  Whether God set that up or not, I rather suspect that it is as He would want it.  Throughout Scripture, God requires us to make a choice to follow Him.  It seems well and good then, that Allah and the Christian God are not reconcilable as synonymous philisophically or eclessiatically.  We must choose.  Considering what is at stake, we must choose wisely.  I hope that I was able to make the above arguments without offending any Muslims who may be reading. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • Registered: 2007-03-24
  • Posts: 1,108

Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

I have an F series Yamaha acoustic. I bought it back in the late 80's. It was my first guitar. I like the sound but my complaint would be that the action has never been "good". It has been "set up" but continues to have high action (if that even makes sense). I think I paid 250 or so back in the day. I'm not sure what they go for now but if you can spend a little more and get something a little more "playable". I have a Takamine that I love to play that was only about 400.00 or so. They are side by side and I almost never pick up the Yamaha. If you're looking for something versatile and are playing more than just open chords I'd keep looking.....

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello

7 Reply by Zurf (edited by Zurf 2007-08-29 10:52:03)

  • Zurf
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Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

Thanks Geo, I'd have to spend more than just a little more.  I can get the Yamaha F310 free (or rather, just for the amount of taxes, which is a negligible value for a guitar).  In fact, I ordered it yesterday afternoon.  I did have the chance to play one before ordering, and while it's not ideal it's a heck of a lot easier to play my style of music on it than on my nylon string Classical. 

But I'm still saving for a better guitar.  Unless I like it a LOT more than I expect to, I'm saving for that Blue Ridge.  I went back and played the Breedlove Atlas and the Blue Ridge side by side.  The Blue Ridge costs another $100 than the Breedlove Atlas and is worth it.  The Breedlove Atlas is the best in the under $500 price range I could find, but if I allow myself to go over $500, then the Blue Ridge is a better deal.  The Yamaha will get me through until I can afford the Blue Ridge and then it will be relegated to my camping/beach guitar. 

Thanks for the advice, let's me know that I'm on target with my plan.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • Registered: 2007-03-24
  • Posts: 1,108

Re: Yamaha model F300 Guitar

An excellent plan. I also use my Yamaha for those "rough" situations. I didn't want to give such a negative vibe on the Yamaha. I learned on that guitar and I still play it at least once a week.

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello