Since we launched our highly acclaimed FG series back in the
late '60s, we have consistently developed our folk guitars for
nearly forty years. So it is no surprise that the very first
handcrafted folk guitars that we made were high end FGs: FG1500
and FG2000. These early '70s handmade FGs were a direct result
of work with legendary artists from around the world, work that
continues to this day. We have over thirty years experience
of crafting quality steel string instruments by hand. Today's
L series guitars are a testament to the decades of that extensive
research and development work.
Our design themes center around the following points:
A balanced tone and response. The
ultimate goal. Bass and treble must complement each other, encouraging
inspiration from the guitarist rather than compensation. |
 |
 Dovetail
neck joint. Since the '70s, we have adopted a unique
dovetail neck joint. This particular joint in our opinion gives
the guitar the best surface to surface (neck to body) contact.
In the joint there is nothing but timber. This enables and indeed
encourages resonance flow from the neck to the body, aiding
the achievement of a balanced tone and response.
Blending of woods. Our experience
of blending quality woods ensures that the highs are really
sustained and note texture is under maximum control at all times
by the player.
Body Designs. Our original L series (LL)
has shoulders that are slightly more slender than a standard
dreadnought design and the body has been designed to be subtly
wider. This gives the guitar a more definite tone.
For many years, we have offered a small body folk guitar option
in the shape of LA and more recently
the LS series. This body shape
has been designed to give a sweet gentle rounded tone, ideally
suited for recording and finger-style playing.
2004 sees us unveil our LJ series
With its tight waist and deeper body, this guitar has been designed
for today's modern player. Particularly strong in the midrange,
this guitar offers a controlled aggressive tone well suited
to the stage but is equally happy to be played in the discerning
home.
Lacquer expertise. Without a doubt,
one of our most significant strengths. We work very closely
with lacquer manufacturers. The focus being, less is more. Specially
developed finishing materials, unique to Yamaha are utilized
on our handcrafted models. Ultimately, this gives the guitar
every chance to breath and tonally shine. A good acoustic guitar
must feel alive and not simply just sound good! |
