Yamaha LL16 ARE

[Gomers]

Hi,

1st post here, just wanted to chime in with regard to my new LL16 and recommend to anyone who may be thinking about one.

I've been playing for a about 20 years and have reached a certain 'standard' in my playing, not that good but can bang out a tune. I'd always fancied an LL or an LA but they were always out of financial reach when I started out. Fast forward and the new LL series have really caught my eye and took the plunge a couple of days ago.

The LL16 ARE is an amazing guitar for the money with near faultless build, nice appointments and sustain (even with crappy Yamaha strings) that goes on seemingly forever. After recently missing out on both an LL11 and LA8 on a well known auction site, the temptation got the better of me and I'm really impressed with my new acquisition and know my guitar buying days are now at an end (how many times have we all said that !

The Hangzhou plant in China are knocking out some hugely impressive guitars and my Yam is the best guitar I've ever owned amongst many from the big names, Martin, Taylor, Gibson and Larrivee.

Anyway, not much of an introduction, apologies but I'm at work and need to do a bit.

[leehop71]

Originally Posted by Gomers

Hi,

1st post here, just wanted to chime in with regard to my new LL16 and recommend to anyone who may be thinking about one.

I've been playing for a about 20 years and have reached a certain 'standard' in my playing, not that good but can bang out a tune. I'd always fancied an LL or an LA but they were always out of financial reach when I started out. Fast forward and the new LL series have really caught my eye and took the plunge a couple of days ago.

The LL16 ARE is an amazing guitar for the money with near faultless build, nice appointments and sustain (even with crappy Yamaha strings) that goes on seemingly forever. After recently missing out on both an LL11 and LA8 on a well known auction site, the temptation got the better of me and I'm really impressed with my new acquisition and know my guitar buying days are now at an end (how many times have we all said that !

The Hangzhou plant in China are knocking out some hugely impressive guitars and my Yam is the best guitar I've ever owned amongst many from the big names, Martin, Taylor, Gibson and Larrivee.

Anyway, not much of an introduction, apologies but I'm at work and need to do a bit.

Same way I feel about mine!

[Kip Carter]

Welcome to the forums and I think you'll find with very few exceptions those who have taken the dive on the LL16 have absolutely not regrets. at their price point they provide a wonderful value and bang for the buck. I put my 16r 12 string up with $1,800 Taylors and Martins with no shame whatsoever. Would I be pleased to own one of those? Sure! but I'd still want my Yamaha.

Grats on a fine choice and stick around! We're always glad to have another face here!

[Riverwolf]

Welcome to the forum.
I am a recent owner of a new Yamaha LS6M A.R.E.
What strings are you going to try first on your 16?

[Riverwolf]

now i know how where those "double post" posts come from

[Gomers]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Welcome to the forum.
I am a recent owner of a new Yamaha LS6M A.R.E.
What strings are you going to try first on your 16?

Have always used D'Addario strings with great results, tried to get a set thrown in with the guitar after negotiating a modest discount but was told that Dunlop PB 12's were all I was getting

Yeah, sorry if I'm adding to the LL thread count but thought it would be an apt time to introduce myself in a roundabout kinda way.

The set-up on mine is spot on for my style, the only change I want to make is for some ebony bridge pins that may calm the brightness a notch and a hardcase, we here in the UK have to leave the shop with the gig-bag unlike you lucky lot over the pond.

Thanks for the welcomes gents.

[Mr Nobody]

Hi Gomers,

Welcome, me newbie too!
Just a quick tip.
I bought a set of Taylor guitars Ebony pins for my LS16are as they were cheap, You can get them from most Taylor guitar stockist.

They were a tiny bit tight meaning, not being a snug fit, to fix that
I used sandpaper, curl it up then slipped the ebony pin(one at a time) and very lightly sanded the tapered pin then check for fitment into the bridge pin hole for snug fit.

So far, the upgrade I've done on my LS16are are those ebony pins and a bone saddle which I made from blank, just need to change to a bone nut now!

Yamaha L a.r.e series, pound per pound are good guitars.

[Qplay]

I bought a LL 16 last October and it's been my guitar since.As I tell my wife I have my LL and a couple other guitars I don't care about.

[lgherb]

Hi,

Been lurking a while and had not seen my question asked or answered. (1st time poster.)

Apologies if there is a newer or more relevant discussion to ask this in.

I am quite interested in the LL16 ARE and everything I have read about this is that it is a great guitar (with a couple of exceptions where certain people's ears were not overwhelmed by their expectations of what the tone should be when they ordered theirs online).

Anyway, my question is this...in almost every picture I have seen of natural finish Yamaha LL16 ARE's it looks like the two halves of the spruce top are different in color where one half of the top is a slightly darker shade than the other half.

Is this intentional? It makes it appear like the tops are put together with non-matching pieces. It really is noticeable to me.

I would prefer the natural finish, but this makes me gravitate more towards the 'dark tinted' finish as I don't see the difference in the spruce top halves with the 'dark tint' finish. Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of the hue of the dark tinted finish (slightly too 'orangeish' for me).

Any ideas why the difference in color exists in the spruce top on these? Or, do I need to trade in my left eye for a new one?

Thanks in advance for commentary.

[AndrewG]

I'm on my third LL16. By the way the stock strings are now Elixir; previously the 'L'series came fitted with Yamaha FS50BT strings.

[George Henry]

Google "runout" in spruce soundboards and you'll find the difference between the halves of the top.

[lgherb]

Originally Posted by George Henry

Google "runout" in spruce soundboards and you'll find the difference between the halves of the top.

Thanks. Guess I need a new left eye after all.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by lgherb

Thanks. Guess I need a new left eye after all.

Turn the guitar around and the grain will reflect light in the opposite direction-the 'darker' half will now appear 'lighter' and vice versa.. Some guitars show very significant runout, but neither of my Yamaha 'L' guitars do. It's absolutely nothing to be concerned about in any case, and doesn't reflect the quality of the timber-and Yamaha always use decent quality Englemann spruce on these models.

[Nyghthawk]

Welcome to the AGF! The Yamaha acoustics are great players and the L series in particular. I am waiting somewhat impatiently for the new LJ6's and 16's to be on sale. The were introduced at Summer NAMM and zippo since.

Glad you are liking your LL16.

[lowrider]

Welcome to the forum. Can one of you owners tell me what the string spacing at the bridge is on the Yamaha L series guitars.