How bad, really, is a Yamaha F-310 ?

[SilvertoneFan]

I saw a Yamaha F-310 in really nice condition in a pawn shop today for $xxx and thought I'd pick it up for my daughter's upcoming birthday. However, the price made me suspicious. Are these really cheaply made or was it just a good deal?

Thanks.

[SilvertoneFan]

My bad. This was my first post and I was unaware that you couldn't discuss price. Needless to say, the guitar was quite affordable. In fact, if I were a minimum wage earner, it would have taken me just under two days to earn enough to pay for it.

Originally Posted by SilvertoneFan

I saw a Yamaha F-310 in really nice condition in a pawn shop today for $xxx and thought I'd pick it up for my daughter's upcoming birthday. However, the price made me suspicious. Are these really cheaply made or was it just a good deal?

Thanks.

[phil_harmonic]

A new F-310 would not cost all that much as it is all laminate (I used to have one). The Yammy's that I recommend are the solid topped ones (FG7xxs, FS7xxs). A colleage bought the FG700s recently upon my recommendation and is quite pleased with it (it's his 1st guitar). For the price it's hard to knock and is the best guitar at that price point that I have played.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/n...ice%7c0&rpp=20

[rwrrwr]

For an F-310, $xxx is too much. $xx is more like it. Check Ebay for Yamaha acoustics and you'll get a good idea of the market prices. Look closely at the number of bids vs. price for given models. An F310 for $xxx will mostly have no bidders.

The F310 is a fine beginner guitar but for $xxx one can buy one of the FG series, (from the 70's to the present) and get a much better value.

[GEFan]

I have one. If you lower the action it's not too bad to learn on. Mine had a very high action when I got it and it put me off playing for years until someone explained to me how to lower it. I see them in pawn shops all the time there are a lot of them.
Mine now sits in the case under a bed. I upgraded fairly soon after I started to play again. It's the guitar I lend to friends.
With a low action and extra light strings most of them like it. (But it sounds dead if you've played better)

[Dek431]

I bought one a while ago but returned it same day. I had my washburn D10S at the time and wanted a Yamaha. The D10S is a better guitar for similar money. I got the Yamaha FG730S, way better than both. The FG series base model can be picked up for not too much more than the 310, a better buy.

[Darren310]

I've ordered one of these myself off of GAK, hopefully it isn't as bad as alot of people say.

I am currently learning to play the acoustic via You Tube vid's and some books etc, perhaps not the best way but it's all I can do, lol

This will be my first guitar and I am a complete and utter beginner. After reading alot of reviews about the F310 it seems to be quite a decent first guitar, that's all I'm after really, something to learn with and then get something better further on down the line in about 6 months or so.

[QuadFather]

I know this is a ridiculously old thread, but I was doing a Google search to see how my first guitar, my 1999 Yamaha F-310 was rated by other users, and this thread came up.

Even though I have a Taylor, and have had one for years, I personally still love that old YammerHammer, and pick it up to play around the house quite a bit. Probably even more than the Taylor, because I really don't care if it gets dinged up.

The action is great, the tone is certainly acceptable for a guitar of it's price, and the intonation is still pretty good, even though I've not taken great pains to care for the old axe.

Again, old thread for sure, but if someone is new and looking for a dependable, playable first axe, this is not a bad choice.

I'd have the dealer set the action a little lower than stock, but other than that, it's good to go right out of the box!

Cheers!

[Pheof]

FEATURES
Body Style: Dreadnought acoustic
Top: Laminated spruce
Back: Meranti
Sides: Meranti
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Bridge: Rosewood
No. of frets: 20, 14 free
Pickguard: tortoiseshell
Finish: Gloss
Tuners: Gold die-cast
Warranty: Limited lifetime
Case sold separately

I'm pretty sure I either had one in black years ago and it was fine. I've also had the $199, $279 and $350 models, whatever their names are - the FG series.

[Oldguy64]

Check your local Craigslist.
You might find a relatively unplayed Yamaha, of decent quality for less than a c-note.
It'll pay to look it over of course.

But the CL here in Kansas City sports many Epiphone, Ibanez and Yamaha guitars for ridiculously low prices.

[fazool]

How bad, really, is a Yamaha F-310 ?

Well, apparently you have the perception that they are bad, or that people say they are bad. I've never heard anyone ever say anything bad about a Yamaha guitar. Even the ultra cheapies are probably the best of that type there is.

There is a lot of brand discussions around here.

Some brands are adored. Some brands are scorned. Some have mixed reviews. In all cases the opinions vary.

I've never heard anyone say any "Yamahas are bad".

[ADK]

Originally Posted by fazool

I've never heard anyone say any "Yamahas are bad".

Me neither.

Quad, I have the F345, all laminate, sycamore top and mahogany sides and back. It looks cool and sounds pretty darn nice. I think it was 199. I second your opinion that these make great entry-level and take-anywhere guitars.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...coustic-guitar

[DenverSteve]

The question was 3 years ago.....

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

The question was 3 years ago.....

Actually...its been five years since the original post.

But the person that resurrected it starts with "I know this is a ridiculously old thread".
As "zombie threads" go....
It is also a relavent question, as there are new and used Yamahas everywhere.

It seems to be the ubiquitous first guitar for many folks. And a lot of those folks move up from entry level Yamahas to solid tops, to all solid.

Yamaha makes some very good guitars.
I've not found a bad one. I've never found one that grabs me either. But I'll never "look down my nose" at one, if it comes here to live.

[pewtergod]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

Actually...its been five years since the original post.

But the person that resurrected it starts with "I know this is a ridiculously old thread".
As "zombie threads" go....
It is also a relevant question, as there are new and used Yamahas everywhere.

It seems to be the ubiquitous first guitar for many folks. And a lot of those folks move up from entry level Yamahas to solid tops, to all solid.

Yamaha makes some very good guitars.
I've not found a bad one. I've never found one that grabs me either. But I'll never "look down my nose" at one, if it comes here to live.

Here, now it's an even older post. But it's still a very relevant question to many people out there, since Yamaha is pushing that guitar in their Gig Maker Package, and selling it by itself now for about $140. For a laminate, it's a decent sounding guitar, but if you can swing about $200, you can get one of their solid topped FG-800s, or if you look around, you can find a used FG-700s pretty cheap. I preferred them to the new 800 anyway. They have a brighter top end, but less bass. Sounds better than my $400 Art & Lutherie Cedar.
In any case, the Yamaha 3xx line sound better than average for lower end laminates, but if you're going to pay retail for it, you're better off spending a little more for a solid top. And when you read an ad saying 'SELECT SPRUCE TOP', that means LAMINATE in advertising-speak. Do not be fooled. A lot of people buy cheap Jasmines because the ads say that, and think they're getting a solid top. And Fender and the rest of the industry is just as guilty.