About Yamaha 12 string LL series
Maybe this is not the right place to put on the following tread, but I tried in other forums without reaching any solution. So I ask to all of you, expert guys, hoping good.
I want to purchase a new 12 string acoustic and, as everyone, I'd like to have the best for the less (I'm a divorced man, with a daughter and a son, and maybe you know what this means on the money side!).
So, I can't afford Guild, Taylor, Martin and other wonderful but expensive guitars. I trust the high end Yamahas (own an FG 460S 12A that's quite good), read almost all the comparison and find that the best 12 string Yamaha now in production is the LL16-12 that is priced around 670€ (1150$ + or -). But it has a grafted headstock, 3 ply neck and other small construction specs that I don't like.
The superior series is the LL26, which, apart of more fancy abalone (I don't care of), has a 5 ply all solid neck-neck joint-headstock and a peculiar square bracing design " which utilizes side braces to connect the brace closest to the sound hole on the top, to its opposite brace on the back...". You can see the pictures and read the characteristics on a catalogue or in the site.
BUT... they don't make an LL26-12. Just 6 string. My idea was to ask to Yamaha to make the LL26-12! It shouldn't be difficult to assemble it. I know they have a custom shop in Hamamatsu Japan, where Mr. Hiroshi Sakurai declares to be happy to receive custom orders.
And now, finally, arrives the problem: No e-mail address ANYWHERE to write to. I searched all over the net, but the only possibility is to write to my country (Italy) distributor, which kindly declares that Yamaha does not accept custom orders.
I'm quite sure that if I would be able to contact Yamaha in Hamamatsu, I will have that guitar for a reasonable price. And I'm sure it would became a hard-to-beat one amongst the more famous brands.
Imagine you can have for (say) 1500$ a 12 string of the same quality (if not better) of a 2500/3500$ Taylor, Martin, Guild or Gibson. Is it a totally stupid idea?
WOW! I'm tired after this long writing in a language that's not mine! Sorry if you're tired after reading.
Any idea of how can I get in contact with Yamaha (NOT ITALY)? Thanks and pardon.
Antonio
I want to purchase a new 12 string acoustic and, as everyone, I'd like to have the best for the less (I'm a divorced man, with a daughter and a son, and maybe you know what this means on the money side!).
So, I can't afford Guild, Taylor, Martin and other wonderful but expensive guitars. I trust the high end Yamahas (own an FG 460S 12A that's quite good), read almost all the comparison and find that the best 12 string Yamaha now in production is the LL16-12 that is priced around 670€ (1150$ + or -). But it has a grafted headstock, 3 ply neck and other small construction specs that I don't like.
The superior series is the LL26, which, apart of more fancy abalone (I don't care of), has a 5 ply all solid neck-neck joint-headstock and a peculiar square bracing design " which utilizes side braces to connect the brace closest to the sound hole on the top, to its opposite brace on the back...". You can see the pictures and read the characteristics on a catalogue or in the site.
BUT... they don't make an LL26-12. Just 6 string. My idea was to ask to Yamaha to make the LL26-12! It shouldn't be difficult to assemble it. I know they have a custom shop in Hamamatsu Japan, where Mr. Hiroshi Sakurai declares to be happy to receive custom orders.
And now, finally, arrives the problem: No e-mail address ANYWHERE to write to. I searched all over the net, but the only possibility is to write to my country (Italy) distributor, which kindly declares that Yamaha does not accept custom orders.
I'm quite sure that if I would be able to contact Yamaha in Hamamatsu, I will have that guitar for a reasonable price. And I'm sure it would became a hard-to-beat one amongst the more famous brands.
Imagine you can have for (say) 1500$ a 12 string of the same quality (if not better) of a 2500/3500$ Taylor, Martin, Guild or Gibson. Is it a totally stupid idea?
WOW! I'm tired after this long writing in a language that's not mine! Sorry if you're tired after reading.
Any idea of how can I get in contact with Yamaha (NOT ITALY)? Thanks and pardon.
Antonio
Views: 1233
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jay Gordon on
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Antonio, you may want to try to make contact with Yamaha in Hammamatsu by first contating the Yamaha Custom Shop in California. The Yamaha U.S. website has a long list of departments within the Yamaha organisation. They mention the custom shop in Hollywood. If you contacted them, they may be able to help you in a more easy way than trying to contact the company in Japan directly. Just a thought. You may have already tried this...so I hope this suggestion is some help.
Jay
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Permalink Reply by Antonio Cotichini on
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Jay, If you can give me that address I'll be in due with you, because I tried all I've found on the net without success. Every Yamaha's site say to keep contact with my country's Yamaha distributor and give no e-mail address. You red the rest of the story.
Thank you
Antonio
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Permalink Reply by Russell Vance on
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This is putting the cart before the horse - 12 string guitars have different bracing,top dimensions and neck specs than 6 string guitars - what you are asking Yamaha to do is to build a one-off custom 12 string acoustic - and to do it for next to nothing (in custom shop terms) - good luck with Yamaha but you will most likely be better off just buying an entry level 12 string Taylor and saving a lot of time and effort - plus, you can play it straight off the shelf to determine if you like it. Rusty.
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Russell, if they take the box of an LL16-12, add that "Square brace", cut an LL26 neck with just a little longer headstock to accept 12 tuners... the game is over. I know that probably this will never happen, but it would be possible without big extra charge, and the result should be a super high end 12 string. This thing intrigues me.
Anyway, thanks for the advice.
Antonio
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Don't need them, Tim, I have 3 six strings and just one 12!!! Adding my mandolin I should put together a harp!
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Permalink Reply by Rick Homan on
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Acoustic Guitar magazine just did a thorough review article on 12-strings in price categories from $250 to $500, $500 to $1,000, $1,000 to $1500, etc. up to $4000. Along with a thorough review of one in each category and videos of Teja Gerken playing each one, they give a list of other guitars currently available in that category. You can read it and hear it here:
http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=24922
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Thanks Rick, as a subscriber to Acoustic Guitar Magazine since 1997 I've read everything on it and a lot on other guitar magazines. I'm not a builder, as I said elsewhere on this forum, just a repairer, customizer and (wanna be) inlay man since early 1990. I know very well there are lots of 12 string guitars one can buy. I'm just trying to figure out how THAT (still) not-existing guitar should be. It's a little like trying to imagine how the perfect woman should be if one could assemble the pieces of different nice girls! (Hope not a sort of Frankenstein!).
Let's say that if I would be a rich guy, I probably would go for a high end Guild or Martin or Larrivée or Taylor....
But not being one, I dream about the best at the less.
Anyway, at the end I'd probably buy the Yamaha LL16-12... but not before having fight for the other!
Ciao.
Antonio
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Permalink Reply by William F.Eden on
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Antonio I have a 12 string Epiphone Ft-160 made in Kalamazoo USA In good shap but needs a new top and different braceing in the top you are welcome to have it if you send me the shipping cost. You could do what you like with it to your own likeing.Just a thought Bill.""""""
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You're very kind, William, really very kind. I've no idea on how much would the shipping cost be and I've heard of misadventures at the arrival (broken necks). I'm tempted. I'll let you know.
Thanks again
Antonio
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It has a Bolt on neck so it could be wrapped separetly in the same package. I used to ship Uks to China and Japan and it cost a $100.00 to ship them about 4 years ago and I never had any Problems with any of them. If you find that you are interested let me know and I will take it to the post office and get a price on shipping Bill.""""""""
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Bill, I'm not for bolt-on necks, sorry. Thanks the same.
Antonio
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