yet another pawn shop find ....yay

Keira-WitherKay · 2010-01-15T09:00:34+00:00

hi all, yeah yesterday led to yet another amazing pawn shop find........ thanks to an email from Atilla from the site giving me the heads up that he saw an old yamaha classical G225 in a grubby state and with strings missing at a cash converters........ but he mentioned it seemed sound structurally ............. firstly thanks to atilla .. next round is on me.... thanks for the tip i called to check it was still there and to my amazement at first the salesman said he had no classical guitars in stock by yamaha.... and eventually i pushed him to check if it had been sold then he came back and said yeah he has this old guitar with only 2 strings on it but that i would'nt want it since he reckoned it was unplayable........and he offered me a cort acoustic instead........ i then asked him to keep it and i was heading that way to teach so i decided a detour was in order........... i arrived ..found a very dirtY guitar ...AND I MEAN CAKED IN BLACK GRIME...with only a 6th string and 1st string still playable....... but one look to see it was not cracked and went into bargaining mode....... eventually it was marked only at R499 but i got another 10% from manager so i paid R450 ..... smiling broadly ....... then to my amazement as i was walking out the guy stopped me and said ...wait while he went to fetch the guitar bag that came with the guitar ......what a bonus .... anyway i took her home after teaching and within an hour had changed the strings and wiped her down...... then i had to sand down the plastic saddle to lower the incredibly high action ...... and there you have it ........... no major work ... just strings and a saddle adjustment which i do for all my guitars myself........ and i now have a great sounding yamaha classical from late 70's ....... it truly sounds awesome and has a good feel .however the neck has been flattened at the back (in the factory) so not that nice fat round traditional neck i love so much from the original designs i compared it to my '72 G120 (which is what i use at live shows) and it held up beautifully... the G120 is a hint darker with deeper bottoms.... but the G225 is great and might even become my backup guitar for live work....after i fit a LR baggs i beam system into it ....... so yeah below is the specs of the 2 guitars i got from yamaha website .... SPECIFICATIONS: G225 G120 Year(s) Sold: 1977-81 1967-74 Original MSRP(US$): $113.95 $142.50 Top: Spruce Pine Back / Sides: Agathis Mahogany Neck: Nato Mahogany Bridge: Bubinga Rosewood String Length: N/A 658mm an interesting point on the specs is that the G120 top is made of a pine top............. and also that it is despite being an older model substantially more expensive at time of production than the G225 by $30 (and remember we talking about $30 back in the late 60's early 70's ...since prices supplied are what they sold for at the time of production not todays value) ... even though it's a much older almost 8-10 yrs guitar ....... but i must admit the G120 still is a gorgeous instrument ....and feels as close to a traditional classical as i have seen ... anyway thats another victory to the 'pawn shop trawlers " to notch up .......... a great 30 yr old guitar that sounds and plays beautifully for a mere R450 and some Tender loving care ......... OH IF ANYONE DOES SEE OLD YAMAHA OR ARIA CLASSICALS IN A PAWN SHOP IN OR AROUND JHB /PTA OR ANYWHERE WITHIN 100KM OF JHB LET ME KNOW .....MAIL ME ....... I'M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR MORE SUCH GEMS.......... SOME PEOPLE LOVE NEW SHINY GUITARS I LOVE OLD DISTRESSED INSTRUMENTS BUT I TEND TO FIND THE OLD YAMAHA'S AND ARIA'S WERE OF EXTRAORDINARY BUILD QUILITY FOR THE PRICE AND FAR SUPERCEDE ANY OF THE MID PRICED CLASSICALS AVAILABLE TODAY .........

Riaan-Combrink

Nice one, Keira!

Two of my guitars (the Cort X-6 and MIM Strat) are pawn shop finds. But I've noticed a worrying trend at Cash Crusaders/Converters. Some of the stores in the CT area have now wisened up a bit, and do some research. They then print out an internet add and display it with the guitar / amp / etc - doing a full currency conversion to the new price. This is irrespective of the condition and the fact that they're selling an used item with no backup, etc. So the bargains are getting fewer here. Of course, punters vote with their wallets. I'd wait till it stays put for a few months, make sure I mention when I first saw it there, and then the owner/manager can see the ripp-off won't work.

AndyD

Well done! Trawling works.In '97 I found a MIA (Fort worth )jackson charvel for R1000 incl hard case.Great bargain and in brilliant nick.Had foster vd Merwe set it up and it was great,however I could never really bond with that guitar.I made a great trade and swapped it for a chris rea signature strat ' (63 reissue) which is da bomb in fiesta red and 7 1\4 Radius and truss rod adjustment at the pickup side.Nothing like a good strat!

Keira-WitherKay

@ Joel ..yeah always appreciate someone keeping an eye out for guitars for me ....... tho i am only interested in nylon string classical guitars ............even cheap ones...... and not interested in any steel string acoustics tho......

@Riaan yeah the chain pawn shops have a nationally connected system just as Joel mentioned..... but the deals do slip though especially as in my case..... my best finds were a 37yr old nylon and this one a 30 year old nylon........ which to them is of little value..... cos they do not factor the fact that old mid priced classicals from yamaha and aria rival the better instruments of today ......but to then they just someones old junk.... hehhehe they think if a guitar is glossy and shiny and not dinged it's worth much more than the vintage ones in typical poor condition of battered finnish and mostly no strings even........or high actions heheheh

so yeah the chances of finding a MIA recent fender/Gibson at R3000 is gone ....... but i bet if someone had to pitch up with a battered 60's fender with paint worn off and dented and dinged with rusted strings they would sell it for the price of a squire............. just cos it does not look pretty ......

yeah but we all know looks is not what makes a great guitar .. so to me long as the construction is still solid ...and i can at least hear the tone on one string...... i will buy it and i'm confident i can restore it with minimal expense .......

anyway who wants a shiny guitar ........i like my guitars to be like me old and 'road worn " ?

Riaan-Combrink

Keira WitherKay wrote but i bet if someone had to pitch up with a battered 60's fender with paint worn off and dented and dinged with rusted strings they would sell it for the price of a squire............. just cos it does not look pretty ......

That's why we keep looking ... ?

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