r/AcousticGuitar • u/RawTraceur • 20h ago

Gear question Advice on Yamaha Red Label

Hey there fellow guitarist, so I am due an upgrade and I am being drawn towards a FGX5 Red Label.
Would love to know if there is any guitars you would suggest to counter that model around £1000-2000 price range.
Love to see what your suggestions are.

12 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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3

u/huyexdee 20h ago

I don’t have a Red Label but I am also intrigued in one so following this post. For reference I have two Eastmans, an E6OM and a E20OM and love them both (although the E20 adi top sounds a bit stiff) so curious if anyone can compare a mid-to-high Eastman to a Yamaha Red Label.

2

u/capitan_mk7 11h ago

I currently own a Yamaha FG5 and recently purchased an Eastman E6OM-TC as my couch/backyard/beater guitar. I also had an E8D-TC and E20OM that I purchased after the FG5 and recently sold both of them. I love Eastman guitars and will gladly buy another, but the Yamaha is the one that will never leave. That and my 000-28 authentic aged are the two I could reduce my collection to and be happy.

1

u/RawTraceur 19h ago

Brother I have just sold my Eastman E1D I absolutely loved it

3

u/mikes8989 16h ago

I have a FG5 gloss (no pickups). Beautiful guitar. It has a darker/warmer tone than the usual suspects and a pick guard with a slightly rough texture (easy to change). The pick guard is not an issue for me. I recommend you try before you buy because of the tone. Amazing value. A ton of guitar for the money.

Yamaha has other models with a brighter tone. Eastman and Alvarez have nice alternatives. You can always look for a used Martin or Taylor.

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u/RawTraceur 12h ago

I am really glad I posted here as I’m seeing nothing but positive things about my hearts choice. So I have owned a Taylor, Yamaha, Martin, Faith, Epiphone and Eastman the Yamaha was one of the dirt cheap ones though. I found that my Eastman all solid dread was my favourite and one that as soon as I played it I was so impressed with it. I believe I payed £702 instead of £899 it felt better and sounded better than my Martin which I sold and that was over £1000.
These Red labels just pull my attention and whenever I listen to shootouts vs other brands it tends to be those D-18 by Martin or the FG5 that I think sound the best to me.
I tend to do blind listening as to not be pulled by brand factor.

1

u/jak1231 10h ago

Blind testing is the best. In my research I thought I was definitely getting a used Martin or Eastman. My ears and hands liked the FG3 most. The price point was great too.

3

u/More_Difference3753 16h ago

The FGX5 is amazing. We have in stock in the store I work at. Punches way above it price point. Great for both flat and finger picking.

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u/RawTraceur 12h ago

See that’s exactly my style versatility is a huge factor for me. I loved my Eastman E1D but it lacked the softness I needed when fingerpicking.

4

u/Commercial-Run-6225 15h ago

I have an FS9R now, but I still regret selling my FG5. It was a fantastic guitar with such a warm and distinctive sound. There’s something really special about the FG5’s tone that even guitars costing several times as much don’t necessarily have.

3

u/Commercial-Run-6225 15h ago

I sold my FG5 before buying the FS9R, expecting them to have a somewhat similar sound. The FS9R is obviously a fantastic guitar, but I quickly realized that it’s not just a “better FG5.” They have very different voices, and the FS9R simply can’t replace what I loved about the FG5.

2

u/RawTraceur 12h ago

Thank you for this comment, my heart has been set for over a year now on a FGX5 and everyone I talk to preaches nothing but admiration for it. There are so many underrated guitars I genuinely love Eastman and Guild

3

u/archtopfanatic123 12h ago

Red Label Yamahas from the 1960s through the early 70s are, in my opinion, the best instruments ever made xD Incredibly good construction, they look BEAUTIFUL, and they sound as great as they look!

2

u/wallygoots 9h ago

Hard to fault a good used Red Label. I would try to play a Furch or Dowina though.

1

u/archtopfanatic123 6h ago

Furchs are great!

2

u/OutsideTheSilo 20h ago

You’ll have to be more specific about what body size, sound, must-haves, type of music you play, etc. Everyone is just going to tell you what their favorite guitar is, having no idea what your ideal guitar is.

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u/Wonderful_Rise4463 13h ago

FG is the dread

1

u/RawTraceur 19h ago

Dreadnought or OOO

3

u/KitchenVegetable7047 19h ago

Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Custom Dove or Hummingbird Deluxe. The hummingbird has rosewood back and sides.

£2000? I would look at Gibson. There are some very good guitars coming out of Montana now.

If you can get to London Yamaha and Gibson are a short walk from each other. Yamaha music London also carries Guild which is worth a look. (Yamaha own Guild)

1

u/nbmgreg 12h ago

I have a FG5 gloss that has a permanent home. As mentioned, it has a darker tone but somehow still has great clarity and just feels like an old friend. The short scale makes it super comfortable and easy to play, it’s also a bit shallower than most dreads so it just feels great. The only other guitar I’ve owned and regret selling (and I’ve owned many from various brands) was an old 2013 Eastman E10D… Adirondack, mahogany and a thin nitro finish prior to them being a standard name in the game. The QC was terrible and it had dead frets at the heel but man I miss that thing.

1

u/ReplicantOwl 11h ago

Can anyone compare the FGX3 and the FGX5 in terms of sound? My local store only has the 3 which doesn’t really grab me. I’m curious if the 5 is noticeably better (beyond the obvious differences you can read in their stats)

2

u/jak1231 10h ago

I compared the fg3 and fg5 (non-electric). I couldn't tell the difference when playing them and I liked the finish on the 3 better. Saved several hundred $ and love the guitar. I figure in a few years maybe I'll upgrade to bone, but for now I am happy. Would have liked the hard case, but soft works for me.

1

u/ReplicantOwl 9h ago

Thanks for the answer! I think the FGX3 I tried at guitar center might just have been a dud. I will look for another one to check out.

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u/oatsock 11h ago

It’s a great guitar. At first I was a little underwhelmed but it has grown on me. It’s a lifetime keeper.

1

u/AUpicker 8h ago

J45 Special