« On the Nippon Gakki (Japanese made) models »

I was given this guitar in 1978 due to a badly bent neck, a common problem in all the guitars made in the same factory, probably an unfortunate selection of neck wood. I recommend 10/52 gauge, never tune high, if you use open tunings always go down.
Mine is a Nippon Gakki Yamaha produced in Japan 1973, blonde label. "Made In Japan" on the back of the headstock, SN is on the lower bout crossbrace just inside the sound hole, very faded. I fixed the neck and lowered the action, the nut height on these models being typically a little too high. The tone, volume, string balance, intonation and sustain are all superb.
These guitars have solid spruce top, Laminated Mahogany b/s (there's nothing wrong with laminate), rosewood fingerboard and closed tuners, stays in tune. I attribute the marvelous qualities of this guitar to a fortunate accident of top spruce selection and a quality, long lasting glue for the bracing and joints and an excellent and properly applied finish material.
You would be very lucky to have one of these Japanese made Yamaha's.
In '74 or '75 they moved production to Taiwan, still pretty good guitars but not quite the quality of top wood as in the Japanese models.
I use strumming (of course) and whatever fingerpicking is required to play a song. Clicking and tapping the strings can produce many effects with ease, a very responsive instrument capable of satisfying all styles which is a quality seldom considered in the field. It's of a size comfortable for almost anyone, the neck handling neither too small nor too large.
These are robust in the body, well constructed. The finish is exemplary, just the right density and thickness, not fading or cracking since manufacture 40+ years ago, the finish of a guitar being a significant factor in tone and volume.