« Yamaha FG335 II BK »

I paid $100 for the guitar, as the previous owner had died and was cremated, before the urn was placed in his guitar case. The trustee of the guitar and ashes then took the stuff to Cecil's Pawn in Boise, Idaho, where he did not repay the loan or interest, making it the shop's property. When the women working at the shop opened the case, they found that the urn had spilled, dumping most of the ashes in the guitar's sound hole. They hung the guitar on the wall with a $250 price tag on it. When I saw the guitar, I immediately began to drool. I knew that only a limited number of the FG335's were painted black, so I had to have it. I asked what they wanted, and Karen, a friend and employee said cringing, "If you take it right now- you can have it for $100, and I'll throw in everything that was in the case, too." (a Dean Markley hole pickup, several cords, strings, a capo, a cheap electric tuner, and a small porcelain urn.)I paid cash for it as she told me the story behind it, and said I didn't care, as long as I has the guitar. The girls at the shop were happy to get rid of it, since it gave them the creeps to have it in the shop. Incidentally, I used a tiny car vaccum to get the ashes from inside the guitar, and place them back in he urn. I returned to the shop to tell them that I loved the guitar, and when they weren't looking, I placed the urn behind some items on a high shelf behind the counter with a note attached, saying "body parts from Yamaha Guitar.."

I love the guitar, you could play tennis with it and it still would sound good. It has weathered over a decade of abuse, and still sounds as good as the day I got it. Hole pickups (exept for the Dean Markley brand)sound really good in it, and it works great for live performances using a cheap Lawrence pickup. I would trade or sell anything I owned except this guitar, and when I die, I want to be cremated, placed inside it, and left at a yard sale or something...

It's the heavyest acoustic guitar I have ever had..... in the case, it feels like an electric bass or something..

This guitar is built tough, and the black finish has stood the test of time. However, the white border around the body has turned yellow, making it unmatched with the bleach white pickguard. Overall, the guitar is built very well, and will stay in tune for months. I have not had to fix or replace any part on this guitar.

I have played other Yamaha acoustic guitars, but I still like my FG335II the best. My best friend, a dedicated Washburn fan, loves the way my guitar sounds, but complains that the neck is too wide at the nut.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com