This guitar was another inexpensive eBay find in good condition. Besides needing a good cleaning, one of the tuner covers was bent such that it would not tighten cleanly to the headstock. As it happens, I already had another SJ-180 that I bought cheaply more for its case than for the guitar, which was so beaten up the fingerboard was separating from the neck at the cracked headstock. I cannibalized the identical tuner off the first guitar and replaced the bum one on the clean SJ-180. After putting on extra-light Martin strings, I now have a great little finger-picking travel guitar that should be good to go for another 30 years.
I put DR mediums on the one I just picked up for 55 dollars at a garage sale. It has stickers all over it , high action mostly because the trussrod was completely backed off. It took me a few hours to fix it up but it's a very nice older Yamaha. Real Martin OM sound
ReplyDeleteNice!
DeleteMan, nice to see you appreciate these too.
ReplyDeleteSitting in my office right now are a SJ-180 with a bone nut and saddle, 2013 Gibson LG-2, a 2006 Martin D-28, a 61 Harmony Master, and a few "Mid Level" acoustic guitars that rotate in and out of my collection.
I would say I play my SJ-180 for two hours to every hour I play something else. There is a little magic in these little Yamaha guitars. When setup well with lights they play incredible and for an all laminate "cheap" guitar it has a remarkable soul. I would even say it has a little bite to it.
If my house catches fire I'm leaving with the SJ in one hand and the D-28 in the other. The rest are replaceable. I would sell a child before I sold this SJ-180!
I have one of these.. I am reworking the action and I came across a snag. I tried years ago to replace the nut with bone and I got the string spread all haywire.. anyone know what it's suppose to be? I found some notes that indicated that the nut was 1 11/16 and I found a Martin nut on Stew-Mac that would fit but I am a bit gun shy about the spread at this point.. Thanks for any help..
ReplyDeleteThe SJ-180 was made prior to 1981. My brother and I got guitars for Christmas in 1979. I received a Yamaha FG-331 (which I still have) and my brother received a Yamaha SJ-180 (which he still has). Both of these guitars were bought for us by our Mom and Dad, and they were slightly used but in like new condition.
ReplyDeleteI got my SJ-180 in 1979 as well. $210.00 discounted to 159.48. I still have the tag and the music store is still open and in the same location. I just put a bone saddle and bridge in it, both required much sanding. It has all the greatest tone but none of the projection, perfect for early morning playing so as to not wake everyone up. I love it.
DeleteThanks for the info! Official Yamaha records are notoriously incomplete.
ReplyDeleteThe first SJ-180s came off the line in 1979. I have an '82 and it is as clean, clear, bright and deep sounding as my '64 Guild F-30, but with the chunky neck that my big hands need.
ReplyDeleteWhat type of strings should I put on my sj-180
ReplyDeleteI would go with lights or medium lights. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of oil do you recommend putting on these SJ-180 fretboards? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteRegular ol' mineral oil is as good as the fancy stuff! Just a LIGHT coat and wipe off well.
DeleteI've had an SJ-180 for 15 years and I'll never sell it. This little guitar does have something about it that makes it a joy to play and I think they are really underrated.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more comparable these days to the SJ-180? F325D or FG800? Looking for another guitar for family to practice on.
ReplyDeleteI recently got an SJ-180. The owner has had it since the early 80's. It has a 9 digit serial #. It also has rosewood sides and back (not mahogany). Any ideas on how to accurately date it.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to learn that these have a bit of a following. I picked one up for $20 this summer, threw it in the pile of other guitars and forgot about it. Pulled it out tonight and it's pretty nice. I'll be doing a serious cleanup, bone nut-saddle-bridge pins, and figuring out how to fill the 10 1/2" holes some goofball drilled into it.
ReplyDeleteMy parents saw a clean sj180 in a dumpster, no strings, very worn, beyond the paint, way into the wood under the pickguard, whoever had it before me used it a lot!! But intact otherwise, so they picked it up thinking I might want it... that was more than 30 years ago, I still play it every day, this guitar is my baby, all who play it comment on how good it sounds and that it has a "vibe", it really does... this guitar feels magical to me, perhaps because she's a "rescue", I feel her gratitude for having been saved from being thrown away.
ReplyDeleteRecently been gifted an sj180. I feel blessed.
ReplyDelete