Justin Cheek's Yamaha FG-360

I was first contacted by Justin on January 25, 2020. The serial number on this guitar is completely gone. We are hypothesizing that this is a Japanese model made between January and March 1973 that was never imported into the US. This is based on the label, which is different from the later Japanese models that were available to the US market. If this is the case, his FG-360 would be the 14th Japanese model not imported into the US that we know of and number 118 overall.

Hi David I’m sure my first guitar was a Yamaha fg360 or something similar although I think it had white binding around the headstock. I sold it many years ago, I don’t think it was solid wood because my second guitar built in 1980 was a solid wood Maton (Australian).

I stumbled on an old 360 recently, fairly beat up, tuners have been changed badly and some binding is missing but from Japan. I’ll attach the label but I can’t see a serial number from the sound hole. Can you explain in more detail where the serial number will be? I can’t see it at base of neck or the cross braces near the sound hole.

Any info about the wood and age of this guitar would be appreciated.

Thanks Justin

I responded to Justin with more specifics on locating the s/n. This was his response.

Hi David

That’s interesting, there is no marking on that strut. I’ve had my phone inside and can’t find any numbers anywhere, the only marking is a symbol above the label, it might be a k or a Japanese script? Any thoughts? Also a sticker on the headstock.

Cheers

Justin

Our thanks to Justin for contacting us.

Justin Cheek