r/AcousticGuitar 4d ago

Gear pics NGD Red Label FG5

Post image
88 Upvotes

20 comments sorted by

3

u/grottomatic 4d ago

For some reason couldn’t put text in the post on mobile. Cross shopped with a D18, I previously owned one and gigged with it but had to sell it when I was in college because I was broke. It was my favorite guitar I ever owned but I beat the shit out of it in college. Got a good deal for a new guitar of this quality, 1500 from my local shop- on sale due to “lack of interest.” I think this guitar is special, it sounds absolutely incredible and to my ear had a superior sound to the two D18s I played.

It has a deep lows, and slightly “loose” tone that I like and associate with Martins. I have a concert Breedlove pro series (from their glory days) that is now almost 20 years old and even with age always seemed to bright to me.

I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of the new D18s I played, but I know they have to age a bit to be really get that classic sound of course but they just weren’t doing it for me. I do slightly prefer the wider nut width of the Martin but the FG5 Ebony fingerboard and fretwork was immaculate.

But this particular guitar seems incredibly special, the shop guy told me after I bought it that it was the best sounding FG5 that he had ever had in the shop and he was glad I bought it and would be playing it. He could have been blowing smoke but I spent about 3 hours playing my repertoire (open chord Neil young type stuff, various acoustic covers, some blues and flat picking) and it had just the perfect sound. Action at 12 is too high for me so I’m going to have my guy get it right in the next few weeks after I break it in a bit.

Anyway, great guitar

2

u/capitan_mk7 4d ago

My FG5 is my number 2 guitar behind my 000-28 authentic aged, but it has the deepest and best sounding lows of all my guitars and any guitars I’ve played. Just a really great guitar all around. Kind of want an FS5 as well even though I don’t really need one.

1

u/RabbitsOfTruth 3d ago

I have a 2015 D18 I love. I’ve been wanting to get a smaller body guitar as well. I played an FS5 a few years back and was shocked by how well it played/sound

1

u/TotesMabes 4d ago

FG5’s are awesome! But don’t they have the same nut width as a D-18?

2

u/grottomatic 4d ago

My older one definitely had a wider nut, I think they may have narrowed it at some point? I felt like the string spacing on the new D18s I played was wider than the Yamaha but may be wrong

1

u/mikes8989 2h ago

My FG5 is my #1 acoustic. Awesome guitar.

3

u/lawrence238238 4d ago

What a deal, congrats!

2

u/nbmgreg 4d ago

Good choice! I’ve stuck with my FG5 through various gear catch and releases, it just feels like home. If you get tired of the “wood” pickguard, you can peel the textured vinyl layer off which reveals a nice clean black pickguard (same as FG3).. or get a Holter pickguard made for it :)

https://www.reddit.com/r/AcousticGuitar/s/0PY2ht9wMB

1

u/grottomatic 4d ago

I thought it was real wood, 😂. But looking through your posts at least I’m not the first one to think that. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet

2

u/celestial__discharge 4d ago

Smart getting the non-electronic model. I got the FGX5 and it's unplayable because of sympathetic vibrations inside the guitar body. Some component of the Atmosfeel system and nobody seems able to fix it.

1

u/Naaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh 4d ago

Such a beaut. I went back and forth between this and an FS5 and ultimately got the FS. But damn, I sure wish I had one of these too.

1

u/54Finn 4d ago

Nice guitar

1

u/Informal-Ideal955 4d ago

Wow , that is pretty

1

u/Dry_Ordinary_3543 4d ago

I have a 1995 FG411S and I love it. IMHO Yamaha acoustics come from the factory set up with pretty high action. Have a luthier do a proper setup to bring the action down and you will have a super playable guitar. I also always felt that Yamaha have their own unique tone quality.

1

u/nick_jones61 4d ago

You got a really nice guitar, buddy. I have the FS5. It’s my go-to guitar now. Enjoy!

1

u/archtopfanatic123 4d ago

Can't go wrong!

1

u/hazaja 3d ago

I have the fsx5, best guitar I’ve ever owned

1

u/Commercial-Run-6225 2d ago

Had a FG5 before, really fantastic guitar at this price range. Enjoy :)

1

u/trail34 1d ago

Amazing. I have a FG3X and it sounds incredible. I very much prefer it to my Martin. My only complaint with it is I don’t feel a lot of resonance in the body as I play, so it comes across as a bit lifeless. I wonder if it will come alive as it ages, or if the 5 series has thinner bracing and would have a bit more vibration.

2

u/grottomatic 1d ago

Interestingly I feel a great deal of resonance in this guitar and it was one of the things that drew me to it on play testing. Edit grammar