Yamaha: FG3 'Red Label'

Inspired by the iconic 'red label' guitars of the 1960s, the new FG Red Label folk models blend modern inspiration with a timeless design. Featuring a classic semi-gloss finish and high-quality components, FG Red Label guitars capture an authentic vintage aesthetic.

The mahogany back and sides are paired with a premium Sitka spruce top which has been treated with our Acoustic Resonance Enhancement ('ARE') process for genuine aged-wood tone and sustain. A new scalloped-bracing design delivers plenty of volume and a natural, balanced acoustic tone.

The Return of the Red Label
At our founding in 1887, our founder Torakusu Yamaha gave the company the name Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd ('Musical Instruments of Japan') - only later did we legally bear his name. Hence 'Nippon Gakki' was the name shown on the red labels most famously associated with our original Folk Guitar series.

The Nippon Gakki Red Label FG acoustic guitar is one of our most iconic instruments. The reintroduction of the Red Label today invokes our history of over fifty years of guitar making. The result is a modern Folk Guitar with a clear heritage of our Japanese craftsmanship and innovation.

Classic Headstock
The guitar retains the original FG headstock shape, adorned with our iconic Tuning Fork logo. The traditional truss rod cover is emblazoned with "Since 1966" to mark the launch of the first FG models

Solid Sitka Spruce Top
Commonly sourced from Canada and Alaska, solid Sitka spruce offers a rich midrange and low-frequency response. The sound is tight and focused, working particularly well for chordal strumming or rhythmic finger-style performance.

Solid Mahogany Back & Sides
Mahogany has a slower transient response than many other tonewoods, contributing to a warm and woody tone with strong midrange.

ARE: Acoustic Resonance Enhancement
Our proprietary and exclusive Acoustic Resonance Enhancement ('ARE') treatment uses a carefully-controlled environment where heat, humidity and atmospheric pressure are altered to accelerate the natural ageing of the tonewood, removing imperfections and unwanted moisture in a process which would literally take years otherwise. ARE gives an instrument a rich, vintage-quality tone, producing a sound as if you've been playing it for years.

Classic FG Body
We were the first Japanese guitar maker to develop an original body shape instead of simply copying previous designs. The differences are subtle (measured with millimetre precision) but the slightly wider body contributes to the warm FG sound that players have loved for generations. A semi-gloss finish application further evokes a vintage look and feel.

New Bracing Patterns
In defining the sound of FG Red Label, our intention was to offer a warm tone which would be perfect for modern folk music and singer-songwriters. We started with the scalloped bracing design from the FG-180 50th anniversary reissue. With careful measurement and experimentation, we made several refinements that would enhance low-frequency response without compromising durability.

These changes are optimised for the natural characteristics of the tonewoods, and for each body silhouette. The resulting tone is full and powerful, both acoustically and through the Atmosfeel pickup & preamp systems.