Back when I was a student I heard someone play an Ovation 12 string guitar, I think it was Richard Digance, and I knew that I wanted one of those. However, being an impoverished student, I couldn't afford an Ovation and so bought the Melody instead. After all it looked like an Ovation.

The sound wasn't bad, especially once you had finally got it in tune and plugged it into the PA. Unfortunately, It didn't play like an Ovation. The action was woeful and the internation was appalling and so it languished in it's case for years.

Eons later I took it to Richard Bartram and within a few days he had straightned the neck, lowered the action and improved the internation. It was like a new guitar and I used it live with Shave the Monkey for many years.

I bought the FG210 from Bryan Causton. He no longer needed it and he knew I was a great fan of Yamaha guitars. Like all Yamahas it's a great guitar to record and we've used it on several Shave albums. Now I come to think about it, I suspect Bryan knew if I bought it, he wouldn't have to go far to borrow it should he need it.