best Yamaha acoustic guitar

THESE 9 Best Yamaha Acoustic Guitars Are FINE Choices!

Updated on April 1, 2022 by Dan Harper

Yamaha has an incredible history of producing high-quality acoustic guitars in various cost categories. A large number of current and aspiring musicians are aware that they do not have to look beyond the largely successful Yamaha brand for their steel string instruments. This is particularly so when selecting a new acoustic guitar.

Quick Links To Our Best Yamaha Acoustic Guitar Recommendations

For beginners and intermediate players, Yamaha has some of the highest quality acoustic guitars available at a low cost for far better value than you would get shopping at the local guitar store.

Yamaha acoustic guitars are ranked in a category among the all-time favorites; they are also the favorites among many superstar musicians.

Our Top Yamaha Acoustic Guitars Recommendations

Ever Made for The Money – Yamaha A-Series A3R

The obvious aim of this series is a naturally magnified tone. The A3R is designed to be used on a stage, however, enhancement made to the general playing aspect is more than the pickup Studio Response Technology (SRT2) system. That will be dealt with later.

The Acoustic Resonance Enhancement (ARE) was used to treat the top. Torrefaction was added to provide more warmth and vintage sound to the voice. The build gives off a reassuring feeling in terms of weight to be used on the road, while a premium quality is offered by mahogany binding.

Playing experience is enhanced by the edges of the rounded fretboard, which feels similar to playing a guitar to a certain extent. The decay in the resonance is darker than anticipated that can be compared to a phased impact, and chordwork is given real character, with the open strings in particular. There is a certain dynamic interest in switching emphasis in playing between this upper-range and low-end sound. But the spotlight need to be on the plugged-in effect, as this comes out as the number one for these guitar’s selling point.

Pros:

  • Made from solid tonewoods
  • Fishman Presys mic and preamp with built-in tuner
  • Solid wood bridge and saddle
  • Yamaha’s A.R.T. (Acoustic Resonance Technology) for amplified tone that replicates natural acoustic sound (even when not plugged in)

Cons:

  • More expensive than some of the other options on this list.

Our Rating –
5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha A-Series A3R

For Beginners – Yamaha F325D

A rare instance of cheap acoustic guitar for beginners which in fact perform well describes the Yamaha F325D. Beginners will get all that is required to quickly progress and get to their destination as it is a great all-rounder, even though it does not sound the best nor is the easiest musical instrument to play.

The Yahama F325D has a dreadnought styled body that is designed with spruced laminated top as well as meranti sides and back. The meranti tonewood is low in cost but is still good and has a tonal character which is balanced, and when combined with spruce top the acoustic becomes totally acceptable for the beginner.

It has a well-built body and the joinery and bracing help to project the sound and volume of the guitar. It introduces a fingerboard of rosewood and the body has nato neck that is well-joined. It is well-crafted with uniform frets that have smooth finish and feel.

The Yamaha F325 looks great, with a simple gloss finish over natural wood alongside an understated and classy teardrop style pickguard. It sounds reassuringly full when strummed with a pick, with enough warmth and low end to fill out the sound. All in all, a well-crafted and designed acoustic that should perfectly serve the needs of any beginner.

Pros:

  • Affordable.
  • Good guitars for beginners.

Cons:

  • Intonation can be an issue.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha F325D

For Intermediate – Yamaha FSX830C

This guitar has a spruce top and the top has cream-colored edge binding with multi-strip purfling. The latter is a little irregularly cut in places; however, the gloss finish is extremely thin with the grain ripples plainly visible.

In addition, there is the deep chocolate brown via the laminated rosewood sides and back. There is also neat details like the cream plastic heel cap, the clean abalone-centered soundhole adornment, the heel shaping and the clean headstock fleur motifs and logo.

The slightly flat-backed fingerboard is oval and made from rosewood. Fretting come from a tiny gauge; it is installed very cleanly with the ends over the binding. The guitar has a metal strap button/output jack that is screwed in at its base with no nuts to loosen, it does not have an additional strap button on the heel; this appears to be an oversight.

The preamp provides rotary controls for bass, volume, treble and mid – each EQ is center-notched and can be boosted or cut as you would expect – while the Adjustable Midrange Frequency (AMF) slider operates the control; this offers a tremendously wide gamut from 80 to 10kHz.

Pros:

  • Tonewoods are Cedar, Spruce, and Mahogany.
  • It features a concert body size.
  • The sound is heavy and full with an even response across the tonal spectrum.
  • Premium abalone inlays on fingerboard and headstock really make the guitar stand out.

Cons:

  • Price is a little high for this model.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha FSX830C

Under 200 – Yamaha FD01S Solid Top

This is a full-sized dreadnought that is ideal for a gift, first guitar or a travel guitar. Its solid spruce top is incredible at this price point. Similar to all inexpensive guitars, a pro setup is necessary to get optimal sound. For an even better tone, exchange the plastic saddle and nut to bone; the instrument will sound 3 times its cost.

The FD01S Solid Top is a full-size dreadnought, which means that it is a big acoustic guitar. The neck, back and sides are made from nato and the bridge and fretboard made of rosewood. Its natural finish adds a nice touch. The majority of inexpensive guitars are made of laminate wood; however, this guitar does not.

Spruce is among the two most popular types of wood used to make guitar tops; cedar is the other. There is just minimal difference in the quality of the two woods, the one chosen would be left to personal preference in tone. It has a clearer and brighter sound, which improves overtime.

Pros:

  • Smooth and warm tone.
  • Nice price point for beginners.

Cons:

  • Unusually small body size (though this doesn’t affect the sound).

Our Rating –
4.5/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHSlC_yHhHA

Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha FD01S Solid Top

Under 300 – Yamaha APX600

The Yamaha APX600 is a thinline electro acoustic guitar which features narrower string spacing and a marginally reduced scale length of 25 inches. Additionally, an enhanced bracing system has been highlighted in these models to boost bass response. This is something that was often viewed as being lacking in earlier models. This model features a natural spruce top and the finish options include vintage white, black, blue burst and sunburst.

When it comes to electronics, Yamaha’s own preamp and Piezo pickup system has been used with the usual controls of bass, volume, mid and high, which has an additional slider for focusing from 10 to 80kHz. It also includes a tuner that makes the guitar useful for amplified scenarios and acoustic playing.

Compared to some of the older models, the APX600 has a more pronounced and bigger acoustic tone with a grander bottom end. This instrument certainly has more energy than the earlier models. For playing, its satin finished neck is an impressive contrast to the gloss body. It makes it more comfortable and less sticky to get around. The cutaway acoustic guitar design makes it easier to access higher fret and the smaller sizing feels comfortable and quick without appearing gimmicky.

Pros:

  • No need to worry about the guitar being overpriced
  • Affordable price
  • Great for beginners

Cons:

  • Slightly tinny sound.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha APX600

Under 500 – Yamaha FG850

The FS800 Series was designed by Yamaha with a body that would not sacrifice volume and tone. In addition, it was intended to provide a comfortable playing experience; d this was accomplished through the creation of a scalloped bracing pattern for the interior of the instrument. This has enabled many Yamaha guitars in the series to naturally project a warm and pleasing mahogany tone.

As such, it should not be surprising that this instrument features full mahogany on the body top, sides and back. It produces very warm tones with exceptional reverberation. It has a rather glossy finish that nicely complements the darker tones of the rosewood fretboard and bridge; the fretboard has a 25-inch scale length and includes 20 frets.

The neck is C-shaped and naturally bends toward the player and the nut width is 1.69 inches. Therefore, adjusting the nut should be minimal and easy with an adjuster tool or your hands. This particular model is a remarkable acoustic guitar for playing blues music. It is not outfitted with pickups or a preamp and for the players who have always wanted pure unadulterated acoustic, the FG850 is the guitar for you.

Pros:

  • made for beginners and amateurs
  • contains a solid top, mahogany body, and rosewood fingerboard
  • more affordable than other Yamaha acoustic guitars
  • available in a variety of colors to suit your individual style

Cons:

  • not as durable or sound quality as other Yamaha acoustic guitars.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha FG850

Under 1000 – Yamaha 6 String Series AC3M

The Yamaha A Series is intended to be the ultimate performance acoustic guitar. It has been crafted from scratch to be ideally suited for life on the road. With stage-ready simplicity and dynamic, natural plugged-in tone from its new SRT2 pickup system, the instrument can be comfortably played out of the box and be perfectly suited for your on-stage performance. This is also helped by the fingerboard edges on its straight taper neck, animated acoustic tone and a custom-designed scalloped bracing pattern. The road-ready, legendary Yamaha construction ensures that it is ready when you are. The A Series is the ideal instrument to use to take your playing skills to a whole new level.

The proprietary pickup design utilizes distinct elements for each string to provide an ultra-wide, ultra-clear bandwidth signal with superior tonal accuracy and dynamic response in comparison to a standard, ribbon-type piezo pickup. The SRT system was designed via advanced digital signal processing and real-world understanding of recording techniques and audio technology. It has the capacity to deliver a remarkably natural acoustic guitar tone

With original A.R.E. wood-torrefaction technology from Yamaha, the back and sides of this cutaway, concert body guitar are made from all-solid mahogany and the top of Sitka spruce.

Pros:

  • Priced right
  • Attractive look – no distracting graphics (think NS Design guitars)
  • Solid quality instruments

Cons:

  • Lack of features

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha 6 String Series AC3M

Cutaway – Yamaha 6 String Series A1R Cutaway

The Yamaha A1R Cutaway is a part of the very popular A series. The series was designed to become the best-selling line of reasonably priced acoustic-electric guitars in the US. Currently, the series has eight models offering different wood combinations and body shapes.

This dreadnought guitar has a vintage look with its cutaway shaped body, great playability and exceptional volume in the low-mid ranges. It has a flat top made from solid Sitka spruce, natural binding and it is capped with a plastic pickguard. The back and sides are made out of rosewood and this helps the guitar to produce amazing sound.

The neck has a dovetail joint and it is made from mahogany. The fingerboard is made of rosewood and has with 20 frets, 1.69-inch wide synthetic bone nut and dot position inlays. Ebony is used to make the belly-shaped bridge and for the top performance, an under-saddle piezo pickup is combined with System 66 Analog preamp. With this traditional system, you get a 3-band EQ, a built-in tuner, volume and an automatic mid-range frequency control with a handy slider. This Yamaha guitar also takes full advantage of the much-admired SRT pickup for stage performance and recording.

Pros:

  • Great Sound
  • High-Quality Materials
  • Tight and Balanced Tone

Cons:

  • Interior finish is not that durable.

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha 6 String Series A1R Cutaway

Dreadnought – Yamaha F325D Dreadnought

Considering the cost for the Yamaha F325D, this guitar has a remarkably solid construction and is the ideal combination of different types of wood. These days, its classic dreadnought design can still be found on the market in many acoustic guitars.
Rosewood is used to make its bridge and fretboard, meranti is used on its body and sides and its laminated spruce top adds a wonderful touch to its glossy finish.

The chrome plated die-cast tuners give the guitar an expensive and classy look. It is obvious that Yamaha put much effort into joining the guitar body with the 20-fret fingerboard. This plays a vital role in helping the guitar to stay tuned for an extended period. The F325D is the only product in this line with this impressive feature.

However, the guitars are not as durable but will last for a while if you handle it with care. But even when that is done, they are only expected to last between 2 and 3 years. There have also been a few complaints made about its bulky neck size. Individuals with smaller-sized hands might find it difficult to play this instrument for a long time.

Pros:

  • Beautiful tone, some of the best in its price range.
  • Great craftsmanship and quality control.
  • Easier to play than other guitars in this price range.
  • Solid wood back and sides are more visually stunning than panels.

Cons:

  • Not for those that prefer vintage or classical tone.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha F325D Dreadnought

Are These Guitars good?

A large number of acoustic guitar brands are available on the market, and finding the right instrument for you can be daunting. However, Yamaha provides top-quality guitars, which produce impressive sounds for beginners, intermediate and expert guitar players and all at a reasonable price.

The FG series from Yamaha is among the most consistently affordable guitars, while being quality instrument at the same time. Experts consistently recommend the Yamaha FG acoustic guitar series since they are designed to grow with the player as he or she gradually becomes more skilled. The majority of players at different levels of development totally appreciate the experience of using the FG series. In addition, you will certainly find a solid top acoustic guitar among the offerings that are meant to produce remarkable sound.

In the world on manufacturing, Yamaha is constantly producing some of the most impressive top-quality guitars. The company has been around for over a century and given the quality of the products they manufacture, they are highly ranked among the best brands in the guitar-making industry. The trademark touch of the Yamaha brand is simplicity. You will never have to be concerned about any discord in sound with their instruments.

Where are Yamaha guitars made?

In 1946, Yamaha began producing guitars in Japan at the Hamamatsu factory. In the 1960’s, a subsidiary opened in United States known as Yamaha International Corporation and they started to market Pianos. In 1964, they began to promote their guitars with laminated bodies, Sitka Spruce tops and a patented bracing technique. In 1966, a folk acoustic guitar (FG180), the first one manufactured in Japan, was launched. Currently, the instruments are manufactured in Japan, the United States, Indonesia, Korea and Taiwan. In California, the Yamaha Guitar Development Center is responsible for designing and developing prototypes and they also customize models, old and new.

Why These Guitars?

Yamaha is an extremely fruitful brand and they have succeeded in remaining on top of their game where producing high-quality instruments is concerned. They have loads of experience in producing remarkable instruments and with their in-depth knowledge, this manufacturer has the capacity to generate some exceptional guitars with remarkable execution of playability. Not only are the guitars made by Yamaha remarkable at performing at high-quality levels, they have a vast number of budget-friendly instruments as well. This has helped in making Yamaha a distinct and noteworthy brand, one that is truly distinctive from the competition.

Some other great examples:

Some comparisons with other guitars:

Yamaha Acoustics Conclusion

All in all, the value of the Yamaha acoustic guitar cannot be undermined and they are known to consistently beat out the competition. The acoustic guitars they manufacture are highly affordable and best of all, you do not have to sacrifice design or parts for it to be that way. This makes the instrument itself the most treasured part of the bargain. Each guitar has to go through meticulous custom shaping and handling to produce a remarkable sound which makes for even greater performance. A known perk associated with buying a Yamaha guitar is the added accessories that are offered.