Yamaha APX600 vs APX500: Which Thinline Acoustic Wins?

You want a thin acoustic-electric you can gig with, and you’ve landed on Yamaha’s APX line. Now two near-twins are staring back at you.

Both share a spruce top and a slim, cutaway body that’s easy to play standing up. The APX600 changes the scale length for comfort, deepens the bass a touch, and adds a piezo pickup with a built-in tuner.

This piece lines up the two side by side, so you can see what’s shared and where the APX600 edges ahead. If you’re still browsing acoustic guitars more broadly, that’s worth doing first.

We’ll start with the older model and build up from there. The APX is one of Yamaha’s longest-running acoustic designs, so it helps to know what the APX500 brings to the table.

Quick Comparison

Yamaha APX500: What Is It?

The APX500 is the thinline acoustic-electric that established the modern formula for this line. It features a slim body, a cutaway, a solid spruce top, and a nato (Eastern mahogany) back, sides, and neck.

As a value-focused stage guitar, it was designed to be easy to play, easy to amplify, and easy to afford.

Its scale length is 25.6 inches, and it ships with a piezo pickup system and onboard preamp so you can plug straight into an amp or PA. The winning combination of an affordable price and genuinely usable amplified tone is exactly what made the APX500 popular with gigging beginners and intermediate players alike.

Yamaha APX600: What Is It?

The APX600 is the direct successor to the APX500, and the Yamaha APX600 keeps almost everything that made its predecessor good. The designers and sound engineers didn’t change much from a winning formula, which is sensible since there was no reason to fix what wasn’t broken.

Instead, they made small, targeted deviations to improve comfort, sound, and aesthetics. The APX600 retains the solid spruce top and nato body but adds a slightly shorter scale, redesigned bracing for more bass, and an upgraded piezo pickup system with a built-in tuner.

The result is a guitar that feels like a refined version of the APX500 rather than a redesign.

What the APX500 and APX600 Share

The reality is that these two models have far more in common than not, given their kinship. It’s worth covering everything they share so that potential buyers know what they’re getting regardless of which model they choose.

Thinline Body

One of the best things about these APX guitars is their thinline body. Unlike dreadnoughts, which are large and bulky, the APX guitars are slim and easy to hold.

It’s a logical design choice. The reason to want a big guitar is to generate more volume and fuller tone, but since acoustic-electric guitars run through an amplifier, raw volume is no longer a major issue.

The pickup system also lets you shape the frequency response, so there’s plenty of flexibility. If you’ve ever felt that pure acoustic guitars are too massive for your liking, either APX model will feel noticeably thinner and more comfortable.

Cutaway Design

You’ll also notice that the APX series has a different shape. It doesn’t have the traditional hourglass figure you might expect from most acoustic guitars.

Instead, it looks a lot like an electric guitar, with a cutaway on the upper bout near your fretting hand. This isn’t just for aesthetics.

The curvature lets players reach the higher frets with ease for better playability, which makes the guitar friendlier for beginners who don’t want to strain to fret cleanly up the neck.

Materials Used

You’ll find the same core materials in both models. The top is solid spruce, which is recommended for excellent tone and projection.

It’s uncommon for an affordable guitar to use such a desirable material for arguably the most important part of the body, since many companies cut costs with a laminated top. The back, sides, and neck are nato, also known as Eastern mahogany.

It’s a budget tonewood, but not a deal breaker. Nato holds up well and gets the job done.

The fretboard and bridge are rosewood on both guitars.

Craftsmanship

It’s hard to find fault in the craftsmanship of any Yamaha product, including its guitars. The brand has made a name for itself by producing high-quality instruments for less, and that legacy continues across lineups like the APX series.

Browse the reviews on Amazon and other online sellers and you’ll see how much players appreciate these guitars. They look and feel like premium instruments despite the relatively low prices.

They may not be as fancy as some models from other brands, but they’re well finished from every angle.

Pricing

Both guitars are priced to be approachable. Yamaha’s pure acoustic models start around $150 to $200 for the base models, with a little more for the flashier siblings, and the APX acoustic-electrics sit in a similar value bracket.

That’s a bargain compared with what many competing entry-level electro-acoustics cost. Some ask for double the money or more.

The decision comes down to whether you’re satisfied with what Yamaha offers or willing to pay more elsewhere.

Where the APX600 Differs

Now we come to the things that set the APX500 and APX600 apart. The changes are minor on paper but add up to a more comfortable, better-sounding instrument.

Enhanced Comfort

The scale lengths are 25.6 inches on the APX500 and 25 inches on the APX600. The string spacing has also gotten slightly narrower on the newer model.

These modifications are subtle, but they make a real difference in playing comfort. Combined with the thin body, the reductions make the APX600 especially easy to play, and they’re particularly attractive to smaller players who find traditional dimensions too large and unwieldy.

Better Bass

The top takes most of the vibration and is prone to wear, so bracing is introduced to improve structural integrity and sound quality. While both guitars are braced, the APX600 uses a new bracing design that produces better bass response.

The difference is subtle but highly appreciated if you want a fuller tone. Resonance is strong, and a trained ear can clearly hear the improvement.

New Pickup System

The APX600 also features a new piezo pickup system with an equalizer to shape the sound the way you want. You can change the volume and EQ settings on the fly, the battery-powered preamp works well, and the mid-range frequency slider is a nice touch.

The onboard digital tuner is a great addition too. It’s a noticeable step up from the system on the APX500.

How the APX600 and APX500 Compare

So we’ve covered what these two guitars share and where they diverge. Here’s how they stack up when you put them side by side.

For build quality, tonewoods, and overall feel, the two guitars are effectively tied. You’re getting the same spruce-and-nato thinline platform either way.

For playing comfort, the APX600 edges ahead thanks to its shorter scale and narrower string spacing.

For amplified tone, the APX600 again has the advantage with its improved bass response and better pickup system with a built-in tuner.

The APX500 isn’t a bad choice, especially if you find one at a lower price, but the APX600 is the more refined and future-proof option. Unless the savings on a used APX500 are significant, most buyers will be happier with the newer model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Yamaha APX600 worth the upgrade over the APX500?

For most players, yes. The APX600 keeps the same solid spruce top and nato body as the APX500 but adds a more comfortable scale length, better bass response, and an improved pickup system with an onboard tuner.

None of these changes are dramatic on their own, but together they make the APX600 the better-rounded guitar, especially if you plan to perform with it.

Are the APX500 and APX600 good for beginners?

Both are excellent beginner options. The thinline body and cutaway make them easy to hold and easy to fret, and the affordable price means you aren’t overcommitting while you learn.

Beginners who think they may want to play on stage will appreciate that either guitar can plug straight into an amp or PA without needing extra equipment.

Do these Yamaha guitars sound good unplugged?

They sound fine unplugged, but remember they’re thinline acoustic-electrics, not full-size acoustics. The slim body produces less volume and bass than a dreadnought when played acoustically.

Their tone really comes alive once plugged in, which is exactly what they were designed for. If you want a loud, room-filling acoustic for unamplified playing, a traditional body shape may suit you better.

What’s the difference in scale length?

The APX500 has a 25.6-inch scale length, while the APX600 has a slightly shorter 25-inch scale. The APX600 also has narrower string spacing.

These small reductions make the APX600 a bit more comfortable to play, particularly for players with smaller hands.

Final Thoughts

The Yamaha APX600 and APX500 are close cousins, sharing the same thinline cutaway body, solid spruce top, nato back and sides, and excellent Yamaha build quality. If you’re choosing between them based purely on construction and tonewoods, there’s very little separating the two.

Where the APX600 earns its place as the successor is in the details: a slightly shorter scale and narrower spacing for comfort, redesigned bracing for fuller bass, and an upgraded pickup system with an onboard tuner. None of these are revolutionary, but they make the APX600 the more polished instrument for stage use.

If you can find an APX500 at a meaningful discount, it remains a solid value. Otherwise, the APX600 is the easy recommendation and a standout pick within the broader range of Yamaha acoustic guitars.