From the manufacturer
50 Years of History
The history of Yamaha‘s FG series started in 1966 with the release of the FG180 and FG150. Over the 50 years since its introduction, we have developed and produced several generations of FG – all of which have made FG the ideal acoustic for contemporary players. In all, there have been over 200 FG models since 1966.
The YAMAHA FG/FS 800 Series
When it was introduced in 1966, the Yamaha FG proved that a great acoustic guitar didn’t need to cost a fortune. With a focus on great playability, musical tone and outstanding build quality, the original FG180 quickly became a classic with countless careers and hit records starting life on an FG. 50 years since the introduction of the FG acoustics, the new range features the best-ever FG tone and the same great playability and class-leading quality that’s made it the choice of millions of guitarists.
The 800 Series has a louder and stronger sound in the low to mid-ranges, thanks to cutting-edge acoustic analysis technology developed by the Yamaha R&D Division. Yamaha’s engineers have achieved this sound by utilizing analysis and simulation to arrive at the best bracing design without depending on tradition.
Newly Developed Scalloped Bracing
The 800 Series features a new scalloped bracing pattern; an ideal acoustic structure that maintains the durability of the top board, while bringing out more of the natural sound of the instrument.
The Power of Choice
2 body shapes, including an all-new FS concert size; 5 grades featuring different tonewood options; a myriad of color options; acoustic or electric-acoustic models. Whatever the personality of your music, there’s an FG to match.
Made in Yamaha
Every aspect is crafted to make a better guitar. From painstakingly cured and dried woods to beautiful hand-sprayed finishes and detailed quality control, each and every FG is made to be a lifelong partner.
800 820 830 840 850 Models Dreadnought, Concert Dreadnought, Concert, 12-String, Left-Handed Dreadnought, Concert Dreadnought Dreadnought, Concert Top Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Mahogany Back & Sides Nato Mahogany Rosewood Flamed Maple Mahogany Fingerboard Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Bridge Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Finish Options Natural Natural, Black, Autumn Burst, Brown Sunburst, Sunset Blue, Turquoise, Ruby Red Natural, Tobacco Sunburst, Autumn Burst, Dusk Sun Red Natural Natural
Karl L PackerKarl L Packer –
Best beginner guitar available,
Tuff guitar, been a great entry level guitar for many years. pretty good sounding if you keep practising. Best value, get a case for it! it’s made to last until your kids inherit it. By then you’ll playing high enders, like martin(it could happen)
One person found this helpful
Arjun –
Great Guitar but needs setup out of the box
First of all I would like to point out that this is an excellent guitar. The build quality is great and the craftsmanship is on point for a $200 guitar. However one thing that I would like to point out is that it does not come with a great setup, so not something you can play well out of the box. I tried playing it since I wasn’t too confident to do the setup on my own but my fingers just end up hurting.The action was very high (much higher than the recommended action so not even a matter of preference at that point). I lowered the action, fixed the upbow on the neck and put on a new pair of D’Addario strings all of which took me about an hour. It was my first time doing all of that so took me a while but if you know what you are doing, you should be done in about half an hour. But once all of it was done the guitar sounded amazing throughout the neck. So no matter if you are playing chords in the lower registers or playing notes towards the middle of the neck it sounds amazing.It’s a great guitar and sounds amazing but needs to be setup before it can do that. I don’t really hold it against it for the price so still rating it 5 stars as this is an amazing equipment for the price and it forced me to learn a bit of guitar setup so it’s all good.For people considering this ,know that you would be getting an amazing guitar but you would need to get it setup either by yourself or take it to a shop.
8 people found this helpful
ARLARL –
Value for some amount of money
For some hundred bucks you have a very beautiful sound of Yamaha quality acoustic guitar.
suzy f –
Beautiful guitar
Let me start by saying I’m a total beginner. My last interaction was 50 years ago, and I don’t remember much. In the space of about 2 weeks, I ordered two cheaper guitars on Amazon and sent both of them back. They were cheap looking, hard to tune, didn’t hold their pitch, etc, etc. So when I got this Yamaha, I was really impressed. The quality was apparent right away. There are no imperfections. The body is smooth as glass. It’s taking me a minute to get used to steel strings, but the callouses are starting to build up. 🙂 Based on a lot of the reviews I read, I did take the guitar to have it professionally set up. One of the things I really appreciate about this Yamaha is how well it holds pitches. I’m finding I may need to tweak a string or 2 every 3rd or 4th day, but overall, it doesn’t need to be tuned. The sound is rich.Overall, I am SO happy with this purchase. I’ve wanted to learn guitar for a long time and this Yamaha keeps me motivated.
3 people found this helpful
John C –
Great guitar for the price
Bought this guitar to keep at a second property, so didn’t want to spend a lot of money. You can see where the money was saved in construction and components. The neck isn’t a scarf joint, but a straight joint and the tuners are cheap and inconsistent with how they turn, lots of rough spots. That all said, for just a little over $200 you have to expect costs to be saved in these places. Overall the build quality is solid, no real issues, nice clean joints and clean finishing. Great overall value.Most importantly, the guitar sounds very good and plays easily. One thing to note, is that the guitar needed to be set up when it was delivered. The action was very high and the neck had a significant bow in it. Again, you have to expect these type of things with the price, but if you’re a beginner, you might not know that this is something you have to address. The good side of this is that a hex wrench was included with the guitar and adjusting the neck and lowering the action was very easy and has held since adjusted.All things said, it plays a sounds well at a great price. Highly recommend this if you’re looking for something to get started with guitar or just want to have a value priced guitar laying around. Just know that you may need to take it to someone to have it set up if you aren’t comfortable making adjustments yourself.
4 people found this helpful
HAL2015 –
Deep rich sound… Action?
This guitar is a great value. Bang for the buck is there. It offers a deep robust full sound that I enjoy. The only knock I’ll give it is, the action is set higher than what I’m used to. It’s play-able, just not the greatest. A beginner who started with this guitar would earn their stripes a little in that department. But, the action is manageable and overall, sounds really good.
Amazon Customer –
Out of Tune a lot
This is my first guitar, so I’m not entirely sure if my Feedback is a valid, but I find that because the guitar tends to be out of tune quite a bit. I find myself having to tune it every day, and I’m not sure if that is normal or not. Likewise, I think the guitar sounds really good, but I haven’t played any other guitars to know if it does sound good. I do know that it sounds very loud which makes it easy to hear.
One person found this helpful
Robin Chavez –
Tuner materials & designed for the battery’s magazine do not hold up to the expectation.
I love my guitar; the sound is amazing, and it stays in tune. However: I am very concerned about how long it would take for the cheap plastic and the metal connectors used in the magazine that hold the batteries (tuner).
2 people found this helpful
Christopher R Baxa –
Action
Priced great…action could be lower.
Jeffrey L. –
Great tone and playability on a budget.
Reviewing the FSX800C – natural finish (Concert size acoustic/electric guitar with nato body). <= I feel the need to post that info because Amazon might very well combine this product listing and review with a Yamaha piano, motorcycle, snowblower or whatever else they make.OVERALL: This is just a phenomenal value guitar at this pricepoint. Don't hesitate.PLAYABILITY: It was ok out of the box. But all new guitars need a basic set up. I repeat: *ALL* NEW GUITARS *NEED* A BASIC SET UP. Wood is a natural product that moves around under tension and with changes in temperature and humidity. Plus the builders at the factory cannot possibly know what the climate of your home is or what type of action and string gauge you prefer, right? Right.Anyway, I've done all my own work for years and this guitar did not need much. The frets were nicely leveled from the factory but I did need to polish them up. The truss rod definitely did need some tightening. As on almost all new guitars (even guitars costing far more), the nut slots were high so I filed them down. After those adjustment, the action was great (with no fret buzz) so I did not need to touch the saddle. Btw, it's hard to see from online photos, but the stock synthetic saddle does indeed have a little compensation carve for the B-string. So my reward for an hour or so of work is that It plays as well as any acoustic I've ever picked up. Also, I find the slightly shorter scale-length very comfortable. The neck is pretty much in the middle of the road as size goes. Neither narrow nor wide, not too fat or too skinny. It should be fine for a wide range of players, (Personally, I prefer a huge fat neck but that's not an option down at this end of the budget.) I LOVE the finish on the neck. The body has a typical gloss finish but the back of the neck is NOT grain-filled and has a satin finish so it feels a lot like playing on raw wood which is fantastic.TONE: I bought a Yamaha FG 340 dreadnought way back in 1990 (still have it) but I always wanted a smaller acoustic/electric. This guitar doesn't quite have the deep bass that you get from a larger dreadnought guitar but I find that it's plenty loud acoustically and has a punchy, crisp voice. Whatever they did with the scalloped-bracing seems to have worked. It's versatile for solo playing, sing-along strumming and it mixes well with other instruments. (I've always found dreadnoughts to have too much boom and sizzle.)ELECTRONICS: Built-in tuner is nice and simple. I've only briefly tried it plugged into a PA and the volume and EQ controls seem to work very well. The parametric mid control can really help shape your tone.LOOKS: Fit and finish are very good. The 800 is classy but understated (you definitely get more bling on the 820 or 830 but they're more spendy, of course). The fingerboard inlays are pretty small and not super-visible but the side-dots are fine.All in all, this guitar is definitely worth what they're asking for it. 18 people found this helpful
JayCal –
Despite the ad, returns are not free with this reseller.
The guitar is good, but I found out I do not prefer a steel stringed guitar. No problem with the guitar- it is just my preference. When i went to return it – the seller says they do not go by the Amazon return policy – because they ship the product, not Amazon. So they charged me a restocking fee. After several communications, they say the free return policy that is CLEARLY STATED IN THEIR AD does not refer to them. So just be sure there is no chance you want to return the item you buy from them.
Frank C –
Perfect sounding beginner guitar
Can’t ask for a better beginner guitar for the money.
Commitedpiggy –
Excellent for money-loud!!
It appears well made, no frets need filing.They say small body-this thing is loud! If you need it to be. Yeah, great for money, and very good altogether. I’d recommend it to newbie learning acoustic-scale length a little shorter-a plus.After a few months-sturdy. Good tuners. Stays in tune. Loud! Comes with good strings, for an inexpensive guitar. Good value, good guitar.
Jetson Jackson –
Fun times on the weekend.
Was not expecting much at this price point, however I am pleasantly surprised beyond belief. This guitar sounds amazing. Intonation is perfect and tuned up within seconds right out of the box.Yamaha for the win !
Eduardo Meneses –
Mas de lo que vale
Revisé muchos videos y reseñas sobre esta guitarra antes de decidirme a comprarla. Muchas veces escuché o leí que sonaba mas cara de lo que realmente costaba y es así. Se siente muy bien y suena espectacular. Tengo un par de años tocando y me falta muchísimo, pero ya necesitaba otro sonido y nuevas sensaciones al tocar. No quería gastar mucho, pero tampoco quería una guitarra barata. Pero resulta que por $ 200, conseguí mas de lo que vale. Muy bien acabada y como dije, suena espactacular.
Miguel –
Sounds great
this is a pretty good beginner guitar, sounds better than most cheap guitars so I would suggest going with this one.
Paul Hendrickson –
Very Happy
Great guitar. Finish is perfect. Out of the box the action is high, and strings are pretty heavy for a beginner. Cost $56.00 at Guitar Center to have it set up, and lighter strings put on. It plays, and sounds amazing. The Luthier who set it up was really impressed with the tone. I love this guitar, and play it everyday. It’s marketed as a beginner guitar because of the price, but more advanced guitarists would certainly be satisfied. The reviews are true.
Sebastian E. –
Excelente producto
Es una excelente guitarra, suena muy bien.
The other DaveThe other Dave –
Best guitar for the money, period.
Being new to guitar, I figured that any guitar would be acceptable when starting out….I was wrong. My guitar teacher recommended that I lose the $80 guitar I bought, and buy a Yamaha instead, he actually said any Yamaha guitar. The Yamaha is such high quality, it is actually easier to play than other guitars, and being new to guitar this is huge. It sounds great, and I expect that it will last my lifetime.
One person found this helpful
Joel Y. –
sounds and plays great
I love this guitar. it sounds good and plays great. beginner or intermediate, you’ll enjoy playing this.
Matt –
You get what you pay for. Very poorly setup out of the box.
EDIT: After I have set this guitar up (which involved mostly lowering the nut height, lowering the action overall and polishing the fret surfaces and ends) this guitar won me over. It just became mine. I put Eric Clapton strings on it which are slightly warmer and less bright and this guitar sings! I’m adding not one but two stars making it a perfect five!Original review:I’ve read a lot about how this guitar is a great value and a surprisingly good instrument at this price so maybe my expectations were too high, but I’m somewhat disappointed.First of all, the guitar arrived poorly set up. The action was extremely high due to, both, a very high nut and very high saddle. While updating the saddle I realize the original one was too thin: it fell out of the slot right away when I removed the strings. This caused it to lean forward in the slot, which affects the sound. It also affects intonation as it shortens the scale just a few micrometers (intonation was pretty good out of the box though but not perfect). After the saddle upgrade the intonation is perfect. I don’t understand how it is possible that Yamaha does not care to install a saddle of a correct thickness, it does not cost more to simply install a matching saddle. The nut had a poorly cut slots, there was a lot of strings binding. The fret ends are quite sharp and not properly finished. The middle of the frets are very poorly polished: if you try to bend a note you will feel grinding. Very sloppy! I have no idea what Yamaha is bragging about when they say that the fretboard has “rolled edges” – no such thing.When changing the strings I inserted a small webcam into the sound hole to inspect the interior of the guitar. The bridge plate has lots of splinting and rough edges around the string holes, it’s as if a 4-year-old drilled those wholes with a dull drill bit from a toy set (sad thing is that maybe it was ?). Lots of glue squeeze everywhere, bracing not being of correct length – don’t look inside if you want to love this guitar!After the upgrades and a basic common sense setup the guitar is very easy to play. Not the most inspiring guitar to play as it does not have what one would call a character, but very playable. The sound is quite decent actually but lacking in bass response for sure. Also, in my sample, the low E string sounds thudy, as if made of rubber. I tried several strings and now have a good quality bone nut and saddle – unfortunately it has more to do with the resonance of the guitar and/or the neck’s ability to transfer vibrations. It just sounds thudy with no sustain on anything other that open string. It is not a very nuanced guitar, does not respond to dynamics in playing well.However, somehow, I still like it. It is a very honest guitar. Very sincere. Does not pretend to be anything else that it is – an entry level guitar. It is not flashy, pretentious, fake. I still think that at $200 it is a great buy. Great as an everyday instrument that will not make me too precious about it, instead I will just play it without too much reverence towards it.
6 people found this helpful
Kortner –
An excellent starter guitar
I started playing guitar in 1958. As a high school student I only had $13, so I bought a Japanese guitar. In a year it began to fold up into a circle! Those were the days when, “made in Japan” was a bad thing. What I learned from that experience was that, when it comes to musical instruments you don’t want to buy the cheapest thing available; it needs to be of substantial quality or it will discourage you.I ended up with a nice couple of Martin guitars along the way, but was dismayed by putting n nicks and scratches in them during performances or camping trips. I ended up looking for a beater and found a Yamaha similar to this one. With decent strings medium or light gauge, this guitar can hold its head up in any group.I bought this for my 12-year-old grandson who was showing proficiency on the ukulele. This was a big step for him, since it has a dreadnought-size body. He has accommodated admirably. He was immediately able to play chords and fret them well enough to eliminate buzzing. It came in good adjustment and in good shape.This is the kind of guitar I should have started out on: it is capable of playing in a professional setting, but it comes at the lowest price you can pay for a good quality, easy to play beginners instrument. I’m now on my fourth Martin, and would happily pick this up to play if one of my Martin’s wasn’t within reach.
5 people found this helpful
CW&D –
Every new guitar regardless of price should be set up professionally.
After doing extensive research I bought this guitar in early December of 2018 for a 14 year old grandson and beginner player for Christmas. He wanted one of my vintage guitars, a 1965 Harmony Sovereign H1205 that I bought when I was his age after working all summer and saving to buy for $125 but he’ll have to wait till I’m composting. I originally planned to buy something for him in the $400-500 range but his mother thought that was too much in case he wasn’t serious. My first impression when unpacking this Yamaha was the fit and finish was better to anything the local music stores had to offer up to my original price point. After giving the guitar a couple days to stabilize to the temperature of our home and monitoring its humidity level I tuned it and said I thought I’d keep it and get another for him, grandma reminded me I didn’t need another guitar. The neck was adjusted perfectly and the action was so good I thought it had to have been set up professionally but coming from Amazon I thought there was no way and this was how it came from the factory.I took the guitar to the tech who had set up and worked on all my guitars for a thorough inspection and set it up. He had a bit of a frown when I told him what I had but he smiled when he opened the case and picked it up and confirmed the neck was dead on. When I told him I only paid $200 he thought I got a deal at a pawn shop. He had a bone nut sitting there that was a perfect match and with a couple strokes of a file he said the action was as good the Martin D-28 he had just finished setting up. He believes as I do that I got very lucky with this guitar because at this price they can go either way. He couldn’t believe it was a $200 guitar but after he finished it was a $325 guitar. Plus a case, tuner, picks, capo, humidifiers, strap and God knows what else I spent the $500 I promised my daughter that I wouldn’t. So unless you’re buying a guitar from a high-end music shop where the set up is included in the price, don’t forget that every new guitar regardless of price should be set up professionally. It won’t turn a $200 guitar into a $3,000 guitar, but it could mean the difference for a beginner becoming a player rather than a quitter.
23 people found this helpful
Martina –
AWESOME GUITAR
My fiance LOVE IT!!! He is a guitar player and he said it was a nice guitar for coming off Amazon. Highly recommend 👌
Jake CJake C –
Excellent sound for the price
Guitar: FSX800C. Beginners, consider spending a little extra to get this guitar. You will want to practice more if it actually sounds good and stays in tune. 🙂
Shawn Welch –
Nice for price
Stays in tune and the action isn’t to high. Very nice sound. I will recommend this to others
Tylor S Hartzog –
Good starter guitar
You can tell it’s not made for quality. It seems really tough, but at the same time sounds pretty decent. It’s a good beater.
curt9988 –
Sounds 95% as good as my $1000 guitar
Sounds 95% as good as my $1000 guitar … for less than 25% on the cost. Unbelievable value for the money. Can’t think of anything negative to write.
2 people found this helpful
KW –
Great guitar
We ordered the light colored guitar but received the black guitar which my daughter actually likes a lot more. Guitar was easy to tune. High quality product.
One person found this helpful
Philip Bianski –
Has a very good sound.
It’s a great guitar for the money
Randy –
A great guitar for the money.
I have played guitar for many years, and have played all levels of quality, so I can give you a pretty good assessment of this Yamaha. A lot of what I have to say will echo what many of the other reviews have mentioned.1. The guitar is shipped in a basic cardboard box without much protection. The first guitar I received the box was damaged on the side, and the guitar was cracked all the way down the front and I had to return it and get a replacement sent. Fortunately the second guitar showed up flawless.2. The fretboard inlays are very small and you really can’t see them when you are playing so you have to use the side dots instead. Some people said they put stickers or something on those frets and I can see why. I just made the adjustment of using the side dots, but it was annoying at first.3. Some people have complained about the action being too high, but that is not the case for me. I found this guitar to be very playable right out of the box, however I did tweak the truss rod just to make sure it was right. The way I determine that is by putting a capo on the first fret and seeing if the strings buzz. I see no need to mess with the saddle or the nut. The action is plenty low, and it’s not a strain to fret.4. Some people have complained that the strings that come with the guitar are terrible, but that must be just a personal preference because I don’t feel the need to change them right away. They are medium gauge which is fine for a strummer, but if you plan on doing bends you will want to go to light gauge strings.5. The sound of this guitar is wonderful. It has a rich, full tone. The built in tuner is fantastic, along with the volume and tone controls for when you plug in. The guitar stays in tune very well.6. I think the only negative thing I could possibly say is that the neck is a bit wide for me, but that’s just my personal preference.I strongly recommend this guitar for anyone from beginner to experienced who wants a good quality guitar without spending up to a Martin or Taylor.
6 people found this helpful
Sara N –
Pleasantly Surprised!
Thank you, Yamaha and Sam Ash for a great instrument at a reasonable price. I bought this guitar as a bang-around instrument. I own a very nice, twenty-year old 00-17 all mahogany Martin that I don’t like taking to gigs or even out of its case on very dry, hot or cold days. At this price point I wasn’t expecting much, but was I ever pleasantly surprised! The guitar is practically flawless. When I first unboxed it there was a bit of paste left on the body from the polishing process, but it easily wiped off. The finish around the base of the neck is not quite as smooth as the rest, but the frets are well filed and polished so that none are protuding. The set-up is great. The action is nice and low with no buzzing frets. This guitar projects sound nicely too. The solid spruce top is a HUGE plus, especially at this price. The guitar has a bright and full sound, which I anticipate will continue to improve with time. This guitar definitely is louder and brighter than my moody mahogany Martin. When it lacks the depth and warmth of my well-seasoned more costly guitar, it has it’s own beautiful voice. It is perfect for finger picking but also sounds great with percussive playing as well. I love the size too. I’m so glad I found a solid top instrument at a great price that isn’t a dreadnought. I’m a five-foot woman, and the concert size works very well for me. My twelve-year old picked it up and was also comfortable playing it. It would be a great beginner instrument, but even seasoned players can appreciate it. I’m certainly looking forward to dragging this little gem around with me!
2 people found this helpful
Kevin Durkin –
Get Humidpak!
This Guitar Yamaha FGX800C Solid Top Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar Is extremely suseptible to drying out. Then the problems start. Strings rattle no matter how well you finger the frets. The high end sounds tinny the low end is muddy. It must be kept in a case with a humid pak and hygrometer. It must be kept at a minimum of 55% humidity. 65% is better. And, use a good wood polish. I just took it out and it was 68% and it has never sounded better. Resonant low end, bright pristene high end! Not the best choice for a first time buyer, total beginner. The fret board is a bit wide to learn on. Great for the money if you take care of it.
2 people found this helpful
Rocky –
Great quality!
Sound and quality are super! Made very well to include a solid and not a laminate top which results in a much better sounding instrument. I’ve purchased Yamaha saxophones, Yamaha keyboards, and guitars and they are all of exceptional quality and sound.
Tim –
A truly great acoustic dreadnought for an unbelievably low price
I have been playing guitar, mostly acoustic, for 35 years. I have played about every kind of acoustic that one could imagine, from cheap beaters to vintage Martins and Gibsons. My teenage son has taken an interest in developing his guitar skills, so I did a bunch of research on beginner’s acoustics, and the FG800 kept getting rave reviews almost everywhere I looked. So I pulled the trigger and ordered him one.We could not be more happy with the guitar. It has a solid spruce top with scalloped bracing, laminated sides and back, and a Rosewood fingerboard, with a gloss finish. It is extremely well-crafted from all aspects, very playable out of the box, and it sounds and feels wonderful. If you are looking for something really decent for a beginner or if you want a sweet second guitar you can take camping or to festivals or wherever, I do not know of any other budget-priced acoustic which comes close to the FG800. It is equally impressive flatpicking, fingerpicking, and strumming, stays in tune well, has a killer tone and voice, and looks. I will likely buy one for myself relatively soon. A great, great value!
9 people found this helpful
Ricky Lee –
Lucked out
I’m a senior citizen and decided to try learning the guitar. I have a friend who’s been playing for 50 years and has played in bands and even written and produced a CD. He offered to give me lessons and let me practice on his expensive Taylor and Tanglewood guitars. I decided to purchase a guitar and after researching many different sources went with the Yamaha FG800. I found it easy to use, it looks good to me and sounds good as well. My friend also gave his approval. I’m happy with my purchase. The only negative was that the box it came in was pretty beaten up so I was worried at the condition of the guitar but it was fine.
6 people found this helpful
A Random Consumer –
Literally perfect
I’ve never had so much fun playing an acoustic guitar before! Coming from an individual who has only played a cheap Fender acoustic guitar, the Yamaha FG800 is amazing. So much easier to play, huge sound, high quality neck, high quality body, high quality and sturdy bridge, just everything about this guitar is great. Buy this guitar, do not buy some $150 Fender acoustic guitar like I did years ago. Fifty to seventy extra dollars for this guitar, this plays like it’s worth several hundreds of dollars more. It’s like night and day, 10/10 guitar.
2 people found this helpful
Kevin Baker –
Good starter
The tone on this guitar is very good considering the cost. The quality is good. It’s has a large body so may need to take this into consideration.
ironmage –
It is a real musical instrument. The best acoustic for the price.
It’s a real guitar,it looks good and sounds just fine because of the solid top.
Book lady –
Great guitar!
Great sounding guitar and nice action. The small body makes it perfect for women and kids, and you won’t lose any sound quality!
Scout977 –
First guitar
This is my first guitar but I really like the sound and quality foe the price.
One person found this helpful
Wilky Gunckle –
Sounds good but delivery could have been better
I have actually gotten 2 of these… because the first one came with a huge gash through the back due to there being almost no padding inside. Luckily Amazon was very quick at sending me a replacement and it arrived within 4 days.Update: I’ve had this guitar for around 9 months and it’s honestly perfect. It sounds great and the tuners keep tune for weeks. If you’re a beginner I wouldn’t get anything cheaper but I also wouldn’t get anything more expensive.Slight con, the sound hole still smells like glue randomly but it’s not that bad 99% of the time.
emersorc –
Great guitar
Guitar sounds, smells and looks great. Craftsmanship and finish it very good. Stays in tune after strings are worn in. My only complaint is that the action was a bit too high out of the box. It was much easier to play after I made some adjustments. The neck profile was perfect, but I took about 0.060″ off the bridge and about 0.010″ off each of the nut slots. It’s easy to do yourself (look on YouTube) with an inexpensive set of tools, or any guitar shop can also make the adjustments, if needed. It was shipped double boxed with lots of padding. Arrived in perfect condition.
Kindle Customer –
Great for new players
I got this guitar just a couple months ago, not knowing much about guitars and not really knowing much about quality or anything I did a lot of research about what would be the best purchase for the right price for a beginner guitarist.. and I stumbled upon the Yamaha FG700, Fantastic reviews and ratings for beginners with great overall quality and overall sound, especially for the cost. I did a bit more research, comparing instruments and what not just to be sure I didn’t purchase something that was made out of cardboard and shoe strings when I stumbled upon the Yamaha FG800, which was said to be the upgrade of the 700. I did some reading and though it didn’t have as many reviews it was said to have improved sound and durability for the exact same price. Knowing that Yamaha has pretty much always been rather good quality I trusted my instinct and bought this guitar.. It sounds spectacular, easy to play and learn on.. Been playing for a month and already have two songs memorized of my own choice and taste. I don’t know much about guitars but I will tell anyone who cares and is reading this review that it was a good buy and a good experience, no complaints, it sounds beautiful and looks just as beautiful in my eyes. 5 stars and have recommended it to others vocally as well.
336 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
great value
i,m an electric guy but wanted a simple acoustic to beat on. say a few u-tubes on this one number one sold worldwide was one thing that came up so i bought one am i,m very happy with it. tuner works great, batteries are excessable without going through the sound hole. dont plug it in much, i changed the heavy strings out for lights and it plays good action good also, tone surprises me and its plenty loud. great little guitar. thnx Yamaha.
One person found this helpful
Jordan MarloweJordan Marlowe –
Excellent budget/beginner guitar.
This is the ULTIMATE beginner guitar.I have a much nicer, and much more expensive, Martin that I absolutely adore. But, I’ve been looking for a cheap guitar to beat on and not worry about leaving around my 2 year old. I did a good bit of researching, watching videos and reading before purchasing anything. I found this FG800 was recommended on literally 99% of all lists for top guitars under $200. I made sure to read multiple message boards and instead of possible sponsored websites seeing as how I was buying site unseen and unheard. Now understand this is not some $2000 Taylor/Martin, nor is it even close. What it is, though, is a great guitar for its price range. The action could be lowered just a little to ease playability, but sound is great for a laminate back and sides. Very full and loud. As long as you understand what you’re buying, I think you’ll be very happy with this guitar. It sounds as good as some that cost hundreds more. Looks decent as well.
31 people found this helpful
Tim Shanahan –
Great guitar for casual players and beginners
Overall construction and sound quality is typical for Yamaha-excellent! My only complaint is the smaller profile. Immediately noticeable was the lightness of the instrument, and an almost Jr. size body and shorter neck. This is a dreadnought design like my other guitars; however, it was also smaller, and as a result- not as deep on the low end and much brighter on the top end. Since my playing style and sound preferences typically come from larger dreadnought guitars bodies and longer necks, I reluctantly returned this beautiful Guitar. I ended up going with a Yamaha FG850 built entirely from Mahogany.
Clifton R. Baker –
Great guitar!
I bought the concert-sized version of this guitar about a month ago, and it’s been well worth the money. I’ve owned a few dreadnaught guitars in the past, which are slightly larger than this version, and this is much easier to play from an ergonomic perspective.The guitar arrived in great condition, and the only thing I did was change the strings from the factory, and I took out the saddle and sanded it down slightly just to make the action a little lower. It probably wasn’t entirely necessary, but I’m very particular about low action. Other players may not need to do this.The overall sound and playability is very good. It doesn’t have the same resonance as a dreadnaught guitar, since it’s smaller, but you still get a nice, crisp, rich sound out of it from strumming or fingerpicking. The electronic mic in the sound hole works as expected through an amp, and you can dial in settings with the bass, mid, and treble levels to get the right sound you want.I’d highly recommend this guitar to anyone who wants a mid-range acoustic guitar that sounds good and plays very easily.
7 people found this helpful
Jay –
The Nicest Guitar I’ve Played in a Long Time
After getting it set up by my local luthier (the action had to be lowered and the saddle sanded down a tad), the instrument and I have been virtually inseparable. I’m an acoustic man at heart. In musical minimalist style, this guitar has become my one and only. Its sound is homely like a warm log cabin. It can be appreciated by intermediate and expert-level players without a doubt. Everything you could ever ask for in a guitar is in this model right here. Yamaha knows how to produce quality and build a reputation on it, that much is true. You’re going to like the way it sounds—I guarantee it.
S –
Go for it!
This is an amazing product. I’ve owned my FG-800 for over a year now and I have absolutely no complaints. It’s no wonder that this is the world’s most popular guitar at this price range. Plays like a dream, sounds rich and warm. Recommended not only for beginners but everyone in owning an acoustic.
Zachary –
Well Made, Great Tone
I’m what you might call a campfire guitarist. I’m not highly skilled with fretting or scales, but I fingerpick a lot, play and sing. I also have an Epiphone DR400CE. This Yamaha is not far off in terms of sound quality, and I prefer the slimmer neck of the Yamaha, as my hands are only average for a male. I think this guitar is about as much as you can hope for from a $200 acoustic. I have also owned an Epiphone DR100, and I think this Yamaha is a step above that model. So, not quite as nice as the DR400CE, but closer to that than to the DR100, which by comparison has a hollow, more tinny sound.
One person found this helpful
Melvin E. –
Great little guitar
A fine guitar at any price. A real hoot to play.
Loki_Loco –
Good But it could have been Better
It was a good guitar but the action was kinda a little high. I changed the strings and wanted to change the nut but I will keep it as it is for now. The sound was really good. They should have added the guitar strapbutton.
4 people found this helpful
Rosalia’s ReviewsRosalia’s Reviews –
Great guitar for the money
This guitar is a great value for a beginner. I’ve purchased entry level guitars before and there was clearly craftsmanship issues, so when this Yamaha arrived I made sure to check all the places I’ve seen issues on previous guitars. The neck is nice and smooth and the frets blend perfectly into the wood. Other lower end guitars I’ve found sometimes have snags which can end up cutting your hand as you quickly move up and down the neck.But how does it play? The tone is subjective so you’re going to have to take a leap of faith in buying a guitar online. I think this one sounds great. I’m giving it as a gift and I know the recipient is going to love it. I would have sent it back if I had any doubts.Good luck! There’s lots of great people to follow on YouTube for beginners lessons and people to play along with. I particularly love Munson for his variety and ease of following along. Make sure to also check out the app guitar tabs for tons of songs to play along with.If this review was helpful please let me know by clicking the helpful button below. Thanks!
18 people found this helpful
Anas Khan –
Good for the price
I’m a beginner to guitars, and this is my first instrument. Saw guitars by other companies on Amazon, but they all had common quality control, the cracked Bridge. The first thing I did when this got delivered was check the bridge and all over the guitar for any cracks. Thankfully, it was delivered with care and had no defects. The sound is about right for a guitar imo. The craftsmanship is absolutely beautiful on this. This is probably not the cheapest guitar you can buy, but its certainly a great entry level guitar which is delivered to your door. It comes unturned, I used an app called GuitarTuna to tune mine.
One person found this helpful
mfhorn –
Sharp edges on frets
FG800 – It’s a decent buy for the price. The strings are hanging up on the sharp fret edges occasionally. Action was so high it was unplayable for me, especially on the upper frets. cost $80 to lower the action/shave the saddle. There’s a few sloppy finish areas on the fretboard and where the neck meets the body. The dot markers on top the fretboard are barely visible but the side markers are good and visible. I’m playing jazz chords, strumming with my thumb, and the low and mids can be boomy, while the highs sound choked off to me. Overall, to me it’s a plain and thin sound. If you play with a pick, your experience will probably be different, but that’s not how I play. I’m listening for subtleties in each note of the chords and not finding any kind of a pretty tone. It’s a good bang around guitar that I take to my friend’s house for lessons. For the great price there’s not much to complain about. It suits it’s purpose. I just ordered an AC5R. I hope the sound of that one inspires me a little more. I did replace the stock strings with Elixr PB 80/20s, ad maybe that dulled the tone. I do’t know. I’m trying to get a nice tone for outlining barre chords and jazz chords in forms 1 and 5 with my thumb. Maybe the electronics in the AC5M are the answer.
4 people found this helpful
Liu LiLiu Li –
great guitar for beginner
after researched, found this great guitar to start my guitar learning journey without investing a lump sum of money
One person found this helpful
Mr. Tea –
Fine Construction, Excellent Design, Superb Value
I purchased this as a replacement for my acoustic guitar of 15 years. I couldn’t be more pleased with the purchase. The construction is excellent without gaps or excess glue around joints. The top is solid sitka spruce which is a very attractive feature at any price point let alone $200. The aesthetics on the DG800 are simple and the design on the head stock is painted and will rub off with time. However that has no bearing on the overall fit and finish of this guitar, both of which are excellent for a <$1000 guitar.The greatest features of this guitar relate to its design. The instrument is quite light and has a good balance between neck and body making it easy to play while standing. Most important is the neck. The neck has a matte finish making playing very smooth even with sweaty hands and features a compound neck profile. Closer to the body the neck is fairly thin and flat making barre chords and individual notes comfortable to play. As you move closer to the head the shape becomes a deeper rounded rectangle that fits nicely in the hand and gives great comfort and support for open chord playing. I cannot say enough about how smooth and comfortable this neck is to play. It is worlds away from the more U shaped profile of my previous acoustic.All of the above complements the excellent sound of the instrument. The bass is responsive and the treble clear and sweet. The whole package makes this a superb value. In my opinion the neck design alone makes this the best value guitar available. This guitar punches well above its weight competing with instruments $500 more expensive in terms of sound, fit, and design. If you are looking for an acoustic guitar below $700 this needs to be on your list of guitars to test drive. 73 people found this helpful
Kevin Kuntz –
Wow!
So I bought a beginners kit to start playing the guitar using an app as a trainer, and it went quite well. I was really enjoying playing… but some of the chords I had a hard time getting my fingers between the chords… so I decided to do some research and came across this gem. It has a wider neck which immediately made it easier to get my fingers in there! I haven’t had much time with this guitar but I can tell immediately it is well worth the extra money. Can’t wait to dig in!
DF –
Plays nice right out of the box
I’m not a very experienced guitar player, so I can’t guarantee you that this guitar will wow someone who is a true connoisseur. However, I did look carefully into the options and found this to be a well regarded instrument. Three days of extensive playing in, I can confirm that it sounds great. What’s more, I was able to take it right out the box and play it without any further “set up” than it received at the factory. Sometime down the road I might look into what a luthier could do to make it even sweeter, but for the time being I’m pleased with the action and intonation. The guitar stays in tune, has no buzzing frets, and intones with reasonable accuracy all the way down the fretboard (sometimes plus or minus a few cents). It’s affordable (comparatively), good looking, nice sounding, and high quality. I’m happy.Update: After owning the guitar for 8 months and playing it for hours every week, I have nothing but good things to say. It’s got a great sound, a really comfortable size, and continues to stay in tune for multiple sessions. After several months of use I replaced the original strings and opted for a lighter gauge. The guitar kept its superb playability and the tone remained excellent (though changed slightly given the lighter strings). I can now add, after developing more experience with acoustic guitars, that the neck is quite comfortable to play. That will, of course, be a matter of taste, but as a newbie I found it very easy to use pretty much right away. No regrets: this is a great guitar.
83 people found this helpful