Yamaha FS800 T Concert Acoustic Limited Edition Tinted Natural Top
$219.00
| Item Weight | 6.07 pounds |
|---|---|
| Package Dimensions | 41.34 x 18.82 x 5.51 inches |
| ASIN | B01GRO2D3E |
| UNSPSC Code | 60131303 (Guitars) |
| Item model number | FS800 T |
| Customer Reviews | /* 4.6 out of 5 stars 71 ratings P.when('A', 'cf').execute(function(A) { 4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #37,864 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #359 in Acoustic Guitars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | July 11, 2016 |
| Back Material | Nato wood |
| Body Material | Multiple Materials |
| Color Name | Tinted Natural Top |
| Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 25 Inches |
| Top Material | Spruce Wood |
| Neck Material Type | Nato Wood |
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Brand | Yamaha |
| Color | Tinted Natural Top |
| Top Material Type | Spruce Wood |
| Back Material Type | Nato wood |
| Fretboard Material Type | Rosewood |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
21 reviews for Yamaha FS800 T Concert Acoustic Limited Edition Tinted Natural Top
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Seems nice but arrived broken
This seems like a great beginner’s guitar. The craftsmanship is nice, it has the appearance of a much more expensive instrument. There are a few plastic pieces I feel could have been upgraded, but the wood is very nice and it’s well constructed and finished.All that said, mine arrived broken. It has a 6″ crack in the soundboard. There was, what appeared to be, minor damage to the box… but I guess that was enough. The packaging is weak and does not offer any degree of protection if it’s not handled carefully. It’s a lightweight box with no interior protection.So I started a return and ended up buying the same guitar from a local music store. Funny thing is, that thought didn’t even occur to me when I bought it the first time… I need to work on that.
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Great sound quality !!
The sound quality is really good. The accessories also sufficient for hobbiest player.
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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
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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
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Value for some amount of money
For some hundred bucks you have a very beautiful sound of Yamaha quality acoustic guitar.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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Action
Priced great…action could be lower.
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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
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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.
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Perfect sounding beginner guitar
Can’t ask for a better beginner guitar for the money.
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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.
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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 !
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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.
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Sounds great
this is a pretty good beginner guitar, sounds better than most cheap guitars so I would suggest going with this one.
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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.
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Excelente producto
Es una excelente guitarra, suena muy bien.
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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
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sounds and plays great
I love this guitar. it sounds good and plays great. beginner or intermediate, you’ll enjoy playing this.
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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
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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
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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
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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 👌
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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. 🙂
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Nice for price
Stays in tune and the action isn’t to high. Very nice sound. I will recommend this to others
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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.
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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
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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
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Has a very good sound.
It’s a great guitar for the money
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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!
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First guitar
This is my first guitar but I really like the sound and quality foe the price.
One person found this helpful
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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Great little guitar
A fine guitar at any price. A real hoot to play.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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!
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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
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Guitar
Gretsch Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, 2 Color Sunburst
$169.00 Buy now
Gretsch Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, 2 Color Sunburst
$169.00
Basswood body with X-bracing 12th fret, 24”-scale nato set neck with synthetic bone nut Vintage-style 18 frets Walnut fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays Top-load walnut bridge with compensated saddle
60 reviews for Gretsch Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, 2 Color Sunburst
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Cracked on side of body
Like the guitar, a lot but crack in side of body
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Great guitar for a few dollars
I like it a lot. Reviews were good everywhere I looked. It’s well-made. It’s a parlor guitar so it has a circus-like sound. Not a beautiful sound. But it’s fun and easy to play. I think it’s great. I’m a beginning guitarist so don’t take my word about it in terms of its musicality. But for the money I think it is solid and worth it. I would not worry about taking it on a plane, or to the beach, or camping. Read review on best guitars under $500 and it makes many of the lists.
One person found this helpful
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My most played acoustic guitar
I have to echo what many others have said–this is a great little guitar. I have a Martin, Taylor, and a Loar parlor size acoustic. I end up playing this guitar more than any other acoustic because it’s comfortable to play, has a cool blues tone, stays in tune, and lives on a stand in my living room instead of a case. It’s also great to travel with due it’s small size. If you want a great little blues box, this is it.
One person found this helpful
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The sound and the set up out of the box to get to it is amazing. I ordered the gig bag (mistake)
This is every thing you will read about…unless you see under five stars. The sound and the set up out of the box to get to it is amazing. I ordered the gig bag (mistake). After leaving it out and picking it up everyday for the past three weeks… i ordered a gator 3/4 hard for 60% of the price. So what. Well between the 5th and 9th frets; there are amazing sounds from the D thru G stings. Bend them, slide them; it may be just my guitar, but after three weeks it was no longer a $149 guitar…hence the hard case. I have not changed stings yet. Are you kidding me $149? Acoustic Guitar Mag was the tip and i pounced on this guitar. How do they create that woody ghost tone out of $149. I would like to have a Keb Mo Gibson @ $2400 but will smile with the Jim Dandy until that day happens. OK…the Keb Mo Gibson would bury this guitar, but I would still take the Jim Dandy traveling…I love this guitar.
3 people found this helpful
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Great guitar, no ability for strap.
This is a great guitar that produces a well rounded sound. It’s not the most beautiful looking and over all looks a little cheap, like the plastic tuning knobs. But the tune doesn’t slip so they obviously get the job done. One complaint is that there is only one knob to attach a strap. How you would attach a strap I would not know other than, perhaps glueing on another knob? So curious as to why this redunk design is in place, how hard would it have been to add an extra knob?
One person found this helpful
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Better than the recording kings
As far as budget parlor guitars this is it. I had a solid top recording king for a while but this one wins hands down craftsmanship wise. Intonation is spot on, tuners keep tune, action is great. X braced and clean internal workmanship. This is a players guitar and it’s made to be a beater, just as the stellas and harmonys and Kay’s of old…
One person found this helpful
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Very nice for the price
This is a pretty nice little guitar for the money. I was looking for a new parlor to have around the house, take outside, toss into the car for trips–and that’s exactly what the Jim Dandy is perfect for. If you’re looking for a mind-blower, this probably won’t do it. However, it plays good right out of the box, feels solid, and sounds like a good little parlor. Gretsch was going for a throwback guitar, like one of those department store parlors from decades ago, and I think they nailed it. I have a Stella and a Regal from the early 70s (both of which I love), and this fits nicely alongside those.If you want to add a fun little guitar to your arsenal, this is a good one to pick up. And it won’t break the bank. If I was looking at this as a starter guitar, it would probably get the fifth star.
3 people found this helpful
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great guitar for the value
for the price as a learner guitar the gretsch jim dandy is solid, it gets some negative press for the flat finish; however, this is a nice touch in both look and feel. many youtube videos with accomplished blues guitarists show the sound its capabilities. for someone new to the guitar, pretty forgiving and easy to play. strong value.
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Yes, an actual musical instrument
I’ve had this guitar for a few months now, and it’s delightful to pick up and play. The “boxy” sound isn’t for everyone (search Youtube for some good sound clips), but it was exactly what I was looking for in a parlour-sized guitar. The construction feels high quality, and the setup was pretty good right out of the box. I’m not a good player, but this is at least as enjoyable and beautiful to play as the more expensive guitars I’ve played.The only thing that feels a little cheap on close inspection is the finish, which I expect might pick up some wear and tear over time, but overall I would say this guitar is more inexpensive than cheap. I can’t imagine doing any better at this price point than this guitar.
5 people found this helpful
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Great bang for the buck
Mine arrived thru Austin Bazaar. Everything was as described. I straightened the neck with the provided allen wrench (this guitar had a bit too much relief in it, but it was straight) took the old strings off and sanded the base of the string saddle down a bit for easier action. I restrung it with 11s and couldn’t be happier. The guitar intonates perfectly, the action is where I like it, and it plays like butter. I only wish it had a slightly wider nut but I’m adjusting.Great service with Amazon/Austin Bazaar. Probably couldn’t have picked out a better one myself. Both fingerstyle and flat picking are rewarding. I haven’t played a nicer guitar in this price range.
3 people found this helpful
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One of my favorites
I really like parlor guitars and this one is definitely a keeper. Been playing over forty years.
3 people found this helpful
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A whole lotta fun for the money
I was looking for something to throw in the backseat of my truck and roll with it. I’m a fan of Godin products and I looked at a number of their used offerings, even a baby Taylor and some old Silvertones. Of course ads for this Jim Dandy kept popping up and it was inexpensive and then when I got to looking, I noticed I couldn’t find a used one – that was telling. Reviews were mostly favorable and yeah, if I want to change things up or drill holes in it – so what. I like this guitar a lot. No it doesn’t sound like my others but that’s the point. It’s got that sitting on the porch steps in the summer heat sound.
One person found this helpful
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Great player!
I got this guitar for my daughter for christmas. I have been playing guitar for 45 years…i have owned a ton of different guitars. I LOVED playing this little Gretsch. Out of the box, it was set up to play with perfect action. Just needed to tune in up. Was very impressed with the even sounds from bass to treble and it was a really easy-playing guitar. Sweet sound. Great deal for the money. I am hoping this will encourage her to play more and then down the road i will get her a Martin. VERy happy with the purchase.
4 people found this helpful
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Great guitar
Great value
2 people found this helpful
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JUST DO IT NOW
I’ve had the G9500 for less than 24 hours and it really is hard to put down. I build CBG’s as a hobby and love the blues. I had been looking for an acoustic beater for my nightly couch playing. I love playing my cigar boxes, ukulele (s) and Stratocaster, but I haven’t owned an acoustic guitar since I was a teenager. I have a Gretsch Uke and its quality and sound is amazing, so when I found this parlor guitar by Gretsch, I gave it a shot. … and just WOW!I can literally not keep my hands off this guitar. There was a minor truss rod adjustment (6th string buzz) but besides that its flawless. Beautiful sound and very comfortable playability were the two things I was looking for and its got BOTH. I would have never believed that a 150 dollar guitar could ever be this great. Unless I’m just crazy… If you are trying to decide on purchasing this guitar JUST DO IT NOW or SOON.
One person found this helpful
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Fun and Inexpensive
Perfect for just playing around, it’s fun to play and inexpensive. It’s nothing special by no means but well worth it for the price.
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Amazing sound
This guitar is well built and has a wonderful quality sound.
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Buy this.
The Jim Dandy is in line with the Gretsch Guitars of old. It sounds great and feels great. I bought this for my son to learn on, but I very much enjoy playing it myself and it sounds fantastic when Its mic’d up. Other reviews suggested that it was fragile, but I think it is well-built and will withstand whatever my son can throw at it. If you are thinking about this guitar, buy it.it is fun to play, has a great sound, and travels easily.
One person found this helpful
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Great for travel
Perfect size for what I wanted sounds okay the body is small so it doesnt resonate as much as a bigger body guitar but it looks sharp an is comfortable to play. Definitely a great travel guitar not something I’d play a show with but something to drag everywhere.
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Worth 169 and fun to play.
Good value for the money. I really enjoy the size and neck. I will play this a lot. The paint is cheap. The white line is not solid on the front surface it is broken up like they did not have enough paint in the machine when finishing. The pick guard takes away from the fake old fashioned look with the G. I may remove it. It is worth the 169 paid. I am a beginner and it is very comfortable to have this size rather than the full size Dreadnought when walking around the house. The E and A strings do not have a ring like a regular size guitar. It was this or the 199 fender cp100. I would recommend it does have a quieter nice resonance. I rarely give reviews because I think most are laudatory over the top BS that seem paid for. This review is not paid for.
One person found this helpful
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Love this guitar
Bad – had to lube the saddle and nut the strings were sticking. It needs a machine head/tuner upgrade. They work but require a lot of effort to turn so you loose some of the ability to fine tune. Good – stays in tune once you get there. Absolutely love the sound – got that “blues” tone, size – light convenient,neck – smooth, color – flawless flat (I got the red) paint that can take getting bumped without leaving a mark. It sounds and feels like a $500 guitar. I am going to get another one to hot rod.
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Beautiful little guitar
Confortable and good sound. Great for the money
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Nice Guitar. Worth more than it is.
I bought this guitar because i needed to have a smaller guitar for a boat trip down the Mississippi. Turns out it was still a bit large for our smallish boat. However, I was impressed by the quality and craftsmanship right out of the box. The sound isn’t booming, but i wouldn’t expect that from a parlor guitar. Instead, It’s a bit raw and perfect for starting slide work or for an inexpensive guitar that you don’t have to worry about leaving out of it’s case in order to quickly grab for a quick practice session.
One person found this helpful
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Opinion of a Manager at Manny’s Music NYC, a salesman at both Sam Ash NYC and Matt Umanov’s NYC:
I worked at the above stores as well as several in Seattle for almost 20 years total. And I was looking for something that would stay in tune and I could actually play, and drag around to the beach or camping, perhaps busking and wouldn’t kill me if it were stolen or destroyed. That being said..This is an unbelievable deal. First this was shipped to me in December, and the frets were not protruding from the sides of the fretboard as often happens when a guitar is exposed to the cold. It was shipped from NJ to Seattle. The neck is streight and true, the action is quite playable though it could be lowered. It does not NEED to be lowered, it could be depending on personal preference. I searched each string and fret and there is ZERO fret buzz. Not a one needs to be filed down. And most importantly it stays in tune. I did not throw it out of tune from bending strings or traveling across town from warm to cold to warm. The tuners are the open gear type and aren’t the best but I haven’t had any problem tuning it so far. All the interior bracing seems solid, well placed and firmly glued with no gaps or spaces, drips etc. showing. Likewise the neck joint seems equally well made. There is a strap button on the bottom of the body, the other end must be tied under the strings on the headstock, or another strap button must be added. The bridge is well made and securely fastened to the face of the guitar. It does have the intimated B and high E string saddle which would need to be replaced if someone is thinking of stringing it lefty and flipping it over. It comes with a warranty card and an Allen wrench. If you are in the industry you can compare this to an entry level Yamaha acoustic from the late 1980’s early 1999’s as far as playability. It’s not a full scale nor is it a dreadnaught shape body as the top bout meets the neck at the 12th fret instead of 14th. But comparable quality. As far as sound it’s quite nice and much louder than I expected very articulate and …crisp mids, nice round highs, and the low end is pretty well balanced and has that growl you get in drop D owing to the short scale. Sounds like it’s just aching for a coricedan bottle!All in all I really can’t think of anything else to say other than I was really sceptical but hey this thing holds its own. For the money nothing else I have seen even comes close! I plan on using this live for a few songs.WORD OF WARNING: This came FedEx. I have received several packages this month from them. One requires a signature so I missed work to stay home and sign for it. Then at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon they changed the delivery date to “unknown”. because the item was still in Texas and wasn’t going to make it to Seattle by ground in the next day let alone by 8:00pm Saturday as they had been saying all week. It showed up Monday morning after I went to work (delivery date was still unknown on computer). And this guitar comes in a box that says Gretsch in giant letters on it. So I left a note telling them to leave it next door which is about 30ft from my door to theirs. FedEx just left the guitar on my porch with Gretsch facing out towards the street.
97 people found this helpful
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Tight
Tidy
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Cheap Fun!!
I was looking for a “knock-around” guitar and began stumbling across reviews for the Gretsch Jim Dandy. I have to be honest: I was deeply skeptical of the positive reviews this little $149 guitar was getting but I took a chance and ordered one. It definitely lives up to the hype but in the interest of being objective here are my observations:Appearance: Gretsch has nailed the retro vibe. If you’re looking for the aesthetics of deeply-grained tone-wood this isn’t your instrument but the Jim Dandy has it’s own vintage charm. The Tobacco Sunburst top is a matte spray finish that looks good and is evenly applied. The rest of the instrument is flat black which may be a fingerprint magnet … time will tell. The pinstripe on the top is obviously hand-painted; there are some minor imperfections but it really fits in with the retro theme Gretsch is shooting for. The cheesy (in my opinion) pick guard and open tuners only bolster that theme. My one complaint: Gretsch made the inexplicable decision to begin their fret markings at the fifth fret rather than the third. Overall, I’d grant the Jim Dandy an 8 out of 10 for appearance.Build: The Jim Dandy is a relatively light weight guitar and subjectively feels heavier than my Little Martin. My out-of-the-box inspection revealed no obvious flaws other than some small debris rattling around inside. The kerfing and bracing seems clean and tidy and the tuners, while stiff, function well. There are no bridge pins to lose with the Jim Dandy’s through-bridge design. Overall, I was impressed by the quality and the instrument was actually close to being in tune right out of the box! Further, the factory set-up is actually very good. The neck is straight, the nut is reasonably well cut, the action is quite playable with nary a buzz or dead spot. The real surprise is the fret work on this guitar. One British reviewer commented that the Jim Dandy had the best fret work of any entry-level guitar he’s seen. I’ll go a step further: the Jim Dandy I received has better fret work than guitars costing several hundred dollars more based on my auditioning of instruments at local music stores. Overall: a 10 out of 10 given the price point.Sound: Fun! Again, if you’re looking for high-end tone and sustain this isn’t your instrument. That said, the Jim Dandy has an enjoyable sound … it’s somewhat boxy yet sweet, especially when finger picked. If you’re a strummer I’d recommend trying light gauge nylon picks as these seem to emphasize the Jim Dandy’s mid-range where celluloid or tortex can ring a bit harsh. Does it have the clarity, voice or vibe of any of my Martins? No. But it has its own sound that is enjoyable. Overall: 8 out of 10.The Jim Dandy is an unapologetically budget guitar that manages to be playable and fun for a price point that’s really hard to believe. Really, it’s not hard to spend more on a case than you would spend on this guitar. In my opinion it’s a perfect instrument for places one might hesitate to take a more expensive guitar.
35 people found this helpful
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Excellent Little Guitar!
I picked this up to learn finger style delta blues after reading all the positive reviews and watching the video of Eric Bibb singing its praises.This is a very fun and comfortable guitar to play. It has a unique voice, the low end is a bit muted and the mid range is very strong and ‘woody’. On the one I kept the low C booms out a bit more than the other notes both on the A string and high up the neck on the low E. I like that, it gives it even more character than it already has, and it has quite a bit of character to begin with.Currently my two favorite acoustics are this Jim Dandy and my Gibson J-15. Entirely different beasts, but both very enjoyable to play.If I hit the lottery I’d buy these by the case and hand them out to random strangers and spread the joy!I did have to send one back for rough fret work and a few other issues, but the one I kept is very nicely made, and far nicer than I expected for a guitar under $200. Unfortunately it came with a dent in the back. The outer shipping carton was fine, but the inner carton took a hard hit at some point which went right through the box and dented the back. However since it’s plywood and the paint is very durable, there’s no splitting or paint missing and no damage visible inside the body. It’s a very sturdy little guitar! Since every guitar is unique and I happen to really like this particular guitar’s “booming C” I’m keeping the dented one for life. I’ll consider the dent a “beauty mark”.I lowered the string slots at the nut and the guitar plays like silk. Nearly every nut has the slots set high from the factory since you can always lower slots, so they leave them high and let the customer, (or the customer’s luthier), lower them to taste. So high action at the nut isn’t a criticism of the Jim Dandy, it’s standard in my experience. The only other thing I did was replace the plastic strap button with one more in the spirit of this guitar, a vintage style ivorid, (imitation ivory), button from Iluak Ivory. Luckily the screw holding the plastic button on was a smaller diameter than the replacement so I just had to drill out the hole. I’ve attached a photo of the ivorid button.Note that the Gretch Resonator Roots Collection gig bag fits the Jim Dandy well and is a nice looking and very high quality gig bag.
8 people found this helpful
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Jim Dandy not parlor but parlor size
Overall I’m okay with my purchase. It’s a parlor size guitar but it is not really parlor but Jim Dandy which is something unique on its own. That means that the style and tone are targeted for blues/country/folk and to be accompanied with steel guitar and-or resonator. Not your typical parlor guitar tones which is what I wanted until I played blues with it and fell in love with what I would describe as somewhat tin box tones mixed with slight touch of guitarlele tones in good taste. It is hard to describe but the wood used sure produces unique delta blues tones. Strongly suggest replacing the strings that comes with it, good strings makes a huge difference. I have to admit, it took some getting used to play with the short scale and no dot mark on the third fret. Definitely no high octave shredding on this. Also, the neck is chunky and action is higher than what I’m used to, probably for the use of a slide but it’s not bad. The guitar has great timbre for a small size, which makes finger picking sounds great and effortless but strumming is not as good in tone.I would say it’s a good beginner’s guitar if you are into blues otherwise your regular pop songs will sound a little off and the sound quality may not be as pleasant to you. If you like more of pop rock music spend a little more and go for the typical parlor Gretsch G9511 or Fender, Ibanez, etc.The guitar looks of quality that surpasses price which is something you see often with Gretsch. At first I thought the open tuners were not going to last but I’m pleasantly surprised that hold tune incredibly well and passed the beach and camping test. The size is perfect, makes it easy, fun to play and practice anywhere and that alone will make you love it. I have 2 more guitars but this one has become my go to guitar and it is the cheapest one. I assume because of the small size it comes with only one strap pin, thus the strap must go thru the tuning headstock but with strap it can hang on your back like a backpack very comfortably and it makes you look cool. :)I had to lower my rating to 3 stars because the fretboard is abrasive in some spots when string bending and even soaked in oil will occasionally have crunchy tones when bending, and it is becoming an annoyance. Is like the neck quality control is completely different from the body. I got it fixed with light sanding but it reflects price vs quality. Although double action thrust rod for that price is a nice surprise. But again, overall It’s okay or great if you’re not too picky.
21 people found this helpful
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Updated: I do love this little dude…
Well I just got mine… arrived a few hours ago. I’ve been playing it non-stop since. I really can do little more than repeat what others before me (the good reviews) have said: she’s a little darling… incredibly easy to play – fits perfectly in my arms and hands. The neck is beautifully shaped; the fretboard is fantastic. The string spacing is perfect for us fingerpickers… and when I tune her to an Open tuning and get out my Rock Slide brass slide – she’s at home. As far as looks go – well, I can’t tell what she looks like when I’m playing her so who cares? She looks fine sitting on my stand where she won’t spend a lot of time. This is, easily, the most guitar I’ve ever received for $150.00… do not hesitate to buy this baby if it’s an easy-playing small guitar you’re looking for… she’s just great. Love her instantly from the moment I get her the way I wanted… even the strings she came with are fantastic – with great action; Everything is really perfect. Couldn’t be happier… well there’s one thing: the frets are a bit sharp and need to be worked on, but… c’mon, if that’s the worst thing I can say about this guitar you know she’s a winner. Amazing price to value ratio.Update: I’ve had this guitar for, I don’t know, a few months now… I just wanted to say that this is the best guitar I’ve ever owned. I mean, not just in relation to the cost of the instrument, but… it’s the most enjoyable to play… it has superb tone (lacks a tad on the lower register but it’ a parlor, that’s too be expected…) and it plays like a dream. It is constantly by my side or in my hands. I love it. I cannot possibly imagine a better deal on a guitar anywhere or from anyone. Gretsch has simply *killed it* with this one. I am astounded… There must be something in the drinking water in Indonesia because every guitar I’ve had that has been made there has been good… but this… I just cannot recommend this guitar enough. Am I making myself clear? Buy this guitar if you are even remotely considering it. You will not do any better buying anything else. It is… the best. A great guitar. If I had paid 500 bucks for it I’d be saying the same thing, by the way…
4 people found this helpful
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Great guitar arrived with junk strings
Overall I’m really happy. I’ve been looking to get one of these since they came out and happy I finally did. Love the finish and overall the craftsmanship on mine is quite nice for a sub $200 guitar.My only complaint is that the included strings were so tarnished and old that I had to replace them immediately (I used Martin Retro Modals). The Jim Dandy actually comes with decent D’addario strings, so it was a shame to cut them off without using (and a waste of $).When I wrote to “Gretsch” about the strings they told me “no replacements are available “ SAY WHA??? For one, they are actually even available on Amazon. 2, was I supposed to keep those old strings on for the life of the guitar? For those reading, it was very easy to find and replace them ;)Anyway, I’m certainly not sending back the guitar with my brand new strings on it. I like the guitar now, I was just hoping for a new set sent to me.Also for what it’s worth all responses came from a company named Adorma – not Gretsch, so even though it looks like it in the listing, I’m not sure this is really coming from Gretsch directly.
3 people found this helpful
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Just Dandy
Well, isn’t this “dandy?” I received my new Jim Dandy yesterday. Packaged very well but still has an odd scratch on the front and some wipe mark as if the person who applied the pick guard got glue on it and attempted to “fix” it. Not that noticeable so I will keep the guitar. It was actually almost in tune out of the box. Never had that with a new guitar.Stings are a bit heavy gauge for me. Plays fairly well. No fret buzz. It’s a fun & quirky. I’m going to install a preamp and under saddle pickup. It will be fun and add a retro vibe to my solo gigs. It’s a fun little guitar to leave on the couch & noodle with. For the low price it’s a blast.
2 people found this helpful
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Great Value, but keep in mind the small scale
Great sounding guitar, beautiful finish, and very well made. A great recreation of the old parlor/ catalog guitars meaning its a smaller scale. Not only is the body smaller, the neck is a smaller scale, thus the frets are as well.
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Very impressive
Very impresssive guitar for the price. I wanted something I could take with me when I travel, and for family gatherings. This guitar met every need and sounds fantastic. I have always known Gretsch to make quality instruments but for the price, this guitar is worth a lot more. The small body size makes it very comfortable to play, and the neck is very beefy and instantly makes you feel at home. I have had this guitar by the campfire, out early in the morning, and have let it sit for over a week, and it still stays in tune. Whether you’re looking for a cheap beater to have around the house, or a solid back up travel guitar, this thing will certainly fit the bill.
13 people found this helpful
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Looks better than it plays!
I had been waiting to buy this guitar since September 2019. This guitar was so hot that it supposedly all sold out and we had to wait till Feb 2020 before they made anymore. I was hugely underwhelmed by the following. This is not a smaller guitar like the Baby Taylor. This is actually a 3/4 size guitar. It really only has 12 playable frets almost like a toy guitar. Any fret higher than 12 is not really playable or it sounds like a toy. Looks great like an ancient parlor guitar. It sounds deep and I could still smell the smell of newly cut wood because this was a new batch. The problem I have is, it just sounds like a cheap guitar. Nothing really special. It doesn’t sound like a parlor guitar as I expected. It just sounds a tad better than a guitar for that price but by no means does it sound like those old blues guitars and I am not sure if you can even get those types of tones. It sounds deep and dry to me. Maybe the guitar needs to age and might benefit from different strings. Clearly it looks better than it plays.
13 people found this helpful
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Great smaller guitar
I’m a beginner and the size is perfect. It sounds great. The only beef I have is there is no where to connect a guitar strap.
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Exactly what I needed
No damage while shipping. Guitar is the perfect size. Sound is amazing considering the size and price. Prior to purchasing I read other reviews and detail and they were all pretty spot on. I’m a beginner and I find this guitar easy to play on. If you’re looking for a small guitar at a good price this is the one.
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impressed.
For 150 dollars u cant go wrong with this guitar. I have a very expensive acoustic that sounds amazing, but its huge and a bit of a hassle to play. I bought this guitar with the thought of campfire songs and easier practice. Ill tell u what right out of the box i fell in love with it. Ie been playing guitar 6 years and this guitar is one of my favorites. It is so much fun to play, if your into noodleing and chords while your taveling this is the guitar for you.Now about the guitar, the finish isnt what u expect, its not a laquer, so i dont know how it holds up to temperature. Theie are slight cracks in the finish on the neck, probably from quick temperature flux. And th white line bordering the edges dosent go under the neck, it just stops. The intination is great, i only found one dead note, the tuners fit perfectly with the desighn. The only thing i dont really like about this guitar is the fretboard. The lay ins are huge, and the wood for the fret board just looks cheap. This is a 150 dollar guitar and u will be suprised how nice it feels when u start playing. Id buy it again
15 people found this helpful
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M-!-S-S-!-S-S-!-P-P-!
Great guitar, solidly built. Anyone who may complain about finishing issues, I think, is missing the point of this guitar. It has a beefy neck which is taking some getting used to, It stays in tune better than the Taylor GS mini and it sounds great! At this price I plan to get every color and tune each one to a different open tuning. This guitar coupled with the Jim Dunlop 232 Harris brass slide(and a little truss rod adjustment to bring up the action) will transport you to the front porch of a rundown country house deep down in Mississippi on a scorching hot day, with dust kicking up in the wind and… I think you catch my drift. I decided to remove the pick-guard which was about as easy as removing the UPC sticker from a Bic lighter. I’ve handled both the Fender and Recording King parlor guitars and even if they were $149 instead of $199, I’d still get this guitar.
29 people found this helpful
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I ended up buying a second one for myself
This is an incredibly good sounding guitar. I bought for my grandson. I had it shipped to me tune it up and started playing. And I bought another one for my son-in-law. And I thought I would just add a picture of my dog because she’s so cute that’s Maggie.
11 people found this helpful
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Very happy.
My guitar arrived quite early, and I couldn’t be more happy with it. It’s construction is solid. I was deciding between this and and something else, but in my opinion you can’t really go wrong with a Gretsh, even in this price range. It sounds like it was made to play the blues, and it’s perfect size for travel.
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Awesome 12 Fret Small Body Blues / Travel Guitar for the Price (Cheap)!
Met all the expectations I had after reading review after review about how great a guitar it is for $150. Didn’t have an opportunity to see one in person and I was skeptical when I ordered it because I’ve heard stories like that before. The finish is pretty terrible and sloppy and I had to take a minute to get over that before really deciding what I thought about it. Especially for a guitar it’s size (its small) it has great volume and tone; it plays really good right out of the box; it stays in tune really good and has good intonation; the frets, fret board, nut, and saddle setup are great, and the neck action is like a full size guitar not like the the action on other ‘Travel” guitars I’ve had experience with. What more could you want for a $150 12 fret small body blues player/beater?
7 people found this helpful
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A good little parlor for the beach
Perfect for what I was looking for, a small, inexpensive guitar for travel, camping, beach so that one would not be devastated if it got lost or damaged. Of course it would be great if it looked and sounded like a $2,500 parlor guitar, but then it would not have cost only $169 and I would not be taking it to the beach. It is easy to play, balanced and a solid little guitar. I would have happily paid a bit more for better tuners, these work but slip a bit when tuning. Maybe an upgrade down the road.
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Perfect parlor guitar
This is not a toy guitar. It is a parlor acoustic guitar. These are smaller guitars, more comfortable and they unique sound. I love this guitar. And it is perfect for practice.
3 people found this helpful
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An extremely comfortable guitar to play….
I have the sunburst version. I took the pick guard off likety-split….to get rid of the unsightly “G”….came off very easy….looks eve better without the pick guard… This is an excellent guitar. It is extremely comfortable to play, mostly because it is so small. It is probably the smallest parlor guitar that you’ll be able to find. The sound is “tinny” ….as everybody who plays it will tell you…..because of the cheap/laminate woods used…..but it does give the guitar an old-school Delta blues sound. Those old-school blues guys weren’t playing fancy-pants expensive guitars….I have 6 or 7 guitars…acoustic and electric…that are more expense than this one….but I still come back to my trusty “Jim Dandy”….great guitar to learn on too….buy it…you won’t be disappointed…
3 people found this helpful
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Just picking it up will make you smile.
It didn’t come double boxed, but it was well packed so there were no shipping issues. It’s set up very well and it’s ready to play out of the box. I changed the strings, polished the frets, oiled the fretboard and I’ve been really pleased with the results. It’s just a fun guitar to play.
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Another Gretsch Masterpiece !!!
Wanted the blue one, but ended up with the cherryburst. The action was alittle high out of the box, but a quick neck adjustment lowered it where it plays comfortable, with no buzz and perfect intonation. The body is small but comfortable.I’ve played for 40 years and owned the best guitars out there,this acoustic is a quality instrument. Kinda ugly finish ,but a great classic palor guitar aka Robert Johnson tone. The hardware may be cheap but works perfectly, no tune slippage. The strings work well right out of the box , no need to change them. The neck is wide for such a small guitar but it serves a purpose, a great players design. I agree with all the positive reviews ,this guitar is worth every penny. Beginner to proffesional this is worth having. I’m happy I purchased one.
11 people found this helpful
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Not for strumming
I loved that bass it put out, but only when you’re picking. I read a lot of good reviews and a few that said not good for upbeat songs, nor strumming. I took my chances and returned it after only 2 days. When in boxing, the G string was broken. I replaced them and initially thought it was going to be perfect for small group platform. I tried it the next day at one and boy was it a train wreck. The room ate up the bass and the clanging shrill was all that lingered. In a small room by yourself or with 2 people, it sounds clean and meaty. I was so disappointed with the sound quality I returned it immediately. I gave it great stars individually bc for picking it is nice, just not strumming. I bought a Yamaha JR1 the next weekend for $149 that does the job much better and more affordably.
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You won’t be disappointed…if you know what to expect at this price range.
I wanted to get back into playing, but didn’t want to spend a fortune. In the past, I had great luck with cheaper guitars costing $200 or less. All you’ve got to do is bring them to a guy or gal to get them set up.I’ve had a couple of hours now to play around with this beauty. I wasn’t expecting a great dynamic range from this type of wood & at this price, but this guitar is a keeper for only 169.99 plus free shipping.If any of you are looking for a guitar to travel with, to give as a gift for someone, then look no further. They say that some things are too good to be true, but this isn’t. It’s too good and it’s true.
3 people found this helpful
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Highly Prized !!
This Jim Dandy arrived in excellent protective packaging with no damage. I owned a Baby Taylor but sold it and now have replaced it with the Jim Dandy and I’m very satisfied with the sound and quality. Ordered the brown which gives it a rustic look. I’ve added a removable pick up and practice slide guitar. This is a very good purchase and I highly recommend the Jim Dandy. I checked out the you tube vids and that’s what convinced me to order it. I looked at other parlor guitars and this has the best bang for the buck and hey it’s a Gretsch. I also own Gibson, Epiphone, Wechter and Fender acoustic guitars and I feel I’m qualified to make this recommendation.
5 people found this helpful
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Gift one of these to a child! Perfect social media killer!
Bought this little parlor back in early August to set up as a Delta Blues machine and for slide. Absolutely loved the retro sound. Carefully removed the pickguard and kept the action a little high. Unfortunately my 11 year old granddaughter also loved it. So “Papaw” lowered the action, light gauge Ernie Ball phosphors, new gig bag and tuner and put it on Santa’s sled. She’s named it “Baby”. Priceless! Ear to ear smile. I wonder who’ll end up with my vintage Martin collection?
2 people found this helpful
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After two years still going strong
I purchased this guitar in Nov 2018 and have been steadily playing it since then. I own or have owned Martin, Gibson, Taylor, and Yamaha higher end guitars. I purchased this as my knock around guitar. It has nice low action, stays in tune, and has held up perfectly since the day I got it with no issues. It didn’t even need a setup when it arrived, as it played great out of the box. It sits on a stand in my living room so that I can just pick it up whenever the mood strikes. All that being said, you should have realistic expectations. It has a boxy sound which is actually reminiscent of some low end guitars made decades ago. Think the old blues players from the 30’s who created amazing music on those cheap guitars. For the money, it has a comfortable neck and it’s good sounding for what it is. Again I’ll emphasize, it’s not going to sound like something that costs several hundred or more dollars. For this price it does what it’s designed to do.
4 people found this helpful
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Great little travel guitar
Excellent little travel guitar. Easy to take with you. Sounds is about what I expected for this smaller sized guitar. No issues with string action. Really fun to play. I purchased when it went on sale. For $120 this was a no brainer to purchase.
2 people found this helpful
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This Blues Box Made For Travelin..
Really cool little guitar….gets the most play now around the house. I bought it originally because I was looking at travel guitars to take with me on the road with my construction job that takes me out of town alot. I couldn’t find one locally, but I did play the little martin and baby taylor at the GC here in town. I didn’t really like the sound that much, and they were too dang small. This Gretsch has a 24″ scale, like a fender mustang or the likes, so it’s small but it is more parlor size than travel size. So, I bought it online here without ever playing it.How does it sound? Just like a cheap plywood parlor guitar should sound. Awesomely boxy, plenty of volume, not trying to be a small version of a bigger guitar but just content to be what it is. The old vintage Montgomery Ward guitars have some competition here. Put a soundhole pickup (Lace) and changed the strings to John Pearce 12s, and this thing is totally gig worthy. If you like the whole vintage thing, and don’t have any brand loyalties to martin and taylot (I only mention these since their small guitars are very popular for travel, which was my need), I think this is a better guitar for half the price. Action is low, plays easy, and has a nice chubby vintage neck (I like that, you might not). Intonation is perfect, open gear tuners with white knobs look killer. I love it.
17 people found this helpful
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I want another one
Great little guitar. Comes with light strings that make it feel cheaper than it is.. I put some 13s on it and it sings beautifully. Can’t imagine needing more if you’re hoping to spend around 150 for a nice “beater” or whatever you want to call it. Perfect beginner’s item, perfect traveler’s item, perfect lounge item, etc. Great action, and I’m comparing it to my Martin DCME, whose action inspires faster playing than most electric guitars I’ve played in my time. It also has a very sweet minimalist look, which you can probably already see in the picture. Looks ever better in person. The red in the center is darker than I thought it would be, but who cares. So buy it. Buy it instead of that fender or yamaha or ibanez or whatever other parlor/cheapy you’re looking at or going to see while shoppin around. Buy it for your mother and tell her you love her. Then when she says “Why did you give me this? I don’t play guitar.” Tell her it’s the thought that counts and it will be there waiting when you go see her. Then steal it.You might be hearin people say “check ebay or craigslist for a nice kay or silvertone instead..” if you’re researching forums for a new cheap axe.. I have an old Kay parlor from the 50s that I love. It has a type of life that these newer guitars do not, but this guitar is smooth like butter and will outplay almost all of those vintage ladies that you won’t be able to play in store before purchasing. Just a thought.weeeeeeeeeeeI posted a short video of some live action on youtube. Go find it. No talkin, just playin
64 people found this helpful
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grandpa’s gut bucket resurrected
Its a straight up gut bucket from the old days. The tone is “cardboard” but it nails the old blues tone perfectly. A couple of points: the action is fine, many reviewers said it was too high. Mine was perfect outta the box. Other reviewers said its a good fingerpickin’ guitar. I wouldn’t know as that is not my style. I play chords and flatpick. Jazz chords sound ok, cowboy chords sound great! I played a classical sax piece in 5th position with no problem. The construction is very basic. I’ve handled guitars from the 60s that were also mass produced and this one feels exactly like that. I played it all day when I got it and it stayed in tune. So…you want a guitar to play at home? Buy it! You want to take it on stage…hmmmm…not really a good choice due to the low volume. You need a small guitar for travel? Yes, get it now! Maybe you have never played before and need a guitar to learn on? Do it! You will not develop bad habits from its size and the low projection means you can play longer without disturbing anyone. You play metal? Blues? Folk? Country? It will do the job for practice purposes. Hope this review helps.
5 people found this helpful
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My favorite guitar I own.
A friend of mine introduced me to this guitar. I fell in love with his the minute I picked it up. So I csme straight home and ordered one for myself.
One person found this helpful
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The quality is much better than you would expect for the price
The quality is much better than you would expect for the price. If you really want a comparison, you could pay the same amount for a guitar with the same price in dollars in the 1960s and get nothing remotely close to the quality of this guitar. I also took a look at some of the Recording King models, but the reports of seams coming apart led me to choose this. Now I can record my CD of hokey songs about cats.Update – this guitar really grows on you. I’ve also found it records really well, especially for late 20’s early 30’s style jazz. The tone is surprisingly fat, but not boomy, and I’d guess the upper mid-range frequencies account for this. The projection quality seems better than a larger guitar.Update March 7, 2017I installed a Tusq saddle last night, PQ-9216-C0, listed as being for larivee guitars. It turned out to be close to a perfect fit with a little bit of filing and sanding, mostly on the bottom, and a tiny bit on the thickness. I also put in a set of StewMac Golden Age tuners, a little over $40 last summer, which are a significant improvement over the ones that came with it..
21 people found this helpful
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Bravo, Gretsch!
This little number is hands down the best value on the guitar market. First of all: it sounds FANTASTIC. Loud, resonant, warm. Secondly: it’s made extremely well for the price. The satin finish is gorgeous and enhances playability. It stays in tune pretty well. The frets on mine do stick out a hair, but not enough to gouge you or effect fingering. Ive seen worse on more expensive guitars. I had to adjust the truss rod a bit to lower the action but it was very easy. Cannot recommend the Jim Dandy enough. Bravo, Gretsch!
3 people found this helpful
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Get it, you can’t go wrong.
Outstanding quality and craftsmanship on a very affordable parlor-style, travel guitar. Can’t go wrong unless you are expecting a larger sound which this is not intended to do. The old time bluesy sound is incredible and just like in the YouTube videos. Wish I knew how to use a slide. This is my go-to, take-along, strum anywhere guitar. Smaller scale is easy to get used to but I have medium sized mitts. It’s a keeper.
One person found this helpful
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Very pleased
This is my first guitar, and I was told my friends not to get anything less than $100. That originally was not really my budget but I’m really glad I extended it to get this one. I’m a total beginner and this is perfect for me. I’ve struggled in the past with guitars that were too big for me (I’m 5’4″) but this one is the perfect size.The sound is great but there is a bit of fret buzz. The guitar itself is really nice looking, the color is great and it has a cool southern / Johnny Cash vibe to it.Really the perfect guitar for a beginner or someone looking for a smaller sized model. I’m so happy with it.
4 people found this helpful
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Guitar
Yamaha FG800 Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Hard Case and Accessories Bundle
$398.00 Buy now
Yamaha FG800 Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Hard Case and Accessories Bundle
$398.00
Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar Solid Sitka Spruce Top Nato Back & Sides Rosewood Fingerboard & Bridge Gator Cases Hard-Shell Wood Case for 6 or 12 String Acoustic Dreadnought Guitars (GWE-DREAD 12) D’Addario NS Micro Clip-On Tuner D’Addario EPS510 ProSteels Electric Guitar Strings, Regular Light, 10-46
D’Addario Assorted Pearl Celluloid Guitar Picks, 10 Pack, Medium Ernie Ball Black Polypro Guitar Strap Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1: Book/CD Pack Show more1 review for Yamaha FG800 Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Hard Case and Accessories Bundle
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Great deal!
Bought this for my boyfriend as a Christmas present and he absolutely loves it! Such a great deal! I’m very pleased!
One person found this helpful
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paul506 –
Yamaha has surprised me!
The most for your money is Yamaha. The FS800t was absolutely perfect and it’s sounds great. I was a sceptic about Yamaha. I love a good deal and I got a great one.
Robert B. –
Great guitar, great sound
Been playing an electric for awhile and wanted to pickup a acoustic to mess around with but didn’t want to break the bank, this is one of the best sub $300 acoustic guitars you can buy very happy with it so far.
3 people found this helpful
Pat Gilliam –
The sound and resonation.
I love the size and comfort of this guitar. I put my preferred strings on and I haven’t put it down. I think my other guitars are getting jealous.
5 people found this helpful
TLJ –
Great instrument for the price.
Easy to play, very nice tone for a small guitar, stays in tune. Couldn’t ask for more for the price.
3 people found this helpful
Eric Fallgren –
The Best Entry Level Guitar AND A Perfect Addition To A Pro’s Quiver Of Strong Acoustic Guitars
Out of the box, after resting for 24 hours in my home, I found a well built and without mistakes (excess glue, lifting bridge). It arrived without tuned tension on the strings. Action and intonation out of the box for the first tuning was great. Tone is about 3/4 of a Dreadnaut. Miced with a SM 57, then a Presonus Condenser showed excellent results through ProTools, Studio 3 and Reaper. This is a perfect guitar for recording. Easy to play, finish is beautifle with the tinted vintage style finish. I give this guitar five stars.
8 people found this helpful
KD –
Great guitar!
Wow, what can I say about this amazing little guitar? Out of the box, it looked really nice, and while the action was still a little high from the factory, it played just fine. After having the action set up properly and premium strings installed, it’s like having a completely different guitar that sounds a lot more expensive than what I paid for it. I think this is absolutely perfect for beginners as well as a more experienced player that wants something inexpensive that they can knock around with. As usual, Yamaha has made another quality instrument that I’m happy to own.
6 people found this helpful
cspu –
Very nice guitar for the price. Setup recommended
This guitar really impressed me right out of the box. It looks fantastic and sounds great. It is perfectly playable but the action is a little high so a setup would be a good idea to make this outstanding.
3 people found this helpful
Stormy –
Love This Guitar
Love this guitar so much. I have small hands and it’s a perfect fit for me. And it’s so affordable as well. I didn’t make a mistake with this one. 🙂 Nice sound and look.
4 people found this helpful
Richard Wilson –
Great guitar, great experience with shipper
Very pleased with the appearance of the guitar and the sound. Extremely happy with the shipper. Described the way it was packaged to my son’s guitar instructor, including the information that told us to wait 24 hours before we opened the box to let the instrument climatize. His instructor was not only impressed, but used to stop at that store to play the instrument when he was younger. He as well as I am highly recommending this shipper for musical instruments
2 people found this helpful
P. Brodersen –
Excellent beginner guitar, quality retailer
The guitar is excellent… bought for a new student. Setup out of the box was good, fit and finish very good for a guitar of this price. The Yamaha box was packed in a rectangular box, well marked, and instructions to receiver to all it to normalize temperature before opening – first excellent advice I’ve seen on the box especially for this price of guitar. I would buy both this guitar, and from this retailer, again, and will recommend them to others.
5 people found this helpful
mmattox –
Great Guitar for a Great Price
I am a beginner and this has been the best Guitar to learn on.Sounds amazing.
Scootampa –
Excellent Guitar that won’t break the bank!
Came packaged beautifully. Sellers were wonderful and included personalized guarantee. Just learning with a few apps but am impressed by the sound already. It literally sings! Some notes/strings are a little “twangy” but I’m sure I’ll learn to adjust them. I bought the concert size and even though I have really big hands it fits me perfectly!
3 people found this helpful
Jason and Michelle Anderson –
Great Value
Perfect beginner guitar.
MichaelMichael –
Super nice, slightly smaller guitar.
I love this guitar. The fit and finish on the T tinted version are excellent. The color is a bit darker and much richer than in the photos. It is a beautiful guitar. The neck feels great. It is smooth and a bit small with the strings a little closer together than on my Telecaster. It took me a few tries to get used to this. That said, the size of the guitar makes it way more comfortable for me than a full sized dreadnought body. It sounds great. Loud but not overpowering in my apartment. Many would consider this a good starter instrument but it’s a nice sounding keeper. There are simpley no drawbacks. I have much more resonant and expensive guitars but for something to carry around when on the road it sounds and plays just fine. at this price point you can’t beat this Yamaha guitar.
2 people found this helpful
Jon –
Very nice, very playable guitar.
It’s no Martin or Taylor but this is a very nice budget guitar. The fit and finish is outstanding on the one I received and I have no complaints other than that it was made in China. So time will tell if you catch my drift.
3 people found this helpful
Stagehand Jim –
Perfect for me.
Nice sound, resonance, action and simple good looks. Came packed in a top notch manner from Chicago Music Exchange. Vintage tinted top looks like my FG110 from the Seventies, without the dings and stains. Yamaha FS800 Concert size guitar: perfect for me to play at home with guests. – Stagehand Jim
daniel l –
Some adjustments required
The guitar arrived in perfect condition but did require a truss rod adjustment which i guess is normal. I changed the strings to what are apparently easier to play as well.Overall i really like this guitar and would recommend it for this price category
Old Crow –
Amazing sound and playability, for the money.
Very low action, perfect for beginners.Sound quality equals guitars 2 and 3 times the price.I would recommend this guitar to intermediate level players.
Lucas MazzeoLucas Mazzeo –
Good guitar with two small issues.
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This is a good guitar for the price. It looks really good and sounds great for a guitar at this price point. However it lost two stars for me for two small issues, but the seller wasn’t very helpful.The first issue is a small blemish in the finish. I understand guitars naturally get scratched up over time and I’ll eventually make a few nicks in it myself, but this is a brand new guitar so for it to already have a cosmetic fault out of the box is bothersome.The second issue is I was noticing some buzzing while I was playing and I realized it was coming from the headstock. Upon closer inspection I realized the washer on the G-String tuning post was loose. It seems the nut wasn’t quite tightened down enough. As a result the washer was rattling against the headstock from the vibration of the strings causing the buzzing. Again, tightening the hardware on a guitar is apart of normal maintenance, but a brand new guitar shouldn’t have come with loose hardware out of the box.When I contacted the seller about these issues I wasn’t offered an apology or any sort of compensation. I was simply given the number of their repair centre, which isn’t even open right now due to the COVID lockdown in Ontario. Granted that’s not their fault but I would have appreciated an offer of a discount, or possibly even a replacement for the guitar. In my email I offered to go to their store which is offering curb side pick up.Again, these aren’t huge issues but they aren’t issues that should come with a new guitar and I wasn’t offered an real assistance. When I pressed about the issues in a reply to the email they sent me with their repair centre info, they did not reply.
One person found this helpful
KarmicYogi –
awesome!
This guitar is awesome! sounds very good for its price. Perfect for small hands, only short coming is I cannot attach the guitar strap to it, because there is no hook for it. I think because it is folk guitar, guitar strap is out of question as it is usually played in lap.
2 people found this helpful
Gary V. Reid –
You get what you pay for – its a starter guitar.
An ok guitar for a beginner. Sounds tinny and sometimes muddy, lacking body next to much more expensive guitars. The action is uneven across the frets. But that’s what you get for a few hundred bucks. Its a guitar that a beginner could use until they decide if they really want to pursue this guitar thing. And if they become serious, then they are going to need something better.