From the manufacturer
50 Years of History
The history of Yamaha‘s FG series started in 1966 with the release of the FG180 and FG150. Over the 50 years since its introduction, we have developed and produced several generations of FG – all of which have made FG the ideal acoustic for contemporary players. In all, there have been over 200 FG models since 1966.
The YAMAHA FG/FS 800 Series
When it was introduced in 1966, the Yamaha FG proved that a great acoustic guitar didn’t need to cost a fortune. With a focus on great playability, musical tone and outstanding build quality, the original FG180 quickly became a classic with countless careers and hit records starting life on an FG. 50 years since the introduction of the FG acoustics, the new range features the best-ever FG tone and the same great playability and class-leading quality that’s made it the choice of millions of guitarists.
The 800 Series has a louder and stronger sound in the low to mid-ranges, thanks to cutting-edge acoustic analysis technology developed by the Yamaha R&D Division. Yamaha’s engineers have achieved this sound by utilizing analysis and simulation to arrive at the best bracing design without depending on tradition.
Newly Developed Scalloped Bracing
The 800 Series features a new scalloped bracing pattern; an ideal acoustic structure that maintains the durability of the top board, while bringing out more of the natural sound of the instrument.
The Power of Choice
2 body shapes, including an all-new FS concert size; 5 grades featuring different tonewood options; a myriad of color options; acoustic or electric-acoustic models. Whatever the personality of your music, there’s an FG to match.
Made in Yamaha
Every aspect is crafted to make a better guitar. From painstakingly cured and dried woods to beautiful hand-sprayed finishes and detailed quality control, each and every FG is made to be a lifelong partner.
800 820 830 840 850 Models Dreadnought, Concert Dreadnought, Concert, 12-String, Left-Handed Dreadnought, Concert Dreadnought Dreadnought, Concert Top Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Mahogany Back & Sides Nato Mahogany Rosewood Flamed Maple Mahogany Fingerboard Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Bridge Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Rosewood Finish Options Natural Natural, Black, Autumn Burst, Brown Sunburst, Sunset Blue, Turquoise, Ruby Red Natural, Tobacco Sunburst, Autumn Burst, Dusk Sun Red Natural Natural
Donna Bowman –
Great guitar-Great price-Great customer service
Sound is exactly want we were looking for in a guitar. Unbelievable for the price. Excellent craftsmanship, beautiful colors. Definitely recommend from beginner to seasoned pickers.
William Rafferty –
Nice guitar
High quality, big sound for a smaller body guitar.
gary reeb –
A Good Guitar for this price range
I bought this Yamaha FGX 830C from Amazon (through Spotlight Music Store) on 6/1/22. It arrived in perfect condition in a single cardboard box and completely packed in bubble wrap. My first impression was that it is a beautiful guitar. I could see no defects whatsoever in the finish. The neck is arrow straight and the set up was just fine for me right out of the box. It is made in China but I believe the craftsmanship is excellent. I tuned it up with my clip on tuner and then checked the onboard tuner and found it to be very close. Right away I noticed that even though the tone is good–it was not quite to my liking. This is subjective, but it seemed a little tinny and lacking in “punch” or volume for a dreadnaught. After reading many, many reviews I decided to change the saddle to bone and installed new Elixer strings after about one month. The original strings felt rough to me and are noisy when doing slides. As many other reviewers mentioned; Yamaha could have used a bone nut and saddle and better strings for little to no increase in price. I did not change the nut. Seems like too much work for me to attempt, and not worth the effort. I do believe the new bone saddle and strings did improve the overall sound quality and tone. Maybe not as much as some reviewers claim–but, a noticeable difference. I did also change the plastic bridge pins for Rosewood pins. It does sound good plugged in and the neck is very smooth and easy playing. I would like to give it a 5 star rating but just can’t quite get it there because of what it seems to lack in tone and projection. ( Another matter I want to mention is that I am not sure if this model with laminate Rosewood back and sides sounds any better than the other model down which has Mahogany laminate back and sides. The difference is $200. But both use laminates, so is there really that much difference?)
9 people found this helpful
The Alpha Akita –
Wow
Honestly, Yamaha, I didn’t believe the hype. I didn’t exactly trust every review (hundreds of them I’ve read over the last 4 months while deciding on which guitar to get) which stated how great it sounds out of the box and tuned up.I’m now a believer. I’m in love with this guitar already. I’m having trouble putting it down. It’s a pleasure to use this instrument.The Tobacco Sunburst is just beautiful. The entire guitar is beautiful. The pictures just CAN’T do it justice. I’m amazingly happy to have chosen this color. It’s just a sexy guitar.The action is a little high for a new player, but it’s honestly not that hard.If you’re worried about it being built in China, don’t. The craftsmanship is excellent. It’s obvious that Yamaha keep strict controls on the build quality. A+ for that, Yamaha.My one gripe which isn’t enough to remove stars is that I wish the seller had double boxed it. It arrived fine, no damage, but it’s kind of unnerving seeing it only in a factory box as there was some crushing and holes in the box and the only protection inside of the box was a styrofoam pouch surrounding the guitar. Lucky enough that none went all the way through.
5 people found this helpful
Dave –
Product was as expected
This guitar was exactly as I expected.. Very nice and good value.
One person found this helpful
Daniel Mcgraw –
Outstanding bargain IF you work on it a bit
As shipped, the action at the 12th fret (Low E) was 8/64ths of an inch, not horrible for an acoustic, but higher than it should be. Fortunately, there was plenty of room on the bridge saddle for me to shave about 4/64ths off the bottom and drop the action to my preferred acoustic action of 6/64ths.The frets are nice and level, perfectly crowned, but rough on top where the strings actually make contact. It’s odd. The fret ends are the perfect length and rounded well, but the surface has so many grind marks that it looks like they completely skipped finishing them. If you bend any string at any fret, you’ll hear and feel it scraping along the top of the fret. Again, not good, but easily fixable. I smoothed ’em down with some 1500 grit, then 2000 grit, polished, and they were perfect.Other than those two things, this is one of the nicest acoustics I’ve owned, and I’ve owned dozens. I’ve been working on guitars since the 1970’s. It rings out with a beautiful Martin-ish chiming tone. Single notes sing out loud and clear with just the right amount of bass. Chords sound rich and full, with well-balanced projection from all the strings. It really is a beautiful sounding guitar, nothing muddy about it.The neck is a hair on the thin side of average, a satin finish so there’s no “sticky” finish feel. The neck relief came perfectly set with .012″ at the 7th fret (Capo on the 1st fret, string pressed to the highest fret). The truss rod is accessed at the sound hole like a Martin, not my personal preference, but really not difficult. The right wrench for that is included of course.The tuners are pretty good. Personally, I’ll be replacing them with some Grover locking tuners, but that’s just something I always do because I “Have a thing about tuning”, and like the ease of using locking tuners. The stock tuners are fine really.Cosmetically, it’s very nice, binding on the neck, body, & peghead. Nicely finished to give you a clear view of the grain but has a nice shine to it. Nothing amazing, but an overall pleasing look.All in all, this is an extremely nice guitar for the $300 range, but seriously, you NEED to be willing to adjust that action and smooth those frets. It sounds and plays every bit as nice as my Martins and Gibsons. I bought it as a beater, something to play around the campfire etc., but I’m finding myself using it for most of my recording.IF you know how and don’t mind spending an hour or so working on a couple small, easily fixable issues, I’d say you really can’t go wrong with this one. It’s a great value. I’m extremely happy with this purchase.Oh, I also got the AG1-HC case for it. Very nice case, fits perfectly. Very sturdy. Worth well over the $80 Amazon charges for it.
67 people found this helpful
jonathan remington –
Good quality as usual from Yamaha
I chose Yamaha because my older brother along with my other siblings bought me my first guitar. Yamaha has never let me down and I still to this day am amazed at both the sound quality and build for the more budget price you get. I would even argue that Yamahas acoustics sound better than some more premium Taylor. Although I might be a bit biased when I say that I don’t like the sound of Taylor’s in general.That being said, this guitar in particular is different from my first none electric acoustic. And it’s not just because they put some electric guts in it. My first one is as the FG800. This one is a step not only by making it electric but also because it has laminated rosewood rather than the laminated foewood. The difference in quality is noticeable. It’s still rich and warm but has a brighter clearer crisp sound especially in the mid to highs. I love because I brought this for the purpose of playing on stage, and having a brighter more crisp sound will it come through the lows and with every other instrument that’s plugged in. The only thing that was unusual that I notice was that the control panel takes AA batteries rather than a typical 9v. It’s not a big deal, personally I prefer 9vs because it’s one less battery I have to worry about. The only thing I wonder about though is if two AAs will last longer then one 9v. Who knows. Other then that. I think this is an excellent guitar. Price wise I would nock it down 4 star than 5. It’s will good for the money but I think it’s worth closer to something like 450.00 or 500.00
One person found this helpful
rafael –
No es el mismo color de la foto
No tiene el color de la foto
TRACKER –
fs830 Yamaha Small Body Guitar
The guitar arrived in a shipping box as flimsy as a cigarette carton and was poorly packaged. After all the reviews on this Chinese made guitar, I was shocked at the overall build quality. The back of the neck was rough to the touch, sharp fret wires not rounded, and was set up to be virtually unplayable unless you bought it to play slide or Dobro style only. The action was so high it was nearly impossible to make even major chords. Have played and owned many fine hi -grade Yamahas in my life long pursuit of the guitar but honestly, this was the worst presentation of a Yamaha I have ever seen . Tuned up to pitch the tone was unbelievably scattered and not as advertised. My first and last experience of ever buying a guitar on line again. This was a complete waste of time…returned it the same day. The finish was nice but it ended right there. This is a $100.00 price line guitar in any guitarist language.
Tom C –
Wow! Yamaha does it again!!!!!! Too good to be true.
Oh boy…where do I start?THE PACKAGING: I received this guitar in its original box with no shipping box to support it. I was lucky Yamaha packed their guitar well.THE CONSTRUCTION: As for the guitar. I was blown over with the beauty and detail. A pearl inlay around the sound hole, a pearl like brown pick guard and even the YAMAHA logo in a pearl like finish was unexpected to see. This dreadnaught size seems slightly larger than my Yamaha F325D I submitted my earlier review on. The sunburst finish is much darker and far more appealing than the sunburst color on the F325D. The sides and back are mahogany and the top is a SOLID spruce. The tuners, bridge, saddle, nut, strings and finish are in line with most Yamaha guitars. The fretboard surprisingly has pearl like inlaid markers on a rosewood background. These markers are MUCH smaller than the standard size ones on my other guitars. I have to say it looks AWESOME and richer. In poor light, however, you may need to squint. This guitar is sooooo beautiful I’m afraid to take it out of my case at times.THE SOUND: Amazing. As advertised, a better sustain, a more room filling sound, and well intonated despite many reviews which state otherwise recommending a luthier. Are you kidding me?? If you’re expecting the intonation of a Gibson, THEN SAVE UP AND BUY A GIBSON. This is absurd. The intonation on this guitar is spot on with the compensated saddle along with the die cast tuners and stunningly beautiful bridge.SUMMARY: This guitar clearly is an upgrade to my cheaper (but still modest priced) Fender and Yamaha guitars. As a proud owner of a Yamaha YDP-163R digital piano, the detail in Yamaha wood selection, extensive sound R/D and it’s reputation on stage and abroad just made me a proud owner of this classic FG series guitar, the oldest and best selling series worldwide. Trust me, YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS CLASSIC GEM OF A PRECISION INSTRUMENT , built with pride by a world-class manufacturer. I may sound like I work for Yamaha but I only wish I did. None of their instruments from pianos to guitars ever disappointed me and shouldn’t dissappoint you.
34 people found this helpful
GM –
Love Yamaha
Was trying to find a ’70s era Yamaha but couldn’t find one that I liked. Came across this one on Amazon and read the reviews which were all very good so I bought it. In spite of the fact that it’s made in China it’s up to Yamaha quality. The sound is bright and vibrant even with the factory strings. I played it for my wife and the sound was so strong that she thought that it had an internal amplifier. Having read through the reviews I went ahead and ordered a Tusq nut, bridge and a set of pins which I plan on installing as soon as my D’Addario strings come in. I’ll update my review after I do the upgrades. As an afterthought if your new to guitar this is a great beginners instrument for the price but it’s so much more because it’s a great guitar for experienced players, I’ve been playing for 56 years and outside of my Yari classical it’s one of the best guitars I’ve owned which would include Ovation. Well I did the Tusq upgrades and while I’m not overwhelmed it did improve the resonance, I could have very well lived with the original nut,saddle and pins so unless you really think that you’ll notice the difference stick with the original set up. Still one great buy.
4 people found this helpful
jerry vigil –
Well constructed
Have played yamaha guitars since the seventys, very satisfied with their products…
Happy Shopper –
Perfect choice for my needs.
I’m a beginner and was looking for my first guitar to learn on and have for many years to come. I wanted quality and value for my money and something easy and to play so I could get enjoy the learning process. I’ve now had this for a little more than a month and am confident I made the perfect purchase decision to meet those goals and then some. The FG830 is also a beautiful sounding and looking guitar. I got the tobacco finish and am glad I waited for it to come back in stock after the holidays. While I’m going out through the normal issues of a beginner, I’m understanding the benefits of this guitar to the learning process as compared to other options in this price range. Really an enjoyable guitar to play.Update 7/9/22: It’s now been over a year since buying this guitar. I’ve learned a lot since my last comments and am still very happy with this purchase. Had it set up in 7/2021 which made a great improvement in ease of play. I highly recommend a good set up and a nice set of string. Just put my 3rd set of strings on and it sounds great. Almost ready to add an electric as my next step and start jamming with friends. Highly recommend this guitar for the money.
One person found this helpful
Mark Moceri –
For the money an outstanding value
I don’t want to come across as the end all of end alls, because I’m not. I had however been in the business years ago and played many an acoustic from Martins and Guilds with Brazilian Rosewood sides and backs, to Taylors, etc., being lucky enough to own some and use them in recording. I may not be the best guitarist, but do know my way around enough to spot a value when I see one, and this Yamaha definitely fits the billing. Yamaha has always made decent products and I bought this under that premise. I was surprised however, (maybe I just got lucky), that out of the box, this guitar needed no action to be set up. It was pretty much dead on. Something I couldn’t say about the Taylor I owned, or even the D-55 Guild, (in fairness it was owned by someone else, but the folks in N.J. took great pride in making things more than right!). The sound from this Yamaha is more than satisfying. For the money, it holds its own against Martin D-18’s, Guild D-35, (U.S. made), and many others. The highs are crisp, lows, bellowing and mids smooth. For a Guitar in the mid $300 range, you will more than get your money’s worth, even if you have to have it set up. Good luck.
2 people found this helpful
Roy D. Donaldson –
One of the best in this price range, but I did expect better sound.
Great quality, flawless finish, looks great, and easy to play. However, I did expect it to have a better sound considering it is a solid top, and it is not as booming as I hoped. Don’t get me wrong, it still sounds good and is neither too bassy or too much treble, but not as powerful or booming as a dreadnought should be and sustain isn’t the best. Still a great upgrade from a first acoustic, and even better if this is your first.
BurbDaddy –
I love this guitar
Oh my gosh. I love this guitar. I bought it used from Amazon Warehouse and it was listed as “Good” condition. Since this is the third tier of rating, I was concerned about the condition. Came wrapped and boxed VERY well. It took me a while to find why it was only rated in Good condition. I finally found a few scuff marks on the back if you look in the light the right way. Saved $100 at the price of $219 vs $319.The guitar itself plays beautifully. Low action, beautiful tone, and resonates crazy awesome. I had done my fair share of research on best values in guitars. I set on the Yamaha FG series after reading/watching scores of reviews. Then I drilled own the 830 because of the rosewood back and sides, to give it a full rich sound. I did not make a mistake. This guitars tone and playibility are wonderful.
2 people found this helpful
Mike –
Outstanding tone, great aesthetics
This guitar is simply outstanding, right out of the box. I’ve been playing guitar for over 20 years, and I am fully impressed with the FG830. It looks great and sounds amazing. It has really nice low-end tone to give a full sound (probably mostly due to the solid spruce top). The fit and finish is also excellent. It looks even better in person than in the pictures. Some might think down in the fact that it’s “made in China”, but this is really irrelevant – it is a wonderfully made instrument from a very well-respected company. You will not be disappointed by this guitar, whether you’re a beginner or intermediate guitarist. HIGHLY recommended.
One person found this helpful
M. Kitteridge –
YAMAHA FS830 GUITAR
I ordered this after researching and trying guitars. I love the comfort the size this provides for me as someone who has small hands and is petite in height. The package arrived on time-securely shipped in two boxes Since the weather was well below freezing-I brought it inside the house and left it to warm up for 24 hours before opening the box. The set up was perfect and it has a wonderful sound. Would highly recommend this seller and this Yamaha FS830 is beautiful.
One person found this helpful
Cesar Morales –
An amazing guitar for beginners. One of the best guitars for the money!
I bought a Yamaha F335 for $150 US to learn how to play guitar. It sounded just fine to me at the beginning since I did not have a trained ear. I struggled to practice and make chords due to the action of that guitar (distance between the neck and the string). I practiced for two months daily until I decided to upgrade my guitar without expanding too much money. I was between this guitar FG830 and the Seagull S6. I decided to buy the Yamaha one due to the fact I saved $100 dollars and I like the looks of this terrific guitar. When I played it for the first time, I realized that the F335 sounds like crap compared with the pretty tone that the rosewood produces. The sound quality and sustain are incredible! Also, I have felt it is easier to play because I think this one has lower action (still, be sure to set up a new guitar to have a lower section in a guitar shop), better sound to distinguish among chords/notes, and a little more separation between strings (I have big hands). Lastly, I notice how more beautiful the aesthetics of this instrument is compared to the cheaper versions. It is really well crafted in comparison with my last guitar. I am more motivated to keep practicing and learning due to this musical instrument.
5 people found this helpful
Kurt –
Value
There was price drop, and I had lots of Amazon points, so my final price was about $200. Not bad.I am a “hobbyist”, was looking for a decent guitar to leave at work and take to lessons, as well as to unwind with at lunch. Didn’t like hauling my good guitar around. Action was extremely high when the instrument arrived. Sound was ok. Checked with the only shop within a couple hundred miles of me, asked what they would charge to replace to bridge, saddle, and strings. $150 to $200 is what they told me. Not happening.Took the plunge and replaced the bridge and saddle with bone myself. Also installed Ernie Ball light strings. Thank you, YouTube. Total cost was about $14 plus several hours of sanding, trial, and error. Sounds like a different guitar now. I would easily put it above the low end Taylors that the local shop pushes.Classy looking guitar. I’m thinking it is probably a Martin clone. Sounds sweet, and sustain is as good as any I have tried. Just be ready to put some work into it if you want to bring out its potential.
15 people found this helpful
Nachosgrande –
Worth four times what you pay.
I seriously expected to have to do major setup work when received the guitar because of the price, but all it needed was a little height taken off the saddle. The nut slot heights were perfect to a 1/10 of a mm, the fretwork was spectacular, and the materials were top notch. I really don’t know how they can manufacture these for the price. The sound really opened up after about a week and compared to my Taylor 314 and Martin it’s 90% of the way there in terms of sound and 100% of the way there in terms of playability. I’m used to Grover tuners so these feel a little loose while turning, and don’t hold tune quite as long as I’m used to, but they do work. Really amazing for the money. Oh, and the best part, I don’t worry about dinging it, so as far as peace of mind goes, it’s way better than the Taylor or Martin.
One person found this helpful
Jeri –
Sounds great
The guitar sounds great, arrived with dirt and water stains on it but a damp cloth got all that off. A few scratches on the pick guard but idc. The packaging could be better cause it was just some paper in a cardboard box but came with free strings. Recommend the guitar for sure
One person found this helpful
Danisoid –
Great instrument for the price
Beautiful, very well priced instrument. Great high and mid tones, with good sustain. This is your typical training wheels or composition tool…won’t let you down. Right size body and terrific neck.That said, action is terrible out-of-the-box, and your first intervention is to get it lower. So crank the Allen key to the right several times to get to where it is to be. I have not changed the saddle yet but may do to lower it more.Overall, great buy even if it does not come with anything, not even a cheap gig bag, hence only 4 stars.—Updated— I changed the saddle to a bone one and lower it. Wood pegs and Daddario strings and voila ! even better with great sustain, and clear tones.
David K. –
Possibly defective
I thought it was a great looking guitar,but a little more Orange than I thought. It may be the strings, but it sounds a bit more treble,bright,and strings vibrate more than I like. The second time I played it the G string snapped. I am concerned it could be a defect of the guitar. I don’t know if I should buy different strings or return the guitar.
R. Wang –
Love it
I am a beginner. I went to Guitar Center first. I waited for 30 minutes and no one came to help as they promised. A nice boy who was playing there offered to play different guitars for me to hear the sound quality. FS800 stood out among the others within same price range. I came home ordered FS830 on Amazon. The sound quality is even better. I love it as a beginner.
Louie Louie –
It’s Amazing
When the package was delivered, I found there was a few small dents on the box. I opened it immediately and check everywhere for the guitar body. Fortunately, this Yamaha was keeping perfect! A lot thanks to Yamaha and Amazon!B.T.W, the sound is amazing, too.
Jtech –
Great bang for the buck, maybe the best bang for the buck.
Have to say, was pleasantly surprised, while i have am pretty picky for both play-ability and sound, the solid spruce fg830 is a very good performer, with especially nice sound quality. Out of the box, the setup was too high, a little adjustment and that was easily sorted. I play several different Taylor guitars most of the time, and lean towards a bright sound, which the spruce top and rosewood back/sides delivers. i use this one for parties or travel, or when you can’t risk an uber expensive guitar, it’s my go-to. It has a lot or presence and can fill a room with clear highs and solid base. I have some earlier Yamaha’s and the neck is now more D shaped, much like the Martin neck, than then older more flat necks, this works well for such a narrow neck. While it may not have the play-ability or sound of a 900 series Taylor, it’s great value for the money, wish i could say that about all my guitars.
3 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Great Guitar!
this guitar surprised me it sounds like a dream and looks like one also. if your looking for a guitar in this price range or even if you are looking for a guitar that’s more expensive this is the guitar for you. unreal sound for the money easy to play satin finish on the neck feels comfortable and allows for easy transition between cords. The craftsmen ship is what you would expect from Yamaha. I needed to change the strings the ones that came with weren’t that bad but I’m picky about my strings.
G. Williams –
Excellent value, beautiful quality and sound. Even better if you dial it in a bit more….
I had a lower end version of this guitar for the past two years, and finally giving to my daughter to learn with. Stepped up to this one and get slightly better construction and finish, creme color binding on neck and headstock> Wow it is gorgeous! Action was really nice out of the box, but I like low action so was able to shave the bridge down a small amount, now is the best guitar I have laid my paws on…love it! Best guitars for the $$ Yamaha.
2 people found this helpful
Chris Colby –
Great Guitar for Affordable Price
The Yamaha FG830 is a well-made guitar and it sounds sonorous and full, not thin or reedy/twangy. The neck on my instrument was straight (and it has a truss rod, so it can be adjusted). The action was perhaps a bit high on the bridge end of the neck, but not by much. This is a quality guitar made by a company known for excellent student-model guitars and you would hard pressed to finder a better guitar at a comparable price.
Grace –
useful ！intonation！
I have used it one month ，the guitar is not bad，every things are good！
Jim DuBreuil –
Great acoustic-electric for the money.
Great looking and, most importantly, great sounding guitar!
One person found this helpful
Jose G Torres Jr –
Sounds Amazing and Beautiful Guitar
Sounds Amazing. A huge step-up from the FS800 a 50% increase in price but the value is phenomenal. Not only do you get a better sounding guitar, but you also get a guitar that’s a sight to behold. Get this one over the FS820 and FS800, you won’t be disappointed. I purchased the FS800 first at guitar center and I loved it but I was left wanting more and the colors available didn’t suit my palette. I am glad I kept looking for a guitar and found this one. Remarkable, and a must buy.
2 people found this helpful
Jim –
Plastic, Hollow saddle
Very good guitar for the money. For the more advanced player this is an ideal “take camping-to the beach” guitar. Light weight, easy to carry.Be aware that the fingerboard is fairly narrow…1 -11/16th” nut width (I believe). The action was high, so as part of my setup I replaced the saddle (lowered) with a bone saddle…curiously the factory shipped saddle was hollow plastic with four small holes in the bottom. The result was slightly less bass, but very pleasing…I liked it better!
7 people found this helpful
Edward Sarro –
Good guitar
Very good guitar nice sound I like it the built-in tuner is a nice added feature
ssmigs –
At this price point there isn’t a better made guitar
I’ve been playing guitar actively for 40 years. I was looking for a dreadnought cutaway with pre-amp. At this price point there isn’t a better made guitar. I would have to spend 2-3 times as much for rosewood back, sides, fret board and saddle for a Taylor or Martin.My first guitar was a Yamaha, so I was happy to find another that took me back. It is aesthetically flawless. I think the Fishman in my Martin Custom X is a tad stronger but I can EQ that; and I love the tuner. If it matters to you, it is made in China. (I thought Yamahas were Japanese).Sounds amazing un-plugged with great bottom end. Very pleased.
75 people found this helpful
Surfer Hank –
Best for the money
If you want a playable nice sounding guitar for a great price, this is it. In my head-to-head comparison the sound quality beats the epiphone hummingbird, the other guitar I tried.
Randall J. Bohl –
Great, fun little guitar to play in the living room
I bought the fs800 first. It arrived in poor conditiion and i didn’t like the guitar. I sent it back and bought the fs830. Its fantastic. I great guitar for the money. perfect for around the house. not as loud as a dreadnaught. nice finish with the binding around the body and up the fret board. I got the Tobacco Sunburst color. Looks fantastic. Its worth the extra hundred bucks to up grade to the 830. Love it.
One person found this helpful
Jair –
Wonderful guitar
This guitar has a great sound and has good finishes. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to buy an Yamaha guitar since I love the sound. It is totally worth it.
Skip Howland –
great sound, with minor mods
to get a Martin sound out of this guitar, replace the plasics with bone. be sure the neck is correct,, use light strings and you will be amazed at the improved tone- VERY good and very pleased. It rivals $2000 guitars
R. Payne –
Could have been 5 stars
I’m going to break this review into pros and cons. Pros: Top notch wood, electronics, wonderful bound neck and great machine heads. The action/fretboard are wonderful (after being setup). Sounds beautiful!, and more so if you take my advice. One last pro, all of the cons are easily remedied. Cons: The saddle, nut, and bridge pins are plastic (kind of like putting crap tires on a good sports car). I replaced the saddle and nut with tusk, and for the bridge pins I went with brass. It was like the volume went from a 4 to a 8, and the tone went from nice to beautiful and singing. It was about a 40$ upgrade, that made it sound like a thousand dollar guitar. This is the first time I bought a guitar before playing it. The gamble more than paid off. Been playing guitar for 25 years, and I could recommend this guitar to hobbyist or pro (with proper adjustment).
194 people found this helpful
JimboJimbo –
Good sound, features for the price
After almost 20 years with an old guitar, I wanted an upgrade. I play about 3-4 hours a week so I wanted something nice but not too expensive. Researched all the brands and for the money, I think it’s one of the best out there in the 500.00 range. I did return my first one as it had two strings that “buzzed” when strummed. The second guitar is very nice and has a great sound.
One person found this helpful
M. Petterson –
Seems good for the price!
Granted, I can’t play a note, however, I got this one for my wife, took it to a luthier, and he said it looked pretty good. I bought the $120 Jasmine cut away for myself, kind of wish I would have saved up a couple hundred more to get this one.
R. NarineR. Narine –
Change strings and add bone saddle/nut and you’re good to go.
Beautiful out the box and shipped like a tank. The action it shipped with was far from bad, but optimally it should be a bit lower. The tone out the box was great but can sound better with some quality strings. I intend to play out the strings a few weeks while my martin strings and bone saddle and nut arrive. Then I’ll have the low action and sound that will make this guitar sound like it’s worth 500+
JE –
Great Guitar shipped fast
I wasn’t really keen on ordering a guitar online but I gave it a shot considering al stores are closed due to the coronavirus. I ordered the Yamaha FG830 guitar without the gig bag. I tracked the shipping which came pretty fast. After unpacking the guitar I examined it throughly no damage the only thing I had to was tune it which I expected and eventually will change the strings. Removed the plastic cover on the pick plate and it sounds great which amazes me because it’s not an expensive guitar but looks and certainly sounds like one.
One person found this helpful
Dennis Mulanax –
Superior quality and sound!
For the money, this guitar is great. Superb quality in the craftsmanship and the sound is deep and solid. The fret board is sized just right. You can of course pay as much as you want for a guitar, there plenty to choose from. But for $300 ish, this FG830 is is more quality and better sound than expected.
One person found this helpful
AMZN$Fan –
A fantastic sounding and beautiful guitar
This a a great guitar value. Scalloped bracing combined with spruce solid top and rosewood back and sides creates a large dynamic range and a rich and bright tone.There is a lot of guitar for the money here! This guitar is very playable and it’s larger dynamic range than other configuration allows a great deal of expressiveness. Besides all of that, it is BEAUTIFUL. This thing can make you a better player because you won’t want to put it down.I bought this with the accessory pack. The stand works very well and the tuner is actually quite good. It really helps you to tune to precision.I’ve been playing for a couple of years now and this guitar is really nice step up from a $100-$125 “student” guitar.Yamaha has really made a great guitar here. Go ahead… push the button! /;-)
8 people found this helpful
manuel r. –
Unbelievable guitar at an Unbelievable Price.
Got my FG 830 today. Could be happier. I was skeptical about it arriving unscaved. Arrived without a scratch on it. What an incredible instrument. I challenge Martin or Taylor to produce a guitar with the craftsmanship and sound of this guitar at this price range. Thank You Yamaha!!!!
Tony P –
Great Guitar for the Money
I bought this for my son and he was really impressed and most importantly it inspired him to practice regularly. He was using a friend’s acoustic and my son found this guitar to be noticeably better. He mentioned it stayed in tune much better than what he was using also. What I like about it is the price. He can take it to church or if he plays out one day, he doesn’t have to worry about someone walking off with his $1000 Martin or stepping on the neck or something stupid like that. He can play it and enjoy it. That’s the most important thing.
One person found this helpful
Angela –
Great quality!
Bought for college some who was looking to learn to play. Great sound out of the box and craftsmanship is spot on. Great value!
One person found this helpful
NMLNML –
Beautiful and sounds AMAZING.
Beautiful! My friends and I sing together and 6 of them play (I’m learning). I brought this and they all took turns playing it, they love the way it sounds. Many of their guitars are a lot more expensive and all want to buy this one now.I bought bone replacements for the plastic parts with this and swapped them out first thing.Here’s the link:Blisstime 6 String Acoustic Guitar Bone Bridge Saddle and Nut and 6pcs Guitar Bone Bridge Pins Made of Real Bone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018SA2CPE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_T00iEbZ640GA1
9 people found this helpful
A.Blessing –
Don’t question yourself…get this guitar!
I can’t believe I brought a guitar!!! I’ve always wanted to learn but have convinced myself that I’ll never be able to do it. Eventually, I gave up that thought and just went for it. And I’m sooooo glad I did. The music therapist at my job tuned it for me right out the box and he commented on how GOOD this guitar is. He said it’s “an excellent piece of equipment” and he said he would even buy one for his collection. This guy has a $2k guitar and said he would even buy this one!!! Wow!!! Don’t question yourself…get this guitar!
Tracy M. –
It’s a YAMAHA can’t go wrong
Sound quality is excellent. The neck is a tad smaller from the other guitars with the same price range from eat for my small hands. It’s a beautiful guitar. Practice on!
Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer –
The best woods, best quality, and best sound for any guitar within double this price. I love it.
Shipped quickly and very well packaged.
2 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Can’t go wrong with this guitar.
Excellent guitar. New, out of box , played great, just the tone I wanted from spruce and rosewood. It’s just gonna get better. Have played it for hours everyday for a week. Also purchased some ebony pegs and bone saddle that I will install at next string change. Very pleased with this product. Thank you Amazon.
One person found this helpful
Michael Mueller –
Great instrument, great price!
In my opinion Yamaha makes one of the best quality instruments for the money. This guitar looks and sounds like a much higher end guitar. The price point is great. Can’t go wrong with this guitar. I use this as my main practice instrument as I try to keep the wear and tear off my high end guitars. So happy with it.
2 people found this helpful
Janelle –
Best guitar on the planet
I been playing guitar for 30years almost I’ve owned a lot of guitars I have 4 martins and a ole gibson electric and this Yamaha you can’t compare the Yamaha to these cause the Yamaha wins sounds good plays great an didn’t cost 2grand I like what another review said the old yamaha guitar are all good to but the new ones are even better hard to believe you can say that these days about anything but Yamaha is a great company all the reviews can’t be wrong this is the real deal built great sounds great an most in important it’s very playable for a new person I hope this helps you decide you can never go wrong with Yamaha 👍🏻
12 people found this helpful
P. Maguire –
Great sound, good value
Moved to an apartment and wanted a good guitar that would sounds great but not loud like drednoughts. Yamaha FS830 is a good looking and great sounding guitar. It’s plenty loud but controllable and works well enough in an apartment or anywhere you want to keep it down a bit. Good quality guitar throughout. Might want to change strings. Some have said they changed out bridge and nut. I didn’t do that. String spacing is a bit tight. But overall I like this FS830 a lot. Great value too.
2 people found this helpful
BL –
Excellent fit and finish
I’m a rookie at guitar knowledge but I do know if something is put together with quality. The FG 830 electro acoustic is beautiful. I eye scanned every square inch and there is no defect. The binding is smooth and uniform. I have played $3,000 dollar guitars in music stores does this mean this Yamaha is only 16% the quality of a 3K Martin? No. This has some excellent stats and sounds great. My friend who plays semi pro played the Yama and he said I made a good decision.
6 people found this helpful
buschman –
Very nice product for the price.
This is an excellent guitar for the money. It sounds fantastic out of the box. My daughter loves it! She’s picking up playing quickly using online tools. Resonance and tone are some of the best aspects of the guitar. Looks are okay. Shipping was fast and product was intact when received.