Yamaha JR1 FG Junior 3/4 Size Acoustic Guitar

(60 customer reviews)

$159.00

SKU: B017XBSVHW Category:

The FG Junior is a 3/4 sized guitar modeled after the acclaimed Yamaha FG Series The JR1 has a smaller body and shorter neck, perfect for young players or those with smaller hands Yamaha craftsmanship and a spruce top give this compact guitar an authentic acoustic tone Great for use as a travel guitar when space is limited Gig bag included for safe storage and easy transport. Saddle material: Urea

From the manufacturer

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Yamaha FG Junior Compact Acoustic Guitars

Built with the legendary quality and playability the FG Series, Yamaha designed the JR Series for the younger player, frequent traveler, or anyone who is more comfortable with a smaller-bodied acoustic. Carefully selection of woods goes into the building of every single Yamaha guitar and the JR1 and JR2 are no exception. Features include a spruce top, nato neck, rosewood fingerboard and chrome hardware. This compact guitar delivers authentic acoustic sound anytime. Includes a gig bag for easy transport and safe storage.

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Item Weight

4.78 pounds
String Material

Bronze
Country of Origin

Indonesia
ASIN

B00009J580
UNSPSC Code

60131303 (Guitars)
Report an incorrect code
Item model number

JR1
Customer Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars

989 ratings
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4.6 out of 5 stars
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer

No
Date First Available

July 30, 2004
Back Material

Mahogany
Body Material

Wood
Color Name

Natural
Fretboard Material

Rosewood
Scale Length

21 1/4"
String Gauge

Light
Product Dimensions

33.2 x 12.5 x 3.5 inches
Neck Material Type

Nato Wood
Top Material

Spruce
Number of Strings

6
Guitar Attribute

Baby
Guitar Bridge System

Fixed
Material Type

Meranti Wood
Musical Style

Folk, Rock, Blues, Pop, R&B
Instrument Key

C
Size

Guitar
Brand

Yamaha
Color

Natural
Top Material Type

Spruce
Back Material Type

Mahogany
Fretboard Material Type

Rosewood
String Material Type

Bronze
Hand Orientation

Ambidextrous

60 reviews for Yamaha JR1 FG Junior 3/4 Size Acoustic Guitar

  1. grass_junkie –

    Nice But Not a 3/4

    This is a nice little guitar. It sounds good and plays easy but it is a 1/2 scale guitar. It sounds better than most 3/4 guitars I have played however. This one is for a student who is younger than 10 so it will be okay for a few years. The neck is beefy and the fretboard wider that most 1/2 scale guitars, I think that is why it’s size in confusing. It’s built like a tank with heavy bracing. The lack of finish on the neck may cause it to get dirty and stained but shouldn’t hurt anything. For a true 3/4 scale in this price range I would look at an Oscar Schmidt or similar, they are finished better and are a true 3/4 scale but may require more attention to the set up to get them playing as good as this FG Jr.

    15 people found this helpful

  2. Gern –

    Fantastic guitar, well worth the price!

    We have two of these. Bought them for our kids, but I enjoy playing them too! They sound great, and are very well-built. Our kids have both outgrown them, but we’re keeping one of them because I like playing them so much.I really do not have anything negative to say about these guitars. They are durable, and sound great. Considering that they are a ‘beginner’ guitar, nothing at all feels cheap on them, they are very solid. The shorter scale is great for kids.

  3. Kman1 –

    Considering……

    Ok real quickly…the quitar sounds a bit “tinny”, not at all like the one I played in Guitar Center, I’m hoping some DiAddario 11’s Bronze strings​ will open her up some. That said…..great little travel guitar for my Tiny Trailer. The fit and finish is excellent and its so easy to play. I bought this through Amazon warehouse for a great price. I suspect the reason it was returned was the one zipper on the gig bad didn’t work but the other was fine, no biggie as far as my needs. Like others have said not only a great starter guitar for a youngster but perfect for a travel guitar. If strings wake this up a bit more I will change my rating to a 5 star 🙂

    3 people found this helpful

  4. Vincent Vega –

    Great for very young / young beginners

    My 14 year old daughter, who is small for her size, has no problems playing this guitar.I stretched the stock strings and after that it stays in tune very well for at least a couple of days of practicing before she needs to make slight tuning adjustments.Yes it is small. My daughter thought I had messed up and purchased a Ukulele when she first saw the box, but now she practices daily on it and loves it.

  5. Paul Scheller –

    Yamaha guitar

    Beautiful guitar we gave to our granddaughter, good size for a 13 year old.

  6. John Elliott –

    It’s pretty and has a nice sound! Perfect for small hands.

    Bought this for a small nine year old. It fits her hands perfectly. Looks and sounds very good.

  7. Amazon Customer –

    Amazing!

    I’ve been using this guitar for almost 3 years now and it’s been nothing but great! It sounds and looks beautiful for the price, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to start playing guitar, as it’s an amazing beginner instrument!

  8. Cindy McNeely –

    Great guitar for the price

    This is great guitar for young beginners. I bought one for my grandson when he was 5 years old. He has several really good guitars but still plays this one all the time because it’s so small and fun to play.

    One person found this helpful

  9. Craig Stoughton –

    Not just for beginners-this is great stuff

    I’ve been playing for thirty years and I think this is a great little guitar. I agree with the other reviewer who mentioned that this does not seem like a 3/4th size guitar, seems maybe smaller, but, I like the size. The action is great out of the box. I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that this guitar projects and resonates lower tones a lot better than you would think it would due to its size. A fun, portable, easy to play guitar with some nice tones that has now taken up permanent residence next to my tv room chair. Great job by Yamaha (as usual)!

    21 people found this helpful

  10. NPmatt –

    My son loves it!

    A very nice little guitar for my nearly-13 year-old son. I tuned it when it arrived (within a week of ordering) using the Snark SN-1 I ordered with it and he played around on it every day until his first lesson last night. His instructor commented that it was a nice guitar and said it was comfortable even for him and would make a nice traveling instrument for adults. Incidentally, he also said the Snark tuner was one of the best on the market–he has an identical one himself. Back to the guitar, my son learned his first notes last night and my wife and I have been entertained by the openings of “Smoke on the Water” and “Amazing Grace” since then. He loves this guitar! Thank you to those of you who answered my questions before I purchased this. It was money well spent!

    3 people found this helpful

  11. bowling –

    JR Guitar

    Very nice. Grandson really liked it.

  12. Danimal –

    The Best Reasonable Option For Small-framed Players

    I’m an active musician – so I try to buy the best musical instruments I can afford (within reason) for my boys. I worked at a local music shop for 3 years, and have played several 3/4 scale acoustics. For the value – the JR1 (some call it the FG Junior) is hands down, the best. The baby Martins have a cardboard tone (I believe some are even made of a composite material – yuck). Baby Taylor’s sound very nice, but they’re about 100+ bucks more, and they don’t sound 100 dollars better. These sound great and play well for their size and price. I should mention that I’m a primarily a drummer, and taught lessons for a few years. My suggestion for parents wanting to get their kids started playing music – get them something NICE. It doesn’t make sense to buy a “toy” guitar that sounds unmusical and will need replacing when it won’t stay in tune (Pretty much anything from the MART stores) – there’s no need to take money out of their college fund for a Taylor, either. Half my students quit playing the drums by 16. I’m pretty sure there are A LOT of $300 wall-hanger 3/4 scale guitars out there. If your child develops a true passion for playing, by all means invest in the next step up. I recommend the Seagull S6 if you’re partial to inexpensive guitars made in North America, or if they’re really getting good go for a solid top Martin, Taylor, or Gibson, etc. Shy away from often-times shiny, colorful guitars like Ibanez, Dean, and even Fender. They sound thin and boxy in person, and even thinner plugged in.

    14 people found this helpful

  13. Amazon Customer –

    Good Travel Guitar

    There are a number of options out there for travel guitars. There is the Taylor Baby and Martin LX. Those are the same size as this Yamaha and sound and play better than this Yamaha. But, they are double the price. I also have a Taylor GS Mini which is a higher price point and is a larger travel guitar (7/8 Size instead of 3/4). The Taylor GS Mini is bit bigger in size. But, the play and sound is out of this world. I just did not want to take my GS Mini out everywhere. So, I got this Yamaha. It is good quality, nice size and nice and cheap so I dont have to worry about leaving it in the car to have it ready for playing when we go somewhere or are on the road.I have researched and tested many many different travel guitars out there. If you are looking for a decent quality and sound and reasonably priced travel guitar to not worry about getting banged up as you take it to places, this is one of your best options. Fully recommend.

    23 people found this helpful

  14. RJP –

    Does not stay in tune.

    I’ve always had good luck with Yamaha products but this product is substandard. This guitar does not stay tuned. Not much else to say. Its tough to find quality acoustic guitars in that price range… almost impossible. Solid body electric guitars are a better option for beginners who don’t want to spend a lot of money.

  15. Jim –

    Love it

    I bought this for my 7yo that is learning to play. I find myself playing it more often than I play mine. Plays well, stays in tune, pretty decent tone for such a small body. I’m happy with the purchase.

    One person found this helpful

  16. AdamBomb –

    Best 3/4’s guitar for the money, no gimmicks!

    A real instrument made of real woods.. spruce, mahogany, and rosewood. I teach guitar lessons and this is THE starter guitar I always recommend. My son is now 9yo and has shown some interest finally, so got him his favorite color, sunburst. Guitar sounds as good as the Baby Taylor’s I’ve played. The deluxe gig bag is seriously really nice, didn’t expect that. Only a couple gripes cause I’m picky.. the sunburst color was a little too dark, more black than natural finish in middle. Then the frets were filed long ways on neck, the wrong way, so when you bend a string it felt like sandpaper. Must of been a newbie at factory cause the others I’ve played wasn’t like this. I just sanded frets and oiled fretboard and the guitar was good to go!

    4 people found this helpful

  17. Jeff –

    Would give 5 stars

    but the zipper sticks on the case from day 1 and it’s a little annoying

  18. Robert McGrath –

    Great travel guitar for adults (and kids)

    My old Yamaha acoustic that I got from my cousin (made in the 90s) was in rough shape so I decided to give this 3/4 size guitar a shot. I figured it would be nice to have something that would be easy to take on the go when I go on vacations and what not. I would first like to say that this guitar is definitely not too small for an average size adult. I’m a grown man at 5’10” with average size hands and the guitar is completely comfortable to play. I would only imagine it being a problem if you have very thick fingers. The guitar sounds very nice as well, sure it doesn’t have as full of a sound as a normal size guitar, but this thing sounds good, no question about it and it’s certainly loud enough to play alongside a full size acoustic. Its very lightweight and comes with a backpack style travel bag. If you’re looking for an extra guitar to take on the go with you I’d say this is it, especially for the price point. No string buzz, no issues, and a very full sound.

    6 people found this helpful

  19. Kindle Customer –

    Great for beginners

    If you want to learn to play guitar, start with a good one like this. It is a bit smaller than a standard guitar, so you don’t have to spread your fingers as far to finger the chords. The play is easy. You don’t have to press down real hard to finger chords. The sound is nice. It keeps tune if you tighten it up a bit. The craftmanship is acceptable. I had to adjust it because the low E was rattling. But, if you are just learning, a little rattle isn’t a bad thing. You’ll eventually learn some good chords and upgrade to a better guitar.

    2 people found this helpful

  20. Xhiljola Dorsman –

    Surprisingly good for the money

    The media could not be loaded.

     I wanted a small guitar that I could travel with and that I could take out on the balcony but I also wanted it to have some sound to it. I think this one for the price is great. Hopefully you can get an idea of the tone from the video I made. The construction seems sturdy enough. Just put some really nice strings on it like elixirs and it will sound pretty solid. I paid around $120 and I think for that price this thing is a nice little guitar.

    27 people found this helpful

  21. CW&D –

    Huge Disappointment

    Allow me to preface this with the fact that I know guitars. having played over 50 years and have a guitar collection many would covet. I did my due diligence before buying this JR2. and what arrived was nothing like I saw locally. My young grandson wants a guitar like his big brother who has an FG800 in natural which is an absolutely amazing guitar for the price. The only thing available locally was a JR2 in sunburst. It had a nice gloss finish, perfect neck and sounded great but a JR2 in natural was only Amazon had one in natural, in stock and ready to ship.The top had an acceptable gloss finish while the back and sides were satin and the back or the neck and head stock were stained but hadn’t been sanded smooth. The sides of the frets were sharp and the fret board appeared to have never been treated and was dried out. Getting the thing in tune was time consuming and after playing a couple cords it was already out of tune. The the tone was tinny unlike the local store model in burst and it had a bad fret buzz on the E and A strings. The neck was okay and I probably could have adjusted it some but this thing needs a complete set up to get it even close to being playable it it’s at all possible.

    85 people found this helpful

  22. paul jones –

    Won’t hold tune on E-string…. can’t play

    Was so excited to give my grandson this for christmas. Figuring it to be a Yamaha guitar it would be as a fine tuned instrument. Unfortunately the E string will not tune. The pieve that adjust the tension of the Estring just slips won’t hold tension or tune… VERY DISAPPOINTED in the craftmanship bc I have played Yamaha guitars all my life 60 yrs & am a big fan of Yamaha guitars…. needless to say this untunable guitar just sits there unplayed what a shame… I am going to contact seller & see if they will replace or repair this guitar. I will re- update after contacting seller. Other than the E-string not tuning this would be a good guitar worth the money but as of now it’s just for looks. UPDATE… BUYER BEWARE SELLER DOES NOT BACK PRODUCT SOLD!!! I PAID OVER $150 FOR THIS GUITAR ONLINE..BIG MISTAKE THEY DO NOT CHECK THEIR GUITARS CRAFTSMANSHIP B4 THEY SHIP. THEY SHIPPED ME AN UNUSABLE PRODUCT & SAYS CONTACT YAMAHA NOT US ….MY PERSONAL OPINION I WILL NEVER USE this seller ever again & will not shop Amazon ever again ….they just take ppls money & run …. BUYER BEWARE….

    7 people found this helpful

  23. JoJoJoJo –

    Sounds great

    The sounds are great.

  24. Kazimo –

    Met our expectations

    I purchased this item for my 7, soon to be 8 year old daughter and it’s everything we expected it to be.Within a day of our oder we received notice that our order was shipping and a few days later it was at our front door. The box arrived with a little damage and a huge boot print on it. I thought the worse. Pleasantly to my surprise, everything was intact. The guitar and gig bag where in excellent shape. I tuned the guitar and it has been holding tune and it sounds great. As for fit, it fits my daughter remarkable well and it looks like she’ll be able to play it for several years.Full marks for the vendor and for the merchandise. I am happy with everything and more importantly, my daughter is on cloud-9.

    5 people found this helpful

  25. Anthony K. –

    Perfect for my 8 year old to learn on.

    Bought this as first real guitar for my 8 year old to learn on. I asked his instructor about it before purchasing it and he said it was the one he recommends for all of his young students to begin on. Sounds great and holds tune well. I bought the 3/4 for my son he is right on the line of being too big for the 1/2 and too small for the 3/4, but I thought it would be better to grow into it.

  26. MT –

    Perfect Size

    It’s great! The neck is short and the body is thin. It sounds great as well. It’s perfect for someone short (around a 12-year-old’s height).

  27. Sylvia L. –

    Great for all playing levels!

    This is definitely not only for beginners! The sound is great for any player but especially anyone with smaller hands playing bar chords!

  28. Heidi –

    Great

    Even though this is sized for a child, it isn’t a toy– it holds its tuning week to week in between lessons so little guy can play it whenever without having to take that step.

  29. joe –

    Absolute best guitar of this price range

    This guitar is amazingly well made. It holds its tune perfectly. It has a rich, warm tone that is beyond what one would expect from a guitar its size. I have had various discount garbage guitars both electric and acoustic plus nice electric and acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, and Martin as well as a Cordoba ukulele. I love this thing and it makes me want to pick it up and play it. The bonus gig bag it comes with is also of good quality.

    5 people found this helpful

  30. Tami Schmidt –

    This is a very nice little guitar for youth

    This is a very nice little guitar for youth. I would get different strings because the strings are a bit harsh but that’s an easy fix . It’s a great little guitar. I highly recommend. The sound is very nice for the price and it’s a cute little guitar. It will also be good enough to take traveling to sit around the fire side if you need something small.

    2 people found this helpful

  31. Diane –

    Classic quality from Yamaha

    Classic Yamaha. This is a well made 3/4 size guitar, purchased for a young girl just starting to learn how to navigate the instrument. The finish is beautiful and the case that accompanied the guitar is of good quality.

  32. Jesus Oscar Gonzalez –

    nice guitar

    good nice

  33. Grant –

    I shred it too

    Perfect for my 8yo boy. I play it all the time too.

    2 people found this helpful

  34. Marc L. Kelley –

    A nice 3/4 guitar we purchased for our nine year old …

    A nice 3/4 guitar we purchased for our nine year old daughter. It’s a quality piece with great sound for a 3/4 size. It came with good strings, tuned up well, and holds its tune as expected.Our package only included the guitar and bag, which was some letdown. And, while the bag is nice, we have been having problems with the zipper. When it arrived the zipper was off track, and we have to unzip and zip again a few times to get a clean closure.Overall a good buy.

    5 people found this helpful

  35. Oliver –

    Great

    The hiatal works great, and I love the colour. When I ordered it a thought, “I really hope I get my money’s worth”, and I did!

  36. G. Campbell –

    Perfect for young child to learn on

    My 6 year old can’t get his hands around the frets of a full size guitar, so this 3/4 size unit was perfect. When in tune, it sounds fine. Compared to my full size Yamaha, this guitar goes out of tune more frequently, probably because the hardware is a little cheap. However, I tune this sucker up with my cheap Koirg tuner in under a minute, and my son is making good progress in his guitar lessons on it. Like I said, when in tune it resonates nicely and sounds nice. It also has pegs at either end of the sound box for a strap, unlike my full size guitar that only has a peg at one end (?!). If you have kid with small hands embarking on guitar lessons, this is a great choice.

    21 people found this helpful

  37. Mindphreak –

    Great inexpensive guitar for beginners on up

    For the money this is one of the best beginner guitars you’ll find. I bought this for my 10 year old son who expressed interest in learning guitar. It’s sturdy and can handle some bumps and bangs. It sounds decent and feels pretty good. I bought a similar Yamaha as a teen 25 years ago and they still make a great product. I have no complaints about quality.I especially like how the size is reduced enough for a kid, but still very playable for an adult. I’ve enjoyed getting back into it as much as he is learning fresh.If you’re new to guitars you won’t be disappointed. If you’re an experienced musician, you probably aren’t reading this review…

    5 people found this helpful

  38. Brian Palmer –

    Medium guitar

    First guitar for my six year old granddaughter, I’m sure she will be the next Carly Simon.

  39. Mike R. –

    Great 3/4 scale for children.

    I was very surprised when this arrived. It was a purchase for my 7 year old Godson and the quality and tone were a very pleasant surprise. The guitar arrived in great condition, the action was set well, neck was straight and the playability was great. The case is also quality. No complaints at all and he loves it because it looks similar to my Gibson J45 and now we are “guitar twins.”

    One person found this helpful

  40. thomas gregory lemaster –

    Perfect for travel or beginners

    Exactly what I was looking for to take with me when traveling. Soze and quality are great. Exactly what I expected from Yamaha.

  41. Jessica Stanley –

    Amazing sound!

    This is a quality guitar, especially for a beginner’s piece. Very impressed.

  42. Ralph Gonzalez –

    For any age, any level.

    Bought this for my 16 y/o daughter after she expressed interest in learning guitar. Her interest has waned but from day 1, I’ve been playing it almost exclusively. I have another full-sized guitar but I just love the way this one feels. I’m 6′ 200# and have been playing off an on for 20 years. Still a beginner but I know what feels good and this is it. Great product with a great sound.

  43. John –

    Awesome Guitar

    Affordable, quality travel guitar. Love it!!

  44. lovesroses –

    Very Good, But Small 3/4 Accoustic Guitar

    I am basically an advanced beginner, having started out about a year and a half ago on the Yamaha 3/4 Size Classcal Guitar (with nylon strings.) Also taking lessons. I recently purchased this Yamaha FG 3/4 Size Accoustic Guitar.In my opinion, it has good intonation, has a more than decent rich sound to it. It is definitely not a “toy” guitar. After about five tunings at the beginning, it has held its tune well–only very few tweaks. The action is low without buzzing, which is good for tender finger tips, and just plain, overall fretting. I have to agree with some of the reviewers who believe this to be smaller than a 3/4 size guitar. This one is pretty small. I don’t think it’s 3/4 size–more of a half-size. I am only 5 feet tall, female, with small frame and fingers, and I find the distance between the strings to be a bit of a tight squeeze. Distance in frets is okay for my stature.I was worried that going to a steel string accoustic guitar would be painful on the tips of my fretting fingers since I have nerve damage in my fingers–one of the reasons I started off on the Yamaha 3/4 size classical with nylon strings (which is a great nylon string guitar for beginners), but I don’t realize any difficulty or pain with this steel string guitar. I have calluses by now, but even so, for one just starting out on a steel string, I don’t think it’s any more painful than starting out on nylon strings.A setup by a luthier, I don’t think it is at all necessary unless you are at least an intermediate, at which point you probably own a $500+ guitar that has a louder sound (I think this one has more than average projection, and aginn, intonation). Besides a bit of a problem with the string-to-string closeness, the only other thing I can think of is the fretboard, compared to the overall size of the guitar, and the body, is more than average heavy–not a real biggie, but I thought I’d mention it.Because of its small size, if you are taller than five feet, or have average or large hands, I can’t give it five stars. If you know enough about guitars and think you can handle a guitar this size, I would give it five stars, especially for a small child.All in all, if you are looking for a beginner steel string accoustic guitar, especially for a child just starting out, I don’t think you could go wrong with this guitar. You get a real guitar at a very good price, that’s pretty vibrant, while keeping in mind that it is on a small scale. Here, I would give it five stars.If I had a child who wanted to start playing a steel string accoustic guitar, I would not hesitate to purchase this guitar. If you are taller than five feet, or have large fingers, I do feel this good guitar would be a bit of a tight squeeze, and also possibly not as comfortable to hold. If, on the other hand, you want to purchase a very nice quality guitar without shelling out big bucks, especially for a beginner, I would highly recommend this guitar.

    9 people found this helpful

  45. JC –

    As Advertised

    I bought this “used – like new” to save a few bucks, but I am sure it is brand new, not a single flaw. The only problem was that the shipping box was a little damaged, but the guitar was packed safely inside, the internal packing was like new. It plays well and really rings compared to my full size Yamaha classical. It is a little small for my fingers on some chords but I really enjoy playing it. It would be perfect for a children’s beginner instrument. I tuned it a couple of times and then it holds tune well. The steel strings don’t stretch compared to nylon strings. I was worried that the tuners would be too cheap but they work well. Decent sound for such a small instrument. I will keep it.

    3 people found this helpful

  46. VeronicaVeronica –

    Awesome transition from Uke

    I’ve always wanted to play the guitar. A few years ago I got a super cheap one for free from a friend. It was way too hard for me to play and I gave up pretty quickly. Then I got a ukulele and I actually got somewhere on it. I don’t particularly like the sound of a uke, but I love the size. I’m not THAT small, but I’m 5’3″ and a dreadnaught swallows me whole (or at least it feels that way). I’m used to keeping my uke by my favorite chair, which has arms and isn’t a great place to play, but that’s where I usually do it. So I got this 3/4 size guitar to ease my way into the guitar world. I love it. It doesn’t feel like I’m trying to play a sedan… my arm fights nicely around it, and it’s just comfortable. Does it sound amazing? I mean, it’s a cheap guitar, but the action is low enough without getting it set up that I can actually play it. Eventually I’ll get a nicer one, probably a smaller version of a full size, but for now, this one is perfect.ETA: I just got this guitar setup at Guitar Center, because the B string was sharping when fretted. It’s all fixed now and I love it even more. I definitely recommend setups if you need to lower the action or fix any intonation issues, even if you just bought the guitar, just consider it part of the price.

    3 people found this helpful

  47. Yuri hernandez –

    Es muy buena

    Para empezar

  48. Ryan Jackson –

    Best living room guitar.

    Best living room guitar around..you know the guitar you got to just play while watching TV? This one is perfect for that. This is my second one in 10 years..last one I gave to a friend. It is actually really well set up, holds tube, sounds good, and super affordable. Perfect for smaller people that struggle with full size fingerings techniques..this guitar is awesome. They also hold up well at open mics.

    3 people found this helpful

  49. PenNameHerePenNameHere –

    Great value children’s beginner guitar, just one solvable problem

    Overall this is a good beginner guitar for children and is solid value for money. The construction is necessarily cheap givenThe low price point, and the voice of the guitar is thin and limited in both range and volume, but of all the more affordable junior models the Yamaha JR 1 and JR 2 are closest to a small Taylor or Martin by far. This is a very small 3/4 and is really designed for children learning guitar, I think. The guitar comes with reasonable phosphor bronze strings: upgrading to Martin Silk and Steel strings going from 11 to 47 improves playability and gives overall warmer rounded tone (the kids’ guitar teacher recommended these and I agree with him now). The JR 1 is an identical guitar to the JR 2 in terms of construction (I have one of each for each kid), although the JR 2 comes with a _much_ better gig bag. The one major drawback of these guitars is the saddle: It’s both made of urea plastic and is not compensated giving the guitar very bad intonation out of the box. This saddle left the B string in particular out of tune – noticeably sharp – at various points along the fretboard. Upgrading to a replacement compensated bone saddle resolved intonation nicely and may help the guitar’s voice a little as well. I used a 72mm long saddle at 3mm thickness – the shorter length than the 74mm slot allowed me to position it right where it worked best for the strings and pegs. 3mm thickness is very snug in the slot which is great for transmission of vibration to the sound box. Since I have both JR 1 and JR 2 models I bought this set of two bone saddles and nuts – https://amzn.to/2SqvCl7 – and may upgrade to the bone nuts later (JR 2 saddle replacement in the pic attached). Overall recommended if you’re buying a starter for a child to learn on. An adult seeking a strong parlor guitar ought to look elsewhere.

    36 people found this helpful

  50. Happy dad –

    Great LITTLE guitar

    This guitar is fantastic. My daughter wanted a guitar with a slimmer neck, so I thought a student size would fit the bill. Honestly, when I opened the box I was taken aback. The ad said 3/4 size, but that is much smaller than I expected. Tee body if the guitar is smaller than two typical shoe boxes. My wife thought our girl would be embarrassed by how small the instrument is. She opened it for Christmas and was not as enthused as I expected; later she did say it seemed “silly small”. I had already played on it and set it up, so I knew when she played it would impress her. My son who has been playing for more than a year on three of my guitars and one of his own is now asking for one of these to tote around.The physical size is smaller than I expected…much smaller.The “acoustic size” is much larger.Great sound, good projection, sonically it is exactly what I expected from a Yahama .The scale is length is such that an adult may have trouble fitting chords into the frets. I’m a three finger A chord guy, that is tough on this guitar.Very happy with the purchase.

    One person found this helpful

  51. Lauren –

    A decent beginner’s guitar

    We bought this for our grandson and it is a decent 3/4 size acoustic guitar for a young beginner. He is just 4 but can hold it and strum it with ease. I like the fact that it holds its tune pretty well and doesn’t sound tinny or cheap like some smaller guitars. I think he will like it and be able to learn some basic chords and strums on it. I have given guitar lessons to children for years and would recommend this as a good beginner instrument.Lauren

    7 people found this helpful

  52. Mr. Pickey –

    Seemed to be a good pick. I was really surprised when it arrived …

    My 6 year old has a toy guitar that is always hooked to his side. I knew if he was really interested in playing I should get him somthing he could really play.After reading the reviews, this Yamaha FG jr. Seemed to be a good pick.I was really surprised when it arrived of the overall quality of the instrument. Going from a kids department store acoustic guitar to the Yamaha is like going from a toy guitar to an instrument you could use in at music lessons, recital, campfire ect.The guitar is clear, crisp, and loud.This is the real deal.

    17 people found this helpful

  53. Sasuke –

    Simply excellent!

    I bought this guitar with another Yahama piano for my kids. They are amazing products. Great quality, sounds great!!

  54. Amazon Customer –

    Good! For Adults and travel. Jr1

    My earlier review was for the Jr2- I don’t know why it was posted for the Jr1! Well, anyway this is a nice guitar for the money. There is some initial buzzing in the beginning- but not anymore. It has great tone- it’s clear and bright. I like that. Great sustain. Great travel guitar for adults. comes w/ a gig bag. Jr1 is a great guitar- buy one NOW!

    6 people found this helpful

  55. Win C. –

    It’s not a Martin, but it does the job

    I bought it for my seven year old grandson and he loves it, we are just waiting for him to learn to play it. I play it for him from time to time, and it stays fairly well tuned. It is a better instrument than I thought it would be for the price. It also comes with a soft case, which is okay. I bought the case that Amazon advertises and it has more padding that provides more protection than the one that is included with it. I bought it because of reviews that I read about it.

    One person found this helpful

  56. Amazon Customer –

    Very nice guitar for a kid

    This is a very nice guitar for a kid to play with. If you are looking for a realistic looking/sounding guitar for your child to play around with this is a nice guitar. You can buy something very similar that doesn’t look as nice at a much cheaper price elsewhere (toysrus). If you are looking for a guitar for your child to use in guitar lessons this is not the guitar for you. The sound is off/too high pitched for real guitar playing.

  57. Uday Thedlapu –

    Best Guitar Ever

    I loved this product there is no reason to not buy this thing.

    One person found this helpful

  58. mazzas –

    Hard to beat for the price…

    This is an excellent little guitar. It is well made and sounds pretty good for it’s size. The tuners work well; they’re snug and turn smoothly. The result is that the guitar says decently in tune from one day to the next. This is a weak spot in many 3/4 scale entry level guitars. Frets all seem level, neck is straight, and there is no noticable fret buzz. Action is pretty good right out of the box on mine.

    10 people found this helpful

  59. champt02 –

    Great for beginner!

    My 7 year old son LOVES this guitar. Some have said it’s a little pricey for a beginners but I am all about buying something quality that will last. He loves playing on this guitar and is always so excited to show it to everyone. It is easy for him to tune.

    One person found this helpful

  60. Michelle Rae Buzzell –

    Perfect first guitar

    My 10 year old son has been taking lessons on this guitar for about 4 months. His teacher is very impressed with the sound and that it holds it’s tune pretty well. It’s been a great started guitar and now my 8 year old is wanting to start lessons and I’m going to buy a second one. My son had no trouble playing on the steel strings, but my 8 year old complains about the strings, I will likely have the 2nd guitar restrung with lighter strings.

    One person found this helpful

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Related products

  • 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

    SKU: B00N28W72G Category:

    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

    1. Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer –

      Cracked on side of body

      Like the guitar, a lot but crack in side of body

    2. OBK –

      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

    3. Jon F. –

      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

    4. Roselyn Daneke –

      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

    5. katie –

      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

    6. C. Lambert –

      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

    7. Andrew & Rebecca –

      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

    8. tim behunin –

      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.

    9. Patrick Kennedy –

      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

    10. Jeff Hanson –

      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

    11. John Taylor –

      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

    12. Stephen L. Graf –

      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

    13. Heath Hardin –

      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

    14. cjg –

      Great guitar

      Great value

      2 people found this helpful

    15. rel –

      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

    16. Jonathan Freeman –

      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.

    17. Rose –

      Amazing sound

      This guitar is well built and has a wonderful quality sound.

    18. joel clackum –

      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

    19. kelsey stewart –

      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.

    20. Gregg –

      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

    21. Gravey Shakes –

      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.

    22. Eleven –

      Beautiful little guitar

      Confortable and good sound. Great for the money

    23. aaron Wagner –

      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

    24. John robbinsJohn robbins –

      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

    25. David Lewis –

      Tight

      Tidy

    26. Pcat –

      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

    27. DylanDylan –

      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

    28. Jose E Rodriguez –

      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

    29. Ratboy –

      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

    30. Natroneous –

      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

    31. jonesvox –

      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

    32. Ringo –

      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.

    33. Dave –

      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

    34. Dark one –

      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

    35. Amazon Customer –

      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.

    36. Grant –

      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.

    37. john heckman –

      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

    38. nick tannehill –

      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

    39. April HApril H –

      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

    40. Nicholas Mageras –

      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.

    41. C L Wheeler –

      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

    42. C. MarinoC. Marino –

      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.

    43. Amazon Customer –

      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

    44. kaveh –

      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

    45. Fatratdaddy –

      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.

    46. J. Ellick –

      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

    47. iLean –

      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.

    48. Jeremy –

      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

    49. Kenneth –

      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

    50. Douglas R. Harwood –

      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

    51. K Ryder –

      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

    52. SteveW –

      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

    53. Parkerpusher –

      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

    54. liquid –

      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

    55. ……lookylul –

      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

    56. Ryan MooreRyan Moore –

      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

    57. Ambodian –

      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

    58. Ben –

      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

    59. Lisa Garcia –

      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

    60. Jonah –

      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 FS830 Small Body Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, Tobacco Sunburst

    $339.00     Buy now

    Yamaha FS830 Small Body Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, Tobacco Sunburst

    $339.00

    SKU: B07CZF27BG Category:

    Solid Sitka Spruce Top Rosewood Back & Sides Rosewood Fingerboard Rosewood Bridge Diecast Tuners this guitar has an adjustable truss rod

    60 reviews for Yamaha FS830 Small Body Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, Tobacco Sunburst

    1. 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.

    2. William Rafferty –

      Nice guitar

      High quality, big sound for a smaller body guitar.

    3. 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

    4. 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

    5. Dave –

      Product was as expected

      This guitar was exactly as I expected.. Very nice and good value.

      One person found this helpful

    6. 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

    7. 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

    8. rafael –

      No es el mismo color de la foto

      No tiene el color de la foto

    9. 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.

    10. 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

    11. 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

    12. jerry vigil –

      Well constructed

      Have played yamaha guitars since the seventys, very satisfied with their products…

    13. 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

    14. 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

    15. 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.

    16. 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

    17. 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

    18. 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

    19. 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

    20. 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

    21. 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

    22. 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

    23. 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.

    24. 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.

    25. 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.

    26. 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.

    27. 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

    28. 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.

    29. 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

    30. 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.

    31. Grace –

      useful ！intonation！

      I have used it one month ，the guitar is not bad，every things are good！

    32. Jim DuBreuil –

      Great acoustic-electric for the money.

      Great looking and, most importantly, great sounding guitar!

      One person found this helpful

    33. 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

    34. 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

    35. Edward Sarro –

      Good guitar

      Very good guitar nice sound I like it the built-in tuner is a nice added feature

    36. 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

    37. 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.

    38. 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

    39. 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.

    40. 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

    41. 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

    42. 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

    43. 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.

    44. 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+

    45. 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

    46. 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

    47. 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

    48. 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!!!!

    49. 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

    50. 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

    51. 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

    52. 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!

    53. 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!

    54. 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

    55. 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

    56. 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

    57. 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

    58. 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

    59. 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

    60. 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.

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  • Guitar

    CloseBuying policies Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster – Hard Tail – Laurel Fingerboard – Tropical Turquoise

    $199.00     Buy now

    CloseBuying policies Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster – Hard Tail – Laurel Fingerboard – Tropical Turquoise

    $199.00

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    100% Designed by Fender Single-coil Stratocaster neck and middle pickups, humbucking bridge pickup Thin and lightweight body 6-saddle hardtail bridge Satin finish neck

    17 reviews for CloseBuying policies Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster – Hard Tail – Laurel Fingerboard – Tropical Turquoise

    1. James –

      W purchase

      First guitar so I’m not really experienced with this. However I can for sure tell you the color is VERY nice and it feels really nice to play

    2. P. LucasP. Lucas –

      Good guitar with some fit and finish issues

      I bought this for my daughter for Christmas as her first guitar. She liked it because the color was cool and I liked it because it was a decent starter guitar that wasn’t super expensive. It is a really good guitar and from a distance it looks fantastic but upon close inspection you can see where the cost savings occurred. If you buy this be prepared or at least open to doing a little basic setup and minor finishing to make it the best it can be and also make it more comfortable to play.The neck was nice to the touch, soft satin finish on the back. Not the softest i’ve felt but definitely nice for the price. The Indian laurel fretboard is nice but could use some oil treatment as it looked very dried out. The paint finish on the body was also very nice. My daughter quickly sticker bombed it to her liking.On my unit many of the screws were not flush or screwed in straight. some had quite a bit of gap between the screw head and the pick guard which could be sharp if you brushed your hand against it. Also although the frets and fretboard are nice, there were a few frets with sharp edges. You may want to buy a luthier file and dress the edges of the frets to make them smooth. The frets in general could use a good polish, many were slightly corroded and had a scratchy tone when bending a string. One of my string trees on the headstock was either mounted incorrectly or bent. The “D” string was bent quite a bit lower than the “G” string above the nut.Set up wise the guitar needed quite a bit of attention. The nut was fine, could be a little lower but was ok. The bridge was not set up properly, the “G” string was low. the pickups were not set up at all, they were flat even across the body when generally they should be lower on the 6th string side and generally the bridge pickup would be lower than the middle and the middle lower than the bridge. Intonation was a bit off on most of the strings.If you have time to spend doing some polishing of this guitar’s rough edges and doing a proper setup you can end up with a very nice playing guitar that looks great also for not much money. If you don’t have the time or energy to fix some of the finish issues you might find this one uncomfortable to play.

      22 people found this helpful

    3. Dutch –

      Ideal for what it offers

      This was a great decision. I have owned several guitars of various levels of price and brand. This Squier has a solid spot against the entire collection.Value obviously the best of all. Mine is a really beautiful choice. Plays great, stays in tune and can be a excellent platform to upgrade at reasonable cost. U do not have to upgrade to enjoy playing it. I certainly do not gig but am avid hobbyist and can play daily well enough to afford the habit.I will upgrade with pots/electrics and strings and have already selected Fender brand guard and covers. It stays in tune and I’m not a shredder so tuners not mandatory at this stage. Honestly I like this one and likely will buy another Bullet.I really like the Classic Vibes but for cost comparison the Bullet with even complete upgrade options gets the job done for me.Very pleased even as is out of the box. Fender has it figured out.PS-Specs on Fender site confirm maple neck and it really sustains and resonates. Very nice fit/finish as well. I will be treating fingerboard and trimming down fret edges a bit. No serious fret sprout however. I’ve had expensive brand guitars with same task as well btw.

      4 people found this helpful

    4. SV –

      Love it!

      Great value, good guitar. I’ve experienced many guitars and I’ve always loved the idea of a hard tailed strat, this delivers!. I’m impressed, even the setup, action, intonation was done right.

      2 people found this helpful

    5. Reagan –

      Good beginner guitar

      I really like this guitar, the color is awesome too. I bought a cheap Fender amp with it and they do the job for a beginner like me. I went ahead and replaced all my strings with Elixir strings since I had a string break after a couple weeks of playing everyday (despite keeping them clean) and that made a big difference as well.

      4 people found this helpful

    6. Scrooge McDuck –

      Great sound, great feel but measure and setup.

      Do a quick check the feelers or the micrometer and you’re off to jam.

      3 people found this helpful

    7. Cindi M. Wilson –

      Nice guitar

      Bought this for my daughter for her 15th birthday and she loved it!

      2 people found this helpful

    8. Spencer Worlton –

      Comes with an annoying vibration that I can’t fix

      When I got it there were some scratches on the white part, and on the back. As soon I opened it and tuned it, the bridge kept making the E string vibrate so it’s constantly hitting the bridge. I don’t wanna have to go through the work of taking the bridge off and trying to fix. If I buy this new I expect it to be put together correctly already.

    9. brandi –

      Seller very good. Guitar okay for beginners.

      A decent, inexpensive option for a beginner. Seller was great; everything arrived safe and sound and a day earlier than expected.

      12 people found this helpful

    10. AprilApril –

      Perfect for beginners

      This is a very nice guitar and perfect for beginners!

      3 people found this helpful

    11. Everything Music & Guitar Shenanigans –

      I can’t believe the amount of guitar you get for the cheap price

      I’m a luthier. I was able to make this play like a $1,300 American made Stratocaster. I spent another $50 on parts and I had it completely playing like a real Fender

      20 people found this helpful

    12. Jordan Ong –

      Stopped working after a month

      Do not buy it unless you know how to fix a guitar. Mine stopped working after a month

      2 people found this helpful

    13. S. Moe –

      Get your new guitar properly setup

      I think, in manufacturing, they just turn the bolt for the neck truss untill it’s tight.This guitar was practically unplayable, the action was so low most notes on every string would rattle against the frets. I had to loosen the neck truss 3 full turns before I could see any bend in the neck, I gave it another 1/2 turn for good measure. These cheap maple necks are very stiff. Now it plays like a real Stratocaster.I love it. it looks great . It has that Strat sound, all 3000 of them. Very light and easy to handle. It’s not an high-quality instrument, it works right, but within 10-years it will break, and maybe you will learn how to repair guitars. What this guitar needs now is a eager-to-learn child to spend it’s next 10-years with.

    14. Brian Shackett –

      Squier

      Delivered quick good price beautiful

      One person found this helpful

    15. Jay –

      WOULD RECOMMEND

      it’s amazing! No problems other than needing to replace the strings! Lovely colors! 10/10

      One person found this helpful

    16. Bruce Garcia –

      Precio justo y un buen producto

      Por el precio obtienes una guitarra decente para empezar, recomiendo hacer un ajuste de alma y puente para que quede mejor a tu gusto y cambiar las clavijas por unas de mejor calidad y así mejoras mucho la calidad de tu guitarra.En general satisfecho con este modelo aunque sí es necesario ajustar un par de cosas.

      One person found this helpful

    17. Bob Stone –

      Raising the bar

      Can’t believe they can sell such a great guitar at such a low price.

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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

    SKU: B07BZTTPXY Category:

    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 more

    1 review for Yamaha FG800 Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Hard Case and Accessories Bundle

    1. Katie Nash –

      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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