Wow... great review... thank you. I just bought a Yamaha A5R and never would have believed that a guitar that cost so much less than a good Martin or Taylor could sound and play so well. Keep up your great work.
I own the FSX5 and I love it. I bought it for fingerpicking, but use it for normal use as well. I’ve played it many times with the worship band at church. You asked what owners of the FSX5 thought of it & what they got for their money. I got a hard case which is nice, but you can’t really store any other items with it like a gig bag or a soft case. The pickguard looks like wood but I’ve been told it’s actually plastic made to look like ebony. The Atmosfeel system is the best I’ve heard for natural acoustic sound. I have no plans to ever part ways with it. Nice video and review.
Just purchased one from sweetwater without the built in electronics for $879. Added the plek pro set up w graph tech tusq and lr baggs hifi duet installation. All in all it was around $1700 but it has the same solid wood as the fs5 and now a better pickup
In the Summer of 2019 I had my eye on the FG5X and was about to pull the trigger on it when I came across the Yamaha LL-TA, also all solid wood construction, and decided to go with the LL-TA. No regrets. It, too, is a wonderful sounding guitar all on its' own and then there is the Transacoustic system to top it off. This was my second Yamaha guitar, the first was purchased in November of 2016, an APXT2-EW travel guitar and I still have it. Most recently acquired a Revstar RSS02T and have plans to be buying the NXT3 nylon acoutic/electric in the near future. Point is; Yamaha has a huge variety of guitars that offer great value for their intended markets.
I can confirm what you are saying. I tried this and was shocked that this could be so good at that price. Bear in mind I had tried Taylor, Gibson,Mason on the same day so it had some stiff competition. Great Quality from Yamaha and also something you don't mention is consistency, you can go into any Yamaha Dealer Worldwide and pick one of these off the wall, it will sound the same as the rest, I don't know how they do it but it's great for hiring for an overseas gig. Cool channel Dude.
Great observations. I can’t really comment on the consistency as I’ve only played this one but I can say that the revstars follow your rule suggestions
Great review, I'll have to try one out next time I'm at a shop which sells Yamaha acoustic guitars. For those of us who tend to think in Imperial rather than Metric, 38 cm = 15 inches for the lower bout.
I have FS5 for almost two years now the difference is that it has a bone bridge and a nut, and ebony pins, and this advertising trick that the peak gard is wooden is silly, it's just a sticker imitating wood that quickly begins to peel off, but it's very easy to tear it off and we have a beautiful black plastic this sticker is the only problem and imperfection of this guitar - it's a wonderful instrument and I absolutely love it. I have the one made in Japan because I wanted it made in Japan, it will stay with me forever, so a little more money doesn't make much difference to me.
I have 3 Yama acosics, 2 large body and 1 electroacoustic concert size, all under$500 and for my budget they are a great deal. I have also used the sound hole plug and it does help when feedback is an issue.
I think the Atmosfeel setting for "full" microphone only blends in 50% microphone (at least that's what the sales guy at my local shop told me). Which makes sense to me because I don't think I'd ever want to add more than that, at least not in a live setting.
I have no issues with the craftsmanship and quality of Chinese-made Yamahas. In fact, I own and love an FS800 that is flawless and was set up perfectly. So, as asked in the video, why someone would choose the Japanese-made FSX5 over the Chinese-made FSX3 since the specs are so similar? Since I was recently debating this choice, I’ll share why I chose the FSX5. For me, avoiding Chinese-made goods is becoming a moral issue. There has, admittedly, been an evolution in my thinking this past year as I learn more about concerns of currency manipulation, child labor, and unpaid labor in the Chinese supply chain. So, in no way am I trying to come across as preachy or holier-than-thou since I have only recently pulled my head out of the sand. I know not everyone has the extra money to make this choice, and I know Chinese goods are not always avoidable. But, I do encourage people to consider choosing products made by free countries and workers with rights whenever they can. Plus, having a hard case and a bone nut and saddle are perks to the FSX5
Bought the fsx3 3 years ago and added a zero glide bone nut and original yamaha bone saddle. Pearse 80/20 strings bring out a beautiful sonic experience fingerstyle, bluegrass, or folk strumming! Only a $5k+ Collings would make me look away…
Nice job on the review. Even though the quality on a lot of the Chinese guitars is improving, it's still worth watching. That being said I just traded an electric for a Yamaha A3R. Ummmm, I very impressed. Other than a nylon string acoustic electric that I have for smooth jazz I haven't owned a proper steel string acoustic since the early 70s. After decades of electric playing I thought this thing would tear my hands up but it plays and sounds great. Yamaha obviously has the right formula. Again, great video.
Great review! New subscriber here. I am the proud owner of an AC5R after owning many of the ‘big names’ (which is a weird thing to say, as Yamaha’s music divisions dwarf many others both in size and legacy), and the Yamaha is the best I’ve ever owned despite costing far less. Just picked up a Revstar as well, and it’s a bit annoying because my buddies keep wanting to play it :)
I've been looking at getting back into playing guitar again, I haven't played in about 6 years. My previous acoustic was a Gibson Songwriter which to this day was one of my absolute favourite sounding guitars, I just couldn't justify a guitar at that price sitting around doing nothing so I sold it along with the rest of my gear. As much as I would like to just go back to a songwriter the reality is I simply do not have the time to play a lot anymore but I would like to strum and still have a decent sounding guitar to do so with, your review has sold me on the FSX3, it has the kind of sound I like, so thanks for helping me decide. On a more important note, what are the various songs you use for testing with in the video, I recognise like 90% of them but can't put names and it is driving me nuts lol, only identified "I won't back down so far" lol
I have an FGX3 and an FSX3. Absolute best guitars I've ever played, the Atmosfeel pickup with the mics enabled is also the most realistic I've found. I really didn't like the way they looked the first 6 months, but it's simplicity has grown on me greatly. Only way to improve it to me is to have a cutaway, the Transacoustic features or a humbucker. It would then be the absolute pinnacle guitar, unbeatable in every aspect.
@@lasolution365 I quite prefer the FSX3 when playing advanced, fingerstyle and up the neck, it also records next to a mic cleaner, and the FGX3 when playing open chords, downtuning or darker/harder genres - exactly what you'd expect for the two body shapes really.
I have the FS720S, which I believe is pretty much the same guitar but without the electronics and its an amazing guitar, and can easily be the only acoustic guitar you need.
Love your channel and yes I’m a subscriber. Haha. Have a quick question,, I’m on the fence about what to pick,pun intended,,,either the Yamaha fsx3, or the Eastman ac422ce..around the same price for used..have your reviewed the Eastman? Just wondering which would you lean toward,, thanks again for your great channel..don’t stop making videos,, really enjoy
Sounds try some Martin Lifespan 2.0 80/20's on there... Seems like a really good candidate for mid-scooped chimey strings.. The Martin treatment (non-coated) Really does give the 80/20 strings a decent lifespan.
Quite an endorsement selling your D41 but can’t say I’m all that surprised. Yamaha acoustics are incredible…and consistent! They punch way above their weight ❤
I love Yamaha acoustics. I own F310, F325, F325D, F325N, F335, FD01S, FG700, FG800 and the Silent guitar they release (steel version). Ive been eyeing these new red labels, these are a steal for the money. Thanks for the video. :-) . My older models are made in Indonesia and the new ones are China made. I have no complaints with either. Im so impressed with the quality they put into these guitars. They play great and sound great. I do some mods to all of mine: Bone nut ($6) Intonated Bone saddle ($6) Wood Pins ($13) Sound Hole pickups w/ End Pin Jack ($30-50) Tuners (on certain models) ($25-35) A lot of fun to mod and easy to hear the significant difference in tone, feel etc. One of the BEST acoustic guitars out there for the price is the FG700 and FG800 models, after doing my mods to these.... I would put these up against guitars cost 5x the price. Both are solid top guitars that sound better the more you play the guitar its amazing. Also my F335 is probably the best acoustic ive played for under $150. I actually have gotten most of mine used and in need of repair. So i paid nothing for my F335. Only guitars i bought new was the Silent Guitar and the FG800. The rest are all used. None of them had terrible repairs needed, but they needed some help. But all these guitars cost me jack shit. I own about 45 guitars. I never bought any cheap acoustics til about 1 year ago when i got a F325 for free. After modding that guitar and hearing how good it sounded, i continued to find and buy or trade for beat up Yamahas. No other company has this good of guitars for this price range (if buying new) but used you can find nice examples of say the FG700 for as low as $105 shipped used. I got mine for $80 shipped used and its like new. If i pickup a cheap Takamine, Martin, Fender etc acoustics, they are garbage and really feel like a toy. Yamaha's are the opposite. I really do want to get this guitar you have in the video or its more expensive brother. But i also want to get the Translantic guitar as well with the built in reverb. My only complaints with these Yamahas is just add $50 to the cost and put bone nut and saddle on etc. The improvement is night and day and takes an ok guitar and makes it great. Yamaha plz take note ! :-)
@@chriskitchen4772 LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!. Im planning on getting the nylon one with the hybrid neck as well. This guitar is NOT a toy, it plays amazingly and plugged in WOW! Also having the headphone out and the audio input allow you to jam with recordings etc. Im blown away by this guitar for sure.
Yes indeed I agree, Iv'e just brought a second hand Yamaha cutaway ( XJS ) and Wow what a fantastic sounding guitar, a really sweet sound and great volume output, easily hold's up to the Martin ( same strings on both) now I own 2 of the World's Best, ( trust me, and Iv'e played a few) 😅😅😅
It looks to me like David Ryan Harris may possibly be playing one of the FSX3 in his collaboration video with Ariel Posen (Kerosene). Maybe I’m wrong….but if I’m right, it sounds great in that video as well….
I went to check out an FSX3 yesterday and it sounded great but it felt so plastic and laminate.. not sure why it didn’t look right to me so I couldn’t buy it
@@TheGuitarGeek you mean like mine, sad lil boxes with not so much as a transducer. I’ll have to see about electrifying my acoustics!! 🤘🏽 Can you put a SD invader in an acoustic?
Hello,, still love watching your videos and stumbled upon this one ..my question is this,,do you think the pickup is worth the extra money if I’m only using it for home,,I can add my own k&k pure mini later,,I can get the fs3 for $300 US dollars cheaper. Or is the pickup that good to spend the extra money
The FS3 (made in China) retails at $879 whereas the FS5 (made in Japan) is 1,450 USD. That’s a 570 dollar difference. Is it worth it to got for the Japanese model?
I much prefer the single 9v transistor radio battory for us old generation because all the others leak. Yes even the gold duracel. .leak. so given time left forgotten in your guitar will be ruined.
That High pitched ring when you strum the strings is happening on my Taylor as well , its always the same very High pitched note . I've tried to find it on every section of my guitar but still there . Did what you did but no joy. May be its from the saddle to the bridge pin holes . But its definitely a High pitches secondary string noise. Has anyone had this to. Some help would be great . Cheers and great review.
I love my FS5. Its what, about £250 more? The hardcase and the hassle of swapping the saddle and nut for bone is probably worth £150. Everything else is the same i think apart from its is part made in Japan. Maybe the setup is better ? Oh yes one more thing, the pick guard on the FS5 sucks big time, what on earth were Yamaha thinking ?
A nice dose of confirmation bias, lol. I have the FS3. I'd tried, bought, and lost money searching for a 000 mahogany/spruce. When I finally decided to hold my nose and try the Yammie, I wasn't sure. My unit had very uneven finish, I can see brushstrokes of the finish. I also tried the FS5. There was a defect in the nut. The setup of the FS3 cost me 22€. Under 900€. It kills guitars that I'd tried, including a couple of 16 level Martins. Yup, I reccomend it. Hey! I should do your job! I came this way about your fun with prior restraint on the guitar-thing, lol.
Not really wood but plastic laminate... :D I got one. I suspect the FSX3 is probably better value money for sound. But love my FSX5. Still think the Martin 000-18 I tried at the shop was better.
Thanks for this videos, going back and forth between Orangewood and Yamaha... eeh... but most importantly can somebody tell me the 6:08 tune, can't quite place it.
There’s a lot of hype with boutique guitars but the best guitars I’ve played and owned were cheap!!!! Why? I don’t have to worry about them so much and the tone is in your hands. So you are better of playing more to. Sound better. I have played one of these. It was nice but actually better for strumming, fingerpicking the trebles didnt ring out
I agree. I think because a lot of us grew up seeing Yamahas as the big beat up guitar in the corner w action that was ridiculously high and they sounded like hot garbage. So people just lost touch with what Yamaha was all about from the bias of everyone loving Martin/Taylor/Guild etc… But I think people are waking up with these new models
imo yamaha is great for the $. never played one that sounded like a legit higher end acoustic. going higher end typically means spending lots more, folks that can't afford pricey guitars usually pretend there is no difference. end of the day there is a market for guitars like yamaha and a different market for pricier guitars
I bought one of the original Red Label guitars--an FG140, a shop demo model. Cost 25 quid. It was my first acoustic guitar. I have no idea why they are now sought after. It was extremely average in my opinion. Not sure but I think it was all laminate. The neck was ridiculously narrow. I replaced the nut and made the string spacing as wide as I could.
10:32 "you can just use an old sock" Does it have to be vintage for maximum tone 🤔 Underage socks for Chuck Berry tones? Lowering the tone, but hopefully more chuckle inducing than an anodyne algorithm comment
My understanding is that both the 3 series and the 5 series are initially built in China, but that the 5 series is completed in Japan where the tops are luthier-tuned, then the superior appointments (bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge pins, and wood-look pickguard) are added. I have an FGX3 and love it, but the FG5 I tested was noticeably improved over the FG3. Had it not been $500 more, I would have gone with the 5.
This keeps getting repeated but there’s no source for it. You have a source? Don’t tell me it’s a random guy in a guitar forum coz he / she has no source either
@@Vlogmoviesproduction @Vlogmoviesproduction Yes, the source is Ishibashi Music in Osaka, Japan. I've tried to link to the page where they discuss this but YT keeps canning my posts - guess they don't like folks linking to external sites.
Haha yes that is the one I was thinking of (it was first mentioned in acoustic guitar forums btw in 2020. The source of this is only the one blog(!) you mentioned, and that blogs source is that he “learned from Yamaha in advance information” in direct translation which means he was told this by somebody (who knows who this person was?) So that’s it. Nothing else in the entire internet has this information other than Yamaha claiming “made in Japan”. So I tend to believe that’s the case and it’s made in Japan vs a single source less info from a blog.
My dad started the first Yamaha motorcycle dealership in the US back in the early 60s. Our family had Yamaha everything. I'm surprised he didn't name me YZ80.
ÿou can put an old sock around it to avoid the nut ring" It made me thinking about the Red Hot Chili peppers and their socks..... Never mind, I loved the sound of this guitar and I hope many better players then me, enjoy playing it.!😄
@@TheGuitarGeek very diplomatic. My friends Dad has a Yamaha from tge 60s or 70s. It sounds amazingly warm and wonderful. I think tge solid woods are a good bet because I bet his guitar started out sounding just ok. I have an Aria 12 string from the 90s. Got it new as a teen a her for Christmas. All solid wood. I actually used to hate the thinness of tge sound. Couldn't sing to it. I picked it up recently and its a brilliant guitar. Sounds like its expensive. I think some inexpensive guitars if tgey have decent wood can be a solid investment. Pun intended.
These new Yamaha’s sound very good! Bit on the pricey side,in that there are some very impressive acoustic guitars from Cort and others from Indonesia, Korea and China these days in the $500.00 to $1000.00 range! But they are very welcome in that a high quality guitar from Yamaha can only help in raising the quality from all manufacturers. Great demo! Thanks.
@@TheGuitarGeek have you tried a Blue Ridge? (mostly very well done copies of Martins) or for very nice guitar at extremely reasonable prices the brand Orange I’ve played a few of those and have been pleasantly surprised!
Yamaha's customer service now sucks....used to be great. Thank God it's mahogony....the rosewood yamaha's will cut your ears off....especially the LL-16 and such.
Wow... great review... thank you. I just bought a Yamaha A5R and never would have believed that a guitar that cost so much less than a good Martin or Taylor could sound and play so well. Keep up your great work.
I own the FSX5 and I love it. I bought it for fingerpicking, but use it for normal use as well. I’ve played it many times with the worship band at church. You asked what owners of the FSX5 thought of it & what they got for their money. I got a hard case which is nice, but you can’t really store any other items with it like a gig bag or a soft case. The pickguard looks like wood but I’ve been told it’s actually plastic made to look like ebony. The Atmosfeel system is the best I’ve heard for natural acoustic sound. I have no plans to ever part ways with it. Nice video and review.
I have an LL6M A.R.E., an LS6, and an FG830. The one you are playing is a great guitar. Yamaha makes some incredible guitars.
They feature scalloped bracing also I believe.Sound is sweet!
I love my Yamahas. I have 4, an Transacoustic, An LL, Afg3 and an old electric. They are fantastic. The red labels are fantastic.
I own the FSX5. It's an understated beauty. Plays wonderfully.
Just purchased one from sweetwater without the built in electronics for $879. Added the plek pro set up w graph tech tusq and lr baggs hifi duet installation. All in all it was around $1700 but it has the same solid wood as the fs5 and now a better pickup
In the Summer of 2019 I had my eye on the FG5X and was about to pull the trigger on it when I came across the Yamaha LL-TA, also all solid wood construction, and decided to go with the LL-TA. No regrets. It, too, is a wonderful sounding guitar all on its' own and then there is the Transacoustic system to top it off. This was my second Yamaha guitar, the first was purchased in November of 2016, an APXT2-EW travel guitar and I still have it. Most recently acquired a Revstar RSS02T and have plans to be buying the NXT3 nylon acoutic/electric in the near future. Point is; Yamaha has a huge variety of guitars that offer great value for their intended markets.
I can confirm what you are saying. I tried this and was shocked that this could be so good at that price. Bear in mind I had tried Taylor, Gibson,Mason on the same day so it had some stiff competition. Great Quality from Yamaha and also something you don't mention is consistency, you can go into any Yamaha Dealer Worldwide and pick one of these off the wall, it will sound the same as the rest, I don't know how they do it but it's great for hiring for an overseas gig. Cool channel Dude.
Maton
Great observations. I can’t really comment on the consistency as I’ve only played this one but I can say that the revstars follow your rule suggestions
Great review, I'll have to try one out next time I'm at a shop which sells Yamaha acoustic guitars. For those of us who tend to think in Imperial rather than Metric, 38 cm = 15 inches for the lower bout.
I have FS5 for almost two years now the difference is that it has a bone bridge and a nut, and ebony pins, and this advertising trick that the peak gard is wooden is silly, it's just a sticker imitating wood that quickly begins to peel off, but it's very easy to tear it off and we have a beautiful black plastic this sticker is the only problem and imperfection of this guitar - it's a wonderful instrument and I absolutely love it. I have the one made in Japan because I wanted it made in Japan, it will stay with me forever, so a little more money doesn't make much difference to me.
My FSX5 does not do that buzzing thing. It did arrive with high action, but it was easily adjusted. It's an amazing instrument.
I'd never even heard of the sympathetic vibration, amazed by how loud that was.
I have 3 Yama acosics, 2 large body and 1 electroacoustic concert size, all under$500 and for my budget they are a great deal. I have also used the sound hole plug and it does help when feedback is an issue.
Very Cool, Thankyou. Stunning Guitar and Playing. Awesome. I have a 1984/1985 Yamaha Acoustic, Such an Amazing Guitar.
I think the Atmosfeel setting for "full" microphone only blends in 50% microphone (at least that's what the sales guy at my local shop told me). Which makes sense to me because I don't think I'd ever want to add more than that, at least not in a live setting.
You are absolutely correct. Also the surface sensor is always on .
Great sounding guitar dude! And ‘She’s Electric’ bought back some memories!!
That's where is my mind by pixies......
Exactly the same chords and structure then!
At 5:12 sound samples
I have no issues with the craftsmanship and quality of Chinese-made Yamahas. In fact, I own and love an FS800 that is flawless and was set up perfectly. So, as asked in the video, why someone would choose the Japanese-made FSX5 over the Chinese-made FSX3 since the specs are so similar? Since I was recently debating this choice, I’ll share why I chose the FSX5. For me, avoiding Chinese-made goods is becoming a moral issue. There has, admittedly, been an evolution in my thinking this past year as I learn more about concerns of currency manipulation, child labor, and unpaid labor in the Chinese supply chain. So, in no way am I trying to come across as preachy or holier-than-thou since I have only recently pulled my head out of the sand. I know not everyone has the extra money to make this choice, and I know Chinese goods are not always avoidable. But, I do encourage people to consider choosing products made by free countries and workers with rights whenever they can. Plus, having a hard case and a bone nut and saddle are perks to the FSX5
Great review. Nice style and delivery. Like it.
Bought the fsx3 3 years ago and added a zero glide bone nut and original yamaha bone saddle. Pearse 80/20 strings bring out a beautiful sonic experience fingerstyle, bluegrass, or folk strumming! Only a $5k+ Collings would make me look away…
Nice job on the review. Even though the quality on a lot of the Chinese guitars is improving, it's still worth watching. That being said I just traded an electric for a Yamaha A3R. Ummmm, I very impressed. Other than a nylon string acoustic electric that I have for smooth jazz I haven't owned a proper steel string acoustic since the early 70s. After decades of electric playing I thought this thing would tear my hands up but it plays and sounds great. Yamaha obviously has the right formula. Again, great video.
Thanks, great review!
Great review! New subscriber here. I am the proud owner of an AC5R after owning many of the ‘big names’ (which is a weird thing to say, as Yamaha’s music divisions dwarf many others both in size and legacy), and the Yamaha is the best I’ve ever owned despite costing far less. Just picked up a Revstar as well, and it’s a bit annoying because my buddies keep wanting to play it :)
I have one of these and love it!
I've been looking at getting back into playing guitar again, I haven't played in about 6 years. My previous acoustic was a Gibson Songwriter which to this day was one of my absolute favourite sounding guitars, I just couldn't justify a guitar at that price sitting around doing nothing so I sold it along with the rest of my gear.
As much as I would like to just go back to a songwriter the reality is I simply do not have the time to play a lot anymore but I would like to strum and still have a decent sounding guitar to do so with, your review has sold me on the FSX3, it has the kind of sound I like, so thanks for helping me decide.
On a more important note, what are the various songs you use for testing with in the video, I recognise like 90% of them but can't put names and it is driving me nuts lol, only identified "I won't back down so far" lol
I have an FGX3 and an FSX3. Absolute best guitars I've ever played, the Atmosfeel pickup with the mics enabled is also the most realistic I've found.
I really didn't like the way they looked the first 6 months, but it's simplicity has grown on me greatly.
Only way to improve it to me is to have a cutaway, the Transacoustic features or a humbucker. It would then be the absolute pinnacle guitar, unbeatable in every aspect.
Which one do you prefer?
@@lasolution365 I quite prefer the FSX3 when playing advanced, fingerstyle and up the neck, it also records next to a mic cleaner, and the FGX3 when playing open chords, downtuning or darker/harder genres - exactly what you'd expect for the two body shapes really.
I have an FG830 and LL6M ARE, and they are incredible. The factory in China is owned by Yamaha. Yamaha overseas the operation in China.
I love those Yamaha FG just wish I could afford the FG9R what a beautiful guitar well made maybe someday I can afford one
I have the FS720S, which I believe is pretty much the same guitar but without the electronics and its an amazing guitar, and can easily be the only acoustic guitar you need.
Not a bit the same. You'res is Laminate back and sides not Solid. Completely different Range and price. You'res is the same as the FGX720
@@mrplitsum Oh, I honestly didn't know that. Thanks for pointing it out, now I know my gear better.😃
I have the FS730s and I think the same
Love your channel and yes I’m a subscriber. Haha. Have a quick question,, I’m on the fence about what to pick,pun intended,,,either the Yamaha fsx3, or the Eastman ac422ce..around the same price for used..have your reviewed the Eastman? Just wondering which would you lean toward,, thanks again for your great channel..don’t stop making videos,, really enjoy
Sounds try some Martin Lifespan 2.0 80/20's on there... Seems like a really good candidate for mid-scooped chimey strings.. The Martin treatment (non-coated) Really does give the 80/20 strings a decent lifespan.
Get your hands on some L-Series Yamaha's. They are my preference from the Yamaha lines.
just picked up an FSX 800 C and it is excellent
Got me an fS5 about 6 months ago love it. Played a couple of 3000. Dollar Taylors and the fs5 blew them away
I HIGHLY doubt that!
I have the FSX5 and absolutely love it. I think it is an incredible value.
Great sounds all around. I love my Yamaha 12 String. Any guitar that hasn't pulled the bridge up on the body after 14 years of being strung is a win.
Nice review...and nothing wrong with your acoustic guitar playing!
Hi my name is Ted Granger I have a yamaha from 1973 it have alot of ware but the amazing thing is it still play in tune
I have the FGX5 and it is awesome. So much so I sold my D41. I do love mahogany guitars.
Does it sound similar to the D41?
@@TheGuitarGeek no, the D41 being rosewood and the Yamaha mahogany. Yamaha is more punchy and with more midrange.
Quite an endorsement selling your D41 but can’t say I’m all that surprised. Yamaha acoustics are incredible…and consistent! They punch way above their weight ❤
I LOVE mine.
I love Yamaha acoustics. I own F310, F325, F325D, F325N, F335, FD01S, FG700, FG800 and the Silent guitar they release (steel version). Ive been eyeing these new red labels, these are a steal for the money. Thanks for the video. :-) . My older models are made in Indonesia and the new ones are China made. I have no complaints with either. Im so impressed with the quality they put into these guitars. They play great and sound great. I do some mods to all of mine:
Bone nut ($6)
Intonated Bone saddle ($6)
Wood Pins ($13)
Sound Hole pickups w/ End Pin Jack ($30-50)
Tuners (on certain models) ($25-35)
A lot of fun to mod and easy to hear the significant difference in tone, feel etc. One of the BEST acoustic guitars out there for the price is the FG700 and FG800 models, after doing my mods to these.... I would put these up against guitars cost 5x the price. Both are solid top guitars that sound better the more you play the guitar its amazing.
Also my F335 is probably the best acoustic ive played for under $150. I actually have gotten most of mine used and in need of repair. So i paid nothing for my F335. Only guitars i bought new was the Silent Guitar and the FG800. The rest are all used. None of them had terrible repairs needed, but they needed some help. But all these guitars cost me jack shit. I own about 45 guitars. I never bought any cheap acoustics til about 1 year ago when i got a F325 for free. After modding that guitar and hearing how good it sounded, i continued to find and buy or trade for beat up Yamahas. No other company has this good of guitars for this price range (if buying new) but used you can find nice examples of say the FG700 for as low as $105 shipped used. I got mine for $80 shipped used and its like new.
If i pickup a cheap Takamine, Martin, Fender etc acoustics, they are garbage and really feel like a toy. Yamaha's are the opposite. I really do want to get this guitar you have in the video or its more expensive brother. But i also want to get the Translantic guitar as well with the built in reverb.
My only complaints with these Yamahas is just add $50 to the cost and put bone nut and saddle on etc. The improvement is night and day and takes an ok guitar and makes it great. Yamaha plz take note ! :-)
How do you like the Silent Guitar ? I was thinking of getting one. There are many good reviews on it.
@@chriskitchen4772 LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!. Im planning on getting the nylon one with the hybrid neck as well. This guitar is NOT a toy, it plays amazingly and plugged in WOW! Also having the headphone out and the audio input allow you to jam with recordings etc. Im blown away by this guitar for sure.
"Small body big tone!" That's that my ex-wife used to say about me! That is a beautiful guitar.
Yes indeed I agree, Iv'e just brought a second hand Yamaha cutaway ( XJS ) and Wow what a fantastic sounding guitar, a really sweet sound and great volume output, easily hold's up to the Martin ( same strings on both) now I own 2 of the World's Best, ( trust me, and Iv'e played a few) 😅😅😅
Velcro cable ties are good to kill the stringringthing!
Not a great strumming response... midrangy and thin. But the finger picking sounded great.
It looks to me like David Ryan Harris may possibly be playing one of the FSX3 in his collaboration video with Ariel Posen (Kerosene). Maybe I’m wrong….but if I’m right, it sounds great in that video as well….
Yamaha have been making great guitars for years!
I went to check out an FSX3 yesterday and it sounded great but it felt so plastic and laminate.. not sure why it didn’t look right to me so I couldn’t buy it
3 types of pick ups 🤘🏽. If it has a triple pitch fork on it … it’s probably awesome.
Some poor guitars don’t have ANY pickups
@@TheGuitarGeek you mean like mine, sad lil boxes with not so much as a transducer. I’ll have to see about electrifying my acoustics!! 🤘🏽
Can you put a SD invader in an acoustic?
Your mics sound so much better than Yamaha's.
Wow Hugh Grants guitar chops blows away his acting knowhow🤑🦉
I have always seen and heard great reviews of the Yamaha acoustic guitars and that one sounds fantastic!
Yeah, I need to try more but this is a blinding instrument
I have a Yamaha FS-TA and it sounds great
Hello,, still love watching your videos and stumbled upon this one ..my question is this,,do you think the pickup is worth the extra money if I’m only using it for home,,I can add my own k&k pure mini later,,I can get the fs3 for $300 US dollars cheaper. Or is the pickup that good to spend the extra money
The FS3 (made in China) retails at $879 whereas the FS5 (made in Japan) is 1,450 USD. That’s a 570 dollar difference. Is it worth it to got for the Japanese model?
I am looking at the FS5X on the back of this video. Only because I was looking at higher end Taylor’s.. 👍
How would you compare it to Yamaha CSF guitars?
Sweet playing! 🤗
Thank you V
I much prefer the single 9v transistor radio battory for us old generation because all the others leak. Yes even the gold duracel.
.leak. so given time left forgotten in your guitar will be ruined.
I always remove batteries after a show so I don’t have that issue but that’s a good point
That High pitched ring when you strum the strings is happening on my Taylor as well , its always the same very High pitched note . I've tried to find it on every section of my guitar but still there . Did what you did but no joy. May be its from the saddle to the bridge pin holes . But its definitely a High pitches secondary string noise. Has anyone had this to. Some help would be great . Cheers and great review.
The usual Yamaha quality control; excellent if not superior .
Oasis and stereophonics. Lovely stuff
The transacoustic series by Yamaha is the coolest stuff I’ve seen in a while!
I love my FS5. Its what, about £250 more? The hardcase and the hassle of swapping the saddle and nut for bone is probably worth £150.
Everything else is the same i think apart from its is part made in Japan. Maybe the setup is better ?
Oh yes one more thing, the pick guard on the FS5 sucks big time, what on earth were Yamaha thinking ?
Great video. What strings are you using in size?
This is the best review I have seen - thanks for your efforts.
A nice dose of confirmation bias, lol. I have the FS3. I'd tried, bought, and lost money searching for a 000 mahogany/spruce. When I finally decided to hold my nose and try the Yammie, I wasn't sure. My unit had very uneven finish, I can see brushstrokes of the finish. I also tried the FS5. There was a defect in the nut. The setup of the FS3 cost me 22€. Under 900€. It kills guitars that I'd tried, including a couple of 16 level Martins. Yup, I reccomend it.
Hey! I should do your job!
I came this way about your fun with prior restraint on the guitar-thing, lol.
You CAN do my job. Open a channel and I’ll help you
Yamaha acoustic's are what I recommend to everyone. Great, affordable guitars,
This guitar is £1000 I dont class that as affordable.
Wood pickguard, hard shell case, and bone nut on the FS5. These are the only differences.
Not really wood but plastic laminate... :D
I got one. I suspect the FSX3 is probably better value money for sound.
But love my FSX5. Still think the Martin 000-18 I tried at the shop was better.
Thanks for this videos, going back and forth between Orangewood and Yamaha... eeh... but most importantly can somebody tell me the 6:08 tune, can't quite place it.
Was that first sound sample you did “She’s Electric” by Oasis?
There’s a lot of hype with boutique guitars but the best guitars I’ve played and owned were cheap!!!! Why? I don’t have to worry about them so much and the tone is in your hands. So you are better of playing more to. Sound better. I have played one of these. It was nice but actually better for strumming, fingerpicking the trebles didnt ring out
Think I´ve now found my songwriter guitar
How does this compare to the LS16?
Yamaha is by far the most slept-on brand and I really don't get why
I agree. I think because a lot of us grew up seeing Yamahas as the big beat up guitar in the corner w action that was ridiculously high and they sounded like hot garbage. So people just lost touch with what Yamaha was all about from the bias of everyone loving Martin/Taylor/Guild etc… But I think people are waking up with these new models
Learned to play in ~1970 on a Yamaha folk. Rental was based on $100 price. Label not remembered. 😎
I think you had a good start mate
imo yamaha is great for the $. never played one that sounded like a legit higher end acoustic. going higher end typically means spending lots more, folks that can't afford pricey guitars usually pretend there is no difference. end of the day there is a market for guitars like yamaha and a different market for pricier guitars
Best sounding guitar I ever touched, 1974 takamine f310. Small but big big tone. Yes lawsuit edition but only 300 dollars.
Backordered, like all the desirable Yamahas....
well worth the wait. I waited almost a year before I got my FGX5
🔥
I bought one of the original Red Label guitars--an FG140, a shop demo model. Cost 25 quid. It was my first acoustic guitar. I have no idea why they are now sought after. It was extremely average in my opinion. Not sure but I think it was all laminate. The neck was ridiculously narrow. I replaced the nut and made the string spacing as wide as I could.
I have only played one original red label and not sure what it was exactly but this modern one is a different beast
13:52 haha ''Also redundant maybe''...
My inner self confidence truth slips out sometimes
10:32 "you can just use an old sock"
Does it have to be vintage for maximum tone 🤔 Underage socks for Chuck Berry tones?
Lowering the tone, but hopefully more chuckle inducing than an anodyne algorithm comment
I would go vintage every time
No better acoustic for the money.
My understanding is that both the 3 series and the 5 series are initially built in China, but that the 5 series is completed in Japan where the tops are luthier-tuned, then the superior appointments (bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge pins, and wood-look pickguard) are added. I have an FGX3 and love it, but the FG5 I tested was noticeably improved over the FG3. Had it not been $500 more, I would have gone with the 5.
This keeps getting repeated but there’s no source for it.
You have a source? Don’t tell me it’s a random guy in a guitar forum coz he / she has no source either
@@Vlogmoviesproduction @Vlogmoviesproduction Yes, the source is Ishibashi Music in Osaka, Japan. I've tried to link to the page where they discuss this but YT keeps canning my posts - guess they don't like folks linking to external sites.
Haha yes that is the one I was thinking of (it was first mentioned in acoustic guitar forums btw in 2020. The source of this is only the one blog(!) you mentioned, and that blogs source is that he “learned from Yamaha in advance information” in direct translation which means he was told this by somebody (who knows who this person was?)
So that’s it. Nothing else in the entire internet has this information other than Yamaha claiming “made in Japan”. So I tend to believe that’s the case and it’s made in Japan vs a single source less info from a blog.
I guess it does matter where it’s made. I would rather pay 50% more to Japan.
I tried one. It sounded and played like crp.
Lousy microphone placement for the close up shots. At least for the guitar.
Great camera angle if you’re selling microphones.
Mic positions are for capturing the best sound. have a look at the closeups of the guitar when the mics aren't there. You're welcome!
But where is the kick stand? :) Vrooommmm...lol
😂😂😂
My dad started the first Yamaha motorcycle dealership in the US back in the early 60s. Our family had Yamaha everything. I'm surprised he didn't name me YZ80.
Is this more like a 00 size guitar ?
🎸
000
ÿou can put an old sock around it to avoid the nut ring" It made me thinking about the Red Hot Chili peppers and their socks..... Never mind, I loved the sound of this guitar and I hope many better players then me, enjoy playing it.!😄
hahaha, now I have that picture in my head... thanks!
@@TheGuitarGeek 😉😁
This or the Orangewood?
Two very different instruments. The Orangewood has a characterful sound, the Yamaha is more an all rounder
@@TheGuitarGeek very diplomatic. My friends Dad has a Yamaha from tge 60s or 70s. It sounds amazingly warm and wonderful. I think tge solid woods are a good bet because I bet his guitar started out sounding just ok. I have an Aria 12 string from the 90s. Got it new as a teen a her for Christmas. All solid wood. I actually used to hate the thinness of tge sound. Couldn't sing to it. I picked it up recently and its a brilliant guitar. Sounds like its expensive. I think some inexpensive guitars if tgey have decent wood can be a solid investment. Pun intended.
YamaHA? YAmaha? YamAha? Who cares when the guitar is so brilliant! 🤪
Hahahaha yam yam yam yum yum yum
Pity it doesn't have a built in tuner...
That would be great but I wouldn’t swap out for the sound of this pickup sound
Where is my mind???
yea
These new Yamaha’s sound very good! Bit on the pricey side,in that there are some very impressive acoustic guitars from Cort and others from Indonesia, Korea and China these days in the $500.00 to $1000.00 range! But they are very welcome in that a high quality guitar from Yamaha can only help in raising the quality from all manufacturers. Great demo! Thanks.
Cheers! I have played a lot of those $500 to $1000 including the Corte and this smokes them.
@@TheGuitarGeek have you tried a Blue Ridge? (mostly very well done copies of Martins) or for very nice guitar at extremely reasonable prices the brand Orange I’ve played a few of those and have been pleasantly surprised!
As far as I knew, this guitar was made in Japan. Am I wrong?
3 series is China, 5 and up are Japan
@@mynamesjondowell ahh- thanks!
Nice to see some stereophonics strumming
Love the phonics!
Yamaha's customer service now sucks....used to be great. Thank God it's mahogony....the rosewood yamaha's will cut your ears off....especially the LL-16 and such.
Ac3r is a very warm guitar
The blueridge br70 is better.