Played a bunch of Yamaha FG guitars

[Robin, Wales]

I had just an hour or so in Central London today so thought that I would go to the flagship Yamaha store in Soho and play the FG guitars as I have not had any chance to play them yet.

I started with the FG800, then the FG820 and the FG830. All needed a set up. The nuts were high and the overall action out of balance. They were very nicely made guitars however, with excellent geometry. Tone wise, I was a bit disappointed at how "tight" they were. I liked the FG830 best of the 3. It had more bottom and richness.

I then picked up the FG3. I thought that it was a very good guitar. It also would have benefitted from a good set up. But it did have a nice balanced timbre with plenty of depth (just a little short of character compered to my D-18). I'd be happy though with one as a "do it all" dread.

The surprise was the FG that seems to get very little press. And that was the FG840. I would have walked out with one of those if I had wanted to buy another dread. The maple laminate gave the instrument bags of bass, top shimmer and punching fundamentals. It was the loudest of the guitars I tried by far. And I felt that it would have really cut through in a string band. I'd like to play one that had been set up with medium gauge strings as I think that it could be one of those cheap guitars that becomes a classic over the years.

Anyway, it was a good hour well spent while waiting for my train.

[davidd]

The FG830 I have might have had a setup done before I bought it. It has super great action with a ton of saddle left and the nut is perfect. The FG800 I just got used needed a setup which I did. The saddle needed quite a bit removed especially on the bass side. The nut needed the low E, A and D adjusted slightly. The G,B and high E were ok as is. The FG830 is a much better appointed guitar and has a richer tone. The FG800 is a quite a bit brighter. For the price I paid they are stupidly good guitars.

[zuzu]

+1 on the FG840. Mine has had an excellent setup and really is a nice sounding guitar. Every player who gets it in their hands compliments it's sound, feel, and playability. I have never seen one in a shop in my area.

[Wellington]

I just picked up a FG820 for my sister, I'm really impressed with it. Not as bright as I usually have associated with Yamaha, not as bright as my LL16 anyway. Had a surprisingly strong bass presence, it's a little less contained and a bit muddy on the low end compared to bigger end stuff imo, but very impressive and could easily be someone's only guitar.
Finish is nice on it, other than some visible glue ooze under the end of the fretboard.
It solidifies my recommendations of the FG800 series.

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

I had just an hour or so in Central London today so thought that I would go to the flagship Yamaha store in Soho and play the FG guitars as I have not had any chance to play them yet.

I started with the FG800, then the FG820 and the FG830. All needed a set up. The nuts were high and the overall action out of balance. They were very nicely made guitars however, with excellent geometry. Tone wise, I was a bit disappointed at how "tight" they were. I liked the FG830 best of the 3. It had more bottom and richness.

I then picked up the FG3. I thought that it was a very good guitar. It also would have benefitted from a good set up. But it did have a nice balanced timbre with plenty of depth (just a little short of character compered to my D-18). I'd be happy though with one as a "do it all" dread.

The surprise was the FG that seems to get very little press. And that was the FG840. I would have walked out with one of those if I had wanted to buy another dread. The maple laminate gave the instrument bags of bass, top shimmer and punching fundamentals. It was the loudest of the guitars I tried by far. And I felt that it would have really cut through in a string band. I'd like to play one that had been set up with medium gauge strings as I think that it could be one of those cheap guitars that becomes a classic over the years.

Anyway, it was a good hour well spent while waiting for my train.

Well done, that man. A bit of useful customer research by an experienced chap. We may differ in what our ears tell us, but good to know that, bang for buck, they were quality 'competitively priced' (my synonym for cheap but decent stuff) instruments. Last time I was wasting time in PMT whilst my wife was busy doing something important, I turned up my nose at the cheap yamahas and spent time on some £1400/£1500 Martins. They were okay, just okay. That'll teach me.

[Robin, Wales]

Yep, it was good to play the guitars that are probably the widest available, and most sold, around the world. And finding out for myself that the different laminates do make the expected difference between the models. The FG820 sounds mahogany, the FG830 sounds rosewood and the FG840 sounds maple (think Gibson Dove).

As I said, the FG840 was my favourite, but probably overlooked as folks think of maple as "bright" so may not pick up the guitar. To my ears it was "full" and focused on the fundamentals - great character!

I may not have come home with a guitar but, as a country bumpkin, travelling on the underground through a crowded Central London I expect that you can guess what I did come home with!!!

I'm supposed to have a local gig tonight and on Saturday, but won't be better until next week at the earliest. Grrrrr!

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Yep, it was good to play the guitars that are probably the widest available, and most sold, around the world. And finding out for myself that the different laminates do make the expected difference between the models. The FG820 sounds mahogany, the FG830 sounds rosewood and the FG840 sounds maple (think Gibson Dove).

As I said, the FG840 was my favourite, but probably overlooked as folks think of maple as "bright" so may not pick up the guitar. To my ears it was "full" and focused on the fundamentals - great character!

I may not have come home with a guitar but, as a country bumpkin, travelling on the underground through a crowded Central London I expect that you can guess what I did come home with!!!

I'm supposed to have a local gig tonight and on Saturday, but won't be better until next week at the earliest. Grrrrr!

Hope you get better soon, Robin.

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Yep, it was good to play the guitars that are probably the widest available, and most sold, around the world. And finding out for myself that the different laminates do make the expected difference between the models. The FG820 sounds mahogany, the FG830 sounds rosewood and the FG840 sounds maple (think Gibson Dove).

As I said, the FG840 was my favourite, but probably overlooked as folks think of maple as "bright" so may not pick up the guitar. To my ears it was "full" and focused on the fundamentals - great character!

I may not have come home with a guitar but, as a country bumpkin, travelling on the underground through a crowded Central London I expect that you can guess what I did come home with!!!

I'm supposed to have a local gig tonight and on Saturday, but won't be better until next week at the earliest. Grrrrr!

I enjoyed reading about your time spent exploring the various Yamaha's. Being all those models are laminate back and sides I think the individual solid spruce tops have the greatest variations and effect on the sound. I say this because I played 3 indentical Yamaha FG800BL back to back in a store and one was so good I wanted to buy it. The other two were, dull and lack luster.

Regardless you made me aware of the FG840, didn't know about them and will check it out, thanks.

[PineMarten]

I wonder if the slightly more expensive models in the FG range are less popular just because the price is edging a little closer to where there are some other attractive options. For the retail price of the 840 I'd be tempted to stretch just a little further to some of the Eastman models, for example.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by PineMarten

I wonder if the slightly more expensive models in the FG range are less popular just because the price is edging a little closer to where there are some other attractive options. For the retail price of the 840 I'd be tempted to stretch just a little further to some of the Eastman models, for example.

You could well be right. I do think that maple puts a lot of folks off though.