NGD... Yamaha CSF1M... WOW!!!

Red_Label · #1 05-15-2018, 08:51 AM

I drove 140 miles to a dealer (Music Villa in Bozeman, MT) yesterday to try out some Taylor GS Minis, Martin LX/Ed Sheerhans, etc. I've been getting into the whole Sheerhan style looping one-man-band thing lately and am working up a bunch of material to do live. So the notion of not having some monster acoustic wrapped around my neck really appealed to me.

Anyways... after trying everything in 3/4 size (23 1/2" scale) instruments that I noticed, the koa Taylor GS Mini was my favorite. It was $800. But then out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a tobacco sunburst small instrument hanging in the corner. I picked it up and it was love at first strum. Once I plugged it in, that only cemented my love. It looked better than the Taylor, it sounded better plugged-in and unplugged, and it played as nice. And it was half the price! I'm stoked to have this instrument. I brought it back home and showed it to my local shop (who is also a Yamaha dealer) and they were so impressed, they said they were going to order some immediately. My son also fell in love with it.

My older Breedlove American C25 SRe/H has been my favorite steel string acoustic for years. But this guitar will be the one that gets played most from now on.

P.S. The little clear plastic rectangle behind the sound hole is just a piece of screen protector that I put on guitars to keep them from getting scratched-up. I'll be cutting a bigger piece that looks/fits better once I change the strings for the first time.

bluesfreek · #2 05-15-2018, 09:20 AM

Wow that looks really sweet! I have never even heard of that model either. Congrats and happy New Guitar Day!

Oh...and thanks for giving me GAS

Red_Label · #3 05-15-2018, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesfreek

Wow that looks really sweet! I have never even heard of that model either. Congrats and happy New Guitar Day!

Oh...and thanks for giving me GAS

Thanks man! It looks even better in person than my pics (or any that I've seen of that model) show. I was playing it last night and my son saw it from across the room and was like "what's THAT???". He was very impressed and plans on getting one as well. It's a very elegant little guitar. The understated abalone rosette really adds that sparkle to an already beautiful instrument.

Rpt50 · #4 05-15-2018, 09:56 AM

Nice!!! I played the 3M model and it was very nice, but I have always like Yamaha's laminate B/S guitars. I'm waiting for the local GCs to get the 1M models in stock.

bluesfreek · #5 05-15-2018, 09:58 AM

That sunburst looks beautiful but I am more of the plain natural wood top type of guy and I see it's offered with a natural finished spruce top and that looks perfect. It has that old school blues guitar vibe. Up here in Canada they are about $100 more in price but the fact that has built in pickup and comes with a case still make it an awesome deal.

Sadly (luckily?) none of the local shops have one in stock for me to try out.

Red_Label · #6 05-15-2018, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesfreek

That sunburst looks beautiful but I am more of the plain natural wood top type of guy and I see it's offered with a natural finished spruce top and that looks perfect. It has that old school blues guitar vibe. Up here in Canada they are about $100 more in price but the fact that has built in pickup and comes with a case still make it an awesome deal.

Sadly (luckily?) none of the local shops have one in stock for me to try out.

Normally I prefer a plain, white spruce top. But this one is truly stunninh in person. I may end up with a plain top as a 2nd one down the road.

It has a passive pickup system, so there are no volume or tone controls. But I love the very natural tone. Reminds me of my K&K Pure system in my Cordoba F10 flamenco. Just sounds like an amplified version of what's already there.

TokyoNeko · #7 05-15-2018, 06:01 PM

How sturdy is the case?

Rpt50 · #8 05-22-2018, 04:51 AM

Hey I just got the chance to do a head-to-head between my recently purchased GS-mini walnut and the CSF1m. I had previously tested the CSF3m, but decided to go with the Taylor as I am really not interested in worrying about a solid wood instrument for my intended uses.

Anyway, the CSF1M is a great guitar for sure! To my 56 year-old ears, the Yamaha provides a little more natural guitar sound (like a really good guitar at lower volume), whereas the mini is a tad louder, but a little less balanced with the mids pumped up. Both guitars however, sound far better than the various other less expensive small-body guitars hanging on the walls in GC and Sam Ash. Those are "one strum and done" for me. The Yamaha and the Taylor are worth the step-up in price.

As for playability, I give the edge to the Taylor. I suspect this difference was magnified however, as I am recovering from a wrist injury, and the smaller neck of the Taylor makes things a little more comfortable.

As for appearance, I would think just about anyone would find the Yamaha a much more attractive instrument than the standard gs mini.

Unfortunately it did not even occur to me to compare them plugged in.

Anyway, the Yamaha CSF1M is something you have to look at if you are considering a parlor or parlor style guitar. I am very happy with my mini, but had there been one on the shelf and available to play when I bought my mini, I may have gone with the Yamaha.