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#1
08-21-2019, 05:59 PM
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NGD - FG-830
My Emerald X7 has been effectively my only acoustic since i bought it last November - had a couple other Emeralds I didn't get around to selling for a few months, but mostly because they were in one place and I was in another. And I love the X7, but kind of wanted something with a full scale just for a little variety and to be easier to play with a capo above about the 2nd or 3rd fret. Capo-ing up the neck is about the ONLY weakness the X7 has, if you can even call it one.
But I went to a local Guitar Center and played about everything I could find between $200-$400. Wasn't really planning to go for a dread, but since it's gonna be a second guitar that's not gonna get all that much play time, I wasn't opposed to a dread either. And it became pretty apparent pretty quickly that in that price range, the FG-830 and the Seagull S6 were the class of the joint. Played 'em back and forth and kept liking the Yamaha more and since it was also $100 less, it was a fairly easy call. Once they have their Labor Day sale at the end of the month, I'll get 15% back on it, which will bring the price down to a little over $250. I'm not gonna go into chapter and verse - people around here know what great inexpensive guitars Yamaha is making these days. This is not an astoundingly great guitar, but it's a very good one, and it IS an astoundingly great guitar for the money. You just couldn't get close to a guitar of this quality for equivalent money when I first started playing back in the late '70's. It's not close to the equal to my X7, but it's an excellent compliment to it, an entirely different guitar for an occasional change of pace. I had an X20 for a while along with the X7, but I reached for it so infrequently, I couldn't justify keeping a $2000 guitar around and barely playing it. But I can justify that with a $250 guitar. And at that price, I'm not gonna worry about humidity or mis-treating it - if I have to buy another one in a few years because it dies from neglect, I'll probably be able to handle it. Anyway, a picture to prove it's real...  untitled-1-2 by Ray, on Flickr-Ray 
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#2
08-21-2019, 06:09 PM
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Nice!
I played one of these not long ago, and I really liked it. The latest Yamaha FGs are just wonderful guitars. Considering how much they don’t cost, it’s almost like I’m missing out on some incredible deal not to own one. I’m going to have to do something about that. Enjoy the FG830!
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#3
08-21-2019, 06:09 PM
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That looks like one seriously nice guitar, not to be underestimated, but like all guitars, even with Yamaha, there are variations in performance however that may be defined or discussed.
I think rosewood laminate is at the top of the food chain or it can be in the hands of Yamaha. A major consideration when discussing these if they’re new is they do develop in tone with opening up. I just received a FS800 back after being played in enthusiastically by a friend and what a difference and improvement. Congratulations on your new Yamaha.
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#4
08-21-2019, 06:32 PM
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I bought 1 of these but ended up returning it only cause i didn't need 5 accoustics. I nicely told gc i know they and sweetwater are basically the same. If i called my sw rep. I could get 15% off and 8% in rewards. Could they match it. They did but said i had to take the difference in merchandise. So i took a few packs of strings.
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#5
08-21-2019, 07:54 PM
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Quote:
 Honestly, I'm not sure how much use this is gonna get, but I figured for the price, I could afford to find out. But even though I know it can sound better with time, it sounds pretty good right out of the box. And it was RIGHT out of the box - they didn't have one on the floor so had to go grab this one from the back and unbox it. Still playing around with strings, but with my typical favorites (Models and Sunbeams) it sounds quite good. Time will tell on the rest... -Ray
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#6
08-22-2019, 08:58 AM
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I looked and played a lot of acoustics hoping to find an inexpensive steal. All the Japanese Yammies were going towards a neck reset, mostly the other brands were uninspiring. I found a good deal on e Yamaha FG800. It has a good tone and neck. Not sure how big a difference between the 800 and 830 as far as tone.
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#7
08-22-2019, 09:18 AM
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I too am wondering the same thing. I have an FG800 that I love. I keep fresh strings on it and it sounds wonderful. Very interested in an FG830 but I can't get a good feel on the sound compared to my FG800 because the strings on the FG830s I have played at GC are dead as heck! I want to know if the FG830 has as good or better bass than the FG800. I also want to know if the sound is richer than the FG800.
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__________________
2021 Eastman E10SS SB 2021 Eastman E8D TC 1972 Yamaha FG-180 Red Label (Taiwan) 2019 Yamaha FGx5 2020 Yamaha AC3M Deluxe 2019 Yamaha FG800 2005 Taylor 214 Ibanez AEB10E Acoustic Bass
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#8
08-22-2019, 10:36 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
And to confuse matters more, a few weeks ago I also played an FG-800 and an FG-820 at a local shop and heard very little difference between them and, to the extent I heard ANY difference, I slightly favored the FS-800 - seemed a little darker and mellower which is generally my preference. So there may be some sample variation at work here. In addition to some possible placebo effect. I'd guess a played in FG-800 might sound as good or better than a brand new FG-830. The difference wasn't huge in any case. If I already had an FG-800 I liked, I doubt I'd run out and "upgrade" to an 820 or 830. But getting one for the first time, I either heard or imagined I heard enough difference to make the 830 an easy call for the $100 difference (or maybe $85 difference when both are reduced 15%). Or even less difference if you find a FG-820 you like. Part of the difference is surely bling - the FG-830 is a much prettier guitar than it has any right to be and I don't discount the affect that perception has one perceived tone - i.e., more placebo... -Ray
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#9
08-22-2019, 10:41 AM
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Thanks s beautiful Ray! Congratulations.
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#11
08-22-2019, 11:11 AM
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Quote:
Here are a couple others:  unnamed-3 by Ray, on Flickr-Ray
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#12
08-22-2019, 11:41 AM
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Thanks for that review. That is encouraging about the FG830. As little as they cost I could still get one to add with my FG800. I do tend to favor one guitar over another so I have no idea why I have more than a couple really. But if the FG830 sounds richer or better than the FG800 then I would probably rarely pick up the FG800 anymore. I still can't believe how good my use $150 off of Craigslist FG800 sounds. I have three other guitars that cost over a $1000 and I pick the FG800 up as my go to guitar.
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__________________
2021 Eastman E10SS SB 2021 Eastman E8D TC 1972 Yamaha FG-180 Red Label (Taiwan) 2019 Yamaha FGx5 2020 Yamaha AC3M Deluxe 2019 Yamaha FG800 2005 Taylor 214 Ibanez AEB10E Acoustic Bass
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#13
08-22-2019, 12:35 PM
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It certainly is an interesting consideration the effect the inner laminate (as viewed through the soundhole) has on tone, but in my experience, it’s an undeniable ingredient to sound produced by these Yamahas. I’ve only had the opportunity to handle one FG830 (briefly) and it was noticeably dark, almost wooly with submerged midrange and more bass than the 800s I’ve come across. There are many variables that go into making a good guitar and on that particular 830 the action was noticeably high and it looked like it had been bumped around a lot (not much of a consideration) but the neck certainly was forward of the body. Conclusion: if you bond with one, hold onto it and let it take you for a musical journey.
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#15
08-22-2019, 12:46 PM
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__________________
Free speech...its' not for everybody
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