Yamaha FGX700SC – Old School Legend

Body And Neck:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Yamaha may not be the top brand out there when it comes to acoustic guitars, but they did create the absolute best selling acoustic guitar model in history. We are, of course, talking about their FG series, and today we are going to take a look at one of guitar from this lineup. Yamaha FGX700SC is currently among the best affordable acoustic electric guitars out there. You will usually find it on every top list including ours, and for a good reason. Let's take a closer look and see what FGX700SC has to offer.

Body And Neck

The model we are reviewing today is an acoustic-electric version of Yamaha's best-selling solid top acoustic guitar, the FG700S. As such, it features the same dreadnought body, only this time with a cutaway. In terms of tonewood, we're looking at a solid Sitka spruce top combined with nato back and sides. The neck is also made of nato, and comes with a rosewood fretboard. Even though this is an affordable guitar, Yamaha's quality control is superb. Fit and finish give an impression of a more expensive model, and the whole thing feels solid.

Hardware

One of the main requirements any affordable guitar needs to meet is solid hardware. Yamaha FGX700SC comes with a pretty decent set, which only adds to the overall quality you get for the price. The bridge is a standard rosewood unit with a compensated synthetic bridge and a nut made of the same material. Tuning machines come in form of a die-cast chrome set, which isn't all that impressive but definitely gets the job done.

Electronics

The type of electronics you're going to have in an affordable acoustic-electric guitar will pretty much define the worth of that instrument. Yamaha FGX700SC packs aSystem55T pickup and preamp package. You get a piezo style pickup and a relatively simple three-band EQ system. In terms of range and versatility, System55T is not the most advanced thing out there. However, Yamaha wanted something that offered solid core performance, and this is exactly what we got with this preamp.

Sound

Yamaha FGX700SC packs a lot of sound. That's not surprising seeing it's a dreadnought, however the way the sound is projected is what's more intriguing. The tone is balanced, with enough presence in all segments of the frequency range. Trebles are clear and crisp, mids are wholesome, and the lows are present in abundance. Once plugged in, the preamp renders the natural tone of the guitar with high levels of authenticity. Yamaha FGX700SC has a noticeably specific tone color, and the electronics are capable of amplifying that just fine.

Conclusion

Spending 20 minutes with the Yamaha FGX700SC will tell you exactly why it's one of the most popular acoustic electric guitars in existence. The combination of Yamaha's innovation, quality control, and overall craftsmanship comes together to form a very capable and ultimately affordable guitar. Whether you're a fingerstyle player who needs subtle details to come to jump out, or someone who likes to strum through chord progressions, this Yamaha will keep up with you.

For more info about the Yamaha FGX700SC, click here.
For more acoustic electric guitars, click here.