FGX800C Solid Top Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Dreadnought

Reviewing the FSX800C - natural finish (Concert size acoustic/electric guitar with nato body). <= I feel the need to post that info because Amazon might very well combine this product listing and review with a Yamaha piano, motorcycle, snowblower or whatever else they make. OVERALL: This is just a phenomenal value guitar at this pricepoint. Don't hesitate. PLAYABILITY: It was ok out of the box. But all new guitars need a basic set up. I repeat: *ALL* NEW GUITARS *NEED* A BASIC SET UP. Wood is a natural product that moves around under tension and with changes in temperature and humidity. Plus the builders at the factory cannot possibly know what the climate of your home is or what type of action and string gauge you prefer, right? Right. Anyway, I've done all my own work for years and this guitar did not need much. The frets were nicely leveled from the factory but I did need to polish them up. The truss rod definitely did need some tightening. As on almost all new guitars (even guitars costing far more), the nut slots were high so I filed them down. After those adjustment, the action was great (with no fret buzz) so I did not need to touch the saddle. Btw, it's hard to see from online photos, but the stock synthetic saddle does indeed have a little compensation carve for the B-string. So my reward for an hour or so of work is that It plays as well as any acoustic I've ever picked up. Also, I find the slightly shorter scale-length very comfortable. The neck is pretty much in the middle of the road as size goes. Neither narrow nor wide, not too fat or too skinny. It should be fine for a wide range of players, (Personally, I prefer a huge fat neck but that's not an option down at this end of the budget.) I LOVE the finish on the neck. The body has a typical gloss finish but the back of the neck is NOT grain-filled and has a satin finish so it feels a lot like playing on raw wood which is fantastic. TONE: I bought a Yamaha FG 340 dreadnought way back in 1990 (still have it) but I always wanted a smaller acoustic/electric. This guitar doesn't quite have the deep bass that you get from a larger dreadnought guitar but I find that it's plenty loud acoustically and has a punchy, crisp voice. Whatever they did with the scalloped-bracing seems to have worked. It's versatile for solo playing, sing-along strumming and it mixes well with other instruments. (I've always found dreadnoughts to have too much boom and sizzle.) ELECTRONICS: Built-in tuner is nice and simple. I've only briefly tried it plugged into a PA and the volume and EQ controls seem to work very well. The parametric mid control can really help shape your tone. LOOKS: Fit and finish are very good. The 800 is classy but understated (you definitely get more bling on the 820 or 830 but they're more spendy, of course). The fingerboard inlays are pretty small and not super-visible but the side-dots are fine. All in all, this guitar is definitely worth what they're asking for it.

I have played guitar for many years, and have played all levels of quality, so I can give you a pretty good assessment of this Yamaha. A lot of what I have to say will echo what many of the other reviews have mentioned. 1. The guitar is shipped in a basic cardboard box without much protection. The first guitar I received the box was damaged on the side, and the guitar was cracked all the way down the front and I had to return it and get a replacement sent. Fortunately the second guitar showed up flawless. 2. The fretboard inlays are very small and you really can’t see them when you are playing so you have to use the side dots instead. Some people said they put stickers or something on those frets and I can see why. I just made the adjustment of using the side dots, but it was annoying at first. 3. Some people have complained about the action being too high, but that is not the case for me. I found this guitar to be very playable right out of the box, however I did tweak the truss rod just to make sure it was right. The way I determine that is by putting a capo on the first fret and seeing if the strings buzz. I see no need to mess with the saddle or the nut. The action is plenty low, and it’s not a strain to fret. 4. Some people have complained that the strings that come with the guitar are terrible, but that must be just a personal preference because I don’t feel the need to change them right away. They are medium gauge which is fine for a strummer, but if you plan on doing bends you will want to go to light gauge strings. 5. The sound of this guitar is wonderful. It has a rich, full tone. The built in tuner is fantastic, along with the volume and tone controls for when you plug in. The guitar stays in tune very well. 6. I think the only negative thing I could possibly say is that the neck is a bit wide for me, but that’s just my personal preference. I strongly recommend this guitar for anyone from beginner to experienced who wants a good quality guitar without spending up to a Martin or Taylor.

I’m probably an intermediate level player, I don’t usually write reviews but was actually so impressed with the quality of this guitar, I felt I should pass on my experience. The first thing I noticed is the finish is top rate for sure. I have small hands and the neck is comfortable for me and the guitar is easy to play and sounds absolutely fantastic. I haven’t plugged it in yet, and may never. I got it just to plunk around with. The auto tuner works very well and the guitar stays in tune. I think this guitar is an incredible value for the money and I am very satisfied with my choice.

Sufficiently pleased with the instrument. Easy to play for beginners and arthritics like me. Don't appreciate Yamaha dropping the price by 60 bucks the very day my returns window closed.

Great guitar for the $. Quality sound and durable. Bought for my nephew. Like the acoustic/electric capability and built in tuner.

Good. Satisfied

This is the best acoustic guitar that I have ever played. It's lite, beautiful, and easy to play...oh and it sounds superb.

I would say that even pros can use this guitar for writing and performing. Easy to play, sounds great plugged in or not. Well built. Excellent value for the money.

Very very good guitar by yamaha .. but the seller is slow and extremely bad service.. unfortunately received it all broken and damaged...cracked... the box all torn. I have filed the return..

short and sweet