Introduction
I think every guitar player would agree that the Yamaha FG700s is one of the best contenders when it comes to being the best acoustic guitar on a budget. This guitar doesn’t attract a lot of attention since the design is basic. As a matter of fact, the only thing that separates it from most guitars is its amazing sound and quality.
In this article, we will cover what you need to know about Yamaha FG700S, from pros and cons to playability. If you’re interested to know more about the Yamaha FG700s, keep reading.
Price
The price for this guitar is obscenely low for the price to performance ratio.
For a solid-top dreadnought with a lifetime guarantee, this is a steal. You’re unlikely to outgrow it since it fits for new and experienced guitarists. For the build quality, sound, and playability of this guitar you are definitely going to get your money’s worth.
FG700S Description
The Yamaha FG700S is a Chinese-made dreadnought with a solid spruce top and a deep hourglass body made from nato mahogany.
The neck is made of nato, too. It’s attached to the body via a dovetail joint and topped with a rosewood fingerboard.
An unobtrusive rosette adorns the soundhole, and the sultry chocolate pickguard is as sexy as they come. Cast your eyes up the neck and you’ll find a traditional three-a-side headstock with die-cast chrome hardware.
It was a breeze to tune this guitar to pitch and we didn’t find ourselves constantly tweaking it after string bends or aggressive strum sessions, either.
Elsewhere, this guitar boasts the kind of build we have come to expect from Yamaha. This manufacturer has always paid attention to the little things, and the fact that this is the cheapest model in the FG range hasn’t seen Yamaha spare the sandpaper.
So far, so good, then. They sound like decent materials… It’s a great spec sheet for the price. While this does mean it will take a short period for the guitar’s tone to ’bed in’ it should deliver a more characterful voice than its laminate equivalent and sweeten over time.
That aside, the combination of spruce and mahogany is a dues-paying partnership that is often used on acoustics, thanks to the balance it strikes between warmth and bite.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Produces great sound
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Quality built with very high level of workmanship
- Tuning stays for a long time
Given its price point and high performance, it’s hard not to love the Yamaha FG700S. You won’t find many budget-friendly guitars that can stand up to it.
Cons:
- No cutaway
- Truss rod sometimes becomes hard
- A bit weak for large rooms
Is it Worth it?
This guitar is unquestionably one of the main contenders to consider. The sound quality is amazing and the price to performance ratio is just incredible! Let’s not forget about the lifetime warranty. If you find yourself choosing between this guitar and something else, I would certainly suggest you choosing FG700S. This guitar won’t disappoint you; I promise!
Specifications
- Top Material Type – Spruce
- Body Material – Wood
- Back Material Type – Nato
- Neck Material Type – Nato Wood
- Fretboard Material Type – Rosewood
- String Material Type – Bronze
- Hand Orientation – Ambidextrous
- Guitar Bridge System – Hardtail Bridge
The Yamaha FG700S has a natural wood high gloss finish. It’s sleek and simplistic, with black and white bindings, a simple rosette, and a red tortoiseshell pickguard.
The Materials
op (soundboard): Solid Sitka Spruce. As standard as it comes. But it’s standard for a reason. And that Sitka Spruce is a large reason for the wide dynamic range of the FG700S. It’s also part of the reason for the bright resonant sound.
Back & Sides: A laminate material called Nato. I’ve never seen a guitar under $500 with solid wood back and sides so I didn’t expect it here either.
Tuners: Die cast chrome tuners. Sometimes guitars in this price range will save costs by having plastic tuners. Fortunately, the FG700S doesn’t.
Saddle and Nut: Plastic nut and saddle. A lot of cheap Yamahas (sometimes even models in the 500-1000 price bracket) have plastic nuts and saddles – a lot of guitars under 500 do too. This isn’t a reason not to buy a cheap Yamaha because they have a lot of other great qualities, and it won’t cost too much to upgrade them to bone or something else.
Bridge: Rosewood. The bridge plays an important role in transferring the sound from the strings into the soundboard – one of the best materials for doing that is Rosewood. Another small key to the quality of sound for the price.
Warranty of FG700S
The warranty for Yamaha FG700S is for a lifetime.
Who Is FG700S Best For?
This is a good option as a beginner’s guitar first and foremost. It has a balanced, even sound and is nice to play which are both very important – and it also won’t break the bank which is also important for beginners who don’t want to make too much of an investment.
To make it an even better beginner’s guitar make sure you get someone to lower the action. This will make it easier and more pleasant to play.
It is a full-size dreadnought so perhaps not suitable for young kids.
It’s also a great choice for anyone who wants a second guitar that they can take to the beach or to the campground or anywhere when they want to leave their more expensive guitar at home.
Playability of FG700S
The slim neck and hard fingerboard make this guitar easy to play even for small and untrained hands. If you’re a young beginner, you’ll really appreciate this. If you love hard pitch bends or barre chords, the Yamaha FG700S won’t let you down.
You’ll find that the Yamaha FG700S responds beautifully to both fingerpicking and strumming. You won’t get the rattling and dampening that’s notorious among entry-level guitars. Like its peers, it may suffer from somewhat high string action, but it varies with each guitar. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, you’ll find the Yamaha FG700S great for growing as a guitarist.
What Do People Say About It?
YouTube review #1
“This is the ULTIMATE beginner guitar.
I have a much nicer, and much more expensive, Martin that I absolutely adore. But, I’ve been looking for a cheap guitar to beat on and not worry about leaving around my 2 year old. I did a good bit of researching, watching videos and reading before purchasing anything. My findings were that this FG800S was recommended on literally 99% of all lists for top guitars under $200. I made sure to read multiple message boards and instead of possible sponsored websites seeing as how I was buying site unseen and unheard. Now understand this is not some $2000 Taylor/Martin, nor is it even close. What it is, though, is a great guitar for its price range. The action could be lowered just a little to ease playability, but sound is great for a laminate back and sides. Very full and loud. As long as you understand what you’re buying, I think you’ll be very happy with this guitar. It sounds as good as some
that cost hundreds more. Looks decent as well.”
YouTube review #2
“I was looking for an inexpensive guitar that I can use as a “beach” guitar since taking the Taylor did not appeal to me. I tried a Yamaha FG335 then tried the FG700S and was completely blown away by the sound and playability of this guitar. I’m in total agreement that you cannot find a better sounding and playing guitar for the money. Buy it.”
Amazon reviews
Amazon review #1
“I highly recommend this guitar. This guitar was recommended to me by my step brother and I am super satisfied with the purchase. The price of the guitar is pretty low and it would be a great guitar as a gift to a beginner or just in general. I do not regret spending any money on this guitar especially with how great it sounds and how beautiful it looks.”
Amazon review #2
“I highly recommend this guitar. This guitar was recommended to me by my step brother and I am super satisfied with the purchase. The price of the guitar is pretty low and it would be a great guitar as a gift to a beginner or just in general. I do not regret spending any money on this guitar especially with how great it sounds and how beautiful it looks.”
Final Verdict of the Yamaha FG700S
Anyone looking for a really well-priced guitar for a beginner or as a second guitar should definitely consider the Yamaha FG700S.
Combining Spruce and Mahogany is the perfect way to get the best sound out of any acoustic guitar. Not to mention, seeing how readily available these materials are in the Yamaha FG700S’s country of origin, you get to save a good amount of money for a product that will serve you for a very long time.
Solid top guitars don’t come much cheaper than this. It’s one of the most basic guitars in Yamaha’s FG series, but the quality and price are commendable. If all you need is a traditional steel-string acoustic, you can’t go wrong with a Yamaha FG700S. I recommend it to beginners and intermediates who don’t want an affordable entry-level guitar but want to avoid the cheap junk. Whatever genre you aim to play, a Yamaha FG700S will handle it with style.
If you liked this article, be sure to check out our other articles at AalbergAudio.com!