Yamaha FG830

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first play

YAMAHA FG830 & FSX830C

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GuitaRist DECEMBER 2016

1. While the rosewood

bridges on both the FG

and FS are the same, the

spacing is narrowed on

the FS to 50mm

2. Yamaha’s corporate

block logo is retained

here, as featured on

virtually every guitar

it’s ever made – bar the

electric Revstar range,

in an effort to make the

guitars a bit ‘cooler’

3. Despite the lack

of output muting

when you engage the

tuner, the System 66

preamp is well sorted

with an ultra-wide,

sweepable midrange

4. The FS has a more

intimate, less projecting

voice that’s ideal for

practice, performance

and recording, while

the FG’s bigger voice,

unlike many dreads,

has a clean low end and

sounds nicely modern

5. At these prices, we

have laminated back

and sides (shown on

p26), and at this level

they’re rosewood. The

overall build, however,

is very sharp, including

a thin ﬁ nish and

scalloped bracing

nato/okume (800), mahogany (820), rosewood

(830) and flamed maple (840, FG only). The

850 models have solid mahogany tops with

laminate mahogany back and sides. Cutaway

electro ‘X’ models are available in the 800, 820

and 830 levels and to cater for the niches – we

get one left-hander and one 12-string (both

acoustic in the 820 level).

In the 830 level then, our review models

share the majority of specs. The spruce tops,

however, are noticeably different: the FG’s is

pretty finely grained and flecked with a more

toned appearance; the FS’s is less flecked

with narrower, straighter grain and is lighter

in hue. Cream edge-binding is used with

multi-strip inner purfling on the top, which

is a little unevenly cut in places, but the gloss

finish is clearly very thin – the ripples of the

grain clearly visible on both guitars. The deep

chocolate brown of the laminated rosewood

back and sides share more similarity and there

are neat details such as the cream plastic heel

cap, the round-nosed heel shaping, the clean

abalone-centred soundhole decoration, and

the clean headstock logo and fleur motifs. A

peek inside reveals equally tidy construction.

Both share the same three-piece neck

construction and a pretty similar profile. The

very slightly flat-backed oval fingerboards are

rosewood, and while they are a little pale and

The electro FS has the FG’s

clarity and modernism, but

is a little more controlled

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GIT414.rev_yamaha.indd 24 27/10/2016 12:06