If you want to start learning how to play guitar, buying the best quality acoustic guitar can be the right first step. Why? Because buying the best guitar from the best brand can get your excitement level high and trigger you to get serious in your learning process.
When we talk about acoustic guitars, Fender and Yamaha come to mind. These brands are two of the best acoustic guitar makers in the world. In this article, we’re going to review two similar products with similar prices from these brands, which are Fender CD-60S and Yamaha FG800. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.
Fender CD-60S Review
Fender CD-60S is priced at $269.99 on Amazon. It currently holds a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 241 customer reviews. It weighs 7.3 pounds and has a dimension of 46.1 x 19.2 x 7.4 inches.
Aside from being sold as a solo guitar, Fender CD-60S also offers a beginner’s pack that comes with picks, a strap, and 30-day online lessons via Fender Play to help you get the hang of playing guitar properly. Read also: Yamaha FG800 vs Fender CD 60S
It has a 25.3 inches scale length dreadnought body style that offers a simple and good looking design in two color choices, glossy black and natural. If you purchase the natural one, the color will show off the grains of the wood, which is solid spruce on the top with scalloped “X”-bracing and laminated mahogany on the back and sides.
This guitar is also easy to play, offering a top-notch mahogany neck that offers a very hand-friendly profile, and a rosewood fretboard with rolled edges. For the frets, the neck is joined at 14th and there are 20 in total.
For the hardware, Fender CD-60S is a pure acoustic guitar and doesn’t come with electronics, which means that you can’t plug it in a sound system. It also comes with a set of chrome die-cast tuners, a quality rosewood bridge, and some very good Fender Dura-Tone coated strings.
As for the sound, Fender CD-60S produces a versatile, strong, and very well-balanced tone thanks to the pairing of mahogany and spruce. The solid wood of this guitar offers a further warmth and volume as the years go by.
However, some people have reported that this model is quite hard to master at the beginning. But, as you progress in your training, Fender CD-60S will be a perfect guitar to practice your skill.
Overall, Fender CD-60S is a great acoustic guitar for beginners that’s sold at the right price. In this price range, it’s not going to be easy to find better acoustic guitars than this one. Sure, it’s a bit pricey compared to other entry-level guitars on the market, but the quality offered more than makes up for it.
It’s still a good guitar even for experienced and more-advanced guitar players. You don’t want to change guitars once you’ve progressed, right?
Yamaha FG800 Review
Yamaha FG800 is priced a bit cheaper than Fender CD-60S at $199.99 on guitarcenter.com. It currently holds a rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 322 customer reviews. It weighs 6.39 pounds and has a dimension of 42.5 x 20.7 x 6.1 inches.
Yamaha is famous for selling affordable guitars that offer better sound and feel than most budget guitars on the market, and Yamaha FG800 is surely one of them. Aside from being sold as a solo guitar, this model also offers a bundle that includes a gig bag, a strap, extra set of strings, a guitar pick card, a polishing cloth, and an instructional DVD.
One of the selling points of Yamaha FG800 is the solid Sitka spruce top, which usually can only be found on more expensive guitars. This solid wood offers a warmer and fuller sound compared to the standard laminates.
The side, back, and neck of this guitar uses laminated nato. Moreover, it has a rosewood fretboard that allows for smooth sliding as well as offers a more classic look and feel. Yamaha FG800 also offers a scalloping bracing pattern that strengthens the top and improves bass frequencies and sound projection.
As for the looks, Yamaha FG800 has a sleek, natural look with black bindings and a glossy finish. Overall, other than the plastic saddle, nut, and the laminated body, the materials used on Yamaha FG800 are usually found on higher-end guitar models.
For the sound, Yamaha FG800 offers a pretty impressive tone for a budget guitar. The sound is warm, round, and it lends itself well to rough strumming. It also offers a loud, consistent, and thick tone. You can even bring this guitar to play on an unplugged gig and it will sound just fine.
All in all, Yamaha FG800 is a great guitar for beginners that offers premium materials and great sound. The Yamaha FG model has been around since 1966, so the model has been consistently tested and evolved over the years.
The only downside of this model is that some people find it to be a bit hard to learn for first timers, similar to Fender CD-60S. But don’t worry, once you get the hang of it, Yamaha FG800 will be your long-time partner.
Fender CD-60S vs Yamaha FG800
| Fender CD-60S | Yamaha FG800 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Deal* | Save Money Please click here | Save Money Please click here |
| Brand | Fender | Yamaha |
| Key features | - Quality solid spruce top - Dreadnought body style - Mahogany back and sides - Easy-to-play neck with rolled fingerboard edges | - Solid sitka spruce top - Nato back & sides - Rosewood fingerboard - Rosewood bridge |
| Price | ||
| Customer Ratings* | 4.5 out of 5 stars | 4.7 out of 5 stars |
NOTE : Product prices, availability, ratings and save money information are accurate as of the date/time indicated on post time (as seen right bellow the tittle) and are subject to change. Any price, ratings, availability and save money information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Verdict
Choosing between Fender CD-60S and Yamaha FG800 is a tough job. Both of these acoustic guitars offer a similar general build, design, and sound. Both of them use a solid spruce top with scalloped bracing.
There’s one tiny difference between the two that can influence your choice, which is the price tag. Yamaha FG800 is sold at around $199.99 and Fender CD-60S is sold at a slightly higher price of $269.99. Yamaha FG800 also sounds stronger and warmer, while Fender CD-60S sounds thinner and less warm.
So, if we have to choose one, we have to go with Yamaha FG800 for its price, premium materials, and louder sound. But then again, it all comes down to your personal preferences and favorites.