Review Snapshot
by PowerReviews
Most Liked Positive Review
Couldnt ask for more for a live and recording guitar
#sweepstakes After owning and very much enjoying an FS800 guitar, I had some positive experiences with Yamaha's customer rep/service, after I spoke on the phone with them asking about guitars. The experience itself, seeing they cared and knew their stuff about instruments made me enthusiastic abou...
Most Liked Negative Review
Looks better than sounds
This guitar looks amazing but sounds ordinary. Behind 7th fret it is dull. Bass sounds dull with metalic. First string is too much loud. Plastic nut and sadle are for nothing. Only elixir strings fit it well. It is good guitar but overrated. Materails were not dry and two or three years it did not g...
Reviewed by 29 customers
Excellent guitar
Submitted as part of a sweepstakes entry
Reviewed at
Excellent sound, excellent feel, and looks great.
I love it
Reviewed at
I love my FG830. I've had it for about a year. i play bluegrass and southern gospel with it and I've beat and beat this guitar and it just takes it. its a great guitar for the money. One thing I will say is the FG 800J has a little bit better of a neck I think personally but other than that I love my FG 830. I'm getting a K&K electric pick up in it I'm very happy to hear what it sounds like
Great Guitar!!!
Submitted as part of a sweepstakes entry
Reviewed at
Great playing and sounding guitar!
Excellent Guitar
Reviewed at
What a great sounding guitar. Set-up was perfect right out of the box, tuned it up and Shazam! No matter what tuning you use, open G, Drop D, even David Crosby's off the wall tuning, it holds it. Deep, Rich sound on every note. I love this guitar, so much I'm getting another in a different finish. I hope it's as perfect as the first.
Unbelievably good
Reviewed at
I bought an FG830 from Sam Ash while waiting for my Martin D-35 to be built. It sounded pretty good in the store, and at home in a quieter environment it was even better… but THEN I changed the saddle and bridge pins to bone and put on Martin bluegrass strings, and WOW! It made a huge difference, improving on an already great sound. After my Martin came and I've had time with both, I'll say - this Yamaha is just as good, but in a different way. I can clearly tell one has a layered back and sides, but both have lots of personality and amazing tonal characteristics. The top on the Yamaha is extremely well done with phenomenal bracing you can feel on attack. And the back is beautifully finished. The whole thing looks like a more expensive guitar than the Martin at 1/10 the price, and is very rewarding to play. Obviously the Martin can do things the Yamaha can't, mostly because of its solid back and sides, but this FG830 is not 1/10th of a Martin D-35. It's just as remarkable, but different. In fact, it's easier to mic because the low boom projects forward more and is not as overwhelming to a microphone as the D35. I highly recommend switching to bone on the FG830 though. It really brought out the richness in this beautiful scalloped top. My only negatives - I don't like the 1 and 11/16" nut width. And, being really picky, where the neck binding meets the headstock binding looks a bit like an accident. Also, if you're on the fence about one, watch the YouTube video of the Yamaha factory in China. It was built by Yamaha exclusively for their own instruments, and those people really know what they're doing.
Looks better than sounds
Reviewed at
This guitar looks amazing but sounds ordinary. Behind 7th fret it is dull. Bass sounds dull with metalic. First string is too much loud. Plastic nut and sadle are for nothing. Only elixir strings fit it well. It is good guitar but overrated. Materails were not dry and two or three years it did not give a sound wanted. Now it is better but first impression was not so good.
Very nice acoustic guitar Will
Reviewed at
Excellent guitar. I've had several really nice acoustics over the last 40 years. This FG830, is as good as the much higher priced ones. Plays great,sounds great. I could not be more impressed. Just a great guitar!
Sensational
Reviewed at
Oh man, I can just go on and on about this. I have owned at least four other Yamaha's, two were laminated bodies and were great, one was the FG 150 back in the 70s, and then I became fortunate enough to be one of the rare owners of a handmade FG 1500. I had that for 50 years. It was stunning. Unfortunately the neck was too narrow for me and I couldn't play it so I sold it. I've always thought Yamaha were incredibly well made by a company that's an instrument maker first. I found this guitar at a lodge where my wife and I were volunteering in Montana and it was sitting out on a stand in a window and must've had 10 year old strings on it. I restrung it with some d'Addario's, and I was blown away. I currently have five Furch guitars, a handmade nylon string and TW o handmade guitars and a guild. This thing is up there with any of them. And that's without elixir strings! Fantastic action, great tone, gorgeous, fit and finish. I mean we're talking about about a blind fingerboard here?
Yamaha FG 830
Reviewed at
The Yamaha FG 830 acoustic guitar goes above and beyond my expectations. The solid Sitka Spruce top and Rosewood, make a excellent pairing. The attractive abalone soundhole rosette and cream binding as around the guitar(incl. the headstock) adds to durability as well as a pleasing aesthetic. The overall sound is tonally right on . Great intonation and a joy to play. I love the overtones from the rosewood b&s as well. The guitar also has a nice attack. This guitar is good for picking at home or on stage. I recommend this one.You won't be disappointed!
Couldnt ask for more for a live and recording guitar
Reviewed at
#sweepstakes After owning and very much enjoying an FS800 guitar, I had some positive experiences with Yamaha's customer rep/service, after I spoke on the phone with them asking about guitars. The experience itself, seeing they cared and knew their stuff about instruments made me enthusiastic about their brand. The FG830 instrument, after finding the FS800 small folk guitar to punch way! about its price point, was something I went for after having amazing sound from what I consider to be much more than a "budget" guitar. I wanted a bit of a bigger sound than the folk size small guitar, and knew that with the scalloped bracing on this instrument as well as the really impressive quality control and workmanship of the visual upgrades, made me feel satisfied as a player which affordability is super important to me. I have been recording with my FG series instruments and also playing out with them. While the cosmetics get compliments, its important above anything with the sound these instruments get. I am very glad I did not need to pay up so much more because the sound from my FG830 really to my ears sounds just as good if not better. It's fun and sounds so nice with not even half a year playing into it yet. So with the solid spruce top, and as I take care of it and age with it, I'm really excited to hear how it sounds as it "opens up." The tuners stay in tune no problem, there weren't any issues with finish, fret heights--- I don't feel like selling it ever. I know people learn on these and I am a seasoned player who can see that for beginners or experienced players also, you do not have to "fight with" playing this instrument at all. It sort of plays through you, in a way. It encourages you to keep learning. Hard to put down. Again, at the price, this is so fun to play and I'm really impressed. I play mainly blues, and acoustic rock that can handle strumming with some oomph, and songwriting on this guitar.