Key Takeaways:
- Yamaha guitars are played by famous musicians worldwide
- First-time guitar players need instruments made for beginners
- Yamaha has several guitars built for comfort, playability, and inexpensiveness
The time has finally arrived when your budding new guitarist is ready to buy their first instrument. Brand-new guitar students can feel frustrated and confused, but a great acoustic guitar helps make things infinitely more manageable. The right beginner guitar will last you well into your professional playing days and will forever hold precious memories of your learning years.
There are a few details to look for in a starter guitar that can help make learning easier. The strings should be easy to press, and when you strum it, there shouldn’t be any rattling noises inside or outside the guitar. The price must also be affordable to someone just starting out.
Yamaha has been making superb instruments for over 130 years, and their acoustic guitars are the best place to start for all types of beginners. This article discusses why Yamaha guitars are so good and which ones are the best for starting a musical journey with this magnificent instrument.
About Yamaha Guitars
Paul McCartney, Santana, and other renowned musicians have played Yamaha guitars, but the brand doesn’t get the credit other guitars, such as Fender, enjoy, although Yamaha outsold them at one point.
The Yamaha Corporation is a legendary musical instrument brand that produces high-quality, beginner-friendly instruments. It is recognized as one of the world’s most popular acoustic brands for musicians, ranking fourth among the top 15 brands.
Yamaha guitars have a reputation for being sturdy, well-built instruments with an easy-to-play design. They have many models to choose from; some are especially favorable for early learners.
JR1
This model is ideal if you have tiny music enthusiasts in your family. The JR1 FG from Yamaha is a three-quarter steel-string guitar specially created for children. It’s great for early learning but also makes a comfortable choice for advanced learners until they grow larger. There are a lot of valuable benefits to this powerful but small instrument, including:
- A slimmer neck makes it more comfortable for children and adults on the smaller side
- It’s lightweight and easy to hold
- Simple to tune
- Offers a gig bag
This miniature folk guitar is sized for ages ten and older and is typically priced at less than $200. Its full, bright sound comes from the laminated spruce top and Meranti wood body. The only issue might be the laminated steel strings, which may be painful for the first few tries.
The final thoughts on the Yamaha JR1 are that it’s easily playable for kids, price-effective, and holds tune for a long time. These traits make it an impeccable choice for beginner kids.
FG 800
This model delivers loud, clear tones without sacrificing cost savings or comfortability. The solid Sitka spruce top gives it a vibrant sound and an expensive look, as it resembles high-quality professional guitars. This amazing instrument has even more benefits.
- The new scalloping bracing pattern heightens the bass frequencies and sound projection
- The tonal profile makes it an excellent choice for folk music
- Easy to hold
The FG 800 provides a 43 mm nut width, which is good news for young guitarists. These guitars don’t stretch as much with complicated chords. The bottom line is that these little marvels provide a lot of beautiful, clear sound for a low price. This guitar is the perfect example of old-school technique blended with new technology.
C4011
Another guitar perfect for beginners is the C4011 classical acoustic guitar. The C series was designed for beginners, with playability at the forefront. It’s smaller than other classical guitars, so it’s comfortable to hold and carry but still delivers authentic classical sound. Other advantages include the following:
- Durable and made to travel
- Laminated spruce top and meranti back and sides
- Nylons strings are easier to press and strum
- Tuning pegs are easy to adjust, and they last for a long time
The sound isn’t as powerful on this model as with some solid wood, handmade models, but it is smoother and focuses more on mid-tones. It’s the perfect instrument for beginners with a classical bent.
FG 820
The most often-heard perk of this guitar is its durability. They last for years when properly maintained. This guitar is low maintenance to make things even easier, and may only need string changes once or twice a year. Some of its most popular benefits attract beginners but also advanced and expert players:
- Affordable full-size option
- Good projection
- Durable build
- Inexpensive price point
This guitar produces a warm sound perfect for blues and country music. It’s another model with scalloped bracing, so the projection is excellent. This instrument is a good choice for beginners in any genre.
The guitar isn’t the easiest instrument to learn, but choosing the right guitar makes it much simpler. It’s a highly personal experience, and the perfect first guitar is different for everyone.
Any Yamaha guitar you choose will be phenomenal, but it may not be an excellent choice for a beginner. Selecting one of the moderately-priced, durable guitars on this list will work best. Yamaha’s pride in their construction and 130 years of experience ensure you will not be disappointed.
Sloan School of Music Can Help You Find Out More About Playing Yamaha Guitars
Learning to play a Yamaha or any other guitar is a snap when you have an instrument you love and a teacher who inspires you. Sloan is a music school that provides lessons (private, group, virtual, and so on) in various musical disciplines. It also offers a store with top-of-the-line musical instruments and accessories for sale, plus instrument rental programs for those who do not want to own their own. Check us out today and start playing tomorrow!
