Introduction
The Yamaha APX600 acoustic-electric guitar has become a popular choice among gigging guitarists and recording artists. Known for its thinline, comfort-focused body style and impressive features, the versatile APX600 provides an accessible way to amplify your acoustic tone in live and studio settings.
In this comprehensive review, we’ll take a close look at the key specifications, construction details, available finish options, playability, sound quality and pricing of the Yamaha APX600. We’ll examine how it compares to other similar acoustic-electric models and provide our final verdict on whether it’s a worthwhile investment for players seeking great acoustic and plugged-in tones.
By the end, you’ll have all the details needed to determine if the APX600 is the right fit for your musical needs and budget. Let’s dive in!
Yamaha APX600 Overview & Specifications
The Yamaha APX600 features a thinline cutaway body style that improves comfort and access to the upper frets. This makes it easier to play solos and reach those high notes.
The APX600 is available in several eye-catching finish options: Natural, Black, Vintage White, Sunburst, and Blue Burst. This gives you a nice selection of colors and styles to choose from.
For tonewoods, the APX600 has a Nato back and sides along with a Spruce top. Nato is known for its focused midrange and good bass response, while Spruce provides brightness and volume – a nice tonal combination.
It has a 25" scale length, which is the standard for many acoustic guitars. This familiar scale length allows for comfortable playing across the fretboard.
The APX600 comes equipped with Yamaha’s SRT piezo pickup system. This allows you to plug directly into an amplifier or PA system and get amplified tones from the guitar.
It also features an onboard preamp with controls for volume, 3-band EQ, tuner, and mid-frequency. This gives you the ability to shape your amplified tone and tune up conveniently.
Body Style, Finish Options & Construction
The Yamaha APX600 features a thinline cutaway body style that provides excellent comfort and ergonomics for the player. The slimmer body depth and contoured cutaway allow easy access to even the highest frets, making the APX600 a very playable instrument.
The APX600 is available in several beautiful finish options:
- Natural – Showcases the natural grain patterns of the wood. Provides a very organic, earthy aesthetic.
- Black – A classic, sleek black finish. Looks great on stage.
- Vintage White – Offers an attractive aged white look. Provides a vintage vibe.
- Sunburst – Features a fiery sunburst pattern. Eye-catching and unique.
- Blue Burst – A rich blue burst finish. Adds some bold, electric style.
The variety of finishes allow players to find a look that suits their style. The APX600’s thinline cutaway body provides playing comfort while also looking great.
Construction
The Yamaha APX600 showcases excellent build quality and attention to detail in its construction. The combination of a solid Spruce top and laminated Nato back and sides results in a great sounding and durable acoustic guitar.
The spruce top is known for its balanced tone with good note separation and articulation. It provides a nice sparkle to the high end, while still allowing the midrange to shine through. Spruce is a popular top wood choice on acoustic guitars for its resonant and complex tonal qualities.
The nato used for the back and sides offers a focused midrange punch, adding some sweetness to the APX600’s overall voice. Nato is tonally similar to mahogany, with good note definition. It helps provide a balanced sound across the frequency spectrum.
The APX600’s rosewood fingerboard and bridge complement the spruce and nato woods nicely. Rosewood adds some warmth and low end, rounding out the tone. The rosewood bridge also helps transfer string vibrations into the top for better resonance and sustain.
Overall, the wood combination of spruce, nato, and rosewood results in a great sounding acoustic guitar at this price point. The APX600 showcases Yamaha’s expertise in choosing quality tonewoods that sound fantastic together. While not built to the highest standards, the construction is very good for an affordably priced acoustic-electric.
Playability & Feel
The Yamaha APX600 feels comfortable and easy to play unplugged, thanks to its ergonomic thinline body shape. The slim neck profile is hand-friendly, allowing for smooth chord changes and fast lead playing across the rosewood fingerboard.
Despite being a lower-cost model, the APX600 doesn’t feel cheaply made. The fretwork is nicely finished, providing a smooth playing experience without sharp edges or dead spots. The action can be easily adjusted to suit your preferences.
Overall, the APX600 offers a very playable experience for fingerstyle and strumming, whether you’re sitting or standing. The cutaway body style provides excellent access to even the highest frets, enabling you to rip solos and reach intricate chord voicings.
Here’s a short demo video showing how the APX600 looks and feels to play:
The combination of the thinline body and slim neck make the APX600 feel great in your hands. It’s a pleasure to pick and strum on for extended periods without fatigue. While it may lack some high-end appointments, Yamaha didn’t cut corners on nailing the fundamentals of comfort and playability.
Acoustic Sound
The Yamaha APX600 produces a balanced and resonant acoustic tone, thanks to its solid spruce top and nato back and sides. The midrange frequencies are pronounced, allowing chords and fingerpicking to ring out with good clarity and note separation.
Despite its compact body size, the APX600 projects well when played unplugged. It delivers enough volume to be heard over light accompaniment or for playing solo gigs in smaller venues. The notes sustain nicely when strummed, rather than dying out too quickly.
When playing up the neck, the APX600 maintains consistent tone and volume across the fretboard. This allows for versatile playing styles, whether strumming open chords or soloing higher up the neck. The thinline body style also helps with comfort and accessibility in the upper registers.
Overall, while it may lack the booming bass and expansive projection of a jumbo acoustic, the APX600 provides a balanced and nuanced unplugged tone. The crisp highs, pronounced mids, and focused bass make this a very playable acoustic guitar for a variety of styles. It’s a versatile foundation to build upon when amplifying your sound through the onboard electronics.
Amplified Sound
The Yamaha APX600 really shines when plugged in thanks to its quality SRT piezo pickup system. This gives the guitar a very natural amplified tone without the quackiness or thinness you sometimes get from inferior piezo pickups.
The notes ring out clear and balanced across the tonal spectrum. Both the highs and lows come through nicely. There’s enough crispness in the treble without sounding harsh, and the lows have good warmth without getting muddy. The midrange is also nicely scooped for pleasing amplified tones.
Having dedicated volume, 3-band EQ, and mid-frequency controls on the APX600’s preamp gives you tremendous tone shaping ability. It’s easy to dial in just the right amount of bass, mids, and treble for the room or mix. The mid-frequency control, in particular, helps combat feedback at higher volumes.
Whether plugging directly into a PA system for live gigs or recording in the studio, the APX600’s preamp and SRT pickup system make your amplified tone consistent and feedback-resistant. It’s an extremely stage- and studio-friendly acoustic-electric guitar.
Yamaha APX600 vs Other Models
The Yamaha APX600 holds up well when compared to other acoustic-electric guitars in its price range and class. Here’s how it stacks up against some of the top competitors:
Yamaha FGX800C – Yamaha’s own FGX800C is a direct competitor. It has a similar cutaway dreadnought body and solid spruce top. The APX600 edges it out slightly with its preamp controls and thinner body depth for comfort. The FGX800C produces a fuller acoustic tone, while the APX600 is better for amplified playing.
Yamaha APX500III – The previous generation APX500III shares the same thinline body style as the APX600. The 600 upgrades the electronics with the SRT piezo pickup and 3-band EQ. It also has more finish options. The core nato construction remains similar. The APX600 is the better value over the now discontinued 500III.
Fender CD-60SCE – Fender’s CD-60SCE dreadnought cutaway has a laminate top versus the APX600’s solid spruce. The APX600 has better electronics and an onboard tuner. The CD-60SCE puts up a good fight with its smooth playability and balanced tone. The Yamaha wins out overall for its slightly better features and construction.
Epiphone DR-100CE – Epiphone’s ultra-budget DR-100CE has a set mahogany neck and Select Spruce top. The tone is decent but electronics are basic. The APX600 surpasses it with better components, electronics, and craftsmanship. The Epiphone is only a good choice for beginners on a tight budget.
Ibanez AEG Series – Ibanez AEG acoustic-electrics like the AEG10II are comparable. Similar electronics and cutaway bodies. The Ibanez offers wider neck options while the APX600 has better tones. The APX600’s finishes give it more visual appeal. Overall very close competitors depending on player preferences.
The APX600 is an excellent value in its price tier, competing strongly against models from other respected brands. Yamaha’s quality control and features make it stand out as a mid-priced acoustic-electric.
Yamaha APX600 Price & Value
The Yamaha APX600 typically sells for around $299-$349 from most major retailers brand new. This positions it as a very affordable acoustic-electric in the entry-level price range.
I found the APX600 priced at:
- $299 on Musician’s Friend
- $319 at Guitar Center
- $349 on Sweetwater
For used options, Reverb.com had APX600s listed anywhere from $200 to $275 depending on condition. On eBay, used pricing was very similar in the $225-$275 range.
The APX600 comes bundled with a gig bag, so you get a basic case included. Some retailers may offer package deals with a small practice amp, cables, picks, etc.
Overall, the Yamaha APX600 provides excellent value. For an acoustic-electric with solid wood construction, nice looks, and useful electronics like the preamp and tuner, it’s hard to beat in the sub-$350 price range. Players on a budget get great bang-for-buck with the APX600.
The affordable pricing makes it accessible for beginner and intermediate players. More advanced guitarists may want to consider spending up for a higher-end model. But for an entry-level thinline cutaway acoustic-electric, the APX600 gives you impressive quality and features considering the price.
Final Verdict
The Yamaha APX600 delivers impressive acoustic-electric performance and versatility at an affordable price point. To quickly summarize the pros and cons:
Pros
- Comfortable thinline cutaway body style
- Quality tonewood construction with spruce top
- Wide range of finish options to choose from
- Onboard preamp and tuner perform well
- Balanced acoustic and amplified tones
Cons
- Lacks some acoustic resonance compared to higher-end models
- Electronics are serviceable but not top-tier
Overall, the Yamaha APX600 punches above its weight class, offering pro-level features and playability at an entry-level price. It’s an ideal choice for guitarists who need stage-ready acoustic tones without breaking the bank.
The APX600 is best suited for live performers across various genres, especially those who value comfort and accessibility when playing for long periods. It works great for singer-songwriters, church worship leaders, and cover band guitarists who want acoustic and electric tones from a single, affordable guitar.
Given the quality components, versatile sound, and comfortable playing feel, I give the Yamaha APX600 a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. It hits a sweet spot between price and performance, appealing to beginners and experienced players alike. For an acoustic-electric in this range, the APX600 is tough to beat.