Introduction
Yamaha has cemented itself as one of the premier acoustic guitar manufacturers, with a wide range of high-quality instruments for all player levels and budgets. The Yamaha FS830 is an excellent example of their ability to blend quality materials with precision craftsmanship to produce great sounding, playing, and looking guitars at an accessible price point.
The FS830 falls into the "concert" category of acoustic guitars, with a compact body size and slim neck profile optimized for comfort and playability. It features a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides, a tried and true tonewood combination. This makes the FS830 an extremely versatile guitar suitable for various musical genres and playing applications, from the bedroom to the stage.
This comprehensive review will provide an in-depth look at the Yamaha FS830’s construction, sound, playability, aesthetics, accessories, pricing and value, how it compares to other small-bodied acoustics, and owner impressions. We’ll help you understand if the FS830 is the right fit for your needs and playing style. Read on for the full breakdown!
Construction and Materials
The Yamaha FS830 features a solid Sitka spruce top, giving it excellent resonance and a complex, nuanced tone. Sitka spruce is revered as an ideal acoustic guitar top wood for its strength, lightness, and ability to vibrate freely. It has a balanced tonal profile, with crisp highs, pronounced mids, and tight low end. As a solid wood rather than laminate, the top will mature and open up over time.
The back and sides are made from rosewood, which adds warmth, richness, and overtone complexity to the FS830’s voice. Rosewood’s dense nature makes it highly resonant, projecting the top wood’s tone with authority. The combination of spruce and rosewood creates a versatile guitar suited to both fingerpicking and strumming.
To enhance resonance and volume, Yamaha employs scalloped X-type bracing on the FS830. By scalloping and thinning the bracing, it allows more top vibration while maintaining strength and stability. The scalloped bracing gives excellent dynamics and sustain.
The slim mahogany neck provides a comfortable, fast feel. Mahogany has a focused midrange punch that brings out clarity and articulation. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret in a comfortable dreadnought-inspired cutaway shape. At just over 4 lbs, the FS830 is lightweight and comfortable for extended playing sessions.
Hardware and Electronics
The Yamaha FS830 comes equipped with high-quality hardware and electronics to match its impressive craftsmanship and materials. It features precision die-cast chrome tuners that allow for smooth and accurate tuning stability. The nut and saddle are both made from Nubone, an artificial ivory material known for its durability and ability to promote great string resonance.
In terms of electronics, the FS830 has an optional System66 SRT pickup and preamp system. This is a top-tier Yamaha original pickup with a 3-band EQ and tuner for amplifying your acoustic tone. The SRT pickup is designed to capture the nuances of the guitar’s natural acoustic sound, with clear notes across all registers. It can be discreetly installed without permanently altering the FS830.
The chrome die-cast tuners provide precision tuning capabilities you’d expect from a professional-grade acoustic. The Nubone nut and saddle offer a smooth playing feel while transferring string vibrations optimally. And the SRT pickup gives you stage-ready amplified tones at your fingertips. Together, these components give the FS830 excellent acoustic guitar hardware and electronics.
Tone and Sound Profile
The Yamaha FS830 produces a bright yet balanced tone that is articulate, responsive, and projects well. The solid Sitka spruce top provides excellent clarity and articulation in the high end, while the rosewood back and sides add depth and richness to the midrange and low end.
When strummed, the FS830 has impressive projection and volume that belies its compact size. Notes ring out with sustain and character. The scalloped bracing allows the top to vibrate freely, enhancing resonance and dynamics. Both single notes and chords come through with pristine articulation.
The FS830 is versatile enough to handle various playing styles and genres. Its balanced tonal profile means it won’t get too bright on faster flatpicking passages, yet still has enough crispness for melodic fingerpicking. The rosewood warmth provides a solid foundation for rhythmic strumming patterns. From folk to rock to country, the FS830 pairs well with most popular acoustic playing styles.
The responsive and nuanced tone makes the FS830 a great choice for aspiring players looking to develop their musicality. It rewards a delicate touch with sweet, singing tones. More advanced players will appreciate how the FS830 accurately conveys their playing dynamics from soft to aggressive. Overall, it’s an inspiring and musical tone that makes playing the FS830 an enjoyable experience.
Playability and Feel
The Yamaha FS830 offers a very comfortable and playable feel that makes it a joy to play for extended periods. The neck has a slim taper profile that feels great in the hand. It has a width of 1 11/16" at the nut, which provides ample room for fingering chords and single note runs without feeling too wide.
The action on the FS830 is set very comfortably low out of the box. You can easily fret notes anywhere on the neck without excessive pressure. The low action allows for quicker lead playing and makes it easier on the hands when playing tricky chords. Many owners comment on the "buttery" smooth feel of the neck that allows you to play with speed and fluidity.
Fingerboard buzz is minimal thanks to Yamaha’s expert setup. The FS830 has very good string height at the saddle and nut to prevent fret buzz while still retaining a nice low action. Notes ring out clearly across all six strings with no annoying buzzes marring the tone.
Overall, the FS830 feels nimble and responsive under the fingers. The light weight makes it easy to play for hours without fatigue. Whether you are a beginner or experienced player, the accessible feel and forgiving playability help you sound your best on this guitar. The comfort and ease of playing are major highlights frequently praised by FS830 owners.
Available Finishes
The Yamaha FS830 comes in three beautiful finish options that complement the tonewoods and showcase the guitar’s fine craftsmanship.
Natural
The natural finish is a glossy, transparent coating that allows the guitar’s solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides to shine through in their natural beauty. This finish accentuates the wood grains and brings out the complexity of the tonewood figuring. It gives the FS830 an organic, handcrafted appeal. Over time, natural finish guitars develop a unique patina as the wood interacts with the player’s body oils and environment. Fans of the natural look will appreciate how the FS830’s appearance evolves.
Tobacco Sunburst
The FS830’s tobacco sunburst finish features a warm gradient from brown in the center to a lighter tan around the edges. This classic sunburst pattern has been popular on guitars for decades due to its vintage appeal. The tobacco sunburst is particularly striking on the FS830, with the gradient beautifully showcasing the guitar’s curved edges and contours. The warm tobacco tones pair nicely with the rosewood back and sides to produce an instrument that looks as great as it sounds.
Dusk Sun Red
Those looking for a modern, eye-catching finish will appreciate the FS830’s dusk sun red option. As the name implies, it features a vibrant burnt orange-red that evokes the colors of a sunset. The color is bold and energetic, standing out from typical acoustic guitar finishes. The sunburst effect fades from intense red in the center to a lighter orange around the edges and black binding. Musicians who want their instrument to make a visual statement on stage will love the FS830’s dusk sun red.
Included Accessories
The Yamaha FS830 comes with several useful accessories right out of the box. This adds to the value proposition and saves you from having to purchase common add-ons separately.
Gig Bag
Yamaha includes a lightweight nylon gig bag with the purchase of the FS830 acoustic guitar. The padded gig bag has backpack straps, making it easy to transport the guitar. It provides basic protection during travel and storage. While not as protective as a hardshell case, the included gig bag is a nice added value.
Spare Strings
The guitar comes strung with a set of Yamaha’s own phosphor bronze acoustic strings. Yamaha also includes an extra set of these strings in the case. Having a backup set of strings is essential in case you break one mid-gig or session. The included spare set ensures you’ll always have a playable set of strings on hand.
Polishing Cloth
Yamaha provides a polishing cloth for keeping your FS830 looking its best. The smooth cotton cloth can be used to wipe down the guitar after playing to remove fingerprints, dust, and dirt. Regular polishing maintains the glossy finish and prevents grime buildup. The polishing cloth is a simple but useful accessory for guitar care.
Yamaha FS830 Price & Value
The Yamaha FS830 offers excellent value for money given its quality components and construction. As a mid-range acoustic guitar, it is very competitively priced.
New & Used Prices
Brand new Yamaha FS830 acoustic guitars typically retail between $300-$400 at most major music stores. This positions the FS830 at the affordable end of Yamaha’s acoustic lineup, making it a great option for beginner and intermediate players.
Used FS830s in good condition generally sell for $200-$300 on sites like Reverb and eBay. The FS830 holds its value fairly well on the used market thanks to its reputation as a quality, reliable instrument.
Price vs Competitor Models
The FS830 is very competitively priced against rival small-bodied acoustics like the Martin LX1 and Taylor GS Mini. Most comparable models from other major brands retail for at least $100+ more than the FS830. For players on a budget, the FS830 provides better value than many competitors.
Good Value for Money
Given its all-solid wood construction, enjoyable sound, and Yamaha’s excellent build quality, the FS830 offers fantastic value for money. Players get professional-grade appointments and hardware at an entry-level price point. For those seeking an affordable, lifetime acoustic, the FS830 is an ideal choice and a great investment.
Advantages Over Competitors
The Yamaha FS830 stands out from competitors like Martin and Taylor models in the same price range in a few key ways:
Compared to Martin
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The FS830 has a solid Sitka spruce top, while many Martin models at this price use laminate tops. The solid wood top gives the FS830 better resonance and allows the tone to mature over time.
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The scalloped bracing on the FS830 provides excellent volume and dynamics. Many Martins rely on traditional X bracing in this price range.
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The concert body style makes the FS830 comfortable and easy to play, while many Martins have larger dreadnought bodies.
Compared to Taylor
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The FS830 has an all-solid wood construction with rosewood back and sides. Many Taylor models around $500 have layered wood backs and sides.
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The neck profile on the FS830 is slim and comfortable. Some Taylor necks can be thicker and feel less playable, especially for smaller hands.
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The FS830 comes in unique finishes like tobacco sunburst and dusk sun red. Most Taylor models stick to more traditional colors.
Standout Features for the Price
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All solid wood construction with Sitka spruce and rosewood is rare at this price point.
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Scalloped bracing gives it a mature, nuanced sound exceeding its price tag.
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The concert body strikes the perfect balance of comfort, playability and balanced tone.
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Unique finish options from Yamaha stand out in the crowded acoustic guitar market.
The Yamaha FS830 exceeds expectations for a ~$500 acoustic, with construction and features that rival more expensive Martins and Taylors. It’s an excellent value for performance-focused beginner and intermediate players.
Reviews and Ratings
The Yamaha FS830 has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from both expert reviewers and owners. Here’s a look at what they’re saying:
Expert Reviews
Professional guitar publications consistently praise the FS830 for its quality construction, rich sound, and excellent playability – especially at its accessible price point.
Guitar World called the FS830 a "remarkably good guitar for the money" and said it "punches well above its weight class." Premier Guitar was impressed by the "clear, balanced tone" and said the FS830 would appeal to "value-minded players." Acoustic Guitar Magazine highlighted the FS830’s "lively, resonant voice" that belies its price tag.
Owner Feedback
Everyday players seem to agree with the experts. On music gear forums and in customer reviews, FS830 owners rave about the guitar’s easy playability, full tone, and attractive looks.
Many comment that the FS830 plays as smoothly as guitars costing twice as much. Owners say it has a very "open" and "breathy" sound with nice sustain. Some say it has the warmth of mahogany guitars with the brightness of spruce tops. The only consistent complaints are about the factory strings, which most owners replace.
Average Rating
The Yamaha FS830 earns around 4.5 out of 5 stars across major guitar and music gear websites.
On Amazon, it has a 4.7 out of 5 rating over nearly 400 reviews. Musician’s Friend gives it 4.5 out of 5 from over 125 reviews. The same goes for Guitar Center and Sweetwater. This consistently high rating shows the FS830 satisfies players of all levels.