Introduction
The Yamaha FG850 acoustic guitar carries on the legacy of the iconic FG line, which dates back to the 1960s. Known for their playability, tone, and value, the FG series has been a favorite of working musicians for decades. The FG850 represents Yamaha’s commitment to making quality, affordable instruments accessible to all players.
This latest FG model boasts a solid mahogany top, a tonewood prized for its rich, warm sound. The mahogany is paired with mahogany back and sides, resulting in impressive resonance and sustain. It features a traditional dreadnought body for bold projection, along with scalloped bracing for enhanced dynamics.
For players looking to upgrade from a beginner acoustic, the FG850 is an excellent option. Its all-solid wood construction delivers pro-level tone that belies its reasonable price tag. From the very first strum, the FG850 rewards the player with incredible responsiveness and a lush, nuanced voice. It’s the perfect guitar for intermediate players who want to level up their sound.
Body Shape and Construction
The Yamaha FG850 has the iconic full dreadnought body shape that has made this series famous. It features the traditional dreadnought body dimensions with a total length of 40 1/2", body width of 15 3/4", and body depth of 4 5/8". The larger body size provides excellent projection and volume, allowing the guitar to fill a room with its rich acoustic resonance.
What really sets the FG850 apart is its use of solid mahogany for the top. Having a solid wood top is crucial for providing the best tone and volume from an acoustic guitar. The solid mahogany top of the FG850 gives it a wonderfully warm and balanced sound. Mahogany is an excellent tonewood that emphasizes the midrange frequencies for a focused yet versatile sound.
Complementing the solid mahogany top is mahogany back and sides, which continue the tonal theme. Having the same wood for the back and sides promotes a unified sound across the frequency spectrum. Mahogany produces clear low end, pleasant midrange, and bright but not overly harsh highs.
Visually, the all-mahogany body is finished in an attractive gloss that highlights the wood’s natural grain patterns. Gloss finishes not only look great, but also bring out the liveliness of the mahogany for optimal resonance. The FG850 is available in a few different gloss shades including natural, tobacco sunburst, and black.
Neck and Fretboard
The Yamaha FG850 features a Nato neck with a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Nato is an affordable, durable wood that provides stability for the neck. It has a smooth satin finish that allows for comfortable playing.
The fretboard is made of rosewood, which adds some brightness and clarity to the overall tone. Rosewood is a dense, oily wood that can stand up to heavy playing. The fretboard has 20 frets in total, with fret position markers at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, and 19th frets.
The nut and saddle are both rosewood as well, which complements the fretboard nicely. The rosewood bridge and fretboard help add some sparkle to the mahogany body’s naturally warm, mellow tone. Overall, the neck and fretboard offer a great playing experience that belies the guitar’s affordable price point.
Sound and Tonewoods
The Yamaha FG850 delivers a warm, rich tone that acoustic guitar players have come to expect from quality mahogany instruments. The solid mahogany top produces a balanced sound across the frequency range, with pleasing low end, pronounced mids, and clear but not overbearing highs.
The mahogany back and sides complement the top wood nicely, contributing to the FG850’s woody resonance and sustain. The tone has been described as vintage sounding, with a pleasing old-school vibe reminiscent of mahogany guitars from decades past.
Yet despite its vintage character, the FG850 has modern acoustic guitar projection and volume. Players can expect their strumming and fingerpicking to be heard without straining thanks to the dreadnought body shape and scalloped bracing under the top. The mahogany and rosewood tonewoods are expertly voiced to deliver the warmth and balance that fingerstylists desire.
The FG850 excels at a wide variety of musical genres where a lush, rich, resonant tone is desired. From blues to country to folk and more, this Yamaha acoustic flatters lead lines, accompaniment, and vocals equally well. The mahogany and rosewood pairing is a tonal match made in heaven for those who want traditional acoustic character without breaking the bank.
Playability & Comfort
The Yamaha FG850 provides excellent playability and comfort for players of all levels. The neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for fast, comfortable playing across the entire fretboard. The action is set low from the factory, making bends easy without causing fret buzz. This allows even novice players to progress quickly on the FG850 without fighting the guitar.
The classic dreadnought body shape is comfortable and ergonomic for most players to hold in both seated and standing positions. The curves of the body contour nicely to the player’s own body shape. The waist is slim for easier fretting access higher up the neck. At the same time, the body has enough surface area for secure support on the leg while playing seated.
The FG850 works well for various playing styles from delicate fingerpicking to aggressive strumming. The comfortable neck and low action facilitate intricate fingerstyle arrangements, while the body shape and bracing allow aggressive strumming without distorting the tone. Overall, the FG850 offers a very playable experience for guitarists of all skill levels and playing styles.
Hardware
The Yamaha FG850 features high-quality hardware consistent with its excellent construction and playability. It comes equipped with Yamaha’s own vintage-style, open-gear tuning machines with butterbean knobs. The tuning keys provide precise tuning stability and are sealed to protect against corrosion.
The nut width on the FG850 is 1 11/16 inches, which is a comfortable width for most playing styles. It has a urea nut and saddle which are synthetic materials that help transfer string vibration. While urea may not be as resonant as bone, it holds its integrity well and allows for consistent action. The urea nut and saddle complement the FG850’s tone while providing durability.
Overall, the hardware components on the FG850 enhance both the guitar’s tone and playability while keeping costs down compared to more premium options like bone nuts and saddles. The tuning machines, nut and saddle all work together seamlessly to deliver an excellent playing experience.
Craftsmanship
The Yamaha FG850 demonstrates excellent craftsmanship throughout its construction and finishing details. Starting with the choice of solid tonewoods, Yamaha selected premium quality mahogany for the top, back, and sides of this guitar. The mahogany is masterfully bookmatched on the top and back to produce a symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing wood grain pattern.
Attention was paid to properly drying the wood to ensure structural integrity as well as the best resonance. The mahogany pieces are cut precisely to shape the traditional dreadnought body before being joined together. Yamaha also implemented their advanced scalloped X-bracing design, which further improves the vibration and projection of the top. This thoughtful bracing pattern maximizes the guitar’s tone.
The neck is carved from quality mahogany and the fretboard features premium rosewood. The frets are carefully leveled, crowned, and polished for smooth playing. The nut and saddle are cut from bone to transfer vibrations efficiently. The natural gloss finish is evenly applied to allow the wood’s beauty to shine through while protecting against damage. Small details like the abalone rosette and chrome vintage-style tuners add premium accents.
Overall, the FG850 shows how Yamaha blends modern precision manufacturing with traditional guitar craftsmanship. From the tonewood selection to the voice-enhancing bracing to the fret dressing and finish details, it’s clear extensive care went into this instrument. The result is a reliable, great-sounding, and gorgeous guitar that represents excellent value.
Accessories
The Yamaha FG850 comes with a high-quality hardshell case that provides protection during transport and storage. The hard case features plush interior padding to keep the guitar safe from bumps and knocks. It’s an excellent inclusion for a guitar in this price range.
Some optional accessories that pair well with the FG850 include:
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Guitar strap – A wide padded strap improves playing comfort during long practice or gig sessions. Levy’s and Fender make quality leather and nylon straps.
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Guitar picks – The FG850 sounds great with a variety of pick sizes and materials. Popular options are medium celluloid picks and the Dunlop Primetone series.
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Guitar humidifier – Keeping the solid wood FG850 at the optimal humidity level prevents cracking. D’Addario’s Planet Waves guitar humidifier is an affordable and effective option.
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Tuner – A clip-on headstock tuner like the Snark SN-2 allows for convenient tuning on the go. Tune the FG850 accurately before playing.
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Capo – A Shubb or Kyser capo is useful for quickly changing the key of songs on the FG850. Position it across multiple frets to transpose chords.
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Strings – Elixir and D’Addario make coated acoustic strings that resist corrosion on the FG850. Try a custom light or extra light gauge.
While the FG850 comes gig-ready out of the box, some of these supplementary accessories can further enhance your playing experience. Protect your investment and get the most out of your new Yamaha acoustic guitar.
Value for Money
The Yamaha FG850 provides excellent value for money. It’s very affordably priced, especially for a solid wood acoustic guitar. The FG850 can be found new for around $300-400, which is quite reasonable given the quality components and construction.
Many acoustic guitars in this price range will have laminate wood tops, backs, and sides. Laminate woods do not resonate or sound as good as solid wood. So the fact that the FG850 has a solid mahogany top makes it stand out in terms of value. Solid wood tops project sound better and have a richer, warmer tone.
The hardware, craftsmanship, and attention to detail on the FG850 are on par with more expensive models. Yamaha didn’t cut corners to reach this price point. Everything from the scalloped bracing to the rosewood appointments contribute to making this an intermediate-level instrument.
Considering the warm, balanced tone from the all-mahogany body, comfortable playability, and quality workmanship, the FG850 provides amazing value. It’s really an incredible deal for the price, and gives you professional level sound without costing thousands of dollars. Many musicians would be hard-pressed to find a better acoustic guitar in this price range.
The Yamaha FG850 is the perfect choice for an intermediate player looking to upgrade from a beginner instrument on a budget. While more expensive guitars do exist, the FG850 competes well above its class when it comes to value for your money.
Comparison to Similar Guitars
The Yamaha FG850 holds up very well when compared to other acoustic guitars in its price range and class. Here’s how it stacks up against some comparable models:
Yamaha FG800 vs FG850
The FG800 is another popular Yamaha dreadnought model, but with a laminate spruce top instead of solid wood. While the FG800 provides great value, the FG850’s solid mahogany top gives it better resonance, warmth, and projection. The tonewood upgrade makes the FG850 worth the extra cost for intermediate players.
Seagull S6 Original
This all-solid wood Seagull dreadnought has a slightly higher price tag but comparable build quality and sound. The cedar top gives it a brighter tone compared to the warmer FG850 mahogany. Comes down to tonewood preference, but hard to beat the FG850 for value.
Taylor Big Baby Taylor
As a 15/16-size dreadnought, the Big Baby Taylor has a smaller body than the FG850. It provides great portability and playability. However, the smaller body lacks some of the bass response and projection of the full-size FG850. The Taylor name commands a higher price as well.
Martin LX1
This all-mahogany Martin dreadnought has a similar warm, mellow tone. However, the FG850’s solid top gives it better resonance and volume. Craftsmanship is comparable, but the FG850 costs several hundred dollars less. Excellent bang-for-buck vs the pricier Martin.
Epiphone DR-100
The super affordable Epiphone DR-100 has laminate wood construction. It makes a decent beginner’s guitar, but the FG850 outclasses it in tone, build quality, playability, and long-term value. The FG850 justifies its higher (but still reasonable) price.
Gibson J-45 Standard
The J-45 is Gibson’s legendary workhorse acoustic. With a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back/sides, it produces a beautifully balanced tone. However, as a professional-grade instrument, it costs significantly more than the FG850. The Yamaha comes surprisingly close in quality for a fraction of the price.
Overall, the Yamaha FG850 provides amazing value by combining high-end sound, playability, and construction at an intermediate guitar price point. It stands tall against both cheaper entry-level models and pricier professional acoustic guitars.