Introduction
Yamaha has built a reputation for making high-quality and affordable acoustic guitars over the decades. The Yamaha FS800 is an excellent example of their concert-style acoustic aimed at beginner to intermediate players.
The FS800 features a compact concert body shape with a solid Sitka spruce top, Nato back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard. It produces a balanced, articulate tone across various playing styles – ideal for fingerpicking, folk, country, pop, and light strumming. The smaller concert body size also makes the FS800 a great choice for travel, practice, and players with smaller frames.
With its all-solid wood construction and scalloped bracing, the FS800 punches above its weight at this accessible price point. It’s an ideal first "real" acoustic for beginners looking to upgrade from a cheaper laminate guitar, as well as intermediate players wanting a high-quality affordable option for practice and travel. The FS800 provides warm, nuanced tone without breaking the bank.
Yamaha FS800 Specs & Features
The Yamaha FS800 features a compact concert body shape with an overall length of 40 1/2", body width of 15", and body depth of 4 1/2". This makes it on the smaller side for an acoustic guitar, though the reduced size doesn’t compromise on playability or tone.
At the heart of the FS800 is a solid Sitka spruce top. Solid wood tops are crucial for producing the best possible sound in an acoustic guitar. The solid spruce provides excellent resonance, articulation, and volume projection. It also enables the tone to mature and open up over time.
The back and sides of the FS800 are made from nato wood, also known as eastern mahogany. Nato has a focused midrange punch that blends nicely with the top end sparkle from the spruce. The FS800 also features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Rosewood offers a smooth feel and helps produce balanced tone across the strings.
To keep the guitar in tune, the FS800 utilizes diecast chrome tuners. These are higher quality than basic tuners and hold tune reliably. The natural gloss finish gives the FS800 an attractive, classic look. Overall the specs and appointments make this a fantastic acoustic for the price.
Sound Profile
The Yamaha FS800 produces a well-balanced, articulate tone that belies its affordable price point. Despite the smaller concert body shape, this acoustic guitar projects very nicely and has impressive volume capabilities.
When strumming, the FS800 has a bright and focused sound with clear overtones coming through on each chord. The notes ring out cleanly even during more aggressive playing. For fingerpicking and light arpeggios, the FS800 showcases a warm midrange and rounded bass notes. The dynamic range allows the guitar to adapt well across playing styles.
The use of a solid Sitka spruce top is a key factor in the FS800’s great resonance and sustain. As a responsive softwood, spruce enhances the guitar’s harmonic overtones for a more complex sound. This solid wood top will mature nicely over time, improving in tone as the FS800 ages. The projection and articulation from the spruce gives the FS800 a sound that punches above its price tag.
Playability
The Yamaha FS800 is designed for comfort, ease of play, and smooth action right out of the box. Its low action and slim neck profile make it an extremely beginner-friendly acoustic. Many reviewers mention how the FS800 has one of the most playable necks in its price range, with a comfortable 1 11/16" nut width.
The smaller concert-style body not only looks elegant, but makes the FS800 a highly portable travel guitar. The compact body shape is ideal for smaller players too, as it helps reduce fatigue during longer practice sessions. Despite its petite frame, the FS800 still produces impressive volume and projection thanks to its solid spruce top.
Yamaha’s use of scalloped bracing helps create a more resonant and open sound by allowing the top more freedom of movement. The scalloped X-type bracing pattern maximizes vibration of the solid spruce top, resulting in excellent sustain and responsiveness. This allows the FS800 to come alive when fingerpicking or strumming dynamically.
Overall, the Yamaha FS800 offers incredible playability in an affordable package. Between its slim neck, low action, small body size, and resonant bracing, it’s one of the most comfortable beginner acoustic guitars on the market. The FS800’s smooth playability makes it a joy to practice on for hours.
Hardware
The Yamaha FS800 features quality hardware that enhances its playability and durability. It comes equipped with diecast chrome tuners that do an excellent job of holding the guitar in tune. The tuners are mounted on a classy vintage-style headstock that gives the FS800 a classic acoustic look.
The guitar has a rosewood bridge and fingerboard which not only looks great, but rosewood is known for having excellent tonal properties. It helps produce clear notes with good sustain. The bridge and fingerboard are both durable and resistant to wear.
The Yamaha FS800 has an attractive natural gloss finish that resists scratches and wear well. It shows off the solid spruce top and other woods nicely. There is also an optional tortoise pickguard available which protects the top from pick scratches while adding a stylish visual element.
The hardware components on the FS800 like the tuners, woods, and finish all complement each other nicely to provide great playability, tone, and reliability. Yamaha didn’t cut corners on the important details that affect an acoustic guitar’s sound and longevity.
Compare to Similar Guitars
The Yamaha FS800 stands up well when compared to other popular acoustic guitars in the sub-$500 price range. Here’s how it stacks up to some comparable models:
Vs Fender CC-60S Concert
The Fender CC-60S is another concert-style acoustic guitar that competes directly with the Yamaha FS800. It has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, along with a rosewood fingerboard.
In terms of build quality, the Yamaha FS800 edges out the Fender slightly. The FS800’s solid Sitka spruce top and scalloped bracing give it better resonance and projection. The gloss finish is also more durable on the Yamaha.
When it comes to sound, the FS800 again has a slight advantage. Its solid top produces a balanced, warm tone that many players prefer over the CC-60S’s brighter sound.
The Yamaha FS800 retails for around $200, while the Fender CC-60S costs approximately $150. Given the small price difference, the FS800 delivers noticeably better features and sound for just a bit more money.
Vs Taylor GS Mini/Martin Dreadnought Jr
The Taylor GS Mini and Martin Dreadnought Jr are two ultra-portable travel acoustic guitars. They both have scaled-down dreadnought body shapes.
The Yamaha FS800 differs by having a full-size concert body shape, which produces slightly louder and richer tones. The FS800’s neck is also wider and may suit some players better.
On the other hand, the GS Mini and Dreadnought Jr are even more compact and easier to transport. Their mini-dreadnought design targets travel and smaller players.
For pure sound quality, the Yamaha FS800 competes well with both models – especially considering its lower price point. But the Taylor and Martin guitars win out for maximum portability.
Pros of the Yamaha FS800:
- Better build quality than comparably priced models
- Articulate, balanced tone from solid spruce top
- Good playability and comfort
- Smaller concert body still provides decent volume
- Great value for money from a leading brand
Cons of the Yamaha FS800:
- Not as portable as some travel-specific acoustics
- Electronics must be added for plugged-in use
- Less ornate cosmetics than some competitors
- Not made in USA like some brands
So in summary, the Yamaha FS800 punches above its weight with impressive features and great sound quality. While it doesn’t beat the smallest travel guitars for portability, it provides better value than most competitors. For a well-built, nice sounding acoustic under $500, the FS800 is tough to beat.
Yamaha FS800 Variations & Accessories
The Yamaha FS800 acoustic guitar comes in a few different variations that add some unique flair.
The FS800 Limited Edition offers an alternative to the standard natural gloss finish. It has a transparent cherry sunburst top that gives it a striking reddish appearance. The back and sides remain nato wood. This limited edition look provides a more vintage vibe.
For amplified live performances, the FS800T is an acoustic-electric version with a built-in pickup and preamp. It has a System-57 piezo pickup with a 3-band EQ for shaping your amplified tone. This makes the FS800T ideal for gigging singer-songwriters.
Some recommended accessories that pair nicely with the FS800:
- Gig bags: Mono M80 Dreadnought Bag, Fender FA-100 Acoustic Guitar Gig Bag
- Hard cases: Gator Cases Transit Series, SKB Waterproof Case
- Straps: Elixir Polyweb Guitar Strap, Fender Monogram 3" Leather Strap
Gig bags provide basic protection for taking your FS800 to jam sessions or band practice. Hard cases offer more heavy duty protection for touring or airline travel. A comfortable strap also helps make this small-bodied guitar feel natural when standing up to play.
Ideal Player Profile
The Yamaha FS800 is an ideal acoustic guitar for beginner to intermediate level players who want a well-built instrument that sounds great without breaking the bank. While more advanced guitarists would likely want to opt for a more premium model, the FS800 hits a sweet spot for newer players looking to upgrade from a cheaper beginner acoustic.
With its balanced tone and articulated notes, the FS800 is particularly well suited for fingerstyle playing. It allows for intricate fingerpicking patterns to shine through clearly. The dynamic range of tones also makes the FS800 great for folk, country, blues, and other lighter genres where the guitar work is more intricate.
While capable of handling strumming, the FS800 truly excels when played with a delicate touch. The concert body shape and compact size also make this an excellent travel guitar. Its portability and playability allow you to easily pack it in a gig bag for the road or playing on the couch. Students and younger musicians will appreciate being able to comfortably play the FS800.
At around $200-$300, the Yamaha FS800 offers amazing value by including a solid wood spruce top found on guitars costing twice as much. The quality materials and construction enable it to compete with pricier models in terms of tone and reliability. For those looking to get the most guitar for their money, the FS800 is tough to beat.
Customer Reviews
Getting reviews from actual Yamaha FS800 owners is crucial to understanding the real-world performance of this guitar. We found an excellent video review from an FS800 player that highlights the pros and cons from first-hand experience:
Pros
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Great tone for the price – The solid spruce top really makes the guitar sing, with clear and balanced sound across the frequency range. Very impressive for under $500.
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Easy playability – The slim neck and small body size make it very comfortable and accessible even for beginners and smaller players.
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Quality hardware – Upgraded tuners and nut help keep it in tune while the rosewood bridge provides a nice contrast to the spruce top.
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Lightweight and portable – Weighing under 4 lbs, it’s easy to take this guitar anywhere without hassle. The compact concert body size is perfect for travel.
Cons
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Lack of cutaway – The double-bound body looks great but limits upper fret access compared to a cutaway.
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No electronics – While the acoustic tone is excellent, an acoustic-electric version would be useful for plugging in live. The FS800T model adds this feature.
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Not as loud as a dreadnought – The small concert body gives a balanced tone but can’t compete with larger guitars for pure volume.
Overall, this real user review confirms that the Yamaha FS800 punches above its weight with impressive sound and playability at a very wallet-friendly price point. For newer players or those needing an affordable, portable acoustic the FS800 is tough to beat.
Conclusion
The Yamaha FS800 is an excellent choice for an affordable, high-quality acoustic guitar. Throughout this review, we’ve covered the FS800’s many strengths that make it a great option for beginners and intermediate players alike.
To quickly recap – the FS800 delivers a balanced, articulate tone thanks to its solid Sitka spruce top. It’s comfortable to play with great action and playability. The smaller concert body size is ideal for travel and smaller-framed players. And it provides professional build quality and components at a very reasonable price point.
Overall, the Yamaha FS800 punches well above its weight class, providing a fantastic playing and sounding instrument without breaking the bank. It’s our top recommendation in the sub-$500 acoustic guitar market.
If you’re an absolute beginner or looking for the lowest cost option, you may want to start with an all-laminate guitar like the Fender FA-115 before graduating up to the FS800. For more advanced players who want premium tonewoods and appointments, the Taylor Academy Series or Martin Road Series are great options in the $600-1000 range.
But for most developing acoustic guitarists, the FS800 has everything you need. Its quality and value proposition are difficult to beat. We highly recommend you check it out at your local music store or order one online. The Yamaha FS800 is sure to provide years of musical enjoyment.