Introduction
Yamaha has a long history of crafting high-quality acoustic guitars. The company was founded in 1887 and originally focused on building reed organs and pianos. In the 1940s, Yamaha expanded into making stringed instruments like violins and guitars.
Over the decades, Yamaha has earned a reputation for innovation and consistently producing acoustic guitars with excellent tone and playability. Models like the legendary FG series established Yamaha as a leader in the steel-string acoustic guitar market.
In recent years, Yamaha has focused on researching the needs of specific players to create guitars tailored to their preferences. The Storia series continues this tradition – it is a line of concert-sized acoustic guitars designed based on input from female guitarists. With premium tonewoods, comfortable necks, and stylish aesthetics, the Storia models aim to provide an exceptional playing experience for women players.
Yamaha Storia Series Overview
The Yamaha Storia series consists of three models – the Storia I, Storia II, and Storia III. These are all concert-style acoustic guitars, featuring compact bodies and slim, comfortable necks.
The Storia I is the most affordable model in the series. It has a solid Sitka spruce top, nato back and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard. The Storia II steps things up a notch with an all-mahogany body – solid mahogany top and mahogany back and sides. Lastly, the Storia III is the premium model, with a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides.
All three models share some key features that make the Storia series stand out. This includes Yamaha’s expertise in acoustic guitar craftsmanship, resulting in great attention to detail and quality construction. The guitars also have a stylish, elegant aesthetic thanks to unique design elements inspired by input from female guitarists. And they utilize premium tonewoods and components to provide a great playing experience with impressive sound.
Yamaha Storia I Review
The Storia I is the most affordable model in the Yamaha Storia series. It features a concert body style with a solid Sitka spruce top and nato back and sides. Other specifications include:
- Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
- Mahogany neck
- Chrome die-cast tuners
- Tortoise pickguard
- Gloss finish
The Storia I produces a bright, articulate tone thanks to its solid spruce top. The midrange is focused and clear, while the bass response is balanced and projects well. Treble notes have sparkle and definition. Overall, the Storia I offers impressive volume and sustain for its compact body size.
In terms of playability, the Storia I’s slim neck profile and low action facilitate smooth, comfortable fretting. The shorter 24.9" scale length reduces string tension, making it an accessible choice for beginners and players with smaller hands. The nato neck provides stability to withstand changes in humidity and temperature.
The lightweight Storia I weighs under 4 lbs, making it easy to play for extended periods. It’s a versatile guitar well-suited to various fingerstyle techniques as well as strumming accompaniment. The Storia I punches above its weight in sound and offers beginners a quality instrument at an entry-level price point.
Yamaha Storia II Review
The Storia II features a concert body style with a solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, and mahogany neck. It has a slightly warmer, richer tone compared to the bright and articulate Storia I due to the all-mahogany construction. The mahogany gives the Storia II a beautiful, rustic aesthetic appeal.
In terms of playability, the Storia II has the same slim neck profile and comfortable string action as the Storia I. The sound is well-balanced across the tonal spectrum, with slight boosts in the lows and low-mids from the mahogany body. This gives it a pleasing resonance when played unplugged. The mids and highs still come through with clarity.
The Storia II shares many of the same appointments as the Storia I, including a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, die-cast tuners, and tortoise pickguard. One notable upgrade is the addition of white binding on the body, neck, and headstock. Overall, the Storia II offers players a slightly different tonal flavor than the Storia I, while maintaining the same high build quality and playability. It’s an excellent choice for those who prefer a warm, rounded acoustic tone.
Yamaha Storia III Review
The Yamaha Storia III represents the top-tier model in the Storia series, offering premium features and components that justify its higher price point. This concert-sized acoustic guitar has a solid Sitka spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and an ebony fingerboard.
The use of all solid tonewoods gives the Storia III a beautifully balanced and articulate tone, with the rosewood back and sides providing a rich low end and sparkling highs from the spruce top. It projects very impressively for a compact-bodied guitar.
Some of the premium appointments on the Storia III include ornate abalone inlays, a bone nut and saddle, and gold die-cast tuners. This attention to detail puts the Storia III on par with guitars costing much more.
Compared to other acoustic guitars in the $700-900 range, the Storia III punches well above its weight in terms of build quality, components, and overall playability. While not exactly a budget model, the Storia III offers a tremendous value for those seeking a professional-grade instrument without spending over $1000.
The high level of craftsmanship and tonal characteristics make the Storia III an excellent choice for fingerstyle players, recording artists, and intermediate to advanced players who want a compact guitar that doesn’t compromise on sound. While beginners may find it expensive, the Storia III would be ideal for a player looking to invest in a lifelong instrument.
Acoustic-Electric Models
The Yamaha Storia series also offers acoustic-electric versions of each model: the Storia-A, Storia-AII, and Storia-AIII. These guitars feature Yamaha’s SRT pickup system, which utilizes a trio of uniquely positioned piezo saddle transducers to capture the guitar’s natural tone and dynamics.
The SRT system is paired with a discrete preamp and built-in tuner, providing plug-and-play capabilities for live performances or recording situations. The preamp offers simple tone shaping controls, including a 3-band EQ, volume knob, and phase switch.
When plugged in, the Storia acoustic-electric models produce a remarkably natural, organic tone that is highly responsive and feedback-resistant. The SRT system accurately conveys the inherent sound characteristics of each Storia model, from the Storia-A’s bright, articulate voice to the Storia-AII’s warm, woody tones.
The amplified tones are balanced across the frequency spectrum, with rich lows and clear, shimmering highs. Whether playing solo or alongside other amplified instruments, the Storia acoustic-electric models project with clarity and nuance in live settings. The preamp provides sufficient tonal shaping capabilities for dialing in your ideal amplified sound.
Craftsmanship & Design
The Yamaha Storia series stands out for its incredible attention to detail and unique design aesthetic. These guitars are not mass-produced, but carefully handcrafted by master luthiers in Yamaha’s custom shop. Each Storia guitar goes through a detailed process involving over 200 steps to ensure the highest standards of quality and playability.
The design of the Storia series was directly influenced by input from female guitarists. Yamaha worked closely with their all-female design team to create a line of guitars specifically tailored to women players. This resulted in several unique design elements not found on other acoustic guitars.
For example, the Storia models feature a slimmer, more contoured body shape and narrowed waist. This compact concert-sized body is not only visually striking, but highly comfortable for smaller players. The neck profile is also slimmer and designed for maximum playability.
Visually, the Storia guitars exhibit expert craftsmanship in their finishing and appointments. Fine details like the hand-inlaid rosette and fretboard inlays, high-gloss body binding, and expertly-buffed finishes give these guitars an elegant, premium look.
The collaborative design process between Yamaha’s luthiers and female guitarists resulted in a thoughtfully-crafted instrument optimized for comfort, visual appeal, and premium sound. From the unique body shapes to the stylish aesthetic touches, the Storia series exemplifies Yamaha’s pursuit of innovation guided by the player’s experience.
Yamaha Storia Series vs Other Beginner Acoustic Guitars
The Yamaha Storia series stands out from other popular beginner acoustic guitars in a few key ways. Here’s a look at how the Storia models compare to some top alternatives:
Fender FA-100
The Fender FA-100 is one of the best-selling acoustic guitars for beginners. It features a dreadnought body shape made from laminated spruce and mahogany. The FA-100 produces a bright, vibrant tone well-suited to strumming. However, the Storia series offers all-solid wood construction for better resonance and sustain. The Storia models also have a more premium feel than the budget-friendly FA-100.
Epiphone DR-100
Epiphone’s DR-100 has a classic dreadnought design with a select spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It delivers balanced tone across the frequency range. The Storia series offers a more compact, comfortable body size than the full-size DR-100, making it a better choice for smaller players. The Storia models also utilize better quality woods and components.
Taylor Big Baby
The Big Baby is Taylor’s smallest full-size acoustic guitar. It produces Taylor’s signature bright, articulate tone thanks to its solid Sitka spruce top. The Big Baby is an excellent choice for Taylor fans seeking a compact, travel-friendly option. However, the Storia series offers a body size that’s even smaller and easier to handle. The Storia models are also more affordably priced than the Big Baby.
Martin LX1
This popular Martin model features a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides in a downsized body shape. It delivers impressive volume and sustain for its size. The Storia and LX1 are comparable, but the Yamaha offers more stylish, unique aesthetics inspired by women guitarists. The Storia models are also more accessibly priced than the professional-grade LX1.
In summary, the Storia series competes well with other leading beginner acoustic guitars, offering players high-end features, premium tonewoods and comfortable ergonomics in an elegantly designed compact body. For many players, especially women and fingerstyle guitarists, the Storia models will be an appealing alternative to standard starter acoustics.
Conclusion
The Yamaha Storia series offers a fantastic option for players seeking high-quality, stylish acoustic guitars in a compact concert body size. After reviewing all three models in the Storia line, it’s clear that Yamaha has succeeded in crafting guitars that punch above their weight with impressive tone and playability.
The Storia guitars shine thanks to their premium tonewoods, excellent craftsmanship, and unique design elements inspired by input from women players. While the smaller concert body may limit projection for heavy strummers, the Storias offer crystal clear articulation and balance that suits fingerstyle players incredibly well.
Overall, the Storia models provide fantastic value by combining the construction and components of more expensive guitars with a slimmed-down concert body. The tone, comfort, and aesthetic make these guitars a great choice for everyone from students to intermediate players looking to upgrade.
In summary, the Yamaha Storia series hits a sweet spot for those seeking an accessible price point without sacrificing build quality or sound. The attention to detail and diverse array of models means there’s a Storia for nearly every player. I’d readily recommend these guitars for any fingerstylist or guitarist with smaller hands looking for a comfortable, compact concert acoustic that plays and sounds like a premium instrument.
Related Keywords
When creating content optimized for search, it’s important to include relevant keywords that people may use when searching for information on the Yamaha Storia series guitars. Here are some related keywords that should be incorporated:
- Yamaha acoustic guitars
- Storia concert body guitars
- Acoustic-electric guitars
- Solid spruce top
- Solid mahogany top
- Rosewood back and sides
- Beginner acoustic guitars
- Guitar craftsmanship
- Acoustic guitar tone
- Yamaha guitar quality
- Guitar accessories
- Stylish guitar design
- Women guitar designers
By including these related keywords naturally throughout the content, it will help boost visibility and rankings in search for queries around the Storia series and Yamaha acoustic guitars. The goal is to provide comprehensive information to users while optimizing the content for key phrases they may be searching for.