Talk me out of a Yamaha AC3R

[nittany1]

Just save up a little longer. In the long run you'll know you did the right thing.

[RLB61]

Originally Posted by LiFeStArTs@40

Spoken like a true cork sniffer. So all I get from your argument is that yammies don't have the bragging rights. You have yet to make a valid reason as to why is more quality of an instrument than another.

I'm certainly no cork sniffer. I've played Yammis before and just don't like them. I find the QC to be lacking, the playability to be wanting, and the sound to be less than stellar. That's just me. You could play a plywood box with strings for all I care BUT, if it played, sounded and were constructed well, I'd be all over it. That's not the case here, IMHO, particularly since this is a new model and Lord knows what it's going to be like. Apparently, the OP hasn't even played one, so there's no compelling reason to be in love with the "A" Series at this point in time. If the OP plays it and likes it, then let him buy it ... that's his choice and decision. He asked to be talked out of it, so I provided some reasons.

I haven't seen your reason(s), if any, as to why the OP should buy it or why it's such a great guitar. Please, educate us all.

[Rick Jones]

Originally Posted by RLB61

I'm certainly no cork sniffer. I've played Yammis before and just don't like them. I find the QC to be lacking, the playability to be wanting, and the sound to be less than stellar. That's just me.

Really? That's the complete opposite of what I've seen. Sound, ok, well that is subjective, but I have yet to see a Yamaha with QC issues at any price point.

I always recommend them to students, mainly for the playability.

I paid a lot more for my Gibson J-185 than I did my Yamaha Country Jumbo, and the Gibson had file marks on the frets,lots of filler around the MOTO inlays that was very different color than the fretboard, and a bridge with 5 slotted pin holes and one that wasn't (the D string...?!). It also came with a tusq nut and saddle.
The Yamaha was half the price, the inlays are stunningly well done and made of real MOP and abalone, the nut and saddle are very polished bone, and there's not a flaw on it anywhere.

That's been my experience.

[brian a.]

Originally Posted by jackajesusfreak

BTW does anyone know what size nut they have? After playing my Martin, and a 1.75 nut for the first time, I don't want to play anything but a 1.75 or a 1.72 which is what the SP Songsmith is that I just got! (Finally found an SP in the specs I wanted)

According to the Yamaha site, the AC3R has a 43mm nut width. That is 1.69" or about 1-11/16". Here is a link to that info:
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music...product_lineup

[RLB61]

Originally Posted by Rick Jones

Really? That's the complete opposite of what I've seen. Sound, ok, well that is subjective, but I have yet to see a Yamaha with QC issues at any price point.

I always recommend them to students, mainly for the playability.

I paid a lot more for my Gibson J-185 than I did my Yamaha Country Jumbo, and the Gibson had file marks on the frets,lots of filler around the MOTO inlays that was very different color than the fretboard, and a bridge with 5 slotted pin holes and one that wasn't (the D string...?!). It also came with a tusq nut and saddle.
The Yamaha was half the price, the inlays are stunningly well done and made of real MOP and abalone, the nut and saddle are very polished bone, and there's not a flaw on it anywhere.

That's been my experience.

Well, I HAVE seen QC and playablilty issues on them, so my experience is just as valid as yours. I find it rude and disrespectful to accuse someone of being a corksniffer when they speak from experience rather than from some abstract notion of elitism.

I see that you haven't objected to my point concerning the minimal resale value of the Yammi, so I will presume that you agree with that. Rather than debate the issue ad nauseum, let the OP try it out and see whether he likes it. If so, then he can buy it.

BTW, I agree with you as to the Gibsons. It has been my experience that the QC is terrible (I find the sound too tubby as well), and that maybe one in a hundred is passable. I'm surprised that you purchased the Gibson with what appear to have been obvious defects.

[Kitchen Guitars]

I can list as many great/famous guitar players that play or have played Yamahas as Martins. Easy. I bet you run out of Famous Taylor players way before I run out of Yamaha players.
This Yamaha will compare in price to an HPL Martin or a Model D1.
I heard the A is going to be a great, easy player. I look forward to trying one.
YES; the resale of a Yamaha does cost you a higher percentage ding than the Martin. However, the loss on the resale of a decent Martin would pay for the Yamaha.

[stratomundo]

Originally Posted by Kitchen Guitars

I can list as many great/famous guitar players that play or have played Yamahas as Martins. Easy. I bet you run out of Famous Taylor players way before I run out of Yamaha players.
This Yamaha will compare in price to an HPL Martin or a Model D1.
I heard the A is going to be a great, easy player. I look forward to trying one.
YES; the resale of a Yamaha does cost you a higher percentage ding than the Martin. However, the loss on the resale of a decent Martin would pay for the Yamaha.

lol definitely agree +1

[sboiir]

I've owned a few yamaha's over the years and they make great gits for throwing in the car for a road trip, not getting upset if someone rips a pick across it etc. but for the $ or couple extra bucks you could get into a vintage, played in Gibson LG or ? That will play better, sound better and better and if it's on yer mind will increase in value. never upgrade. Later just get another keeper.

[skatalite]

Originally Posted by sboiir

I've owned a few yamaha's over the years and they make great gits for throwing in the car for a road trip, not getting upset if someone rips a pick across it etc. but for the $ or couple extra bucks you could get into a vintage, played in Gibson LG or ? That will play better, sound better and better and if it's on yer mind will increase in value. never upgrade. Later just get another keeper.

I prefer Yamahas over Gibsons I've played. Across all price points.

Heck, an Epiphone AJ500ME I had was much better than the dozen or so Gibsons I tried in the store when shopping for a new guitar.

But much of the things you mentioned (playability, sound) are subjective. I don't like the necks on a Seagull because they're not comfortable to me, not because they're inferior to other makes.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by sboiir

I've owned a few yamaha's over the years and they make great gits for throwing in the car for a road trip, not getting upset if someone rips a pick across it etc. but for the $ or couple extra bucks you could get into a vintage, played in Gibson LG or ? That will play better, sound better and better and if it's on yer mind will increase in value. never upgrade. Later just get another keeper.

This perception came up on another recent thread. The pity is that we just don't get access to Yahama's really good stuff in mainstream stores here in the US. My first electric, an SG-80 (I think! It was a precursor to the Yamaha SG that Santana used to play), and my first "good" acoustic, an FG-180, were both really fine guitars and I'd love to try out their higher end instruments.

[patticake]

jackajesusfreak - this guitar has a 43mm neck as per the yamaha website. that's 1.69291339 inches

i haven't found yamaha guitars to have poor resale value. i recently sold a low end yammie for significantly more than 50% of its value new, and lots of people were interested - no one even tried to bargain with me. i see them sell on ebay and craigslist all the time. they sell for less than martins because they cost less. percentagewise, they seem to sell for more. this comes up periodically on an electronic drumming board i habituate. everyone says roland has higher resale value, but when one guy finally did the math, it turned out that while yamahas sell for less used, they are MUCH cheaper new, and they always - always - sold for a higher percentage of their original price.

while no brand is perfect, yamaha is more consistent than most when it comes to build quality. their all lams sound better than anyone else's, their solid tops hold their own tonally compared to seagull - well, except for the thinline series.

i know people who have had one midrange guitar or even solid top for decades and were perfectly happy with it. a buddy of mine who made much of his living playing had a bottom of the line solid martin and never wanted another. just because many here are always climbing the guitar food chain doesn't actually mean that everyone is. some of us here are gearheads - but that doesn't mean everyone is.

[Buck62]

Originally Posted by RLB61

I've played Yammis before and just don't like them.

Fair enough.

Everyone has different likes and dislikes when it comes to guitars.

Originally Posted by RLB61

Well, I HAVE seen QC and playablilty issues on them, so my experience is just as valid as yours.

Okay, here's where you're losing your credibility. You're the first person I've ever heard of (here or elsewhere) to have these issues with Yamaha guitars. On the contrary, even the folks who play high end guitars here pretty much agree that Yammies play very well and have excellent quality control at all price points of their line of guitars. Sure, there might be a slightly sub-standard guitar that squeaks past the inspectors every now and then, just like any other manufacturer. But it's very rare with Yamaha, especially given the huge number of guitars they produce each year.

Again, if you don't like Yamaha guitars, nobody would have a problem with that because it's your personal preference. But to trash their playability and QC is indefensible and total nonsense.

[yardism]

Originally Posted by Herringbone

Talk me out of it.

Tim

DON'T BUY IT!!!


..that's all I've got.

[RLB61]

Originally Posted by Buck62

Fair enough.

Everyone has different likes and dislikes when it comes to guitars.



Okay, here's where you're losing your credibility. You're the first person I've ever heard of (here or elsewhere) to have these issues with Yamaha guitars. On the contrary, even the folks who play high end guitars here pretty much agree that Yammies play very well and have excellent quality control at all price points of their line of guitars. Sure, there might be a slightly sub-standard guitar that squeaks past the inspectors every now and then, just like any other manufacturer. But it's very rare with Yamaha, especially given the huge number of guitars they produce each year.

Again, if you don't like Yamaha guitars, nobody would have a problem with that because it's your personal preference. But to trash their playability and QC is indefensible and total nonsense.

So, because I didn't drink the Kool Aid, my opinion is total nonsense? That's laughable. I can't be the only person on the planet who has had bad experiences with Yammis. That's one of the reasons I dislike them and, as I've said previously, that valid opinion is based on my personal experiences. And, just because I'm the first person YOU ever heard of who had issues with them doesn't mean that others don't exist. Based on your statement, if you want to speak in terms of lack of credibility, then you may want to look in the mirror. Moreover, the absolute refusal to tolerate any opinion which fails to comport with yours is indefensible to ME.

If you like Yammis, then fine. Play them to your heart's content. I think there are better guitars and better values in the OP's current price range; more so for a few hundred bucks more.

[skatalite]

Originally Posted by RLB61

So, because I didn't drink the Kool Aid, my opinion is total nonsense? That's laughable. I can't be the only person on the planet who has had bad experiences with Yammis. That's one of the reasons I dislike them and, as I've said previously, that valid opinion is based on my personal experiences. And, just because I'm the first person YOU ever heard of who had issues with them doesn't mean that others don't exist. Based on your statement, if you want to speak in terms of lack of credibility, then you may want to look in the mirror. Moreover, the absolute refusal to tolerate any opinion which fails to comport with yours is indefensible to ME.

If you like Yammis, then fine. Play them to your heart's content. I think there are better guitars and better values in the OP's current price range; more so for a few hundred bucks more.

What acoustic-electric, all-solid wood cutaway would you recommend in the $700 to $900 range?