Yamaha A5R (ARE) Review

Guitar Gallery reviews the Yamaha A5R ARE model. Click on the link to find out more about this guitar.

[@freedomdance7601]

Just bought an A5R and I’m so impressed. It sounded better than the Taylor’s and martins I was trying and it’s less than half of what those cost . The low end clarity is seriously impressive. Please get this guitar if you want quality for a good price

[@garyd8664]

Just bought one of these and I'm stunned by the quality and tone. It's bright at the high end and mellow at the low end; a well-balanced instrument. Construction is wonderful. Best acoustic guitar I've owned since the Gibson Dove I sold in 1977 (I've had Taylors in the interim.) It's just so NICE. Love it.

[@ejr2716]

Another lovely video review!

[@t9620]

Thank you Yamaha, once again. And thank you, Gentlemen, for a great review!!

[@keithpatel6584]

Awesome review of an awesome guitar.Thank you Stephan and Stefan. I owe you both a visit soon.

[@im58woody]

Wonderful review

[@randycousineau9274]

Mine is a beautiful acoustic that makes me sound like a real guitarists. Real wood. No laminate and no HDL. I love it.

[@markbeling3330]

Great video and review Gents.

[@moneyinlist]

I just played a5r and fgx5 in store.Fgx5 more mellow very nice to play.a5r had bit more life,felt I heard the strings more on a5r,like newer string sound.I think when a5r strings are worn in it will be even nicer sound.Cutaway handy and like the gloss rosewood and markers on fretboard.

[@TMoody]

Awesome review. I just picked on up with the case for $850.

[@rontron418]

great deal

[@hoangnguyennguyen1032]

for a dread, it handles fingerstyle really well

[@deejay7339]

Must be the solid wood. Laminates always sound dulled imo

[@deejay7339]

Would you mind sharing what mics those are? Thanks :)

[@sooparticular]

u guys are great! greetings from nyc...how does it honestly compare to Martin 28 or 18 really?? thanks

[@randycousineau9274]

If I may comment. I have the AC5R. I’ve also had Martin and Taylor. I did not find them organic really. High density Laminate is not soft or real. This guitar is, for me worth at least a thousand dollars more compared to other acoustics. Cheers

[@nava1020]

Hey friends from Guitar Gallery! I have the chance to get this A5R new but saw a couple Martin DCPA4 and a DCPA3 online used for around $1200 which is less money that what this cost! What would be your recomendation? New Yamaha A5R or used Martin DCPA4? Money is not an issue, just want to get the best one!

[@petrotmyrcz308]

I like the selection of music he played in this demo, but not how he had it dialed in. It didn't sound natural to me. Be advised, I have an A3M ARE and the neck is a little chunkier than the profile on my Yamaha FG840, which I love. This neck profile may not fit everyone's hand. You won't know that until you try it out. Great guitar though with a full rich sound, the A5R must be awesome.

[@michaelappollo6770]

This guitar sounds great! I know you do a comparison with a Takamine P5DC, but I had a hard time hearing the difference. Is the Takamine more mid-scooped? Thank you!

[@Marshall_EL34]

Yes, the Takamine is more mid-scooped than either Yamaha A5R or Yamaha FG5/FGX5. The Yamaha's have a fuller sound in the mid-range ...while the Takamine has that "typical" Rosewood Dread "changy-changy-change treble.

[@iceWaterProductions1]

Can you list the gear you used to record the audio?

[@GuitarGallerySA]

AKG C451B x 2, Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB, Logic Pro X

[@revisionist3824]

" Quality Snobs " , damn i love this clip, seen hundred times. I own this guitar, and some Gibsons. And yes, if sound and quality matters, yamaha what else!!

[@AchillesWrath1]

How does the A5R sound in comparison to an FG5 red label unplugged? Is it like comparing a D18 to a D28?

[@tarksahinoglu4585]

Dude, searching for the same answer. Did you by any means find the answer and lean towards to a specific one?

[@AchillesWrath1]

@@tarksahinoglu4585 I did i but it was a process because there were no FG5's near me to try out. What i did was go to a guitar center and try out both a D18 and D28. Pretty much every GC has at least one of each. Then i ordered an FG5 from musicians friend and played it for a week or so and returned it. I had to pay return shipping. It's a good guitar but not a clone to a D18 for half the price as some people claim. I ended up buying a D18 they gave me like 20% off. I didn't like the D28 as much i thought it sounded kind of thin and tinny but some people love them and think they sound deeper than a D18. Not to my ears but i guess you've gotta play them both back to back and see what you think.

[@tarksahinoglu4585]

@@AchillesWrath1 thanks man, much appreciated. Can you compare thr a5r to fgx5 though?

[@MarkBreton]

Hi, how was the action out of the box? Great review!

[@GuitarGallerySA]

The consistency of the Yamahas are next level. Great neck angle and string break angle. We do however normally take the saddle down a fraction to get to a 2.3mm at the 12'th fret for bass E String and 2mm for the high E string.

[@MarkBreton]

@@GuitarGallerySA thank you for the quick reply!

[@davidgodzik7093]

Yamaha necks are unbelievable. Cold room hot room the neck does not move. I had my ll16 set up in 2016 and to this day I haven't had to adjust anything! I change strings like every 3 weeks, play in all kinds of alternate tunings and even had it in a case untouched for 5 months, the neck is exactly the same as it is when I got the setup. So yea lol

[@guns-gear-god3473]

Wish you would have let us hear the stock onboard pick up. I read they emulate Microphones would like to hear this. Excellent mic'ed sound demo, however thank you.

[@20firstcenturykid]

How would this rate again the Martin Road series? Say the 000-13e for example?

[@michaelrjmarshall4209]

do you think this guitar is better than the yamaha FGX5 ?

[@rontron418]

i cant decide between the two!lol

[@PC-er4ey]

Hi how does this compare to the the red label fgx5?

[@matthewi.minnick5845]

The Atmosfeel pickup sounds better than the SRT2. Unplugged, it's apples to oranges.

[@AchillesWrath1]

@@matthewi.minnick5845 What about unplugged? I'm leaning towards the FG5 red label because i don't need an electric acoustic.

[@matthewi.minnick5845]

The FG(X)5 has a fantastic mahogany dreadnaught tone that dare I say rivals the D18 [maybe a little less bass]. If you prefer a warm midrange, then the FG5 would be the one. If you like a brighter tone with deeper bass and less pronounced mids then go for the A5R.

[@sooparticular]

yamahas best guitar by farrr...kills the f red label series

[@PC-er4ey]

Is it better than the fgx5? I am deciding which one to get thanks

[@hoangnguyennguyen1032]

@@PC-er4ey more like preference. The red labels have short scale length (25”).

[@sooparticular]

@@hoangnguyennguyen1032 i didnt know that...I played the mahog. fgx5 wasnt impressed

[@yudhistiramelody3449]

@@sooparticular if the red labels have rosewood b/s variants, then I think they will sound similar though. But still I still prefer the A5R!

[@AchillesWrath1]

Well the FG5 and FGX5 red label have mahogany back and sides while the A5R has rosewood back and sides. So it's going to sound completely different. Kind of like comparing a D18 to a D28. It's a preference thing. I actually almost bought them both because i wanted to have the economical versions of both a D18 and a D28 for the cost of one Martin. But i ordered an FG5 red label for now and we'll see. I tried a D18 and a D28 and preferred the D18 over the D28.

[@AchillesWrath1]

Santa Cruz refuses to torrify their guitars because they say if you do it then it locks the sound in permanently and the guitar wont ever sound better with age. They may be right but who wants to wait 30 years for their guitar to age and dry out naturally?

[@petrotmyrcz308]

I agree. My A3M has the torrified top and it does sound like mature spruce. I haven't dated it, but it's a 2017 or newer, because that's when they started the ARE process and the new bracing pattern. I definitely don't have 30 years left, or the bank account for a Santa Cruz anyway. The ARE process puts an old guitar sound into a new guitar, and at a relatively affordable price.