Yamaha FGTA - Likes and Dislikes Review

I mentioned on the review of the NTX 1 that i would do one on the FGTA. Its a great guitar and worth the money. However as with all things its about compromise.
New strings fitted are Elixir.

[@andyd4329]

For the issue with the strap falling off- Old Busking tip!!! Take a red rubber ring from the top of a Grolsch bier bottle and slide it over the bolt after the strap is on. Never drop your guitar again.

[@jackfagan]

Cheers mate

[@EllenDegenerate]

Compared this to martins and Taylor’s in my local shop. It wasn’t even close in my opinion. Yamahas TA series is killing off the top dogs

[@jackfagan]

I have to say i tried out all comparable guitars in my local store and this one knocked it out of the park, absolutely love it.

[@maeyer]

I chose my LLTA over Taylor 214Ce, the price was $100 more than the Taylor. I found out after the fact that the Taylor was laminate; dodged that bullet. The effects on the Yamaha are lovely.

[@deb8tn]

Hi Jack. I currently have a FS-TA (laminate back and sides) and love that guitar. I also just got the LS-TA which is all solid construction. I will give you what the manual says verbatim about the EQ mode. This instrument also features an EQ adjustment mode. In this mode, you can adjust the mid range EQ of the effects sounds to create tonal changes or to reduce the acoustic feedback (or howling noise). ENTERING THE EQ ADJUSTMENT MODE Press the line out volume control switch and wait until the LED located inside the sound hole starts flashing (approx. 5 seconds). EXITING THE EQ ADJUSTMENT MODE Press the line out volume switch and wait until the LED located in the sound hole stops flashing (approx. 5 seconds). When the line out volume is not operated for approx. 30 seconds, the status automatically changes from EQ adjustment mode to normal mode. ADJUSTING THE MID RANGE EQ OF THE EFFECT Turn the line out volume switch. Turning the switch all the way to the right (clockwise) disables the EQ adjustment. Turning the switch to the left increases the amount of EQ adjustment applied to the effect sound. SAVING THE SETTINGS The settings for the EQ adjustment mode are saved automatically.

[@jackfagan]

Hi thanks for the info really appreciate it 👍

[@s.pmurphy6083]

@deb8tn just came across this handy piece of advice thanks very much my transacoustic has been ( howling ) for the past god knows how many months and this worked a treat 🙏

[@s.pmurphy6083]

Thanks so much for the advice.

[@davidbaillieul109]

I picked up a FGC TA this week and am enjoying it.I find that playing lead licks is where the TA really shines. Great review!

[@jackfagan]

Thanks glad to be of help 👍

[@wadepreston3401]

Nice review, I bought higher end version of this the LLTA. I love it so much. It’s beautiful sound makes it hard to put down. I play much more often than I used to because of this guitar. The LLTA is about twice the money of this FGTA, but I think it is worth it.

[@jackfagan]

Hi its nice to hear that, I must try and play one of the LLTA ones. Thanks for stopping by.

[@helenandrichard]

Just in case anybody wants to know - I changed the saddle on mine to bone, but found the original has a clearer sound. Later tried Tusq bridge pins, but they made no difference that I could hear.

[@jackfagan]

Great information that, thanks for sharing 👍

[@susanroycroft89]

That's a very interesting comment on ' changing the saddĺe to bone, I do that Frequently on the acoustic guitar's l get ,and it Always improves the sound EXCEPT, on high/end YAMAHA'S , Iv'e learned from experience you just can't improve the sound of there Saddle's, they use Urea, which is harder ( more dense) than bone, so stick with their product ( just my experience, for what it's worth 😂😂😊

[@susanroycroft89]

Iv'e just purchased a cutaway version of this Model, and it's simply fantastic, and I own and play a Martin, and the L series Yamaha ( which it too is quite stunning, it's an LG, series) but this Yamaha is another experience, 😊😊😊

[@helenandrichard]

I play a martin for gigs, and a furch mainly for acoustic jams etc. depending on my mood. I find the intonation on the Yamaha the best I've got, (I've 24 guitars!) but it is not as loud as my other acoustics, and since I finger pick a lot I need as much volume as I can get. I tried the solid back and sides trans model Yamaha but it was no louder and had no cutaway, and I've always liked black on a guitar as they seem to have a thinner finish which helps a lot. I'm planning on putting Urea on my martin when I can get around to it just to test it out. Normally I find bone helps smaller guitars and Tusq on larger ones, but I keep bone on both my faiths, and my tacoma which has every type of saddle over the years. But saying that, my APX6 still has the original Yamaha saddle.........@@susanroycroft89

[@garysheppard366]

Thanks for sharing this, Susan, I bought this model also (on lay-by, which will be paid off soon), great to know. Thx also to the posters re the urea used for the nut & saddle as I was also considering replacing them with bone straightaway to stop it going out of tune so much. I'll hold off on that until picking it up and playing it at home, then see. May change the strings to Elixers, which I like also.

[@damonthompson4990]

Great review thank you

[@jackfagan]

Thanks so much 👍

[@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow]

even the entry 230 USD dollar solid tops are well made.. I think Yamaha is good money for the bang..

[@mpojr]

l have that same guitar ,,,l have been playing for 50 plus years and l believe without question it is the best acoustic guitar l have ever played.

[@jackfagan]

I’m on the same page as you👌

[@arnoldpinklesweet3296]

I just picked one up this weekend. I love it too. Mine came with a strap button at base of neck so no need to tie strap to headstock. Unless they changed the design to add this since you reviewed?

[@jackfagan]

It looks as though they have added that, nice touch. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do. Thanks for dropping by.

[@arnoldpinklesweet3296]

@@jackfagan I absolutely love it. I'm a beginner and still learning my way round a guitar but even I can hear the difference between the FG-TA and my Fender CD60 even without using effects. It just sounds awesome.

[@musicandres]

tengo una en color negro y la amo, saludos!

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

Es el color negro mejor que el vintage? (forgive me if Spanish is wrong)

[@musicandres]

@@jeffrey.a.hanson lo escribes en buen español, a mi me gusta más el negro por su vista ya que toco rock pero en sonido es exactamente igual, ve y compra una es una guitarra muy inspiradora, saludos!

[@jonflores5832]

In my opinion the sunburst looks the best. However it’s completely subjective and regardless of what color you pick you will absolutely love the guitar

[@drmether9150]

I played the FSC TA today at a guitar shop and was quite underwhelmed… it wasn’t as resonant as like and the lower end was lacking but I have hopes about this larger bodied model.

[@jackfagan]

I pretended the FG TA

[@peteralbertthomas]

Great sounding but why didn’t they include a tuner

[@jackfagan]

Good point I guess that’s one thing they could have thought of 👍

[@BillyBlaze7]

Buy a guitar for your purpose and skill level. Some guitars are better suited for being plugged in, some unplugged. When you are a novice theres great disadvantages from buying a crap instrument, it will cause you more pain and make learning even more frustrating than it has to be. When you are skilled you buy what sounds the best as you can afford for the application you primarily need a guitar for.

[@dannyaakjr6359]

It says in ur manual how to set eq Hold power for 10 sec and it will blink inside and u set it then

[@jackfagan]

Thank you 👍

[@susanroycroft89]

Yes they are really Quite something, and I own 1 and WOW, however playing it Without the internal speaker to assist it's just a Very nice Yamaha, and I also own the FGX 830, and while it's Probably Played/in more ( 5 years old ) when I compare the 2 just Acoustically, the 830 sounds better, so I'm playing my Trans-acoustic Every day to try + catch/up, give IT the played/ in tone ( + it'll take a while I know )I also own a Martin ( all 3 guitar's are cutaways) and comparing them all, the Martin still beats 'em, just my opinion though 😊😊😊

[@jackfagan]

Hey thanks for sharing your experience 👍

[@mikeduman358]

So how much was it pal

[@jackfagan]

I bought it for £580 👍

[@mckindo64]

I found this guitar for $649... I think I am going to scoop it up. I have had Yamaha guitars for many years.

[@jackfagan]

Sounds like a great idea 👍

[@firebald2915]

I purchased my FG/TA and fell in love with her. Named her Abigail and she's never more than two feet away from me. Elixir phos.Bronze .10 .52 nanoweb strings or 13 56 depend on my mood for more deep richness of tone. I don't bend notes, I slide. Arthritis keeps bending at bay @ 65 yrs old. Haha best Martin I ever owned. Superior neck size and feel once you set it up to your liking. Low low for heavy strings with no buzz even digging in on her.

[@AllSpace]

stick with your taylor man, yamaha is a poor mans guitar

[@jackfagan]

Still a good guitar though 👍

[@cargueone1971]

Lifetime Taylor owner here, Taylor Guitars best years was the 1990's. There's no Taylor at double the price that can match a Yamaha FG5, or at the High end FG9. Around the world Yamaha is king, and in the professional circles, Martin and Gibson are the go to Guitar. However if you are Talking about a 1994 Taylor 810, that thing is amazing. I love that thing. But modern Taylors are now built for high production numbers, and in the quality numbers game, Yamaha blows Taylor away.

[@aperezdeal]

@Allspace Yamaha makes all levels of instruments. What sets Yamaha apart is that the consumer doesn’t feel “punished” for buying a lower end model.

[@joysirius6107]

People suggest a Taylor and Martin at the same price segment but i didn't even give a heed to it, the Yamaha and Epiphone was just on my list only. Ordered the Yamaha brand 😊.

[@whitehh15]

I own multiple Taylors. My LL16 is the guitar that gets played the most. The name on the headstock isn't everything

[@billm8633]

Have to attach a strap to the nut/head?!?! Just install a button/post to the back of the neck. Strap comes off the back? Get some strap locks. It's not an equalizer, it's Chorus and Reverb. I've only had mine I bought used a week ago and I know more about it than you do! I won't thumbs down but this is a substandard review IMO

[@jackfagan]

Thanks for that, fair comment

[@helenandrichard]

No. there is actually and EQ adjustment possible. you have to get into the right mode setting and then it adjusts the EQ of the sound. Do it by holding the vol button down for about 5 secs. then the vol button becomes EQ adjustment. once you've adjusted the EQ to your liking, ether leave it for half a minute, or hold the vol down again to exit EQ setting. This is nothing to do with chorus or reverb.

[@jackfagan]

@@helenandrichard thank you for the info that’s really helpful👍

[@CedricSatterfield]

Heh- RTFM