YAMAHA vs TAYLOR -FG5 VS 517E V CLASS - WHICH IS A BETTER SOUNDING GUITAR

/ theguitarspa
GUITAR HAS BEEN FULLY PROFESSIONAL SETUP BY JARVIS WONG OF THE GUITAR SPA SINGAPORE

[@joewilmot]

Thank you for your reviews. What makes your reviews so helpful is that you play the way 95% of players play. Open chord strumming, palm-muted rock chords, finger picking. Other reviewers overplay.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

thanks i play that way in the band so its just maximum 4 notes .. if you play all 6 strings its going to be noise

[@williamhead9548]

I just got the Yamaha FG5 yesterday. It is an amazing Guitar.

[@cajjmiar]

I go for the Yamaha this time. Thanks for the review.

[@Tigerex966]

I wish I could have one of each, here I think the Yamaha fits my taste more, with the songs you performed today.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Tigerex966 you could .. start saving ., make it your action plan and over time you will and can have one

[@Tigerex966]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore yea you are correct. the Yamaha will replace my older but now sold laminate martin this summer. Just not sure between the fgx5 or their limited koa which a few dealers have. Have you ever played the Yamaha limited K4A ll?

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Tigerex966 no have not played that

[@Tigerex966]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore thanks, i don't see much on it but it seems to have great midrange and treble, and of course KOA all wood, looks fantastic. IT seems more of a finger picking guitar, from the few videos I have seen. Very Very Rare!.

[@doloresneilson5349]

Thank you so much for doing these. I have watched many of your videos for comparison. So helpful...and very generous of your time. Your playing is wonderful to my ears. Thanks so much. (love the Yamaha sound best).

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

my pleasure

[@tubadylan]

The Yamaha sounds best to me, but I think you would sound great on almost anything, Mr. Jarvis! Thanks for another engaging video!

[@eddieman42]

Great review Jarvis! I have had many Taylors, and I have two high end Yamaha guitars. But the FG5 takes this one, sounds beautiful. Well done.. Again! 😊🇨🇦🎶

[@slpc30]

Jarvis thank you so much for your awesome reviews ! .oh wuw that Yamaha won hands down what a beautiful tone !!

[@imct1]

i love the good vibes while you play, lots of feel and happiness. personally prefer the FG5 but both lovely

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

that’s great

[@tubadylan]

I personally like a little more bass that you get with the Yamaha, but both guitars sound excellent. Very thoughtful comparison. Thank you!

[@sfc9511x]

In this instance, Yamaha excels and Taylor pales in comparison. Enjoyable review.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Alan Au Yong Glad you enjoyed the video comparison ..

[@gabeah]

Both of these guitars sound beautiful, but to me, the Yamaha seems to put out 20% more sound, bass and dynamic range, while still being more articulate. It's a fuller, more balanced instrument with more power. I think the Taylor is bright and nice in the highs. The fact that the Yamaha is half the price of the Taylor is pure chaos. What an incredible instrument and value. I just placed an order for an FG5. The Japanese are incredible craftsmen.

[@ning-chang]

Your playing between 4:50 and 8:00 is awesome, Jarvis! So enjoyable. I wish I could play as well as you. God bless!

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Ning Chang you can ... just practice and watch my tutorial on it

[@ning-chang]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore you have a tutorial? can you provide the link please?

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Ning Chang kzbin.info/aero/PLyF77OUTSNqyjZnXFVIzEI2B_HBYSYn8c

[@ning-chang]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore Thanks a lot Jarvis!

[@Tech12301]

Great review Jarvis the Taylor is loud and just a little muddy on the bass when strumming loud, the Yamaha has lots of bass but not muddy nice and crisp and clear. Keep them coming.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Schennelly Stoughton going to take a few more videos tomorrow .. the China made Yamaha FG3 ... 517 vs 717... FG3 vs FG5 and more

[@Tigerex966]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore cannot wait.

[@gmoneymac23]

You think tuning the Yamaha a half step down would be an issue due to a shorter scale length? Looser strings which would create fret buzz if you like low action? Thanks.

[@woodwindrain5020]

You need to listen to this comparo with headphones to hear the difference. I have high end Taylors and Martin's, but the Yamaha is much more articulate, woodier to my surprise. I never owned a Yamaha before but now will look into it, for sure.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Great one

[@isadorealire5722]

That Taylor comes with a pick up as well. But I would buy the Yamaha, put a K&K in it , and still be money ahead as I preferred the Yamaha in this comparison.

[@nomandad2000]

So does the Yamaha. It has a dual pickup systems

[@peterdeboer9620]

The Yamaha sounds more full, the Taylor more bright. Both are very nice.

[@scottcarman3090]

Yamaha no questions I currently play a yamaha was looking at either a d18 or a j45 for my next guitar but I may stick with yamaha and get the fgx5 it just sounds so good.

[@abslenchar2347]

you wont regret it, I own a D28 and an 814CE, the FGX5 goes neck to neck with my D28 and the Taylor 814CE it just too bright compared to the D28 and the FGX5

[@shawnpeterdesilva]

The yamaha is far better than the Taylor, thank you for the comparison.

[@vinekolladiv4494]

The Yamaha's sound is super balanced. Not too piercing to the ears. Amazing. Not taking away anything from the Taylor one, still a great sounding guitar. But if I can save my money with a guitar that's as good, if not better, I would go for the Yamaha.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Yes the yamaha is both cheap and good plus functional

[@lowellcalavera6045]

That Yammie kicks ass.

[@RyanBugdalski]

Mt FG5 arrives in a few hours thank you.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

@@RyanBugdalski keep me updated and how does it sound .. enjoy her

[@drago987]

Awesome comparison thanks for doing these reviews. Love the Yamaha FG5 sound...Maybe sometime you could do a comparison of the the Yamaha FG5 to their popular budget friendly FG830 model that a lot of people are familiar with. Would be interesting to hear the sound improvements you’re getting with their premium model.

[@garysimon2966]

Take FG5 for better overall build quality.

[@nomandad2000]

I’ve used my Yamaha FG830 to gig for years. It’s been a great guitar

[@richardlucascronley5128]

I really want an FG5, only thing I'm contemplating is picking up a couple vintage Yamahas instead and getting the fg5 later on

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

You have the power to decide what’s best from your heart zzz go with the flow and what your heart tells you Richard

[@cashmoney9256]

Great video. They're both beautiful guitars. I prefer the sound of the Taylor in this comparison. I own a Martin, Yamaha and Seagull acoustic guitars. Im not a Taylor owner but once in a while I hear one that I really enjoy the sound of...like the GS mini Koa and this one....Although, I dont prefer it twice as much as that Yamaha.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Taylor due to the focus on the trebles and the glassy ring will sound clear on any recording .. but when you personally play it . It may sound too bright to your ears .. and that’s where you want less of those piercing trebles but a balance of mids and bass to counter the brightness .. in those cases with the taylor due to the brightness your ears do get tired after prolong playing

[@ed_music1834]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore Hey there Jarvis. Youre right about thr piercing fatigue when playing a Taylor for a long time. I remember having these 714 and 414 in our local and while they do sound great at some point it tires your ears due to those trebles. Even though you have a mahogany top here it still sounds sparkling bright unlike with the FG5. Just my opinion here.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

@@ed_music1834 very true

[@christiankabengele9181]

Both have a terrific sound. But you have to take into account the value. Where I live the street price of the Taylor is about 3,000€ whiled the Yamaha is around 1,200€ . Considering the price, the Yamaha is way ahead.

[@GiantRock62]

FG5 is a huge bargain for the price which is around £1000 in UK, it's a super high end instrument and will definitely last for a long time and sounds great..

[@bammbamm1961]

it is really difficult to hear the subtle difference Soooooooooooo.. We would enjoy hearing your impressions/opinion..??? - Also interested in hearing your impression of playability. neck feel, etc..

[@YESSULMAN]

I saw it really well. What is the Yamaha FG guitar string in the video?

[@bigpike08]

Taylor is slope shouldered, like a Gibson and sound like a J 45 a bit. Tighter not as boomy on the bottom end. The Yammy is more on the Martinish side. More depth, more sustain. It' s a ringer. Different tones. This Yammy is a good Bluegrass machine. At this price range, it will make Martin reflect on their pricing for a D-18.

[@boshi9]

Yamaha isn't quite loud enough for bluegrass.

[@jdstan9650]

Both are great guitars. You forgot to mention that the Taylor has a pickup system in it.

[@Tigerex966]

True the Yamaha is $1399 with their excellent atmosfeel pickup system $2199 without. Would be interesting if they had the same nut saddle and pins and setup.

[@stevebernard221]

Yamaha's are great....and this one is sounds more full than the Taylor, which doesn't surprise me.

[@HasNiHassaan]

may I ask what tune are you playing at the beginning? its beautiful

[@jamesmacdon9351]

I had a Taylor 7 series (don’t remember the model number) and it was a fantastic guitar for live plugged in playing and when doing leads it absolutely cut through the mix and was clear and articulate. Taylor’s to me are probably the best stage guitars there are. However on the flip side, unplugged very treble heavy. I sold that guitar as I now just write and record and use a mic for acoustic. In the last 3 years I have discovered Yamaha’s due to the fact that I acquired in a trade a FG700S (which is very inexpensive) and was absolutely blown away at how damn good it sounded for a $200 dred. So then I got and FGX3 and again absolutely stunning for the price point….then a used LL16 (currently my fav guitar)…then some old Yammies from used sites…then a LS6 (solid Engleman spruce top, laminate back sides LS16 all solid but good luck finding one in Canada) and again a phenomenal guitar. Last week I ordered an FG5 - finally a new one arrived in Canada….and I cannot wait to hear it. Some folks said to me that PBs (and that is what I have used for years now) are better but recently I started putting either Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 lights or D’Addario XS 80/20s on my acoustics and find the (coated) 80/20s sound much better…more woodsy and warm…great review as usual Jarvis and nice playing. I do find that Yamaha is the best mass acoustic guitar builder in the world hands down. I have had many and they all sound phenomenal with perfect intonation.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

value for money and also well built… built to last

[@rium_]

I love it Red Lavel

[@Mauriibor1]

sometimes it seems to me like we are comparing apples with pecheas.. I very muck like apples. Future Fg5 owner.

[@GunBreaux]

Storytime: I am brand new to guitars, I have been toying around with my Dad's old 1960's Epiphone and I adore it. I've spent hours at a guitar shop trying out a dozen different guitars and I loved every second of it. It came down to two, a Taylor dreadnought and the only Yamaha in the store. I ADORE the wood grain feel of Taylor, but even to my totally untrained ears the only Yamaha in the store sounded better somehow. The second day I visit the store, a 62 year old musician points out the Yamaha, "People fight over Martins and Taylors, but they're all sleeping on the Yamaha's."

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Yes the yamaha are value for money well made guitars and sounds better than many American made guitars - the Japanese’s are just poor at marketing that’s why .. no American marketing hype …

[@Wobbz9413]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore Im not sure they are "poor at marketing". I think they like to let the instruments do the talking. Trouble is a lot of people arent LISTENING! I think those in the know, who arent Americans, have known for years how amazing yamaha guitars can be. 🙂

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

@@Wobbz9413good point

[@Wobbz9413]

@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore love what you do mate. Keep em coming. I just bought an LL16/12 on monday. Have you tried one yet?

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

@@Wobbz9413 no 12 strings for me i like the tone but i hate tuning and changing strings on it

[@bobburnett4997]

The Yamaha reminded me of an FG360 I had back in 1976. Very nice and warm, but a little mushy when you move up the neck. Honestly that 517 can go places the FG5 cannot follow; the string dynamics, responsiveness, articulation, openess and intonation is really superior to my ears. You still get what you pay for. Each has its place and will draw players to them for good reasons. They are both really nice guitars. thanks Jarvis!

[@haldumille5594]

My daughter found this video and made me listen to the two guitars, sight unseen and blocked out the references to the models. I chose the Yamaha. That makes me really happy, because I own an FGX5! I have owned 3 Taylors. A 422K, 816ce and a 614. They all pretty much sounded the same... I don't miss them. Although, the 814ce was very pretty, it did not inspire.

[@deejay.s]

I agree with you. My honest opinion is that Taylor makes good but overpriced guitars just like Martin. You pay for the brand, the reputation, it's american-made and what not. Been a Yamaha guy from the jump, tried countless guitars from other brands...NEVER SWITCHED.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Hal Dumille wow that’s great

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

DJ yes Taylor is all about branding and innovation

[@someguy4505]

Yeah, Yamaha wins for me. Their shop in Japan makes some nice stuff at a great price point. I just got an FG5 for 1245 at Sweetwater after asking my rep if any sales were coming up for Yamaha stuff. He just emailed my a quote, which I took him up on. YMMV

[@structure289]

Taylor Original or with FMI on saddle ?

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Taylor original..saddle

[@Charlie-hp2oh]

Taylor V-bracing works like a bass-cut eq. Only mid frequencies are left. Yam FG5 still having tuning problems when capoed ?

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

could be the way my capo works...

[@bobaldo2339]

Yamaha by a country mile, or a country kilometer.

[@Rizki_candra_pratama]

Fgx5 3:40 vs taylor 2:15 Hope it helps.

[@Vaughn.Unique.Barbershop]

Taylor is the best❤❤

[@paulfowler5420]

The Taylor is brighter and louder. The Yamaha has a rounder, more mellow tone. The notes are more distinct on the Taylor. The Taylor may be too bright for my taste. Both excellent guitars. Vive la difference!

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Paul Veugelers yes they are both great sounding guitars though the taylor are priced double the Yamaha

[@deejay.s]

I disagree, the Yamaha was way louder and had more sustain than the Taylor which was, I agree, way too bright. My honest opinion is that Taylor makes good but overpriced guitars just like Martin. Taylor guitars price is mostly because of the aesthetics ( which is top-notch) but the sound...well this video talks for itself.

[@GiantRock62]

Yam FG5 beats both this Taylor and Martin D18 hands down then eats them for breakfast not even for lunch imho so that's why I bought a brand new FG5 a few weeks ago, fantastic guitar plus it will last for a long time, it's nicely breaking in at this moment, once I worn out the factory fitted strings I'll put a decent set of strings then it will be ready for serious playing and should really shine and it has nothing to complain about except the action is a bit higher than I'm used to so needs to be adjusted and that's all, it even comes in a fantastic hard case for the price which I paid much lower than list price in UK, it's selling around £1100 at this moment and selling fast as Thomann is giving 12-14 weeks waiting time currently. Highly recommended.. 👌👍

[@marcopolo5009]

Which wires do you plan to put? elixir 80/20 factory is too bright for me...

[@GiantRock62]

@@marcopolo5009 I put Martin MM13 Retro strings a year ago, 013 gauge set and very happy with them, they are darker sounding yet very rich in harmonics, beautifully balanced tone, very inspiring as I found, I play mostly jazz and blues styles.

[@thomassawicki2065]

To my ear , all Taylors are very treble heavy without much midrange and weak Bass response. This 517 is a perfect example of why I don't like Taylors. We had a whole shop full of Taylors here in Hilo, they all were thin and trebly in tone. The Yamaha FG5 has a rich bass and midrange. That's why I ordered one, my FG5 gets here Tuesday.

[@satriasamudra306]

If I have bass player, I will use 517. But if I dont bass player and play in a room, I will use FG5

[@thomassawicki2065]

@@satriasamudra306 Yes, the FG5 has a big bass response. I have had my FG5 for 5 months now, I love it.

[@jpoa70]

@@thomassawicki2065 Me too, I love my FG5 so much!

[@boshi9]

Without much midrange, really? I put this comparison into a DAW and created a frequency graph for each guitar. Taylor has slightly less bass (difference of only 1dB), but massively more midrange (6 to 9 extra dB, depending on the frequency), especially starting from 400 hz. It seems like people listen with their eyes.

[@thomassawicki2065]

@@boshi9 Guitar tone can be shown on a graph, I guess, but what matters is how does it sound. To the Human ear. I have the top guitars of tone, so I have a good baseline of comparison. So this is just my perception, my humble opinion.

[@edmundmercado21]

fg5 sounds so much better to my ears, taylor sounds good to but “maybe” just a little to loud, for me FG5 is better👍🏽

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Edmund Mercado thanks for that observation

[@deejay.s]

Taylor makes good but overpriced guitars just like Martin. You pay for the brand, the reputation, it's american-made and what not. Been a Yamaha guy from the jump, tried countless guitars from other brands...NEVER SWITCHED.

[@aab9828]

Yamaha is tonally so much fuller.

[@andreamerola1133]

The sound is subjective. For me, the Yamaha has the better sound, melllow and uniform. I don't like the kinda "pop up" treble of the Taylor, it seems to me like a separation between mid and highs.

[@keyofb9513]

Odd that people think the Taylor is brighter. I don’t hear that at all. Besides in the past hearing that Taylors are brighter in general, that truth does not carry over the Grand Pacific in the least. It sounds like a vintage guitar. Perhaps it would sound better when flat picked rather than strummed through, the way that Jarvis is playing it 🤷🏽‍♂️ not saying one is better than the other outright, but the Grand Pacific is far from bright to my ear.

[@coffeeblues1857]

Definitely agreed

[@Chricão-05]

I have the impression that Taylor is more responsive and has to be played more subtly.

[@mwilson70201]

Taylor didn't seem brighter to me either. I think the thing is the Taylor's low end is not as powerful as the Yamaha. I just lost an early 1970's FG 365s and the new Yamaha sounds like it can fill the hole in my heart that loss left.

[@smflyboy]

It’s not apples to apples. With the Taylor you are getting the rolled off edges on the entire guitar including the neck which makes it super comfortable…plus you get the compound neck…V shaped at bottom and turns to C shape up the neck…and some other appointments. But I will definitely admit that the Yamaha sounds fantastic!

[@dadraisingtwins4759]

Yamaha FG5 🎉

[@立尾政善]

曲が知りたい

[@jaeyooncho2712]

Hi there. Is FMI saddle on FG5 here or just bone saddle?

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

I can’t remember should I be fmi

[@nelsonesteves5451]

Taylorrrrrrr

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

enjoy taylor

[@kotomorfey]

FG 5 sounds richer, deeper. there is more music hidden in it. And Taylor sounds more aggressive and brighter. For the second tune, Taylor sounded preferable. My choice - Yamaha

[@importanttingwei7747]

they are almost the same but yamaha doesn't have that richer sound that taylor produces but if yamaha could produce a stiffer gutair, with rich sound i think both are square and equal on the sounds

[@kazzz2765]

they sound nothing alike

[@musicandres]

i love Yamaha but in this case Taylor sound better

[@Avila543]

Yamaha has better color of tone, louder doesn’t mean better , Taylor not as articulated in sound as Yamaha

[@cristianeaston4861]

i guess it is kinda randomly asking but does anybody know a good website to stream newly released movies online ?

[@boshi9]

Yamaha sounds good, but a bit muffled in comparison. Definitely not more articulate.

[@lazarevkanal9810]

For me, Taylor sounds better, the Yamaha's bass is a bit of a detriment to the other frequencies.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

@@lazarevkanal9810 great observation

[@gregorymchutchison1878]

My FG5 is a gun,love it.

[@kennethphelps9185]

i would say TA,YLOR

[@kellyshannon45]

The faux pas was calling the Yamaha a Martin...the FG5 is like a well made D18 on steroids... the Taylor sounds brighter, and may please some ears more, but in truth it lacks the depth and punch of the Yammy...Yamaha totally knocked it out of the park with the Hamamatsu made FG5. Worth.Every.Penny.

[@tbsschiro1393]

i have never owned either, Talor all day

[@paulschneider6202]

Hearing a lot of buzz from the Yamaha. Action might be too low

[@marktamashiro8160]

I'm curious...what kind of strings are you using? I like John Pearse, to get the best overall performance out a guitar.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Mark Tamashiro both of them have elixir PB 12-53

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Mark Tamashiro John Pearse are absolutely beautiful but they don’t last Long

[@marktamashiro8160]

I totally agree! But they do bring out the best in the guitar. For performance, I use Elixir Nano.

[@BaktaBak3]

The Yamaha sounds much nicer IMO .

[@justice1606]

Yamaha wins, hands down.

[@evks82]

taylor wins it for me

[@tsunglic]

The Yammie has better tonal balance

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

@@tsunglic yes

[@WScott-gd2mj]

I couldn't tell a dime's worth of difference, which might favor the Yamaha except that I prefer giving my money to dedicated guitar shops as opposed to a conglomerate that happens to have a musical instrument business. So I'd choose the Taylor over the Yammy, but a Martin or Collings or even a US-made Guild over either.

[@robertalan2427]

`c learly worth the price difference

[@shawnpeterdesilva]

I think there is more bass in the yamaha than the Taylor. I like yamaha better!!!!

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Yes it’s true

[@marklove6580]

Yamaha.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

Nice

[@waterlilu]

Definitely Taylor win.

[@Katherine-15-12]

Both great instruments , but for me the Yamaha sounds better, irrespective of price difference.

[@bigpike08]

Taylor way behind. No bass, no sustain, no depth, sounds like a shitty Gibson. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Jarvis, you just made a Nice lapsus comparing the FG5 to a Martin. Totally right ! It does compare, advantageously.

[@TheGuitarSpaSingapore]

gino marra wow I didn’t know that it didn’t have bass

[@markmccann6833]

FG5 is the winner

[@christianmarloncortazar8213]

FG5 Won 🏆....

[@harisdolamic7694]

All Taylor guitars sound like shit to me.

[@brieantoine963]

Taylor guitars, this is just a joke...

[@jmd11185]

Huh

[@nomandad2000]

Wuh?