Sounds

The balance of tone and acoustic punch is very agreeably sorted. Dynamics are supple and sustainful, there’s a pleasant smooth clarity to the lows and pervading everything is a fluid, sweet-edged brightness that’s typical of Yamaha. One plugged-in criticism is the preamp’s low gain - it really is pretty modest - but the system nevertheless does a fine job.

Inter-string balance is spot-on, the voicing is generally sympathetic and, thanks to the preamp’s broadrange mid sweep, tonally very adaptable. The top end, for instance, can sound papery and a little over-excited but is easily tamed by the relevant slider and/or via the sweep range, which extends well into the treble realm.

Pros: Quality sounds, acoustically and powered.
Cons: The weedy system gain.

45 Stars

Verdict: A great all-rounder, but let’s up the preamp beef please.

Next: The verdict - which guitar is best?