MusicRadar Verdict
Great looks, great tone, well-priced - what's not to like?
Pros
- +
Classy looks; build quality; both acoustic and amplified tone.
Cons
- -
Nothing.
MusicRadar's got your back

Yamaha CPX1200II

Yamaha CPX1200II

Yamaha CPX1200II
Boasting a full 15mm extra width, the CPX has much more of a traditional acoustic guitar body size than its stablemate the APX1200II.
The thin gloss finish is particularly noticeable in this translucent black colour with the soundboard's grain being discernible to the eye and touch.
High-gloss black many not be everyone's idea of an acoustic but the mahogany trimmings give the guitar a very stylish look, augmented by the diamond-shaped mahogany fretboard inlays and large ebony tuner buttons. Close inspection reveals high standards of fretwork, build quality, finish and presentation.
Sounds
Unplugged, the CPX is the full-fat version of the APX. The overall timbre has more 'meat' to it and the lower registers have real fullness.
No doubt due to its body size, the CPX offers a good deal of sustain and responds to dynamics articulately - it offers a well-rounded, versatile sound. Plugged in, the CPX produces a warm tone: bright 'snap' and 'zing' are very present but softer, mellower tones are easy to dial in.
In short, the CPX it a show-stealing instrument that appears to have it all: good looks, high standards of craftsmanship and a versatile, capable amplified and acoustic output.
Steve Harvey is senior content producer for Pro Sound News and also contributes to other Future brands. He has worked in the pro audio industry — as a touring musician as well as in live production, installed sound, and equipment sales and marketing — since November 1980.
“It's rare to encounter a song from the last 70 years that doesn’t involve it in some way”: Why reverb is one of the most reliable effects in a producer's arsenal
“All the albums I did with Metallica were recorded on 24-track analogue tape. There’s not a computer in sight”: How Flemming Rasmussen produced Metallica’s classic Master Of Puppets
“We could see John begin smiling. At the end of the first verse, he gave an exuberant thumbs-up and McCartney and Harrison began slapping each other on the back”: How one Beatles track spawned a recording technique revolution