Yamaha A3R TBS Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Yamaha A3R is an acoustic-electric dreadnought guitar that combines traditional wood construction with modern electronics and playability enhancements. Part of Yamaha's TransAcoustic series, the A3R utilizes Yamaha's SRT Pickup and ACTive electronics to capture and project the guitar's natural acoustic tone and dynamics. With a solid spruce top and rosewood back and sides, the A3R produces a balanced, rich tone. The rosewood fingerboard and bridge provide crisp note definition, while the scalloped X-Type bracing allows the top to vibrate freely. The thin fluorocarbon finish further enhances resonance and protects against cracks and scratches. Overall, the A3R brings classic dreadnought design into the modern era with its blend of traditional tonewoods and innovative electronics that accurately reproduce the A3R's true unplugged sound.

Body & Neck

The Yamaha A3R features an elegantly crafted body with a solid spruce top, meranti back and sides, and rosewood bridge and fingerboard. The spruce top is known for its balanced tone, pronounced mid-range, and crisp highs that projects sound beautifully. Meranti is a tonewood that provides warmth and sweetness.

The guitar's neck is also made of high-quality meranti. It has a slim taper profile that is comfortable and easy to play, even for those with smaller hands. The rosewood fingerboard adds brightness, depth, and articulation. Overall, the tonewood combination produces a rich, complex sound with excellent resonance and sustain.

The body binding and rosette add decorative detail and visual appeal. This is a thoughtfully constructed acoustic-electric that looks as good as it sounds. For another beautifully crafted acoustic-electric option, check out the Luna Guitars ARTV JE. Luna Guitars are known for their eye-catching artistic designs. The ARTV JE model features a hand-painted scene by artist Julie Edwards. It has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides for a balanced, warm tone. The cutaway body provides easy access to the upper frets. It comes equipped with a preamp and pickup system for plugging into an amplifier or PA system.

When shopping for an acoustic-electric guitar, you'll want to consider the tonewood combination, body style and size, neck profile, electronics, and aesthetic design. Spruce and mahogany are common tonewoods prized for their acoustic properties. A cutaway body facilitates playing in the higher registers. Slim, comfortable necks allow for easier fretting and chord changes. Onboard preamps and pickups allow you to amplify your sound in live settings. And unique visual details like binding, inlays, and artwork give each guitar its own identity.

The Yamaha A3R and Luna ARTV JE represent two high-quality options with their own character. The Yamaha produces a complex, resonant tone with its spruce and meranti woods. And the Luna delivers a balanced, warm sound with eye-catching artwork. Whichever you choose, look for a guitar made with quality materials and components that feels comfortable to play and suits your musical needs.

Electronics

The electronics on the Yamaha A3R are where this guitar really shines. It features Yamaha's SRT Zero Impact pickup system, which is designed to capture the natural acoustic tone of the guitar without coloration.

The SRT pickup utilizes three small sensors that precisely detect the vibrations of the guitar top. This helps to produce a very accurate and organic amplified tone. The sensors have no effect on the vibration of the top, resulting in zero impact on the natural acoustic sound and resonance.

Some key features of the SRT pickup system:

• Separate piezo sensors for the bass, mid, and treble ranges, allowing for a very dynamic and responsive amplified tone.

• Each sensor is customized for its frequency range, capturing the full tonal spectrum.

• The undersaddle transducer only handles the low frequencies, avoiding the quacky sound piezos often produce.

• There's an acoustic image control on the preamp to blend the direct soundhole output with the pickup, letting you shape your ideal amplified tone.

Overall the SRT system is transparent, natural sounding, and allows the A3R to shine as both an acoustic and amplified guitar. Yamaha's careful pickup design ensures you get great plugged-in sound without compromising the rich unplugged acoustic tone.

The AeroBand AG01 is another excellent acoustic-electric guitar option worth considering. It features a slim neck profile and comfortable body size, making it a great choice for players of all levels. The AG01 has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, providing a balanced and rich acoustic tone. It comes equipped with a built-in preamp and quality piezo pickup system to give you quality amplified sound.

Some key features of the AeroBand AG01 electronics include:

• Custom undersaddle piezo pickup designed specifically for this model.

• 3-band EQ on the preamp to shape your amplified tone.

• Built-in tuner for quickly tuning up.

• Phase switch to prevent feedback at higher volumes.

The AG01's electronics provide plenty of tonal versatility. You can easily dial in a great sound for playing live shows or just jamming with friends. The pickup captures the warmth and nuance of the solid spruce top. Overall it's a high quality acoustic-electric guitar that sounds fantastic plugged in or unplugged.

When shopping for an acoustic-electric, you can't go wrong with the electronics on the Yamaha A3R or AeroBand AG01. Both models utilize specialized pickup systems designed specifically for their construction. This results in amplified tones that accurately convey the natural acoustic sound. If you want a stage-ready acoustic guitar that excels at both worlds, these two options have the electronics to meet your needs.

Hardware

The Yamaha A3R features high-quality hardware that contributes to its full, balanced tone. It has a rosewood bridge and saddle, which adds warmth and emphasis to the midrange frequencies. Rosewood is a dense tropical hardwood that helps transfer string vibrations into the body effectively.

The A3R also utilizes gold die-cast tuning machines. These sealed tuners keep the strings in tune reliably. The gold finish gives it an elegant look as well. The die-cast design makes them durable and smooth turning. Overall, the quality hardware components help give this Yamaha acoustic-electric guitar excellent intonation and tuning stability.

Playability

The Yamaha A3R is designed for comfortable playability and low action. The neck has a smooth satin finish that feels great against your hand during chord changes and soloing. It has a slim taper neck profile that is easy to grip and makes playing up high on the neck effortless.

The action on the A3R is set low from the factory, making it very playable right out of the box. You don't have to press down hard on the strings to fret notes cleanly. This makes playing chords and faster lead lines smooth without fatigue. The low action also provides a very playable experience for beginners still developing finger strength and dexterity.

Overall, the comfort of the neck and the low action of the A3R make it a very playable and accessible acoustic-electric guitar. It feels great in your hands even during long practice or gigging sessions. The smooth neck and low action let you focus on your playing rather than struggling with the instrument.

Sound

The Yamaha A3R produces a balanced tone that works well for various musical styles. The solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back and sides deliver a rich low end, nicely balanced midrange, and clear treble notes.

Strumming chords rings out with warmth and complexity. The bass response has enough punch and low-end power to provide a solid rhythmic foundation without getting boomy. Singing lead lines have presence and clarity to cut through a mix.

The A3R handles brighter strumming and fingerpicking equally well. The crisp highs allow the strings to shimmer without getting overly brittle. Notes decay smoothly without excessive overtones. The A3R is responsive across the tonal spectrum.

This versatile tonal balance suits the A3R for playing folk, pop, rock, country, blues, and more. It works well for rhythm guitar in a band setting or accompanying a singer-songwriter. The A3R also has the dynamic range needed for solo guitar performance. Overall, it's a great do-it-all acoustic electric suitable for various musical situations.

Pros

The Yamaha A3R acoustic-electric guitar has several noteworthy pros that make it an appealing option for players looking for a quality instrument.

• Quality Materials: The A3R features a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides, which are considered premium tonewoods for acoustic guitars. The use of solid spruce, rather than laminate, allows the top to vibrate and resonate freely for better volume and sustain. The rosewood contributes to a rich, complex tonal character.

• High-End Electronics: Yamaha equipped the A3R with its SRT Powered Pickup System, which accurately reproduces the guitar's natural acoustic tone and allows for easy amplification. The SRT system utilizes multiple sensors to capture the guitar's dynamic nuances from different points on the body.

• Rich Acoustic Tone: In its unplugged state, the A3R produces a bold, resonant sound thanks to its all-solid wood construction. Players praise its volume, warmth, and overall acoustic voice. The dreadnought body shape provides a deep low end, balanced mids, and clear treble notes.

Cons

The Yamaha A3R is not the most affordable acoustic-electric guitar on the market. While it delivers professional-level features and tone, the price tag sits at the higher end for an acoustic-electric in this class. For those on a tight budget, there are more economical options available.

Additionally, the A3R currently only comes in three color finishes - Natural, Tobacco Brown Sunburst, and Black. Some players may desire more variety when it comes to aesthetics. However, the available finishes are quite attractive, with the Tobacco Burst model in particular featuring a rich, vintage-inspired look.

Overall, while cost and color availability are not dealbreakers, they are factors to consider for players shopping in the crowded acoustic-electric market. The Yamaha A3R may stretch the budget of some beginners. And the limited finishes, though stylish, mean you can't get this model in brighter or more exotic colors.

Comparable Models

The Yamaha A3R sits squarely in the mid-price range for acoustic-electric guitars. There are several comparable models from leading guitar brands that are worth considering as alternatives:

Martin DRS2 - This dreadnought acoustic-electric model from Martin has a solid Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides. It features Fishman electronics and a comfortable Performing Artist neck shape. The tone is bright and focused. Overall an excellent guitar in a similar price range to the Yamaha.

Taylor 214ce - Taylor's 200 series offers all solid wood construction with a Grand Auditorium body shape. The 214ce has a Sitka spruce top with layered walnut back and sides. It comes equipped with Taylor's ES-T electronics system. The playability and sound quality from Taylor are hard to beat.

Guild D-240E - From Guild's Westerly Collection, the D-240E has a classic dreadnought body with solid spruce and rosewood. It uses Fishman electronics and a fast slim-profile neck. The tone is balanced and clean. Guild delivers great value for money in this price tier.

Gibson Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC - This Gibson model has a nice cutaway dreadnought design. The tonewoods include a Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It comes loaded with an LR Baggs Element Active System. The sound is full-bodied and the slim neck plays very smoothly.

Washburn WD25SCE - Washburn's dreadnought acoustic-electric contains a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. It uses Fishman Presys electronics and comes equipped with a two-way adjustable truss rod in the neck. The WD25SCE punches above its weight class for the price.

Summary

The Yamaha A3R TBS is an impressive acoustic-electric guitar that provides excellent value for the price. It features solid rosewood back and sides and a solid sitka spruce top to deliver rich, balanced tone and good resonance. The neck is comfortable and easy to play, with its thinner profile and smooth satin finish.

The onboard electronic system utilizes Yamaha's SRT pickup that accurately captures the A3R's natural acoustic tone with mic modeling. The guitar offers great plugged-in sound and stage versatility via the built-in tuner, EQ and flexible outputs.

Overall, the A3R TBS punches above its price class with its excellent build quality, electronics and acoustic performance. It's a superb choice for players looking for a quality acoustic-electric under $500 that can handle anything from practice to performance. The Yamaha A3R TBS represents fantastic value for money for gigging musicians.