The Yamaha APX600 is an affordable mid-range acoustic-electric guitar that delivers impressive sound quality and versatile performance. Part of Yamaha's APX line of electro-acoustic guitars, the APX600 features a thinline body design that provides comfort and playability while reducing feedback when plugged in. With its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, this guitar reproduces the rich, full tones that Yamaha's APX guitars are known for. The APX600 also incorporates Yamaha's System65 preamp and pickup configuration to faithfully amplify the guitar's natural acoustic sound. Overall, the APX600 offers an excellent value for those looking for a stage-ready acoustic-electric guitar with premium Yamaha build quality and electronics. Its thin, lightweight body and accessible price point make it a great choice for developing players ready to upgrade to a serious but still affordable electro-acoustic. The Yamaha APX600 delivers impressive acoustic sound and amplification that punches well above its price class.

Construction

The Yamaha APX600 features solid spruce top, nato back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard, delivering excellent construction quality at this price point.

The solid spruce top is responsive and expressive, allowing the guitar to be played dynamically. Spruce is a popular choice on acoustic guitars for its balanced tone. It provides a nice blend of warmth, sweetness, and articulation.

The back and sides are made from nato, an affordable wood that shares many similarities with mahogany. Nato has a balanced tone that emphasizes the midrange. It gives the APX600 a smooth and rounded sound.

The rosewood fingerboard looks elegant and feels comfortable under the fingers. Rosewood is known for stability and durability. It has a dense grain that brings out articulation and definition. The APX600's rosewood fingerboard allows for clear note separation and harmonics.

Overall, the tonewood combination on the APX600 provides great value by delivering pro-level construction, playability, and balanced acoustic tone at an entry-level price point. The spruce and nato pairing works nicely for strumming and fingerpicking styles across genres.

The Yamaha APX600 offers a solid acoustic guitar option for beginners and intermediate players looking for reliable construction and balanced tone. For those needing amplified acoustic tones on a budget, check out the Yamaha GIGMAKER STD. This acoustic-electric model features a laminate spruce top, Nato back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, and Yamaha's SRT pickup system. It delivers good amplified tones and stage-ready features like built-in tuner and cutaway at an affordable price point. The GIGMAKER STD makes a great first gigging guitar for new players thanks to its quality construction, easy playability, and versatile acoustic-electric functionality. While not as responsive as the all-solid-wood APX600, the GIGMAKER STD offers amplified acoustic tones and stage readiness in an accessible package.

When shopping for a beginner or intermediate acoustic guitar, it's worth considering both all-solid instruments like the APX600 for their acoustic tone, as well as acoustic-electrics like the GIGMAKER STD for amplified versatility. Yamaha offers quality options at multiple price points to suit developing players' needs. While the APX600 may have better pure acoustic sound with its solid spruce and rosewood, the GIGMAKER STD brings accessible acoustic-electric functionality. Weighing construction, tonewoods, playability, and features will help buyers narrow down which model best fits their playing style and budget.

Electronics

The APX600 features Yamaha's System65 piezo pickup and preamp system, designed to accurately reproduce the nuances of the guitar's natural acoustic tone. The undersaddle piezo pickup uses three sensors to capture the guitar's sound from multiple positions. This helps create a rich, detailed tone across all six strings.

The preamp uses Yamaha's Acoustic Resonance Transducer (ART) technology to process the pickup's signal. This allows you to shape your tone with simple, intuitive controls for volume and tone. There's also a built-in tuner that makes it easy to keep your guitar in tune without any extra accessories. The preamp has a balanced XLR output in addition to a standard 1/4" output, providing flexibility for live performances and studio recording.

Overall, the APX600's electronics package allows you to plug in and get excellent amplified acoustic tones with the convenience of not needing external pickups or preamps. The pickup accurately captures the guitar's natural sound, and the preamp gives you the controls to dial in your preferred tone.

Another popular acoustic-electric guitar option is the Fender CD-60SCE. This guitar features a solid mahogany top, back, and sides for warm, resonant tones. It has a slim neck profile that's comfortable to play, making it a great choice for beginners or those with smaller hands. The guitar comes equipped with a Fishman preamp system that includes an undersaddle pickup and built-in tuner. There are easy-to-use tone controls mounted on the top bout. Overall, the Fender CD-60SCE delivers classic Fender acoustic sound and versatility at an affordable price point.

When shopping for an acoustic-electric guitar, it's important to consider the body style and materials, neck shape and feel, electronics, and price range. The APX600 and CD-60SCE are both quality options that balance playability, amplified tone, and value. The APX600 may appeal more to those wanting Yamaha's specialized pickup and preamp technology, while the CD-60SCE offers that classic Fender acoustic vibe with plug-in convenience. Trying out different models in person is recommended to find the right fit for your playing style and needs.

Playability

The Yamaha APX600 features a comfortable slim neck profile that makes it easy to play for long periods of time without fatigue. The action is set low from the factory, which reduces the amount of pressure needed to fret notes up and down the neck. This makes the APX600 ideal for beginners who are just getting used to forming chords. The smooth neck and low action also lend themselves well to fingerstyle playing.

The APX600 provides great playability for strumming chords during rhythm playing. The narrow string spacing allows for quick, accurate transitions between chords. The compact body style is comfortable resting on your leg whether you play seated or standing. Overall, the APX600 offers versatile playability to suit a wide range of playing styles from strumming to fingerpicking.

Sound

The APX600 OVS produces a balanced, warm tone with clear notes across the frequency range thanks to its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The cutaway body provides excellent access to upper frets while retaining full and rich acoustic resonance.

When plugged in, the APX600 OVS really shines. The built-in SRT piezo pickup and ART-based preamp faithfully amplify the guitar's natural tone without excessive effects or coloring. The 3-band EQ allows you to shape your amplified sound, adding a bit more bass or treble as desired. Whether playing live or recording in the studio, the APX600 OVS's electronics package ensures your acoustic tone is accurately captured and amplified.

The guitar's solid yet thin body profile prevents feedback at higher volumes, making this an extremely stage-friendly acoustic-electric. From soft fingerpicking to aggressive strumming, the APX600 OVS maintains a balanced, clear and consistent tone. Overall, this model offers professional-level sound across both acoustic and amplified settings.

Versatility

The Yamaha APX600 OVS is a very versatile acoustic-electric guitar that can handle a wide range of musical genres and playing situations. Its thinline body shape and cutaway design make it comfortable to play while seated or standing, whether on stage or in the studio.

The APX600 works well for gigs and live performances thanks to its clear amplified tone and onboard electronics. The guitar's SRT pickup system accurately reproduces the natural acoustic sound, giving performers flexibility when plugging into an amp or PA system. This allows the guitar's warm, balanced tone to come through cleanly in any venue.

For practice and rehearsal, the APX600's playability also shines. The slim neck and low action facilitate intricate chording and soloing across musical styles from rock and pop to jazz and fingerstyle. Whether unplugged or using the handy built-in tuner, the APX600 provides a satisfying playing experience alone or with a group.

The Yamaha APX600 can also transition seamlessly into the recording studio. Its well-balanced tone captures nicely through microphones, while the SRT electronics give recording engineers options for direct input. From lush singer-songwriter tracks to crunchy blues-rock riffs, the APX600 is a versatile acoustic-electric that's ready to be creative in the studio.

In summary, with stage-friendly electronics, smooth playability and a musical tone, the versatile Yamaha APX600 OVS excels as a gigging, practice and studio acoustic-electric guitar.

Value

The Yamaha APX600 OVS offers excellent value for an acoustic-electric guitar in its price range. It punches above its weight class by including high-quality components and electronics while keeping the price accessible for most budgets.

The solid spruce top, nato back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard provide a great foundation. Spruce is a popular tonewood for the soundboard of acoustic guitars, known for its balanced tone and good responsiveness. Nato offers a similar tonal character to mahogany at a more affordable price. These are all professional-grade tonewoods found on guitars costing much more.

The System65 piezo pickup and preamp deliver excellent amplified tones without breaking the bank. This is the same high-quality electronics system used on other Yamaha acoustic-electrics costing twice as much. Many competitors cut costs with lower-grade pickups and preamps, but the APX600 OVS provides studio-quality plugged-in sound.

Overall, it's challenging to find another acoustic-electric guitar that matches the APX600 OVS's quality and features at this accessible price point. While not the cheapest entry-level option, it provides incredible value by using premium tonewoods and electronics that enhance playability and sound. The high-end specifications at an intermediate-level price make this an appealing choice for developing and gigging guitarists.

Comparable Models

The Yamaha APX600 OVS compares favorably to other acoustic-electric guitars in the $300-500 price range. Its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides produce a rich, balanced tone that can compete with more expensive models.

Some comparable options worth considering:

• The Epiphone AJ-100SCE has a spruce top and mahogany body similar to the APX600. It has a slightly brighter and more mid-focused tone. The bass response may not be as warm and robust as the Yamaha.

• The Fender CD-60SCE is an all-mahogany acoustic-electric with a darker, warmer sound. It lacks the spruce top brightness of the APX600 but makes up for it with excellent low-end presence.

• The Ibanez PF15ECE has a spruce top and flame maple back and sides. It produces a very balanced and articulate tone, though not as bass-rich as the APX600. The Ibanez has a slightly thinner neck profile.

• The Takamine GN93CE has a solid cedar top, rosewood back and sides, and Takamine's TK-40D preamp system. It has a very lush and resonant sound, though the midrange tends to be pronounced.

Overall, the Yamaha APX600 OVS holds its own against the competition. The solid wood construction and electronics make it versatile for both performing and practice. It's an excellent value for a gig-worthy acoustic-electric guitar.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comfortable cutaway body style provides easy upper fret access
• Solid spruce top offers balanced, clear tone across all frequencies
• Mahogany back and sides provide a rich, warm sound with good projection
• Fishman Sonicore pickup captures the guitar's natural acoustic tone
• Onboard tuner, EQ controls, and built-in reverb for shaping amplified sound
• Narrower nut width and low action facilitate quick, accurate fretting
• Durable gloss finish resists scratches and wear from regular use

Cons

• Laminated spruce bracing doesn't resonate as much as solid wood bracing
• Electronics can induce feedback at higher volumes when amplified
• Gloss finish can make neck feel sticky, especially in warmer environments
• Lack of cutaway on 12-string model limits upper fret access

Conclusion

The Yamaha APX600 OVS offers an excellent value for an acoustic-electric guitar in its price range. With its solid spruce top, nato back and sides, and comfortable thin-line body, it provides great playability, bright acoustic tone, and good amplified sound.

The APX600 is an ideal choice for aspiring guitarists looking to upgrade to a quality acoustic-electric model, as well as more experienced players who want a versatile instrument for practice, performing live, and recording. The onboard preamp and tuner make it easy to plug in and get quality amplified sound at an affordable price point.

While it may not have the warmth and projection of a high-end acoustic, the APX600 punches above its weight in sound and craftsmanship. For those seeking an acoustic-electric guitar with excellent playability right out of the box, great electronics, and Yamaha's well-known attention to quality, the APX600 OVS is easy to recommend. Its combination of features and reasonable price make it a top choice for serious amateur and gigging musicians.