Yamaha APX600FM AM Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Yamaha APX600FM is an affordable acoustic-electric guitar that combines Yamaha's renowned build quality and playability with useful features for stage and studio use. As part of Yamaha's APX line, the APX600FM has a thinner, narrower body shape that improves comfort and playability for smaller-framed guitarists. The APX600FM features a solid Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides, delivering balanced tone and articulation. The APX600FM is an attractive, flame-maple finished guitar equipped with a SRT piezo pickup system for amplifying with clarity. With its thinline cutaway design, easy playability and flexible electronics, the APX600FM is an ideal acoustic-electric guitar for intermediate players and working musicians.

Body & Neck

The Yamaha APX600FM features a solid spruce top, which helps produce a bright, balanced tone with great projection and dynamics. Spruce is a popular choice for guitar tops due to its lightweight and responsive qualities. Underneath the spruce top are back and sides made of laminated meranti, an affordable and durable tonewood. Meranti provides warmth to balance out the spruce top.

The neck is made of nato, also known as Eastern mahogany. Nato is a hardwood similar to mahogany, providing stability, resonance and a smooth feel. The APX600FM has a slim taper neck profile that is comfortable for most hand sizes. The shorter 24.9" scale length reduces tension so the strings are easier to press down, making the APX600FM a great choice for beginners.

The body and neck design are important factors that influence the sound and playability of a guitar. The Yamaha APX600FM uses quality tonewoods like spruce and meranti to produce balanced acoustic tones, while the nato neck provides stability and comfort. The slim neck profile and shorter scale length make this an accessible guitar for new players. When choosing an acoustic-electric guitar, it's worth considering how the woods and construction are tailored to your needs as a guitarist.

Another excellent acoustic-electric guitar to consider is the Cordoba C5-CET 04662. This nylon-string guitar has a solid Canadian cedar top with mahogany back and sides for a rich, warm sound. The mahogany neck adds stability and sustain. The C5-CET has a comfortable neck profile and narrower nut width suited for players with smaller hands. The lightweight body and smooth playability also make this a great choice for beginners.

The Cordoba C5-CET comes equipped with a dual-source pickup system, combining a piezo pickup in the bridge and an internal microphone. This allows you to amplify the guitar's natural acoustic sound or add effects. The preamp has a built-in tuner and simple controls for tone shaping and volume. So you can easily plug into an amplifier or PA system for live performances or recording.

Both the Yamaha APX600FM and Cordoba C5-CET provide quality construction and amplified sound at an accessible price point. The Yamaha uses traditional steel strings and has a slightly wider fingerboard, while the Cordoba has nylon strings and a narrower neck. Considering your musical goals, playing style, and personal preferences will help determine which guitar is the right fit for you.

Electronics

The Yamaha APX600FM features Yamaha's System65 piezo pickup and preamp system, which is designed to accurately reproduce the guitar's natural acoustic tone. The pickup utilizes piezo sensors that capture the vibrations of the guitar top, back and sides rather than using a microphone. This allows it to produce a balanced and rich acoustic tone.

The preamp is Yamaha's ART-based preamp, which stands for Acoustic Resonance Transducer. It's designed to shape the EQ curve and impedance of the guitar's output signal to achieve an optimal acoustic sound. There are easy to use tone controls for bass, midrange and treble.

Also built into the preamp is a chromatic tuner. It can be easily accessed by holding down the Tap/Tuner button located next to the master volume control. The tuner is fast and accurate, making on-stage tuning a breeze. There are LED lights visible on the top side of the guitar that indicate if the guitar is in tune or not.

Overall, the electronics package on the APX600FM provides excellent acoustic amplification and reproduction, while also adding useful features like the built-in tuner. It's a great system for stage use or just amplifying your acoustic at home.

The Yamaha APX600FM acoustic-electric guitar features quality electronics to accurately reproduce the natural acoustic tone. With its System65 pickup and ART-based preamp, it delivers balanced and rich sound. The built-in tuner makes tuning easy. For amplified acoustic tone and performance, the APX600FM is a great choice.

Gretsch also makes quality acoustic-electric guitars like the Gretsch G5024E 2714035500. This dreadnought guitar has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It features a Fishman Presys Blend pickup system for plugged-in amplified tone. The tone from the pickup blend is balanced and warm. It also has an onboard preamp with a built-in tuner for quick and easy tuning. The Gretsch G5024E 2714035500 combines good looks, great acoustic sound and quality amplified performance.

Sound & Playability

The Yamaha APX600FM delivers impressive sound and playability that makes it a joy to play. The solid Sitka spruce top produces a nicely balanced tone across the tonal spectrum, with good note definition in the highs and tight bass notes. The mahogany back and sides add warmth and resonance to the tone, while the rosewood fingerboard and bridge provide crispness and clarity.

The APX600FM's thin, comfortable neck profile makes it easy to play and facilitates intricate fingering and soloing. The 25.6" scale length provides great tension for defined tones, while the 1 11/16" nut width offers a nice in-between width that works for many playing styles. The action and setup right out of the box are very good, with most reviewers reporting no need for adjustments.

Yamaha's SRT piezo pickup system delivers rich and dynamic amplified tones that faithfully represent the guitar's acoustic voice. The 3-band EQ allows shaping of bass, midrange, and treble frequencies, while the built-in tuner makes on-the-fly tuning adjustments quick and easy. The balanced XLR output provides a clean signal suitable for direct recording or live amplification in professional settings. Overall, the APX600FM combines impressive acoustic qualities with top-notch electronics and playability.

Hardware

The Yamaha APX600FM features high-quality hardware that contributes to its overall playability and convenience. It has die-cast gold tuners which provide precise and smooth tuning stability. The tuners are designed to minimize string slippage during tuning or bending.

The guitar also comes equipped with a tortoise pickguard that protects the body's finish from pick scratches and adds a classic stylish look. Tortoise pickguards have an antique appearance that pairs nicely with the APX600FM's natural solid spruce top.

The nut and saddle are made from urea which offers a smooth feel during string slides and bends. It's more resistant to temperature changes compared to synthetic nuts or saddles.

Overall the hardware components on the APX600FM are thoughtfully designed for reliability, playability, and aesthetics. The high-end appointments like the die-cast tuners and tortoise pickguard give it a refined look and feel.

Finish Options

The Yamaha APX600FM comes in 3 beautiful finish options to match different aesthetic preferences:

• Natural - This finish showcases the natural grain of the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It has an understated, organic look perfect for guitarists who prefer a more minimalist, natural wood appearance.

• Black - The black finish is a deep, dark black that gives the APX600FM a dramatic, eye-catching look on stage. The black finish really makes the abalone rosette and chrome hardware pop.

• Old Violin Sunburst - This retro sunburst finish has a burnt orange hue in the center that gradually fades to brown around the edges. It's reminiscent of vintage acoustic guitars and complements the APX600FM's classic shape and mahogany body. The sunburst finish option will appeal to guitarists who want a more vintage vibe.

Pros

The Yamaha APX600FM acoustic-electric guitar offers great sound quality and easy playability thanks to its quality construction. Here are some of the key pros of this model:

Great Sound

• The solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back and sides produce a balanced, rich tone with crisp highs and warm lows that projects well. Players praise the guitar's excellent resonance and sustain.

• The scalloped bracing contributes to the guitar's impressive tone by allowing the top more freedom of movement to vibrate and resonate.

• The APX600FM produces a more natural acoustic sound when not plugged in compared to many acoustic-electrics in this price range.

Easy Playability

• The APX600FM features a comfortable slim-taper neck that makes playing along the 25.6" scale length easy and smooth.

• The action is set low and buzz-free right out of the box, making playing chords and single notes very comfortable.

• The slightly wider nut width provides a nice playing feel that accommodates both strumming and fingerpicking styles.

Quality Electronics

• The onboard System66 electronics accurately reproduce the APX600FM's great acoustic tone when plugged into an amplifier or PA system.

• The APX600FM features an SRT piezo pickup system specifically voiced to complement the guitar's tonewoods and construction.

• The preamp includes a 3-band EQ for shaping your amplified tone plus a tuner for quick tuning adjustments on stage.

Cons

The Yamaha APX600FM does have some drawbacks to consider.

• Heavy Weight - This guitar weighs over 9 pounds, making it one of the heavier acoustic-electric models out there. The solid spruce top and flame maple back and sides contribute to the weight, which could be tiring for longer playing sessions or on stage.

• No Cutaway for Upper Fret Access - The APX600FM does not have a cutaway, which limits access to the higher frets. For players who utilize the full fretboard, this can be restrictive. The lack of a cutaway creates a more traditional acoustic sound, but makes it harder to play solos and intricate chords up the neck.

Comparable Models

The Yamaha APX600FM shares some similarities with other popular acoustic-electric guitars in this price range like the Yamaha FGX800C, Fender CD-60SCE, and Epiphone AJ-220SCE.

Yamaha FGX800C

The FGX800C is another quality Yamaha acoustic-electric guitar with solid Sitka spruce top, Nato back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard. It has a slightly smaller body size than the APX600 which gives it a more mid-range focused tone. The electronics include an under-saddle piezo pickup and 3-band EQ. Overall it provides a great playing experience at an even more budget-friendly price point than the APX600.

Fender CD-60SCE

Fender's CD-60SCE is comparable choice with a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It comes equipped with a Fishman preamp system that includes controls for volume and tone shaping. This model produces a balanced tone across the tonal spectrum. The CD-60SCE neck has a modern "C" profile that many find comfortable to play.

Epiphone AJ-220SCE

The Epiphone AJ-220SCE is another contender with a spruce and mahogany body producing balanced acoustic resonance. It utilizes Epiphone's eSonic2 preamp system which allows easy plug-and-play live performance. While not at the same quality level as the Yamaha, the AJ-220SCE delivers respectable sound and playability for the affordable price.

Conclusion

The Yamaha APX600FM is an excellent acoustic-electric guitar for beginners and intermediate players looking for great sound and playability without breaking the bank. It delivers warm, balanced acoustic tones and versatile electric tones thanks to the SRT Piezo pickup system. The slim neck profile and smaller body size make it very comfortable and accessible for developing players. While it may not have the looks and appointments of premium models, the APX600FM punches above its weight in terms of build quality, electronics and tone. Overall, this Yamaha presents fantastic value as a do-it-all acoustic-electric that can keep up with players through the early and middle stages of their development on the instrument. For the price, it will be tough to find another acoustic-electric guitar that delivers this level of quality and versatility.