The Yamaha APXT2 is an affordable 4/4 size acoustic-electric guitar designed for beginners and intermediate players. As part of Yamaha's APX line, the APXT2 features a thin, comfort-contoured body joined with a mahogany neck to provide a lightweight and comfortable playing experience. With an attractive black finish and simple appointments, it delivers Yamaha's renowned high build quality and playability at a very accessible price point.

Equipped with a System65 3-band pickup and preamp, the APXT2 enables amplification options for stage and studio use. Overall, it offers an excellent value for those looking to buy their first acoustic-electric or upgrade from a budget model. Though not loaded with premium tonewoods and electronics, the APXT2 punches above its class in looks, construction, playability, and amplified tones.

Body Style and Design

The Yamaha APXT2 features a concert-style body shape with a thinline cutaway design that is comfortable for both seated and standing playing positions. Despite the compact size, the APXT2 produces a rich, full-bodied acoustic tone.

The top, back and sides are constructed from laminated spruce and meranti, which provides a balanced tone across the tonal spectrum with crisp highs and tight lows. The matte natural finish gives the APXT2 an understated, classic look. Yamaha also offers the APXT2 in three vibrant gloss finish options - Old Violin Sunburst, Black, and Dusk Sun Red.

The thinline body depth helps keep the APXT2 lightweight at just over 6 pounds. The single-cutaway allows easy upper fret access while retaining excellent resonance and sustain. Overall, the APXT2's compact but resonant body strikes a nice balance of playability, comfort and rich acoustic tone. While the Yamaha APXT2 is a quality, affordable acoustic-electric, players looking for a premium acoustic-electric guitar may want to consider the Jameson Guitars 979 BLACK CSE. This acoustic-electric features a solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides, resulting in a nicely balanced tone. The slim neck and smooth satin finish make for comfortable playing during long practice or gigging sessions. The onboard preamp and pickup system provides quality plugged-in tones, while the built-in tuner is convenient for on-the-fly tuning. The Jameson 979 comes equipped with quality die-cast tuners and even includes a hardshell case, making it an excellent value for the price. While the Yamaha APXT2 is a nice entry-level acoustic-electric, intermediate and advanced players may appreciate the upgrade in tone, playability and features offered by the Jameson Guitars 979 BLACK CSE.

Neck and Fretboard

The Yamaha APXT2 features a nato neck with a rosewood fretboard. The neck has a standard 25.5" scale length, allowing for comfortable playing and intonation across the fretboard. The rosewood fingerboard has 20 frets in total, providing a good range for solos, riffs, and chord voicings up the neck. The wider nut width of 1.68" adds room for intricate fingerpicking and helps reduce buzz. Overall the APXT2's neck and fretboard offer a nice feel that accommodates various playing styles from strumming to soloing.

When looking at acoustic-electric guitars like the Yamaha APXT2, the neck and fretboard are important factors to consider. A comfortable, playable neck allows you to maneuver around the fretboard smoothly and accurately. The APXT2's neck dimensions promote solid technique for both hands. The nut width provides room for fingerpicking, while the standard scale length ensures proper intonation when fretting notes and chords up and down the rosewood fingerboard. Whether you're playing open chords, barre chords, solos, or single-note riffs, the APXT2's neck and fretboard design will support your playing. This makes the guitar versatile for various musical styles and techniques.

Other comparable acoustic-electric guitars like the Cordoba C9 06512 also aim to offer a comfortable and playable neck for versatility. The C9 has a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard, 20 frets, and a nut width of 1.96". This is slightly wider than the APXT2 for a bit more fingerpicking room. Yet both guitars have a similar 25.5" scale length. When testing out acoustic-electric models, pay close attention to the neck shape, size, materials, and scale length to find something that suits your playing style and needs. The neck and fretboard significantly impact feel and playability. Whether you choose the APXT2, C9, or another model, finding a guitar with a comfortable neck will help you play your best.

Electronics and Pickups

The Yamaha APXT2 features Yamaha's proprietary System 66 piezo pickup system and preamp. This gives it a very natural and balanced acoustic tone and allows you to plug directly into an amplifier or PA system.

The guitar has a 3-band EQ for shaping your tone - bass, mid, and treble controls. There is also a built-in tuner and a phase switch to help eliminate feedback. The preamp has a discrete design that preserves your natural acoustic sound.

The volume and tone controls are mounted on the side of the guitar for easy access while playing. The battery compartment is also conveniently located on the side. The pickup and preamp system gives you flexibility while maintaining the true unplugged sound of the guitar.

Hardware

The APXT2 features quality hardware that enables great tuning stability and ample sustain. The tuning machines are sealed die-cast tuners that keep the guitar in tune through changes in humidity and temperature. They have a smooth and precise feel when tuning.

The bridge and saddle are made from quality rosewood and synthetic bone. The rosewood adds resonance while being extremely durable. The synthetic bone compensates for temperature changes better than natural materials. Together they provide excellent transfer of vibrations and sustain.

The overall hardware complements the guitar nicely. The tuning machines keep it in tune while the quality bridge and saddle enable excellent resonance and sustain.

Sound and Tone

The Yamaha APXT2 produces a balanced, clear acoustic tone with nice sustain and resonance. The small body size limits the projection and volume slightly, but the sound is still full and vibrant. The top is solid spruce which helps produce a bright, lively tone. The mahogany back and sides add warmth and bass response to the mid and treble tones from the spruce top.

The APXT2 has a built-in System65 preamp and SRT pickup that accurately reproduces the guitar's inherent acoustic sound. The tone is natural and balanced through an amp or PA system. The EQ controls allow you to shape the tone to your liking by boosting bass, mids or treble as needed. The pickup and preamp combo captures the nuances well and doesn't produce any thin or quacky electric tones. Overall, the APXT2 produces a pleasing amplified acoustic sound ideal for live performances or recording.

The thinner 1.75" body limits projection slightly compared to a full dreadnought, but it helps keep the tone balanced across the frequency range. The APXT2 can hold its own for jamming but listeners may want more volume in large venues. For most small to mid-sized performances the projection is sufficient, especially when amplified through a PA system. The tone remains clear and full-sounding even when played loud.

Playability

When it comes to playability, the Yamaha APXT2 really shines. This is a very comfortable and easy to play acoustic-electric guitar.

The neck has a slim taper profile that feels great in your hands. It's not too thick or chunky, making it very accessible and enjoyable to play. The satin finish on the back of the neck further enhances the smooth feel.

In terms of string action, Yamaha has this guitar set up very nicely right out of the box. The action is low and buzz-free, allowing for easy fretting and chord changes. Bending notes and soloing is a breeze without having to fight high action.

Overall balance and weight is excellent on the APXT2. The body shape and dimensions make it feel natural and balanced whether you're seated or standing. At just over 5 lbs, it's lightweight enough for extended playing sessions without weighing down your shoulder or causing fatigue.

When it comes to playability and comfort, the APXT2 hits all the right notes. The smooth neck, low action, and balanced body design equate to a very enjoyable playing experience you can look forward to each time you pick it up.

Pros

The Yamaha APXT2 has several excellent features that make it a great choice for an acoustic-electric guitar in its price range:

• Quality electronics and pickup: The APXT2 comes equipped with Yamaha's System66 pickup and preamp system, which delivers clear, balanced acoustic tone and lets you plug right into an amp or PA system. The under-saddle piezo pickup accurately captures the guitar's natural tone.

• Comfortable playability: With its slim, shallow body depth and smaller scale length, the APXT2 is an exceptionally comfortable guitar to play, even for long practice sessions. The neck has a smooth satin finish that facilitates quick, fluid playing.

• Eye-catching cosmetics: Available in vintage-inspired tobacco sunburst and black color options, the APXT2 has an elegant, stylish look. Nice cosmetic touches like the tortoiseshell pickguard and chrome die-cast tuners give this guitar visual appeal to match its great sound.

Cons

While the Yamaha APXT2 offers solid performance and playability for the price, it does have a few downsides to consider:

• Limited Sounds from Preamp - The APXT2's preamp and EQ only provide a basic tonal palette. It lacks the ability to sculpt more refined acoustic-electric tones compared to higher-end models. The preamp is functional, but limited.

• Plastic Bridge Pins - Yamaha uses plastic bridge pins instead of higher quality bone or tusq options. While playable, the plastic pins can cause a bit more string friction and don't transfer string vibration as cleanly as bone/tusq pins.

• No Cutaway Option - The APXT2 only comes in a standard dreadnought body shape without a cutaway. Those wanting easier upper fret access may need to look at other models. However, the neck joint allows fairly comfortable access up to the 14th fret.

Conclusion

The Yamaha APXT2 is an excellent entry-level acoustic-electric guitar that punches above its weight class. Despite the affordable price point, it offers impressive build quality, playability and amplified tone.

The slim neck profile and shorter scale length make the APXT2 very comfortable and accessible for beginners and younger players with smaller hands. It's lightweight too, reducing fatigue during long practice sessions. Even unplugged, the APXT2 produces a balanced, resonant tone that belies its price tag.

Plugged in, the APXT2 really shines. The proprietary Yamaha pickup and preamp system deliver natural amplified tone without excessive feedback. The guitar also takes well to effects pedals, offering tonal flexibility for performing live.

For those looking to buy their first acoustic-electric, or even more experienced players on a budget, the Yamaha APXT2 is easy to recommend. It nails the fundamentals of playability and build quality, while also sounding fantastic plugged in. Given the affordable price, the APXT2 is quite simply one of the best acoustic-electric values around.