Yamaha C40 PKG Classical Guitar: Full Review

The Yamaha C40 is an affordable entry-level classical guitar designed for beginner and student musicians. With a retail price around $200, it offers a great value for those looking to learn classical guitar without spending a fortune.

The C40 features a spruce top with meranti back and sides, giving it an authentic nylon-string sound. It has a standard fan-braced top and comes equipped with nylon strings, making it a true classical guitar. The neck is made of nato wood with a rosewood fretboard containing 19 frets. It has a total length of 25 9/16 inches. Overall, the C40 provides a rich classical tone and comfortable playability perfect for new players.

Construction

The Yamaha C40 features a high-quality spruce top with meranti back and sides. The spruce top is known for providing a balanced, nuanced sound while the meranti back and sides offers stability and durability.

The guitar has a natural satin finish that allows the woods to resonate freely. There is no pickguard or binding which gives the C40 an elegant, minimalist aesthetic. The neck joint is dove-tailed providing a tight connection between neck and body for better energy transfer and sustain.

The wood selection, finish, and construction of the C40 are comparable to more expensive models resulting in impressive sound and playability at this price point. The all-solid wood body produces a clean, balanced tone with good bass response thanks to the spruce and meranti combination.

The Yamaha C40's simple yet effective construction allows it to produce great sound at an entry-level price point. Many budget classical guitars use laminate woods or inferior materials that negatively impact tone. By using all solid woods, Yamaha is able to offer excellent value with the C40 model.

The lack of unnecessary appointments like binding and pickguards reduces production costs without sacrificing sound quality. As a result, beginners can get a real solid wood classical guitar capable of providing years of musical enjoyment without spending a lot.

While the Yamaha C40 offers great quality and value, those looking for a classical guitar with some more decorative appointments may want to consider the Ibanez AX120MFT. This model features a floral mosaic design on the spruce top as well as ivory body binding and headstock binding.

The Ibanez AX120MFT has a spruce top and mahogany back and sides, so it will produce a slightly warmer, richer tone than the meranti-backed C40. The Ibanez classical guitar also includes a 2-way truss rod for improved neck stability as well as chrome enclosed tuning machines.

While these cosmetic and hardware upgrades do increase the cost, the Ibanez AX120MFT delivers excellent playability and sound in an eye-catching package. The floral mosaic pattern provides a unique look that many classical guitarists will appreciate.

The added binding and decorative appointments give the Ibanez a more refined appearance compared to the pared-down aesthetic of the Yamaha C40. So while the C40 prioritizes simplicity and value, the AX120MFT offers attractive looks and hardware upgrades in addition to great tone.

Ultimately the Yamaha C40 and Ibanez AX120MFT cater to slightly different classical guitar buyers. The C40 appeals to beginners and those focused strictly on sound quality, while the AX120MFT offers attractive aesthetics and appointments to go along with its impressive playability and tone.

Neck

The Yamaha C40 features a nato neck with a standard width and C-shape profile that most classical guitarists will find comfortable and familiar. Though not as premium feeling as cedar or mahogany, the nato neck provides good stability and playability.

The neck width measures 2" at the nut, which is the standard for most beginner and intermediate classical guitars. This nut width provides adequate room for the fingers to fret notes and chords cleanly, without feeling too cramped.

The C-shaped neck has a comfortable contour that fits nicely in the hand. It has a moderate depth that is not overly chunky, yet substantial enough to allow a firm grip. The satin finish on the back of the neck promotes smooth sliding up and down the frets.

Overall, the Yamaha C40 neck offers a well-balanced feel that provides beginning to intermediate players a very playable classical guitar platform. The combination of standard nut width, comfortable C profile, and smooth satin finish come together to create a great neck for learning classical technique.

If you're looking for a step up from the Yamaha C40, check out the Yamaha C40II. This model builds upon the C40 foundation with some noteworthy upgrades. It features higher quality woods, including nato back and sides and a spruce top. The bracing is also improved for better resonance and sustain. Additionally, the C40II incorporates an ebony fretboard and bridge for smoother feel and enhanced tone. The tuning machines utilize a higher gear ratio for more precise tuning stability. At around $100 more than the C40, the C40II represents a nice intermediate model with better materials and appointments before jumping up to a solid wood classical guitar. So if you want to stick with Yamaha but upgrade from the entry-level C40, take a look at the well-reviewed Yamaha C40II.

Body

The Yamaha C40 features a traditional classical guitar body shape with a comfortable contour that fits nicely against the player's body. The size is a standard concert shape, measuring approximately 40 inches long and 20 inches wide, which provides a nice balance of playability and volume.

Though it's marketed as a beginner instrument, the C40 has a body thickness comparable to many professional models. This results in rich, full-bodied tone without being overly large or cumbersome for smaller players. The rounded edges and carefully sculpted sides allow for hours of practice without digging into the ribs or feeling overly blocky.

The all-laminate construction with matte finish gives the C40 a lightweight, resonant body that is durable enough for new players while still providing pleasing acoustic resonance. The combination of spruce and nato (also known as Eastern mahogany) tonewoods produces a balanced sound across the tonal spectrum. While not as finely crafted as solid wood models, the C40's laminate body punches above its weight class sonically.

Overall, the C40 classical guitar has a traditional and comfortable body well-suited for everyone from beginners to experienced players looking for an affordable and reliable nylon-string guitar. The attractive matte finish and smoothly contoured edges make this an easy guitar to hold and play for extended periods.

Hardware

The Yamaha C40 features high-quality hardware that allows for stable tuning and good playability.

Tuning Machines

The guitar has Yamaha's die-cast chrome tuning machines that hold tune reliably. The tuning machines feature a 3+3 layout on each side of the headstock. They have pearloid buttons for a nice aesthetic touch. The tuning machines turn smoothly and allow for accurate tuning adjustments.

Nut

The nut on the C40 is made of urea and cut precisely for correct string spacing. The urea provides smooth transitions between notes in the first position. The nut overall helps the guitar stay in tune and promotes comfortable playability.

Bridge

The C40 has a rosewood bridge with a compensated saddle. The compensated saddle is shaped to properly intonate each string length and ensure accurate tuning across the fretboard. The rosewood matches the fretboard material for a cohesive look. The bridge transfers vibrations efficiently for balanced tone and sustain.

Electronics

The C40 comes equipped with passive under-saddle piezo pickups that capture the natural acoustic sound of the guitar. There are no onboard preamp or EQ controls, allowing the guitar's pure nylon-string tone to shine through. The output jack is located on the side of the lower bout, providing a clean signal that's well suited for connecting directly to an external preamp, PA system, or recording interface.

While the lack of onboard electronics keeps things simple, it also limits the ability to shape the tone or volume from the guitar itself. However, the focused sound can be beneficial, as effects and EQ can be applied selectively downstream in a pedalboard or DAW. The passive electronics help maintain the C40's affordable price point while still delivering Yamaha's characteristic classical guitar tone.

Sound

The C40 classical guitar produces a warm, balanced tone ideal for playing classical compositions. The all-laminate spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide a sweet, focused sound with good projection and sustain.

The spruce top is responsible for much of the guitar's bright, responsive voice. Spruce is a popular tonewood for classical guitars, providing crisp articulation and enough warmth to complement the nylon strings. The lamination process strengthens the top, allowing it to withstand the tension of the strings while still vibrating freely to produce sound.

The mahogany back and sides also influence the C40's balanced tone. Mahogany adds a subtle midrange emphasis, filling out the guitar's voice with mellow lows and pleasant highs. This wood doesn't project as loudly as rosewood, but it offers enough volume for practice and performance in small- to medium-sized spaces.

Overall, the all-laminate spruce and mahogany body generates a pleasing classical guitar sound. The woods provide good resonance and sustain, allowing notes to ring out clearly. While not as complex as a high-end model, the C40 has an impressive tonal palette within its accessible price range.

Playability

The playability of the Yamaha C40 classical guitar is one of its standout features. The action is low and comfortable, making it an excellent choice for beginners who are just learning how to press down the strings. The C40 has a nato neck with a rosewood fretboard that is smoothly finished. This allows the left hand to glide up and down the neck during faster passages without getting caught on rough spots.

The wider classical neck may take some adjustment coming from an acoustic steel string, but is comfortable for classical technique and helps with cleaner fingering. The strings themselves have a softer, mellower tone compared to steel strings which allows the fingers to press down and fret notes without excessive force. This reduces finger fatigue, especially during longer practice sessions. With its easy playability and comfortable action, the Yamaha C40 classical guitar enables proper technique and minimizes frustration when starting to learn classical guitar.

Pros

The Yamaha C40 classical guitar has many excellent features that make it a great choice for beginner and intermediate players.

• High-quality construction: The C40 is made from solid spruce and mahogany, providing a rich, full-bodied tone. The nato neck is sturdy and stable. Overall, the guitar is built to last.

• Comfortable playability: The C40 has a shorter 650mm scale length and slim neck profile that makes it very playable, even for smaller hands. The action is low and comfortable right out of the box.

• Great sound: Despite the affordable price point, the C40 produces a warm, balanced tone. The spruce top provides crisp trebles, while the mahogany back and sides offer nice bass response. It's a versatile guitar for various styles.

• Includes extras: The kit comes with a gig bag, clip-on tuner, picks, extra strings, and polishing cloth. This makes it an excellent value for a complete beginner's package.

• Renowned Yamaha quality: As an established brand, Yamaha is known for producing reliable, consistent instruments. The C40 upholds the same standards and quality control.

Cons

The Yamaha C40 has a few drawbacks to consider:

• The nylon strings can take some getting used to, especially if you're accustomed to steel strings. They have a mellower, darker tone that may seem lacking in brightness at first. It takes time to appreciate their warmth.

• The guitar body is 3/4 size, which some adult players may find too small. It can feel cramped and awkward if you have large hands or long arms.

• The tuning machines are covered and sealed, but they are still basic friction pegs. Geared tuners would make tuning more accurate and stable.

• There is no cutaway, so it can be tough to access the upper frets. This limits the guitar for more advanced techniques.

• The laminated construction makes it lightweight, but doesn't produce the richest acoustic resonance. Solid wood models have superior sustain and tone production.

• The pickup system is very basic and not suitable for more than informal amplification. It lacks the nuance and body of high-end pickups.

• The factory strings aren't the best quality. Upgrading to premium strings will get better sound.

• Overall, it's an entry-level instrument with some compromises. The tone and playability ultimately can't compare to premium classical guitars.