Yamaha CG122MS Classical Guitar: Full Review

The Yamaha CG122MS is an entry-level classical guitar crafted in Indonesia by Yamaha's skilled luthiers. This nylon-string guitar features a spruce top with mahogany back and sides, a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and a matte finish.

As one of Yamaha's most popular beginner classical guitars, the CG122MS aims to provide an affordable, quality instrument for new players. While cost-effective, Yamaha did not cut corners on tonewoods or hardware. The combination of spruce and mahogany produces a balanced, resonant sound.

With its classic fan bracing, comfortable body size, and playable neck, the CG122MS allows beginners to learn proper classical technique. While not a professional-grade concert guitar, the CG122MS gives budget-conscious students, hobbyists, and enthusiasts an opportunity to own a real handmade classical guitar.

Construction

The Yamaha CG122MS features a solid spruce top, which is prized for its bright, articulate sound. Spruce is a classic tonewood choice for classical guitars, thanks to its lightweight and resonant properties. It produces clear treble notes and good volume.

The back and sides are made from nato wood, also known as Eastern mahogany. Nato has a balanced tone, with slightly boosted midrange and warm bass. It provides a solid tonal foundation to complement the spruce top. The combination of spruce and nato creates an expressive, well-rounded voice.

Some key benefits of this construction:

• Solid spruce top offers excellent resonance and responsiveness
• Nato back and sides provide a balanced tone with pleasing warmth
• Lightweight build makes the guitar comfortable to hold and play
• Tonewood combination suits a wide range of classical repertoire

The all-solid wood construction ensures the Yamaha CG122MS can produce rich, nuanced classical tones. Overall, the quality materials make this an excellent choice for new and advancing classical guitarists.

Sound

The Yamaha CG122MS classical guitar produces a bright, focused tone that projects well. The solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back and sides help the guitar resonate clearly and sustain notes longer.

Reviewers often remark on the impressive volume and sustain from the CG122MS, especially for a guitar in this price range. The tone is described as balanced across the registers, with nice separation between the bass, mids, and treble. The treble tones are articulate without being harsh.

The guitar's smaller body size helps it project and cut through an ensemble. The focused sound also records well. Many owners use the CG122MS as their go-to for recording classical guitar parts at home. While not as complex sounding as more expensive models, the Yamaha punches above its weight in terms of balanced tone and sustain.

Playability

The Yamaha CG122MS classical guitar has a very playable neck and low action that make it comfortable to play. The neck has a standard width and slim profile that fits nicely in the hand. It utilizes a 650mm radius fretboard, providing a flatter surface compared to more curved boards. This promotes smooth, even voicing across the strings without dead spots.

The action on the CG122MS comes set low and buzz-free from the factory. This allows easy pressing down of notes and chords without excessive finger effort. The strings sit close to the frets, maximizing playability while still offering clear tone without rattle. This guitar feels great right out of the box, with no tricky adjustment required to lower action.

Overall, the Yamaha offers outstanding playability for a classical guitar in this price range. The comfortable neck shape and specially designed low action facilitate versatility and access to the entire fingerboard. Players can enjoy this instrument for long practice sessions without hand fatigue. It's beginner friendly, but retains a professional feel.

Hardware

The Yamaha CG122MS comes equipped with chrome enclosed tuners that hold the strings in tune well. The nut and saddle are both made from plastic, which helps keep costs down but can sacrifice some resonance and sustain versus bone or other upgraded materials.

The chrome tuners are smooth and accurate for tuning stability. While open geared tuners can sometimes provide a bit more precision, the enclosed chrome tuners get the job done reliably. They turn smoothly and maintain proper string tension.

The plastic nut and saddle are typical for a guitar in this price range. Upgrading to bone, tusk, or other materials can improve resonance, but would increase the cost. The plastic nut and saddle perform adequately and intonate accurately. Intonation adjustment is accessible if needed.

Overall, the hardware components Yamaha chose allow the CG122MS to balance playability with affordability. The tuners, nut and saddle give a beginner room to grow without holding back progress. Intermediate players may eventually wish to upgrade, but the factory parts enable good tone and tuning stability to start.

Electronics

The Yamaha CG122MS is an acoustic classical guitar, so there are no electronics built in. Some key things to know:

• This is a completely acoustic instrument without any pickups or preamps. You cannot plug it into an amplifier.

• The lack of electronics helps contribute to the traditional classical guitar sound and allows the top wood's acoustic properties to really shine.

• For players who require amplification, such as live performers, an external soundhole pickup can be added. But for practice or unamplified playing, the lack of electronics keeps things simple.

• The no-frills acoustic-only design complements the Yamaha CG122MS's role as an affordable starting classical guitar. Keeping costs down while providing good sound quality is achieved partly by not including electronics.

• While electronics add versatility, they also add complexity and cost. The Yamaha focuses on the fundamentals and traditional classical guitar experience.

Overall, the Yamaha CG122MS foregoes electronics in favor of an acoustic-only design, keeping the guitar accessible and centered on pure nylon-string sound. This allows it to achieve an excellent balance as a high-value student classical model.

Cost

The Yamaha CG122MS is an affordable entry-level classical guitar, making it a great option for beginners or students. While not the cheapest classical guitar on the market, the Yamaha CG122MS delivers impressive quality and playability for its price point. Typically retailing around $200, this Yamaha nylon-string guitar represents excellent value for money.

The relatively low cost of the CG122MS makes it accessible even if you're on a tight budget. You can get started learning and playing classical guitar without needing to spend a small fortune upfront. While more expensive professional-grade classical guitars exist, the Yamaha CG122MS has more than enough quality for a beginner's needs.

Many budget classical guitars cut costs by using inferior materials that hamper sound and playability. However, Yamaha manages to keep costs down through efficient manufacturing while maintaining decent build standards. So you can learn proper classical guitar technique on an instrument that stays tune and sounds musical.

Overall, the affordable Yamaha CG122MS removes the price barrier for entry into the world of classical guitar. It's a great choice for new players not wanting to spend big bucks just starting out.

Pros

The Yamaha CG122MS classical guitar offers excellent quality and playability for an entry-level instrument. The solid spruce top and nato back and sides produce a surprisingly full, balanced tone that belies this guitar's affordable price point.

The slim neck and low action make this an easy guitar to play, even for beginners. The smaller body size is comfortable to hold and doesn't create the arm/shoulder strain that some larger classical guitars do. The CG122MS plays very smoothly up and down the neck.

The rosewood fingerboard and bridge provide a nice contrast to the lighter colored top wood. Overall, the hardware and materials feel solid, especially considering the price. The satin finish helps improve resonance while keeping costs down.

While not a professional-grade classical, the Yamaha CG122MS punches above its weight in terms of materials, construction quality, tone, and playability. It's an excellent starter classical guitar that can grow with players over the first several years of lessons and practicing.

Cons

The Yamaha CG122MS classical guitar has a few downsides to consider.

• Electronics and cutaway options are not available with this model. Since it is an entry-level classical guitar, it lacks built-in electronics such as pickups and preamps that would allow you to amplify the sound. The lack of cutaway in the body shape also restricts access to higher frets.

• Limited tone shaping capabilities. The CG122MS does not have any onboard EQ or tone controls. You're relying solely on the natural acoustic tone of the solid spruce top, so there's minimal ability to shape or adjust the guitar's innate sound.

Conclusion

The Yamaha CG122MS is a great beginner classical guitar that delivers excellent quality and playability for the price. It has a solid spruce top and nato back and sides that produce a full, balanced tone. The slim neck and shorter scale length make it very comfortable and accessible for new players. Hardware like the chrome tuners and adjustable truss rod ensure good intonation and playability.

While it doesn't have the projection or refinement of more expensive classical guitars, the Yamaha CG122MS punches above its weight. The sound is clear and resonant, not overly bright or boomy. The craftsmanship and setup allow beginners to learn proper classical technique. Experienced players may want more projection, but overall this Yamaha classical guitar offers great value. For those dipping their toes into nylon strings, the CG122MS is easy to recommend. It's a quality instrument that will support a player through their early development.