Classical guitar Excellence With The Yamaha SLG200N

The Yamaha SLG200N is a nylon-string classical guitar designed to deliver the rich tone that discerning classical players expect. Part of Yamaha's Silent Guitar line featuring built-in pickups and preamps, the SLG200N allows for quiet practice and stage-ready amplified tone all in one instrument.

With a traditional fan-braced spruce and nato construction, the SLG200N produces a balanced and nuanced classical guitar sound. The onboard SRT pickup system accurately reproduces those acoustic tones, while electronic tuners and EQ controls give players flexibility. Weighing just over 5 pounds, the SLG200N offers comfortable playability as well.

For guitarists seeking an accessible classical model suitable for practice, performance, and recording, the Yamaha SLG200N warrants a close look. This versatile nylon-string provides beautiful traditional tone and stage-friendly features.

Construction

The Yamaha SLG200N NT features a solid spruce top with nato back and sides. Spruce is a popular choice for classical guitar tops due to its crisp, clear tone that projects well. The solid spruce top on the SLG200N NT helps produce a balanced and nuanced sound.

Nato, also known as Eastern mahogany, is used for the back and sides. Nato is tonally similar to mahogany with a warm, balanced sound but is more affordable. The nato back and sides pair nicely with the spruce top, providing a rich low end and nicely rounded midrange. The all-wood construction makes for a beautifully resonant and responsive instrument.

The Yamaha SLG200N NT has a nato neck with a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Rosewood is a traditional fretboard material prized for its hardness and durability. The rosewood fretboard and bridge complement the warm, mellow sound of the nato and spruce. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret for comfortable upper fret access. The nut width is 52mm, giving a roomy feel that classical players expect.

The hardware includes sealed nickel tuners and a nato headstock overlay with mother-of-pearl Yamaha logo. The classical body shape, all-wood construction, and premium appointments give the Yamaha SLG200N NT a sophisticated look and feel. At around $200, it provides an excellent value for a nylon-string guitar with solid spruce top.

Another good beginner classical guitar choice in a similar price range is the Epiphone EIFBVSNH1. This model also has a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The mahogany contributes to a balanced tone with good bass response. The neck has a slim taper for smooth playability. The hardware includes chrome sealed tuners and a rosewood bridge. The fretboard is made of rosewood as well. The Epiphone EIFBVSNH1 presents a great value for an all-solid wood classical guitar under $200.

Tonewoods

The Yamaha SLG200N NT features a high-quality solid spruce top paired with meranti back and sides.

Spruce is a classic guitar top wood prized for its balanced tone. It offers a nice blend of warmth, articulation, and volume. Spruce responds well to playing dynamics and projects each note with clarity. It's a versatile wood that works for many different playing styles.

Meranti is an affordable, sustainable alternative to more premium rosewoods and mahoganies. It has a balanced tonal profile with clear mids and smooth, round bass notes. The meranti back and sides let the spruce top ring out freely. This wood combination gives the SLG200N NT an open and resonant acoustic voice.

While not made from exotic woods, the tonewood selection enables nuanced tones and impressive sustain on the SLG200N NT. The spruce and meranti offer a pleasing timbre across the frequency spectrum.

The specific wood combination and construction of a classical guitar have a major impact on the instrument's sound. The type of woods used, such as spruce or cedar for the top and rosewood or mahogany for the back and sides, each contribute certain tonal characteristics.

The bracing pattern underneath the top also affects the vibration and resonance. A lattice bracing pattern allows for more top vibration while a fan bracing pattern offers more stability and projection. The materials and bracing work together to create the overall voice of the guitar.

High-end classical guitars are meticulously handcrafted for optimal acoustic properties. While machines are often used for manufacturing less expensive models, attention to wood selection and bracing patterns is still important. Even budget classical guitars can provide good tone if built thoughtfully.

When evaluating a new classical guitar, it's advisable to play the actual instrument you intend to purchase. Tapping on the top and listening to the resonance gives you a sense of the guitar's acoustic liveliness. And playing through various tones and techniques will reveal the guitar's overall tonal balance and responsiveness.

The specific woods and construction details distinguish one classical guitar from another. Understanding these tonewood basics helps you to select an instrument to match your acoustic needs and playing style. For more information, check out this budget-friendly classical guitar.

Playability

The Yamaha SLG200N NT features a standard classical guitar neck profile that is comfortable and easy to play. The neck has a width of 52mm at the nut, which provides ample room for fingerstyle playing without being too wide for smaller hands.

The action on the SLG200N NT is set low but still has enough clearance over the frets for clean fretting without buzzing. This makes it very playable right out of the box without any setup required. The action can be further adjusted to suit your preferences if desired.

The rosewood fretboard has a 650mm radius which is common on classical guitars. The medium jumbo frets are smoothly finished for comfort during longer practice or playing sessions. Overall the neck and fretboard offer a smooth and enjoyable playing experience.

Electronics

The Yamaha SLG200N features impressive electronics that enhance both its acoustic sound and stage versatility. It has an onboard preamp and tuner that allow you to plug directly into an amplifier or PA system.

The preamp uses Yamaha's SRT Powered system, which was developed to accurately reproduce the rich, complex tone of acoustic nylon strings. Advanced sensors detect string vibrations and modulate the preamp, resulting in very natural acoustic amplification without unwanted feedback. There are easy-access volume and tone controls right on the guitar.

An onboard tuner is also conveniently built-in. The tuner can be easily engaged with a push of a button, allowing for quick and accurate tuning between songs during live performances. The tuner features a discrete red LED readout that's bright enough to see on stage, but won't distract the audience.

Overall, the SLG200N's preamp and tuner offer acoustic players great live performance capabilities in a compact nylon-string guitar. You get excellent amplified acoustic tone and stable tuning without any external accessories needed.

Sound

The Yamaha SLG200N has a well-balanced and articulate tone that you would expect from a quality nylon string guitar in this price range. The solid Engelmann spruce top produces clear and bright highs, while the rosewood back and sides add warmth and resonance to the midrange and bass frequencies.

The guitar has impressive sustain and good note separation even when strumming complex chords. The tone is very balanced across the strings, with the wound bass strings providing enough low end to produce a nice full sound. Treble notes have good presence and clarity without sounding too bright or harsh.

While it may not have the rich bass and lush overtones of more expensive classical guitars, the SLG200N still delivers an authentic nylon string tone. The sound projects well, allowing melodies to sing out above strummed chords. Overall, it's a versatile and responsive instrument well-suited to various playing styles and techniques.

Silencing Effect

One of the key features of the Yamaha SLG200N is its built-in silencing effect. This allows guitarists to plug in headphones and play without disturbing others around them.

Yamaha uses its SRT Powered System to digitally process the guitar's sound and reduce its volume dramatically when silence is needed. Reviewers found this system to be very effective at lowering the volume to near-silent levels.

This is incredibly useful for practice sessions at home with roommates or family members nearby. The headphones connection lets guitarists hear themselves play clearly, while eliminating almost all external sound leakage.

Many owners highlighted this as a major plus point of the SLG200N, allowing them to play more freely and frequently without worrying about noise. It's an innovative feature that Yamaha seems to have executed well based on feedback from users.

The silencing system engages automatically when headphones are plugged in, making it easy and seamless to switch into quiet practice mode. Overall, this is a smart addition that improves the guitar's versatility for home use.

Accessories

The Yamaha SLG200N NT comes with some nice accessories that add convenience and portability.

Gig Bag

It includes a lightweight padded gig bag that provides basic protection while transporting the guitar. The bag has backpack straps, making it easy to carry the guitar hands-free. The soft interior prevents scratching the finish. While it lacks plush lining or extra storage pockets, the gig bag is a nice free addition for safely toting the SLG200N NT around.

Battery

This guitar requires a 9V battery to power the onboard preamp and silencing system. Yamaha includes an alkaline battery so you can start playing right out of the box. Expected battery life is around 100 hours. When it starts to run low, you'll need to replace it with a fresh alkaline or lithium 9V battery. It's easy to access the battery compartment on the back of the guitar.

Pros

Highly Portable and Convenient

The Yamaha SLG200N's slim, lightweight build makes it easy to transport and play anywhere. The compact size is perfect for travel and practice on-the-go.

Built-in Tuner

The guitar has a handy built-in tuner, allowing you to easily tune the guitar before playing. This saves you from having to carry around a separate tuner.

Quality Materials

The SLG200N features a solid spruce top, nato back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard and bridge. These tonewoods produce a balanced, articulate tone. The guitar is constructed to Yamaha's high standards.

Piezo Pickup and Preamp

The piezo pickup accurately conveys the guitar's natural acoustic tone. The preamp provides volume control and shaping of the amplified sound through its bass, mid, and treble controls. This allows plugging into an amp or PA system.

Silent Playability

The silencing function lets you play acoustically or plugged in without making any external sound. This is great for quiet practice and recording situations. The guitar plays and responds like an acoustic when unplugged.

Cons

The Yamaha SLG200N has a few drawbacks to consider:

• The nylon strings don't have quite the same loud acoustic volume as steel strings. It won't project as loudly when played unplugged.

• The shorter 24.6" scale length takes some getting used to compared to a full-size classical guitar. Those with large hands may find it cramped.

• The built-in tuner, while handy, is located on the underside of the guitar. This makes tuning adjustments more awkward compared to tuners located on the headstock.

• There have been some complaints that the intonation is not perfect up the neck. It may require some adjustment to dial this in.

• The look and feel is more utilitarian than many classical guitars. Those wanting a more traditional appearance may be disappointed.

• The silent option, while very effective, does change the acoustic tone and playing feel somewhat. It's a tradeoff against the ability to play silently.

• The controls and preamp located on the upper bout may get in the way while playing for some users. An ideal setup is to connect to an amp or PA system so controls can be adjusted separately.

Overall the SLG200N may not appeal to traditional classical guitar purists. But for silent practice and stage use, it's an innovative hybrid option. The playability and tone rival guitars costing much more.