Never really playing a Yamaha acoustic electric, I looked forward to trying out this AC3R to see how worthy it was. And right out of the case, this vintage looking guitar was impressive.
The design of the body and the thinner neck makes it easier for a smaller person to play, although a beginner may still have a difficult time playing bar chords. With a solid sitka spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fretboard, this beauty boasts a single cutaway style that was key for me as I like playing chords on different frets, especially high up on the neck. The action and feel of this guitar made me almost forget that this was an acoustic guitar!
Along with volume, bass and treble controls, Yamaha’s SRT2 system allows you to blend between piezo and SRT2 preamp signals for a personalized sound. Playing this live was amazing, with NO feedback and a crisp, clean, yet full sound where every note resonated. Being from a rock background, I work my guitars hard, and the AC3R really does the job!
Deciding to play it at a club for the first 30 minutes of my gig, I ended up playing the entire night with this guitar, performing soft ballads and heavy-handed rock tunes. The guitar did not disappoint. (Actually, I was sad to have to send it back to Yamaha!) From finger picking to light strumming to full-on hard chords, the sound of this guitar remained beautiful. Each note rang with clarity. Even when tuning down to double drop D or an other alt tuning, along with playing hard, the Yamaha completely stayed in tune and sounded great all night. Set up with the Elixir 80/20 Bronze light strings (0.12-0.53) with NANOWEB coating, it was easy to play up and down the neck with crisp tones and resonating sound. (These strings were also impressive, since I have not tried Elixir for years due to not being able to get that high-end jangle out of them. Now I LOVE them, especially on this guitar!)
The AC3 would be a GREAT addition to any folky, country music artist, rock artist, or even the person who wants a beautiful sounding guitar for writing. Or just to have a beautiful, great sounding acoustic in their collection.
Very impressed!
Tech Specs
String Type: Steel
Number of Strings: 6
Body Shape: Concert
Color: Vintage Natural
Finish: A.R.E. treated top
Top Wood: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides Wood: Solid Rosewood
Body Bracing: Scalloped bracing
Binding: Mahogany
Neck Wood: 3-piece Mahogany
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Fingerboard Inlay: Dots
Number of Frets: 20
Scale Length: 25.5″
Tuning Machines: Die-cast chrome
Bridge Material: Ebony
Nut Width: 1.692″
Electronics: SRT2 preamp with saddle pickup
Priced at $899.99.