Yamaha APXT1 Electric Acoustic

APXT-1 acoustic/electric travel guitar. Yamaha only made one variant of this model, so mine is like everyone else's in terms of features.

Unplugged it sounds pretty decent, though it's bass deficient. But it's certainly usable and I've played full sized guitars that sounded a lot worse. Plugged in, it is AMAZINGLY good sounding--full bodied, very articulate, very good. I like the amplified sound of this guitar as much as acoustic/electrics I own that cost 10x as much.

I bought it used. When I purchased it, the action was laughably high. I was worried that the neck was warped, but it wasn't. Instead, the angle between the neck and body was off. Fortunately, the neck on this guitar is a bolt on (unlike most acoustics). So I took off the neck, put a shim in, reattached the neck and voila!: Great action.

I can't say what the guitar was like from the factory, because mine was second hand.

The tuners seem OK, but not the best I've ever encountered in terms of holding tune.

Plays like a champ. I haven't had any problems since I reshimmed the neck. It's light, it sounds decent enough (GREAT, really, plugged in), and it doesn't go out of tune while I'm playing.

I own a few acoustic/electrics, including higher end Washburn and Ovation A/Es, and I've played others (Martin, etc.). I've never played an inexpensive A/E that sounds as good as this one. If lost/stolen, I would definitely replace it.

Don't know where or when it was made but I bought my Yamaha APXT-1 Acoustic/Electric Mini-Travel Guitar in 1997 and I'm submitting this review in 2005 and it's played beautifully since then.

22 frets nice cutaway action and for a mini-travel guitar I think it's neck is near full size and feels normal you can actually play those high notes easily. Action is beautiful - though I've never actually tweaked that on the thing.

It's got Tone & Vol. a tuner would have been nice but this is tiny don't really need much else. The Chrome Tuners are nice and easy to use and it stays in tune even with lighter strings and hard/fast strumming/bending etc. It came with a gigbag which doesn't offer much protection but was durable and had a handy pocket - but most gig bags aren't for protection just for carrying - though this is so small its not that much trouble to carry.

Major PLUS :) - fits in overhead compartment (when it's not packed with luggage) on most every flight. Though these days I'm not sure they would let ya travel with it. They might think it's a weapon... sigh...

Alot of ppl here don't like the sound unplugged but I've owned a couple other mini guitars and this is the best. I first tried a Gibson mini-electric don't remember the model but it looked like a Les Paul - though it was crap. a toy that didn't stay in tuned and could only be tuned to G. I wanted a real guitar that could be tuned normally - I'm personally not into bizarre tunings or re-learning songs on alternate guitars. The purpose of a mini guitar is to be able to play what you normally play but anywhere I think.. :P

I also had a Martin Backpaker which was crap I had the non electric kind Acoustic only and it was very very neck heavy - you could not play this without wedging it under your armpit to hold it steady. Plus it sounded like a bad tube with steel strings attached.

On the other hand this Yamaha is not neck heavy in my opinion - plays fine on your knee and sounds usable unplugged to play acoustic or electric tunes and sounds fantastic plugged in direct with a touch of chorus on top.

A warm and even sound across the fretboard I like its sound. I sometimes use topheavy 10s on it and it gives it a bit of a deeper warm feeling when recording. I like its sound as it is amazing for its size.

Guitar was perfect from factory as I've never modified it and intonation has been perfect for 7 yrs!!

no flaws that I've noticed.

I like the action as I can play some fast stuff on it and put lite strings on it. Some mention Nylon strings here but I've never tried that. Only steel acoustic or electric strings and have all sounded and played great on it. The neck is thin and easy to play. Frets are ever so slighty high but slides and stuff are still easy on it. My friend can't play slide guitar on it much as I've got the action too low. But overall wonderful.

I normally hate sunbursts but this violin cherry sunburst is cool and looks great 7 yrs later with only a polish every few months! :)

It's been extremely durable. I've taken it on subways, planes, beaches. everywhere Hardware has lasted and it still looks brand new despite the amount of use and travel it's had!

Never needed it so have no idea...

I also have a US Ovation Elite 1778T which is awesome and this Yamaha is not a bad replacement for it when I want to take it somewhere quick when I don't feel like taking a bigger guitar or don't want to risk the others getting hurt or stolen. Glad this one hasn't been though as it's awesome. I'd get it again in a heartbeat.

I just bought this guitar used and I am knocked out -- great instrument! It is a wonderful practice guitar (thin sound, but won't annoy someone sleeping upstairs) and it sounds HUGE plugged in to a good system. The tone control is cool -- seems to boost both bass and treble as you turn it up. This guitar is going to be perfect for my weekly acoustic guitar/upright bass/drums trio gig. It's roughly Les Paul size -- maybe a little smaller. Feels great!

The one and only downside -- when I put a srap button on the upper bout it is a bit neck-heavy. It probably would not be a problem if you attached the strap to the peghead ("acoustic-style"). Seated it feels great.

Sunds like a ukelele uplugged -- sounds huge plugged in (which is how this guitar is meant to be heard). It it can get LOUD before feedback.

I like the cut away on it. it gives easy access to the higher notes on the guitar.

I love the sound of this acoustic. it's clean, crisp, and rings very well, and the pick-up's are amazing.

I love the way this guitar fit the curves of my lap and arm for playing when sitting dwn. It was really comfortable to hold which gave easier playing ability

This seems to be a well made guitar. It will hold up and last for long time playing. Because of it's great make it's reliable for any performance.

Yamaha is a great company and I'd love to buy an acoustic off them any day because they are a friendly company who gave me a 5 year waranty on this product.

Yamaha is a first choice guitar... You rock

A very well made (in Taiwan) small acoustic electric. IMO, the Taiwan Yamahas are a notch better than the typical Korean made counterparts of other brands. Other reviews have detailed the features fairly well so no need to recap. However, it is important to remember this guitar has a full size electric guitar type neck. I changed the strings to electric .10's and it plays as well as my Robins. For what it is, the guitar has all the features it needs.

It is most important to remember this guitar is not trying to be a full size acoustic (it is what it is). Therefore, it does not sound like one. With the .10 gauge electric strings I can get a sweet sounding midrangey tone that's more than adequate (for me) to practice with. As most everyone has pointed out, the plugged in tone is suprisingly good giving this guitar a real versatility edge. If you have the right need and use this guitar as it is intended to be used, the sounds are better than most of the others I have tried (considering both plugged and unplugged).

As stated above, a very well made guitar. I adjusted the neck action a little lower after I got and discovered it sounds better acoustically with action more on the high side so I adjusted it back. I have the sunburst finish that is very nice even though I liked the natural finish better but couldn't find one.

I take it everywhere and it holds up to anything I've put it through (which is more than I should).

Can't comment on this.

I have been playing since the '70s and probably have owned one of just about everything at one time or another. I currently play Robin and Hamer electrics along with Yairi and Tacoma acoustics through THD amplifiers. Those guitars cover the bases for gigging and recording. This Yamaha is the perfect throw in the car take anywhere guitar. If it were lost or stolen, I would definitely get another one (maybe find a natural finished one). It seems most of the negative comments here stem from frustration that it won't do something it wasn't designed for. Not to criticize the opinions of others (totally respected) but little acoustic electrics will never sound like full size acoustic guitars. Thats akin to expecting your Harley to ride like your wifes Suburban. I am giving everything a consistent 9 because nothing is perfect (except maybe my Harley).

I don't know the year but it was made in Taiwan. 22 frets, 1 volume, 1 tone slider for the piezo pickup. Neck is maple with rosewood fingerboard. Came with crappy gig back. Green finish (not available in U.S.).

How this guitar measures soundwise depends on the use. Acoustically, it very thin (obviously). Electrically, THIS GUITAR IS AN ABSOLUTE SURPRISE. If you're looking for a travel guitar for only acoustic purposes, buy the Wechter. If you have any plans at all for plugging in your travel guitar, hunt down one of these and buy it. I have a Wechter and the Yamaha travel. The Wechter gig bag is much nicer and my Yamaha can squeeze into it.

People laugh or say "it's cute" when they see the guitar. As soon as I send it into the P.A. or through my acoustic amp, they are blown away by its sound. You would guess that this guitar would be heavy on the treble, but when you plug it in, you have to turn back the BASS knob. It's all in the piezo pickup, which requires a 9-volt. This alone produces the full sound. It has close to nothing to do with the body shape/size.

The action was very good when I got it. One minor turn of the truss rod and I was perfectly satisfied. The guitar is built amazingly well, UNLIKE the Baby Taylor, which absolutely blow. Go to my Travel Wechter guitar review to read my rant on the Baby Taylors. I hate those things.

Another great thing about this guitar is that the neck is bolt on, not glued, so there is lots of room for adjusting to your tastes. The neck is screwed on through the back, NOT on the front of the fretboard like the Baby Taylors. Neck is also very confortable and round. I think it is the same neck as on the other APX guitars. The weird thing is that the neck is probably as heavy as the body is, so there's a weird unbalanced feel at first. I got used to it pretty quickly.

I use this guitar two times a week at a professional gig. It is so portable that I have switched to using this instead of my Taylor 810CE for these gigs. It doesn't sound as good as my Taylor, but since I live in NYC and ride my bike to gigs, the small size makes my life much easier.

An absolutely great guitar.

Yamaha has always been cool about answering emails.

This guitar isn't made anymore and I suspect that these guitars will get tougher to find over the years. I don't plan on ever parting with mine.

I'm been playing guitar for 18 years and right not I own 9 guitars. I love this guitar and would immediately find another if someone stole mine. This plays more comfortably than a Rainsong I had, which ran 10X the price!!!

Like I said, acoustically, it sounds small. Plugged in, it sounds huge. Well worth the $160.

I've played most of the big brand travel guitars out there. The Baby Taylors are a TOTAL rip off and play crappy. The Martin Backpackers are good firewood at best. The Tacoma Papoose is also expensive.The Ibanez Daytripper is fair.

The Wechter is well built and inexpensive (around $150 new). Besides the Yamaha, the Wechter is the only other travel guitar I would recommend. The pick-up isn't near as strong, but it sounds better acoustically.

Eletro Acoustic Travel Guitar model
Single Piezo system w/ preamp
Maple neck
agatis body
African Rosewood scale/bridge
sunburst finish
Yamaha tuners(Grover style)
Korean made
Never 10! Perfect is going on....

That not sounds as a full acoustic body, but when it is plugged on a amp....surprise.... it sounds as your big family APX series, and then I can't describe how my friends fells...
Well, with no plugs it sounds like a toy? Never. That is not a toy, that is a travel guitar, and for me, your sound is the full acoustic sound with no bass. I'll try to be more exact: if you put your full acoustic body(Gibsun,Finder,Watherburn,Ticoma..)IN A PREAMP and into a MIXER, and cut LOWs you will obtain his sound(acoustic sound).
Plugged it is perfect.

Guys I encourage you to put a set of .012 brass/acoustic strings. Just it will change in 100% his sound and it will increase more lows that it need.
The action is perfect ajustable as any guitar is. A luthier can be usefull. For me the low actions is not needed, because I prefer the sound obtained with no noise fret.
The preamp into it is evident a must. That put muscles in a babe!

The Yamaha's engineering is really the state of art in acoustic guitars. They think in all... The rear side of the instrument is painted with a long life plastic paint - for travel never forget.

Never need. Yamaha's web site is cool.

I've been playig it for an year. I buy it again and again, because it is very usefull.
My favorite feature in it: your small body with acoustic sound totally preservate in volume, yes that sounds hi.
I can compare it with a Gibson L1(US3400) or with a Carvin ELC135(US1200) or with a Tacoma Baby(US990, you know how money you have...

Built in pick up, eq, vol. very nice finish, looks cool in blue. Rather plasticky back finish but very durable. Nice electric style neck, good quality tuners. Came with gig bag, bridge spacers, strap button for front, allen wrench & data sheet. Nice little package all in all.

Initially bought just for travel, acoustic sound pretty poor but better than backpacker. Takamine sounded better acoustically but had 3/4 size frets, this one has a proper neck. Changed strings, acoustic sound is better, but this guitar sounds just fantastic when plugged in (a total surprise). I now use it at gigs all the time, it has a very good quality pickup, but be careful to have the volume halfway to avoid feedback. I give it a 9 as an electric, but a 5 as an acoustic (realistically you can't expect a full bodied acoustic sound out of a guitar this small)

Action a little high towards the bridge, intonation a bit sharp towards the bridge, but up to about the ninth fret is fine for most songs. Finish is superb, it's a beautifully made little guitar & feels more like a hollow electric than an acoustic. Neck is a little heavy, but it doesn't take much to get used to it. I play it a lot it is so convenient & a killer amplified.

This will hold up, I use it all the time without a back up. It has the same APX electronics as its big brothers, I can't fault that side of it.

Have had no issues with the guitar, Yamaha's reputation is pretty high, they make a good instrument for the price.

Been playing 30 plus years. Also own Washburn HB35S (with Gibson classic pickups), Shergold Masquerador solid electric (70's Brit guitar), Charvel Jackson 12 string, Maya P Bass. Amps include 70's AC30 TB & 2001 Fender Bassman 60 combo, Fender Passport 250 PA. I would replace this guitar if lost/stolen, it is much more versatile than I expected, it is a great electric guitar as well as a convenient travel guitar. I tried the Backpacker (just horrible), A Fender (too expensive), a Takamine (small frets). This was the best of the bunch and gets more use than I thought it would.

Best Features:
Small body, great for playing in the car
cut away allowing you to reach the high frets
input, volume and control knobs so you can plug it in
beautiful finish
can use nylon or steel strings
comes with a free gig bag
easy to take with you EVERYWHERE, since i got it i have literally taken it with me almost everywhere i have gone, its hard to put the thing down
+lotsa other stuff i forget right now :)
worst features:
feeds back a lot when its plugged in near the amp, you need to move a fair way back from it
people keep telling you that it looks like a ukelali (SP?)

you dont get as full a sound as you would get from a full sized acoustic, but remember that its a guitar made for travelling.... you get a much better sound (eg fuller) when you do plug it in, more like a full sized acoustic
when you arent plugged in however the sound is still good, but not great, its definitely not the same as a full sized acoustic, but i really cant agree with the comments that it sounds almost like a banjo or a toy guitar
my personal opinion is that it sounds pretty good, especially for a guitar of its size
would probably sound better if it was made from better wood, particularly the wood at the back

The action is good, i have fiddled around with it to get it how i want it, so i havent really any problems with the action,
this guitar is as easy to play as my strat, i really dont know why other people gave it such a low score....
as i said there is a problem that it gets a lot of feedback, i havent really looked at a way of fixing that but i have my doubts that i could easily, however fiddling around with your amp helps a bit
the guitar itself looks beautiful..... nuff said

its really more a guitar for taking with you and just having a go when you cant have/dont want a full sized guitar, but i wouldnt have a problem using it live....
the finish is perfect, it will last
it only came with one strap button attached so i had another one attached the day after i bought it
its dependable, id use it at a gig without a backup

never had to ring yamaha about it or get it repaired

i got this guitar new from a shop that had originally bought it for a music school 3 years ago, but since the shop closed down it had been in their warehouse since then, so i got it for $175 australian, which is about $90 US, so i really got a bargain, although its good i wouldnt buy it for the retail price of $650 AUS (about $325 US) mainly because im an unemployed uni student, if i was working full time and money was not such an issue for me i would pay up to $500 AUS ($250 US) for it
best feature is definitely the portability, i cant stop taking it with me everywhere, i am in love with this damm thing

Top: Spruce
Back/Sides: Agathis/Alder (Semi Hollow)
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood
Bridge: Indian Rosewood
Frets: 22
Hardware: Chrome
Finish: Violin Sunburst
Electronics: 1-way piezo with master volume and master tone

Mine didn't come with the gig bag, but my Grandmother helped me make one for it. I cut the fabric and she sewed it together. I love my Grandmother!!!

This guitar sounds HORRIBLE!! I play acoustic guitar and this sounds like a toy. Someone mentioned it doesn't have very good sustain, and they are absolutely right. Don't get me wrong, I bought it knowing it sounded horrible. I wanted a TRAVEL guitar so I could practice where ever I might be. I also wanted a travel guitar I could plug into an amp. I will say that when plugged into an amp it sounds MUCH better. Plus I put a chorus effect on it and all it well.

I heard you could put nylon strings on this, but I never would. If it sounds bad with steel strings I'm sure it will sound bad with nylon strings.

The action is ok, but when you get close to the hole the strings are REALLY far above the fret board it's seems strange, but I think that is my problem and not the guitar. I normally don't play down there anyway. I haven't tweaked the set-up at all, which would probably help. Everything seemed to be in order on this guitar, but I probably wouldn't notice a flaw as quickly as more experienced guitar players.

I like playing this guitar. It feels like a NORMAL guitar and not like that weird Backpacker I used to have. The Backpacker sounds better acoustically than this one, but I'm still learning and trying to learn to play scales on a Backpacker doesn't translate well to a REAL guitar. When I practice on the APXT1 I don't have to make much of an adjustment when using my full-body acoustic or my eletric.

This guitar looks GREAT!! I must say I do like a guitar I can just stand back and look at. It's just so pretty.

There were other guitars I could have bought, one of which was cheaper and sounded so nice, but that guitar was bigger and didn't have electronics inside. I bought the APXT1 because of how the back was made, appeared to be more durable than the other. It does need to be protected like any other guitar, but if I hit the back of this guitar on something by accident I woudln't hurt it very much. I figure when travelling the guitar will be in the over head on it's back. Everything appears to be solid. Nothing is loose or anything like that.

I wouldn't not gig with this, because of my other guitars for that, but I think it could hold up to a lot of playing. The neck it bolted on like an electric guitar.

Have never had to deal with Yamaha support.

I've been playing off and on since 1980. I have a Martin electric acoustic, a MD electric, an old Univox jazz guitar, and an Ibanez classical guitar.

I'm not sure I would buy this guitar again if I lost it. It was expensive for what I am using it for and for it to sound so bad. But like I said I needed something I thought would hold up during travel and was small enough to carry on a plane or to work. The best thing about it is that it's small and cute and sounds decent when plugged into an amp. DO NOT BUY THIS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR!!

*PRETTY GOOD LOOKING THING...The BEST-VIOlIN-SUNBURST I have ever
seen...This guitar is Visually Flawless and Original...And not
too Gimmicky or in-your-face-trendy at all...Very Normal and Plain
looking...

*It has a kind of Electric-Style-Neck...

*It has a nice battery compartment with fool-proof-battery cartridge
...

*It has a VOLUME-knob and a TONE-knob...

*It sounds BAD...Almost like a BANJO...Sounds better pluged into
an amplifier...
*Someone said "Sounds like Fleetwood-Mack"

*The TONE-knob sounds like a regular ELECTRIC-GUITAR
when positioned counter-clockwise...It sounds almost like a FULL-BODY
ACOUSTIC when the TONE-knob is positioned Clockwise...It needs the
MIDRANGE to be NOTCHED to sound like a FULL-BODY-ACOUSTIC...

*It has
alot of BASS and TREBLE but the PICKUP-ELEMENT can cause the
BASS-STRINGS(E,A,D) to OVERLAP the TREBLE-STRINGS(G,B,E,) when
strumming a FULL-CHORD...

*The INTONATION/SET-UP is not that good,
just like most ELECTRIC-GUITARs, While perfectly tuning for an
A-MAJOR-CHORD the B-STRING is TUNED-TOO-HIGH for an E-MAJOR-CHORD
...Other notes don't match up in TUNING-PHASE as well...

*The notes are not that SENSITIVE or even SUSTAIN the closer the
NOTE-FRETS get to the SOUND-HOLE...

*The NECK is TOO-THIN at the HEAD, and TOO-WIDE near the SOUND-HOLE
part of the NECK (I'm going to shave/file the neck to be thinner)
...The NECK is TOO-HEAVY, it WAYS-DOWN the WHOLE-THING torwards the
HEAD...The BODY is TOO-LIGHT-WEIGHT...Not too easy to play

*SOUNDS FAKE with NYLON-STRINGS, needs more BASS, needs at least
some SUSTAIN...It has NO-SUSTAIN on NYLON-TREBLE-STRINGS(G,B,E)...

IT ONLY LOOKS GOOD!!!(OK)

*The TONE is SO-BAD it should have been made out of THICK-SOLID-WOOD
just to make up for its BRITTLENESS...

*The TUNERS Look like they will-last-for-3-more-years...

*IN ORDER TO GIG WITH AN ACOUSTIC: I would need a HARD-SHELL-CASE
NOT-SOME-CHEAP-THIN-GIG-BAG..."YAMAHA" doesn't even make one for
this small (!!!DISPOSABLE!!!) Guitar...

I WON'T RECORD WITH THIS TOY...

This is a mini APX with a single bridge mounted Piezo-electric pickup with volume and tone control. This model is made for those who wants a small guitar accoustic with the playability of an electric guitar .very good sound for such little guitar .tone and volume controls are very effectives.Strings Steel Strings (can also accommodate nylon strings).i bought it because i wanted the sound of an accoustic , but without size of it.First i was thinking about godin guitars ,(very expensive)then i found this new model and fell in love with it .you will love it or hate it. Body Mini APX Cutaway (with gig bag) Top Spruce Back and Sides Agathis/Alder (Semi Hollow) Neck Maple Fretboard and Bridge Indian Rosewood Frets 22 Body Depth 50mm ( 1-15/16") String Scale 600mm (23-5/8") Hardware Chrome Electronics 1-way piezo with master volume and master tone

as i said it is not a full accoustic guitar ,it is made for travelling , and for those who wants the accoustic sound with the electric guitar size.very good preamp.very nice with a little chorus. neck very easy to play even if the strings are a little bit strong.

very good set up and finitions ,seems to be a more expensive guitar.beautiful sunbirst,finish...

seems to be ,like it is made for:travel a lot ,and play with it .would use it to gog with ,but i will definitely make a good flightcase the gig bag is not enough to gig .

never dealt with them . one yaer warranty

i own several ibanez electric guitars :rg 350 ,rbm 10,rg 7620.use this with a rack (tubeman 2 preamp studio 100 digitech effects,peavey classic 50/50 power amp and 2 marshall 1912 cabinets,plus multitrack...) i love the thickness of ibanez necks , this yamaha is one of a kind very similar to ibanez necks.
feel free to contact me for any question.