Yamaha DW-8

It's hard to score an acoustic guitar for features - It has everything you need to make all the right sounds, no electronics, moderate frills - abalone inlays, gold tuners, nice binding and a good rich colour to the spruce. This is a dreadnought style guitar with a solid spruce top and cheaper mahogany-substitute nato back and sides. Mine is the left hand version and had a thick, even finish with no defects. The nut and saddle are both plastic; quickly upgraded to bone on purchase.

I play a mix of folk/fingerstyle, pop and rock, along with Balearic flavours for dance tunes. Initially this guitar was a little boomy and undefined - so i left it in its case for ten years! On pulling it out this month I was delighted how it sounded. I'm sure its matured and improved, . . . astounding really. I'm so pleased I didn't sell it!
I've compared it to a new yamaha LL series guitar and it certainly is no worse,. . it shares the rich mid and bass end of he LL and has nice smooth yet sparkly highs. . . I love it.

Set up a little high for me - I fingerpick rather than strum. Finish thick, but even. I have a Cole Clark too, which cost double, but needed a lot more tweaking on arrival.

This is well built with a good finish and has a solid, sturdy feel to it. Built to last. My Cole Clark, with minimal lacquer, is only 3 years old but already knackered - soft woods . . .

No need to use it so far . .

If lost i would go for a martin, not because I don't rate this guitar, but I've moved on in terms of playing and income since I bought this, however I would definitely recommend this guitar to any intermediate player looking for a gigworthy solid top acoustic. Projects as well as many guitars costing ??1000 more.

I believe it was made in '97. Made in Taiwan,14 frets to the bod. Basicallt a martin dreadnought knockoff. Spruce top, rosewood fretboard, cant tell what the body and neck wood are. great high gloss finish. Fixed tailpiece. Gold plated tuners. Average thick neck. Beautiful binding on front AND back of body, purfling around the edge of the soundboard.Cool inlay down the back of the bod too.

Sounds great for all acoustic music. Whether booming out chords, or playing bluegrass lines. its sounded great even before I had the bracing shaved and voiced, which made it sound like a two thousand dollar taylor. I have had this simple "Surgery" done to all my lower priced acoustics, and it makes an average sounding guitar sound astounding!

Good action, even though I got it used. Finish not flaw one. Excellent playability after a set up.

If you dont want to bring your Martin or Santa Cruz to an open mike, THIS is THE guitar. Hardware is extremely durable, have had it five years and not a thing wrong. Excellent durable finish. Save for digging into it with a screwdriver, this finish is very durable. Very dependable!

None that I know of, bought used.

Best acoustic out there for the dough. Dont expect to get fancy inlay, or hand made anything, but hey its the best acoustic I have owned in this price range. Been playing gfor thirty years, and Joe Bob says check 'em out.

I believe it was made from 1998 until 2000. My DW 8 was made in Yamaha's Taiwan factory. The top is solid spruce, and the back and sides are made of nato, and the fret-board and bridge are made of rosewood. My guitar came with a natural finish. The tuners are well-made with a gold finish.

The sound is well balanced, just the right amount of bass, and the highs are pleasent to the air, not harsh. This is a really nice guitar and responds well whether you are strumming chords, or picking out single lines. I installed a Lace acoustic in the sound-hole. I heard it played live at a club recently, by my drummer's friend, and the it sounded just as pleasent amplified as it does when you play it acoustically. By the way the person who I lent it to was raving about the guitar.

It came from Yamaha well set up. Just a few minor adjustments were made at the store to suit my style, but I could have played it out of the box, and been satisfied. The guitar looks great, nice high gloss finish as tough as nails, yet the guitar still sounds wonderful. There are lots of little details like a nice cream binding surrounding the top, back, and each side of the neck. There are nice inlays, around the top, sound-hole, and down the middle of the back. It appears to have mother-of-pearl fret-markers, and a mother-of-pearl inlay on the head-stock. It comes with good-quality gold-plated tuners. Overall everything is subtle and in good taste. This is one classylooking instrument.

The fit and finish are solid. I have owned this guitar for five years, and I rarely perform with it, it looks as good as the day I bought it. I would have no reservation performing or touring with this guitar. I take really good care of my guitars, so I am not qualified to say how it would hold up with rough handling.

I have never had the opportunity to use customer support. I own a Yamaha digital amp as well. I think it says alot about Yamaha quality that I have never had a problem that warrented a phone-call.

I don't know if all the Yamaha DW 8's sound and play as well as the one I bought, but if you have the opportunity to buy one, check it out. Two of my friends that I play in a band with each own an acoustic guitar, one plays an entry-level Guild the other a Louden. They both really enjoy playing my Yamaha, I think that is quite a testament to this guitar. I chose the Yamaha because of it's reputation for making good acoustics that age well. I also got a wonderful deal on it, as the manager at my local music store mentioned to me that from time to time he received a list from his Yamaha rep. of demo items that were being sold at or below dealers cost.