Yamaha APX 4A

Yamaha Apx-4a I love my Yamaha I use it to play acoustic slide. Everywhere I play people offer to buy it. It has rosewood back and sides with one piece spruce top and rosewood fretboard. The electronics are 3-band, with amf controls and volume. It has 22 frets with a cutaway thin body. I paid $579.00 U.S. in '98' or '99' without a case brand new. I have tried to price it but can't find anything like it on the web. Anyone have any idea what it might go for today?

Normally I like jumbo guitars, but with the electronics this guitar is great. I have a Taylor that doesn't sound anything like the Yamaha. I own a Fender Junior tube amp that I play it through which gives it a rich full sound. Like I said for acoustic/electric slide like Mississippi John Hurt or Fred McDowell it sounds great. I don't play them much anymore since I moved on to playing my own originals.

Never had it setup! Plays great, sounds great, no flaws

Withstands live playing. Hardware lasts, finish is excellent, strap buttons are solid, very dependable. This one I tune to Open D.

Never had to have it repaired or setup as yet. Not under warranty. Company is very friendly.

Harmonicas 35 years. Guitars 30 years. Acoustic slide 7 years
At present I own a Taylor acoustic/electric; Ibanez acoustic/electric; Casio keyboard; Fender Jr. tube amp; and lastly I own a Carlos Robellini copy of a Gibson ES335

Made in Taiwan. Laminate black top, nato back and sides. Yamaha Die cast tuners. Pickup and Preamp with Volume, Bass and Treble. Cutaway thin profile. Medium neck.

Sounds very good for a guitar with laminated top and nato sides and such a slim body. I have gotten curious listeners asking what fine instruments this was in both performances and recordings. Lack of Bass response and sustain are inly real shortcomings. Very Good balance between strings, projects good enough for even fingerpicking. I play mostly fock, rock, and blues, and this is a versatile instrument. Can play solos as the action is close and the strings have a nice give to them for bends etc. Barre chords not a problem.

Guitar setup very nicely. Action was very good. Guitar looked nice and solid and felt well put together when received.

I have had this guitar for 5 years and have not treated it very well but it still has withstood and acoustically it still sounds very nice. However the electronics are another story.

We have dry winters and it has survived without a humidifier. Has fallen out of stands many times. Only thing to show are a few nicks and dings. The strap button has broken. So the quality of everything acoustic is fine. However the electronics have broken and now the guitar functions only as an acoustic.

After a year, you are on your own as far as electronics

Despite the synthetic construction materials, acoustically the sound of the instrument is suprisingly good. Plugged in it sounds above average, kind of flat, but no noise. Electronics were not installed in a smart way so as to facilitate repair or maintenance. Battery has to be changed by reaching inside the guitar and there is no clear way to turn the preamp off.

I have been playing electric guitar for 15 years, acoustic for 6 years. This was my first acoustic guitar. I have had 2 electric guitars prior to this. If this guitar were lost, I would look into a more natural looking one, with more resonance and deeper bass. Also, more sophisticated electronics. I love the guitar's reliability and playability. I have spent many lovely nights with this guitar, it is a real player. My complaints have to do with the sound potential in terms of bass resonance and sustain.

APX 4A Made in the 90's (Taiwan). 22 frets, solid (violin) top. Nice EQ (3-way). From reading the other reviews you know the other details.

For a slim body,... the thing sounds pretty good. As others have said, plugged in the guitar kicks ass. With the EQ, and it's sweet neck,... this instrument is versitile for a 12 string.

I bought the guitar used just recently. It's current set up is good but can be lowered a bit I'm sure. The two or three previous owners took pretty good care,.. just one pin-prick-ding oh the whole instrument. Tuners are original and hold the pitch well.

The guitar is well made (solid) and I see it outlasting me. Stap button solid, finish will last, and hardware is solid as well. One would not need a backup when gigging.

No opinion.

I've been playing guitar, bass and keyboard since I was 14 (52 now). I made a good purchase buying this instrument. I have never owned a Yamaha (anything). I have demo'd many Yamahas and was never very impressed. This guitar impresses me. New I suspect it costs $600 - $800,.. and if I'm correct, that's still a good bargin. It's a well made nice sounding slim bodied 12 stringer. If you get lucky and see a used one for sale ($200 - $400) I'd grab it if I was you.

it's a mid 90's model, it's a 12 stringer and it has atleast 2 scrathes and three dings for each string, multiply that by 12, and you've got a real scratchy dinger for sure. came with a case didn't need to though. but i love every hunch of the ugly thing, cause it sounds so beautiful, it's true what they say beauty is only skin deep. nothing wrong with an ugly body that has a beautiful voice, i've named her miss quasimotto yamaha, it has a certain ring to it.

sounds big, both in and out of an amp, like one of those ugly old fat opera singers, they never seem to lose their voices, their weight or their appetites.

hard to believe this guitar was ever young and beautiful, it be like digging-up up a dead playboy centerfold, and trying to convince yourself, that the corpse you hold, was once beautiful, very hard to do. the action is low and intonation is perfectly correct, sounds like sweet honey and no swarm of bees buzzing around the frets

everything is solid and will last forever, i can depend on it, to be last every beauty competion, and first in every singing competion.

i've been playing for 20 plus years i own heaps, greedy-me, i bought this guitar from ebay, from an ugly liar, he and miss quasmitto yamaha were very well suited to each other. imagine my suprise when i opened up my mail-order bride's case, she was as ugly as charles bronson, but then to be suprised further by her beautiful voice, i tell ya it's an amazing world, charles bronson with madonna's voice,
what next. no one would steal miss quasimotto yamaha, she'd be flattered though to have such attention. if she were gone (i'm starting to get all choked-up, just thinking of her gone)i would buy another apx 12 stringer for sure, a prettier one next time, something that hadn't lived it's life outdoors.

i didn't file a paypal claim, cause as angry as i was, i couldn't get over how amazing it sounded, it out performs all other guitars in and alot above its class, do yourself a favour and buy one, one that lived indoors, one whos owner knew that picks are meant to strum strings, and not the body

I'm not too sure where mine fits in- its the model with the plastic coating on the back BUT does not have the 3-band EQ. Mine only has treble, bass and volume. So that's at least 3 variants on the same model. Having said that, 2 bands works fine and it's got everything I need. Thin neck as well.

I went looking for acoutic/electrics, found this one which was 2nd hand, spoke to the guy and he said he could get me a new one for exactly the same price. The new one got there...and I hated it. It was all wood. So I bought the 2nd hand, plastic-backed one and have never regretted it.

It's not a dreadnought- when you get a slim bodied acoustic, that's one of the things you sacrifice. I play in an indie band and we use very little acoustic, but when we do, this fits perfectly. My chain is long but I don't use any effects for this save an Ibanez DL-10 delay and a George Dennis Volume-Tremolo. I use a Fender Super 210 all-tube combo amp.

Sounds unplugged as good as you can expect. Plugged in...more than you'd expect. Rich, full tone although can be a tad tinny at times.

This guitar shines in this department. Got it 2nd hand, so I don't know it was like new, but it is so smooth and easy to play. My right arm is stuffed, so playability is everything to me. I haven't seen/played/owned an acoustic as easy to play as this. I use electric strings on it (because of my arm) and still no rattle or buzz!! Beautiful, thin neck. No tuning problems ever. I can't fault any other aspect of the build quality.

I've owned it for 6 years now and the pre-amp just went on me (bear in mind that this has a different preamp to most of the reviews here; and it is original- there's no way any one could fit the smaller pre-amp mine has into a bigger hole- especially with that plastic on the back). My repair guy said he took it apart, re-soldered all the joints, put it back together and it worked, so it was a cheap job.

I was a bit disappointed- I've never known any single piece of Yamaha equipment to fail. I have always sworn by them. Then again, 6 years on top of previous owners, is pretty good.

Never had to use Yamaha support except for a 4-track I got 2nd hand and they had the manual online for free, despite the fact that it was well and truly out of production. Very impressed. Companies who could learn something about supporting products after they're stopped:
Boss, Fender, Ibanez.

I have been playing about 15 years and mostly play electric- I have an odd assortment of Fender strats/teles and quirky guitars, like my orange sunburst Jap Ibanez Talman TC530- the one with the plastic/resin body. As before, playability means a lot to me and on this basis alone it would be great. But the tone is strong plugged in and it seems very durable.

A recommendation: almost every single person who has borrowed it from me has offered me cash for it. That has never happened to any of my other guitars even once!

I bought my yammy about 1 yr ago now it was preowned ov about 1 year i belive! it was made in tywan..it has a great pre amp but unfortunatly mine went funny and buzz's and hiss's ...i haft to hit the bridge hard to lose it only for it to come back.. oh well..i really like the finish i hav seen a version ov the apx -4a with full wood body insted ov having the plasticy sides and back .the tuners are sound NEVER had a problem the action was ok for acoustic but i had it lowerd now its perfick. it is honestly the best cut away guitar i hav played for it price (#200) 2nd hand.. the neck is nice and thin..

i like to play blues mainly and many other stuff.. it suits blues great a really nice loud sound considering it is small bodyed.. and is great when u plug it in...(even tho my pre amp dont work well...im just unlucky) i put electric guitar strings on it hav been for a lil while so that coupled with the fact its Very low action its great to play.. it also sounds great thru guitar pedals

from factory i think the action was a little bit high for my liking but i like it LOWWW haha .. the pick up is very good and nicely hidden away.. ive noticed that the wires in side arnt very well fastend and the nut around the jack input sometimes comes lose but nothin serious.

this guitar is ROCK solid i have put a few marks on it but hey that cant b helped....i dropped it down a flight ov stairs about 3 months ago and all it did was make it abit out ov tune haha. i know yamaha electrics are very good and its true on the APX-4a but i must say im anoyed because mine went crazy and will haft to get them replaced.(once again im just unlucky i hear its very uncommen) it is great for gigging ect the srap buttons are strong. the guitar itself wont let u down but the electrics just might.....i would never do a gig without a back up soooooo lol

i hav never delt with them but will be about the electrics soon soo il keep ya updated haha

i been playin about 2 yrs i got a few guitars now the yamaha was my 1st good one and i still play it every day even tho i got a vintage martin (had to say it haha)....if it got lost i would kill myself for being such an idiot...and if it got stolen i would proberbly get the APX 4 model with the full wood body being as i play more unplugged than plugged in.....i love that it is a great sounding, small ,good looking guitar my frav feature about it is u can have 1,000,000 upgrades done to it if u know the right ppl...theres only 1 thing i suppose i would like it to hav extra and that is lockable tunner pins but hey it aint no biggy

made in taiwan, no idea of date, and dont much care. has thinline body, with ace oval soundhole.
has VOl, EQMID, and others. rosewood fingerboard, with very low action (considering that its an acoustic) and the best preamp in the below #1000 market!!!

all styles (excludin trance, dance etc, & jazz) appeal to me, so this fits in well anyway. not fullbodied like a dreadnought, but as its thinbodied, i dont expect it to be, and i dont want it to be, either. ace in any amp, and unplugged is just as good. dont belive the crap people say about it being "weedy" etc;

action, as stated is as low as an acoustic gets. well, mine is, anyway. ine is preowned, and the original owner scratched it to fu#k, but i have never don anything to the finish (and my mates want to get me a crowbar, to make me play softer. no joke!!!)
all else is as new, no faults with the electrics (i got a cheap jack stuck in it once, and had to spend ages taking it apart!! wasn't fun at all)

made for gigging, without backups. you could play a brick, and it would break before this!! THE most dependable guitar ever, and, like i said, i have a firm hand!

never had to talk to customer support, and probably never will. they soud scary though.....

i know all the 10's may seem very very very biased. their not. i have 100's of mates who all agree, and if you dont belive me, find one (not easy, it is a discontinued line, but the new line is carp in comparison), but this is the best guitar in this price range. i know this, as i have played literall 100's of acoustics, and i am not exagerating.

Bought new in 2000, rosewood with starburst laminated top.

Single piezo pickup with 3-band EQ, volume and tone controls, and mute.
As an intermediate player, it had everything I was looking for.

Decent when unplugged, especially for a thin body, but very good over a system, as far as bang-for-your-buck goes.

HOWEVER, after three years, the preamp failed on me. It hisses and pops any time I have the mid EQ band above zero. The technician told me that these preamps are notorious for failure, and that replacement is the only option. Then he said that they're hard to come by, and couldn't find one from the Yamaha distributor.

Set up well at the factory, I've played this as my only guitar for three years and the finish is hardly scratched. The laminated starburst top and rosewood neck is beautiful, and I get a lot of comments about it.

I've chopped away at this guitar, and apart from accidental dings, the finish has held up wonderfully. I play it regularly without a backup.

The only problems I've had have been electrical. I used to leave the battery plugged in all the time, and it corroded the wiring inside, which needed to be replaced (it took a month, because the distributor sent the wrong part). This was not very expensive to fix.

However, then my preamp failed, and needs to be replaced. Supposedly this is more common. The guitar itself has been great, but the electronics have been nothing but trouble in the last year (2002-2003)

Everytime I've had to get repairs done, Yamaha has been very unhelpful. Once sending the wrong part (battery clip instead of housing), then not having any available (preamp). I never needed any repairs during the warranty.

It's a pretty versatile guitar. I love the shape and the look. The fit of the neck is excellent. It's the second guitar I've owned, and a good one for an intermediate player, but I'd probably buy something with more reliable electronics if I had to do it again.

Features... as described about 19 times previously, so I won't go into that again. Only to say that the eq is more than adequate, with the mid q filter that allows to filter out a variety of hums and hisses you may find when plugging in.

It doesn't sound as full as a full-bodied acoustic, that's true. But it sounds nice enough to this ears. A good set of strings is very helpful here. I use Elixir 11's... and I love the acoustic sound of this guitar.
Plugging in, it sounds distinctly "piezo"... but you can eq it to sound very very decent indeed. I plug directly into my Akai multitrack, or sometimes through a Boss GX700 (for effects, such as slight chorus, or reverb/delay, compressor...). I have used it through a keyboard amp (a Torque t303mt) and that's pretty good too. There are better guitars, but at this price? And at any price, I am happy with this guitar.

I bought it second hand, well used... but the set up was good and the action lowish but without fret buzz (not as low and soft as in my electrics, obviously, but nicer than most acoustics I've tried).
Mine is the black finish one. The binding looks a bit too "plasticky", but maybe I'm being a bit picky here. The neck is lovely... I love thsi guitar for the nice neck and comfortable body. I used to shy away from acoustics partly because of the large bodies which I felt uncomfortable with after a while playing them. This guitar is only slightly thinner, enough to make a huge different in comfort, but without losing too much acoustically. Good compromise.

It's been played a lot, and gigged, before I owned it. Apart from severe pick marks that wore away part of the finish where it starts to show the wood underneath, it's in good condition. It plays great. I think it's a very well built guitar that will last a long time.

I bought it second hand about a month ago... It's my first acoustic guitar, although I've played electric for many more years that I'd like to admit. The reason I never had an acoustic was that I never felt comfortable with big bodies and their harder actions. For years I substituted acoustics with crappy acoustic simulators... Now, I wish I had tried this guitar a long time ago. It's the acoustic guitar for die-hard electric players like me. Nice action and feel (with 11-52s) and the sound is pretty good too. It's already changing what I play and listen to... I am suddenly more interested in acoustic guitar players and it's the guitar I tend to grab when I'm at home before my many electrics. It's simple: grab and play... no cables, power up stuff... it's so satisfying even if just strumming a little.
Really nice intermediate guitar. I'd buy it again, no doubt. Love it.

My APX-4A is Koren made, I got it in 1996. Has a preamp with three band eq, mute switch, volume, adjustable mid frequency.. I had Ibanez Performance model and cause I'm not tall whenever I'd it play on strap my right shoulder would hurt after 5 mins. I saw APX-5 (one of the first models with plastic back)and emediately went to sell my Ibanez. That small body amazed me and in no time I bought my APX-4A. Spruce top, nato back and sides, rosewood fretboard, chrome hardware, piezo pickup.

Since I bought it because of thinness I have no big complaint. I can say that it does sound a bit harsh, but that's only because of shallow body. I solved it with D'Addario 10's.. When you plug it in - you have a great sound (I've got Marshall amp) and corrections with Korg 300 pedal.
I also recorded distorted riffs with it and it was pretty good!

Action is a bit high but helps you work on certain chords, neck was a discovery for me that really feels GREAT, tuners are allright (g string tuner needed adjustment) - overall - very good.

I've played many gigs with it - both in and out, has marks on head and body caused by few wrong turns, but nothing ever broken..
Go live, you won't regret it!

No, I has a 1 year warranty and that was 6 years ago.. I'm happy that I didn't have to see those people (for that purpose anyway)..

I have been playing for 10 yrs, I've changed a few guitars and stayed with yamaha.. also have Yamaha RGX 420S, and Yamaha drums.. Planning to buy one Pacifica..
I've tried Ovation, Fender, Martin.. All of them have their good features.. and somewhere in the middle you'll find APX..

It is really a best buy.

This is a discontinued model, Yamaha have moved on to the 'odd numbered' APX models, but I am really impressed. Pre-amp has a 3-way eq with adjustable mid frequency, and battery replacement is much easier than most acoustics I've played. Also has volume and mute. Spruce top, nato back and sides, comes in 4 colours but mine is natural. (seems to give a much warmer tone?!??) Bridge and fretboard are both rosewood, and chrome hardware. Overall a very attractive package. It took me a while to get used to playing it since it seemed a bit fretboard-heavy with the strap on.

Ok, this is a shallow body acoustic, and anyone who buys a shallow body acoustic and then complains that it doesn't sound like a dreadnought is just stupid. It's not supposed to! However, this is not the first shallow body I've owned, and the volume you get out of it is excellent! It is the only one with an oval sound hole, and the bracing in the body is set to boost mids and trebles. Plugged in it is just the sweetest sound ever!!! I'm not crazy about adding too many effects in, but some minor adjustments with my BOSS GX-700 helped a bit. I compared to Epiphones, Ovations and I'm very happy with this one.

When I got the guitar the action was too high for me, but that is always easy to fix as long as you don't try do it yourself... ;) Other than that I have nothing to complain about. Yamaha delivers quality.

No backup needed here. The battery lasts for AGES, and the tuning is incredibly solid.

Haven't had to deal with them yet. From what I've heard I'm a bit scared to... ;)

I've been playing for a number of years, and I tend to change guitars quite frequently since I've always struggled to find exactly what I want. I reckon I'll settle with this one though. If I'm in line for another acoustic I'll look at a dreadnought for obvious reasons, but it would be to supplement this guitar, not to replace it. I tried out Ovations, Epiphones, Corts, A&L, and a couple of others. This was by far the best value for money. If you play plugged in, and you've gone and bought something else, then slap yourself around a bit, sell what you bought, and buy one of these babies. You won't be disappointed... ;)

Bought in 2000 new
22 frets
Solid top
3-way selector
Sunburst finnish
Thin neck, thin body
Easy removable battery

Sounds great when it's not plugged in, contrary to lots of people's opinons.

No flaws, it can take a beating and show no damages. I've had it for 2 years now and still no scratches - I do take care of it though.

Everything is still like new - Yamaha is a great company

Never dealt with them.

I give this guitar a 10! For the price, it kicks serious ass!

Preamp with three band eq, parametric mids, mute switch, low battery indicator. The cutaway is very useful and the small body confortable for playing live. Everything (and probably more than) you could expect in this price range.

The unplugged sound is not very good. It?s a bit harsh, with poor bass response and too much mid-high frequencies, but it?s usable. I give it a 6.5. Light strings can help to improve balance and brilliance. But who buys an acoustic electrified guitar is interested in other features and such a guitar cannot be as good as a full bodied one.When plugged in, the situation changes radically. You can use the built in eq to balance the overall sound, there are very little feedback-related problems and the sound is good enough. I give it a 9. The overall is a weighted average of the above two ratings. I use a BBE 362 Sonic Maximizer after it to further improve the amplified sound, and sometimes I use the compressor and chorus of my Digitech RP100. For more information about my setup, visit my web site at http://www.flamminifra.cjb.net.

I own the Transparent Blue model. I like it very much. The finish and tuning machines are very good, considering the price range. The action was too high for me, so I had to file the saddle. I also switched to extra light strings, because they are easier to play and seem to sound better on this guitar (more brilliant highs and balance). I?m going to buy an Earvana compensated nut and a compensated saddle, to improve intonation (expecially when playing open chords or high on the confortable fretboard).

Solid, and the 9v battery seems to last a lot...

It?s worth the money, but probably you can get a similar or higher quality (expecially if you need to play it unplugged) in the same price range by taking a look at other brands (such as Ibanez, whose acoustic guitars I like very much and do not seem to be much expansive, too). If I had to buy a new acoustic guitar, I?d buy the Yamaha CPX15 South (way more expensive than this!) or a model from Ibanez.

Purchased in late 199 and gigged out constantly for the better part of a year. It's a shallow body; it isn't going to sound like a Dreadnought....try all you want; it's the Physics of the thing.

It's a no-frills acoustic to be certain; if you need an A/E and don't care much about anything else this is a great guitar. Neck inlays look abalone-esque but I'm willing to bet arent the real deal. No binding on the neck or headstock....but for the money what do you expect?

I played a whole herd of acoustics, including many APXs when i was searching for an acoustic for the project band I was in. The shallow-body appealed since I'd be playing it alot standing up and the electronics were decent enough and didn't drain the battery when it wasn't plugged in (BIG bonus!).

I did find that the APX models with natural wood back and sides had a MUCH warmer tone than those with the plastic back and sides, typically the non-natural colors of the model (black, etc). I A/Bed about a half dozen APXs before I came to this conclusion.

The bad: It is a shallow body. It will naturally lack frequencies and "fullness" tonally.

The good: as a stage instrument running through a PA with some generous EQing it's hard to beat this for the price.

The action on mine is astoundingly good. I was reminded last week when I picked it up, put new strings on it and sat down to play it; the action is better than some of my acoustics. Not sure whether it's because I got lucky or what....but it's amazingly low with no buzz and VERY even all the way up the neck.

I also noticed last night that the silly thing is againg VERY nicely as well. The color is getting a litte darker and is looking more vintage in a pretty short amount of time. This kind of takes some of the stress away from the very modern stylings of it physically.

I've never had it go goofy on me for any reason. I gigged without a backup all the time and was never apprehensive. I was confident that many times I didn't even bother to bring extra strings...and this is on a 3 set night!

I am noticing some wear on the heel of the neck from the strap. It'd be hard to call that a flaw as I'm assuming it must be inherent in any guitar.

The chunk of plastic on the bridge was broken when I purchased it and I didn't notice it until I had it home. I lived with it and it's been fine. If I was ambitious I would probably have it replaced or would attempt to glue it back together. However it's never been an issue with me and has performed flawlessly with it...so why bother?

Have not dealt with them.

I spent a good 4 months playing every damned acoustic I could get my hands on before I settled on a YAmaha APX. I did have a considerably limited budget at the time (hey....college will do that to you) and for under 4 bills this was the best bang for the buck that existed. I played it constantly and mercilessly for the better part of a year; gigging about every weekend (3 or 4 set nights), rehearsing 2 nights a week, and practicing for hours everyday with it. The thing is a workhorse and it's never let me down. I've owned other low-end acoustics (Alvarez and Mitchell) but none with as many features as this one, nor one that plays anywhere nearly as well either.

If this guitar was stolen or lost I might consider upgrading to a higher-end APX. My budget is slightly larger now (graduated, got a good job) which is the only reason.

If I could have anything added to this guitar it would be an onboard tuner. However since such a thing either doesn't exist or is only available on guitars that are much more expensive than I've played it seems unreasonable to ask.

In summary; a very solid feature-packed guitar that's made to be played on stages. It's not a high-end deep-bodied guitar, and it wasn't meant to be. But for the money it beats the pants off of just about anything else in the price range. After haivng it for a few years I was consdiering trading it in for a more expensive one. However, after a string change and a night of playing it it's hard for me to justify the need; it does what I want it to, sounds like I need it to and that's really all i could want in an acoustic.

Just bought second-hand at my local music dealer CCgrove Music Kailua HI. $350.00 on consignement. A few minor things were wrong with it but, CCgrove Music came thru excellent! Came w/hard molded case. Chrome hardware. Separate Vol knob, sep mid knob, 3band EQ, under bridge pickup. EZ access batt compartment.

I just picked it up on the 27 Sept 01. So, I will be having more to say as time goes on gigging, rehearsals etc; RIght now I am using a Mesa 50 Cal. But, a Fender Acoustisonic Amp is in the near future. WHich model I am not sure of yet. The Jr sounded good accept no line-out. I probably uses a basic set up for effects. TC Chorus/Flanger, Boss RV-3, Ibanez "Tone-Lok" Dig and analog echo/delay. Maybe a compressor w/vol pedal.

I just had the action lowered a bit at my local Kailua town CCgrove music store. It plays awsome! It has a nice "Blue Burst" finish. THe rest is all fitted tight as far as I can see. I am a smallish/medium build person and it fits me just right. Fast neck.

I am sure of it but, I play electric primarily and fit the acoustic in at the beginning of the evening.

Haven't dealt with Yamaha as of yet. My local store has taken care of every detail for me. Outstanding Customer Service. Beat out any big music store on this island.

Outstanding instrument for the price. I would by it again if stolen but, It would be hard tp find I am sure. Yamaha has been a value-buy trade secret kind-of for years. Awesome bang for the buck. All the other brands offer no hard cases inclusive in the guitars price. Or, $699.00 to $999.00 w/case. The sound of this guitar unplugged is a delightful surprise for all who tried my APX-4A out.

Pretty nice guitar bought used from private auction. 3 knobs coutrolling volume, tone, and distort. NOt really sure about much else, but a pretty nice guitar, thin neck which I like a lot. Thin body. Battery inserted through sound hole isn't too convenient though.

Nice solid sound for an acoustic electric thinbody. Much better than most that I've played. however, when plugged in, I get a lot of feedback. The strings are set rather high, and its kinda difficult for a slightly beginner player like me. Good guitar overall though, and I think that someone with more experience could handle it better.

Action is rather high, like I said before. No major flaws that I can think of. Frets and bridges are straight and in order. Seems to have no major problems except that damned battery thingie.

I do have to say that this guitar can put up with a beating. It doesn't seem to quit, and I'm very impressed. The finish is very good, and the hardware seems intact.

I really like this guitar, but honestly it could be better. The electronics are nice, but I think the action problem makes the guitar sound tinny over the amp. Honestly, though, I do like the guitar, and I'm sure I will use it when performing live.

22 frets, (solid?) spruce top, mahogony sides and (thin) neck. Great Piezo pickups, with 3 bang equalization, on an impressive pre-amp. Cool black finish (Fingerprints galour!). Single Venitian cutaway, thin body, reliable tuners (not sure of brand).

For a shallow body guitar this instrument has one of the richer tones that I have heard, especially for its price range. It doesn't sound like a Martin Dreadnot, or anything, but you can't expect that out of any thin bodied guitar. The pickups that are on this puppy are awesome. Even when amped the tone is full and woody. Either way this guitar sounds great if you know what you are getting into. Expect more of a flaminco sound then a folk sound.

This action on the guitar is great, its a low, but generally speaking it doesn't rattle. Again the pickups are great, and most of the exterior work on the guitar is great, but there are globs of glue on the inside and the wiring is a little half done if you ask me, and is only held by a couple of tiny hooks on the inside of the guitar. Still I haven't had any trouble with it though. Tuners work well, for some reason the guitar seems to stay in tune incredibly well once it gets there, and I am pretty hard on strings, and live in humid weather. The Neck feels Great. The only major problem I have is with the silly brown plastic ring around the oval sound hole. It would be kinda cool if it matched the color of the guitar, but it doesn't and is superflous if you ask me.

Live Playing? I suppose that if I had to make a conjecture about such a rare event, I would say that It could definitly hold up. I'm in college, and though there are few tiny dents in the headstock, it is holding up incredibly well. The hardware is all very solid. The finish is fine, but i'm starting to regret having it in black because of the smudge factor. the strap buttons are fine, although the placement of the second one is slightly unorthodox, and is a little weird. If I played a gig with this, I could play without a backup, but I wouldn't ever recomend going anywhere with just one guitar...what if a string breaks?

I have been playing seriously (meaning more than just tinkering around, and playing power cord songs :P) for about 2 years. My roomate and I between us have besides my guitar a yamaha pacifica, a les paul studio, and a nice takimine. I don't get to play his Les, but I have played the others and I like my guitar the best. At home my family has several vintage gibsons (mostly SGs and a hollow body). Out of all of the acoustic/electric guitars that I played before I picked this one, it was by far the obvious choice under 800 bucks. It plays like a dream, and sounds great plugged in or acoustic. If I lost it I would be berieved, for being a lowly college student, I would not have the money to replace it, but assuming I had the same budget to start with I would almost definitly go for this guitar again, only in the natural color.

- Thin bodied cut-away acoustic guitar.
- Laminated spruce top.
- Nato neck/sides/back
- Piezo brideg pickup
- 3 band EQ, MID freq selector, Volume, Mute button
- 2 strap buttons (believe it or not some manufacturers only give you one!)
- Quick release battery change compartment :)
- Chrome tuners

Quality features for the price.



The pre-amp in this guitar is the best component. It is SO good. The 3 band EQ and MID freq selector works very well. And well done Yamaha for fitting in an excellent location. Another excellent feature is the quick release battery compartment. No need to undo screws to replace the battery on this guitar.

When considering the features that this guitar offers for the price. I've given the rating of 9

This guitar suits my style and needs perfectly. I dont need a typical acoustic guitar sounds such as that you'd get from a Guild, Taylor or Martin etc. It offers a typcial thin bodied acoustic sound and does it VERY well. The tone is rich and full when unplugged and an extra bright sparkle is added when plugged in. I play mine through a Trace Elliot TA50R and it sounds nice.
In comparision to other thin bodied acoustic guitars at the same price range I award this guitar a 8.
THIS GUITAR WILL NOT OR EVER SOUND LIKE A TAYLOR, GUILD, MARTIN etc. It's not meant to.

The guitar set-up was VERY good. The action may have been a little high for some peoples taste. But I personally like to 'work' the guitar so the action was fine. The intonation was good - 12th Fret harmonics were in perect pitch. The neck is very fast and smooth. Fretwork was good and finished nicely. An additional fret polish wouldn't go amiss though. Tuners and nut were good quality and fitted well. Looking in through the soundhole at the internal construction there were a few blobs of glue

Any guitar will withstand live playing if its looked after. Buy a decent case, change strings regularly, avoid excessive temperature. Give it a clean and polish once in a while. Keep it in a guitar stand or hanger and it should last a lifetime.
This guitar does not have a pickguard. So strummers with a full sweeping strumming style will no doubt cause a scratch or too. But isn't that part of normal wear and tear. The quality of tuners, strap buttons and input jack seems up to the job.

One year warranty.

I've been playing guitar for 15 years (on and off). Other gear I own:
Guitars: Fender US Strat. 1977, Yamaha Pacifica, Godin Multiac Duet(Nylon string). Amps: Mesa Boogie Triaxis pre-amp, Mesa Boogie 50/50 power amp, Trace Elliot TA50R. Effects: Boss CE3, BOSS TW1, BOSS CS5, Rocktron Intellifex
Midi: Yamaha MFC10 midi controller

This guitar offers value for money. I compared it to Ovation, Washburn, Takamine and this guitar came top!

The features are nice for this price range. The three band EQ gives you quite a bit of tone control and the midrange parametric EQ is good for punching up the sound.

I play stuff like the Verve, some Radiohead, and Chris Isaac type quasi-country-folk. I needed a versatile guitar but also had a budget. I looked at the Martin 00CXMAE, but it cost a couple of hundred more and sounded really weak unplugged. The Martin sounded great amplified, but I wanted something I could play either way. The APX sounds pretty good even unplugged and sounds terrific amplified. You can hear the little nuances from your fingers plucking the strings. The pickup is quality. I plug directly into a Mackie 1202 mixer and out a JBL Eon G2 amplified speaker system. WOW no effects required. This is the best acoustic electric for the money out there right now, and I have looked at all of them.

The first APX I bought turned out to have a defect in the neck that the luthier at Mars discovered when he was setting it up for me after I bought it. The guitar was replaced with a new one and after the setup it plays great. The factory action was too high for me, I am a light player so I needed it as low as possible. I do not like the dreadnought style guitars; because I have pretty small hands this guitar was a good fit for me, plus it is very easy to play with a strap. In fact, I think that's the most comfortable way to play this guitar.

Aside from the dud I got the first time, I think this one will last a good long time. I have only had it for a month. The materials seem pretty well made and the guitar passed muster from the luthier so I feel pretty confident about it. I have never gigged with it, but I plan to in the future.

Never dealt directly with Yamaha, but Mars was great!

I have been playing electic guitar for ten years, and my only other guitar is a 40th anniversary edition Fender Stratocaster. I finally caved in and bought an acoustic after wanting one for years (finally graduated from college and got a job!). If it was stolen I would buy another one.

Thin body ac/el cutaway.

Cheap wood guitar (nato) , I think the plastic thing on the sound hole looks really cool. Pre amp is pretty darn good.

For this style of guitar the sound is second to none. To all of you that say that the sound is bad I pity your ignorance for buying a thinbody cutaway for amazing warmth and full sound. These guitars are built for ease of playability and amplified sound. Compared to a jumbo guild it would be a 1, compared to any other thinbody cutaway its a 10.

A couple small flaws. The jack on the body has a habbit of getting loose, but you just need to tighten it occasionaly. also, the wiring inside the body has clips which come loose, just throw alittle glue under them, and you'll be fine.

As for the action, it honestly plays like an electric-soooo smooth.

Other than those flaws it's great. I still look at mine and am very happy, after many years.

As you can see from the rest of this, I really like the guitar, but I'll never look at annother Yamaha again, because of the extreemly poor treatment I recieved from coustomer service. Aparently they figure once they've grossed 100 billion, they don't need to aid their coustomers in their problems.

Ive been playing for a long time. This is one of my main 6 string accoustics. My main 12 is a Takamine ef-381c. If it were stolen, I'd cry a whole lot, but I'd stick to my guns, and not buy annother Yamaha. I compared this to a whole lot of other guitars, and for the type, it is by far the best.

good features.

It's small but sounds great plugged in.

exellent

everythings fine

never delt with them.

I've been playing for about 5-6years
If this guitar was stolen I would buy a new one.

This guitar comes with a very handy semi parametric mid Eq wich is really handy.I'm able to get almost any sound I want when plugged in my mixing desk.The sound when plugged is very very clean and a pleasure to Eq the sound to fit your taste.A very serious reason for bying this guitar is the excellent electronics.And the semi parametric mid is very ,very handy whern playing live.
Battery mechanism is very simple smart and reliable.You just click a button and the battery case is ejected.Then you just insert the battery (wich won't fit improperly placed) and push back into.Quick and very very easy.

The sound is very balanced and sweet.It may be not as loud as with a full bodied guitar ,but in no means its "small".Hand-picking is a temptation (can't stop playing) and rythm play is also alive.
You can easily make whatever sound you need.A wide variety can achieved easily for almost any kind of music.
A VERY ,I repeat this one ,VERY big advantage you get is that ,because of very high quality of electronics you can get crystal clear sound when prosseced proplerly.I'm using my mixing desks Eqs ,then compressors and graphic Eqs ,then prossecing the sound using Cubase's effects.Stunning recordings !!!

This guitar is build up to very high standards.Finish quality is excellent and there are 3 options available :Black ,Blue and natural colors.Package was stunning ,strings was protected and covered with protective paper ,battery was included.

Now about action.A very big advantage is the weight of this guitar.Its very comfortable even after hours of playing.

Its reliabilility and durability is almost certain.I bought this guitar beccause it makes me feel certain this instrument will last a lifetime providing me pleasure.Live gigs are the correct environment for it because of lightweighted body and excellent electronics.

I bought this guitar from Nakas SA i

This guitar comes with a very handy semi parametric mid Eq wich is really handy.I'm able to get almost any sound I want when plugged in my mixing desk.The sound when plugged is very very clean and a pleasure to Eq the sound to fit your taste.A very serious reason for bying this guitar is the excellent electronics.And the semi parametric mid is very ,very handy whern playing live.
Battery mechanism is very simple smart and reliable.You just click a button and the battery case is ejected.Then you just insert the battery (wich won't fit improperly placed) and push back into.Quick and very very easy.

The sound is very balanced and sweet.It may be not as loud as with a full bodied guitar ,but in no means its "small".Hand-picking is a temptation (can't stop playing) and rythm play is also alive.
You can easily make whatever sound you need.A wide variety can achieved easily for almost any kind of music.
A VERY ,I repeat this one ,VERY big advantage you get is that ,because of very high quality of electronics you can get crystal clear sound when prosseced proplerly.I'm using my mixing desks Eqs ,then compressors and graphic Eqs ,then prossecing the sound using Cubase's effects.Stunning recordings !!!

This guitar is build up to very high standards.Finish quality is excellent and there are 3 options available :Black ,Blue and natural colors.Package was stunning ,strings was protected and covered with protective paper ,battery was included.

Now about action.A very big advantage is the weight of this guitar.Its very comfortable even after hours of playing.

Its reliabilility and durability is almost certain.I bought this guitar beccause it makes me feel certain this instrument will last a lifetime providing me pleasure.Live gigs are the correct environment for it because of lightweighted body and excellent electronics.

I bought this guitar from Nakas SA in Athens.I have to state that the support and advices they offered me is FIRST class.I had the chance to test it with whatever amplification I wanted ,compare it with numerous competitive products.

I've tried a wide range of guitars before bying this one.I will name some brands and models but just a few:
Yamaha DW Acoustic & Electro Acoustic full bodied series
Ovation Celebrity (korean made model)
Ibanez and Takamine some acoustic models I cant recall in a 200.000 drs upper price limit.
Norman B-15 B-20 Acoustics.
I also did tried a Guild F4CE model (out of my price range ,as a "reference").
What I really love is the sound .Even unplugged its a pleasure to play with it.I would also like to say that the exact time I was buying my guitar,a guy came in that had taken his APX 4A for some fretoboard adjustment.According to him ,the sound is excellent and 2 of his friends actually bought it when he displayed it to them (thats waht he told me anyway ! :-)) .
He also told me that he own the APX 4A for almost 18 months and the guitar I saw was in excellent condition.

This guitar has a shiny black finish with a less shiny blck back and sides-- not sure of the wood types. It has a slim body, which makes it very easy to hold and play sitting or standing. The neck is a dark wood, again not sure what kind, with a rosewood fretboard, and black headstock. Looks very cool except the odd brown sound hole decoration. Nicely cutaway to give access to all 22 frets. It has smallish neck, and fairly low string action. This guitar did NOT come with any accessories, but I did get a humidifier and gig bag for a few extra bucks. Overall the features are Average.

The sound on this guitar is small. When playing unamplified, it is not very loud or full, but it is a thin body guitar. Even when amplified, it is very tinny. The on-board EQ is a MUST. even with that I needed to fiddle with the EQ on my amp. After that, I was able to get a satisfying "fat" sound from it.

The guitar was great straight from the box. No need to tweak, or fuss. However, there was one in the store that had a few string buzzes, which I guess can be taken care of very easily.

I have only had this guitar for a couple of months, but I play REALLY hard. I have managed to wear a few scratches into the finish. A good coat of GHS guitar gloss seems to protect a little. The jack on it always seems to come loose. Anoyying, but fixable. It seems to be able to hold up to a moderate beating, but I wouldn't trust it with Pete Townshend.

Haven't needed any, YET...

I have been playing for 14 years and own two other guitars..Electric and Classical. This was a good addition because, I'm not loaded, and it sounds and looks good. There were others in the store that were REALLY nice, but I didn't feel like dropping $2000 on one. This is a decent guitar for its price range. If I was to buy one again, I would most likely buy one of the big brothers in this APX series

Just to add a little to what's already posted...
Yamaha has always made great guitars for the money. You CAN find nicer instruments, if you want to pay twice as much for starters. Overall, it has a good feature set for this price range - 3-band EQ with a mid sweep; quality hardware. This is my second Yamaha acoustic- the first is a FG-312 II.

I primarily play this guitar amplified - the acoustic sound is nothing to write home about. If you want a campfire guitar, this ain't it.
Oddly enough, I compared it to a Takamine and at least 2 more expensive Yamahas when I bought it, and this model had the best electric sound by far. The EQ is very good; provides a wide range of sound quality. The midrange sweep is a nice bonus. Stingy on the battery use, too. I'va had the same battery in since I bought it almost 2 years ago.

The setup was great right off; it plays very easily.
My beef with this guitar is the inexcusably cheap brown plastic binding around the soundhole- hideous. It ruins what could be a great design. The unusual (almost Maccaferri-like) oval soundhole could have been its best feature.

Seems to behave reasonably well in club settings, although it is sensitive to weather changes and will punish you with untunability. Has NEVER had feedback problems!
Typically solid Yamaha construction.

I like it; may eventually trade it in for a real acoustic, but that's because of my personal quest for sound - not any flaw on the guitar's part. I'd buy Yamaha again in a heartbeat; you can't beat them for value.

This is an acoustic-electric, single cutaway, with a medium-depth body. The pickup is an active, bridge-type. They come in a variety of colors, mine is a natural light brown top with darker brown sides. I'm told the top is spruce.

I play fingerstyle with a thumbpick and have found that most A/E's don't have much bass when played without amplification. This one has a better bottom end than others in its price range and compares well with much more expensive models (including Yahama's) I've tried. The highs are now quite as good as the upscale Taks but I tend to prefer the old-timey, less trebly sound anyway.
I can't comment on the amplified sound. My ear isn't sophisticated enough to hear differences that couldn't be attributed solely to the amp (I use an Acoustasonic Jr). I use a lot of midrange and mute the bass and this guitar sounds just fine for my style (Travis and Blake stuff).

The fit and finish is excellent for a $400 guitar. The store (Daddy's) did a nice setup for me.

The ground on the pickup came loose and was repaired under warranty. Otherwise, it seems pretty rugged. I've been bouncing the thing around for over a year and it hasn't complained.

Daddy's handled the repair to my satisfaction.

I have several dozen guitars, about 8 of them acoustic. None of them are real high-end items. This guitar is sort of a jack-of-all trades that doesn't excel at anything but can always get the job done. For pure acoustic work, I favor a 1963 Guild F-30; for electric, a 1958 Gretsch Double Anniversary and a 1996 Peavey Reactor. But the Yamaha's the one I leave out on the guitar stand.

I've only played my friend's one a couple of times and a few more times at a local retailer...features are basically alright...built-in equalizer, can't remember what woods but overall it seems decently made.

Been playing for about 2-3 yrs, mostly blues and fingerstyle. I didn't get to plug it in so I'll just comment on the acoustic qualities. The treble was pretty bright but the mids and bass are all quite muffled after factoring in the age of the strings, almost as though it were covered with a blanket. Perhaps this is a consequence of the small body. If you're going to play fingerstyle this is not suitable due to its poor balance and flawed intonation. It does sound pretty jangly for chords due to the trebles so perhaps that's one saving grace.

Action was quite high but considering the lack of balance and poor intonation you wouldn't want to play very high up the neck anyway. Otherwise this guitar is decently made. Bracing was of acceptable standards, finish was OK, neck was quite slim and it's a looker to boot. The small body might be a boon for smaller players or frequent travellers, but most ppl would just see it as elegant.

didn't get to try anything even midly abusive with it.

I have a Taylor 712 and an old Rossini, both great guitars in their own right. Can't really think of any favourite features 'cos there weren't any outstanding ones. After playing this and a lot of other Yamahas I've concluded that Yamaha can copy all they want from established guitar makers but they just can't come close to getting the same sound quality. The same amount of money would be better spent on a Takamine, if you must have a Japanese acoustic. I must say this guitar is quite pretty, but I buy guitars for playing, not for hanging on the wall, so I'd pass this one on.

The Yamaha APX-4A is at the low end the APX totem pole, featuring a Spruce top, Nato (which I don't know what that is, several people have said it is a type of mahogany) sides, back, and neck, and an Indian Rosewood fingerboard. The Tuners are chrome, and are very easy to turn without sticking or being sloppy. It has a single piezo pickup (which requires a battery, doh), and a nicely done pre-amp EQ. The EQ sits on top of the guitar, and has a volumn knob, a midrange knob, a three-band equalizer, and a mute button. The electronics seem very solid and they don't hang down inside the instrument anywhere, or make rattling noises. The particular guitar that I bought had a very glossy black top, satin black sides and back, and a very deep red-brown neck (very classy looking :) ) . They offer also natural colored guitars. Oh yeah, a coupla other things: it has a very nice little decoration around the soundhole, but no pickguard ... (sucks to be the guitar's finish, I guess) and it also has TWO strap buttons (no shoe-string contraptions for this guitar player!)

I play pretty much any music out there, but I focus on classic rock (Acoustic Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Yes, etc.........), and I find this guitar suits all those styles well. Needless to say, it doesn't work too well for heavy metal or techno. WHen I feel a need to plug it in, I patch it through my limited effects (BOSS DS-1 Distortion, CH-1 Super Chorus, and BF-2 Flanger) into a little Crate GX-15. The Piezo Pickup has no noise that I can hear, and it puts out pretty much every little nuance of motion and pick attack you use (Passive Pickup fans, eat your hearts out heheheh). The sound can go from a rich, thick acoustic sound, all the way to something that sounds like it's coming from a radio (Works great for Wish You Were Here, Floyd Fans!!) by simply messing with the Midrange knob and the EQ. I suppose the sound could be a bit more "mic'd" sounding, but there's no way I could get the money to buy the Yamaha with the double pickup's on it. (sigh). When the guitar is played on it's own, it sounds wonderful... I guess Yamaha's are just built that way or something, cuz I've played a 20 year old Yamaha Acoustic, and it sounds great, and so does this one, which was made only a few months ago. The sound is slightly mellow (mahogany at work), but not at all mushy, and certainly not too bright. Also, it's smaller body size brings the volumn down just a tad, but that's ok for me.. and if you like it louder, plug it in!

The guitar seems decently set-up, but the action is a tad high (nothing a little careful filing won't eliminate). Everythign else seemed fine- no scratches in the finish, the tuners work like a charm, none of the fingerboard or neck wood seems dry or damaged (I can't tell with the body, it's been painted black). The electronics don't make any excess noise or rattling, there's no excessive scratching when you do bends, and I didn't notice any other flaws worth mentioning. I only give it a nine because the action is sorta high.

If this guitar stands up to it's manufacturer's reputation, it's going to be one tough guitar. As I mentioned before, I've played a twenty year old Yamaha, and it only had a few surface cracks to show that it had aged. The APX-4A is made of higher quality woods than the older one I played, so I assume it will last longer. The strap buttons are rock solid, and all the other hardware seems to be just like them. I would gig without a backup for sure.

My warranty is through my store, and I've been assured that if I have any problems whatsoever that they will fix it for free. However, I haven't had any problems, so i can't really rate it.

I've been playing for about a year. I also have a Slammer (by Hamer) electric guitar (which is a piece of crap!). I got the APX-4A because I felt it was time to get a guitar good enough to actually display in public. I like this guitar very much- especially the cut-away, and it's smaller size. Like I said, I wish it was a double-pickup model, but other than that, it's just what I wanted. When I was shopping I compared the APX-4A to a few others, but mainly against the Ibanez PF5CE-NT and the PF10. However, the APX-4A, with it's smaller size, better materials, and MUCH better pickup, was the one I finally decided on. I would definitely buy it again if given the chance.