Yamaha LL-6

The good: solid spruce top, ebony fret board and bridge, laminate rosewood back and sides, and white binding all around guitar.

The bad: plastic nut and saddle

It has a natural colored top which some people don't care for. Even with the plastic nut and saddle I have to give this an 8 for ebony finger board, rosewood back and sides, and solid spruce top.

It is quite mellow for rosewood back and sides and spruce top. I attribute this to the plastic nut and saddle. I have no intension of changing the nut and saddle out until they wear out. The sound is excellent. I've been playing for over 20 years and play mostly electric. I've played a lot of acoustics and the only low dollar guitar I???ve played with this kind of sound is the first guitar I bought back in 1984 a Hondo HS-28 which has similar materials but no where the quality of finish.

Unbelievable! The neck could not be straighter the action could not be any lower. The finish is flawless.

I???ve only had this guitar for a few months so I can???t rate this area.

I've never dealt with Yamaha.

I mentioned my first acoustic guitar was a Hondo HS-28. I paid $179 new for the Hondo in 1984. It also has a solid spruce top and rosewood back and sides. The workmanship on the Hondo is terrible but the sound is good. I???ve basicly played the frets off the Hondo and that was reason for this purchase. I don???t believe you can buy a better guitar for the price as the Yamaha LL6. I have no intension of putting any electronics on this guitar. I own an Ovation Legend and Collectors Series for that application. I bought this guitar for simply playing acoustically and it fits the bill perfectly.

Features described elsewhere. However this is the LL6-t, the 't' for tinted finish.

I mainly play folk style. On playing my delivered LL6 (purchased new over the internet) I thought it sounded very responsive, but a little too tinny, with too much sustain. Ever heard of too much sustain? To me the sustain was the equivalent of playing a piano with the sustain pedal pressed, notes blending into the next, like a wall of sound. Skills at string dampening definitely required here. Treble, base and mids were well balanced though, and chord strokes sounded like a 12 string (although I prefer a more mellow sounding stroke). I changed to heavier gauged strings to try and reduce the tinny sound, but didn't make enough difference. Good sound but not to my tastes.

Beautifully made. The finish is impeccable! I particularly like the tinted finish. The action was fine (from the factory). Extremely well made, seems like a lot of care put into making it.
The neck is slightly on the thick side though (I mean the distance from underside of the neck to the fret-board. To me it felt slightly thicker than the FG700 series, and other guitars I tried. This, to me, made playing the LL6 not as comfortable as other guitars, but it's what you're used to that counts.

Can't really say. Only had it a few days before I returned it (due to sound), but definitely looks well made, and feels quite durable, mainly because it feels heavier than other guitars

I purchased it on the internet based on rave reviews and after trying it out in some shops (shops with a lot of background noise, so didn't get a clear idea of sound). Maybe I was unlucky and my LL6 was tinner sounding than other LL6s, but re-tried the model afterwards in a shop and I did hear that tinniness again but not nearly as pronounced. In general I prefer a more mellow sound. Purchasing a more expensive Martin DM instead, which has a more mellow sound suited to my folky style.

Features are described elsewhere. Nut width is 1.75, which is nominally wider than Martin, but feels narrower. No electronics in this LL line (this is the entry LL series guitar, but do not let that cause you to assume the LL26 is better sounding; I've owned both).
It is a dreadnought with a slender neck. Englemann top and very nice rosewood (open grain pattern on this line). Gloss body and satin neck.

This is a '10'. It does sound great! I have another one in sunburst and will sell it. These do vary one to another. The one reviewed here is louder and more resonant (bass and midrange are strong) than my other one reviewed below. And this one proves the action from the factory can actually be easier and 'feel' better than what a skilled luthier can do. It's a mystery why, but some guitars set up identically (like my 2) do feel considerably different.
A versatile sound suitable for all styles except Bluegrass, because this one is more refined and not boomy like Martins tend to be. Those who object to the slightly thin sound of the FG series from China (about $300-450) should consider this one. Regardless, consider an unbleached nut and saddle from a good luthier to make it louder and more resonant. It's about a 10-15% tone improvement and cheap.
I'm selling my new Taylor 415 jumbo after I got this one. It's that good.

Very well made inside and out. Factory action is 3/32 and 1/16 at fret 12. That is nearly perfect for an acoustic and only the nut slots needed a minor deepening to get the '3rd fret test' to be right on target. Use only nut slot files or have a competernt luthier do it. Relief is set right at Yamaha on this one and no evident flaws.
Of interest is the color: it's the natural yellowish color, but the finish was slightly more yellow around the edges. You could almost call it a yellow-burst as it fades to natural in the center area on the body. Very handsome to look at and unusual; I've not seen another natural one quite like it. Bookmatch is about 95% perfect and the center join is faint.
Over all, for $650 retail with a nice firm-foam Cordura clad case, you will not find an equal/better deal except 1 that I know of: the Guild GAD line (from China as well) at about $500-700. Look especially at the GAD 40C with a pickup installe at about $700 and make your pick.

After market, get the McIntyre Acoustic Feather ($110), which beats the K&K PW mini.

These are built right and Yamahas are famous for longevity. This is a well made guitar and should be humidified and taken care of. You will find almost no Martins or Gibsons that match its tone or action even in the $2500 range. I'm not kidding: I check them out. Some of th Taylors match this one (800 and 900 series).

I rely on a luthier who is excellent and a great guy to learn from in Richmond, VA. He's easy to find. Thanks Jerry!

Easy '10' becasue they are such a true value. And at $1,000 they'd be worth it if Martins and Gibsons are the measure. The Yamaha LL6 is the bottom of the handcragted price line, but not the inferior sounding ones. These range from consistently very nice tone to 'oh baby!' tone. I own and have owned some very ice guitars (my main guitar for home is a '99 Galloup Northern Light). You will be impressed if you are anything less than a professional musician becasue the Yamaha LL6 is so well made and sounds and plays so well right off the rack.

Solid Englemann Spruce Top
Solid Ebony Fretboard and Bridge

Laminated Indian Rosewood back and sides (looks to be very high quality)

The neck seems to made out of mahagony with a strip of rosewood for extra support

the headstock is mahagony with a rosewood veneer

The tuners are typical gold plated yamaha tuners. My guess would be 12:1 ratio or less. Doesn't seem to hold up as well as my set of grovers

Nut and Saddle are plastic

Pickguard is regular teardrop shape and black, gets dusty very easily and very visible. I plan to change it out with something else

There is white binding all around the guitar.

My family has owned atleast 6 yamahas in the last 25 years. My mom, my dad and I have all owned atleast one. I have an FG04 and my dad has an FG360. THE FG04 is a great guitar but nowhere does it come near to the sound qualities of this guitar. I don't think any of the FG series yamahas made today can compare to the sound of this guitar. Soundwise, i would describe it as approaching that of an epiphone masterbuilt series without the durability issues. I believe it will only get better in time.

The binding around the fretboard close to the soundhole has a few cracks in it but other than that, the inside looks very clean and there are no surface imperfections. It is a very well made guitar. The action however leaves something to be desired. However i got used to it in less than a week.

It's a Yamaha, its built to last. I'd definetely use this on stage and i believe it will withstand any kind of playing you do with it, unless you insist on using it as a surfboard.

Never dealt with yamaha.

I've been playing for about 5 yrs now. If this guitar were stolen, I'd probably go up another level and into the Yamaha LL16 series. This guitar sounds amazing, what more the all solid wood version,

The features of this guitar include, Gold machineheads, SOLID top and back, Standard dreadnaught style, nice high frets making it easy to play and the beast feature is the case!!!! It gives the same protection as a hard case, but weighs as much as one of those crappy gig bags.

The style of music i play ranges from classic rock to blues and a little of the new rock stuff too. This guitar suits all of them and the sound produced is brilliant, nice bottom end and sparkling highs. This guitar would easily suit any genre of music and the sound is not comparable to the FG series. If you hit it with hard stumming it sounds full and rich and if you fingerpick, it captures your every move with great even tone.

This guitar came from the internet and didnt come through a guitar shop so there was no set up, just as it was from the factory. I ran it down to my nearest guitar store and they said the set-up was immaculate. The strings it came with sounded ok, but really mashed my fingers, even though i have callouses on them. The finish was flawless and you can tell as soon as it falls into your hands that it is hand made and the solid top and back really make this guitar.
The fisish was not overly spectacular, not like a gibson dove, but even though it is plain, it is incredebly well done. Flawless, again.

This guitar is a solid beast. It feels robust and the neck joint is very stable. The machine heads are very high quality and there is no problem with loss of tuning.

I havent had any problems no there was no need for customer support!

I have been playing for 4 years and achieved grade 8 standard. I own a Gibson SG Classic, An Epiphone Sheraton, and a Yamaha FG720s. I use a Marshall AVT 50 for amplification. I love this guitar because of the cost to quality ratio, it beats martins and taylors hands down. People will always perfer martins and taylors, but if your not insecure and feel you have to have a big brand name on your lap, then this baby rules. Of course the sound is different from martins and taylors, but it is stil of the same quality. I would describe this best as somewhere inbetween the martins bottom end and the taylors high end.

2005; sunburst; features as described elsewhere. Comes with Yamaha emblem cordura clad foam case. Quality throughout. No electronics. The neck joint uses a similar design to the Spanish 'foot' inside for better tone. Handsome curved grain on the rosewood back...very dark and the top is showing 'rays' in the quartersawn halves.

Easy '10' in this category because it sounds better than all but the best Taylors and Martins at a fraction of the cost. Very well balanced, bright and strong midrange. Bass is not at all boomy and trebles are clear, not tinny as on the cheaper Yamahas. Very good sustain stock, but can be improved considerably with a bone saddle, nut, pins. Get unbleached bone for better 'coupling'. Top is Englemann.

Flawless on my used guitar. Very clean inside and perfect outside. My sunburst is reddish, but tasteful and attractive.

Sturdy; Yamahas are built correctly.

The best guitar for under $700 with case you'll ever find, guaranteed. Better than Taylors and Martins at 3 times the price. I am serious and I've played them and owned them.

Yamaha LL6 handcrafted...natural finish...

"The pickguard is the only drawback and seems to scratch easily." Try taking the film off of it! I left mine on too and was sure this was a flaw...its stuck on there good til ya get a bit at the edge and then what a beaut!

You've seen all of the features listed already so I won't go on about that.

Best sounding guitar I have ever played. Played at the store and played many other more expensive Martins/Taylor/Gibson <---was going for one of those but who would pay that much when you can have the LL6!?!?
Have a friend that plays a higher end Martin who wants one now too!

Action was set nicely. No finish flaws. Beautiful! Great quality wood. Smells nice too! ?? Everything is great about this guitar so far!

I've banged it a few times and gasped, but it seems pretty tough! Not a scratch on it yet and I've had it almost a year. Stays in tune and sounds great!

No warranty for me as I am in the US...dunno why, but ok...it'll last a lifetime anyway!

I loved that this also came with a nice case. I also own a Takamine eg544sc that I am not thrilled with, but there's an impulse buy for ya!
My LL6 is an awsome piece of work and I love the rich sound! The resonance is amazing! My whole body hums when I play this ?? and I hope it last for at least the next 30 years! ??

Today I got myself a brand new LL6 (dreadnought, no electronics) with a solid natural Engelmann top. Features are standard LL6 (3-layer laminated neck, solid palisander back and sides). Looks great, craftmanship seems flawless and the natural finish with the ebony bridge and fretboard, the nice inlay around the hole and the closed die-cast gold mechanics make it look like it cost at least double the money I paid for it. ;)

Sound is rich and very balanced. Strong bass and clear trebles, without the somewhat tinny mids of many cheaper western guitars. Chords and single notes alike sound strong and well rounded.

Since this is supposed to be my only guitar for all purposes, I was looking for something with a loud and clear sound with much "body" that fits to my singing, no matter if it's jazzy, blues, folk or classical stuff. I played it in the store for about an hour, all styles, and it always sounded just great. With the original Yamaha strings it responds to the slightest touch with great dynamics und clear tone, lots of sustain and practically no fret-sounds at all, even when you hit it a little harder or use picks. (I usually only pick with my fingers - the tone is very mellow and excellent then, crystal clear even in the softer parts.)

After playing a rather mid-priced Fenix ovation for more than 15 years (which started to sound a bit crappy recently), the sound was a revelation to me - I fell in love with it right away!

Action is great, as I said it responds to every touch with clear and very defined tone across the entire fretboard. Handles like a dream to me (who is used to choke the old Fenix like trying to murder it to get a aceeptable tone), no matter if I do chords or single notes.

Also teh factory setup and overall finish is great. Coulnd't find any flaws yet, don't expect too in the near future.

Only got it for an couple of hours now, but I don't expect any problems - the guitar appears very robust and high-quality in all respects. For my purposes it will certainly last a long time, I guess. With careful handling I probably might be able to hand it down to my kids one day... :D

Have got a great local store here (owners are musicians and music teachers as well), where I buy most of my guitar stuff for many years now - they let you try every instrument you like for as long as needed and only sell you what they feel good about. If there should be any problem with a guitar they sold, they will take care of it right away, so no problems ahead in this field. ;)

I played it for one day now and I'm still very excited about the great sound and the high-quality finish and craftmanship. I still can't believe I only paid 450 EUR for it (the guy at the shop went down with the price a bit, so it actually would have cost 520,-, but still...).

I tried other guitars around the same price range which didn't sound that good - not to mention the ones around 300,- or less that sounded like crap compared to the LL6. Also the sometimes much more expensive guitars of friends, which I play occassionally, don't sound remarkably better. I guess I found my guitar for the next 20 years+. I am really very satisfied with my purchase!!!

I believe the other reviews have gone into the specifications of the LL-6 throughly if not access the Yamaha web site. Mine is the natural Englemann Spruce Top with Rosewood sides and back. Mahogany neck with Rosewood incert and Ebony fretboard and bridge. Workmanship is impeccable for Yamaha's bottom tier Handcrafted line.
Not a lot of uneeded features since this is your basis acoustic guitar.

Sound is unbelieveable considering I compared the LL-6 with Martins (d-18, d-28, hd-28), Gibsons (advance jumbo, songwriter deluxe, J-45) and Taylors (414, 710), some costing 4 to 5 times more. I can only imagine why anyone would pay more for a guitar that in some cases doesn't sound as refined as the LL-6. I wanted to try Yamaha's LL-16 (solid Rosewood back & sides), however none to be had. I can't believe it would sound any better than the LL-6.

My LL-6 is flawless in looks and workmanship with the solid Englemann Spruce top and Rosewood sides and back. The Ebony fretboard and bridge add a touch of class for a guitar in this price range. The Rosewood strip in the Mahogany neck gives it a more expensive look as well. Overall, I could find no flaw in the LL-6 which is due to Yamaha's quality control process. They take great pride in their workmanship.

I really can't comment on reliability/durability except to say if you look on e-bay there are many vintage Yamahas in demand. Even their less expensive lines are still playable and desired.

Again, no comment due to not lack of dealing with Yamaha. I would deal with the retailer where I purchased the guitar first, using Yamaha only if there were no satisfaction with the retailer.

I am happy I purchased my LL-6 before Yamaha comes to their senses and realize they are offering way more guitar than the price warrants. I was determined to purchased one of the better known American brands Martin, Gibson or Taylor but couldn't justify spending so much more for no better guitar. I looked for a reason not to purchase the LL-6, even to the extent of wanting to hear the LL-16 before buying but realizing how much better could the LL-16 be?
If your looking for your perfect guitar you owe it to yourself to at least look at this guitar before making your investment of a lifetime.

I just purchased a new Yamaha LL6 after shopping for the perfect (for me) acoustic guitar for the past 5 months. I must say this LL6 model is exceptional in all respects - tone - finish - action - you name it. I personally compared the tone and action in the store against 6 other guitars - some costing a lot more, some less and the Yamaha LL6 came out ahead hands down.

The action was perfect (for me) from the moment I picked it up. This instrument had just been put on display and as such, it hadn't been handled by other customers

Have been playing about a year. I currently own 3 other guitar instruments.