GEAR REVIEW
YAMAHA FGX5 ACOUSTIC GUITAR | by Mitch Bohannon
KEY FEATURES
• Solid Wood Construction
• A.R.E. (Acoustic Resonance
Enhancement) top
• AtmosfeelTM 3-Way Pickup/Preamp
System
worship… a Yamaha FG-410E 6-string. With has developed. This process includes heat,
the Red Label series, Yamaha sought to humidity, and atmospheric pressure to create
honorably throwback to their first production a vintage-quality tone in order to have an aged
acoustic guitar… the 1966 FG180. It’s got the sound like a guitar that has been played for
classic V-shaped headstock with the tuning years.
fork logo and the truss rod cover is marked
“Since 1966” for all the nostalgia buffs.
As for electronics, we have another Yamaha
innovation.
• Throwback design
The
Atmosfeel TM
system
As for specs, the FGX5 has a solid Sitka spruce incorporates three sound sources… a piezo
top with solid Mahogany back and sides. The under the bridge for low frequencies, a
Who has not owned a Yamaha guitar? It’s fingerboard, bridge pins, and bridge are Ebony microphone placed inside for low and midrange
a workhorse. For many of us, it was our first and the neck is African Mahogany. The “5” in frequencies, and a new, thin soundboard
guitar and now, in 2019, it may just be your next the FGX5 designates that these Red Label transducer for high frequencies. The preamp
guitar! Years of knowledge and years of heart guitars are built in Japan instead of China. controls are simple and intuitive with a Master
went into the development of the Red Label The 5-tier (Japanese) guitars have a bone nut Volume control, a Mic Blend to blend or separate
series from Yamaha and I’m super excited to and saddle and all new the Red Label guitars the microphone and piezo pickup, and a Bass
get one in my hands. have scalloped bracing specially designed to EQ +/- knob that also controls peaking EQ by
enhance low-frequency response. raising and lowering center frequencies when
You see, when I was 13, I made a deal at a
boosting or cutting the bass. This allows you
local pawnshop for a (1970’s era) Yamaha At the heart of the acoustic experience to avoid low frequency problems on stage –
FG312 12-string with slotted head. Then while of the FGX5 is the Acoustic Resonance brilliant!
in college, I bought my first guitar for leading Enhancement (A.R.E.) technology that Yamaha
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October 2019
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