Yamaha C40 Guitar Review (2023)

Build Quality:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:
Average:

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Pros:

• Affordable
• Good sound
• Comfortable for beginners

Cons:

• Bad strings
• No truss rod adjustment

I am envious of anyone who decided to take upon themselves the amazing journey that is learning how to play guitar in this time period. There are several reasons for that. One, there are so many resources you can get for free and learn anything you want. Second, and the most important one, you can get a guitar for less than $200 and not be afraid that it will crumble in your hands within the first month. The supply of great, affordable models is due to, of course, demand but most importantly innovations by manufacturers like Yamaha, who can whip out great guitars at a very low price. The Yamaha C40 is one of the products of such innovations and if you are looking for your first guitar at a great price, this instrument might be the one for you.

Build

The C40 is a full-sized classical guitar for beginners. If it is your first time ever holding up a guitar and attempting to learn something, this model will provide all the necessities. That being said, I would not recommend it for someone highly experienced who has had guitars at a higher price range and quality. The top is spruce while the back and sizes are Indonesian Mahogany. The tonewood that Yamaha chose is of fairly decent quality so that is definitely a big plus. The neck is made of nato and it is connected to the body with a dovetail joint which provides sufficient durability and sturdiness. The action is also low enough not to produce any buzzing which is often the case with a lot of cheaper guitars.

Hardware

When it comes to hardware often enough affordable guitars do not provide a lot of material to talk about. There is a reason for that: most affordable guitars are aimed at beginners who will not require extra features. That is why the C40 is also not that big on hardware or features. That being said, if you are looking for the basics, this one will give you that and exactly that. The hardware is chrome and six chrome YTM-01 tuners. The bridge is made of rosewood while the finish is UTF. One big plus with this finish is that it does not take away from the sound or vibration. The big problem with this guitar is that it does not have truss rod adjustment and the strings are just bad. If there is one thing I would recommend is to change the strings right away. In fact, if you buy this guitar make sure to buy strings along with the guitar.

Yamaha C40 Sound

Although the strings on this model are not the best, to say the least, once you change them you will take your guitar from sounding very “meh” to sounding pretty damn good. The intonation, due to construction, is fairly good, while the tonal range is fitting for any beginner and even intermediate player. The smooth and balanced sound of this guitar is all a beginner can ask for and more.

Conclusion

Yamaha specifically designed the C40 for beginners. It has all the basic necessities but apart from that, you cannot really look for extremely high-quality tonewood or hardware. For the price, you are giving you are getting decent tonewood, basic hardware, and comfort which is extremely important for beginners. While it does have some downsides like strings and truss rods, I think it is still worth the amount you are playing. As a beginner’s guitar, I would definitely recommend it to someone on a budget.

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