| Build Quality: |  |
| Hardware: |  |
| Sound: | |
| Value: | |
| Average: | |
Pros:
- Small and easy to hold
- Great tone
- Extremely affordable
- Comes with a case
Cons:
- You might need a preamp with it
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you take a look at various guitars? That’s the game I enjoy playing every time I walk in a local music store or come across some models online. Generally speaking, most acoustic guitars awaken the feeling of inner peace in me. I know, I know, they can easily disturb the devil himself, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t multi-faceted and can’t calm me down whenever I need them to. Some models do so more than the others, but as I look at them, I keep imagining the place, where I’d hold that guitar, play without any purpose and clear my head, at least to a certain extent.
That inner peace is associated with the instruments that let you play clean – they don’t force you to create something new or learn something new each time you pick them up. In fact, they motivate you to hold your guitar, strum it without knowing the melody and sort through your mind as much as possible. Yamaha CSF3M is the model that also brought all those feelings to me. As I looked at it, I couldn’t help but wonder where life would take me, and kept thinking about the quiet mountains where I’d escape from noisy reality. This is the journey worth following since self-awareness will turn you into a better musician and guitarist, trust me. Let’s get started and see what this guitar has to offer.
Build
Yamaha is one of those brands that tend to diversify their line and provide everything they possibly can. This means that they have a wide range of choices in different price categories, and they always manage to surprise us be it a 100$ guitar or a 1000$ masterpiece. The model we’re about to dive into doesn’t belong to either of those poles – it’s right in between. CSF3M is part of the CSF series, and though it shares certain features with its sibling, it has several virtues that force us to choose it over other models.
Just like the majority of guitars that are priced under 1000, this puppy is made from solid woods as well. The top is constructed with Sitka spruce, while the sides are built with mahogany. The body is really durable and could easily take up the abuse that we usually throw their way. Don’t drop it though – no one can tell you that any guitar can withstand a beating. But if you’re frequently on the road, it will become your faithful companion and be there for you for a really long time.
While we’re still on the body, I have to tell you that CSF3M is smaller in size compared to other acoustic guitars. The scale length is 23 5/8 inches, which, once again indicates on its shrunken parameters. But that doesn’t mean that it’s any less than full-size models – it competes with them proudly and powerfully. It’s also lightweight, which means you’ll be able to hold it all day long without tensing your muscles and having neck pain each time. Moving on, nato neck is combined with a rosewood fretboard. These materials are refined in a way that guarantees smooth and even intonation throughout the whole length. Combine all these qualities with a wide array of color selections and you got yourself a powerful and versatile beast on your hands.
Hardware
Yamaha CSF3M is a great example of detailed craftsmanship. It proves how much of an impact those little, yet vital parts of the guitar can have on your sound. The brand tried to approach every aspect of this instrument meticulously and I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s such a badass model.
What I mean is that this fella has promising hardware. Rosewood bridge is combined with Urea saddle. These two support the strings so well that there’s no chance you’ll have any trouble in that region. Urea nut has a width of 43 mm, which means it gives you just enough space between the strings to access any point that you wish to access. Die-cast chrome tuning pegs are perfect for maintaining the tune for a long time – one more pain out of your head. The pickup featured here is an SRT Piezo, which amplifies your sound beautifully. Lastly, CSF3M comes with a hard bag that you can use to carry this fella around. And trust me, you’ll want to do that a lot.
Yamaha CSF3M Sound
It’s not uncommon to notice that some compact-size guitars have limited sonic possibilities. These limitations aren’t related to the diversity or definition – they are related to the difficulty they have while opening up. Honestly, some of those models can’t open up at all, which results in the sound that seems like it was produced in a tiny box. But Yamaha CSF3M doesn’t have any of those problems. Surprising is the word that I want to use a lot here, since its sound is truly unexpected.
Though it’s a parlor-sized guitar, it doesn’t have any trouble opening up. It has bright highs and high-mids, rich mid-range (as a whole) and full-bodied low-end whenever needed. Fingerstyle unveils the guitar’s full potential, as it shines with individual notes and gives them so much definition! But if you’re more of a strumming type of guy, you can do that too, of course. CSF3M won’t lose its sound and power even with that technique and fill up way more room than you might have thought. It would sound even better with a preamp, but unfortunately, we don’t have that feature here. Now that you have the whole picture, I’ll tell you that this guitar is probably the best bang you can get for the buck.
Conclusion
I know many people hate surprises, but I don’t think anybody dislikes when instruments turn out to be unexpected. Yamaha CSF3M is just like that. You look at it and it’s a tiny guitar, but as you play it, you forget all about its size. If you want to upgrade its sound, go for a decent preamp and your guitar will become indispensable. Good luck!
Click here to view more from Best Acoustic Guitar under 1000.
