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Pros:
- Affordable
- Good sound
- Comfortable
Cons:
- Strings are too high
- Thin tonewood
It is hard to find a company that does affordable, good-quality guitars like Yamaha. The company’s almost immaculate history of quality is what makes so many beginners, intermediates, as well as professionals, love Yamaha so much. Let’s just say, dedication is real and there is a reason for it. Their FX325A is another attempt (and success) at making an affordable, beginner and budget-friendly instrument. So let’s talk about the best acoustic-electric guitar under 200.
Build
The FX325A is a dreadnought acoustic-electric guitar with a spruce top and a Meranti back and top. Because this is an affordable model the tonewood is not that high in quality. Some people say that the tonewood on this one is a bit too thin which makes it vulnerable to breakage and accidents. That being said, I do not think that this is such a big disadvantage that you should pass on buying it. Let’s be honest, if you are looking for a budget-friendly guitar you should expect that some corners have been cut.
The key is to understand whether the manufacturer has economized on the wrong parts. In this case, I think, Yamaha has managed to take okay quality tonewood but still make it sound quite decent. The neck on the FX325A is made of Nato which might not be top-notch quality but the construction of the neck provides comfort and stability that are essential to any beginner.
Hardware
Now, let’s move on to hardware and some other features. This model is definitely not overbuilt or “over-decorated” BUT that is not the worst of things. As a beginner, at least when I was looking for a beginner guitar, I was looking for essentials and nothing more. And that is exactly what you get with this acoustic-electric guitar. The chrome die-cast tuners, tortoiseshell pickguard, and rosewood fingerboard and bridge are pretty basic but functional. One problem with this model is that the strings are too high, making it a bit hard to play, especially for beginners.
Yamaha FX325A Sound
The FX325A has a decent sound for the price you pay. It has great precision and great pitch. The tone is well balanced and the volume is pretty good. One problem you might encounter is that sometimes there is a buzz if you do not push strings hard enough (I know, it might be a bit hard in the beginning but you will get used to it).
Electronics
It is fairly hard to come by an acoustic guitar of decent quality at such a price. BUT an acoustic-electric? Almost impossible. Yamaha FX325A is equipped with System53, Piezo Pickup with 3-band EQ. Although electronics are not the highest of quality (they are not as clear) and definitely not the biggest advantage of this model they are extremely easy to use. They might not be the best quality electronics but they will definitely serve you well as your first step to learning more about acoustic-electric models.
Conclusion
Yamaha has done it again and again and again. Somehow they manage to build guitars that cost less than what you spend on coffee every week (hey, no judgment here…). Their FX325A might not be a competitor to $1000 Fender or Gibson but it definitely sounds and feels better than some guitars that cost twice its price. For a beginner this is an amazing option: it is budget-friendly, beginner-friendly, and sounds very nice (not to mention the fact that it is acoustic-electric).
