# Yamaha CPX 700 or APX 500 - which acoustic should I buy?



## doriangrey

I have an old Fender acoustic that doesn't stay in tune very well so I've been looking to buy a better acoustic guitar for strumming at home and I've found a few decent deals on CL. I've narrowed it down to choosing between a Yamaha CPX700 for $300 or a Yamaha APX500 for $175. I'm leaning towards the APX500 because I've been reading that they are a decent guitar and the price is right but I'm wondering if it's worth spending the extra $125 for the CPX700. I've done some research and the only difference I could see between the two is that the CPX model has a deeper body, which should give it a bigger sound, but they both look similar and have the same electronics. Anybody have any experience with either of these guitars? any feedback is greatly appreciated


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## Andy

The CPX is made of better woods - solid spruce top and mahogany ply sides. The APX is ply all around, spruce on top and nato sides. That, coupled with the difference in body sizes is going to make a huge difference in the tone.


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## Greg Ellis

Tonal quality is a very personal thing, obviously, but...

It's a REALLY good idea to go to a music store and play some examples of each.

Neither of those models holds a candle to the (cheaper, more barebones) FG700MS, in my humble opinion. I played them all in a shop just a few days ago. Even the matte vs gloss finish in the same model (i.e. FG700MS vs FG700S) made a HUGE difference in the character of the guitar.

To me, both the APX and the CPX had a very tight, brittle, buzzy sort of sound, and very limited dynamics, when compared to the woody, resonant, subtle 700MS.

'Course that's just my personal taste - everyone is different.


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## doriangrey

Andy said:


> The CPX is made of better woods - solid spruce top and mahogany ply sides. The APX is ply all around, spruce on top and nato sides. That, coupled with the difference in body sizes is going to make a huge difference in the tone.


That is good info - I did not realize that they were made of different woods - thanks!


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## washburned

At those prices buy both!


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## doriangrey

washburned said:


> At those prices buy both!


I wish ;o)


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## gemgarden

i am new and have some fairly basic questions hoping someone could share their knowledge.

i was looking into the apx500 and the FG700 and noticed that some guitars are in the "acoustic electric" category such as the apx500. so what does these particular guitars do well or their advantage over the simple acoustic guitars? are these acoustic electric guitars more meant for acoustic playing or electric-amp playing? can someone go into details about these particular kinds of guitars.
thanks!


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## Greg Ellis

Acoustic-electric is an acoustic guitar with some kind of pickup in it, so yeah, you can plug it in if you want.

That can be nice for recording, or playing live with a band, or amplifying your instrument through a PA, or various other situations.

Note that the quality of pickups in that class of guitar is very entry-level. It might sound ok for live use in a band, if you can work around the feedback problems, but you'll be much happier with the results if you use a microphone for recording (or more than one, and mix them).

Also note that you can retro-fit an acoustic guitar with a pickup system, if you decide, down the road, that you want it. Those retro-fits can run anywhere from $50 user-installed and completely reversible to several hundred dollars for a professionally (and permanently) installed system with preamp and controls, etc.


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## gemgarden

thanks greg for the explanation. hmm, then i think a regular acoustic guitar will fit my needs just fine. Don't play to play in a band or perform live on stage (anything like that). Just for personal relaxation and enjoyment purposes.

How about the tone of the guitars.. How does the APX500 compare to FG700MS. Right now brand new the prices available locally is $300 vs $220. Is one's playability better than the other? And also in terms of comfort/size, which one would sit more comfortably for an average size (height is 5' 3") female?
What would you recommend for yamaha acoustic Folk-size guitars (heard alot about 000 size)? any particular model


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## Andy

The Yamaha acoustic-electrics would be much more comfortable for your size, especially the APX. I'm 5'11 (albeit with a short torso) and I find a Dreadnaught just on the borderline of comfortable to play. That doesn't mean you should go with either of them, though. The APX sounds like tinny garbage, and the CPX still doesn't even measure up to an entry-level FG series as Greg noted.

Why don't you take a look at one of Godin's offerings (Norman, Seagull, Simon and Patrick, Art & Lutherie) in a folk-size acoustic. You can get one for under $300 if you don't need electronics. Check it: A&L Folk Series


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## gemgarden

@Andy, thanks for your suggestions.

godin is too expensive for my blood. I did consider seagull s6 though. when i go in to the store will try the apx500, s6, fg700, and fs720s (folk size so more comfy i guess than fg700).
However at the moment im leaning towards the apx500 (its attractive looking and also has the option of hooking it up with an amp). There's a good deal on it as well.

To be honest not really into the art & lutherie guitars' looks.

Just to clarify in terms of the sizing of the guitars ive listed above, is the apx the smallest? and then the 720s? and the next one would be s6 or fg700??

Thanks again for all the help, guys.


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## doriangrey

I'm still looking on CL and am now also considering a couple of Takamine guitars as well as a Yamaha FGX720SCA, which is in a similar price range of the APX 500 but I've been reading that the FGX720SCA has a nicer sound. The Takamine guitars I am also considering are a EG341C for $300 and an EG560C for $400. I set my budget at $400 tops so I have narrowed my search down to the following:

Yamaha CPX700 for $300
Yamaha APX500 for $175 (also a mint one listed for $300)
Yamaha FGX720SCA for $300
Takamine EG341C for $300
Takamine EG560C for $400

Quite a few choices - also noteworthy is the fact that the Yamaha FGX720SCA for $300 does not come with a case - just the cardboard box it came in...

Tough choice =o


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## doriangrey

gemgarden said:


> @Andy, thanks for your suggestions.
> 
> godin is too expensive for my blood. I did consider seagull s6 though. when i go in to the store will try the apx500, s6, fg700, and fs720s (folk size so more comfy i guess than fg700).
> However at the moment im leaning towards the apx500 (its attractive looking and also has the option of hooking it up with an amp). There's a good deal on it as well.
> 
> To be honest not really into the art & lutherie guitars' looks.
> 
> Just to clarify in terms of the sizing of the guitars ive listed above, is the apx the smallest? and then the 720s? and the next one would be s6 or fg700??
> 
> Thanks again for all the help, guys.


I'm not !00% sure on all the guitars youve listed but I am fairly confident in saying that the APX is the smallest of the lot...


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## Greg Ellis

I picked up a Norman B20 Folk on the used market about 2 years back. It's got a smaller body size, solid cedar top, and it's a quieter guitar too, which is useful for me if I'm playing at night when the rest of the house is asleep. Plus, the previous owner installed a Fishman undersaddle pickup and preamp, which is something I was looking for at the time. Great guitar for the money.

I can't say it enough times really - go play guitars at a store, or several stores. Take your time. Sure, there's much you can learn about body styles and construction and other peoples' opinions, but at the end of the day, if YOU don't like it, if it doesn't feel good in your hands, then all that "wisdom" is pointless.

Even if you're just starting out, it's worth wrapping your hand around the neck to see how it feels; see how the body feels tucked under your arm. See if you like the cosmetics.

Alternately, see if someone you know is ready to give up. You can often pick up a decent guitar from a friend for half the retail price, and more often then not, they are basically untouched. "I always meant to learn, I just never got around to it..." Grin.

Another option, if you're really not sure what you're going to like, is to rent one for a few weeks. It's usually very cheap, and some of the stores will allow you to apply your rental payments against an eventual purchase. If you're planning on taking lessons, talk to the teacher ahead of time, and see which guitar the teacher recommends as a starter model. In my opinion, Yamaha is king of the starter brands. F310 is the classic student model, and starts around $120. It's certainly not the best guitar you can buy, but for that kind of money it's really hard to beat.

Good luck!


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## gemgarden

Greg Ellis said:


> I picked up a Norman B20 Folk on the used market about 2 years back. It's got a smaller body size, solid cedar top, and it's a quieter guitar too, which is useful for me if I'm playing at night when the rest of the house is asleep. Plus, the previous owner installed a Fishman undersaddle pickup and preamp, which is something I was looking for at the time. Great guitar for the money.
> 
> I can't say it enough times really - go play guitars at a store, or several stores. Take your time. Sure, there's much you can learn about body styles and construction and other peoples' opinions, but at the end of the day, if YOU don't like it, if it doesn't feel good in your hands, then all that "wisdom" is pointless.
> 
> Even if you're just starting out, it's worth wrapping your hand around the neck to see how it feels; see how the body feels tucked under your arm. See if you like the cosmetics.
> 
> Alternately, see if someone you know is ready to give up. You can often pick up a decent guitar from a friend for half the retail price, and more often then not, they are basically untouched. "I always meant to learn, I just never got around to it..." Grin.
> 
> Another option, if you're really not sure what you're going to like, is to rent one for a few weeks. It's usually very cheap, and some of the stores will allow you to apply your rental payments against an eventual purchase. If you're planning on taking lessons, talk to the teacher ahead of time, and see which guitar the teacher recommends as a starter model. In my opinion, Yamaha is king of the starter brands. F310 is the classic student model, and starts around $120. It's certainly not the best guitar you can buy, but for that kind of money it's really hard to beat.
> 
> Good luck!


thanks for all the input and advice.
Will try out at least 3 guitars when I go into the store. I just have a lot of time to research until going into the store because I have a very important exam next month and don't want to be distracted with learning the guitar until after the exam. Hence must wait till almost mid Sept to purchase one.
I've checked stock of the apx500 and quite a few stores in my area has it so shouldn't be a problem finding it.

How many lessons do you think it will take to get the basics down or at least have my posture right and learn the basics?


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## Greg Ellis

I can't really comment much on lessons; I'm self-taught. There should be lots of guitar teachers around who can chime in though.


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## gemgarden

Greg Ellis said:


> I can't really comment much on lessons; I'm self-taught. There should be lots of guitar teachers around who can chime in though.


seems like there's a lot of video tutorials/advice for guitar playing. so i might just try learning it on my own first say with a beginner's book and online videos. My original intention was to take 5 or 10 lessons to get the basics and posture down. But seems like its all available online (and private lessons are not cheap either).

And starting off, do I need picks?


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## Greg Ellis

gemgarden said:


> And starting off, do I need picks?


Maybe, maybe not. Picks are cheap as dirt, so you might as well try a few. But lots of people play fingerstyle; no pick at all. James Taylor is my favourite example.


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