Yamaha 12 String Acoustic Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I love to sing. I picked up the guitar fifty years ago to accompany myself and never get tired of uncovering its mysteries. This is my first twelve string and I love it. I haven't owned several dozen high end guitars. I've owned a few. I'm very selective and careful in choosing what I like and then I stick with it; sometimes for decades. My first guitar was a Yamaha FG-150 and I've always been sorry I didn't hang onto it. Reading and digesting reviews coupled with a good dose of nostalgia guided me to this one. I had some reservations about twelve strings in general regarding tuning and keeping it in tune. Nothing to it. This guitar is remarkable in its ability to stay in tune. It is truly quite easy to play and sounds fantastic and full. I have short muscular farmer fingers and find this guitar quite easy to play. I attribute this to the shape of the neck which I find quite comfortable. Fit and finish is beautiful and I particularly love the wood binding. It looks great in a less is more fashion and I couldn't be happier. In the month or so I've had it this guitar has been in daily use without an issue. At this price this guitar is a tremendous value and I have no problem in recommending you get yourself one if you can. Enjoy yourselves and don't forget to practice.I don't have one. Pen name is So

Great sounding guitar out of the box. No adjusting needed. It's been a long time that my chest gets a good rumble from the low end of a guitar. This one does it. The mids are just right and highs are where they should be. I don't know why I have not discovered a LL series Yamaha guitar before. I have had all the expensive brands. I have played and preformed for over 30 years. For the money, this guitar is the best one I have ever bought. I will continue to preform with it……The better the guitar, the better I feel & sound………Jeffjeffe1490

Having relatively recently started learning guitar on an electric stratocaster-style guitar this was a great transition to the acoustic segment. The thinner body makes it much more comfortable to play than say a dreadnought and the neck is comfortable to transition too, yet the guitar doesn't seem to sacrifice as much sound as you'd expect from a thinner guitar. The finish of the guitar is that of a more expensive guitar for example the rosewood finger board. On arrival I actually thought the guitar looked better than the pictures on the website suggest but do note that because of the finish it is prone to showing finger marks which would need cleaning time to time. I would highly recommend this guitar.Richard P.

After suffering a permanent back injury I could no longer play my elictric guitar as it was too heavy or my acoustic electric guitar because it felt like it was twice it's normal size because I could no longer find a comfortable position for myself to play it. I bought a keyboard thinking that I could still play music. Afterv two weeks of playing around with the keyboard I gave up pllaying. Then I saw on the internet one night an advertisement for a 3/4 size Yamaha acoustic electric guitar guitar with a slimline bosy which looked like a nice guitar so I checked out males and females playing it and sounded very nice so I bought one. Man am I'm so glad I did. I got the sunburst like this one on sale. I was excited as l took it out of the box and went straight to my mancave and started playing it. It was perfecty in tune and for a guitar of this size it's got such a beautiful tone playing ACOUSTIC. So I plugged it in and it's as good as it sounded on YouTube. As an 67 yesr old man who started playing guitar when I was 16 years old, this is a beauty. I recommend this guitar to beginners, anyone with small hands and even people who want a good guitar to take with them without taking up much space in your car. Yep, it's a beaty.Deano

I purchased this guitar for my 11 year old daughter. I wanted to find a quality instrument that is smaller in size, easy to play, and stays in tune. I have owned other Yamaha guitars before, and they are a great guitar for the price. The Yamaha FG JR1 did not disappoint! The guitar is easy to play, stays in tune and it sounds pretty good for a small guitar. The strings do feel a little heavy for a beginner. I would definitely recommend changing the strings to a lighter gauge for a beginning player. I recommend the Ernie Ball Earthwood Silk and Steel Extra Soft 10-50. They’re a great string for tender young fingers.Jimmy

I bought the Yamaha JR2 for my daughter as a Christmas present and I was surprised. I didn't expect it to be that good because of its price but WOW!!! The resonance is unbelievable given that it's not made from solid wood and the neck is so comfortable, perfect for kids who are learning. This is my third guitar from Better Music and they never disappoint me. The guitars are well set up and the packaging is unbelievable every time. It just shows how much they value their customers and that's why I keep coming back. I don't usually leave reviews but I appreciate what these guys are doing. Keep up the good work!Marvin B.

I bought this on the 7th birthday of one of my twin girl. I was on a tight budget of around $100 and then I thought to speak to one of the representatives at SamAsh. After having a talk with him I was convinced to get a good guitar to start even though I have to stretch my budget. Since my family is a newbie in musical instruments i am happy that my girl is interested in learning music. She is very happy and we are thinking to take her to few lessons. It's well-made and offers a good tone. Great buy!!Preeti

I ordered an open box guitar at a discount. It was the Black one. When I opened the box I found the documentation and the batteries for the electronics loose in the box. It didn't come with the sound hole cover either. This guitar had been played as the pick marks below the sound hole were obvious. This guitar was not a 2nd but more like a 3rd. I called to return it and decided to order a brand new one in Natural. I would really like to see a pick guard for this instrument but the sound hole is oval so I would need to buy one and modify it to fit. I received the new one and it seems fine but the jury's out on the playability until I get it set-up by some pro techs. Then I'll follow up with another review.Stan the Man

I own several six string instruments, but this is the first 12 string to my collection. I am very happy with the choice. I did a lot of research, and played several different brands and I would always keep coming back to this one. What did it for me: Smooth and easy is to play. Many 12 strings may get a bit tiresome after a while, and depending on the brand the tension of the strings can be very punishing on the instrument AND your hands. I can play thing thing for hours with no problem, and it stays in tune surprisingly long, even when I get spirited with this thing. I use it mainly as a rhythm guitar, not much bending going on with this. The preamp, with the incorporated tuner is such a great convenient tool. Speaking of that, I've met some people that like to have the strings in this model doubled up for their music style — such as "norteño music" (instead of the traditional octave type), and neck & bridge seems impervious to the added tension. I don't plan to do that, but I am happy to know that I have that choice. I went with the black finish, and it is gorgeous. It is nice when you open the case (I paired it with the Yamaha APX Vinyl Hardshell Guitar Case — it fits perfectly) all your friends get that "wow" factor. It sounds amazing unplugged, just loud enough to be a pleasant compliment to not-amplified vocals. Once you plug her in, this thing is a monster! Amazing, crisp professional sound! The tones are controlled, there is no distortion when you need to get that "forte" emphasis to the song. I haven't had any feedback problems, even though it actually comes with a convenient sound-hole cover. And the answer is no, it will not diminish the sound quality if you use the cover, especially plugged in. For the price, you're definitely purchasing a guitar that is much, much better than more expensive models. Trust me, the pictures do not make her justice at all, this is a gorgeous professional level instrument.BeeZee

This guitar is probably all it was designed to be and also probably perfect for an electric player who just wants to throw a little 12 string into their set-list. It plays like an electric. It is well put together and has all the appeal of a much more expensive guitar. However, it is a thin body design. "Thin" being the key word, that's exactly what you get from the ambient sound of the guitar. It can be EQ'ed to sound thicker in an active environment, but that's not what I look for in an instrument. The tight neck feel also was not to my liking.SRP

I bought this guitar to check out a budget friendly offering from Yamaha. I have to say I was not disappointed! Excellent tone and volume, the top really resonates. The guitar was really well setup right out of the box. It needed about 3/4 of a clockwise truss rod adjustment, no prob. Other than that it didn't need any fret dressing whatsoever. That's really impressive for a Chinese guitar. Heck even one of my Mexican Martins needed fret dressing out of the box! Also intonation was spot on and this also is important in your guitar. Very impressed with this guitar, intermediate/advanced feel but priced at a beginner budget. You won't regret picking one up, I assure you!Big Bone Murphy

There is a point of quality when an instrument reaches when it stops being seen as "better or worse" but rather just a different flavor. This Yamaha has reached that point. You can play it alongside a guitar costing 5x more and it stands up well. Yamaha is also one of those rare companies with a long history of top quality across all kinds of products, and guitars are an area Yamaha knows well. This is just a beautiful guitar through and throughout. You can get beautiful uncompromisingly great studio recordings with this guitar. Hitting the low strings hard with strumming gives a nice deep and rich tone. Also, the hardware / tuners are nice.Scott

I've owned many acoustics over the years, MANY, and this Yamaha is one of the best sounding I've ever owned. Went to GC just to check out a few lower end acoustics to pick up for jamming on, and tried almost every one in the room. Picked this one up last just before I was ready to leave, and immediately was blown away by the sound and playability, brought a couple friends to listen and tell me which one they thought sounded the best, and hands down this won over all of them. It has the tone and warmth of a Martin D34, which I have owned a few, and it plays like a dream. The neck is so sliky smooth, easy to fly up and down with no effort. It has amazing sustain and beautiful tone, I fell in love with it and just couldn't put it down. I didn't expect a guitar of this price range to sound as good as it does, got it home and I couldn't put it down. Played for 4 hours straight, and even after trying to put it down to go to bed at 1am I found myself playing a for a few more minutes before I could actually go to sleep. Love this Yamaha more than any guitar I've bought in the last decade. The best thing about it is, It gave me the desire to pick up playing guitar again, after hardly touching any of my other guitars for almost a year it's the one I want to play more than all of them. Great guitar, wouldn't hesitate to buy another in a different color, if you want something that you won't be able to put down this baby has the sound and feel your looking for.Johnny D

I am a professional musician/songwriter (also a Berklee grad-1981). While guitar is not the principal instrument I was trained on (piano/keyboard are my primary), I have been playing guitar on and off since I was a teen back in the 1970s. However, over the last couple of years I've been putting a lot more dedicated practice time on improving my guitar skills for both for songwriting and solo guitar playing. I've been particularly focused mastering the layout of the guitar fretboard so I can put all my harmonic knowledge to work on the instrument, something I wish I did many years ago, but better late than never! I purchased this guitar because I wanted an instrument that was reasonable, easy to play, and enjoyable to listen to. I tried guitars in a variety of price ranges and was surprised at how much more I liked the F335 than guitars 2-3xs more costly. Although this guitar has a laminate rather than solid spruce top, it has a clear yet warm sound that I find really pleasing sonically. The fretboard is also very comfortable and easy to play which adds to the enjoyment of making music with it. I was so impressed with this instrument that I recently also purchased a Yamaha FS800 to use more for fingerstyle playing while using the F335 for flat picking. Those are a nice combination of instruments that cover all my guitar playing needs at this time. Regardless of what level you are playing I highly recommend this (and the FS800) for anyone looking for a very reasonable option that you can use for playing and songwriting.Scott F.

First of all, I own 2 Yamaha Guitars, the F335 being the first one I have owned. For an entry-level dred, you could not ask for a better quality, easy to play right out of the box, althought I would recommend a set-up with any instrument right out of the box with the addition of a bone saddle. Did this with this one and it brought its already rich tone to another level. I only give it 4 stars because I have owned a number of high-end instruments. If you are a brand new player, or one who is in the market just to have a dred to beat around with, look no further. This is the one for you.Chris

I purchased this guitar while it was on sale so can't really complain. There are several QC issues I would expect better from Yamaha even in a cheap imported product. Fit and overall build seems solid but there are odd finish issues that make no sense. At the neck joint there seems to be the remains of a tape line from the body to the neck all around the joint. This neck feels quite thin and comfortable but again, the finish is inconsistent. Just before the headstock, the finish goes from semi-gloss to mat in a very visible way that can also be felt in the hand. As I said in the beginning, cheap guitar, cheap price, hard to complain.Robert

This is my Long Term Review. I have had this guitar for a bit over two years now and can give a more complete picture of it. First, the good. This is a very well made guitar. Under the pros, you will notice I mentioned Good Construction. This is particularly important in a 12 string. The biggest issue with all 12's is that they tend to come apart very quickly. You will have bowing, warping, separation of glueing, etc. All this is because of the tremendous extra pressure 12's suffer. After 2+ years, this guitar is still solid as a rock, and I leave it strung all the time. So I would say construction and bracing are very good on this instrument. Along with this is the fact that it Stays In Tune. This is another major issue with all 12's. Again, that extra force tends to make them go out of tune quickly. This one holds tune very well, and that is important as tuning a 12 takes some time. As for sound, I would say Not too Bad overall, and Really Good for an budget level guitar. It is a little thin for my taste, but there are ways around that. First, throw on a set of decent strings. I prefer Martin Marquise on mine, but personal choice. Second, I like to play through an acoustic amp, and I put a Seymour Ducan Woody on mine. When adjusted correctly, I can get a really decent, full bass sound, lots of body and still keep a nice jangle expected from a 12. Will it sound like a Martin or Gibson, no, but it gives a really nice sound for such a low price. As for the negatives, very few. First, keep in mind when Epiphone says "Select Spruce Top," they really mean laminated, not solid. But I suppose there varying qualities of laminated woods as well, and this one is great – really good resonance and sustain. It could maybe do with a better set of tuners, but as said before, it holds tune exceptionally well. Overall, for the price, Epiphone makes a really nice and playable guitar. Now am just praying they come out with a Masterbilt version of it.kdw

Overall: So, I have owned this guitar for several months now. It is without a doubt a very good sounding guitar, it's up there with my Gibson's and Martins. Strumming or finger picking it just sounds amazing. I did not love the string spacing, so I replaced the nut with a bit wider spacing for my style of playing. The whole point about me taking the plunge on this guitar was that it was all solid woods, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and one of Yamahas absolute best acoustics available. I have no regrets buying this guitar at all. My friends are amazed at the beauty and sound of this very well-built guitar. The electronics do a good job plugged into the PA for playing live, and it will amaze you how good it sounds unplugged all by itself. I never thought I would buy anything but Martin or Gibson's…. this changed my mind completely. if you're thinking about one of these just buy one!! My honest opinion is the price will go up on these as the solid woods and craftsmanship are stunning.Michael

I’ve had my A3M for three years now. I still look at mahogany wood grain in awe. This guitar has a nice rounded tone that can compete with Taylor and Martin guitars made from mahogany. Plugged into an acoustic amp sounds even better. I notice the price point has increased $100 (not sure of due to inflation) which shows that it is a respected instrument. I spent months spinning around for a acoustic guitar and I was truly pleased with the Yamaha A3M. I think it can keep up with Martin and Taylor on stage as a reliable gig machine.bryan nuñez

I mostly play for my own amusement, but I've been at it for about 40 years. The FS5/FSX5 is a well built, nice looking, and easy playing guitar. Setup was about perfect out of the box… I might take it down just a touch at the bridge, but it was definitely in the ballpark. The neck feels comfortable, and I have had no issues with buzzes or rattles anywhere on the neck. Tuners are smooth and accurate. Out of the box, the guitar sounds very full and open, with good balance between the strings. The sustain and volume are also both pretty good. The guitar responds pretty well to dynamics, and you can dig in a bit before it starts to hit the ceiling. I've played some that have a little more dynamic range, but the FSX5 hangs. Offers pretty good clarity for fingerstyle, and I have no problem bringing out the notes I want to emphasize. I am really happy with how it sounds with strummed chords…rich, yet clear and punchy. The aesthetics are low-key, but still classy and elegant. The A.R.E aged top under the satin finish is a lovely warm orange-gold, and the simple black binding with smaller white inner bands frames it nicely. The ebony pickguard is a nice touch.. much richer look than simple plastic. The electronics get the job done. I like about an 80% mic blend, and a bit of a bass cut. I run it through a Fishman Platinum EQ and Preamp… and would recommend a good preamp to get the most out of this pickup system… you can dial in a good tone without one, but you'll get the best results with a preamp. Overall, I think Yamaha made some great decisions with this guitar. Although some of the basic fab work is done in China, the finishing touches fall under the auspices of the Japanese craftsman. They used quality materials for the build (bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge), but otherwise kept the "bling" to a minimum, and concentrated on delivering quality in the sound and feel. This is a players guitar, and the price is right for what it is.Vognell

I have played guitar for 50 years and owned many fine instruments; I currently own four Martins. This is the first upper level Yamaha I've seen "in person" and I was curious. I have to say that, other than a similar appearance, this is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL from the lower level Yamaha acoustic guitars. These are made in the Yamaha Custom Shop in Hammamatsu, Japan, and are all-solid-wood and crafted to a very high standard from the best materials. The sound is crisp, rich, and deep. I think this guitar is very close to Martin's newer D-18 (one of my all-time favorites) at HALF the price! Unfortunately these are very seldom in stock but, with GC's generous return policy, it's well worth the risk.C J Camp

Beautiful and quirky. Great concept and excellent implementation. Pros * SRT sound is eerily good * For the price it is well put together. Nice wood and finish. TBS blends wood and plastics well. * Reverb settings are addictive. * Time just evaporates when plucking away with cans on. Cons * Frame can be a bit uncomfortable over time. Digs into my ribs. (I play it seated) * Not so sold on the piezo alone sound. * Factory setup has quite a high action. I am told by my local luthier that 3mm at 12th fret is typical. (I have not played a classical for decades so perhaps I am expecting too much) I love it.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Lightweight travel guitar will proper width neck that sounds better than it should on paper. You can mix between piezo pick-up and mic emulator for a realistic full sound, also has two types of reverb and a chorus effect built-in. The headphone socket doesn’t mute the unbalanced line out is great for monitoring onstage, also has an auxiliary 3.5mm jack socket for playing along to music on any device (with separate volume control).Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

Plays beatifically. Really nice sound through headphone or output jack. Not quite like a classical guitar – sustain is longer, a bit more like an electric guitar, so sometimes a need to dampen strings when you wouldn't need to on a 'real' guitar. Easy to play – I was pleasantly surprised I did not have to adapt my position in any way. Really nice reverb (chorus is there as well, but I don't ever use chorus – seems OK though) Nice gig bag..Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've had the previous model before and sold it (not by choice). I am isolated away from home and needed a guitar to play. This fit the bill nicely. It's an improvement over the previous model. Plays and sounds nice. The neck is chunky (like an acoustic). I would like the neck a little thinner much like an Ovation. Sounds great through a tiny speaker out of the headphone jack and also sounds great from the 1/4". VersitileDon

This guitar will work miracles for you: your parents will let you live in their basement one more year; your spouse will decide not to get an apartment downtown after all, and your neighbors won't burglarize your apartment to destroy your guitar. It operates on a 9V battery, sounds good through headphones, and you can plug into an amp if you want. It has chorus, echo and reverb built in, as well as volume and tone controls. All in all, an excellent practice guitar.hoovetho.n1bj6

I love this product. It came exactly how I wanted it to. The only thing that as missing that I wanted was the Takamine sticker.Cristian

I just received my EF381DX today, and all I can say is "WOW!" The detail and finish work is superb. The factory setup is very good as well. I will probably have it taken in for minor bridge adjustment, but nothing too serious. For comparison, I owned an EF381SC about 15 years ago and the factory setup and finish work was less than stellar and needed a little bit of adjustment for the action. Don't get me wrong, it sounded amazing, but for the price I paid at the time, it could've been a little better. This guitar sounds exactly like I remember how the SC sounded all those years ago, and is far superior in finish work. The binding, fretboard inlays, headstock inlay and Abalone purfling and rosette are perfectly done. The bone nut and bridge saddle are shaped cleanly and with precision (way better than my old SC), although I prefer either a B string compensated saddle or fully compensated saddle. The pearloid tuning machines and perfectly buffed gloss finish round out the amazing look of this guitar. Great work, Takamine!!!Geasley

I'm a semi-pro. I've played in various bands, solos and duos for 40+ years. My main gigging guitar has been an Alvarez Yiari for the past 30 years. I finally decided to upgrade the old technology pickups in that guitar and when I started discussing it with my luthier, I decided that the project would require too much plugging of old holes in the guitar and so I decided to purchase a new guitar. I had looked at new acoustics for several years and most of the guitarists I'm around are playing Taylors. Many of the older Taylors have an amplified sound that has too much treble in my opinion, although my rhythm guitarist in my current band has a couple of newer high-end Taylors which sound great! However, they were well beyond my budget for a stage guitar which can get knocked around. My new Yamaha A3R is good looking and is solid rosewood back and sides with a sitka spruce top. It has a rich sound unamplified, Plugging it in, I noticed a world of difference between it and my old Yiari. The A3R has beautiful tone plugged in! I especially like the two mic models and the blending switch between mic and piezo. I will predominantly use the mic setting for my acoustic duo and will blend in more piezo in my playing in the full band. I think the piezo will help cut the mix a little bit more. We go from ballads to rockers so with the turn of a single dial, I'll be able to better adjust the output of the guitar based on the type of song we're playing. I was concerned that the A3R would be more difficult to play compared to my Yiari and it is slightly harder to play leads on but it came with Elixir 12s and I usually play 11s. I do plan to take the A3R in to have the action lowered slightly after I've worn out this set of strings and then I feel there will be minimal difference in playablility between my two guitars. Hopefully, this guitar will hold up well. I plan to have it for a long, long time!BB Wolf

Love this guitar! Was a little worried at first thought it might be too tinny but once the strings got broken in it sounds nice and crisp. Stays in tune. Intonation is good out of the box. Can't beat the electronics. Love the look and feel! Might switch out the nut and saddle when it's time to switch out the strings. People have said this guitar punches above its weight and now I see why.Jeff

I was disappointed in this guitar. Having owned many Yamaha acoustics over the past 25 years, I found the quality to be lacking. The tuners were cheap, the intonation was bad, and the sound was very boxy. Even at the £330 sale price, it felt like a toy guitar. I was looking for something smaller than my FG5 and LJ16 to use on a casual basis and travel about. This did not fit the bill.Matthew H.

My ability to stretch my hand to finger chords is severely limited by dupuytren's contracture (google it for some depressing light reading). I hadn't owned an acoustic for five years as a result. I got the itch to own one again, and when I saw 23.5 inch scale, (excellent) gigbag included at this price, I went for it. And I'm glad I did. While the sound is not huge, it is good and the feel, fit and finish are outstanding. It has inspired me to play a lot more than I was playing, which was already over two hours a day. And that's really the best compliment that you can pay a guitar, isn't it?Jaye

I was excited to. receive this guitar having tried a showroom model. I have been playing it fir two weeks and have the food further examination llowing observation .1 batteries do not lasting (a week for me ). setup looked good a felt good to play except for a buzz on the g string. I noticed that 12th fret appeared higher. I know this is removable and would ask what I should do as it is under warrranty. but I am disappointed ate the thought of the hassle I nw have to get it fixed. over to you pmt ….P C.

Teaching myself Classical guitar and this is a great price point guitar for me. It will be a good while before i can out play it , if ever.Rich

Amazing beautiful guitar! Absolutely perfect! I can not wait to play it. Gorgeous wood colors and the hardware is amazing! Perfect value!sdsxcmml

This is a very nice well constructed guitar. Except for the electronics. I have had to replace the mother board 2 times, and it has just gone out for a third time. Yamaha got it wrong with this one. Sounds wonderful when it works, but repeated electronic failure is unacceptable.Mike

A week ago I traded in my a1r (laminate dread) for the ac3r (solid concert) and couldn't be happier. One thing you should know about the Yamaha A series is they are bigger than average guitars. In particular they are very deep. The a1r was an ok guitar but it was not very fun to play. It is such a large guitar that when sitting it digs right into your armpit and restricts your movement. And I am an average size Male. For smaller players I do not recommend the A series dreads. But the concert is perfect! In reality the A series concert is actually somewhere between concert and dread size. And the sound and tone reflects this. You do get a deeper sound on the lows and more volume than your average concert. The bracing also helps with this. Also the switch from laminate to solid on the A series is well worth the money. The clarity on this guitar is amazing! On the a1r chords sounded a bit muddled but not at all on the ac3r! The setup on this guitar is great and makes it very playable. The only issue I have run into is going out of tune quickly. But that is fairly common with new guitars. After stretching the strings and playing daily I expect this will improve. Overall I find it to be the perfect guitar. Perfect size, perfect electronics, perfect tone.RC

After owning this guitar for a little less than a month I’ve found some flaws that I’m not particularly happy with. However let’s start with the pros: The guitar sounds great. The all solid wood combination of rosewood and spruce is highly desired. The construction of the guitar seems great. The pickup and mic modeling electronics are a super win. Intonation is solid. Cons: The frets are not even close to being acceptable. They almost appear to be a brushed stainless. They’re extremely rough and you’ll immediately notice this as soon as you bend a note. Feels like you grinding the string against sand paper. The nut isn't cut to an exact fit with the width of the neck. In fact I can see raw exposed wood where the nut doesn’t meet flush on one end. These 2 issues can certainly be fixed but buying a guitar, one doesn’t typically expect to have to pay a guitar tech to do a fret job and install a new nut. In conclusion, the guitar is a good deal. You good a lot for your money which is important but in my case some attention to quality seems to have been overlooked.Cody M.