The Yamaha FS800 is almost identical to Yamaha’s flagship entry-level guitar the FG800, except smaller. This makes it ideal for beginner or smaller guitarists. Check out our Yamaha FS800 review and see if it is for you!
| Factor | Rating |
| 👀 Looks | /5 |
| 🛠️ Build quality | /5 |
| 😃 Playability | /5 |
| 🎵 Sound | /5 |
| 💰 Value for Money | /5 |
| Overall | /25 |
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This means the FS800 is essentially a concert-sized version of the FG800. Hence the name – FS stands for “folk small”.
A smaller guitar size like this is ideal for smaller players, kids or people who don’t want a big bulky body on their guitar. It’s one of the reasons we recommended the FS800 in our round up of best kid’s guitars.
When it comes to materials, the FS800 is largely identical to its bigger sister the FG800. The quality and finish are also similarly excellent.
Yamaha FS800 Review: The Specs
| Body – Solid spruce top – Nato/Okume – Walnut bridge | Neck – Nato neck – Walnut fingerboard – Urea nut – 634mm scale | Hardware – Chrome die-cast tuners – Tortoise pickguard |
Yamaha FS800 Review: Test Results
Let’s see how the FS800 did when we tried it out:
Looks: 3/5
The FS800 looks almost identical to the FG800, except smaller. This means that it’s a decent enough guitar when it comes to looks – but not one that’s going to wow anyone.
We reviewed the natural finish version. It comes with a gloss finish that may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
But it’s also available in sandburst and tinted shades. If you’re looking for something a bit more eye-catching then these might be for you.
Build quality: 5/5
The standout feature here is the newly developed scalloped bracing. It not only enhances the guitar’s structural integrity, ensuring it can withstand the tension of the strings over time, but it also elevates its sound profile. The FS800 has been fortified with this bracing, giving it strength and durability without compromising the guitar’s character.
Playability: 4/5
Even though the body is smaller than a full-sized dreadnought, the FS800 is still comfortable; and we had no trouble adjusting to it.
The neck on the Yamaha FS800 is also shaped a little differently to the FG800 to match the body. It isn’t as round and robust as the necks on larger Yamaha guitars, making it ideal for smaller hands.
The guitar still retains the same scale length as larger guitars too, meaning that the neck, fret spacing, etc. will be the same, even though the body is smaller.
It also has great action off the fretboard. This means kids and people with smaller hands will find it comfortable to play. It won’t take too much hand strength to form chords.
Sound 4/5
Like its bigger brother, the sound is nice, balanced and articulate, meaning your kids will enjoy playing it and hear any mistakes they make.
As mentioned earlier, the scalloped bracing helps improve the volume, but also adds resonance. This means you lose less sound quality, despite the FS800’s smaller size.
Value for Money 5/5
The FS800 is slightly more expensive than its larger counterpart (by about $30!) But it’s still excellent value for money.
Yamaha FS800 review overall rating: 21/25
We had a lot of fun playing the FS800 – which is always the sign of a very good guitar! For small beginners or smaller guitarists, this is a fantastic choice.
Like the Yamaha FG800, it’s also a good option for players looking to upgrade from a bottom-of-the-range guitar to something higher quality and more reliable.