Yamaha are renowned for their quality musical instruments. Their C range of nylon classical guitars has specifications way beyond their price bracket. Having 2-ply back and sides, ultra thin finishing and player focussed design, this C range of guitars are just the perfect entry to classical guitar. In the following review, we will see about the C40, which is Yamaha’s most inexpensive full sized classical guitar model with some outstanding quality and tone. Read on to find out more.

Design:

The Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar is made in Indonesia and it looks pretty good too. It has spruce tops and mahogany like meranti backs and sides. The body has normal black wood finishing. There is a gig bag included if you opt for the starter kit, Pack includes spare strings, carry bag, electronic tuner, instant Guitar DVD. It is great quality. The finish looks like it is always going to be there.  It is very comfortable to play with. The shape of the body is just perfect for legs. The finish is more of a glossy type, so it is so smooth.

Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar

Classical set-up:

This one is a classical guitar, which means it has the strings set widely apart. It has this kind of set up because, the classical guitars are designed to be plucked and not strummed. So, as you can imagine, this wider spacing enables you to places your fingers into the strings. The next thing to note is that, the fretboard is flat, which means you have to reach further with your fingers to cover all the strings. So, if you have a small hand, or buying a guitar for a child, this is not the right choice. Finally the C40 has been designed to accept the softer strings of gut or nylon. If you try on any metal strings, it is no good as it will damage the guitar, cuts into the wood and puts a lot of strain over the neck. Though these strings are soft, they are quite full as well as soft and gentle. As you can see, this one is not for playing heavy metal, or for a stadium. The C40 comes with chrome tuners.

Fingerboard:

The real rosewood fingerboard and bridges make sure that this guitar is sanctified with a quality of tone and playability that disproves its reasonable price tag.

Sound:

A good player will be aware that, from a guitar, it is a must for it to have a good deal of action and ease of use. Yamaha has got a great deal of reputation of its consistency and quality. And, this one of the main reasons why you can just blindly buy a Yamaha without even playing the thing. We can guarantee you that the tuning keys will just be perfect and you need not wiggle around with it, and spoil the thing eventually. You can play it with a pick or fingers and it will either way sound great.

Action:

Action cannot be compromised at any cost. The action actually seems to be a combination of the height of the strings over fretboard and also of the string’s tension. This is irrespective of the fact that they are steel or 12 string one. They even have the capability of pulling the guitar head upwards, bringing them farther from the fretboard.  This setup requires your fingers to be quite strong on the strings in order to make any clear notes.

We were surprised by the quality of its tone. It is almost accurate in the upper registers. And the only issue with the guitar is that, the trebles are a little tinny. Overall, it is an excellent student guitar that would meet the needs of the learner for at least a couple of years, if not more.

Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar Package

Best for students:

For the price tag it has on it, is very hard not to consider its value as a beginner instrument for anyone learning from scratch.

Verdict:

With the C40 Classical Guitar Basic Pack, Yamaha has proved that a modest budget guitar does not have to put up with a low quality instrument, as the C40 ably reveals. When you have to purchase a musical instrument, especially a guitar, you can face a real minefield of decisions. While you can pay a lot of money for a good quality instrument, if you cannot play it the way you want to, it will be a real waste of money. You have to make your investment in an instrument that suites the kind of music you wish to play.

Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer Yamaha
Series C40
Model Name Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar
Finishes Natural
Scale 650mm (25.59″)
Top Spruce
Body Meranti
Sides Meranti
Finger board Rosewood
Finish Gloss
Neck wood Nato
Frets 19
Tuning machines Chrome
Warranty Limited Lifetime warranty

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