Visually, the brand new Yamaha FG9 R exudes gorgeous simplicity. Sonically, it’s remarkably advanced. The guitar’s distinctive mixture of those two qualities make it one in every of Yamaha’s best steel-strings so far. Nonetheless, even when this elegant providing regarded like a concussed hippie’s psychedelic fever dream, its nearly easy explosion of overtones would nonetheless mark it as a critical instrument.

The FG9 R’s design adheres to the traditional dreadnought form and supplies, showcasing luthier-level craftsmanship sometimes related to boutique builders or customized outlets fairly than the world’s largest producer of musical devices. This limited-edition magnificence certainly seems like a bespoke guitar, and it actually shines whether or not flatpicked or fingerpicked. 

The Construct and Execution

Handcrafted in Japan, the FG9 R is made with time-honored supplies—stable Indian rosewood again and sides (mahogany on the sibling FG9 M) and stable Adirondack spruce prime with scalloped X-bracing. The mahogany neck is topped with an ebony fingerboard. The nut and compensated saddle are bone, and the physique is completed in delicately utilized nitrocellulose lacquer, whereas the neck has a easy semi-gloss polyurethane end.

However below the hood, issues aren’t as retro. The highest has tapered edges, that are stated to offer power and permit the physique to vibrate extra freely, translating to a strong and dynamic sound. The neck joint makes use of a hybrid of bolt-on and glued building, designed to extend the physique’s vibration whereas making it simpler to do a future neck reset if wanted. Whereas it’s inconceivable to understand how both a pure bolt-on or glued neck would sound with the remainder of the design, the guitar’s tone suggests distinctive contact between the neck and the resonant chamber.

Yamaha has achieved a outstanding stage of high quality on this new design. The match and end of our take a look at mannequin are distinctive, with a easy really feel all through. The motion is low however not excessively so, and the intonation is excellent.

East-Meets-West Aesthetics

Earlier than delving into the outstanding tone of the FG9 R, let’s take a second to understand the visible simplicity talked about earlier. Yamaha aptly describes it as an “understated Japanese aesthetic.” The fingerboard inlays pay homage to conventional Kumiko woodworking, and they’re notably distinctive. These inlays characteristic small rectangular dashes on the bass aspect of the fingerboard that elegantly wrap right down to the sting. Set in opposition to the darkish ebony, the inlays incorporate coloration parts from the physique, with the sunshine edges echoing the pure spruce and the reds superbly complementing the nice and cozy tones of the mahogany and rosewood.

The highest sports activities rope purfling, additionally seen in concentric rings on the soundhole rosette in addition to the backstrip—one other motif Yamaha has drawn from Japanese custom. I used to be notably impressed by the understated aesthetic of the headstock, with the easy Yamaha inscription in mild wooden in opposition to the darkish end. The addition of the black open-gear Gotoh tuners additional enhances the general sense of magnificence.

Exuberantly Voiced

If the FG9 R’s look is about restraint, then its sound is about exuberance. It’s not the six-month-old golden retriever sort of exuberance, however extra like Gene Kelly in Singin’ within the Rain, the place pure pleasure meets absolute mastery.

I take advantage of the time period sound as a substitute of tone as a result of what strikes me when taking part in the guitar is the way it fills the room. I used to be initially a bit stunned to not see electronics on the guitar; Yamaha might or might not like being characterised as a sensible alternative, however most gamers I do know appear to think about the corporate that means. And what may very well be extra sensible than a pickup on what’s clearly a professional-quality guitar?

Nonetheless, after I performed it for the primary time, I understood. There’s nearly no level in placing a pickup on a guitar like this; it wouldn’t have the ability to seize the way in which the sound pours into the air. Electronics would merely detract from the wooden’s vibrations. If I needed to decide one phrase to explain the sound, it could be vibrant. By way of sympathetic resonances and overtones, the FG9 R I examined ranks among the many greatest guitars I’ve performed.

Even a easy single be aware on the excessive E string despatched the highest shimmering with sound. It’s not fairly orchestral, and it’s not uncontrolled; it’s simply very full and really current. These overtones are spectacular sufficient on the assault and most important maintain of a be aware, however what actually caught my consideration was the decay. I can solely describe it as linear, the place the overtones appeared to fade in parallel with the principle physique of the be aware.

The maintain and decay even have an attention-grabbing high quality. Consider the way in which an acoustic guitar be aware sustains. It goes from peak to quieter to very quiet after which—it’s gone. On the FG9, there appeared to be extra ranges of quieter the place I might nonetheless hear remnants of the be aware, prefer it was nonetheless ringing to the top of my capacity to listen to it and past. In actual life, that’s most likely not one thing you’d have the ability to use in efficiency or recording—most individuals would have light the observe out lengthy earlier than the purpose I’m describing. However simply as a sheer expression of the instrument’s resonant high quality, it’s spectacular. Vibrant, certainly.

In fact, even I love to do extra with a guitar than take heed to a be aware decay and ponder the universe. The dreadnought has been described because the workhorse, and Yamaha says its FG9 fashions are voiced to accompany singers. Maybe. Chords sound massive and daring, with spectacular readability between the person notes. All that resonance on single notes I described above doesn’t translate into confusion whenever you play chord harmonies; it’s fairly the alternative.

The FG9 has a really distinctive midrange voice. In actual fact, that’s what made me consider the Gene Kelly analogy, a kind of old-school singers who might annunciate and transfer easily throughout his vary. The FG9 has a heat, chest voice within the decrease and center register, however it will probably ship very punchy percussion to the assault when your taking part in calls for it.

Performed with a flatpick, the assault is obvious and clear. The treble is powerful however not shiny: extra Frank Sinatra than Robert Plant. Few issues inform me extra a couple of guitar than taking part in some open G chords and throwing in some single-note traces, then holding one massive chord. After every little thing I described concerning the FG9’s maintain above, I used to be nonetheless stunned after I switched from rhythm to result in a last G on the excessive E string. The chord was nonetheless ringing because the overtones rose as much as take over, like a pure crossfade.

Within the context of fingerstyle taking part in, I discovered that the wealthy midrange of the FG9 was notably efficient. It appeared to me that utilizing my fingers allowed for better exploration of the FG9’s wide selection of timbres and offered enhanced management over balancing tones from the decrease register to the upper notes.

The Backside Line

Having a road worth of $4,099.99 for the FG9 R we examined ($3,999.99 for the mahogany model), that is clearly an instrument designed for demanding gamers. With its give attention to acoustic tone and lack of electronics, I might consider the FG9 R as a guitar for the studio or the live performance corridor, versus the pop/nation music stage. 

As a reviewer, I’ve had the privilege of taking part in a whole lot of nice guitars, every with its distinctive qualities. Nonetheless, over time, it has been a rarity to come back throughout an instrument that actually modified the way in which I take heed to my very own taking part in. The FG9 R accomplishes simply that.

SPECS 

BODY 14-fret dreadnought; stable Adirondack spruce prime; scalloped X-bracing; Indian rosewood again and sides; ebony bridge with bone saddle; tortoise sample pickguard; gloss nitrocellulose lacquer end

NECK Mahogany with hybrid bolt-on/glued-in joint; 25-9/16″ scale size; 1-3/4″ bone nut; ebony fretboard with 15-3/4″ radius; Gotoh SXN510 tuners; semi-gloss polyurethane end

OTHER Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze Gentle strings (.012–.053); hardshell case

MADE IN Japan

PRICE $4,099.99 road

usa.yamaha.com

Store for this guitar on Sweetwater, Reverb, or Amazon.