When it comes to highly crafted instruments, Yamaha is no stranger. After all, the Japanese company has a history of producing everything from grand pianos and violins to glockenspiels and high-end electric guitars. You name it, and you can find its famous tuning fork logo on just about any instrument. But what about traditional flamenco classical guitars? Does Yamaha's meticulous attention to detail do the centuries-old style any justice?
That's exactly what we set out to discover. When the Yamaha CG182SF arrived at our door, our curiosity was piqued. Positioned in the competitive 'under $1,000' category, it faces stiff competition. Brands like Cordoba, Manuel Rodriguez, and Alhambra offer a plethora of options for the intermediate player at this price point. However, Yamaha is no slouch, boasting the C40II – arguably the most popular beginner classical guitar on the market.
However, can they do it at the next level? We spent many hours with the CG182SF to see if Yamaha is capable of producing an equally capable flamenco classical guitar in the intermediate range.
Build
Falling in line with Yamaha's other CG models, the CG182SF has a standard classical guitar body shape. It has a pretty slim body depth, just like you'd expect from a traditional flamenco guitar. Our review model came in at 95mm in depth at the lower bout, and thanks to that slim profile, it's very comfortable. When testing, we played in the traditional 'footstool' position as well as resting it conventionally on our thigh, and in both cases, the CG182SF felt well-balanced.
Moving onto materials, Yamaha went with a solid spruce top and Cypress laminate for the back and sides. Cypress is a classic choice for flamenco guitars and looks pretty similar to spruce, so the whole guitar has a really striking, bright look. The top also features a transparent double-sided pickguard, or golpeador, which protects the wood from damage during percussive styles like Soleá and Fandango. The ebony fingerboard and rosewood bridge add a nice, deep contrast to the light wood body, and it's finished off with a satin smooth nato neck.
The headstock sticks to the typical classical flamenco design, with three tuning machines on each side. Although we've got to admit, they look stunning with their gold ornamental detailing. On the performance side, the tuning machines on our review model held up really well, even with all the drastic tuning changes we threw at them – thanks to my love for alternate tunings. Yamaha also added a nice touch with a compensated saddle for the G-string, which isn't typically found on classical guitars but most definitely helps with tuning stability.
Now, if we were to have one complaint, it's that the frets are a slight disappointment. Okay, they're not the worst I've played, but they are a bit on the scratchy side. A quick polish should fix it, but it would have been nice if that wasn't necessary straight out of the box.
Playability
In terms of playability, the Yamaha CG182SF is exceptional. Straight out of the box, it was set up wonderfully for fast flamenco licks. The action is incredibly low, only needing slight downward pressure to play a note. The nato neck is also incredibly thin and smooth, further assisting zippy runs up and down the neck.
The wide string spacing is ideal for fingerpicking and flamenco, and even traditional acoustic players will appreciate the room available to pick notes. The fingerboard radius is incredibly flat and wide, which means playing chords is a bit tricky, but for picking individual notes, it's a dream.
For me, the stock Yamaha S10 strings that come with the guitar degraded rather quickly, so it may be a good idea to pick up a different set when buying the CG182SF.
As you'd expect, the neck joins the body at the 12th fret, and the slightly bulky neck heel doesn't help with playing higher up the fingerboard. So, if you're an acoustic player who frolics up the higher regions, this isn't the guitar for you. However, I'm never near that end on an acoustic, so it didn't bother me.
Tone
When it comes to tone, the CG182SF sounds great. There is plenty of projection, with a raw and immediate attack that's incredibly addictive. The guitar has a very percussive quality, perfectly suited for the styles of music it is designed for. When digging into those intense flamenco movements, the low action and light nylon strings enhance the guitar's percussive nature, making the experience even more dynamic.
The CG182SF’s solid spruce top does a lot of the heavy lifting for the overall sound. It’s quite a bright guitar and very articulate, but it does have a bit more sustain than other flamenco guitars we've tested before. Thanks to these attributes, the CG182SF also performs very well when transitioning to modern musical genres and playing chords.
Final Verdict
After testing the CG182SF, it’s clear that it stands out as a top contender in the ‘under $1000’ flamenco classical guitar category. The playability is exceptional; right out of the box, it plays effortlessly. With its incredibly low action, flat fingerboard radius, slim neck profile, and smooth finish, this guitar almost seems to play itself.
Its impressive projection, raw attack, and percussive quality are perfect for flamenco styles. Additionally, the subtle ornamental details and the transparent pickguard are both aesthetically pleasing and practical.
Yes, the frets could do with a polish and picking up another packet of strings may be a necessity, but these are minor detractors for what is otherwise a fantastic instrument.
Specifications
- Body Shape: Yamaha CG Shape
- Top: Solid Spruce
- Back & Sides: Cypress
- Neck: Nato
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Fingerboard Radius: Flat
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Saddle: Urea
- Body & Neck Finish: Matte
- Contact: Yamaha
