Thank you SO MUCH for actually playing this unplugged. I'm trying to find a quieter guitar so my girlfriend doesn't have to hear me practicing but EVERY OTHER REVIEW just plugs in the guitar and plays. Thank you for showing a "silent guitar" actually demonstrating its practice mode. The Yamaha website didn't even show this.
Где я живу. Ввели закон. Что в рабочие дни. Пять дней в неделю. После восьми часов вечера нельзя шуметь. В законе перечислено, что запрещено использование музыкальных инструментов. Но шуметь можно рано утром. В семь утра уже можно начинать шуметь.)) Но я работаю в семь утра и свободное время очень часто появляется только ближе к восьми часам вечера. Я Вас очень понимаю в вашем выборе. Эта гитара, настоящее спасение, для любителей классической игры. Автору огромное спасибо за демонстрацию тихого звука.
This was an excellent guitar review. You hit the points that a player wants to know and not the standard BS. I have had an N model for about 8 years. I love it. it is my go to guitar. the biggest difference is the newer ones have a tuner, the older ones don't. The earphones are really good, you will find that not all earphones have the correct impedance for all the effects to work properly. In 8 years I have had zero issues. I haul it everywhere and it is played several hours a day. I have a really nice hand made Flaminco guitar, but I have a hard time putting the Yamaha down to play the other. I am looking to buy a steel strung model in the fall, to use in place of my Martin. The Yamaha is just too convenient and too well made and too easy to play to put down. did I mention that they are built like tanks. I love mine.
Which headphones are you talking about? Would there be headphones supplied with the SLG200 or were they only supplied with older models? can you enlighten me on this and perhaps tell me which headphones work well with this guitar? I was told about the Sony MDR 7506 for example...
I have been thinking about getting one of these for a while now, but I wasn't sure if it fitted my needs. Your review here was way better than what I expected. What a guitar sounds like is very important. If the idea is to create music, then a player wants to know in detail what a guitar has to offer. The average reviewer blubbers on about details that don't matter until you find out what a guitar sounds like, then the sound demonstration is a worthless display of thrashing and banging which gives no idea of what the individual notes sound like. Thanks for doing a great job of covering all aspects of this guitar. You sold me on it.
I have one of these guitars. I bought it specifically as a travel guitar. And it is great in that role. I have also played it through my PA system. Sounds wonderful. I took it to my luthier to adjust the string height. He lowered it a bit. That’s a difficult thing to do. You have to shave the bridge down. If you go too far, you have to start over. Any how, this is a great guitar to have at a great price. Highly recommended. 😎
I've own mine since January this year and absolutely "in tune" with this review. I removed the cheap looking scratch plate giving the guitar a nice clean look...it doesn't serve any purpose for me. Noticed buzzing as well at times from mine and others. It could be the action but can't play it as hard as a classical guitar so I almost gave up on this guitar but have played it a lot lately making the adjustment from a standard classical body to this. In addition I purchased a beautiful leather strap that matches the guitar perfectly wanting to improve my playing while standing...again big adjustment from sitting playing a classical guitar. Even seated I use the strap so no need for a foot rest. FYI though the strap has loosened the neck wing nut at times. Thank you for the beautiful review!
Thank you very much . . 😊😊 Yes I've found the buzzing problem if your even if you pick a little hard. I might try some high tension strings to see if it stops the issue as they move less. 🤔
@@guitar-academy good idea. I use them on a cheap Waldon Natura classical guitar. It doesn't resonate well but has a warm simple tone I love so I put hard tension strings on it to brighten the sound a bit. Thanks for the suggestion.
I have to say, I kind of like it. I think from a classical guitarists POV, it's really a nice guitar to have for extending into improvisation, and even recording on full mic it sounds quite good.
I think you're probably right. I just checked mine more closely but I've totally worn the neck smooth and shiny which is a good advert in itself. I've been using it for my professional work so it's already had hours of being played. 😊
Yes, it will go in the hold with the checked luggage but not in the overhead luggage on most airlines. Check your airline first though because there isn't a standard and it varies from airline to airline. 😊
Wow... checked out a lot of videos on the Silent Yamaha And this is the best review anyone can have !! Subscribed ! Had one question... I was planning to buy a classical guitar and stumbled over this... how do u compare between buying a classic guitar vs Yamaha silent... can we compare these two instruments? My concern was because spending a lot of money on this .. wouldn't it be better to buy a good premium classical guitar like Alambhra or Cordoba?
Firstly . . thank you 🙂 🙂 Next . . very good question. I'm going to do a video where I do a catch up on the 2 silent guitars, but that's a question I might address in that video. Basically though, the silent guitar is for several specific needs, portability, headphones and the ability to plug into an amp, and the neck is thinner than a full classical guitar. If you don't have any of these needs then it is a bit of a waste of money. If you just want a classical guitar you are totally correct, you can get a great guitar for this much money and therefore a classical guitar would be the better choice. I hope this helps . .
Greetings from Greece! First of all I would like to mention the excellent work you do! Your meticulousness and the details of your videos are simply unique, the best after a personal assistant or a teacher and we are really grateful for that!!! Now I would like to ask something from your experience, I am a fairly young practitioner even if I am not young in age (44) and I have started classical guitar lessons, this has always been something that fascinated me a lot but due to circumstances I had not managed to learn so far.. I like so much the warmth and kindness that this sound brings out, as well as the harping in relation to a pick I feel that it is more direct and so with both hands it is like communicating a little better with this organ. My main problem is the hours I have time to deal with, as a family man and father of 2, I usually have the occasion to practice late at night so I can not use my basic guitar so far which is an Alhambra 4/4 1C Natural. Realizing how expensive it is to get another guitar and seeing how much this guitar costs I would like to rule out the possibility of a wrong purchase as much as possible, so I would like to ask you with your vast experience which of the three models Yamaha SLG200S\N\NW would you advise me to look further for purchase? Thank you very much for your time, Stavros.
Firstly, thank you very much indeed 😃. Secondly, I get asked this type of question a lot, but sadly it's very hard for me to answer because so much depends on your personal taste. If you are learning classical guitar you don't want the SLG200S because it has steel strings. You want either the SLG200 N or NW. The difference between the 2 is the width of the neck as the NW has a wider neck. Which neck is best for you only you can know because it depends on what you like and how large your fingers and finger tips are. The perfect thing would be to try both guitars out in a shop first, but I know this isn't possible for most people. The NW will feel closer to your Alhambra, but you might prefer a narrower neck, so sadly I can't accurately advise you . . . sorry 🤔 Personally I like the narrower neck of the N because it is easier to go between this and an electric guitar. 😊😊
@@guitar-academyI fully understand your reasoning and it is something that I also face in my work as IT officer. Some things you can find out mainly during the application, "Trial and Error" as we say :) . However, even these few things that you mentioned, to me are enough and I would like to thank you for one more time for your immediate response!
There's a UK store on ebay that sells steel or brass scratch plates, for those wanting to fancy theirs up. There's also a seller from Japan who offers both of the guitars for like 200 bucks below at least the EU, but also presumably the US price. Still a big investment, but imo much more reasonable than the 750-800 bucks it is currently going for. As for the steel vs nylon… I like the steel ones more as they sound more vibrant (generally the case for guitars), and I agree that the nylon sounds very similar between mic & pickup. The steel one when using the pickup actually sounds also pretty close to the nylon strings, while the steel mic one has that typical steel acoustic sound.
Very nice sound and review. I am wondering how it would sound if they would do the mike using 2 microphones for stereo sound. I have a stereo amp setup and my chorus are stereo and sound awesome.
The output is mono and the mic isn't a mic. They call it a mic but it's actually a simulation. Your stereo chorus will probably take a mono input and convert it to stereo before the output (most do), and I bet it would sound awesome. 😊
@@guitar-academy I understand that the mic is a wavetable model. There is a effect module called Tone Dexter, which does exactly that. I am wondering if 2x Tonedexters are trained with 2x mic in stereo position, you could get a stereo output and i guess it would sound awesome. I use mono input into a stereo Rocktron Intellifex LTD in the stereo effect loop of a Fender Ultrachorus with 2x Fender ultra chorus as power amp. I use the preamp from Fender 1 and power amp from Fender 1&2 to get the stereo effect, which sound really amazing for chorus and reverb. I am wondering how it would sound like to have a true stereo input from the guitar. I think the SLG200 NW would be something for me, as I mostly play Classic guitar these days and my e Guitar not so much. I love the wider fretboard and the high dynamics of the nylon high tension strings.
It seems like a great instrument, but I think they missed the boat on having the software and hardware in the guitar. They should have made a phone app so they could easily add more capabilities and improvements. Imagine an app store of effects and enhancements to let 3rd parties add value to the instrument.
I'm not sure how advisable it is to do but I've noticed when stringing a nylon string guitar you're better off once the strings are on the guitar to pull on the strings to pre-stretch them otherwise they will continue to stretch for a while so I like to pull them all until there finally stretched out to there limit but not to the point where you're really doing any damage
I wouldn't recommend it myself, but if you know what you're doing it might work. My worry would be that if you pull the bottom (wound) strings too hard you will damage the windings. Another idea that's safer and more predictable is just to tune the guitar up a semitone overnight whilst the strings stretch and then retune it down when you want to use it. 🤔
This is a hard question to respond to because every airline operator has there own rules and they take care of luggage differently. I know that for UK airlines the case is too long to be a carry-on and the case isn't strong enough to protect the guitar if it gets buried under cases, so I don't know of any solution 🤔
Thanks for the video. Great stuff. If I may ask, do you know what kind of mic pickup it has and where it is located in the guitar? I am very impressed the way it sounds. I tried some google search but I couldn't find any info yet.
@@mrdeer5585 I agree . . Yes they did, and the fact that you can mix between the standard sound and this sound gives you a lot of scope for adjustment. 😊
This is a very impressive review! I'm retired and mostly play at home now but i still own about 25 guitars (7 acoustics). I'm getting ready to purchase a SLG200N and a SLG200S. My number one concern when buying a new guitar is the intonation. Have you noticed any issues with the intonation in the Silent Guitars? Thank you!
@@guitar-academy Thank you for your reply! I can't sing as high as I used to so I'm hoping that the SLG200N & SLG200S (going through a Whammy DT for drop tuning) will allow me to play in the original key and sing 1/2 to full step lower. This would also allow me to get rid of a few guitars. I'm just praying that the SLGs will be quiet enough that I won't hear them along with the drop-tune sound coming out on my speakers!
Sorry for stupid question, but do you need a speaker to hear the sound (in regular playing mode, not silent practice mode). I’m not familiar with electric guitar. Thank you.
If you play the guitar not plugged in, you can hear it clearly in a quite room but in a noise room it would be hard to hear. For a number of people to hear it in a large room you would need an amplifier and speaker or combination amplifier/speaker (combo). I hope this helps 😊
Great review, overall, this is an electric Nylon and not a Classical Electric, sounds pretty good, it appears you can't have Reverb and Chorus together? I tried the Aria 'silent string' Nylon version many years ago (Volume and Tone only and no FX on them) so this would have been a nice option, this Yamaha seems like a great Guitar for Recording ( Nylon sound) with good control over eq, effects etc, especially liked the 'Line in' idea Mp3, backing tracks and so on, thanks for posting
Thanks for your feedback . . . As you rightly said the effects being on one control does limit the guitar somewhat, but you can always plug it into separate effects or a modeller. 😊
in my opinion it's doesn't work. I've tried lots of ways to get a good sound but short of modifying the guitar it doesn't work. The mic isn't a true mic, it's a digitally reproduced sound . . 😒
Thank you for this review. I just bought a SLG200NW. The original strings where very soft and on the second day the D-string broke. So I replaced all strings with normal tension Savarez, that sound great on my Hanika. Unfortunately the guitar is a little buzzy as you mentioned at the end of your video. Can you give me some advices for setup? Thanks in advance.
Normally people find the action is too high, which wouldn't cause any buzz. Maybe the truss rod needs adjusting on your guitar, or you could try high tension strings because they move less. Here's the only video I've done on setting up these guitars th-cam.com/video/QRSAQocR_rY/w-d-xo.html
I had a luthier to replace saddle and nut with bone. Also I changed the strings to Thomastik KR 116 Classic S. The guitar sounds fantastic now and plays very easy. I just don't want to put it down anymore.
Hi, Good review, but it is not clear if this is the sound you get when you switch it on or when you plug it to an amplifier ? It sounds like you use a separate amplifier, but no mention of any!
@@guitar-academy Many thanks for the quick reply, I am still not exactly sure what you mean. I guess I need to do some research on mixers & pc as input
@@Faidhimustafa Ahh . . Basically I try to make sure nothing changes the sound of the guitar as I record it. The problem with TH-cam sound tests is that the guitar sound gets altered by amps, speakers, microphones, recording techniques and video compression on my end and then TH-cam compression, your computers sound card and your speakers/head phones on your end. So bare this in mind when listening to any sound tests. 😊
@@guitar-academy Sure & you achieved a good sound. But initially I was interested in finding out from the video the bare minimum one needs to listen to this guitar without the use of headphones or amplifier. Hence my query. Thanks
very good & detailed video! thank you! this one doesn't come with the power adapter i supposed, right? the SLG130NW (and other models in that generation) does come with one. does the off center metal "rod" at one end of the top frame make the attachment less balance or secure? other reviewer mentioned this. greatly appreciated if you could make a full comparison with SLG130NW.
Thank you. . . Sadly, no the power supply doesn't come with this guitar. The off centre metal bar in the top frame makes no difference to the security of the frame or the balance. I even pick the SLG200N and SLG200S up and carry them around using the upper bar without issue. My only criticism is parts availability and prices. I had a broken tuner on this guitar and it was only good timing that I happened to find a second hand one on eBay. Sorry, I wont be doing a comparison between this and the SLG13NW.
Yes it's completely normal for the bottom 3 strings to be wound metal. The core of the metal looking strings are still nylon but they wind them with metal to give them more density for better tone. 😊😃
Great review. Can you change the sides to make it a lefty? I know electronics and plugs would be flipped…but I haven’t seen any lefties for sale don’t think they make them.
No, as far as I know anyway. Like you, I haven't seen any left handed versions. However, Yamaha usually make lefty versions of their guitars so they might be just very rare . . 🤔
Waouh ! Che bellissima sonorità, un bello video con una bella spiegazione, ma vorrei sapere ,hai usato il telefono per avere un effetto per il backing track , è un’applicazione che hai usato per avere l’effetto?
Is the SRT system worth getting over the older models without it? I am interested in the wide neck version, so SLG 200nw (newer) versus SLG130nw (older). I reviewed and listened carefully, several times, to the portion of this video when you went back and forth between the SRT ("mic") and the pick-up. I didn't really notice much difference at all, except that the non-SRT sounded more "alive" and the SRT ("mic") sounded "cleaner" (less "noise") - but only extremely fractionally. Excellent review, camera work, pacing, etc. Thanks...
Thank you very much 😊 . . whilst the SRT does sound 'alive' as you put it, to play it is a little weird. It has a very slight lag or latency that makes the guitar unpleasant to play. I play this guitar a lot now and I leave it in the 50/50 position (ish) because you get the instant sound of the pickup followed by the enhanced tone of the SRT. I guess it boils down to how much money you want to spend and in the ideal world if you can find somewhere where you can try both guitars. 😊
@@guitar-academy Thank you - I didn't notice the lag in the video, so thanks for pointing that out! Lag is also a problem with wind controllers. Yamaha just introduced one (YDS-150, which I just bought, for silent saxophone practice!). No lag. The older SLG130nw also features a solid maple body. Maybe that is more stable than the SLG200nw's mahogany? My thinking is that since I'm a sax and piano player, I could use some "help" with the guitar tone, hence the SRT might be beneficial. It's a $350 price difference.
@@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton that's a big price difference for a feature you might not like in the end. Maybe one will tern up second hand in good conditions at the right price. If you're not in a hurry it might be worth keeping your eyes on eBay.
@@guitar-academy I re-listened very carefully to the section of your review where you go back and forth between the SRT on, off and blended. I really cannot hear much difference except on the low E, where I really do hear some nice resonance with the SRT.... It's hard to hear minute details on uTube, even with good headphones (Senn 169s). So, the effect might be more pronounced in person. Maybe just turning up the bass would have a similar effect? My "go to" music shop, American Musical Supply, does not carry the Yamaha silent guitars for some reason. They offer "in house" financing, whereas the rest basically offer bank financing, credit pulls, etc. I can pay cash, but for me, a guitar will be my "triple" (to sax and piano, in that order). And of course, I have to see if I can actually deal with the finger stress of (even nylon) strings ... I don't plan on growing my fingernails, since that's not good for piano or my typing (legal writer by trade). I've been told that any calluses only appear on the actual tips - so I should be OK for saxophone. A couple of the saxophone greats (Gerald Albright, Wilton Felder) are / were also great electric bassists. So it's apparently doable, if not very common. Then there's Gene Parks.... All told, I think a used 130 might be the way to go for me, at least at first...
@@guitar-academy Then again, I just read a comment here about "nasty piezo sound..." Maybe that's something that you cats, as trained guitarists, can hear that I don't naturally hear or object to (even though I have a precise, musician's ear of many decades...)? I just found the following quite: "Conversely, the piezo picks up sound at a single point of the guitar, normally the bridge. At that position the strings exhibit a vibration node. As a consequence the attack of strumming dominates the tone. This kind of additional percussion is what I perceive as nasty piezo sound, imho often heard with Eric Clapton playing unplugged." So, I can dig that the piezo favors the bridge / strumming area and attendant sonic characteristics thereof. But as a guitar "beginner," wouldn't I be better off trying to get a good tone, rather than relying on a sampled one? (tone is "THE thing" in sax playing...) Conversely, I need all the help I can get! Ah, decisions, decisions...
Excellent review! I have the same SLG200N guitar. Regarding how quiet this guitar is, if you really want it to be quiet, then my experience is that there is no need at all to play it as strongly as demonstrated (just to be able to compare it with a real acoustic guitar strummed with normal force). With the built-in amplifier and the earphone, even with the slightest touch, you can enjoy the sound quite well. One thing I haven't figured out is that the phone out is stereo, and with the available effects, stereo is much needed. So I was wondering that as the line out at the back of the guitar is mono, do I have to use the phone out to preserve the stereo effect if I want to connect to a stereo looper?
Sadly the line out on the back is mono so any stereo effects are lost, though you still hear the effect but only in mono. To preserve the stereo you would have to use the phones and and maybe even an impedance matcher, depending on the looper. A pain I know 🤔
Isn't it wonderful that we guitarists get to talk about stereo guitars now? After about 40 years of dreaming about a stereo (electric) guitar rig, I was finally able to set one up in my studio using the Yamaha THR100HD stereo guitar amp and stereo effects. It's great for studio but not at all practical to use live.
Please, I want to express my sincere gratitude and worthiness for your valuable and professional orientation in the appropriate application of the Yamaha Silent Guitar....blessed day Sir....Ariel
@@guitar-academy I'm a 68 year old geezer and I've been playing since I was 8 years old, no more sore fingers for me! I even have trouble with touch screens due to my calluses! LOL
No, I wouldn't because of the string footings and the guitar is designed specifically for nylon strings. It would make more cense to buy the steel strung one. . . sorry 😊
Thank you for the great and thorough review. Can I ask one question please. What do you suggest as the best nylon strings for the silent guitar? thank you
I will try to answer this in the next video. Because I've just got the guitar I haven't tried different strings on it yet. But basically any mid to good classical guitar string should be fine. 🙂🙂
Great Review ... But im also a little disappointed about the guitar , around minute 11:00 in the video you can see that the nut is not very well fitted and some scratches in the finish, back of the headstock neck etc . Quality control on this guitar is questionable ...
On the back of the neck, they aren't really scratches. That's where the matt finish is starting to go gloss and it's probably me handling the guitar that's caused them. If I look at the guitar now that it's been played well the neck has gone shiny and I can't find one scratch. Yes, I agree the nut is slightly smaller than the width of the neck but to the naked eye you wouldn't notice it, this is filmed close up in strong lighting. It's true to say that the gap between cheap and expensive guitars has closed and you no longer seem to get what you paid for . . unless you don't pay a lot.
Does the guitar neck dive? This or the steal version. Youd think it would be top heavy with zero body 🤔 How do you like them overall? Thinking about getting one as I travel for work all the time
They dive a little, but not enough to concern me. I reviewed the nylon and steel strum versions and I still use the nylon version because it's nice to play and records well. I don't like the steel strung version as much 🤔
@@guitar-academy awesome! Good to know. I've been meaning to get a nylon for a long time, but the restringing bit is what has been holding me back. But it does have a special tone to it, that's for sure. It's good to hear the opinion from someone who owns them, and such a quick response as well! Thank you good sir!
@@vangoghsseveredear no problem . . regarding the stringing, I put flamenco beads on to make the stringing easier th-cam.com/video/iIPLkeXg4Kk/w-d-xo.html
@@guitar-academy Very much so, I purchased it yesterday after watching quite a few videos about the guitar. A couple of youtubers and yourself make it sound great. This very in depth review was just what I needed, and honesty, it's what more reviews should be like.
I have a Yamaha SLG200N WITH WHICH NYLON STRINGS DOES IT COME ASSEMBLED? AND IN GENERAL WHICH NYLON STRINGS DO YOU RECOMMEND AND AT WHAT VOLTAGE? YAMAHA RECOMMENDS THE MEDIUMS (Yamaha S10), BUT THEY CANNOT BE FOUND THANKS!
I use normal tension strings, but the choice of strings is a personal thing so you will know when you find the strings you like. To replace the Yamaha strings you just need to search for 'Normal tension guitar strings' and then you can choose how much you want to spend on them. 😊😃
Just to be clear for other people reading this comment, you can't put steal strings on a nylon strung guitar most of the time. But because the Yamaha has a truss rod so 'YES' you can, but I would recommend not going too heavy. 😊
@@guitar-academy Thank you for your quick response, from your review of the yamaha silent nylon I've just purchased one from Japan. I've been learning for about year & half your academy is fantastic 👏
Excellent review, mate! The All MIC sounds airy and much less nasal than All Pickup. The All Pickup has that nasty piezo nasality that I abhor. I think I will buy one based on your review.
Totally agree . . It's hard to hear in video format but I like a point somewhere between the 2 where you don't get the nasty piezo sound but it's not the full mic sound either. 😊😊
What to you swingin' guitar cats mean by "nasty piezo sound"? I am a saxist / pianist. I realize that this instrument uses a piezo pickup, whereas the sampled instrument, being an actual acoustic, does not and therefore does not present in the realized sound via the SRT. I'm considering a used prior version (130) which does not have the SRT system. Is the "NPS" an acoustic guitar player's pet peeve? Don't all electric guitars have this "problem"? Thanks...
@@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton electric guitars use magnetic pickups. We can't do that with acoustic guitars nylon string specifically because nylon won't cause electromagnetic interactions needed to capture the sound. Hope that cleared it up you button pushing maniac ;)
@@mishikay_music8997 I bought the nylon string version - the new one. This video convinced me the SRT system will offer me a better tone experience than my guitar newbie chops will offer! It arrives tomorrow. Busy learning scales and chords on visual guitar now (not that I don't know them for 50 years on piano and sax!).
I just saw this. Interesting, considering our last exchange. :-) I was hearing some fuzz on the lower strings using the pickup setting. Is it the cheap Yamaha strings, or the instrument?
Interesting! 🤔 I can't hear that here out of the 2 (nylon and steal strung) this is definitely the better of the 2. If there was any fuzz it was more than likely caused by the video compression. I use this guitar a lot now and it records really cleanly, but I have changed the strings. This video has a proper recording using this guitar th-cam.com/video/jo95lxHoYBQ/w-d-xo.html
@@guitar-academy Lovely playing! Well done. Yes, this is a much better recording of the Yamaha. What strings did you put on? Also, what guitar was used for the first playthrough?
@@fuffy442 Thank you very much. The strings were only cheap ones, but ones I can't flaw. Adagio normal tensions 😊 The first guitar was a 30 year old Yamaha G-230.
Thank you very much 😊 . . would I recommend for classical? if you're learning for your own pleasure you would probably love it, but if you are learning for qualifications I don't know if you'd be allowed to do grades with it. The neck is a lot thinner that a true classical guitar. You would probably be wise asking your teacher. 😊
@@guitar-academy thank you for your answer. Yes I'm learning and playng for my own pleasure. I've got already a classical guitar but I find it too bulky for my need and size. The Yamaha seem a versatile guitar. Greetings
@@andreaquitadamo1968 Oh, in that case I recon you'd enjoy playing the Yamaha. I found it took a few days to get use to it, but then I prefer playing it to any of my other acoustic guitars . .😊🤣
A friend of mine has the nylon string version (not the wide-neck). I noticed the action from the factory seems just a tad bit high, especiall the further up the neck you go. Reading other reviews, I often see this mentioned in "minuses" of the guitar. Did you notice that as well? That is does the action seem just a little high as it is delivered from the factory?
This one was pretty much perfect, but because I was asked about this previously by a subscriber I made a video on how to lower the action on this guitar. th-cam.com/video/QRSAQocR_rY/w-d-xo.html
My luthier explained to me that they issue these guitars with action a bit too high precisely for you to adjust it to your taste. As soon as I bought mine, my luthier polished frets, adjusted (not much) the arm rod and lowered the action. Now it plays beautifully.
Actually, this problem does exist. I have tried slg200nw and slg200n, and both of them have higher strings than typical classic guitars. This makes me feel really harder to play the silent guitar from Yamaha.
Thankfully, unlike any other nylon-string guitar I've played, the Yamaha Silent Guitars do have trust rods so you can at least adjust the neck to your liking!
I'm Japanese, but Yamaha guitars have been made in Taiwan since around 1980, except for high-end products. Today, all non-luxury items are made in China. In Japan, quality control is strict, but in China, there are no such habits and skills, and it seems that there are variations in products.
Yes . . it's a very different guitar and just the thickness of the body would effect the playability, but whether you would prefer it or hate it only you could know . 🤔
I've done a review of the 200s th-cam.com/video/SPllCca-shw/w-d-xo.html . Which is better is personal taste, but I prefer the nylon one (200n) because the sound just isn't quite rite on the 200s to me. On mine the bass strings overpower the top strings. The problem with this is that, it will sound different with different styles of play and strings and gear so I can't say this is an absolute, it's just my taste. 😊
It depends what computer you have. If you have a soundcard with a mic socket you can get a lead or an adapter for the large jack plug (6.35mm) to the small one (3.5mm) and plug the guitar straight in. It is better if you can afford it to use a specialized adapter, but plugging straight in will work, just keep the volume low to start with.
you seem to be overly worried about damge from the shipping boxes having a tiny blemish. Understandable considering it's a nylon string (acoustic) guitar with NO body. Are acoustic guitars generally so quiet as you described?
Yes I inspect the box first because I've received several damaged items, even an amp I recently reviewed was damaged. 😒 If the item is damaged enough it will cut the review short. Regarding the sound, generally an acoustic guitar should produce a good volume so you can play it in at least a large room or small hall and be heard clearly. This is a strange guitar to catagorize as it feels and sounds like an acoustic, but technically it's not an acoustic guitar it's an electric guitar. 🤔
I tell you about the song straight after playing it, and if you want to learn it the link is in the description. th-cam.com/video/LCCNs5pvYRA/w-d-xo.html
@@guitar-academy Thanks, but I found out by digging on online, though not from Yamaha. The strings are "Yamaha" brand S10, medium-tension. I find the action rather high. Wondering, if it would be more advisable/effective to turn the truss rod to lower the action, or to switch to low-tension strings?
@@guitar-academy The neck is neither bowed nor humped in the least; it appears straight. Tried the lowest tension strings to be found, yet the action is still too high. Looks as though I'll have to do some saddle sanding...🤥
@@stddisclaimer8020 Not to worry, it's really easy and could make a massive improvement to your guitar. Just keep of the bottom of the saddle as straight and flat as you can. 😊😊
Review of the steel strung version of this guitar: th-cam.com/video/SPllCca-shw/w-d-xo.html
i realize Im kinda randomly asking but do anybody know a good website to stream newly released movies online ?
Thank you SO MUCH for actually playing this unplugged. I'm trying to find a quieter guitar so my girlfriend doesn't have to hear me practicing but EVERY OTHER REVIEW just plugs in the guitar and plays. Thank you for showing a "silent guitar" actually demonstrating its practice mode. The Yamaha website didn't even show this.
Thank you . . Glad it was helpful . . it is quite enough to hear but not load enough to disturb anyone (I think) . 😊
Где я живу. Ввели закон. Что в рабочие дни. Пять дней в неделю. После восьми часов вечера нельзя шуметь. В законе перечислено, что запрещено использование музыкальных инструментов. Но шуметь можно рано утром. В семь утра уже можно начинать шуметь.)) Но я работаю в семь утра и свободное время очень часто появляется только ближе к восьми часам вечера. Я Вас очень понимаю в вашем выборе. Эта гитара, настоящее спасение, для любителей классической игры. Автору огромное спасибо за демонстрацию тихого звука.
This was an excellent guitar review. You hit the points that a player wants to know and not the standard BS. I have had an N model for about 8 years. I love it. it is my go to guitar. the biggest difference is the newer ones have a tuner, the older ones don't. The earphones are really good, you will find that not all earphones have the correct impedance for all the effects to work properly. In 8 years I have had zero issues. I haul it everywhere and it is played several hours a day. I have a really nice hand made Flaminco guitar, but I have a hard time putting the Yamaha down to play the other. I am looking to buy a steel strung model in the fall, to use in place of my Martin. The Yamaha is just too convenient and too well made and too easy to play to put down. did I mention that they are built like tanks. I love mine.
wow . . You get to know a guitar in 8 years . . 🙂🙂
Which headphones are you talking about? Would there be headphones supplied with the SLG200 or were they only supplied with older models? can you enlighten me on this and perhaps tell me which headphones work well with this guitar? I was told about the Sony MDR 7506 for example...
This is by far the best review of this or maybe any guitar I have seen so far.
Wow . . thank you very much 😊😃
This is the best review I’ve watched about this guitar. Well done, I think I’m going to get a silent guitar after hearing this review.
Wow, thanks! 😊 😊
The best review for the SLG200N TBS. Thanks for it.
Wow, thank you 😊😊
I quite agree. I've seen other demos of this model, and they haven't been this in-depth.
I have been thinking about getting one of these for a while now, but I wasn't sure if it fitted my needs. Your
review here was way better than what I expected. What a guitar sounds like is very important. If the idea is to
create music, then a player wants to know in detail what a guitar has to offer. The average reviewer blubbers
on about details that don't matter until you find out what a guitar sounds like, then the sound demonstration
is a worthless display of thrashing and banging which gives no idea of what the individual notes sound like.
Thanks for doing a great job of covering all aspects of this guitar. You sold me on it.
Thank you very much . . 😊😃
I have one of these guitars. I bought it specifically as a travel guitar. And it is great in that role. I have also played it through my PA system. Sounds wonderful. I took it to my luthier to adjust the string height. He lowered it a bit. That’s a difficult thing to do. You have to shave the bridge down. If you go too far, you have to start over. Any how, this is a great guitar to have at a great price. Highly recommended. 😎
Yes, I agree 😊😀. . the action adjustment isn't too hard if you go carefully 🤔, here's how th-cam.com/video/QRSAQocR_rY/w-d-xo.html
I've own mine since January this year and absolutely "in tune" with this review. I removed the cheap looking scratch plate giving the guitar a nice clean look...it doesn't serve any purpose for me. Noticed buzzing as well at times from mine and others. It could be the action but can't play it as hard as a classical guitar so I almost gave up on this guitar but have played it a lot lately making the adjustment from a standard classical body to this. In addition I purchased a beautiful leather strap that matches the guitar perfectly wanting to improve my playing while standing...again big adjustment from sitting playing a classical guitar. Even seated I use the strap so no need for a foot rest. FYI though the strap has loosened the neck wing nut at times. Thank you for the beautiful review!
Thank you very much . . 😊😊 Yes I've found the buzzing problem if your even if you pick a little hard. I might try some high tension strings to see if it stops the issue as they move less. 🤔
@@guitar-academy good idea. I use them on a cheap Waldon Natura classical guitar. It doesn't resonate well but has a warm simple tone I love so I put hard tension strings on it to brighten the sound a bit. Thanks for the suggestion.
@@randybayle4383 thanks you for your comments . . 😊😊
I have to say, I kind of like it. I think from a classical guitarists POV, it's really a nice guitar to have for extending into improvisation, and even recording on full mic it sounds quite good.
Yes I agree. I've done some serious recording with this one and the sound is very good 😊
I had mine now for 6 years..I love it.
That's great, you really get to know a guitar in that time . . . 🙂
I believe the stripe on the neck is a glue line. It's laminated. Mine has it, too. Probably gives it more strength.
I think you're probably right. I just checked mine more closely but I've totally worn the neck smooth and shiny which is a good advert in itself. I've been using it for my professional work so it's already had hours of being played. 😊
Very useful review. The only thing missing is “will it fit into a standard airline checked luggage?”
Yes, it will go in the hold with the checked luggage but not in the overhead luggage on most airlines. Check your airline first though because there isn't a standard and it varies from airline to airline. 😊
Wow... checked out a lot of videos on the Silent Yamaha
And this is the best review anyone can have !! Subscribed !
Had one question... I was planning to buy a classical guitar and stumbled over this... how do u compare between buying a classic guitar vs Yamaha silent... can we compare these two instruments? My concern was because spending a lot of money on this
.. wouldn't it be better to buy a good premium classical guitar like Alambhra or Cordoba?
Firstly . . thank you 🙂 🙂
Next . . very good question. I'm going to do a video where I do a catch up on the 2 silent guitars, but that's a question I might address in that video. Basically though, the silent guitar is for several specific needs, portability, headphones and the ability to plug into an amp, and the neck is thinner than a full classical guitar. If you don't have any of these needs then it is a bit of a waste of money. If you just want a classical guitar you are totally correct, you can get a great guitar for this much money and therefore a classical guitar would be the better choice. I hope this helps . .
Great review, thanks. Imho the all mic setting sounds more natural than the pick up one. Great job with the review, kudos to you 💪
Thank you very much . . Yes I agree, the mic setting does have a natural sound. 😊😀
Great video, a welcomed contrast to the over hyped reviews we do often see
I appreciate that! thank you 😊
Study for classical guitar 2/28/2023, the NW review next Thank You
Thank you 😊😃
Very thorough and well-explained.
Excellent in-depth review and demo! I really like the Reverb 2 (Hall).
Thank you . . me too, I like a nice deep reverb . . so atmospheric 😊😊
I paired this guitar with the Boss WAZA AIR, I can walk around the house wirelessly with AUX and with added ambience 3D positioning
nice . . 😊
Greetings from Greece! First of all I would like to mention the excellent work you do! Your meticulousness and the details of your videos are simply unique, the best after a personal assistant or a teacher and we are really grateful for that!!!
Now I would like to ask something from your experience, I am a fairly young practitioner even if I am not young in age (44) and I have started classical guitar lessons, this has always been something that fascinated me a lot but due to circumstances I had not managed to learn so far.. I like so much the warmth and kindness that this sound brings out, as well as the harping in relation to a pick I feel that it is more direct and so with both hands it is like communicating a little better with this organ.
My main problem is the hours I have time to deal with, as a family man and father of 2, I usually have the occasion to practice late at night so I can not use my basic guitar so far which is an Alhambra 4/4 1C Natural. Realizing how expensive it is to get another guitar and seeing how much this guitar costs I would like to rule out the possibility of a wrong purchase as much as possible, so I would like to ask you with your vast experience which of the three models Yamaha SLG200S\N\NW would you advise me to look further for purchase?
Thank you very much for your time, Stavros.
Firstly, thank you very much indeed 😃.
Secondly, I get asked this type of question a lot, but sadly it's very hard for me to answer because so much depends on your personal taste. If you are learning classical guitar you don't want the SLG200S because it has steel strings. You want either the SLG200 N or NW. The difference between the 2 is the width of the neck as the NW has a wider neck. Which neck is best for you only you can know because it depends on what you like and how large your fingers and finger tips are. The perfect thing would be to try both guitars out in a shop first, but I know this isn't possible for most people. The NW will feel closer to your Alhambra, but you might prefer a narrower neck, so sadly I can't accurately advise you . . . sorry 🤔 Personally I like the narrower neck of the N because it is easier to go between this and an electric guitar. 😊😊
@@guitar-academyI fully understand your reasoning and it is something that I also face in my work as IT officer. Some things you can find out mainly during the application, "Trial and Error" as we say :) . However, even these few things that you mentioned, to me are enough and I would like to thank you for one more time for your immediate response!
@@roukoukoukou No problem . . it's my honour to try and help where I can. Thank you again 😃
Did you end up purchasing a SLG200N or SLG200NW?
About the best guitar review on the tube
wow . . thank you very much 😊
There's a UK store on ebay that sells steel or brass scratch plates, for those wanting to fancy theirs up. There's also a seller from Japan who offers both of the guitars for like 200 bucks below at least the EU, but also presumably the US price. Still a big investment, but imo much more reasonable than the 750-800 bucks it is currently going for.
As for the steel vs nylon… I like the steel ones more as they sound more vibrant (generally the case for guitars), and I agree that the nylon sounds very similar between mic & pickup. The steel one when using the pickup actually sounds also pretty close to the nylon strings, while the steel mic one has that typical steel acoustic sound.
Watch out when buying abroad from the UK because you can get hit with an import bill of over 20% (VAT = import tax)
Very nice sound and review. I am wondering how it would sound if they would do the mike using 2 microphones for stereo sound. I have a stereo amp setup and my chorus are stereo and sound awesome.
The output is mono and the mic isn't a mic. They call it a mic but it's actually a simulation. Your stereo chorus will probably take a mono input and convert it to stereo before the output (most do), and I bet it would sound awesome. 😊
@@guitar-academy I understand that the mic is a wavetable model. There is a effect module called Tone Dexter, which does exactly that. I am wondering if 2x Tonedexters are trained with 2x mic in stereo position, you could get a stereo output and i guess it would sound awesome. I use mono input into a stereo Rocktron Intellifex LTD in the stereo effect loop of a Fender Ultrachorus with 2x Fender ultra chorus as power amp. I use the preamp from Fender 1 and power amp from Fender 1&2 to get the stereo effect, which sound really amazing for chorus and reverb. I am wondering how it would sound like to have a true stereo input from the guitar. I think the SLG200 NW would be something for me, as I mostly play Classic guitar these days and my e Guitar not so much. I love the wider fretboard and the high dynamics of the nylon high tension strings.
I've had mine for years but had to get it strung lefty.
Excellent review. I think I'll get the WN version. With this version, do we still have a choice of the finish?
Thank you . . . I've never seen a choice of finishes with the WN, so I don't know if they exist. sorry 🤔😊
@@guitar-academy Sorry, my bad. It's the NW version, not WN.
@@sjv9147s no problem, many people do that because it's the wide necked version so logic would say that it's WN and not NW 🤔
It seems like a great instrument, but I think they missed the boat on having the software and hardware in the guitar. They should have made a phone app so they could easily add more capabilities and improvements. Imagine an app store of effects and enhancements to let 3rd parties add value to the instrument.
Yes, I agree. Maybe in the next version . . 😊
Nice guitar but I winced at 5:17 when the headstock hit the table.
the table is padded so not to worry 😊
You play beautifully, thank you I very much enjoyed that.
Thank you very much! 😊😀
I'm not sure how advisable it is to do but I've noticed when stringing a nylon string guitar you're better off once the strings are on the guitar to pull on the strings to pre-stretch them otherwise they will continue to stretch for a while so I like to pull them all until there finally stretched out to there limit but not to the point where you're really doing any damage
I wouldn't recommend it myself, but if you know what you're doing it might work. My worry would be that if you pull the bottom (wound) strings too hard you will damage the windings. Another idea that's safer and more predictable is just to tune the guitar up a semitone overnight whilst the strings stretch and then retune it down when you want to use it. 🤔
ouch u dropped the headstock immediately on getting it out
Not a problem . . look at the desk, it is padded for working on guitars 😊
Any advice on taking this travel guitar aboard an aircraft and not having it count as a carry-on item?
This is a hard question to respond to because every airline operator has there own rules and they take care of luggage differently. I know that for UK airlines the case is too long to be a carry-on and the case isn't strong enough to protect the guitar if it gets buried under cases, so I don't know of any solution 🤔
That hit the point for review. Thank for your video.
Glad it was helpful! thank you 😊😃
This review was very nicely done! Thank you! 🙏
Glad you liked it! thank you . . 🙂
Thanks for the video. Great stuff. If I may ask, do you know what kind of mic pickup it has and where it is located in the guitar? I am very impressed the way it sounds. I tried some google search but I couldn't find any info yet.
They call it MIC but it's not. It's a virtual mic where the pickup sound is processed to sound like a mic 🤔
@@guitar-academy aaahhh, I see. That makes sense. Nevertheless, they did an excellent job mimicking the sound.
@@mrdeer5585 I agree . . Yes they did, and the fact that you can mix between the standard sound and this sound gives you a lot of scope for adjustment. 😊
This is a very impressive review!
I'm retired and mostly play at home now but i still own about 25 guitars (7 acoustics). I'm getting ready to purchase a SLG200N and a SLG200S. My number one concern when buying a new guitar is the intonation. Have you noticed any issues with the intonation in the Silent Guitars? Thank you!
Very good question. No I haven't had any intonation inaccuracy and now I've changed the strings but the intonation is solid.
@@guitar-academy Thank you for your reply!
I can't sing as high as I used to so I'm hoping that the SLG200N & SLG200S (going through a Whammy DT for drop tuning) will allow me to play in the original key and sing 1/2 to full step lower. This would also allow me to get rid of a few guitars. I'm just praying that the SLGs will be quiet enough that I won't hear them along with the drop-tune sound coming out on my speakers!
Sorry for stupid question, but do you need a speaker to hear the sound (in regular playing mode, not silent practice mode). I’m not familiar with electric guitar. Thank you.
If you play the guitar not plugged in, you can hear it clearly in a quite room but in a noise room it would be hard to hear. For a number of people to hear it in a large room you would need an amplifier and speaker or combination amplifier/speaker (combo). I hope this helps 😊
I feel like the mic modeling gets rid of that harsh piezo quack/buzz on the low strings
Yes, I agree. You can really hear it doing that clearly through the head phones . . 🙂🙂
Thanks for your great video
Can you please provide the link to troubled harp tabs thanks
Great review, overall, this is an electric Nylon and not a Classical Electric, sounds pretty good, it appears you can't have Reverb and Chorus together? I tried the Aria 'silent string' Nylon version many years ago (Volume and Tone only and no FX on them) so this would have been a nice option, this Yamaha seems like a great Guitar for Recording ( Nylon sound) with good control over eq, effects etc, especially liked the 'Line in' idea Mp3, backing tracks and so on, thanks for posting
Thanks for your feedback . . . As you rightly said the effects being on one control does limit the guitar somewhat, but you can always plug it into separate effects or a modeller. 😊
How would tapping or imitating percussion sound on this guitar? If you tapped the pickguard or wing would it get picked up by the mic?
in my opinion it's doesn't work. I've tried lots of ways to get a good sound but short of modifying the guitar it doesn't work. The mic isn't a true mic, it's a digitally reproduced sound . . 😒
Thank you for this review. I just bought a SLG200NW. The original strings where very soft and on the second day the D-string broke. So I replaced all strings with normal tension Savarez, that sound great on my Hanika. Unfortunately the guitar is a little buzzy as you mentioned at the end of your video. Can you give me some advices for setup? Thanks in advance.
Normally people find the action is too high, which wouldn't cause any buzz. Maybe the truss rod needs adjusting on your guitar, or you could try high tension strings because they move less. Here's the only video I've done on setting up these guitars th-cam.com/video/QRSAQocR_rY/w-d-xo.html
I had a luthier to replace saddle and nut with bone. Also I changed the strings to Thomastik KR 116 Classic S. The guitar sounds fantastic now and plays very easy. I just don't want to put it down anymore.
Hi, Good review, but it is not clear if this is the sound you get when you switch it on or when you plug it to an amplifier ? It sounds like you use a separate amplifier, but no mention of any!
I put the guitar straight through a mixer and into my computer to keep the sound as transparent as possible. 😊
@@guitar-academy Many thanks for the quick reply, I am still not exactly sure what you mean. I guess I need to do some research on mixers & pc as input
@@Faidhimustafa Ahh . . Basically I try to make sure nothing changes the sound of the guitar as I record it. The problem with TH-cam sound tests is that the guitar sound gets altered by amps, speakers, microphones, recording techniques and video compression on my end and then TH-cam compression, your computers sound card and your speakers/head phones on your end. So bare this in mind when listening to any sound tests. 😊
@@guitar-academy Sure & you achieved a good sound. But initially I was interested in finding out from the video the bare minimum one needs to listen to this guitar without the use of headphones or amplifier. Hence my query. Thanks
very good & detailed video! thank you!
this one doesn't come with the power adapter i supposed, right? the SLG130NW (and other models in that generation) does come with one.
does the off center metal "rod" at one end of the top frame make the attachment less balance or secure? other reviewer mentioned this.
greatly appreciated if you could make a full comparison with SLG130NW.
Thank you. . . Sadly, no the power supply doesn't come with this guitar.
The off centre metal bar in the top frame makes no difference to the security of the frame or the balance. I even pick the SLG200N and SLG200S up and carry them around using the upper bar without issue.
My only criticism is parts availability and prices. I had a broken tuner on this guitar and it was only good timing that I happened to find a second hand one on eBay. Sorry, I wont be doing a comparison between this and the SLG13NW.
@@guitar-academy thanks for the reply! appreciate it!
@@YohanesNiko no problem, thank you 😊
i hope they build a 12 string also
interesting . . I hadn't even thought about that . . 🙂🙂
Why aren't all the strings Nylon? I got the Slg200NW model and half the strings are nylon and half are metal? Is this normal?
Yes it's completely normal for the bottom 3 strings to be wound metal. The core of the metal looking strings are still nylon but they wind them with metal to give them more density for better tone. 😊😃
@@guitar-academy thank you
Great review. Can you change the sides to make it a lefty? I know electronics and plugs would be flipped…but I haven’t seen any lefties for sale don’t think they make them.
No, as far as I know anyway. Like you, I haven't seen any left handed versions. However, Yamaha usually make lefty versions of their guitars so they might be just very rare . . 🤔
really worthy details.thanks a lot
thank you . . 🙂
Excellent review, thanks very much! I think I'll snag one
Glad you enjoyed it . . thank you very much . . 😊
Waouh ! Che bellissima sonorità, un bello video con una bella spiegazione, ma vorrei sapere ,hai usato il telefono per avere un effetto per il backing track , è un’applicazione che hai usato per avere l’effetto?
The backing is an orchestral recording and the effect on the guitar is the built in reverb . . 😊
@@guitar-academy grazie mille 🤩 🙏 per la spiegazione, e per questo video di dimostrazione
@@diabate125 Thank you . . You can learn the song here th-cam.com/video/LCCNs5pvYRA/w-d-xo.html 😊
Is the SRT system worth getting over the older models without it? I am interested in the wide neck version, so SLG 200nw (newer) versus SLG130nw (older). I reviewed and listened carefully, several times, to the portion of this video when you went back and forth between the SRT ("mic") and the pick-up. I didn't really notice much difference at all, except that the non-SRT sounded more "alive" and the SRT ("mic") sounded "cleaner" (less "noise") - but only extremely fractionally. Excellent review, camera work, pacing, etc. Thanks...
Thank you very much 😊 . . whilst the SRT does sound 'alive' as you put it, to play it is a little weird. It has a very slight lag or latency that makes the guitar unpleasant to play. I play this guitar a lot now and I leave it in the 50/50 position (ish) because you get the instant sound of the pickup followed by the enhanced tone of the SRT. I guess it boils down to how much money you want to spend and in the ideal world if you can find somewhere where you can try both guitars. 😊
@@guitar-academy Thank you - I didn't notice the lag in the video, so thanks for pointing that out! Lag is also a problem with wind controllers. Yamaha just introduced one (YDS-150, which I just bought, for silent saxophone practice!). No lag. The older SLG130nw also features a solid maple body. Maybe that is more stable than the SLG200nw's mahogany? My thinking is that since I'm a sax and piano player, I could use some "help" with the guitar tone, hence the SRT might be beneficial. It's a $350 price difference.
@@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton that's a big price difference for a feature you might not like in the end. Maybe one will tern up second hand in good conditions at the right price. If you're not in a hurry it might be worth keeping your eyes on eBay.
@@guitar-academy I re-listened very carefully to the section of your review where you go back and forth between the SRT on, off and blended. I really cannot hear much difference except on the low E, where I really do hear some nice resonance with the SRT.... It's hard to hear minute details on uTube, even with good headphones (Senn 169s). So, the effect might be more pronounced in person. Maybe just turning up the bass would have a similar effect? My "go to" music shop, American Musical Supply, does not carry the Yamaha silent guitars for some reason. They offer "in house" financing, whereas the rest basically offer bank financing, credit pulls, etc. I can pay cash, but for me, a guitar will be my "triple" (to sax and piano, in that order). And of course, I have to see if I can actually deal with the finger stress of (even nylon) strings ... I don't plan on growing my fingernails, since that's not good for piano or my typing (legal writer by trade). I've been told that any calluses only appear on the actual tips - so I should be OK for saxophone. A couple of the saxophone greats (Gerald Albright, Wilton Felder) are / were also great electric bassists. So it's apparently doable, if not very common. Then there's Gene Parks.... All told, I think a used 130 might be the way to go for me, at least at first...
@@guitar-academy Then again, I just read a comment here about "nasty piezo sound..." Maybe that's something that you cats, as trained guitarists, can hear that I don't naturally hear or object to (even though I have a precise, musician's ear of many decades...)? I just found the following quite: "Conversely, the piezo picks up sound at a single point of the guitar, normally the bridge. At that position the strings exhibit a vibration node. As a consequence the attack of strumming dominates the tone. This kind of additional percussion is what I perceive as nasty piezo sound, imho often heard with Eric Clapton playing unplugged." So, I can dig that the piezo favors the bridge / strumming area and attendant sonic characteristics thereof. But as a guitar "beginner," wouldn't I be better off trying to get a good tone, rather than relying on a sampled one? (tone is "THE thing" in sax playing...) Conversely, I need all the help I can get! Ah, decisions, decisions...
Excellent review! I have the same SLG200N guitar. Regarding how quiet this guitar is, if you really want it to be quiet, then my experience is that there is no need at all to play it as strongly as demonstrated (just to be able to compare it with a real acoustic guitar strummed with normal force). With the built-in amplifier and the earphone, even with the slightest touch, you can enjoy the sound quite well. One thing I haven't figured out is that the phone out is stereo, and with the available effects, stereo is much needed. So I was wondering that as the line out at the back of the guitar is mono, do I have to use the phone out to preserve the stereo effect if I want to connect to a stereo looper?
Sadly the line out on the back is mono so any stereo effects are lost, though you still hear the effect but only in mono. To preserve the stereo you would have to use the phones and and maybe even an impedance matcher, depending on the looper. A pain I know 🤔
Isn't it wonderful that we guitarists get to talk about stereo guitars now?
After about 40 years of dreaming about a stereo (electric) guitar rig, I was finally able to set one up in my studio using the Yamaha THR100HD stereo guitar amp and stereo effects. It's great for studio but not at all practical to use live.
Excellent review could you mind telling what song you were playing at 14:50 ?
Thank you very much . . sorry it wasn't an actual song, just a few chords I thought worked well together. Bm, A, G, A
@@guitar-academy thank you it sounded really beautiful!
@@Valkyriesrevenge thank you 😊😃
This review is great. Thanks.
thank you 😊😃
Thank you for the review.
My pleasure! thank you 😊😃
Please, I want to express my sincere gratitude and worthiness for your valuable and professional orientation in the appropriate application of the Yamaha Silent Guitar....blessed day Sir....Ariel
WOW . . You are very welcome . . thank you 😊😀
14:00 - для тех, кто пытается понять как играет тихая гитара для окружающих. Хоть кто-то нормально показал.
Спасибо!
Thank you 😃 Спасибо
Thanks for a great review, thorough and honest. I just bought one! LOL I should have it in two days....
Have fun! If you play yours as much as I have played this one now, look forward to sore fingers . . 😊😊
@@guitar-academy I'm a 68 year old geezer and I've been playing since I was 8 years old, no more sore fingers for me! I even have trouble with touch screens due to my calluses! LOL
@@BobPerrone 😊😊
THANKS, GCH!
no problem, thank you 😊
Excellent review. I have question. Can you installed on this model N also steel strings instead nylon one?
No, I wouldn't because of the string footings and the guitar is designed specifically for nylon strings. It would make more cense to buy the steel strung one. . . sorry 😊
What is the Song/Melody at a around 14:30 ? Sounds good
i also would like to know what it is.
Very good explained. Thank you.
You are welcome! thank you 😊
Do you connect aux for backtrack also from a computer? Thanks a lot for your kind and useful reply!
Yes, that's probably the most common use for the aux. 😃 thank you . .
@@guitar-academy Thanks a lot. haooy new year
@@prof.francescobruno9117 you too, have a great new year
Thank you for the great and thorough review. Can I ask one question please. What do you suggest as the best nylon strings for the silent guitar? thank you
I will try to answer this in the next video. Because I've just got the guitar I haven't tried different strings on it yet. But basically any mid to good classical guitar string should be fine. 🙂🙂
Great Review ... But im also a little disappointed about the guitar , around minute 11:00 in the video you can see that the nut is not very well fitted and some scratches in the finish, back of the headstock neck etc . Quality control on this guitar is questionable ...
On the back of the neck, they aren't really scratches. That's where the matt finish is starting to go gloss and it's probably me handling the guitar that's caused them. If I look at the guitar now that it's been played well the neck has gone shiny and I can't find one scratch. Yes, I agree the nut is slightly smaller than the width of the neck but to the naked eye you wouldn't notice it, this is filmed close up in strong lighting. It's true to say that the gap between cheap and expensive guitars has closed and you no longer seem to get what you paid for . . unless you don't pay a lot.
I'd rather have a metronome than effects, but of course, both would be best.
Yes, that would be useful. 😊😃
Thank you I learned something :)
Excellent! thank you 😊😃
Does the guitar neck dive? This or the steal version. Youd think it would be top heavy with zero body 🤔
How do you like them overall? Thinking about getting one as I travel for work all the time
They dive a little, but not enough to concern me. I reviewed the nylon and steel strum versions and I still use the nylon version because it's nice to play and records well. I don't like the steel strung version as much 🤔
@@guitar-academy awesome! Good to know. I've been meaning to get a nylon for a long time, but the restringing bit is what has been holding me back. But it does have a special tone to it, that's for sure. It's good to hear the opinion from someone who owns them, and such a quick response as well! Thank you good sir!
@@vangoghsseveredear no problem . . regarding the stringing, I put flamenco beads on to make the stringing easier th-cam.com/video/iIPLkeXg4Kk/w-d-xo.html
That is an excellent review.
Thank you very much . . 😊😊
Great review!
Glad you enjoyed it thank you 😊😃
What is the piece you are playing around 14:45?
good report because i want to buy the nw because i come from klassical spanish guitar
thank you . . yes the NW model is the closest to a classical guitar feel 😊😃
Excellent review, thank you so much for this.
Glad you enjoyed it! thank you 😊
@@guitar-academy Very much so, I purchased it yesterday after watching quite a few videos about the guitar. A couple of youtubers and yourself make it sound great. This very in depth review was just what I needed, and honesty, it's what more reviews should be like.
@@Julez_Shredz Thank you very much . . 😊😊
I love my Yamaha guitar 🎸 😁
Yes, me too 😊
I have a Yamaha SLG200N WITH WHICH NYLON STRINGS DOES IT COME ASSEMBLED? AND IN GENERAL WHICH NYLON STRINGS DO YOU RECOMMEND AND AT WHAT VOLTAGE? YAMAHA RECOMMENDS THE MEDIUMS (Yamaha S10), BUT THEY CANNOT BE FOUND THANKS!
I use normal tension strings, but the choice of strings is a personal thing so you will know when you find the strings you like. To replace the Yamaha strings you just need to search for 'Normal tension guitar strings' and then you can choose how much you want to spend on them. 😊😃
THANKS A LOT!
Hi can you put steel strings on the nylon silent guitar.
Just to be clear for other people reading this comment, you can't put steal strings on a nylon strung guitar most of the time. But because the Yamaha has a truss rod so 'YES' you can, but I would recommend not going too heavy. 😊
@@guitar-academy Thank you for your quick response, from your review of the yamaha silent nylon I've just purchased one from Japan. I've been learning for about year & half your academy is fantastic 👏
@@davecarr3128 Thank you, that's really nice of you 😊😊
Great you and the guitar as well
Thank you kindly! 😊😃
Very nice review!
Glad you enjoyed it . . thank you 😊👍
Excellent review. Thank you.
Thank you and thanks for watching! 😊😊
Excellent review, mate! The All MIC sounds airy and much less nasal than All Pickup. The All Pickup has that nasty piezo nasality that I abhor. I think I will buy one based on your review.
Totally agree . . It's hard to hear in video format but I like a point somewhere between the 2 where you don't get the nasty piezo sound but it's not the full mic sound either. 😊😊
What to you swingin' guitar cats mean by "nasty piezo sound"? I am a saxist / pianist. I realize that this instrument uses a piezo pickup, whereas the sampled instrument, being an actual acoustic, does not and therefore does not present in the realized sound via the SRT. I'm considering a used prior version (130) which does not have the SRT system. Is the "NPS" an acoustic guitar player's pet peeve? Don't all electric guitars have this "problem"? Thanks...
@@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton electric guitars use magnetic pickups. We can't do that with acoustic guitars nylon string specifically because nylon won't cause electromagnetic interactions needed to capture the sound. Hope that cleared it up you button pushing maniac ;)
@@mishikay_music8997 I bought the nylon string version - the new one. This video convinced me the SRT system will offer me a better tone experience than my guitar newbie chops will offer! It arrives tomorrow. Busy learning scales and chords on visual guitar now (not that I don't know them for 50 years on piano and sax!).
Excellent review
Glad you liked it! thank you 😃
I just saw this. Interesting, considering our last exchange. :-) I was hearing some fuzz on the lower strings using the pickup setting. Is it the cheap Yamaha strings, or the instrument?
Interesting! 🤔 I can't hear that here out of the 2 (nylon and steal strung) this is definitely the better of the 2. If there was any fuzz it was more than likely caused by the video compression. I use this guitar a lot now and it records really cleanly, but I have changed the strings. This video has a proper recording using this guitar th-cam.com/video/jo95lxHoYBQ/w-d-xo.html
@@guitar-academy Lovely playing! Well done. Yes, this is a much better recording of the Yamaha. What strings did you put on? Also, what guitar was used for the first playthrough?
@@fuffy442 Thank you very much.
The strings were only cheap ones, but ones I can't flaw. Adagio normal tensions 😊
The first guitar was a 30 year old Yamaha G-230.
I look forward to your review of Trans-Acoustic technology. This will be the deciding factor in what I buy next. Stay well!
Great...a very comprehensive review. I don´t need to go to the guitar shop! Would you recommend it for a classical guitar beginner? Thank you
Thank you very much 😊 . . would I recommend for classical? if you're learning for your own pleasure you would probably love it, but if you are learning for qualifications I don't know if you'd be allowed to do grades with it. The neck is a lot thinner that a true classical guitar. You would probably be wise asking your teacher. 😊
@@guitar-academy thank you for your answer. Yes I'm learning and playng for my own pleasure. I've got already a classical guitar but I find it too bulky for my need and size. The Yamaha seem a versatile guitar. Greetings
@@andreaquitadamo1968 Oh, in that case I recon you'd enjoy playing the Yamaha. I found it took a few days to get use to it, but then I prefer playing it to any of my other acoustic guitars . .😊🤣
Man I want the nylon string one so bad
Yeah . . I understand that, they're a great instrument 😊
A friend of mine has the nylon string version (not the wide-neck). I noticed the action from the factory seems just a tad bit high, especiall the further up the neck you go. Reading other reviews, I often see this mentioned in "minuses" of the guitar. Did you notice that as well? That is does the action seem just a little high as it is delivered from the factory?
This one was pretty much perfect, but because I was asked about this previously by a subscriber I made a video on how to lower the action on this guitar. th-cam.com/video/QRSAQocR_rY/w-d-xo.html
My luthier explained to me that they issue these guitars with action a bit too high precisely for you to adjust it to your taste. As soon as I bought mine, my luthier polished frets, adjusted (not much) the arm rod and lowered the action. Now it plays beautifully.
Actually, this problem does exist. I have tried slg200nw and slg200n, and both of them have higher strings than typical classic guitars. This makes me feel really harder to play the silent guitar from Yamaha.
Thankfully, unlike any other nylon-string guitar I've played, the Yamaha Silent Guitars do have trust rods so you can at least adjust the neck to your liking!
I'm Japanese, but Yamaha guitars have been made in Taiwan since around 1980, except for high-end products. Today, all non-luxury items are made in China. In Japan, quality control is strict, but in China, there are no such habits and skills, and it seems that there are variations in products.
It's a shame . . I've always liked Japanese guitars and I still associate Yamaha with Japan. Maybe they'll come home one day 😊
what is the default factory guitar string type and model?
Was that a song at 14min or was it just noodling
indeed, it was just noodling 😊😃
How come you have a long nail on your left thumb? What's it for?
no reason really at that time it was just there . . it's actually short now. 🤔
i own an ntx1 would the silent guitar have different playability ?
Yes . . it's a very different guitar and just the thickness of the body would effect the playability, but whether you would prefer it or hate it only you could know . 🤔
@@guitar-academy i made my decision and i am getting one tomorrow!
Nice review sir,btw how about serie slg200s? which recommended?
I've done a review of the 200s th-cam.com/video/SPllCca-shw/w-d-xo.html . Which is better is personal taste, but I prefer the nylon one (200n) because the sound just isn't quite rite on the 200s to me. On mine the bass strings overpower the top strings. The problem with this is that, it will sound different with different styles of play and strings and gear so I can't say this is an absolute, it's just my taste. 😊
Do you like the nylon or steel string better?
I like the nylon better . . but that's just me. 😊
Superb review
Thank you 🙂
excuse my ignorance, but how do I record the sound to my computer?
It depends what computer you have. If you have a soundcard with a mic socket you can get a lead or an adapter for the large jack plug (6.35mm) to the small one (3.5mm) and plug the guitar straight in. It is better if you can afford it to use a specialized adapter, but plugging straight in will work, just keep the volume low to start with.
@@guitar-academy very helpful, thanks!
you seem to be overly worried about damge from the shipping boxes having a tiny blemish. Understandable considering it's a nylon string (acoustic) guitar with NO body. Are acoustic guitars generally so quiet as you described?
Yes I inspect the box first because I've received several damaged items, even an amp I recently reviewed was damaged. 😒 If the item is damaged enough it will cut the review short. Regarding the sound, generally an acoustic guitar should produce a good volume so you can play it in at least a large room or small hall and be heard clearly. This is a strange guitar to catagorize as it feels and sounds like an acoustic, but technically it's not an acoustic guitar it's an electric guitar. 🤔
Thank you for this video, I want one now. lol
Thank you, I'm really glad you enjoyed it 😊😀
Which track is the one you use in the 24:29 part of the video
I tell you about the song straight after playing it, and if you want to learn it the link is in the description.
th-cam.com/video/LCCNs5pvYRA/w-d-xo.html
Nice content.👍🤘
Thank you ✌️ 😃
Will a Android phone be able to go into the Aux for playing backing tracks?
Yes, that's what I used to do the test of the aux in 24:00 and it worked fine . .🙂
What brand, and particularly what tension of strings is this guitar shipped with?
You'd have to make that enquiry with Yamaha 🤔
@@guitar-academy Thanks, but I found out by digging on online, though not from Yamaha. The strings are "Yamaha" brand S10, medium-tension. I find the action rather high. Wondering, if it would be more advisable/effective to turn the truss rod to lower the action, or to switch to low-tension strings?
@@stddisclaimer8020 This is a common problem, so I did a video on it (hopefully it will be helpful) th-cam.com/video/QRSAQocR_rY/w-d-xo.html
@@guitar-academy The neck is neither bowed nor humped in the least; it appears straight. Tried the lowest tension strings to be found, yet the action is still too high.
Looks as though I'll have to do some saddle sanding...🤥
@@stddisclaimer8020 Not to worry, it's really easy and could make a massive improvement to your guitar. Just keep of the bottom of the saddle as straight and flat as you can. 😊😊