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Exploring the Yamaha CG102 Classical Acoustic Guitar
Among the CG series models, the Yamaha CG102 stands out as a perfect guitar for beginners. Its spruce top, meranti back, and sides contribute to a well-rounded sound and enhanced projection.
The CG 102’s comfortable neck profile and smooth fretboard make it easy for beginners to navigate and develop their playing technique. Its affordability and exceptional playability enable aspiring guitarists to embark on their classical guitar journey with confidence. Let me walk you through its features.
To check out more Classical Guitars of 2023, click here.
| Made In | China |
| Model | CG102 |
| Body | Nato Wood |
| Top | Spruce Top |
| Neck | Locally Sourced Tonewood |
| Scale | 25-9/16″ |
| Nut Width | 52 mm (2 1/16”) |
| Weight | 6.39 lbs |
| Fretboard | Rosewood |
| Frets | 19 |
| Bracing | Fan-Bracing Pattern |
| Electronics | None |
| Bridge | Rosewood |
| Inlays | None |
| Truss Rod | N/A |
| Case | N/A |
| Design | Flat Top, Hollow Body |
| Finish | Gloss body |
Build and Construction
The Yamaha CG102 is a remarkable entry-level classical guitar that boasts an exquisite build and construction. It features a traditional Yamaha CG shape, which embodies the essence of classical guitars.
The CG102’s top is constructed with spruce, a tonewood known for its excellent sound projection and responsiveness. The spruce top naturally acts as the soundboard, vibrating in response to the strings and resonating to produce a rich, high-volume, dynamic tone with clarity and warmth.
Yamaha has chosen nato wood, also known as Eastern Mahogany, for the back and sides of the CG102. Nato wood offers durability and contributes to the guitar’s overall tonal balance. It possesses similar tonal characteristics to mahogany, providing a warm, focused sound with a good amount of sustain.
The spruce top and nato back and sides create a harmonious balance between the guitar’s tonal elements, ensuring a well-rounded and pleasing sound projection. This also allows beginner-skilled players to confidently explore various playing techniques and musical styles, as the guitar responds accurately to their touch and expression.
Explore various guitar-playing styles here!
With its carefully crafted body design and high-quality tonewoods, the Yamaha CG102 offers a delightful playing experience for beginners. It enables them to embrace the nuances of classical guitar and enjoy the rich, resonant tones that define this instrument’s beauty.
Fingerboard
Yamaha CG102 has this excellent rosewood fingerboard. Rosewood is really durable and has a smooth feel that’s just a pleasure to touch. Plus, it sounds fantastic. It’s a popular fingerboard choice because it’s so easy to play on. When I’m moving my fingers up and down the neck and hitting those frets, it feels effortless and smooth. It makes playing the guitar a joy.
The Yamaha CG102’s fretboard features 18 frets, allowing for a wide range of musical expression and note variations. The fingerboard is attached to the neck of the guitar and extends from the nut to the body.
The fretboard is marked with position markers or inlays, typically at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 17th frets. These markers act like visual guides on the fingerboard, helping musicians find their way around and spot specific notes or positions easily.
The fretboard is slightly curved, featuring a radius or a slight curvature that promotes ease of playing and facilitates techniques such as string bending and vibrato. This curvature is the fingerboard radius and can vary depending on the guitar model.
Click here to learn more about the vibrato technique.
Neck: The Wow Factor of The Guitar
The CG102 features a standard-sized neck that feels instantly familiar and comfortable in my hands. The nut width of the fingerboard measures around 52-54mm (approximately 2.05-2.13 inches), providing the perfect spacing between the strings. And this is one of the best features of this guitar. This precise width allows me to confidently press down on individual strings and execute complex chord shapes accurately.
Check out the list of best classical guitar strings here!
Bridge
The CG102 guitar has a rosewood bridge, which is great for several reasons. First, rosewood makes the guitar sound richer and more profound—something you want in classical music. And because it’s so strong, it holds up well against the string tension, keeping the guitar in good shape and sounding great.
The way the bridge sticks to the soundboard is pretty neat, too. It’s glued on there real tight, which means the vibrations from the strings get passed to the guitar body well, making the sound louder and more precise.
It’s got this fancy tie-block style, like the bridges on more expensive guitars. It looks classy and makes changing strings super easy. It also keeps the strings nice and tight, which is a big plus for any guitar player who changes strings a lot or does their own guitar maintenance.
Pros & Cons of the Yamaha CG102
Pros of the Yamaha CG102
- Exceptional Build Quality
I love the Yamaha CG102 for its impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail. This guitar has been built to last, with sturdy construction that can withstand the demands of regular practice and performances without compromising its integrity.
- Rich and Balanced Tone
When I strum the strings of my CG102, I am mesmerized by the vibrant tone it produces. The spruce top, nato back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard create a beautifully balanced sound that truly captivates. It inspires me to explore different musical styles and brings out the best in my playing.
- Comfortable Playability
The CG102 is an absolute joy to play. The standard-sized neck and well-proportioned fingerboard make it incredibly comfortable to navigate and fret notes. The precise nut width and smooth rosewood fingerboard provide a seamless playing experience, allowing me to focus on my technique and musical expression without hindrance.
Pros of the Yamaha CG102
- Limited Tonewood Selection
While the CG102’s tonewood choices, such as spruce, nato, and rosewood, offer excellent sound and playability, I sometimes yearn for a wider range of tonal possibilities.
FAQs
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