I have yet to review 4 previous guitar purchases from Sweetwater...this guitar just surprised me so much I had to do one immediately. They say you get what you pay for. A lot of times that's true and paying less for something often results in poor quality. In this case you are honestly going to be stunned to see how much guitar you get for the low price of this FS830. For one the abalone inlay on the rosette is very nice. The fretboard is well done very smooth (mine is Rosewood), Frets are cleaned up nicely with no noticeable sharpness. The Frets could use a light polish as I found some rough spots during string bends. Intonation has been pretty spot on honestly with only a few spots slightly off further towards the 12 fret (which honestly isn't a big deal). Action ... MoreI have yet to review 4 previous guitar purchases from Sweetwater...this guitar just surprised me so much I had to do one immediately. They say you get what you pay for. A lot of times that's true and paying less for something often results in poor quality. In this case you are honestly going to be stunned to see how much guitar you get for the low price of this FS830. For one the abalone inlay on the rosette is very nice. The fretboard is well done very smooth (mine is Rosewood), Frets are cleaned up nicely with no noticeable sharpness. The Frets could use a light polish as I found some rough spots during string bends. Intonation has been pretty spot on honestly with only a few spots slightly off further towards the 12 fret (which honestly isn't a big deal). Action is a little high and could probably use a bit taken off the saddle to get it right but its not unplayableby any means. Fit n finish is pretty decent too...just a couple slightly rough spots on the binding that most people wouldn't even notice and some little finish swirl spot on the neck by the body. Other than those little things the whole thing all in all is just beautiful, the Rosewood on the back looks pretty stunning and I honestly wish my Larrivee D-40R had a woodgrain pattern like it lol. I only wish I could have had one of these to start off on. This is a great bang for your buck instrument. Oh and before I forget...the sound really opened up after the strings stretched out. It's a great sounding guitar. Nice and punchy all around with a good low end. I got this mainly for taking to family functions or camping, it will serve those purposes very well. Now stop reading long winded reviews like this one and just get it already.

This guitar is a textbook example of getting "bang for your buck." I've always wondered why more companies don't follow Yamaha's lead in how they treat their prospective entry level customers. No, this isn't going to blow you away, but it is far better than your average beginner instrument and for the price, is a real value. I promise your new guitar player will find this playable, fun and easy to practice on.If you're unfamiliar with this line/model, "FS" stands for folk small; it's a concert body style (slightly smaller than a regular dreadnought or FG series). This means it's a great choice for kids or small handed adults. In my opinion the FS830 is pretty big leap forward in terms of sound and tone from Yamaha's truly entry level guitar (the FS800) because the ... MoreThis guitar is a textbook example of getting "bang for your buck." I've always wondered why more companies don't follow Yamaha's lead in how they treat their prospective entry level customers. No, this isn't going to blow you away, but it is far better than your average beginner instrument and for the price, is a real value. I promise your new guitar player will find this playable, fun and easy to practice on.If you're unfamiliar with this line/model, "FS" stands for folk small; it's a concert body style (slightly smaller than a regular dreadnought or FG series). This means it's a great choice for kids or small handed adults. In my opinion the FS830 is pretty big leap forward in terms of sound and tone from Yamaha's truly entry level guitar (the FS800) because the 830 has rosewood back and sides instead of the Nato. That difference alone gives much more more projection and gives it a little personality. I also find it quite easy to play, the action low, and the neck really comfortable. My students have said it feels like it's easier to make the comfortable chords and easier to make stretches for harder ones. I've found it keeps its tuning decently as well. As far as aesthetics, this Dusk Sun red is more subtle than the picture would indicate (for obvious reasons). Yes, it's got some pink hue to it, but it's a versatile burst that shows shades of burgundy and red based on the light and angle. It's striking and lovely, not gaudy.The bottom line is, this guitar feels good, plays good, and looks good. If you're browsing around trying to decide on your first instrument, I know it can seem daunting. Sometimes people without knowledge just go for the cheapest option just to "see" if they like playing guitar. In the category of "beginner" instruments, you're not going to find one much better than this. It's well worth the few extra dollars and in my view will easily provide a great start to the highly worthwhile journey of making music...

Understanding the context of what this guitar is (and isn't), makes the decision to buy it pretty easy. Simply put, you get huge bang for your buck; it's an awesome value for the money. It's a better than average starter guitar, and if you have the proper expectations for it, it's worth picking up for the beginner in your life or just noodling on the couch...For those unfamiliar, Yamaha's FS series stands for "folk small" and refers to size of the body. The FS series are concert body (or slightly smaller than a dreadnought or Yamaha's FG size) guitars. So for young people or women with small hands, this is perfect to feel like the instrument is not too big. It also means the neck feels thinner, the frets feel closer together, the action is is good, etc. All the ... MoreUnderstanding the context of what this guitar is (and isn't), makes the decision to buy it pretty easy. Simply put, you get huge bang for your buck; it's an awesome value for the money. It's a better than average starter guitar, and if you have the proper expectations for it, it's worth picking up for the beginner in your life or just noodling on the couch...For those unfamiliar, Yamaha's FS series stands for "folk small" and refers to size of the body. The FS series are concert body (or slightly smaller than a dreadnought or Yamaha's FG size) guitars. So for young people or women with small hands, this is perfect to feel like the instrument is not too big. It also means the neck feels thinner, the frets feel closer together, the action is is good, etc. All the things you want for easy playability and motivation to practice when you're first learning.The FS830 is a big upgrade from Yamaha's true starter guitar, the FS800, because the FS830 has rosewood back and sides instead of Nato. This means it has a LOT more projection, a nicer tone and some personality. It actually feels closer to a mid-range instrument than most starter guitars. Another great feature is that Yamaha actually gave this model some aesthetic options in terms of finish, and the sunbursts are surprisingly subtle and warm (the picture above is enhanced for obvious marketing reasons). At this price to even have the choice of a "Dusk Sun Red" for instance, helps further attach you to the instrument, and it's something I wish more companies followed Yamaha's lead in doing (meaning, give their beginners market some credit/options).So bottom line: this thing feels good, plays good, and looks good. For first time buyers just trying to figure all this stuff out, believe me when I say for just a little extra, this instrument is a massive leap forward in quality over the regular FS800 or most any other starter instrument. This guitar is a fine entry point for any musical journey.