If you’re curious about the Yamaha FG700s Vs FG730s, this post is for you!
I actually don’t own either of these instruments, but I have considered purchasing each and have included my research in this post.
I’ve also been a guitarist since 2003 and have some expertise in this area.
Yamaha makes good entry-level acoustic guitars with a solid playing experience and a decent tone at an economical price.
Thanks to this, Yamaha has earned a reputation for good performance instruments and reliable build quality with a model to suit most budgets.
The Yamaha FG series is one of the more successful guitar series from this brand.
In fact, Yamaha has claimed that it is the most sold acoustic guitar series of all time.
Thus, it’s no surprise that many guitar players grew up with Yamaha’s FG series, especially since it was first introduced in the 1960s.
Obviously, there’s a lot of history and a lot to say about this series of guitars.
But in this article, I will just focus on comparing their two models Yahama FG700s vs FG730s.
(This is my first post comparing specific instrument models, but I have compared brands before like in my Taylor vs Martin article. Check it out if you have the chance!)
Yamaha FG700s Vs FG730s: Construction
Yamaha FG700S has a solid Sitka spruce top, a rosewood fretboard, a nato back and sides, and a rosewood bridge. The solid Sitka spruce top is the standout feature given its competitive price. It also features body binding, die-cast tuners, and a tortoise-shell plastic pickguard resulting in a quality instrument. According to reviews, the tuners are reliable, don’t allow for slippage, and work well for fine-tuning.
FG730S has a similar construction to FG700s with a few striking differences. The Sitka spruce top is a high-quality tonewood with solid tops, which is better for the guitar sound. The back and front sides are rosewood rather than nato wood which makes a difference in sound and weight. However, this difference in materials is also why it is somewhat more costly.
Look
The FG700s has two versions: natural and sunburst. The natural version is a light, relatively blonde wood and reassembles classical Yamaha folk guitars. The sunburst has a tan color center and a rather darker, sandy, brown exterior. The black and white body binding, as well as the polished tuners, are very attractive. Overall, I think this guitar looks good.
FG730s has some aesthetic upgrades from the FG700s in addition to a quality spruce top and rosewood back and sides. It has one soundhole inlay and another inlay around the binding. It comes in 3 versions – natural, vintage cherry burst, and tobacco brown sunburst. The natural finish enhances the Sitka spruce beauty, and the vintage cherry burst and tobacco brown sunburst add an old-school artistic air to the guitar.
Yamaha FG700s Vs FG730s: Sound
Although it may be an inexpensive guitar, the sound of FG700 makes quite an impact. The Sitka spruce and nato wood combination generate a good sound. Many claim that the EQ profile has more treble than midrange but with a healthy, round bottom end. All in all, the guitar’s sound is pretty good considering its price.
The FG730s, like FG700s, has a clear and balanced sound. However, the rosewood back and sides give it a higher-quality sound. It is tough to make FG730s or the FG700s sound bad whether playing single-note lines, fingerpicking, or strumming chords. However, the FG730s sounds slightly richer, more robust, and more complex than the FG700s.
Feel
The FG700s and FG730s are by no means small instruments.
They are full-size acoustic guitars.
And not everyone likes a full-size acoustic guitar because it can feel too big due to its depth and width.
But both guitars are fairly manageable because they are lighter weight.
As usual, I recommend getting your guitar professionally set up by a luthier regardless of the make or model of your instrument.
Luthiers will make sure the action is low, (unless you specifically want high action for a particular case), restring your instrument, and otherwise give it a “tune-up” so to speak.
Yamaha FG700s Vs FG730s: Value
As evidence by its popularity, the FG700S is a good value. Although it is regarded as an entry-level guitar, many experienced players own and play it. And there is nothing about it that would necessarily hinder someone from playing it in a specific context. In short, the FG700s is a versatile guitar at an affordable price from construction, look, sound, and feel.
And although the FG730S is a bit more expensive than the FG700S, it is still a good value. The higher price tag comes with better construction, quality tonewoods, and aesthetic features. This instrument is a solid step up from the already formidable FG700s for not that much extra.
Check the latest pricing of the FG700s and FG730s at the previous links.
Conclusion
There are many things to like about FG700S. It comes with an appealing high gloss finish and Stika spruce on top of a solid design.
Like the FG700S, the FG730S also has many things in its favor. It comes with a vintage cherry finish on solid Sitka spruce.
Of course, there are higher-quality guitars. But these guitars have solid quality at a decent price.
Do you own one of these models?
Let me know in the comments!
