Yamaha NTX1 BS Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Nylon-String Classical Guitar, Brown Sunburst

I’ve owned several high-end steel string acoustic guitars ( Alvarez GY-1, Taylor XXX-MS, Goodall RCJC ) but this mass-produced, made in China nylon string is my favorite.It has an extremely well-balanced tone which delivers deep bass without draining out the treble. Percussion sounds incredible acoustically and translates very well through the blended pickup. If you do a lot of taps, slaps, and rhythmic finger style techniques then this guitar will deliver where others fall short. It delivers a very broad and resonating sound that will elevate your songwriting and performance. Many of the techniques I struggled with on a steel string are much more manageable and audible with this nylon string while still providing a very familiar feel.Despite the narrow body and cutaway I found that it has a pretty decent volume and the blended pickup is ready to go if you need more punch.I’ve always been impressed with Japanese instruments and this is no exception.The design of the guitar is top notch and I love the natural tone of the sitka spruce and the minimalist look of unmarked fingerboard. It was the aesthetics that initially caught my eye but the specs, blended pickup system, and the way it handles percussion are ultimately what sold me.Mine had a couple minor cosmetic issues which included several nicks on the neck in an isolated area as well as a small dent on the back which had occurred prior to the clear coat being applied. This model is made in China but they do offer a higher-end model that’s finished in Japan although it may not fit the budget.I did notice some rogue vibrations and twanginess in certain instances that could be problematic for recording in a professional setting. However, I was able to overcome them with some precision but this could be problematic for some people.

I'm trying to learn to play the guitar at 72 years old (I just retired and this was on my bucket list…lol). I also have a Taylor 600 that I bought in the late 80’s and hardly touched because I could not practice enough to make it past the finger pain (traveling all the time). This guitar so easy to pick up, do a quick tune-up with the onboard tuner and play with little finger pain, I spend 1-2 hours per day practicing with Cordify and Justin's Guitar lesson. I don't sound good but the guitar does. It is well-made and looks great.Everything I have ever purchased from Yamaha has been great and fairly priced. There is no shortage of guitars in this price range $400-500+- and I did a lot of reading on the options. I am confident that to get the same quality from another manufacturer, I would have had to pay $300+- more.

I'm a beginner, but steel strings (even thin coated ones) are just too hard on my fingers. The nylon strings require less pressure to play a note and are just on the fingers. I find that the volume is adequate without resorting to an amplifier for my needs. There is a cool feature in the electronics that I like as a beginner. The internal computer analyzes the frequency of a single note and displays its value; hence you can quickly see what note you just played if you haven't sorted out the frets and strings yet. I suppose if you are seasoned classical guitar played you don't need marks to guide you on which fret is which, but only #5 and #7 are marked with a dot on the side of the neck. I miss #3, #9 and a double #11. I suppose I could add my own dots, but this is the only thing I don't like about this guitar.

I had been singing and playing guitar my whole life, it is my favorite pastime. I was a songwriter some decades ago; since then, my guitar skills became somewhat stagnant, and I decided to come back to the hobby, leaning new styles and do some recording. I mostly play arpeggio/fingerstyle.On a whim, I bought Yamaha NTX1 when it went on sale here. I liked the guitar, looks nice, plays easy, the tone is balanced, I can use it for recording provided the mic is added because the installed pickup is basic piezo. The only thing I do not like is how low it is as an acoustic. I am not a guitar guru, I have only 2 guitars to compare to -- both nylon -- the venerable classic Resonata (made in DDR in the 70s, all layered wood but still sounds ok), and also classic all solid wood one made by Sergio Zepeda from early 00s in Nicaragua. This one is nice instrument. Both are way better acoustically compared to the NCX, especially the Zepeda's. I compared the guitars, and it looks like the top wood of Yamaha is way too thick (3.5mm vs 2mm for the others). It is instantly noticeable when one taps under the bridge: NCX1 sound is lower/dull, other two are the same and way higher/crispier tone. So, I am pondering sending it back and buying a different crossover. NCX5 may be, or another brand altogether. Not this time Yamaha!

The guitar sound, quality and after-sales service are all very good

The Yamaha NTX1 Is a great guitar. The craftsmanship is the next level, same as the sound quality. The amplifier control is a tuner as well. I love that feature. Small enough to be very easy to handle, and big enough to give the feeling of a full size guitar. I have two acoustic guitars, a Taylor and my new Yamaha. This Yamaha NTX1 is as bit as good as my Taylor if not better in some ways, and that is a lot to say knowing the quality of the Taylor guitars. Don’t let don’t Let The Price fool you, the guitar is really worth it.

I received the guitar in perfect condition although box was a bit damaged. It was almost in tune. It stays in tune well and sounds beautiful. I love it