Yamaha CPX500

This is me playing my Yamaha CPX500 at a recently R-T-Y-D acoustic Sunday.

I bought this in late December as I needed something electro-acoustic for live gigs.

Firstly let me state I have three string strung acoustics in my collection... a Yamaha LL-11 (beautiful thing I bought about 10 years ago), the CPX we're talking about and an FG 12 string.   So I like Yamaha acoustics!

Okay - the CPX is a full size guitar not like the smaller very common Yamaha APX range.  I wanted a full size as I want something not just for stage, also personally I think they sound better amplified as well.

Build quality is very good as you'd expect of Yamaha even at the lower end of the range.  Everything that is visible through the hole looks neat and tidy and well put together.  I like natural acoustics and the front of this whilst not the best piece of spruce you'll ever see is still nice enough and the finish is applied very well.  There is a scratchplate but it is a transparent one to keep the clean look of the top - I like that.

The back and sides are Nato I believe so have that reddy tint you see on that wood.  Again for the price point all neat and nice.  The neck has a C verging on a D shape to it, more like my FG 12 string (though not as wide) than the more V pronounced shape on my LL.  Not too large for an acoustic, in fact if you are use to larger Gibson electric necks like on a some Les Pauls then this is close to that.  The strings are closer together on Yamahas than on some other makes but I've never really found that a hassle but maybe if you are a finger picker only you might need to consider that.

Tuners are good enough being smooth and no slip.  The electrics are on the upper shoulder with a end peg jack socket - neat and less likely to cause a problem if dropped than having a socket put into the sides.  You get a vol, three band eq and a sweep filter (help with feedback spots) and a tuner.  There's a quick access battery compartment for a typical 9 volt block.  Oh yes there is a strap button on the heel already - good.  I always hate having to add that myself to a new guitar.

Soundwise... acoustically it is nicely balanced and good volume and projection throughout the range - which with the cut away is easy with those upper fret Giltrap bits!  However to my ears the top doesn't really cut through as on a better quality guitar like my LL11 but it isn't an unreasonable sound at all.

Plugged in the top end is the opposite - this is quiet a toppy guitar when plugged in.  However a good thing it has the edge to cut through a mix but you might find yourself like me knocking the trebble down a touch.  One small niggle is the tuner - whilst useful on board you tap the button and it comes alive but the output isn't muted so your tuning is exposed - a shame.  If you retune a lot in the gig I'd recommend a floor based tuner that mutes - that is how I'm thinking of going.  The tuner turns off after a minute - which i've not found an issue with but again if you are someone going from Standard to DADGAD to Open G etc. you might find that not so useful.

Playabilitywise it is well set up straight away - with 11s on it there is no problem and for my regular use of it as an accompniment machine to my warbling it goes well.  Given the price you can pick these up for if you need an electro-acoustic I'd recommend a look at them.