guitar test : Yamaha FG730s vs Seagull S6 sound samples

Here are pictures and sound samples comparing two very popular acoustic guitars in the 400€ price range.
The guitars were both fitted with brand new sets of Martin bronze 80/20.
3 different players played the guitars in the same settings, and were recorded with a zoom H2.
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More sound samples are available here :
http://soundcloud.com/sinopsycho/sets/yamaha-fg730s-vs-seagull-s6
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More information is available here :
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217614
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Here are some detailed guitar specs :
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Seagull S6 original
Top : Solid Cedar
Back & Sides : Wild Cherry
Neck : Silver Leaf Maple
Fingerboard & Bridge : Rosewood
Finish : Semi-Gloss
Nut width 1.8 in
Body Depth 4.9 in
Strings Scale 24.84 in
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Yamaha FG730s
Top : Solid Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides : Rosewood
Neck : Nato
Fingerboard & Bridge : Rosewood
Finish : Glossy
Nut width 1.6875 in
Body Depth 4.625 in
Strings Scale 25.5625 in

Category:

Music

Tags:

• guitar
• Seagull
• S6
• cedar
• versus
• Yamaha
• FG730s
• spruce
• sound
• samples
• comparison
• pictures
• recording
• test
• evaluation
• blindtest

[pattiny04]

Is that last song you played Cat Power's "Love to Be Silly?" I love that song and have been looking for a tab. Any idea where I might find one? Thanks.

[raumfahrerralf]

@pattiny04

No it's "oh Papa" by Libba Cotten / taught by Stefan Grossman / played by sinopsycho.

Sorry, can't help you with "Love to be silly", I just listened to this song though and it does sound REALLY similar. Find the tab to "Oh Papa", it might give you ideas :) (we had it from the dvd "Fingerpicking Guitar Techniques" by Grossmann, but the tab is probably out there somewhere.

[DoorMat444]

great video! It's very close between the two. Not sure I can even decide!

[raumfahrerralf]

@DoorMat444 thanks. Indeed the guitars sound very similar and although there is a slight difference it is hard to say which is which on a blind-test. It is even harder to say one is better than the other.

[shippalrus]

From youtubes source, and the phones on my head, (beyerdynamic dt880 2003 version)

I want to chime in and say that the last sample sounds noticeably better on S6, the rest is CLOSE with the slightest edge to S6 in the first sample.

[ankeyao]

Prefer the Seagull because it's more acoustic... Yamaha sounds metal and weird to me.

[Zenstudent105]

@TheXxAfflictionxX My teacher told me Yamaha is a "good work horse guitar," especially if you're a beginner (like me.) Great guitar for the price, and much better than the guitar I used to play on.

[Softrockman]

Having larger hands / longer fingers I chose and bought the Seagull S6 Cedar because of the wider fret board, much easier for me to play and I preferred the brighter sound, is it me or does it sound louder than other similar priced acoustics?

[KRPunK77Guitarist]

Yamaha has more clarity, more bass and treble, but sacrifice mids. the S6 is basically the same except boxier

[Pinoyako11705]

Yamaha definitely has more, not much, but noticeablely more bass, while the Seagull trades it for more treble.

[TheXxAfflictionxX]

They sound the virtually the same i want the seagull but i only have 200 is the yamaha good

[xjerryc2x]

Go Seagull go!! I just got my performance CW! Sounds awesome!!!

[bidyutmuk]

Clearly, Cedar top S6 has a very mellow & soft tone, which is really great... sounds like a guitar should.

Yamaha, in comparison, is a tad bit towards brighter & more metallic, acoustically...

Now its all down to personal preference :)

[7hotfuzz7]

I've had the Seagull S6 over a year now, and it has never disappointed me. Many people believe that the Yamaha is better for strumming chords, but i beg to differ. If you have decent strings, the S6 sounds incredible. The fingerpicking is beautiful and it is easier, in my opinion, because of the wider string spacing. The cedar/cherry combo is a unique sound that you can use for any situation. Alternate tunings sound so amazing its hard to even describe. You get 3X more for what you pay.