Shocking Blind Test - Yamaha FG9 Rosewood VS Mahogany | Which One Is Best? 

This isn't the first high priced Yamaha by any means. They have been building boutique quality guitar for decades. The LL 56, 46 & 36 are all hand made Yamahas built in Japan. Absolutely stunningly beautiful looking and sounding guitars. Ranging from $3,500 to $4,600. Approx.

I played a couple of these at the store north of TAS. They are the real deal. A bunch of us would pick them if we were blindfolded. I thought they were better than every Martin in the store.

The only guitar brand I have bought that has never needed a setup out of the box is Yamaha. Awesome guitars and i've just bought an FG9R. It did take a week to open up, now it is heavenly

I have an FG830 and LL6M ARE that blow me away at their price point. Some of the L Series models made in Japan are some of the finest in the world.

damn. this recording is really telling. these guitars are KILLER.

I bought a FG 9 M because, to my ears, it was more balanced than the R version; lighter as well. Also I already own a '94 HD-28 . I will say that the build quality of the FG-9 is better than my Martin. I know it's hard to say that a 4K guitar is a bargain, but if you compare the FG-9's specs, and sound, with other similar guitars it is a good value.

I watched this demo with my studio headphones, and without the screen facing me, so I wasn’t biased in any way towards A or B. When listening to the recording, I could not tell when the guitars were swapped, and I tried to pick out differences. They both sound great, and I would pick a Yamaha over a Martin or Taylor ALL DAY LONG…in fact, I have already. 😂 I don’t want a status symbol; I want a fantastic instrument. I’m not a dread player, and never will be. I would love a folk size version of this one, although my eye is really on an LS-56, which I’ll probably never own. 🐰🇺🇸🎸🎶✌️

These are glorious instruments. Yamaha are a class act, and that goes for the pianos, motorcycles hifi etc too. My 300 dollar fs820 still gets played every day. Great review. Thanks.😊

Nice demo, but I could hear the difference between them - although they both sound good. Thanks for the video. JR

Not to be a history stickler, but if Jeremy were truly a follower of Ned Ludd, he'd have smashed that guitar,😮 Seriously, those both sound great, and look distinctive, especially the elegant fret markers. 👍

Would be interesting to compare these with the aged mahogany Yairis at a similar price point. Another guitar line that compete favourably with more expensive boutique guitars.

Here in the UK the FG9 can be bought for £2911 Sterling (USA $3678). That's almost the same as a new standard Martin D-18 or D-28 at £2,999 (USA $3790). Yamaha's official UK website recommends a selling price of £4253 (USA $ 5370). However good the Yamaha is, I can only see these selling at a good discount. The Martin will undoubtedly hold its secondhand perception and price better.

Great demonstration, I prefer the Rosewood, but I will also say they both sound great.

Yamaha's are amazing. The Red labels and the LL series are fantastic. I played the Mahogany one at my local shop. I'd love to get it but the wife would beat me with it if I got a 4k guitar.

FG9 and a Boucher and I'll be satisfied... I think

Bob Taylor has been quoted as saying that the back and sides m These guitars sound so close to each other that strings and picks will be as much a factor in their sound as will be the build materials. I would have to play them myself to be able to pick which one I like best. That would be a very fun time.

So many builders bringing it. Yamaha already has the high end LL custom shop line but the FG9s are aimed squarely at Martin. That being said, pick up a D-18 or D-28 these days and you’ll likely be impressed. Where Yamaha will excel is in build quality, consistency and value. I also expect to see some real pickers to become ambassadors for these.

A - has more even quality across the spectrum. B - produces slightly a brighter tone, (especially on the higher notes). Both sound great, especially when considering their price.

Question on setup: how is the setup for light (0.012) strings for finger style, light strumming playing and singing?

Both sounded great, but I guessed B was the Rosewood model. Balanced sound , not a Martin clone. Although priced at $4k , I suspect the build quality is excellent so a lifetime purchase!

Interesting how mahogany and rosewood changes the high and low ends. It’s a slight difference., but it’s there. Can’t wait to to try them out!

They are so close it's very difficult to tell the difference, but I felt that "B" mahogany sounded a bit warmer with a touch more mid range. Maybe I'm full of it but I liked "B". Martin has always been my go to favorite but I happened upon a Canadian guitar, Simon&Patrick Woodland Cedar that I liked so much I bought it. These Yamaha's, although better (brighter, articulate) reminded me of the Canadian offering.

Truss rod adjustment at headstock...with little screws attaching the cover plate, you are putting the guitar on a bench in order to make the adjustment in contrast to easily making the adjustment on your lap if at the sound hole. Additionally, impatient guitarists may use the incorrect tool at headstock therefore potentially stripping the screw head. Some adjustment covers now may come without screws though and rely on a friction slide. Headstock adjustment choice may have to do with accommodating for every potential pick up installation configuration.

I wish yamaha would lean more into the other markets they cover. You can find 700/800 series all day (fabulous guitars for ~$200) but anything else is fairly rare ime. I took a leap of faith and recently purchased an ac3m online and man its amazing how nice it is for under a grand. Having the higher end stuff more readily available would really help people get over the belief that yamaha only does great beginner guitars.

(also, fantastic review, gents-thanks again)

Looks like a great guitar but for the price you can get eg. Bourgeois D Vintage/TS Touchstone and Eastman E6OM-TC, which would you prefer?

I liked B's low end even though I'm normally a mahogany guy.

Picked this guitar to be my first dreadnought. I've only ever played smaller guitars before. edit. It was probably one of the thinnest stringy-sounding guitars I ever played. fingerpicking/picking was good but playing chords sounded bad imo. ended up returning it.

Looking forward ro reviews of more affordable Yamahas which punch above their price

Well that's interesting the rosewood was way louder and maybe set up is involved a little sounded like the mahogany was little to low for you john

I want one sooooo badly

I was a B guy. Loved the sound of both, but B stood out the most to me. Guess I am just a Rosewood guy.

The hog has a more focused projection

I would love to see you guys do a comparison between one of the fg9s and an ll56. Yamaha isn’t stepping up their capability with this guitar as much as they are entering a narrow ‘niche’ market among guitars. Are you aware of some of the single-bench guitars? Like the LL56?

Rosewood my vote. Yamahas are the best guitars for the money, from the inexpensive to the top ends, imo. Have a 41 year old FG 335ii that sounds better than a new $5k Martin.

John & Jeremy, is Gibson not in your vocabulary? What is the neck profile like? Nut? Thanks

They obviously want to announce to the world that this is a Yamaha at first glance but I think it would look much classier if they put that neat little FG logo on the top of the peg head. I have a hard time getting past the piano look to that peg head.

The problem Yamaha has with building a really high end guitar is that most of their cheaper guitars already punch so far above their weight class. I literally know people who bought their first "entry level" Yamaha over 40 years ago who still play it and love it. On the other hand a $4000.00 guitar is somewhat of an investment... As to that element, the jury is still out. In 10 or 20 years people are either going to be really happy or really sad they bought an FG9.

Yeah I couldn't tell the difference. Man.

Mahogany all day everyday. I've always felt rosewood guitars have too much overtone and they sound flawed, but I understand some people prefer the overtone.

I can't believe it, but I think the rosewood sounds better.

For a retailer who carries Eastman, a bias against Yamaha, and so late in seeing how good their top end acoustics are is strange. FG9s are made in Japan so the value for now and the future is there.

And if you'll Notice in your travels ,,, " THE" Most high end Piano's , that you'll see world famous Pianist Playing ??? Yamaha ! Their Sound systems , World Class Instruments , you'll see are Yamaha's ! I Just Bought a HD-35,,, and I had to reset the neck,,, twice,,, The tuners are Chrome Grover 300 series , 18:1 ,,Of course it's Rosewood & Sitka and the biggest reason I bought it ? It was " Ambertone" finished , which is sorta abnormal, But the Rosewood was Highly figured, which is extremely Rare in a mass produced Guitar , especially from Martin ! when I registered it with Martin , I was actually looking for them to say ,,, " There's been a Mistake , Can we buy that Guitar back from you ",, And I bought it , Martin Case , full warranty, out the door for $2950.00 ! It plays and sounds amazing , But I also have a Blueridge 160A that a stand toe to Toe with it ! I Bought a Recording King - 328 , that sounds OMG ! But a Yamaha is a Mass Produced , Money Making Music Box ! And as far as it's Origin,,, when people Here " Over sea's" , They automatically Think of JUNK from CHINA ! But Japan is World renowned for their Precise , Flawless wood working skills and hand cut Joints !

Rosewood sounds a bit sharper , but........

I bought an LL-16 Yamaha....absolutely terrible neck....fingerboard had to be pleked to get it to play. Couldn't level it properly with the factory made humps and twists. I got more in the refret then the guitar.

Guitar A ... 👍

Id take off that pickguard 1st thing~ Ugly~ and put on a standard shaped pick guard

Japanese built is better than usa built. Change my mind

talk talk talk. sheesh

$4000 for a yamaha? No freaking way. When buying a guitar you have to way your options. As in what your spending can buy in other brands.

How many times can you say “boutique”? Describing tone is kind of subjective. Bright, warm, woody, bass heavy might make more sense than modern, vintage, traditional. When Taylor introduced the round shoulder “Grand Pacific” dreadnaught and discontinued the traditional dread they said it “brought back a vintage traditional tone”. Certainly not to my ear. Taste is subjective. Tone comes from behind the guitar. It always come down to; the player will always get more out of any guitar than the builder.

There are two, so it's "Which one is better?", not "Which one is best?" C'mon guys, yer makin' us gee-tar players look like mo-rons! 😉

You guys talk yo much and talk over each other...otherwise good reviews