Yamaha CG192C Classical Guitar Review: A Harmonious Blend of Tradition and Quality

When it comes to classical guitars, Yamaha is a name that resonates with musicians and enthusiasts worldwide. I have been recommending these instruments for the past 20 years. With a rich heritage of crafting exceptional instruments, Yamaha continues to deliver quality and innovation with each new model. In this review, we’ll explore the Yamaha CG192C Classical Guitar, a masterpiece that combines traditional craftsmanship with modern features to create a harmonious playing experience.

A Brief Overview of Yamaha Guitars

Torakusu Yamaha established the Yamaha Corporation in 1887. Yamaha manufactures a wide range of products, including musical instruments, audio equipment, motorcycles, and more. Obviously, I’ll focus on their guitar division.

Yamaha’s venture into guitar manufacturing began in the mid-20th century. The company initially gained recognition for producing quality classical and nylon-string guitars. Over the years, they expanded their guitar lineup to include steel-string acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, and related accessories.

Yamaha guitars, especially classical guitars, have earned a reputation for their craftsmanship, playability, and affordability. They cater to musicians of all skill levels, ranging from beginners to professional players. Yamaha offers a diverse range of guitar models to suit various musical styles and preferences.

In the classical guitar category, Yamaha produces instruments made from different tonewoods, such as spruce, cedar, mahogany, and rosewood. They offer models with varying body shapes within the classical guitar genre providing options for different playing styles, body types, and tonal preferences. Yamaha’s classical guitars are known for their balanced sound, reliability, and solid construction.

Design and Construction

The Yamaha CG192C follows the traditional design principles of classical guitars, featuring a full-size body shape with a single cutaway. The body design provides a balanced and rich tone with excellent projection.

Top, Back, and Sides

The CG192C’s top consists of solid cedar wood. My first instrument was a Cedar top. Cedar is known for its warm and mellow characteristics, delivering a sweet and expressive tone. In my experience, it tends to be more responsive to a lighter touch.

Unusual for a guitar in this price range, the back and sides of the CG192C consist of solid rosewood. Rosewood offers a balanced tonal response with pronounced bass, clear midrange, and sparkling trebles. It contributes to the guitar’s overall tonal richness and depth.

The Neck

The neck of the CG192C consists of African mahogany, which provides strength and stability. The neck is designed with a traditional Spanish heel construction, where it is integrated into the body for enhanced resonance and sustain. The fingerboard crafted from ebony, creates a smooth feel, durability, and excellent tonal response. One thing I wish Yamaha and other classical makers would integrate into their necks is a truss rod. It helps with strength and allows for adjusting the relief due to weather changes over the seasons. This isn’t a deal breaker by any means. My current concert guitar does not have one.

Bracing and More

Yamaha utilizes traditional fan bracing on the CG192C. Fan bracing consists of wooden struts that support the guitar’s top, contributing to its structural integrity and tonal balance. This bracing pattern allows for optimal vibration and responsiveness while maintaining stability.

Like most instruments in this price range, the CG192C features a gloss finish, which enhances the guitar’s aesthetic appeal. The gloss finish also helps protect the wood and contributes to the guitar’s resonance by allowing it to vibrate more freely.

Sound and Performance

The combination of a solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides contributes to CG192C’s tonal characteristics. The cedar top delivers a warm and mellow tone with a good amount of midrange presence. It offers a nuanced and expressive sound, particularly well-suited for delicate passages. The solid rosewood back and sides provide a strong low-end response with clear and sparkling trebles, resulting in a well-rounded and balanced tone overall.

The CG192C offers good sustain, allowing notes to ring out and blend well together. I think the biggest factor in the sustainment of the instrument is the use of solid Rosewood back and sides. This quality is important for classical guitar playing, where longer sustain helps to achieve smooth transitions between notes and phrases. The guitar also exhibits excellent projection, meaning it can produce a loud and clear sound, filling up a room or concert hall without sacrificing tonal balance.

Again, the solid wood construction contributes to the CG192C wide dynamic range, meaning it can respond well to changes in playing intensity. It allows for expressive playing techniques, ranging from delicate and soft passages to powerful and bold accents. This dynamic responsiveness makes the guitar versatile and suitable for various musical styles and genres.

Playability and Comfort

The Yamaha CG192C is designed with playability and comfort in mind, providing a guitar that is enjoyable to play for both beginners and experienced guitarists. Here are some factors that I think contribute to its playability and comfort:

Neck Profile

The CG192C features a comfortable neck profile that allows for easy and smooth movement along the fretboard. It is slightly flatter than my current concert guitar, and I think I might lean more toward it in my next concert instrument. The neck is neither too thick nor too thin, striking a balance that accommodates a wide range of playing styles.

Scale Length and Nut Width

The CG192C has a standard scale length, typically around 25.6 inches (650mm). This scale length provides a comfortable string tension and fret spacing, allowing for accurate intonation and ease of playing across the entire neck. The nut width, typically around 2.04 inches (52mm), provides enough space between the strings, facilitating proper finger placement and chord formation. These are the standards for classical guitars. Finding a smaller scale length is unusual at this price point.

Action and Setup

The action of the CG192C, which refers to the distance between the strings and the fretboard, is set at a comfortable height to ensure easy fretting without excessive finger pressure. This helps reduce finger fatigue and makes the guitar more forgiving for beginners or players transitioning from other guitar styles. From the factory, I’ve been quite pleased with the initial setup of these guitars. It is right in the range I am comfortable with for my own playing.

Fretwork and Intonation

Yamaha is known for its attention to detail, and this is evident in the fretwork and intonation of the CG192C. The frets are well-dressed, ensuring smooth and accurate playability up and down the neck. The guitar is set up to have proper intonation, meaning the notes play in tune all the way up the fretboard. Only rarely have I found a buzz when testing a new one. Yamaha’s quality control is quite high compared to other large makers.

Value and Longevity

The Yamaha CG192C offers excellent value for its price point ($550-$600), providing a combination of quality craftsmanship, sound, and playability.

Value:

The CG192C’s solid cedar top, solid rosewood back and sides, and overall construction contribute to its value. The guitar provides a rich, warm tone and good projection, which are desirable qualities for classical guitarists. Compared to guitars in similar price ranges, the CG192C offers a high level of craftsmanship and sound quality. Its components and materials are chosen carefully to deliver a reliable and enjoyable playing experience. Therefore, in terms of value, the CG192C is considered a worthwhile investment for those seeking a quality classical guitar without breaking the bank.

Longevity

The longevity of a guitar depends on various factors, including the quality of materials, construction, and how well it is maintained. I have played many Yamaha classical from 10 to 20 to 30 years old. Each one, when properly cared for, has yet to disappoint me. Yamaha is known for producing durable and reliable instruments, and the CG192C is designed to withstand the test of time.

The solid wood construction of the CG192C, including the cedar top and rosewood back and sides, contributes to its durability. Solid wood tends to mature and improve with age, developing a richer and more resonant sound over time.

Below is a great demo of the sound quality you get with the CG192C:

Yamaha CG192C Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Exceptional craftsmanship and high-quality materials result in a well-built instrument with a rich and balanced sound.
2. Its versatile tone makes it suitable for a wide range of musical styles, from classical to flamenco.
3. The comfortable playability, thanks to its well-designed neck profile and action, allows for enjoyable and fatigue-free playing sessions.

Cons:

1. The Yamaha CG192C guitar’s price may be considered relatively high, which could be a limiting factor for budget-conscious buyers.
2. It lacks built-in electronics, requiring additional investment in external amplification options for live performances or recording.

Conclusion

The Yamaha CG192C Classical Guitar embodies the essence of Yamaha’s commitment to excellence in instrument craftsmanship. With its exquisite design, superior sound quality, and versatility, this guitar is an outstanding choice for both beginner and experienced classical guitarists. The combination of traditional construction techniques and modern innovations creates an instrument that excels in both form and function. Whether you’re a dedicated classical musician or an aspiring guitarist exploring different genres, the CG192C will undoubtedly inspire and elevate your musical journey.

Hopefully, you can now make an informed decision on whether this guitar is right for you. Next, check out our guide on keeping it clean.

Looking for other options for a classical guitar? Check out our post on the Best Classical Guitars Under 1000.

Editorial Process:

My reviews are made by a team of one, myself, before being written and come from real-world experience. Read our editorial process here.

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Chadwick Becks

I have two degrees in guitar performance and was privileged to study under Aaron Shearer, Tom Kikta, David Skantar, Ken Karsh, Tim Bedner, and currently Christopher Berg. Outside my editorial work on this blog, I teach full-time across many genres including classical, jazz, blues, rock, funk, and metal.