FG-700 MS, when listening to a bar of gold isn't enough (Yamaha FG-700 MS)

Member Name: frostokov

Product:	Yamaha FG-700 MS
Date:	09/07/08 (1196 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well crafted, ineffable sound, well priced and probably attract girls

Disadvantages: May draw the girls away from you, no electro-acoustic capabilities

In a hail of mediocre and indistinguishably cowboyesque acoustic guitars, the FG-700 sets a standard. Despite the least attractive name in the history of production lines, the "FG-700" retaliates with superb aesthetics and a build quality that could put greek architects to shame.

Another instrument buoying Yamaha's reputation as a mast of excellency in the market, it begs the question how anyone could derive such a prolonged sustain, delicate register and harmonious altitudes of pitch. The cutting higher strings on this guitar lay waste to the concept of a harp, the lower - if amplified - would threaten a bassists' future job prospects.

Primarily it is the versatility with which the guitar is laden such strength, breathing life into any genre to which the artist may contribute. This all-round excellence is reflected in the 2005 MIA "Best Acoustic Guitar" award that the instrument wooed, a badge of honour adjacent to The Mail on Sunday's zealous appointment as "Best Buy".

Perhaps the most enthralling feature of the guitar is its resilience and continual declaration of quality, which, despite sounding pretentious and unlikely, is true. Having owned one for over a year, using it frequently and accidentally as a futon, giving it what can only be classed as "the stick", it is virtually identical to one which hasn't undergone active student duty. Perhaps the only downfall in the overall instrument is it's lack of Electro-acoustic feature; while cheaper models boast multi-band EQ's, the FG-700 stays the tradition (It would also be ridiculously simple to acquire an acoustic guitar pickup for a reasonable price or microphone, solving this minor issue).

Comparatively, on a rack with models in excess of its aesthetic appeal and price quote, the FG-700 has defined the ideal criteria that one looks for in a relatively-budget acoustic guitar. Exploring more expensive models has only ended in a return to this triumphant beacon of luthierism, the star of the undervalued.

As trite cliché's would have it, this acoustic rounds all corners. It appeals to every sense, even taste once, and does it with a soul. Exhibiting quality that is usually measured in carats, the ripping sound and intricate attention to visual detail appoint this instrument your next musical purchase.

Summary: The ubiquitous, line-drawing acoustic guitar