Yamaha CSF1M Vintage Natural

Product Information

The Yamaha CSF1M electro-acoustic guitar, seen here in a great looking Vintage Tint, defies expectations you have of smaller-size acoustic guitars and comes at a great price. Great Playability, Great Value Although invented over a century ago, the timeless beauty and unparalleled tone of Parlor guitars are finding more and more admirers in recent years. It’s easy to see why Parlor guitars are compact, travel-friendly, and offer a rich, resonant tone that can fill up a room. That’s why we’re witnessing more and more musicians adding Parlor guitars to their personal collections.

Overall Build and Design: The PN1MHOPN (quite a mouthful to say!) is smaller in size than most other Parlor guitars – which is not a good or a bad thing – it’s simply about personal preference. Despite its size, it produces a rich tone with plenty of sustain. The open-pore natural brown finish makes it quite irresistible to look at, and the delicate adornment around the soundhole and the body adds a beautiful touch. It has a 24.4” scale length with 18 frets, which will be quite comfortable to play at even for those used to playing regular sized guitars. The design is relatively lightweight and compact, which means you can take it with you and play anywhere—and yes, that also includes an occasional small gig. The action is low, and it’s easier to wrap your arms around its body, which makes it reasonably comfortable too. You probably won’t need to make a lot of tweaks. It should be playable right out of the box. You’ll also find some lower-end guitars made out of agathis too. This tonewood is inexpensive but still sounds decent enough.

Body & Neck

It’s not just the aesthetics; the sound is also a nod to classical acoustic guitars. It’s punchy, sparkly, and immaculately clean. The tones are well-rounded, far better than vintage acoustics. What I don’t like Thanks to being cleverly designed, even a tiny Parlor guitar projected loud, distinct, resonant tones – a quality that was greatly appreciated by musicians frequently playing in indoor and outdoor Parlor settings, as well as doing so unamplified. Elsewhere, there’s a solid rosewood bridge with a unique offset design, with a urea saddle and a matching urea nut. Meanwhile, the closed gear diecast chrome tuning machines are reliable and precise, as we’d expect from a Yamaha in this price range. Finally, it comes fitted with a good set of Elixir NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze Light strings – so a string change won’t be necessary for some time – as well as its own hard case, which is another welcome addition. Sound Not everybody agrees on the definition of a parlor guitar, but even though it is debatable, most luthiers consider a guitar smaller in dimensions than a 0-size concert a parlor sized guitar. When you wrap your arms around it, you’ll notice that it is a tad longer than usual guitars. The only complaint I have with this model is the quality of the tuning pegs. With regular use, they either become too stiff or too loose, and you would need to either tighten or oil them. Pros

Included with the Yamaha CSF1M is a hard bag so you can protect your guitar during transport and storage.My Review: With a solid build, high quality wood, and a great tone, the Yamaha CSF-TA is mighty impressive. Their cutting-edge transacoustic technology offers you onboard effects that let you tweak your guitar’s reverb and chorus without needing any amplification whatsoever. With a solid Sitka Spruce top and mahogany body, you can expect a pretty full-bodied, crisp and resonant tone, whether you’re playing plugged in or unplugged. Overall, the CSF-TA has a lot going for itself and is worth exploring for both beginner and experienced musicians.

There is nothing particularly flashy about the CSF1M, yet it’s a very good-looking instrument with classic Yamaha style and a few appointments that suggest it’s a step above some of the more budget parlors. Now, coming to the Transacoustic part – to be honest, we were *pretty* excited when we first got our hands on the CSF-TA. Simply because we’d already heard so much about the brand’s Transacoustic technology that lets you tweak reverb and chorus without needing to plug in your guitar. We hadn’t tried it as yet and weren’t sure if it would live up to the hype. Well, we gave it a go and weren’t disappointed. Several of the brands we’ve included in our list were actually around when the Parlor guitars were first pioneered, so they’ve lived through that era. However, that is not to say that newer brands can’t make great Parlor guitars. Whether legacy brands or boutique ones, it all boils down to the knowledge and thought you put into the design. What is a Parlor Guitar? Overall Build and Design: The EL Pro has a lot going for itself, so let’s go through them one by one. Firstly, this guitar has been inspired by flat top guitars that were all the rage in the 1930s among blues and folk guitarists. We love its vintage burst finish and the classic Parlor shape, especially the pronounced and considerably flared lower half. It evokes a serious nostalgia for the traditional Parlor of the early 1900s. Secondly, this is a larger body than other Parlors, which gives you a loud projection and tone, while still retaining the quintessential Parlor style. Body Shape: While all Parlor guitars are narrow in shape than standard guitars, they do come in two slightly different shapes. The first is a pear-shape, where the lower half of the body is considerably wider than the top half.Parlor guitars are not only jaw-droppingly beautiful, they produce a distinct resonant mid-range tone that is exciting to play as well as record. We hope this list gave you a low-down of all the key features of a wide range of Parlor guitars, from collector’s edition models to great starter Parlors. In the end, what matters is your preferences – be it for wood, tone, or overall design. Whether a high-end dreadnought or an affordable travel guitar, you can always rely on Yamaha to have a model to offer – and the parlor guitar market is no different. Part of the newly released CSF Series, the CSF1M is an affordable electro-acoustic parlor guitar that is well on its way to becoming one of the most popular parlors on the market. Let’s see why. These body designs were deliberately chosen to maximize the volume produced by these guitars without compromising on their small size. Aside from their functional significance, such designs also give that classic vintage look to Parlor guitars that are quite a sight to behold. Overall Build and Design: By looking at the way the C9 Parlor is built, it’s easy to see why it’s such a beautiful sounding guitar. Its all-solid construction, Spanish heel construction style, and bracing style all are masterful techniques to bring the best possible sound out of the guitar. The vintage elegance is quite admirable in its design – the cedarwood and solid mahogany body has a wonderful natural brown, high gloss finish, along with glimmering and tasteful mother-of-pearl weave rosettes.