Yamaha CSF3M Compact Folk Review

Its fantastic

Everything about this guitar is fantastic. I've had mine for a few weeks and its by far the best sounding acoustic guitar I have owned.

---

Cancel Comment

Great Yamaha guitar from Sweatwater,my first time impressive experience with Sweawater... ! Great job !

I get used to shop on Amazone for photo gear many years..but when it came to guitars,it was kind of different products..I had to return my first online ordered acoustic guitar due to some defects on the guitar bridge (a full paid guitar with problem??!! )… then thr some research I've learnt of Sweatwater,its 55-point inspection,service and double packed shipping....these really… read more good,get rid of any problems first place when they come fr the manufacturers...thus a peace of mind,saving time for buyers later...So I placed my first trial order of this... Yamaha CSF3M ...and everything going thr very smoothly: my Sale Engineer : Jordan Firstenberg,the quick delivery time,the double packed boxes,the pre-inspection..etc...such a great experience for me. After my late afternoon first order,I got a follow-up call from Jordan about the info. shipment: many thanks to Jordan for his dedicated customer support...This guitar is very good ,esp. its price point: solid wood, small size but generous volume and brightness,balanced tone overall..smooth playability. Nice shape and color...You never be wrong with a Yamaha ( I also have a Yamaha Bass,more than 20 years old:still good,paint,finish,electronics...etc...)...trust me ... Yamaha guitars are like tanks....In short ,now I know Sweatwater is a good place to shop for music stuff... I am waiting my another electric Epiphone guitar order coming, and again,many many thanks to my Sale Engineer, Jordan F. , such a great and knowledge gentleman.

---

Cancel Comment

Perfect!

I'd bounced around on two or three different guitars this size. I watched a video on this one, and was interested. Tyler Moore, my salesman, said that Yamaha was quality builds. I have a 90s bass, and used to sell Yamaha guitars. I always said that they had the technology that others didn't. So, I gave it a shot. I tell you, the guitar is perfect. Amazing tone. The action was a… read more little high for me, but a 1/4 turn on the truss rod git it close. I sanded the saddle just a bit, and it plays better than my electric guitars. The quality of woods and workmanship is amazing. Now, I'm considering an LL-16M, too.

---

Cancel Comment

Nice guitar.

professional acoustic git player so may wanna listen. I don't write a lot of reviews but this is a really nice parlor for 5 bills. If you want an acoustic that projects and sounds bright and comes with a nice set up, this is your baby. Passive pick up so buy a Fishman amp or some pre amp. Been playing it for about 2 yrs and I'm keeping it. I would say its best for folk and blues… read more cause of its brightness and ability to project. Brings to mind Bob Dylan in the 60's playing protest music in the street. That's its sound but also great for old school Mississippi acoustic blues. It does have a nice jingly jangly sound feel but not overly so. Its making me look at other Yamaha gits and basses with an open mind. At least play one before you decide on an acoustic. You may be pleasantly surprised!

---

Cancel Comment

Excellent

After months of playing gigs on a superb Sigma GJA-SG200+ (also recommended) I felt the need to let my fingers rest on a smaller guitar. Enter the yamaha csf3m. I tried the guitar in-store and was hooked. Both acousticly and plugged in this guitar will make you want to play more, and be suprised how good a guitar of this size can sound. Went back to try it 3 times, and couldn't… read more torget it. An excellent addition to any collection and an absolute joy to play.

---

Cancel Comment

Exceptional value

In my search for a compact alternative to my dreadnaught- and orchestra-sized acoustics, I came across the Yamaha CSF3M, dubbed a "modern parlor guitar" by the manufacturer. In my experience, most such guitars are junk or pricey high-end instruments. Inexpensive all-solid-wood guitars are rare, especially ones that are this well made and set up and that sound this good. The CSF3M… read more has a rich, resonant tone, balanced and not at all boxy. Solid mahogany back and sides are beautifully finished with lighter mahogany binding, and the neck, with a slight "V" shape, is very comfortable. The short 23.5" scale is easy to navigate, and the 1 11/16" width at the nut is about the same as many electrics. The CSF3M comes with a nice-sounding pickup, surprisingly free of piezo "quack," and a sturdy hard-foam case. This little guitar is fun to play and a terrific value for the money.

---

Cancel Comment

Good Things Come in Small Packages

I've been having some issues with arthritis, and so went hunting for a smaller-bodied, shorter-scale guitar. A friend of mine said that Yamaha does "amazing things really cheap," and I played a CSF3 at a local store the other day. Seemed louder, and had more bottom than the competitor that they had in stock (you know, the small guitar by a big name that comes in several different… read more "flavors"), and I played 3 - 4 of those. I just received my Yamaha CSF3M, played it, and it truly packs a lot of value into that wee package: All solid woods (sitka/mahogany), 23 5/8" scale, proprietary pickup which is REALLY clean and accurate, but passive, so requires some serious preamping. That's no problem, as I've become something of an acoustic guitar preamp hoarder. If you are NOT, however, expect to have to boost the signal some. It really sounds great. No, it does not have that sonorous bottom end that I love on my dreadnought and jumbo guitars, but, physics is physics. For its size, it's great, balanced, comfortable, and, yeah, charming. The included bag, by the way, is identical to the one that ships with that OTHER guitar I mentioned earlier. Hard-sided, well-padded, and black, not tan. Super value all 'round! Finally, let me not forget my man, Chris Sanders, who is beside me all the way on this stuff. He's what makes Sweetwater great!

---

Cancel Comment

Excellent Value

I bought the CSF3M for a travel/beach guitar and an extra acoustic I can leave in an alternate tuning. Sweetwater did a perfect job on the set up for me and shipping was fast. This guitar stays in tune as well if not longer than my $1700 Taylor. The guitar absolutely works for my purposes. It is small but very nice looking and fairly balanced in tone. I don't really get much of… read more the "jingly" vibe that some other reviewer mentioned. Mostly, I use it disconnected but I have connected the CSF3M to my Fender 100 Acoustic amp and the new Fender Smoulder pedal. COOL! After a month with the CSF3M, I'm still glad I chose this over the GS mini or the little martin or jr, etc. I chose this one primarily due to the solid spruce top, solid mahogany back/sides and rosewood fingerboard. I couldn't be happier with the purchase and look forward to hearing it as it ages!

---

Cancel Comment

Beautiful to see and play

I had previously tried a Tobacco Brown CSF3M in a guitar store, and was not pleased with the high action. So I called Sweetwater to ask about a Vintage Natural CSF3M which was my first choice but not available in my city. I was transferred to sales engineer Spencer, who answered my questions with knowledge and patience. I ordered the guitar, with their set up service to lower the… read more action, and a change to lighter strings. The set up was done and the guitar shipped out just 24 hours later. Spencer emailed me the receipt, and a set of high resolution photos including the serial number. Sweetwater's FedEx tracker showed the shipment's progress. The guitar arrived the second business day after shipping. It was packed in a large cardboard box which will be useful for shipping any guitar and case in the future. The shipping box had a Sweetwater sticker warning not to open it for 24 hours to allow the guitar to come to room temperature (it was winter). Very thoughtful. Inside the shipping box was a Yamaha cardboard box enclosing a Yamaha gig bag with the guitar inside that. The guitar is everything I expected. It is a jewel of workmanship, with a perfect low action that is easy to play, and a surprisingly loud sound with pleasing and true notes. My other guitars are dreadnought size, so I wanted a small guitar that was easier to hold, more portable and less valuable, but still sounded good. The parlor size Yamaha CSF3M fills the bill.

---

Cancel Comment

Just WOW

This little guy sounds amazing!! Though I bought this from my local store with a trade and a big discount, I had to post a review since Sweetwater is amazing and buy a lot from here. The sound is not tinny at all and has a full sound. It being solid all around and with mahogany my favorite wood type for back and sides, you can really hear the tone and depth of the body. Body is… read more light and feels nice in the hands. The pick up is okay. Pulled it out and put one I liked in it and upgraded to a bone saddle. Yes, I picked this over the Taylor GS-Mini and Martin D Jr. GS-Mini always sounded like it went bad. D Jr., I wanted a different body shape. Also I prefer a gloss finish over a satin finish. Tone changes there too. I'm so pleased with this!

---

Cancel Comment