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Epiphone Dove Studio
Yamaha LL16M ARE
VS
Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
75
Value
89
Score
79
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Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
72
Value
82
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
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Epiphone Dove Studio vs Yamaha LL16M ARE Specs Comparison
Epiphone Dove Studio Yamaha LL16M ARE
General
Brand: Epiphone Yamaha
Year: 2012 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson L
Colors: Brown Burst Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Engelmann Spruce with A.R.E.
Sides Material: Maple Mahogany
Back Material: Maple Mahogany
Bridge: Indian Laurel Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic 14:1 Die-Cast Gold (TM29G)
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany + Rosewood (5-Ply)
Decoration: Pearloid Parallelogram Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.6"
Shape: Acoustic SlimTaper D Acoustic C
Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 15.75"
Nut: NuBone Plastic
Nut Width: 42.7mm (1.68'') 44mm (1.732'')
Electronics
Pickups: Fishman Sonicore (Preamp / Active) Passive System + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp / Passive)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Gold

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Dove Studio over Yamaha LL16M ARE

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Acoustic SlimTaper D vs Acoustic C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
NuBone vs Plastic
Hard and self-lubricating nut to keep it in tune
Nut Width
1.68'' (42.7mm) vs 1.732'' (44mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Dreadnought vs Jumbo
Prominent low-end tones in a large body
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 25.6'' (650.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
89 vs 82
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Yamaha LL16M ARE over Epiphone Dove Studio

Release Year
2014 vs 2012
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic SlimTaper D
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.732'' (44mm) vs 1.68'' (42.7mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Body Shape
Jumbo vs Dreadnought
Large body with a tight waist for more top-end
Scale Length
25.6'' (650.2mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Epiphone Dove Studio vs Yamaha LL16M ARE

Back Material
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Sides Material
Bridge Material
Indian Laurel vs Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
NuBone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Epiphone Dove Studio vs Yamaha LL16M ARE

Saddle Material
Plastic
Same Saddle Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Yamaha LL16M ARE Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Yamaha LL16M ARE favors large hands more than the Epiphone Dove Studio. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Epiphone Dove Studio:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha LL16M ARE:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Epiphone Dove Studio meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Yamaha LL16M ARE meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone Dove Studio
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha LL16M ARE
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Epiphone Dove Studio

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Yamaha LL16M ARE

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Winner: Yamaha LL16M ARE.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Epiphone Dove Studio
Sustain 85
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85
Yamaha LL16M ARE
Sustain 85
Versatility 90
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 85

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Epiphone Dove Studio compares to the Yamaha LL16M ARE.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in China.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Epiphone Dove Studio has a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Yamaha LL16M ARE comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Epiphone Dove Studio.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Epiphone Dove Studio's are Grover Rotomatic 14:1 while the Yamaha LL16M ARE's are Die-Cast Gold (TM29G)

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Dove Studio
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Plastic Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha LL16M ARE
  • Expensive Wood
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Epiphone Dove Studio
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 75
Yamaha LL16M ARE
Quality of materials 76
Features 80
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 72

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Epiphone Dove Studio Nut Width
Epiphone Dove Studio Nut Width
Yamaha LL16M ARE Nut Width
Yamaha LL16M ARE Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha LL16M ARE has the wider nut with 44mm (1.732'') vs 42.7mm (1.68''). This is a 1.3mm (0.052'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha LL16M ARE, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Epiphone Dove Studio's Scale Length
Epiphone Dove Studio's Scale Length
Yamaha LL16M ARE's Scale Length
Yamaha LL16M ARE's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Yamaha LL16M ARE has the longest scale: 25.6". The Epiphone Dove Studio is only 25.5" long. This is a 0.1'' (2.5mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Epiphone Dove Studio Neck Profile
Epiphone Dove Studio's neck profile
Yamaha LL16M ARE Neck Profile
Yamaha LL16M ARE's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Epiphone Dove Studio has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

The Yamaha LL16M ARE, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Epiphone Dove Studio Fingerboard Radius
Epiphone Dove Studio's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha LL16M ARE Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha LL16M ARE's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Epiphone Dove Studio's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha LL16M ARE's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Yamaha LL16M ARE.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Fret Size

Epiphone Dove Studio Frets Size
Epiphone Dove Studio's Frets Size
Yamaha LL16M ARE Frets Size
Yamaha LL16M ARE's Frets Size

The Epiphone Dove Studio has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Yamaha LL16M ARE's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Epiphone Dove Studio
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
Yamaha LL16M ARE
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73