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Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo
Yamaha FGX820C
VS
Playability
70
Sound
83
Build
84
Value
64
Score
79
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Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
67
Value
85
Score
75
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Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo vs Yamaha FGX820C

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo over Yamaha FGX820C

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2020 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Historic AJ vs Acoustic C
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
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
1.725'' (43.8mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
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
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
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)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Yamaha FGX820C over Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo

Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic Historic AJ
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Number of Frets
20 vs 19
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Dreadnought vs Jumbo
Prominent low-end tones in a large body
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
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
Value Score
85 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo vs Yamaha FGX820C

Back Material
Rosewood vs Mahogany
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood vs Mahogany
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Rectangle, open slot vs Rosewood or Walnut
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Nato
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo vs Yamaha FGX820C

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard 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
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Type of Frets
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
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Prices

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SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Yamaha FGX820C's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Yamaha FGX820C has the upper hand when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Yamaha FGX820C is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha FGX820C
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2020 Historic Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Thermally Aged Red spruce top
  • Solid Rosewood back
  • Solid Rosewood sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Rectangle, open slot bridge
  • Acoustic Historic AJ Set neck
  • 19 Medium frets
  • Waverly tuners
  • Weight around 4.45lbs (2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Yamaha FGX820C Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2016 FG / FGX series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Mahogany back
  • Mahogany sides
  • Nato neck
  • Rosewood or Walnut fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: SYSTEM66 + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp/Active)
  • Rosewood or Walnut bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Die-Cast Chrome (TM29T) tuners
  • Compare Specs >

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
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
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.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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 Yamaha FGX820C

Nato wood pattern used for guitar building
Nato

Nato a hard and dense wood similar to Mahogany, but cheaper and not quite as hard. Tone-wise, it's also similar, but it doesn't have quite the same attack as Mahogany.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

The Yamaha FGX820C comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.

Winner:Yamaha FGX820C.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo
Sustain 90
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 83
Yamaha FGX820C
Sustain 80
Versatility 95
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 Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo compares to the Yamaha FGX820C.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo is built in United States while the Yamaha FGX820C is made in China.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

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: Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo

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 Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Yamaha FGX820C 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: Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo.

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 Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo's are Waverly while the Yamaha FGX820C's are Die-Cast Chrome (TM29T)

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha FGX820C
  • Expensive Wood
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo
Quality of materials 86
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 84
Yamaha FGX820C
Quality of materials 66
Features 80
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 67

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

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Nut Width
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Nut Width
Yamaha FGX820C Nut Width
Yamaha FGX820C Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo has the wider nut with 43.8mm (1.725'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 0.8mm (0.032'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo's Scale Length
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo's Scale Length
Yamaha FGX820C's Scale Length
Yamaha FGX820C'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 FGX820C has the longest scale: 25.6". The Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo 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

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Neck Profile
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo's neck profile
Yamaha FGX820C Neck Profile
Yamaha FGX820C'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 Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo has a Vintage type of neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

The Yamaha FGX820C, 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

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha FGX820C Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha FGX820C'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 Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha FGX820C'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 FGX820C.

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''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo favors large hands more than the Yamaha FGX820C.

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha FGX820C:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo and Yamaha FGX820C Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70
Yamaha FGX820C
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo vs Yamaha FGX820C
General Gibson Custom 1936 Advanced Jumbo Yamaha FGX820C
Brand: Gibson Custom Yamaha
Year: 2020 2016
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States China
Series: Historic Collection FG / FGX
Colors: Sunburst Black
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Thermally Aged Red spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Rosewood Mahogany
Back Material: Rosewood Mahogany
Bridge: Rectangle, open slot Rosewood or Walnut
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Waverly Die-Cast Chrome (TM29T)
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood or Walnut
Neck Material: Mahogany Nato
Decoration: Mother-of-pearl Diamonds and Arrows Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.6"
Shape: Acoustic Historic AJ Acoustic C
Frets: 19 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 15.75"
Nut: Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 43.8mm (1.725'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: SYSTEM66 + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp / Active)