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Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
Yamaha FS820
VS
Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
84
Value
66
Score
81
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Playability
77
Sound
79
Build
62
Value
83
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Yamaha FS820

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic over Yamaha FS820

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Acoustic Rounded vs Acoustic C
Comfortable neck with more 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 Concert
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'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter 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 FS820 over Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic

Release Year
2016 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic Rounded
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Concert vs Jumbo
Compact body with balanced tones
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer 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
83 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Yamaha FS820

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
Four bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony vs Rosewood or Walnut
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Nato
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Yamaha FS820

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body 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
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

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • 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 SJ-200 Western Classic 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 SJ-200 Western Classic is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Yamaha FS820's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Yamaha FS820 has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Yamaha FS820 is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Yamaha FS820 is the better choice.

The Yamaha FS820 meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic 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

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha FS820
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 SJ-200 Western Classic Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2014 Modern Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid AAA Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Rosewood back
  • Solid Rosewood sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Four bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Rounded Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Waverly tuners
  • Weight between 5.05lbs (2.3kgs) and 5.45lbs (2.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Yamaha FS820 Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2016 FG / FGX series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Mahogany back
  • Mahogany sides
  • Nato neck
  • Rosewood or Walnut fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • 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
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

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.

Woods Used in the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic

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.

Woods Used in the Yamaha FS820

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: Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic.

Electronics

Neither of them come with electronics that allow you to connect them to an amp. This makes them completely acoustic, so you'll need to use an external mic to record with them or play live.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
Sustain 90
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85
Yamaha FS820
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79

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 SJ-200 Western Classic compares to the Yamaha FS820.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic is built in United States while the Yamaha FS820 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 SJ-200 Western Classic

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 SJ-200 Western Classic 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 FS820 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 SJ-200 Western Classic.

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 SJ-200 Western Classic's are Waverly while the Yamaha FS820'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 SJ-200 Western Classic
  • 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 FS820
  • Expensive Wood
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • 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 SJ-200 Western Classic
Quality of materials 86
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 84
Yamaha FS820
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 62

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 SJ-200 Western Classic Nut Width
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Nut Width
Yamaha FS820 Nut Width
Yamaha FS820 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic 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 SJ-200 Western Classic, 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 SJ-200 Western Classic's Scale Length
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic's Scale Length
Yamaha FS820's Scale Length
Yamaha FS820'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 Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic has the longest scale: 25.5". The Yamaha FS820 is only 25" long. This is a 0.5'' (12.7mm) 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 SJ-200 Western Classic Neck Profile
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic's neck profile
Yamaha FS820 Neck Profile
Yamaha FS820'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 SJ-200 Western Classic has a U type of neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

The Yamaha FS820, 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 SJ-200 Western Classic Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha FS820 Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha FS820'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 SJ-200 Western Classic's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha FS820'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 FS820.

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 SJ-200 Western Classic favors large hands more than the Yamaha FS820.

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha FS820:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic and Yamaha FS820 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 SJ-200 Western Classic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Yamaha FS820
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Yamaha FS820
General Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Yamaha FS820
Brand: Gibson Custom Yamaha
Year: 2014 2016
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States China
Series: Modern Collection FG / FGX
Colors: Sunburst Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid AAA Sitka Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Rosewood Mahogany
Back Material: Rosewood Mahogany
Bridge: Four bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony Rosewood or Walnut
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Waverly Die-Cast Chrome (TM29T)
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood or Walnut
Neck Material: Mahogany Nato
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Blocks Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25"
Shape: Acoustic Rounded Acoustic C
Frets: 20 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: