Swap
Swap
Yamaha CG122MCH
Yamaha LL16D ARE
VS
Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
60
Value
81
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoMusician's Friend logoSweetwater logo
Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
74
Value
77
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logo
Add more to comparison

Yamaha CG122MCH vs LL16D ARE

Reasons to Get
Yamaha CG122MCH over LL16D ARE

Nut Width
2.047'' (52mm) vs 1.732'' (44mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Body Shape
Classical vs Jumbo
Compact body with soft nylon strings
Fretboard Radius
Flat vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
81 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Yamaha LL16D ARE over CG122MCH

Release Year
2014 vs 2013
From a more recent year
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 2.047'' (52mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Jumbo vs Classical
Large body with a tight waist for more top-end
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs Flat
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Yamaha CG122MCH vs LL16D ARE

Back Material
Nato vs Rosewood
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Nato vs Rosewood
Different Sides Material
Bridge Material
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Body Wood
Cedar vs Spruce
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Nato vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Yamaha CG122MCH vs LL16D ARE

Saddle Material
Plastic
Same Saddle Material
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
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
Scale Length
25.6'' (650.2mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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 Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Yamaha LL16D ARE is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Yamaha CG122MCH's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The Yamaha LL16D ARE wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Yamaha CG122MCH has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Yamaha LL16D ARE.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Yamaha CG122MCH is the better choice.

The Yamaha CG122MCH meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Yamaha LL16D 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

Yamaha CG122MCH
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha LL16D ARE
  • 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.

Yamaha CG122MCH Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2013 CG & CGX Classical Guitars series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid western red cedar top
  • Nato back
  • Nato sides
  • Nato neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Rosewood bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Chrome tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Yamaha LL16D ARE Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2014 L series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Engelmann Spruce with A.R.E. top
  • Solid Rosewood back
  • Solid Rosewood sides
  • Mahogany + Rosewood (5-Ply) neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Passive System + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp/Passive)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Die-Cast Gold (TM29G) tuners
  • Weight between 4.85lbs (2.2kgs) and 5.1lbs (2.3kgs)
  • 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

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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 Yamaha CG122MCH

Nato wood pattern used for guitar building
Nato
Cedar wood pattern used for guitar building
Cedar

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.

This is a softwood that is commonly used for acoustic guitars. It's known for its warm tone with strong overtones. However, there are many species so the tone and look can vary a lot.

Woods Used in the Yamaha LL16D ARE

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
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.

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.

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.

Winner: Yamaha LL16D ARE.

Electronics

The Yamaha LL16D ARE 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 LL16D ARE.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha CG122MCH
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79
Yamaha LL16D 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 Yamaha CG122MCH compares to the Yamaha LL16D 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.

In this case, both have Plastic nuts. 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.

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 Yamaha CG122MCH's are Chrome while the Yamaha LL16D 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
Yamaha CG122MCH
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha LL16D 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

Yamaha CG122MCH
Quality of materials 61
Features 65
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 60
Yamaha LL16D ARE
Quality of materials 76
Features 80
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 74

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

Yamaha CG122MCH Nut Width
Yamaha CG122MCH Nut Width
Yamaha LL16D ARE Nut Width
Yamaha LL16D ARE Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha CG122MCH has the wider nut with 52mm (2.047'') vs 44mm (1.732''). This is a 8mm (0.315'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha CG122MCH, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Yamaha CG122MCH and Yamaha LL16D ARE's Scale Length
Both have the same 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.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.6".

It's very similar to a typical long 25.5" guitar scale, but with an extra inch probably to compensate the saddle position in acoustic guitars. It should be pretty much the same as a 25.5" scale guitar.

It will allow you to strum hard without hearing so much fret buzz, even with lower tunings.

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

Yamaha CG122MCH Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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.

Both the Yamaha CG122MCH and the Yamaha LL16D ARE have a C-shaped 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

Yamaha CG122MCH Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha CG122MCH's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha LL16D ARE Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha LL16D 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 Yamaha LL16D ARE's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha CG122MCH'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 CG122MCH.

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 Yamaha CG122MCH favors large hands more than the Yamaha LL16D ARE.

Yamaha CG122MCH:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha LL16D ARE:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha CG122MCH and Yamaha LL16D ARE 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

Yamaha CG122MCH
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Yamaha LL16D ARE
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha CG122MCH vs LL16D ARE
General Yamaha CG122MCH LL16D ARE
Brand: Yamaha Yamaha
Year: 2013 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: CG & CGX Classical Guitars L
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid western red cedar Solid Engelmann Spruce with A.R.E.
Sides Material: Nato Rosewood
Back Material: Nato Rosewood
Bridge: Rosewood Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Chrome Die-Cast Gold (TM29G)
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Nato Mahogany + Rosewood (5-Ply)
Decoration: Dots
Scale Size: 25.6" 25.6"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: Flat 15.75"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 52mm (2.047'') 44mm (1.732'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Passive System + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp / Passive)