Swap
Swap
Yamaha CSF-TA
Yamaha FG-TA
VS
Playability
82
Sound
81
Build
65
Value
81
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
67
Value
80
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Add to Compare
Add to Compare
Add more to comparison
Show Full Spec Comparison
Yamaha CSF-TA vs FG-TA Specs Comparison
Yamaha CSF-TA FG-TA
General
Brand: Yamaha Yamaha
Year: 2016 2016
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: TransAcoustic Guitars TransAcoustic Guitars
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Die-Cast Chrome Die-Cast Chrome
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Nato Nato
Decoration: Dots Dots
Scale Size: 23.625" 25.6"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 15.75"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Pickups: SYSTEM70 TransAcoustic (Preamp / Active) SYSTEM70 TransAcoustic + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp / Active)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome

Reasons to Get
Yamaha CSF-TA over FG-TA

Body Shape
Parlor vs Dreadnought
Very small body with prominent mid tones
Scale Length
23.625'' (600.1mm) vs 25.6'' (650.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
4.05lbs (1.8kgs) vs 5.05lbs (2.3kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
81 vs 80
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Yamaha FG-TA over CSF-TA

Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Body Shape
Dreadnought vs Parlor
Prominent low-end tones in a large body
Scale Length
25.6'' (650.2mm) vs 23.625'' (600.1mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Yamaha CSF-TA vs FG-TA

No Key Differences Found

Shared Features
Yamaha CSF-TA vs FG-TA

Back Material
Mahogany
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Plastic
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Rosewood
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Nato
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
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
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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

  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • 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

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.

Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Yamaha CSF-TA:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha FG-TA:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Yamaha CSF-TA meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Yamaha FG-TA 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 CSF-TA
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha FG-TA
  • 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

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

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.

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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

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

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha CSF-TA
Sustain 75
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 81
Yamaha FG-TA
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 Yamaha CSF-TA compares to the Yamaha FG-TA.

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. Both come with Die-Cast Chrome.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha CSF-TA
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha FG-TA
  • 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

Yamaha CSF-TA
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 65
Yamaha FG-TA
Quality of materials 61
Features 80
Quality Control 60
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

Yamaha CSF-TA Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 43mm (1.693'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Yamaha CSF-TA's Scale Length
Yamaha CSF-TA's Scale Length
Yamaha FG-TA's Scale Length
Yamaha FG-TA'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 FG-TA has the longest scale: 25.6". The Yamaha CSF-TA is only 23.625" long. This is a 1.975'' (50.2mm) 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

Yamaha CSF-TA 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 CSF-TA and the Yamaha FG-TA 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 CSF-TA Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha CSF-TA's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha FG-TA Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha FG-TA'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 FG-TA's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha CSF-TA'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 CSF-TA.

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

Yamaha CSF-TA and Yamaha FG-TA 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 CSF-TA
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
Yamaha FG-TA
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73