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Yamaha FSC-TA
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
VS
Playability
77
Sound
81
Build
65
Value
79
Score
74
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Playability
72
Sound
79
Build
72
Value
84
Score
74
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Yamaha FSC-TA vs Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String

Reasons to Get
Yamaha FSC-TA over Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String

Release Year
2016 vs 2012
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Strings
6 vs 12
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Number of Frets
20 vs 19
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.77'' (45mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 25.3'' (642.6mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 11.81'' (300mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String over Yamaha FSC-TA

Number of Frets
19 vs 20
Warmer neck pickup
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
Strings
12 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Nut Width
1.77'' (45mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25.3'' (642.6mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
11.81'' (300mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
84 vs 79
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Yamaha FSC-TA vs Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String

Saddle Material
Plastic vs NuBone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Rosewood vs Walnut
Different Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Nato vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Walnut
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6-6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs NuBone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Yamaha FSC-TA vs Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String

Back Material
Mahogany
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany
Same Sides Material
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
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 vs Vintage
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
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • 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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 74 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String wins when it comes to build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Yamaha FSC-TA has the upper hand when it comes to sound, playability.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 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

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

New Player Friendliness

Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • 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 FSC-TA Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2016 TransAcoustic Guitars series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Mahogany back
  • Mahogany sides
  • Nato neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: SYSTEM70 TransAcoustic (Preamp/Active)
  • Rosewood bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Die-Cast Chrome tuners
  • Weight between 4.7lbs (2.1kgs) and 4.9lbs (2.2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String Overview

  • From Fender's 2012 Artist series
  • Tim Armstrong Signature
  • Made in China
  • 12 strings
  • 25.3"'' scale
  • 11.81" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Mahogany top
  • Laminated Mahogany back
  • Laminated Mahogany sides
  • Maple neck
  • Walnut fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman CD Preamp (Preamp/Passive)
  • Walnut bridge
  • Acoustic C Shape Set neck
  • 19 Vintage frets
  • Vintage-Style with Aged White Plastic Buttons 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

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.

Woods Used in the Yamaha FSC-TA

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

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.

Woods Used in the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut

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.

It's a hard wood with a chocolate color that is often used to give an elegant finish. Since it's quite expensive and rare, it's mostly used for guitar tops. Find out more about Walnut.

Winner: Yamaha FSC-TA.

Electronics

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

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha FSC-TA
Sustain 75
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 81
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
Sustain 75
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 70
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 Yamaha FSC-TA compares to the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String.

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 Yamaha FSC-TA has 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.

On the other hand, the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String comes with 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.

Winner: Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String.

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 FSC-TA's are Die-Cast Chrome while the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String's are Vintage-Style with Aged White Plastic Buttons

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha FSC-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
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • NuBone 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Yamaha FSC-TA
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 65
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
Quality of materials 76
Features 85
Quality Control 55
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

Yamaha FSC-TA Nut Width
Yamaha FSC-TA Nut Width
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String Nut Width
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String has the wider nut with 45mm (1.77'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 2mm (0.077'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String, 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 FSC-TA's Scale Length
Yamaha FSC-TA's Scale Length
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String's Scale Length
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String'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 Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String has the longest scale: 25.3". The Yamaha FSC-TA is only 25" long. This is a 0.3'' (7.6mm) 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 FSC-TA Neck Profile
Yamaha FSC-TA's neck profile
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String Neck Profile
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String'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.

Both the Yamaha FSC-TA and the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String 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 FSC-TA Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha FSC-TA's Fingerboard radius
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String Fingerboard Radius
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String'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 Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha FSC-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 FSC-TA.

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 FSC-TA favors large hands more than the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Yamaha FSC-TA:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha FSC-TA Frets Size
Yamaha FSC-TA's Frets Size
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String Frets Size
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String's Frets Size

The Yamaha FSC-TA has Medium frets, which should be taller than the Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String's Vintage 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

Yamaha FSC-TA
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 65
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha FSC-TA vs Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
General Yamaha FSC-TA Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12 String
Brand: Yamaha Fender
Year: 2016 2012
Strings: 6 12
Made in: China China
Series: TransAcoustic Guitars Artist
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Mahogany
Sides Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Rosewood Walnut
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Die-Cast Chrome Vintage-Style with Aged White Plastic Buttons
Fretboard: Rosewood Walnut
Neck Material: Nato Maple
Decoration: Dots Hellcat and Double Skulls
Scale Size: 25" 25.3"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic C Shape
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 19 Vintage Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 11.81"
Nut: Plastic NuBone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 45mm (1.77'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: SYSTEM70 TransAcoustic (Preamp / Active) Fishman CD Preamp (Preamp / Passive)