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Yamaha FSX5
Martin 000-18
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Playability
77
Sound
86
Build
84
Value
77
Score
82
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Playability
77
Sound
86
Build
88
Value
74
Score
84
FIND IT ON:
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Yamaha FSX5 vs Martin 000-18

Reasons to Get
Yamaha FSX5 over Martin 000-18

Release Year
2019 vs 1933
From a more recent year
Nut Width
1.732'' (44mm) vs 1.75'' (44.5mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Concert vs Auditorium
Compact body with balanced tones
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.9'' (632.5mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
77 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Martin 000-18 over Yamaha FSX5

Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm) vs 1.732'' (44mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Body Shape
Auditorium vs Concert
Narrower and shallower than a Dreadnought with less lower tones
Scale Length
24.9'' (632.5mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
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

Other Key Differences
Yamaha FSX5 vs Martin 000-18

Saddle Material
Bone vs Compensated
Different Saddle Material
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Hardwood
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
Yamaha FSX5 vs Martin 000-18

Back Material
Mahogany
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany
Same Sides Material
Bridge Material
Ebony
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
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
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
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 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 the Martin 000-18 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 84 compared to the Yamaha FSX5's 82 score, although not by a lot.

The Martin 000-18 wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Yamaha FSX5 has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Yamaha FSX5 is the better choice.

The Yamaha FSX5 meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Martin 000-18 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 FSX5
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin 000-18
  • 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 FSX5 Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2019 FG/FS Red Label series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Mahogany back
  • Solid Mahogany sides
  • African Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Atmosfeel (Undersaddle Pickup + Contact Sensor + Mic) (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Open-Gear Chrome (Y1D) tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Martin 000-18 Overview

  • From Martin's 1933 Standard series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.9"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany back
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany sides
  • Select Hardwood neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Modified Low Oval Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Nickel Open Gear 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
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.

Woods Used in the Martin 000-18

Hardwood wood pattern used for guitar building
Hardwood

Hardwood is just a generic wood that can come from many species. This type of wood is used to build guitars because it provides a rich, warm sound. The wood also has good structural properties, making it durable and long-lasting.

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 FSX5
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86
Martin 000-18
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86

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 FSX5 compares to the Martin 000-18.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Yamaha FSX5 is built in Japan while the Martin 000-18 is made in United States.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

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.

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 Bone nuts. 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.

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 FSX5's are Open-Gear Chrome (Y1D) while the Martin 000-18's are Nickel Open Gear

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha FSX5
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin 000-18
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Compensated Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Yamaha FSX5
Quality of materials 86
Features 75
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 84
Martin 000-18
Quality of materials 84
Features 85
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 88

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 FSX5 Nut Width
Yamaha FSX5 Nut Width
Martin 000-18 Nut Width
Martin 000-18 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Martin 000-18 has the wider nut with 44.5mm (1.75'') vs 44mm (1.732''). This is a 0.5mm (0.018'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Martin 000-18, 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 FSX5's Scale Length
Yamaha FSX5's Scale Length
Martin 000-18's Scale Length
Martin 000-18'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 FSX5 has the longest scale: 25". The Martin 000-18 is only 24.9" 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

Yamaha FSX5 Neck Profile
Yamaha FSX5's neck profile
Martin 000-18 Neck Profile
Martin 000-18'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 FSX5 and the Martin 000-18 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 FSX5 Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha FSX5's Fingerboard radius
Martin 000-18 Fingerboard Radius
Martin 000-18'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 FSX5's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Martin 000-18'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 Martin 000-18.

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.

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

Yamaha FSX5:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin 000-18:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha FSX5 and Martin 000-18 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 FSX5
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
Martin 000-18
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha FSX5 vs Martin 000-18
General Yamaha FSX5 Martin 000-18
Brand: Yamaha Martin
Year: 2019 1933
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan United States
Series: FG/FS Red Label Standard
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Ebony Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Open-Gear Chrome (Y1D) Nickel Open Gear
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: African Mahogany Select Hardwood
Decoration: Dots Abalone Old Style 18
Scale Size: 25" 24.9"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic Modified Low Oval
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 16"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 44mm (1.732'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Atmosfeel (Undersaddle Pickup + Contact Sensor + Mic) (Preamp / Active) Fishman (Preamp / Active)