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Yamaha GC42C
Takamine TH5C
VS
Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
82
Value
65
Score
80
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Playability
70
Sound
84
Build
85
Value
75
Score
80
FIND IT ON:
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Yamaha GC42C vs Takamine TH5C

Reasons to Get
Yamaha GC42C over Takamine TH5C

Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic Asymmetrical C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Number of Frets
20 vs 19
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
2.047'' (52mm) vs 2.008'' (51mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Reasons to Get
Takamine TH5C over Yamaha GC42C

Release Year
2016 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
19 vs 20
Warmer neck pickup
Neck Profile
Acoustic Asymmetrical C vs Acoustic C
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Pickups Brand
Takamine vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Width
2.008'' (51mm) vs 2.047'' (52mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Value Score
75 vs 65
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Yamaha GC42C vs Takamine TH5C

Bridge Material
Indian Rosewood vs Fixed
Different Bridge Material

Shared Features
Yamaha GC42C vs Takamine TH5C

Back Material
Rosewood
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Bone
Same Saddle Material
Body Wood
Cedar
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck 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
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
Fretboard Radius
Flat
Same fretboard comfortability
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 both instruments scored 80 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Takamine TH5C wins when it comes to build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Yamaha GC42C has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

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?

Both meet 5 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 GC42C
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Takamine TH5C
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • 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 GC42C Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2014 GC / GCX series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Western Redcedar top
  • Solid Madagascar Rosewood back
  • Solid Madagascar Rosewood sides
  • African Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Indian Rosewood bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gold (YTM-81) tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Takamine TH5C Overview

  • From Takamine's 2016 Hirade & Classical series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Cedar top
  • Solid Rosewood back
  • Solid Rosewood sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: CTP-3 CoolTube (Preamp/Active)
  • Fixed bridge
  • Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
  • 19 Medium frets
  • Takamine 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
Cedar wood pattern used for guitar building
Cedar
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.

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.

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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

The Takamine TH5C 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:Takamine TH5C.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha GC42C
Sustain 85
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Takamine TH5C
Sustain 90
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84

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 GC42C compares to the Takamine TH5C.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Japan.

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.

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 GC42C's are Gold (YTM-81) while the Takamine TH5C's are Takamine

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha GC42C
  • Made in Japan
  • 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
Takamine TH5C
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone 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 GC42C
Quality of materials 81
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82
Takamine TH5C
Quality of materials 81
Features 85
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 85

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 GC42C Nut Width
Yamaha GC42C Nut Width
Takamine TH5C Nut Width
Takamine TH5C Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha GC42C has the wider nut with 52mm (2.047'') vs 51mm (2.008''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha GC42C, 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 GC42C and Takamine TH5C'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 GC42C Neck Profile
Yamaha GC42C's neck profile
Takamine TH5C Neck Profile
Takamine TH5C'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 Yamaha GC42C has a C type of 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.

The Takamine TH5C, on the other hand, has a Asymmetrical neck. Even though this neck shape looks like a poorly-made job, it's, in fact, the neck that most naturally adapts to the arc of your hand when grabbing a guitar neck. You'll notice that the lower part of your palm makes a more pronounced, deeper curve while the upper part makes a more subtle arch. This is the shape that adapts the best to that natural arch your hand makes while playing.

Fretboard Radius

Yamaha GC42C Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard 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.

Both the Yamaha GC42C and the Takamine TH5C have the same fretboard radius of Flat. This is common mostly in classical guitars since the strings are soft and have lower tension, so there's no need for a radius. Also, it's perfect for fingerstyle and more technical play.

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 are balanced for most hand sizes.

Yamaha GC42C:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Takamine TH5C:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha GC42C and Takamine TH5C 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 GC42C
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Takamine TH5C
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha GC42C vs Takamine TH5C
General Yamaha GC42C Takamine TH5C
Brand: Yamaha Takamine
Year: 2014 2016
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: GC / GCX Hirade & Classical
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Western Redcedar Solid Cedar
Sides Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Back Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Bridge: Indian Rosewood Fixed
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold (YTM-81) Takamine
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: African Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration:
Scale Size: 25.6" 25.6"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic Asymmetrical C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 19 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: Flat Flat
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 52mm (2.047'') 51mm (2.008'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: CTP-3 CoolTube (Preamp / Active)