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Yamaha NCX3
Takamine GC1
VS
Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
70
Value
76
Score
76
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Playability
70
Sound
76
Build
60
Value
79
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Yamaha NCX3 vs Takamine GC1

Reasons to Get
Yamaha NCX3 over Takamine GC1

Release Year
2020 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic Asymmetrical C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Top Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Number of Frets
20 vs 19
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
2.047'' (52mm) vs 2'' (50.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Reasons to Get
Takamine GC1 over Yamaha NCX3

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
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Nut Width
2'' (50.8mm) vs 2.047'' (52mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Value Score
79 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Yamaha NCX3 vs Takamine GC1

Back Material
Walnut vs Sapele
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Walnut vs Sapele
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Plastic vs Synthetic Bone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Ebony + Walnut vs Fixed
Different Bridge Material
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Yamaha NCX3 vs Takamine GC1

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
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

  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • 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

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Yamaha NCX3 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Takamine GC1's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Yamaha NCX3 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Takamine GC1 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?

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 NCX3
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Takamine GC1
  • 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 NCX3 Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2020 NX series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Walnut back
  • Solid Walnut sides
  • African Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Atmosfeel (Undersaddle Pickup + Contact Sensor + Mic) (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony + Walnut bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gold w/ Matte Black Shaft (RM1388NB-B06) tuners
  • Weight between 3.95lbs (1.8kgs) and 4.3lbs (2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Takamine GC1 Overview

  • From Takamine's 2014 G series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Spruce top
  • Sapele back
  • Sapele sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Fixed bridge
  • Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
  • 19 Medium frets
  • Takamine Chrome 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
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.

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 Yamaha NCX3

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut

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.

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.

Woods Used in the Takamine GC1

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Sapele wood pattern used for guitar building
Sapele

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

Winner: Yamaha NCX3.

Electronics

The Yamaha NCX3 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 NCX3.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha NCX3
Sustain 85
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 84
Takamine GC1
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 76

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 NCX3 compares to the Takamine GC1.

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 NCX3 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 Takamine GC1 comes with a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

Winner: Takamine GC1.

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 NCX3's are Gold w/ Matte Black Shaft (RM1388NB-B06) while the Takamine GC1's are Takamine Chrome

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha NCX3
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Takamine GC1
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Laminated Top Wood
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Yamaha NCX3
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 70
Takamine GC1
Quality of materials 61
Features 65
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 60

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 NCX3 Nut Width
Yamaha NCX3 Nut Width
Takamine GC1 Nut Width
Takamine GC1 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha NCX3 has the wider nut with 52mm (2.047'') vs 50.8mm (2''). This is a 1.2mm (0.047'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha NCX3, 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 NCX3 and Takamine GC1'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 NCX3 Neck Profile
Yamaha NCX3's neck profile
Takamine GC1 Neck Profile
Takamine GC1'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 NCX3 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 GC1, 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 NCX3 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 NCX3 and the Takamine GC1 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 NCX3:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Takamine GC1:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha NCX3 and Takamine GC1 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 NCX3
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Takamine GC1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha NCX3 vs Takamine GC1
General Yamaha NCX3 Takamine GC1
Brand: Yamaha Takamine
Year: 2020 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: NX G
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Spruce
Sides Material: Walnut Sapele
Back Material: Walnut Sapele
Bridge: Ebony + Walnut Fixed
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold w/ Matte Black Shaft (RM1388NB-B06) Takamine Chrome
Fretboard: Ebony Laurel
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: Plastic Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 52mm (2.047'') 50.8mm (2'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Atmosfeel (Undersaddle Pickup + Contact Sensor + Mic) (Preamp / Active)