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Yamaha NTX3
Yamaha CG122MCH
VS
Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
70
Value
76
Score
76
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Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
60
Value
81
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Yamaha NTX3 vs CG122MCH

Reasons to Get
Yamaha NTX3 over CG122MCH

Release Year
2020 vs 2013
From a more recent year
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 2.047'' (52mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
23.622'' (600mm) vs Flat
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Yamaha CG122MCH over NTX3

Nut Width
2.047'' (52mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
Flat vs 23.622'' (600mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
81 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Yamaha NTX3 vs CG122MCH

Back Material
Walnut vs Nato
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Walnut vs Nato
Different Sides Material
Bridge Material
Ebony + Walnut vs Rosewood
Different Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce vs Cedar
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Nato
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Yamaha NTX3 vs CG122MCH

Saddle Material
Plastic
Same Saddle Material
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
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
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

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • 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

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 NTX3 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Yamaha CG122MCH's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The Yamaha NTX3 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Yamaha CG122MCH has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Yamaha NTX3.

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 NTX3
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha CG122MCH
  • 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 NTX3 Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2020 NX series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • 23.622" 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 around 4.15lbs (1.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Yamaha CG122MCH Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2013 CG & CGX Classical Guitars series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid western red cedar top
  • Nato back
  • Nato sides
  • Nato neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Rosewood bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • 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 the Yamaha NTX3

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

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.

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 Yamaha CG122MCH

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

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.

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.

Winner: Yamaha NTX3.

Electronics

The Yamaha NTX3 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 NTX3.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha NTX3
Sustain 85
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 84
Yamaha CG122MCH
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 65
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 NTX3 compares to the Yamaha CG122MCH.

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. The Yamaha NTX3's are Gold w/ Matte Black Shaft (RM1388NB-B06) while the Yamaha CG122MCH's are Chrome

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha NTX3
  • 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
Yamaha CG122MCH
  • Expensive Wood
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • 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 NTX3
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 70
Yamaha CG122MCH
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 NTX3 Nut Width
Yamaha NTX3 Nut Width
Yamaha CG122MCH Nut Width
Yamaha CG122MCH Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha CG122MCH has the wider nut with 52mm (2.047'') vs 48mm (1.89''). This is a 4mm (0.157'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha CG122MCH, 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 NTX3 and Yamaha CG122MCH'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 NTX3 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 NTX3 and the Yamaha CG122MCH 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 NTX3 Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha NTX3's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha CG122MCH Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha CG122MCH'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 NTX3's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha CG122MCH'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 CG122MCH.

Still, both are closer to a Stratocaster radius than a Les Paul, so both of them will favor chord playing rather than soloing.

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 CG122MCH favors large hands more than the Yamaha NTX3.

Yamaha NTX3:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha CG122MCH:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha NTX3 and Yamaha CG122MCH 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 NTX3
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Yamaha CG122MCH
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha NTX3 vs CG122MCH
General Yamaha NTX3 CG122MCH
Brand: Yamaha Yamaha
Year: 2020 2013
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: NX CG & CGX Classical Guitars
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid western red cedar
Sides Material: Walnut Nato
Back Material: Walnut Nato
Bridge: Ebony + Walnut Rosewood
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold w/ Matte Black Shaft (RM1388NB-B06) Chrome
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: African Mahogany Nato
Decoration:
Scale Size: 25.6" 25.6"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 23.622" Flat
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 48mm (1.89'') 52mm (2.047'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Atmosfeel (Undersaddle Pickup + Contact Sensor + Mic) (Preamp / Active)