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Yamaha NTX5
Yamaha GC82C
VS
Playability
73
Sound
86
Build
82
Value
75
Score
80
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Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
82
Value
65
Score
80
FIND IT ON:
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Yamaha NTX5 vs GC82C

Reasons to Get
Yamaha NTX5 over GC82C

Release Year
2020 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 2.062'' (52.4mm)
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
Value Score
75 vs 65
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Yamaha GC82C over NTX5

Nut Width
2.062'' (52.4mm) 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

Other Key Differences
Yamaha NTX5 vs GC82C

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

Shared Features
Yamaha NTX5 vs GC82C

Saddle Material
Bone
Same Saddle Material
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
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
  • 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
  • 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 both instruments scored 80 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Yamaha GC82C wins when it comes to. On the other hand, the Yamaha NTX5 has the upper hand when it comes to sound, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Yamaha NTX5 is easier to play.

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 NTX5
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha GC82C
  • 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 NTX5 Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2020 NX series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • 23.622" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid European 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/ Black Shaft (35G1800-BB) tuners
  • Weight between 4lbs (1.8kgs) and 4.25lbs (1.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Yamaha GC82C Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2014 GC / GCX series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid American Redcedar top
  • Solid Madagascar Rosewood back
  • Solid Madagascar Rosewood sides
  • Cedro neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Madagascar Rosewood bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gold (35G510QC-M) 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

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

Woods Used in the Yamaha NTX5

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
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.

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 GC82C

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

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 Yamaha NTX5 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 NTX5.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha NTX5
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86
Yamaha GC82C
Sustain 85
Versatility 80
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 NTX5 compares to the Yamaha GC82C.

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 NTX5's are Gold w/ Black Shaft (35G1800-BB) while the Yamaha GC82C's are Gold (35G510QC-M)

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha NTX5
  • 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
Yamaha GC82C
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Yamaha NTX5
Quality of materials 81
Features 75
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 82
Yamaha GC82C
Quality of materials 81
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82

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 NTX5 Nut Width
Yamaha NTX5 Nut Width
Yamaha GC82C Nut Width
Yamaha GC82C Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha GC82C has the wider nut with 52.4mm (2.062'') vs 48mm (1.89''). This is a 4.4mm (0.172'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha GC82C, 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 NTX5 and Yamaha GC82C'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 NTX5 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 NTX5 and the Yamaha GC82C 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 NTX5 Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha NTX5's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha GC82C Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha GC82C'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 NTX5's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha GC82C'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 GC82C.

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 GC82C favors large hands more than the Yamaha NTX5.

Yamaha NTX5:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha GC82C:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha NTX5 and Yamaha GC82C 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 NTX5
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Yamaha GC82C
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha NTX5 vs GC82C
General Yamaha NTX5 GC82C
Brand: Yamaha Yamaha
Year: 2020 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: NX GC / GCX
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid European Spruce Solid American Redcedar
Sides Material: Walnut Rosewood
Back Material: Walnut Rosewood
Bridge: Ebony + Walnut Madagascar Rosewood
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold w/ Black Shaft (35G1800-BB) Gold (35G510QC-M)
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: African Mahogany Cedro
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: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 48mm (1.89'') 52.4mm (2.062'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Atmosfeel (Undersaddle Pickup + Contact Sensor + Mic) (Preamp / Active)