Yamaha FG800J vs Fender CD-60S for a Beginner
Yamaha FG800J or Fender CD-60S? Both are solid top dreadnoughts around the same price. The difference is tone wood and neck feel, not quality.
Quick Answer:
Both are solid top dreadnought acoustics in the same price bracket and both are genuinely good first guitars. The FG800J has a solid spruce top over laminate sides and a brighter, more open sound. The CD-60S in the all mahogany version is warmer and more mellow, with a rolled fingerboard edge that many beginners find comfortable. Neither is a mistake.
| Factor | Yamaha FG800J | Fender CD-60S |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Solid spruce | Solid top, all mahogany version available |
| Sound character | Brighter, more projection | Warmer, more mid focused |
| Neck feel | Standard C shape | Rolled fingerboard edges * |
| Typical price | Around 260 dollars | Around 230 dollars * |
| Body size | Dreadnought | Dreadnought |
| Suits a small player | Full size only | Full size only |
| Setup out of the box | Usually good, check the action | Usually good, check the action |
| Resale | Strong, well known model | Strong, well known model |
* Indicates better option for that factor
What a solid top actually changes
Both guitars have a solid wood top rather than a laminate one, and that is the specification worth paying for at this price. A solid top vibrates more freely and, unlike laminate, opens up over years of playing. Below about two hundred dollars most guitars use laminate throughout, which is why these two are the usual recommendations rather than the cheapest options on the page. The sides and back on both are laminate, which is normal at this price and affects the sound far less than the top does.
Choosing between spruce and mahogany
Spruce is brighter and louder with more headroom for strumming, which suits pop, folk and anyone who plays with a pick. Mahogany is warmer and more compressed, which flatters fingerpicking and singing over the guitar. Neither is better and both are used on expensive instruments. If the player already knows what music they want to play, that is a more useful guide than any specification, and if they do not, this difference will not decide whether they keep going.
The thing that matters more than either
Action, meaning the height of the strings above the fretboard, decides whether a beginner keeps playing. A guitar with high action hurts to press down and makes clean chords nearly impossible, and it is the single most common reason a first guitar ends up in a cupboard. Both of these ship reasonably set up and both benefit from a setup at a local shop, which typically costs between forty and eighty dollars and is the best money you can spend on a beginner instrument.
Size, and when a full size guitar is wrong
Both are full size dreadnoughts. A dreadnought body is large, and a child under roughly eleven or a small adult may struggle to reach around it comfortably. If the player cannot get their strumming arm over the body without hunching, the guitar is too big and a three quarter size or a concert body is the better answer. That is a fit question rather than a quality question, and it is worth resolving before choosing between these two.
Our Verdict
For a beginner buying online without playing either first, the FG800J is the slightly safer choice, because its brighter voice suits the strummed chord playing most beginners start with and Yamaha's quality control at this price is consistently reported as good. Take the CD-60S if the player prefers a warmer sound, if the rolled fingerboard edge appeals, or if it is meaningfully cheaper on the day. Whichever you buy, budget for a setup.
We review it on its own too, in full detail: the Yamaha FG800J .
The two instruments compared
Comparison based on published manufacturer specifications, current listings and the general consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not played these instruments ourselves and do not claim to have. Confirm current specifications and prices before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to get a new guitar set up?
It is the best forty to eighty dollars you can spend. A setup adjusts the string height, the neck relief and the nut slots so the guitar plays easily. Factory setups vary even on good models, and a beginner cannot tell the difference between a guitar that is hard to play and their own lack of skill, which is why a badly set up first guitar so often ends the hobby.
Which is better for small hands?
Neither is designed for small hands, since both are full size dreadnoughts with standard nut widths. If reach is the issue, look at a three quarter size guitar or a concert body rather than choosing between these two. Nut width differences between models at this price are small enough that they will not solve a genuine size mismatch.
Are the bundles with a bag and tuner worth it?
Usually yes for a first guitar, because a case, a tuner, spare strings and a strap are all things you will buy anyway and bundles are normally cheaper than assembling them. Check what is actually included, since bundle contents vary and some include a low quality bag that will not protect the guitar in a car.
How is this comparison put together?
From published manufacturer specifications, current listings and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not played these guitars ourselves and do not claim to have. What we can do is read the specifications that matter at this price, the top construction, the scale length and the body size, and set them against what owners consistently report after months of use.
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