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Yamaha A5R ARE Dreadnought Cutaway - Vintage Natural

6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar with Solid Sitka Spruce Top, Solid Rosewood Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck, and Ebony Fingerboard - Vintage Natural
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Yamaha A5R ARE Dreadnought Cutaway - Vintage Natural
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Solid-top Handmade Acoustic-electric with Vintage Vibe and a Big Voice

Handmade in Japan with select tonewoods, Yamaha's A5R acoustic-electric guitar offers a vintage look with enhanced volume in the low-mid ranges, due to new scalloped bracing for the top and shorter bracing on the dreadnought's back. With a solid Sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides, this guitar sounds fantastic. The Yamaha A5R also benefits from Yamaha's A.R.E. wood torrefaction, a high-heat treatment that imbues the guitar top with greater stability and an aged, vintage hue. The A5R also takes full advantage of Yamaha's acclaimed SRT2 pickup system for recording and stage performance. You get volume, treble, and bass controls (with auto feedback reduction), and blend control allows you to balance between the piezo and SRT2 preamp, for your own distinctive tone.

Modern audio engineering with vintage style

While the Yamaha A5R has a traditional western body cutaway, its lows and highs resonate even more fully than those generated by conventional designs, thanks to new scalloped top bracing and shorter back board bracing. These modifications allow the top and back to resonate more naturally and with greater volume in the low-mid ranges. The western cutaway gives it a classic look, but an all-new brace design definitely brings the Yamaha A5R into the twenty-first century — and the Sweetwater showroom!

Quality woods plus innovation equal brilliant sound

Sitka spruce is highly valued for guitar tops — and for good reason. This select grade of stiff but elastic softwood is equally suited to aggressive strumming, flatpicking, and even fingerpicking styles of play. The Yamaha A5R features a solid Sitka top treated at high heat to remove moisture and volatiles (the A.R.E. process), resulting in greater stability and a beautiful aged color. The A5R solid rosewood back and sides also produce warm, balanced tones from low to high, and the ebony fingerboard and bridge provide additional responsiveness. This is a guitar that looks, plays, and sounds great!

Studio sound onstage

Normally you can best hear a guitar's subtle nuances when it's miked in the studio; but the A5R has Yamaha's SRT2 pickup system, which brings those wonderful acoustic sounds to the stage. With blend control, you can balance the output from the under-bridge piezo with the characteristics of either a Neumann U 67 large-diaphragm condenser or a Royer R-122 active ribbon microphone, creating your own unique tone with natural clarity.

Yamaha A5R Features:

  • 6-string acoustic-electric with traditional western cutaway in cool vintage natural finish
  • Solid Sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides for bright, warm tone
  • A.R.E. wood torrefaction provides greater stability and attractive aged color
  • SRT2 system allows you to blend between piezo and SRT2 preamp signals for a personalized sound

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Tech Specs

  • String Type: Steel
  • Number of Strings: 6
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: Dreadnought Cutaway
  • Back & Sides Wood: Solid Rosewood
  • Top Wood: Solid Sitka Spruce with A.R.E. treatment
  • Finish: Gloss
  • Color: Vintage Natural
  • Body Bracing: Scalloped Bracing
  • Binding: Mahogany
  • Neck Wood: African Mahogany
  • Neck Shape: Straight Taper
  • Radius: 15.75"
  • Fingerboard Material: Ebony, rolled edges
  • Fingerboard Inlay: Snowflakes
  • Number of Frets: 20
  • Scale Length: 25.56"
  • Nut Width: 1.6875"
  • Nut/Saddle Material: Tusq/Tusq
  • Bridge Material: Ebony
  • Tuning Machines: Gotoh chrome open gear
  • Electronics: System 71 SRT2 preamp with SRT piezo pickup
  • Strings: Elixir NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze Light
  • Case Included: Hardshell case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: A5R VN

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

After lots of research couldn't be happier

Beautiful, high quality instrument!

I have owned and played a Taylor 710ce since I bought it new 25 years ago. I've always been a fan of the boomy, rich sound that Rosewood back and sides and Sitka Spruce top provides. The Taylor is a dream, but unfortunately after 25 years and only a couple setups during that time it started getting buzzy and the Fishman onboard electronics needed upgrading. So it's going back to Taylor for a refreshing.

I'm an active musician - between solo gigs, worship band and recording projects - my guitar gets lots of weekly playing time. Knowing that my main working guitar would be unavailable for a few months, I was on the lookout for a new acoustic. After a ton of research, I landed on the highly recommended Yamaha brand.

Originally, I was looking at the A1R series in the $ range which gets very good reviews. The A1 series is layered wood as opposed to the solid wood found on the A5 series. I played the A1 at a local shop and while it was a nice instrument, it just did not have the sound quality that I was looking for. It sounded "thin" and lacked richness.

After briefly looking at the A3 series, I eventually upgraded myself to the A5R because for me, the jump in price (from approx. $, to $) was worth it for a Japanese handmade vs. a Chinese made. I can't imagine being more satisfied and happy with the decision.

The guitar arrived within 48 hours of ordering. It came double-boxed with ample packing material and the A5 does (in 2023) include a nice case.

My first impressions upon opening the case and holding the guitar was Wow! This is a visually beautiful instrument!
The fit and finish are impeccable. Little details like the binding, binding paint, fretboard inlays, sound hole design and pickguard are all top notch and classy.

I elected to not have it set up prior to shipping and the A5R played beautifully out of the box. Every fret checked out, tone and tune perfect up and down the neck. The action I would say is medium to medium-low right from the manufacturer and/or Sweetwater.

The sound is rich, boomy and sustaining both plugged and unplugged with beautiful clarity and zero muddiness. The high end seems a bit more present versus the Taylor but I'm guessing that will mellow some as the guitar ages. The guitar rings out and was heard clearly cutting through the mix of electric guitars, keys, drums and bass at 2 recent live events.

I can't say enough good things about this Yamaha A5R. Several reviewers have said that it plays as well as a guitar 4X the price. I wouldn't know about that but it's not hard to imagine. Right now it sounds every bit as good as my Taylor (who unfortunately priced themselves out of the conversation) with the exception of that deep richness of sound that only comes with age. If you are on the fence about getting this guitar, do it. You won't be sorry.
Rated 5/5

Returned Yamaha FGX5/Exchanged for Yamaha A5R

I bought the Yamaha FGX5 acoustic/electric guitar. After I received it I realized it wasn't for me, reason being it did not have a cutaway and my arthritis wouldn't allow me to reach the upper register on the neck and I had it in my head "This Is The Guitar For Me". Well it wasn't.

I contacted Sweetwater's sales person Owen DesBles and explained the situation. Owen was able to provide assistance for the return. Sweetwater has a very good policy on returns, no hassle at all.
I still wanted to purchase a Acoustic/electric guitar, so Owen suggested the Yamaha A5R which has the cutaway I needed. When I received the A5R it came quickly, perfectly in tune and I like the finish even better than the FGX5 although the FGX5 is a great guitar for someone who doesn't have arthritis.

The guitar (A5R) has an articulate high end, the middle has a definite presence, while the low end is beefy and this one won't break the bank, sounds like a much more expensive guitar. The looks are beyond description, just beautiful.

Sweetwater knocked this one out of the park, I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quality acoustic/electric guitar.
I've dealt with Sweetwater for some time now and have never had anything but a great experience. The website is awesome it almost puts the guitar on your hands.
Sweetwater is very committed too satisfied their customers and the staff is knowledgeable.
Special Thanks to Owen DesBles for making this customer very happy.
Rated 5/5

I love it.

After rolling around a couple of ideas of guitars, it came down to this one and a Yamaha Red Label FGX5. I decided to head to a guitar store near me and see if there were either in stock and this exact model was there. This guitar easily beats a Takamine and competes extremely well with a Martin GPCPA4 (discontinued.) This guitar is super easy to play, and can enjoy a tune every time I pick it up. The price is amazing, especially for the sound and things that come along with it. The case is a very nice and sturdy leather case and has a lot of space for things like straps, picks, strings, tuners, capos, etc. The action is superb as well, you can play up and down the neck, however you'd like. If you are considering this guitar and deciding between this or a more expensive Taylor 314 or Martin GPC 16, I would suggest going for this guitar.
Rated 5/5

WOW!

I have been playing guitar for over 49
years and wanted to finally get my forever guitar. I looked at Martin and I already have a low budget Taylor, and what with the money I would be able to spend, the only Martin I would be able to afford is built in Mexico. After coming to the realization of that, I decided I would look at Yamaha. Being primarily a keyboard player I have owned two Motif's and know that they are exceptional instruments. After reading lots of reviews about the Yamaha built in Japan and playing a China built one at Guitar Center I decided to take a chance and bought this A5R model...
WOW!... the thing sounds so FULL! The tone is beautiful and projects well, the action and playability is amazing... The finish and detail is impeccable... I like to put it on a guitar stand and just look at it.
In this day in age (yeah, I'm an old guy) I never thought I would buy a guitar online without playing it first, but Sweetwater is a store to place your trust and working my man Cristian Good, made the process very simple.
All in all... I will say that I am very pleased with my purchase.
Music background: Keyboard, guitar player for a very long time...play for my church and a local band. I compose and record original music... I am a total music nerd...
Rated 5/5

a5r yamaha guitar

simply the best and all i need in a fine guitar above all else.
Music background: lifelong drummer and beginning guitar player.
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