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Ross Holder

"It’s easy to see why the C40 has spanned generations of learners. It’s durable, affordable, easy to play, and stays in tune": Yamaha C40II review

Yamaha Future

Yamaha C40II review: What is it?

For beginner guitarists, the choice of which acoustic guitar to start with has never been greater. Many are drawn to nylon-string classical guitars thanks to their soft strings and easy playability. Options from brands like Fender, Epiphone, Tanglewood, and even retailers' own brands offer incredibly affordable models that are just as playable. However, one beginner's classical guitar has been at the top of the food chain for decades, Yamaha’s C40.

The Yamaha C40, currently priced around £120, has long been a go-to choice for budding guitarists, and it’s easy to see why. Now on its second generation, the C40II features a fully laminated construction, with a spruce top and locally sourced tonewoods for the back and sides. Its 'CG' body shape, a signature of Yamaha's classical guitar range, offers slightly slimmer shoulders and a less protruding lower bout, giving it a traditional yet comfortable design.

Part of Yamaha's extensive range of acoustic guitars, the C40 sits at the entry-level end of the spectrum, designed specifically for beginners. Being a nylon-string guitar, the C40 is naturally suited for those interested in classical and flamenco styles of music. But can it go beyond that? After all, a beginner’s first guitar needs to be versatile, as exploring different techniques and genres is a fantastic way to expand your skill set.

Despite its modest price, Yamaha’s renowned build quality is evident, making the C40 a reliable and durable choice for those just starting out. But does its reputation as one of the best beginner acoustic guitars hold up in practice? We’re here to find out.

Having helped hundreds of learners select their first acoustic guitar, and having been a beginner myself, I’m well-positioned to put the C40II through its paces. By focusing on key factors for a successful beginner’s guitar, such as comfort, ease of play, durability, tuning stability, and value for money, we’ll see how the C40II measures up against other available options.

Yamaha C40II review: Performance & verdict

Design

So, the C40II looks a bit different from your typical steel-string guitars like dreadnoughts or grand auditoriums. That’s because it’s rocking Yamaha’s 'CG' body shape - no prizes for guessing that stands for Classical Guitar.

With its classic shape, it sports slightly slimmer shoulders and a less protruding lower bout, giving it a distinctive yet familiar classical vibe. For slightly longer arms, it's really comfortable. I had no trouble with the body size, but if you are buying this for a five-year-old, they may have difficulty sitting comfortably due to the lower bout.
When it comes to materials, the C40II sticks with the usual choices you’d expect for a beginner acoustic guitar. It features a fully laminated construction, with a laminated spruce top and 'locally sourced tonewood' for the back and sides. While spruce typically has a brighter appearance, our review model has a slightly more 'aged' look, adding a touch of class. However, there is no pickguard on the surface, which may cause problems for clumsy learners playing with a plectrum - so parents be warned, it is highly likely to pick up the odd scratch or two.

The bridge and fingerboard are both made of rosewood, providing a dark hue that complements the ‘aged’ top nicely. However, while exploring the fingerboard, I encountered the first slight issue, specifically with the frets. They are undeniably scratchy, and running a finger across the fret ends revealed that they also felt a bit sharp. While this is not entirely surprising for a guitar at this price, smoothing out these details could have made a big difference.

Like the back and sides, the neck is also locally sourced tonewood and is finished in a satin finish. The satin made the neck incredibly smooth and it was very comfortable, beginners won’t find any issues here with a sticky neck. As far as stability goes, we have no complaints. The neck held up very well and felt reassuringly sturdy. Although the materials used in the C40II are reasonably modest, there is no denying that Yamaha’s exceptional build quality is on display here - this classical is built to last.

The C40II comes with Yamaha’s own chrome RM-1252X tuning machines, set up in a three-by-three layout. For a guitar at this price, they hold tuning surprisingly well. Since beginners often struggle with pulling strings out of tune while learning chords, the RM-1252Xs are a real asset, doing an excellent job of keeping the guitar in tune. That said, while tuning up, we did notice that the G-string tuning machine was slightly loose, but it didn’t seem to affect the accuracy of our review model.

Sound

So we have established what goes into creating the C40II, but how does it sound? Well, for a fully laminated, affordable beginner’s guitar, it’s pretty darn good. There’s a comforting warmth and mellow tone that sounds appealing whether you are fingerpicking or strumming chords. When fingerpicking, the note separation is impressive and distinctive, giving budding classical guitarists a really great start.

When strumming cowboy chords, the C40II lacks some of the bass response you would typically get from a jumbo or dreadnought, so don’t expect a huge booming tone. However, the spruce top adds a bit of high-end sparkle that is pretty sweet to our ears.

Overall, the C40II is tonally versatile enough to cover classical, flamenco, and modern styles well until a learner is ready to take the next step.

Playability

In terms of playability, the C40II doesn’t let you down. It has offered a reliable playing experience since its inception, and our review model was no different. The action was comfortable, being very low straight out of the box. Combined with the soft nylon strings, it takes minimal effort to play a note, which will encourage beginners, both young and old, with its ease of playability.

The neck is relatively thin and flattens slightly as you reach the fingerboard edges, making it easier to reach chords. The smooth satin finish allows for effortless movement up and down the neck, and when it comes to fret spacing, there’s plenty of room for even the clumsiest fingers.

However, all this extra room may make it a bit awkward to navigate for smaller hands, as the strings are quite far apart. Couple this with the flat fingerboard radius, and it could be uncomfortable for very young beginners. That said, it was totally manageable for me and, in fact, made fingerpicking incredibly easy.

Final verdict

There’s no denying that when the C40II arrived at our door, it sparked a few nostalgic pangs of yesteryear. Back in my school days, there was always a smattering of C40s in the music classroom. Admittedly, as a kid obsessed with Stratocasters, I didn’t pay them much attention - but maybe I should have!

After reviewing this modest guitar and spending plenty of hours with it, it’s easy to see why the C40 has spanned generations of learners. It’s durable, affordable, easy to play, and stays in tune. What more could a beginner need?