Yamaha FG800J NT: Solid Start or Setup Headache?

Yamaha FG800J NT: Solid Start or Setup Headache?

If you’re daydreaming about strumming your first chords while watching the streetcars rumble by or want a dependable guitar you won’t baby, the Yamaha FG800J NT pops up everywhere—and not by accident. It’s everywhere from front porches to neighborhood jams, tempting beginners and penny-pinchers with that big-brand confidence and old-school dreadnought look.

Let’s get straight to it: you get a solid spruce top, not plywood, so your sound jumps out with some real volume and presence (most ultra-cheap guitars will only wish). The rest? Mahogany sides and back, plus a nato neck. It’s no luxury rig, but if you’re in this price territory, you’re not chasing fancy woods anyway.

Now, on first pluck, it feels lively—a punchy, “I’ll hold my own at the jam” dreadnought sound. It cuts through the mix just fine with a good strum; the low end thumps along, sections ring out clear enough, and your mids make themselves known without honking. No, it’s not full of delicate color or complex overtones, but it definitely gets your point across whether that’s hunched on a friend’s stoop in Treme or at midnight gatherings in your living room.

But here’s what Yamaha doesn’t slap on the box: the factory setup is rough. String action’s on the high side, so plan on seeing your fingertips get red before you finish “You Are My Sunshine.” Unless you’re comfortable with a file, a truss rod wrench, and a little elbow grease—or you budget for a setup at the corner shop—this guitar will fight you every step. Sharp frets and rough edges are common, so don’t expect pampering straight out of the case. And don’t get me started on the case: if you’re shipping or toting the boxed guitar, cross all your fingers it arrives unscathed because the packaging is barely better than a soggy grocery sack in August humidity.

There are some little unsavory surprises—the odd glue drip near the bridge, a few rough spots up the neck, and hardware that’s functional if a bit finicky. Prepare to tune a little more often than you’d like at first. And while you’re at it, ditch the stock strings pronto, unless you enjoy battling tuning instability and dull sound.

Who makes the best use of the FG800J NT? Someone stubborn enough to see the thing’s potential and patient (or resourceful) enough to fix what Yamaha left for you to do. It’s not a grab-and-go right out the box, but if you treat it like a fixer-upper and aren’t scared to wrestle with a few flaws, you’ll pull some genuinely good sounds out of it. Plus, if your main goal is having a durable guitar you don’t need to coddle—something to take along to the levee, lend to an eager cousin, or leave in the back seat without sweating—it does that job well.

If you’re picturing a perfect gift for a total beginner—one who’s not about to set up their own guitar or march it down to the repair shop—look elsewhere. This isn’t a “ready to play” moment; you’ll serve up frustration with those first lessons unless you handle the gritty bits yourself. Also, if you’re a stickler for fancy looks or meticulous fit and finish, prepare for disappointment.

The FG800J NT is like an affordable second-line parade—fun, rowdy, and full of minor chaos behind the scenes. Get it if you’re cool with making it yours (and roughing it up a little in the process). Otherwise, I’d save a little more for a kinder, smoother welcome into guitar life.