Electronic systems in Yamaha guitars

The source for this material has come from the online manuals Yamaha have placed on their website. To go directly to the Yamaha manuals page please click here.

Yamaha electric-acoustic guitars feature a wide variety of pick-up and pre-amp models. This page is designed to provide a core list of the different models used in the guitars we stock along with the technical specifications of each.

Contact Pickup

There are two general types of pickup used by Yamaha: the standard Bar Sensor (Piezo type), as used on the APX500 and CPX500, and their own development the Acoustic Resonance Transducer system (A.R.T) contact pickup, as used on most of the Yamaha guitars we stock.

The Yamaha ART system

The ART system from Yamaha provides a new type of pickup system. It has been designed around the internal bracing of the guitars to allow for optimal placement of the pickup while maintaining the "tonal character" of the guitar. (www.yamahaacoustics.co.uk 07/07/2009)

Yamaha's ART pickup system is purposely designed to offer natural, dynamic and expressive electro-acoustic sound. Proprietary multi-layer contact sensors combine ultra-wide dynamic range with outstanding feedback rejection for the most accurate and natural performance sound. Based on years of research, pickup placement was determined to within one-tenth of a millimetre.

APX and CPX700 series guitars feature a 1-way system, consisting of two ART. pickups, marked orange in the diagram and capturing the full tonal range of the guitar.

APX and CPX900, and the new L-Series models, feature a 3-way system with additional sub-pickups designed to pick up only bass or treble frequencies in addition to the main, full-range pickup. These sub-pickups are marked blue and black in the diagram.

For the nylon-strung NX Series (NCX NTX) guitars, Yamaha use a 2-way system with contact pickups mounted on the treble and bass sides of the guitar bridge. To reduce unwanted feedback caused by vibration the NX Series contact pickup utilises an additional multilayer damper to ensure the tone is captured in its purest form. Source www.yamahaacoustics.co.uk 07/07/2009

Layout of most Yamaha electro-acoustic guitars:

The system specifications

The guitar each system relates to is listed at the start of the respective section and you can cross reference this with the system type shown on each of the relevant Yamaha guitars. To see our Yamaha range please click here. . To view an individual guitar please click on the name at the start of each respective section

The systems covered in this article are as follows:

• System 55T 1 way
• System 56 1 way ART
• System 57 3 way ART
• System 59 3 way ART
• System 61 2 way ART

System 55T 1 way pre-amp

The System 55T is fitted to the following guitar(s): APX500, CPX500

System 56 1 way ART pre-amp

The System 56 1 way ART pre-amp is fitted to the following guitar(s): APX700, CPX700, FGX730SC, FJX730SC

System 57 3 way ART pre-amp

The System 57 3 way ART pre-amp is fitted to the following guitar(s): APX900, CPX900

System-59 Mono 3 way pre-amp

The System-59 Mono 3 way pre-amp is fitted to the following guitar(s):CXP15II

The System 61 2 way pickup is fitted to the NCX and NTX range, to view these guitars click here.

This model of pickup is exclusive to the Nylon strung NCX and NTX range of guitars. Yamaha say it is able to reproduce the tone and dynamics of nylon strings.

Bracing of NTX

This bracing design focuses on delivering the best of nylon string tone, it warmth along with excellent response. It produces a well-balanced tone over the instrument's entire range and enables these guitars to accommodate a wide range of playing and musical styles

Combining a number of exclusive technologies, the ART. system affords the NX Series the versality to accommodate a large range of playing styles from fingerstyle to pick to percussive flamenco, all while retaining the natural tone of the guitar

Newly Developed Contact Pickup:

A conventional contact pickup mounted underneath the saddle vibrates freely allowing it to pick up the natural body sound. On the other hand, it can pick up too much body sound resulting in feedback making positioning difficult. By comparison the ART. system used on the NX Series guitars utilizes a multilayer damper in order to absorb excessive vibrations and control feedback

System 61 consists of two pickups mounted on the high and low sides of the guitar, each with its own control to provide the NX Series guitars with flexible tone tailoring.

Newly Developed Preamp System:

Complementing the characteristic warmth and full mid-range tone of the nylon string guitar, the System 61 preamp uses Yamaha's class-leading technology to offer an easily controllable, wide tonal range, making the sound of the NX perfect for any show or playing style.

The preamp offers individual volume control for both pickups, delivering a totally natural sound with robust lows and clear highs. A built-in 3-band EQ offers powerful sound shaping while an on-board tuner provides excellent usability during performance.