Yamaha A3R ARE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Vintage Natural

The Yamaha A3R ARE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Vintage Natural is the big-bodied sibling of the AC3R: the same all-solid torrefied spruce and rosewood build and the same SRT2 system, on a dreadnought that pushes more air for strummers and band players. If you want the A Series stage rig with the extra bass a wide body brings, this is the one. Vintage Natural gloss finish.

Dreadnought cutaway, 412mm wide

The body is 412mm across, 505mm long and 100 to 118mm deep, which gives the low end real weight when you dig in with a pick. Total length is 1046mm on a 650mm scale, so string tension is full and the attack is firm. The cutaway keeps the frets past the body join playable, something a traditional dreadnought never offers.

A.R.E. Sitka spruce top over solid rosewood

The solid Sitka spruce top has been through Yamaha's A.R.E. treatment, an ageing process that leaves the wood responding like a well-played older guitar from day one. Scalloped bracing lets it vibrate freely, and solid rosewood back and sides give the bass depth and keep the highs crisp. Mahogany and cream binding, a tortoise-pattern pickguard and a multi-ring rosette in rosewood, mahogany, black and white finish the body.

SRT2 (SYSTEM71) with mic blend

The SRT2 pairs an under-saddle piezo with two selectable mic types, and a mic blend control decides the mix that leaves the line out. Volume, treble and bass are on the panel alongside AFR anti-feedback, so you can run straight into a DI and still shape the sound. Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 bronze light strings are fitted from new.

Ebony fingerboard, three-ply mahogany neck

The African mahogany neck is built in three plies for stability and matt-finished for a smooth feel. Its ebony fingerboard has a 400mm radius, a 43mm nut and 11mm string spacing, and the bridge is ebony too, with black ABS pins. Die-cast chrome TM29T tuners keep it in pitch through a long set.

Set up and ready

Action at the urea nut and saddle and intonation over the 650mm scale are checked here, along with the SRT2 output. Set up in-store by Guitar World Australia's techs before it ships to you.

Specifications