All user reviews of 4/5 for the Yamaha ERG121

I got this Yamaha package as my first electric guitar. I had tried other "beginner" guitars in various shops, but the ERG 121 was the one that impressed me most! With a whole lot of accessories (inc. a Yamaha GA-10 amp) that came with the guitar, this was the obvious choice for me to start of my electric guitar playing. The price was also the most reasonable I came across compared to the other packages I saw (AUD$499)

Its a beautifully crafted black stratocaster design. Looks brilliant on the guitar stand and feels great in my hands.

The sound of it is quite decent... And it has a wide variety of sounds with 2 humbucker pickups and a single coild picpup operated via a 5 position switch. Obviously the tone is not to the degree of a classic Fender model, but for its price its great!

The single coil pickup is a bit of a dissapointment. Lots of interference when playing using this pickup position.

Other than that, I have not been dissapointed with this guitar at all!

Well, so far so good (Touch wood)!! The guitar is very well made and the quality is top notch. Made in Indonesia did throw me off a little, but its a durable and reliable guitar and hasn't given me any problems yet.

Well, if youre looking to get started, I dont think there is a better guitar to invest in. Obviously as your playing technique increases, there are heaps of guitars that can offer alot more than the ERG 121. So a guitar for the beginners...

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

A year and a bit ago i decided to learn to play the guitar, so grabbed my Argos (UK) catalogue and flicked through tho the music section. If i knew then what i knew today about guitars i wouldn't have catalogue bought a guitar, but at the time the amp + gig bag extras appealed. I was going to buy probably a Squier strat copy, but then the Yamaha caught my eye (it was a new addition to the catalogue). I decided it was the one for me and paid £169.99 for the guitar and a 10W Yamaha amplifier, plus gig bag and CD/book.

One major plus is the way the guitar looks. The shape is strat-like, it's double cutaway with a relatively flat top (save a sloping diagonal section to the rear), and has a black colour. The colour and shape appealed to me most at time of purchase, as I knew very little about guitars and I'd never even played one properly. So looks was really the only thing i had to go on!

I like the double humbucker design, with an extra single coil between. A 5-way selector switch allows a variety of different pickup combinations, allowing for a range of different sounds.

There are 2 control knobs, plus the selector switch. I like this, my friends guitar has multiple tone/volume knobs which I simply dont need, so the 1 volume, 1 tone setup is perfect for me.

I think this guitar would be an ideal beginners/entry level guitar, as it was for me.




The guitar lead jack, located at the rear of the guitar, is often loose and my cable regularly falls out while playing. The cover plate for the jack also comes loose, which means I have to regularly tighten everything up, which can be annoying. Come to think of it however, other than that, I don't have many gripes construction wise.

My guitar also has a slightly bent neck, which doesn't bother me too much, but may interest some people. It's probably just a one-off though!

I think the main problem I have with the guitar now is that I feel I am a good enough player to branch out and buy a higher quality instrument. I'm sure a more expensive guitar will sound and feel a lot better, and I guess the main dislike I have is that theres always a nagging feeling in the back of my head that says "I've got a budget, beginners guitar".



As stated before, the lead jack is quite poorly constructed but other than that the general construction, finish and feel of the guitar is good. I've really got nothing to compare it too however, as this is my first guitar.


Overall, i think this is an excellent beginners guitar, one of the better budget level guitars certainly. The twin-humbucker and strat styling are great for playing some good rock tunes, and the selector switch to change pickup configuration lets you explore other tones and sounds too.

FOr me however, I feel i've outgrown the guitar now, which I'm sure happens to everyone with a beginner/budget axe.

2 thumbs up!


This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Guitar manufactured in Asia.
22 frets, pickups basic configuration MSM.
Classical vibrato bridge (Fender type) to block preferably.
1 master volume, 1 tone generally a 5-way switching.
Bolt, thin enough, maybe too much for big hands.
Finish is an entry-level (simple points pearlescent on the handle, etc. ...) but quality, the varnish is good.

UTILIZATION

The neck is fast and even more when we have to make some settings (string height). Highs are playable, nothing more. The overall balance is very good, the game is comfortable standing because the body is relatively light. The body is thin enough and the chamfer at the right forearm makes things more enjoyable. The form stratabound flate the eye at first but quickly becomes too classic for my taste, everything is still caught by a sober flawless, black suits him well: p.
The use of simple knobs, volume and tone can quickly explore the capabilities of the machine, but I develop this in the next section.
A fault that I must point out, on my guitar, the back plate is perforated to allow the strings to pass without having to remove the plaque. Unfortunately, the holes of the plate are not aligned with those of the vibrato! Therefore, unless you tinker a little, remove the plate every time.
Last thing, the mechanics are fickle sometimes.

SOUNDS

With this guitar, you can play everything. The resulting sounds are not necessarily of great quality, but they are indeed the. Blues, rock, heavy rock / metal anything goes, but reinforcement of good pedals (and receiver) all the same (I play on Marshall and Boss MD-2, nothing to hope with a little amp and a Zoom Jim Harley).
Extreme positions and stick easel give good sounds in general and this is actually the best game on the 2 pickups of this guitar, both doubles. They can either play the blues very warm and round rocks either angry or extreme.
The positions with the microphone just are noisy (the middle position and 2 intermediate), but a small shielding inside the guitar should fix this problem.
The sustain is not great, unless you completely block the tremolo. Sometimes there is really an outright collapse of the note.
Also, I'm not really managed to get a crunch worthy of the name.

I put all the same good average without hesitating, because for the price this guitar is in the stomach and provides a broad spectrum of sounds.

OVERALL OPINION

I started with this guitar, it has been 2 ½ years and I do not hide that it is high time for something more serious. This guitar is a good choice for the beginner due to its versatility (and price!), But when one begins to find his style, we want to spend any more personal.
I think this guitar provided a living wage to any beginner, and that is what we are asking him to be less a guitar burst onto scene.

To summarize:

Guitar manufactured in Asia.
22 frets, pickups basic configuration MSM.
Classical vibrato bridge (Fender type) to block preferably.
1 master volume, 1 tone generally a 5-way switching.
Bolt, thin enough, maybe too much for big hands.

UTILIZATION

The neck is very thin and fast. Enjoyable to play.

The interface is efficient, no surprises. This is not upscale, but has for its money by finding the usual rigors of the mark.

Access to acute is easy (as HC).

Regarding the sound, this guitar has the defects of a versatile instrument. The sound is not too distinctive. Again, that is to link with the price. It is a good tool to start and get an idea of ​​what we look later in another instrument.

SOUNDS

I play a lot of things, so the versatility of this guitar suits me. The neck pickup gives great sounds good and saturated fat. You can use the bridge pickup sounds to have more crystalline. The single microphone in the center allows for lighter sounds, light or sound.

Since learning is my guitar, I also took amps versatile: the Micro Cube and cube 20x (a treat in sounds "clean").

Negatives: the game in the vibrato, even if the agreement is good and the lack of sustain (again, considering the price ...)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for six months, I tested three or four models before buying.

Pros:
- Versatility
- Solid construction (except the switch, replace)
- Sounds "fat"
- Ergonomics

Cons:
- Vibrato (which I am now in the left hand)
- Sustain a little weak

I do it again this election if I still need a versatile guitar. It's good to learn and progress, but by containing in particular styles, we seek a more distinctive.
Except for metal and heavy sounds <img class="smiley" src="/images/audiofanzine/interface/smileys/icon_wink.gif" alt="" />