Yamaha Design “Synapses” A Series

2011 / ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC GUITARS


Simple design, superior playability, high quality.

Reconstruction

What do today's guitarists want in a guitar? The goal of the A Series, which developed from this starting point, was in the direction of the acoustic-electric guitar. The string action is lower than that on a traditional guitar, and limiting the thickness of the neck gives it a feeling that is immediately familiar to guitarists coming from an electric guitar.

Appreciate

A simple mood reminiscent of a laid-back guitar. The sound hole has the most tasteful inlay. The indigo blue label on the inside seems to be saying, "I want to be broken in naturally by the player, just like a well-worn pair of jeans."

Harmony

Through a close review and alignment of all the elements—the sound board, sides, neck, fredboard, wood binding surrounding the ridge line, wood inlay around the sound hole, pick guard, pickup system—we have achieved a high dimension of usability and design.

Tactile

The neck of a guitar has a huge impact on the playability of a guitar, and we used a superbly sensitve matte coating that gives it a soft feel. We rounded the angle on both sides of the fret board to create a smooth feel even when playing high up on the neck.


Kazuhito Nakajima
Kazuhito Nakajima
Designer
Yamaha Design Laboratory

Toshihide Suzuki
Toshihide Suzuki
Designer
Yamaha Design Laboratory

Mami Sato
Mami Sato
Designer
Yamaha Design Laboratory

Yoshihiko Tanbara
Yoshihiko Tanbara
Designer
Yamaha Guitar Design

What today's guitarists expect from an acoustic guitar.

Yamaha's new A Series electric–acoustic guitar deviates from traditional acoustic guitar design and design theory to produce an instrument that answers the question "What do guitarist truely want from an acoustic guitar in today's modern music scene?" For the younger generation, whose first guitar experience is increasingly with an electric guitar, the A Series has a lower action and a relatively thinner neck to make the playing experience similar to that of an electric guitar. The rounded fretboard edges and other design features have the single purpose of making it easier to play for guitarists who are used to playing electric guitars. A pickup system is a must for today's guitarists, so that is a standard feature on this guitar. Consideration was also given to live performances by positioning the knobs and switches where they will not be hit accidentally.
Instead of the mother-of-pearl and other gorgeous inlays and bindings used in traditional acoustic guitars, the A Series uses a simple yet elegant natural wood inlay. The A Series' most notable feature—the unique pick guard shape—is based on that of the legendary N1000 produced in 1975 but was modified to echo the shape of the A Series' body. A lot of attention was also put into the label that can be seen through the sound hole. The more you wear a pair of jeans, the more they conform to your body, and we want you to play this guitar so much that it becomes a part of you, just like your jeans, and so we gave the A Series the indigo label. We hope that this guitar becomes a long-time favorite for many guitarists who continue to play it regularly, and maybe one day becoming known simply as the "indigo label."

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