Yamaha Silent Guitar Review: SLG200s Acoustic-Electric Steel String

Brand/Model: Yamaha SLG200S

Number of Strings: 6

Hand Orientation: Right

Body Material: Rosewood/Maple

Neck Material: Mahogany

Fretboard Material: Rosewood

Price Range: Under $1000

Our Rating: 8.6

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Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar Review

You might be curious as a cat to how a guitar can be “silent.” Well, it’s not necessarily silent in the way that you would think. With just one look at the unique instrument, you’ll immediately see that the Yamaha SLG200S Steel String Silent guitar is definitely in a league of its own.

Its “bodiless” design is a dead giveaway that this guitar is going to be quiet. Without a hollowed body for richness, depth, and natural amplification, what purpose does this guitar serve?

It’s 80 percent quieter than a traditional acoustic, but it’s louder than an unplugged electric guitar. It’s meant to provide diminished sound when wanting to practice in quiet or to keep the volume down so as not to disturb others.

However, when you do want to be heard, you have an SRT preamp with an under-saddle bridge piezo pickup. You can plug straight into your headphones to jam privately or you can hook up to an amp for stage-worthy praise from your audience.

At first glance, you might think the neck has a short scale – not so. The neck joins the body of the guitar at the 14th fret instead of the 12th fret.

All frets on the neck are easily accessible with the modified folk cutaway, and as a side note, the upper bout is completely removable.

Compact? Check. Playable? Definitely! A popular travel guitar for the acoustic electric enthusiasts.

Pros

80% quieter than acoustic
Detachable frame
Unique design
Slim and portable
Extra accessories included

Cons

Small sound

Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar Reviews

The Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar is a solid instrument that’s not just wall decor. Buyers love the advantage of being able to play as often as they wish without burdening others under the same roof.

However, some complaints reveal that not everyone is a fan of the quiet sound. You’d think that this would be an obvious fact since this is categorized as a silent guitar.

To note, small sound complaints also came from the nylon string version of this guitar that clearly would produce a softer resonance than this steel string.

Despite its diminished acoustics, the built-in preamp more than makes up for the lack of body wood.

As long as you’re not planning on playing unplugged at a campfire, you’re good to play wherever you can plug in!

Alternative Acoustic Electric Guitars to Consider

As previously mentioned, there’s a nylon string version of this silent guitar. The Yamaha SLG200N has a modified classical cutaway and open gear classical style tuners. The neck scale is 650 mm versus the 634 mm of the steel string version, but that’s because of where the neck joins the body at the 12th fret on the nylon versus the 14th fret on the steel string.

Other than that, they’re almost identical instruments if you were to look at them side by side. They also share the same preamp system, types of wood (Natural and Tobacco Sunburst models), and price.

If this Silent Yamaha has you intrigued, you also might be curious about the quirky-looking Traveler Guitar Pro-Series Acoustic-Electric Guitar. With very slim dimensions and a detachable lap rest, it can go and be stowed anywhere with ease.

It relates to the Yamaha in that it’s missing a lot of wood to frame out a traditional guitar body. It lacks a headstock as the tuners are built into the one-piece body of the guitar. Unusual? Yes. However, it’s also cheaper than the Yamaha!

This is also one of the guitars that made our list of acoustic electric guitars great for the beginner.

Sale

Yamaha SLG200S TBS Steel String Silent Guitar with Hard Gig Bag, Tobacco Sunburst

Steel Strings, Translucent Black Finish
The SLG is the perfect instrument for practice, travel or stage use – any time an acoustic guitar just won’t do.
Near-silent performance makes discrete practice simple

Yamaha SLG200S FAQ

How is the Yamaha Silent Guitar Packaged?

The SLG200S guitar arrives disassembled and in the included gig bag. By disassembled, we mean that the upper bout of the guitar is unattached to the body. It’s easy to attach by locking into place by twisting into the strap pegs.

What are the Available Finishes for the Yamaha SLG200S Guitar?

This model is Tobacco Sunburst with the combination of Rosewood and Maple woods. The body, neck, and lap rest are made out of Mahogany. The other two available finishes are Natural and Translucent Black, both with Mahogany bodies.

What are the Included Accessories with the SLG-200s Silent Guitar?

The Silent Steel String Guitar comes with a gig bag, headphones, and two AA batteries. Depending on vendor, you may or may not receive the headphones and the batteries.

Does Yamaha’s SLG 200s Guitar come with a Warranty?

Purchasing directly from Yamaha or from an authorized Yamaha retailer does guarantee warranty coverage. However, many online retailer sites also offer warranty coverage at additional cost.

How does the Effects Knob Function? Gradually or in Clicks?

The Effects knob can switch between three effects: Reverb 1, Reverb 2, and Chorus. It’s a gradual increase of each effect, not in clicks, allowing the effects to remain tight and to function at the level you desire.

Turning the knob to the right will increase intensity until you switch to the next effect that will start at the lowest depth level for that effect.

Where is the SLGs Silent Yamaha Guitar Made?

The SLG200S Silent Guitar is made in China.

Does the SLG 200s Guitar come with a Tuner?

The Silent Guitar comes with a built-in tuner.

How to know when the Battery Needs Replacement?

The light on the on-board system will blink when it needs replacement.

Hardware/Electronics You’ll Need

As a silent guitar, you mightn’t need much if you’re just wanting a quiet instrument for practice and private playing wherever you go. However, if you plan on sharing your talents with others, you’ll need more than what the guitar can dish out unplugged.

To get started on acquiring everything you’ll need, here’s our guitar accessories guide that you will love.

Standout Features on the Yamaha SLG200S

Quiet
Portable
Amplification benefits

Our Verdict on the Yamaha Silent Guitar

To strum it up, the Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar is unlike the mainstream acoustic electric guitars of the day. It’s number one advantage is unlimited access to tap into your creative music genius without being scolded for late night sessions. Here’s to jamming it 24/7!