Bookmarks for video: 00:00 Intro 00:22 System 63 background 01:35 SRT Pickup 02:15 SRT Preamp - batteries, control panel. 05:06 Tone - piezo pickup only 07:00 Mic modelling discussion 09:22 Focus/Wide switch 10:41 Mic type 1 demo 11:55 Mic type 2 demo 13:17 Mic type 3 demo 15:17 Pickup and modelled sound blended 16:30 Resonance control 18:06 EQ Section 20:57 A.F.R. Discussion 22:26 Tuner 24:03 Conclusion
Thank you for this. I have owned this guitar for a few years and never really understood all the settings. I personally think this is the best solid wood guitar you can buy for the money. The neck feels incredible on this one also.
Absolutely wonderful and thorough video. Just got my hands on one of these and was a little over whelmed by the controls. Everything was clear and the playing was a perfect demo for this guitar
Terrific video! Insightful, educational, and fun! I have had the Yamaha A3R for a few years now, and never knew what many of those knobs, switches, and dials were for. This much I do know... this is an excellent guitar and the pickup really enhances the natural tones that come from it. I have to agree with someone earlier who said that they loved the neck. I feel the same way! It isn't smooth, but has a great satin touch to it. Keep up the good work, and thank you for taking the time to explain this.
lots of information. thanks so much for taking the extensive time to do this demo. I was searching for info on this preamp & you did a great job! So did the video editors. By the way, you're a great on camera talent!
Excellent review! I've owned this guitar for years. It has all the right "tone woods" but I always disliked this preamp; it is too complicated, underpowered, and I never could get my sound dialed in. Give me a tuner, simple eq, and 9v battery...it might have been perfect.
I've bought one of these secondhand - mint condition! Killer sound BUT I think the neck is not as easy to pkay as say a,Taylor, plus I thjnk they shoukd have made it 45mm instead of the narrower 43mm....just easier and more comfortable to play at 45mm Love your reviews - so in depth and instructive
Thanks for watching Steve. Yes it seems that the Japanese manufacturers have settled on 43mm/1-11/16" as the default nut width for most of their guitars - 45mm is not so common. It's amazing how much difference those couple of mm make!
I have this exact same experience. I just bought a used A3M with this earlier SRT preamp system, and holding down certain barre chords at the first fret makes it incredibly difficult to get a clean sound on every string and way too easy to accidentally mute a string. I have the same problem with my Breedlove Wildwood Satin CE, which has the same 1.69" nut width. My Martin SC10E has a wider 1.75" nut width and I have no problem playing those barre chords on the first fret.
Hi there.. not sure if there is anything wrong with my SRT Preamp.. I bought the fender acoustasonic 40 and plugged in.. the D and the G pick up was very weak coming out from the speaker. The rest of the strings are perfect …
That suggests that there is a problem with the pickup itself, rather than the preamp - I suggest taking the guitar to a competent technician who can diagnose the issue for you.
Great demo! So, as I am considering buying a new Yamaha AC3R, have you tried the new "system 71", and does this sound as good as the old "system 63", even though it apparently has fewer knobs/options..?
Thanks for your very thorough review. I have a Yamaha Compass Series CPX500NT that has the Yamaha 65 preamp system. I need to replace the broken preamp. What would you suggest I get that would fit and work?
Thanks for watching Matt. I would take your guitar to your local Yamaha service center - they should be able to replace the preamp with a new one of the same model.
Thank you for this video, helped a lot in understanding my apx 1000! Do you know any good pickups to add to the guitar to give it that 'brilliance/shimmer' sound by any chance? Thanks
If you want more top end I would add a small internal condenser microphone - however this preamp does not have a second input so you would need to deal with that as a separate signal chain.
Hi there any chance of knowing where to buy this unit I have a Yamaha unit in my Yamaha LLX6DN and it's similar to this l do believe it came out 2005 I really like this unit l like it has a mic it adds so much more Thumbs up from Australia 👍🇦🇺 keep up the good work
I suggest you check with your local Yamaha distributor. David please note that this preamp does NOT have an actual, physical microphone - the 'mic' sounds are modelled, ie created in a studio and then built into the electronics of the unit.
I bought a yamaha fgx 830 c there is an active pickup system 66 equalizer, it's convenient for me, but I have a few more days to exchange the price is a little less than LL 16 ,, I want to record at home in the sound card line, so I wonder if the recorder will be better orat least it also works well as system66 on the 830
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with those guitar models, but I suggest doing some test recordings to compare the two guitars and then choose the one that you prefer.
Many thanks for your video I never really got the hang of this Guitar I like it but the neck I feel compared with My Takomine Guitar is not as silky but will use your video as a referance point
Too bad I'm actually not much of an acoustic guitar player...so i can't comprehend the sonic quality of the preamp you discuss about but I can see very clearly your love for acoustic guitars mate :)
I finally got my apx. I had a question on the a.f.r how do you use it. I press the button and a " - " appears. Sometimes i press it and a number wil appear either 1 to 5. If i hold it a "c" appears and sometimes and "f" appears. I dont know how to use this button. Can you help me please
@@GLBProductions i play a style of music called bachata. Where you install a humbucker in the soundhole. So i think all these features might be lost since you hook up the pickup directly the to preamp
If you're doing the Bachata mod then you'll get a very different sound because you're replacing the piezo pickup with a magnetic. The features will all still work but in a different way - let me know how it turns out!
@@GLBProductions so I have installed the humbucker , and sadly, I cant hear any difference by messing with the knobs, what a shame I either dont have the ear or there is no change.
@@FadeToBlack1989 That's a shame... perhaps have a guitar tech double check the installation? Ensure that the pickup is actually routing through the preamp rather than directly to the output socket. It's also very helpful to record the guitar with different settings and then listen back to compare.
Yes I agree that the mic settings on their own sound a bit thin - when you blend in the piezo pickup it gives the bass and mids more power and the guitar sounds more balanced. It all depends on what sound you're going for.
Bookmarks for video:
00:00 Intro
00:22 System 63 background
01:35 SRT Pickup
02:15 SRT Preamp - batteries, control panel.
05:06 Tone - piezo pickup only
07:00 Mic modelling discussion
09:22 Focus/Wide switch
10:41 Mic type 1 demo
11:55 Mic type 2 demo
13:17 Mic type 3 demo
15:17 Pickup and modelled sound blended
16:30 Resonance control
18:06 EQ Section
20:57 A.F.R. Discussion
22:26 Tuner
24:03 Conclusion
Mate if you're not working for Yamaha they should hire you. This 25 minutes video is worth every second, much appreciated. Thanks!
You're welcome Billy!
This is one of the best guitar reviews ever. Thanks!!!
You're welcome Tom!
Thank you for this. I have owned this guitar for a few years and never really understood all the settings. I personally think this is the best solid wood guitar you can buy for the money. The neck feels incredible on this one also.
You're welcome John.
Absolutely wonderful and thorough video. Just got my hands on one of these and was a little over whelmed by the controls. Everything was clear and the playing was a perfect demo for this guitar
Glad the video was helpful Alex, enjoy your new guitar!
I've had this guitar for a couple years and never fully understood it... thnx!
You're welcome Mo, glad the video was helpful!
Terrific video! Insightful, educational, and fun!
I have had the Yamaha A3R for a few years now, and never knew what many of those knobs, switches, and dials were for. This much I do know... this is an excellent guitar and the pickup really enhances the natural tones that come from it. I have to agree with someone earlier who said that they loved the neck. I feel the same way! It isn't smooth, but has a great satin touch to it.
Keep up the good work, and thank you for taking the time to explain this.
Thanks for watching Leo, glad the video was helpful.
Absolutely stunning video description.
Thanks for watching!
lots of information. thanks so much for taking the extensive time to do this demo. I was searching for info on this preamp & you did a great job! So did the video editors. By the way, you're a great on camera talent!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Excellent review! I've owned this guitar for years. It has all the right "tone woods" but I always disliked this preamp; it is too complicated, underpowered, and I never could get my sound dialed in. Give me a tuner, simple eq, and 9v battery...it might have been perfect.
I've bought one of these secondhand - mint condition!
Killer sound BUT
I think the neck is not as easy to pkay as say a,Taylor, plus I thjnk they shoukd have made it 45mm instead of the narrower 43mm....just easier and more comfortable to play at 45mm
Love your reviews - so in depth and instructive
Thanks for watching Steve. Yes it seems that the Japanese manufacturers have settled on 43mm/1-11/16" as the default nut width for most of their guitars - 45mm is not so common. It's amazing how much difference those couple of mm make!
I have this exact same experience. I just bought a used A3M with this earlier SRT preamp system, and holding down certain barre chords at the first fret makes it incredibly difficult to get a clean sound on every string and way too easy to accidentally mute a string. I have the same problem with my Breedlove Wildwood Satin CE, which has the same 1.69" nut width. My Martin SC10E has a wider 1.75" nut width and I have no problem playing those barre chords on the first fret.
Well I just learnt a tonne from this video and actually understand my APX1000 now!
Good to hear that!
Excellent presentation. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Hi there.. not sure if there is anything wrong with my SRT Preamp.. I bought the fender acoustasonic 40 and plugged in.. the D and the G pick up was very weak coming out from the speaker. The rest of the strings are perfect …
That suggests that there is a problem with the pickup itself, rather than the preamp - I suggest taking the guitar to a competent technician who can diagnose the issue for you.
Great demo! So, as I am considering buying a new Yamaha AC3R, have you tried the new "system 71", and does this sound as good as the old "system 63", even though it apparently has fewer knobs/options..?
I have not tried the new system - let me know how it sounds!
Thanks for posting this, very helpful! I just got an A3R and love it!!
You're welcome! Yes they are amazing guitars for the money.
Thank you. I'm very happ with this system in my yamaha.
You're welcome, it's a power and effective preamp if you know how to use it.
Thanks for your very thorough review.
I have a Yamaha Compass Series CPX500NT that has the Yamaha 65 preamp system. I need to replace the broken preamp. What would you suggest I get that would fit and work?
Thanks for watching Matt. I would take your guitar to your local Yamaha service center - they should be able to replace the preamp with a new one of the same model.
Very interested video. Newbie question: do we need to use a balanced or an unbalanced jack cable to the PA ?
Unbalanced :)
@@GLBProductions Thx 🙏
Thank you for the video. My flat/sharp indicators are flashing when the tuner is off. Does this mean low battery?
Yes they will blink alternately to warn you the battery is low.
@@GLBProductions Thanks again!
Thank you for this video, helped a lot in understanding my apx 1000! Do you know any good pickups to add to the guitar to give it that 'brilliance/shimmer' sound by any chance? Thanks
If you want more top end I would add a small internal condenser microphone - however this preamp does not have a second input so you would need to deal with that as a separate signal chain.
thank you very much for your response, I will look into that. Keep making excellent informative videos!
Hi there any chance of knowing where to buy this unit
I have a Yamaha unit in my Yamaha LLX6DN and it's similar to this l do believe it came out 2005
I really like this unit l like it has a mic it adds so much more
Thumbs up from Australia 👍🇦🇺 keep up the good work
I suggest you check with your local Yamaha distributor. David please note that this preamp does NOT have an actual, physical microphone - the 'mic' sounds are modelled, ie created in a studio and then built into the electronics of the unit.
Is this guitar worth more than a Taylor 210? Thanks for the help of those who have played on the 2 guitars to give me a better view.
Hard to say as the guitar in the video is no longer in production.
I bought a yamaha fgx 830 c there is an active pickup system 66 equalizer, it's convenient for me, but I have a few more days to exchange the price is a little less than LL 16 ,, I want to record at home in the sound card line, so I wonder if the recorder will be better orat least it also works well as system66 on the 830
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with those guitar models, but I suggest doing some test recordings to compare the two guitars and then choose the one that you prefer.
Thank you. Great job!
Thanks Alfriston.
Many thanks for your video I never really got the hang of this Guitar I like it but the neck I feel compared with My Takomine Guitar is not as silky but will use your video as a referance point
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Too bad I'm actually not much of an acoustic guitar player...so i can't comprehend the sonic quality of the preamp you discuss about but I can see very clearly your love for acoustic guitars mate :)
That's ok Cris, thanks for appreciating the video ;)
GLB Productions You're welcome Bruno,you have my complete support :)
I finally got my apx. I had a question on the a.f.r how do you use it. I press the button and a " - " appears. Sometimes i press it and a number wil appear either 1 to 5. If i hold it a "c" appears and sometimes and "f" appears. I dont know how to use this button. Can you help me please
Good information here: www.manualslib.com/manual/548810/Yamaha-Ac3m.html
Im waiting for my apx1000 in PW to arrive. Sadly i cant hear difference in a single one of all these demos
The differences are subtle - hopefully once your guitar arrives you'll hear them in person.
@@GLBProductions i play a style of music called bachata. Where you install a humbucker in the soundhole. So i think all these features might be lost since you hook up the pickup directly the to preamp
If you're doing the Bachata mod then you'll get a very different sound because you're replacing the piezo pickup with a magnetic. The features will all still work but in a different way - let me know how it turns out!
@@GLBProductions so I have installed the humbucker , and sadly, I cant hear any difference by messing with the knobs, what a shame I either dont have the ear or there is no change.
@@FadeToBlack1989 That's a shame... perhaps have a guitar tech double check the installation? Ensure that the pickup is actually routing through the preamp rather than directly to the output socket. It's also very helpful to record the guitar with different settings and then listen back to compare.
Where can I order a new set of this srt system63?.
Can't find any dealers.
As mentioned in the video, this preamp has been discontinued, so you'll probably need to go second hand.
How do i turn it on? I already changed the batteries but It just won’t start…
Plugging in the guitar turns the preamp on, although the tuner can always be activated by pressing the tuner button.
This Yamaha what type sir?
2012 Yamaha AC3R.
@@GLBProductions the 2020 output is now different, the pre amp isn't
Mic type2 focus is too thin... Thing is... Its lacking some mids... All settings are flat...
Yes I agree that the mic settings on their own sound a bit thin - when you blend in the piezo pickup it gives the bass and mids more power and the guitar sounds more balanced. It all depends on what sound you're going for.
Ya..... I agree..