Yamaha Classical Guitar CG122MS (Matt Finish)

The Cheapest Way Into a Solid Top — and the Only Matt CG.

The Yamaha CG122MS is the entry point to Yamaha's solid-top CG range, and the one model in the series wearing a matt finish. The suffix says it exactly: M for matt, S for solid spruce. Yamaha's own claim for it is that it “sounds as good as instruments costing much more”.

That solid spruce top is the point. It is one piece of wood rather than glued laminate layers, so it moves more freely under the strings — more volume, a wider range between soft and loud, more colour to work with — and it keeps opening up the more you play it. Every C Series guitar has a laminate top; every CG has a solid one, and this is the least expensive way to cross that line.

Nato back, sides and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, chrome tuners, black-and-natural binding, matt body and neck. Full 650 mm scale and 52 mm nut — the correct geometry for graded study.

Why a Solid Top Changes the Instrument

This is the real dividing line between the C Series and the CG Series. If you only understand one thing before spending the difference, make it this.

Solid spruce top at the lowest CG price

The same solid spruce top specification as the dearer CG142S and CG182S. This is the change that does the most for volume, dynamics and long-term tone — and here it comes at the least money in the series.

The only matt-finish guitar in the CG series

Matt body and neck, with black-and-natural binding. It looks understated rather than polished, hides fingerprints and dust, throws no glare under stage or classroom lighting, and does not cling to your arm in warm weather.

Nato back, sides and neck

A consistent mid-weight hardwood often used in place of mahogany, giving a warm, even response that sits well under a spruce top. Stable, too, which is no bad thing in a humid climate.

650 mm scale, 52 mm nut, rosewood fingerboard

Standard classical geometry with 11.8 mm string spacing and a rosewood fingerboard and bridge — the scale that classical repertoire, method books and graded exam syllabi are all written around.

Sounds like more than it costs

Yamaha's positioning for this model is that it “sounds as good as instruments costing much more”. That is a bold claim, and the solid top is what backs it up — you are paying for wood rather than decoration.

Q. What do the M and S in the name mean?

M is for matt and S is for solid spruce top. So the model name is telling you the two things that define it: it is the only matt-finish guitar in the CG series, and it has a solid rather than laminated top.

Q. How is this different from the CG142S?

Mainly the finish, and the price. Both have the same solid spruce top, nato back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and chrome tuners. This one is matt with black-and-natural binding and costs less; the CG142S is gloss with black-and-white binding. If you like the matt look, you are getting the same solid top for less money.

Q. Is it worth stepping up from a C Series guitar?

Yes, and this is the cheapest way to do it. Every C Series model has a laminate top; every CG model has a solid one. That single change does more for volume, dynamics and long-term tone than any amount of nicer hardware. If you have outgrown a C40 or C80, start here.

Q. How do I look after a solid top in India?

Keep it out of direct sunlight, never leave it in a parked car, and do not sit it where an air conditioner blows straight onto it. In dry weather a case humidifier costs very little and prevents the cracking and shrinkage that dry air can cause. Ask us and we will include one.

Q. Does a matt finish wear out faster?

Not faster, differently. Matt gradually burnishes to a shine where you touch it most — the back of the neck, and where your forearm rests. Many players like that, since it is the guitar recording how much it has been played. Gloss instead collects fine scratches but can be polished out.

Q. Is this suitable for graded exams?

Very much so. The 650 mm scale and 52 mm nut are exactly what graded syllabi assume, and the solid top gives an examiner more dynamic range and tonal colour to hear. It is a sensible instrument to work through the higher grades on.

Q. Can I put steel strings on it?

No — please don't. A classical guitar is built for the far lower tension of nylon and has no truss rod. Steel strings will pull the neck forward and can lift the bridge, and that damage is not covered by warranty.

Q. Is a case included?

No — the CG122MS is supplied without a case. On a solid-wood guitar a proper case is worth having, both for knocks and for buffering humidity swings. Ask us and we will pair a suitable classical case before it ships.

Why Buy from YMS?

• ✓ Authorised Yamaha Premium Retailer: Buy a genuine India-market Yamaha instrument with official manufacturer warranty support.
• ✓ Set up before it reaches you: We check action, relief and intonation, which matters more on a solid-top instrument than on any student guitar.
• ✓ Expert guidance: We will tell you honestly where the step up through the CG range is worth it and where it is not.
• ✓ Care for solid wood: Ask us about hard cases, case humidifiers and looking after a solid top in the Indian climate.
• ✓ Pan-India delivery: Order from anywhere in India, subject to serviceability for your location.
• ✓ Physical-store support: YMS teams in Bengaluru and Mangaluru are available for product enquiries and after-sales guidance.