Yamaha
Yamaha LS16 Electro-Acoustic Guitar
All-solid woods and an A.R.E. top in a comfortable concert body
- Hand-selected solid Engelmann spruce top treated with Yamaha A.R.E.
- Solid rosewood back and sides for an all-solid, well-balanced voice
- Compact concert-style LS body, recommended by Yamaha for fingerstyle
- 5-ply mahogany and rosewood neck with an ebony fingerboard and bridge
- Passive SRT Zero Impact pickup, with a hard bag included by Yamaha
Taxes included.
Yamaha LS16 ARE All-Solid Concert Electro-Acoustic Guitar
The Yamaha LS16 ARE is an all-solid concert-style electro-acoustic guitar from Yamaha's L Series. It combines a hand-selected solid Engelmann spruce top treated with Yamaha's A.R.E. process, solid rosewood back and sides, a 5-ply mahogany and rosewood neck with an ebony fingerboard, and the passive SRT Zero Impact pickup.
The LS is the smallest L Series body and has a long history at Yamaha. It is well balanced, sounds fuller than its size suggests and handles delicate passages beautifully, which is why Yamaha recommends it for fingerstyle players. The LS16 is ideal for fingerpickers, singer-songwriters and performers who want an all-solid guitar that is ready to plug in.
Key Features
Hand-Selected Solid Engelmann Spruce Top with A.R.E.
A.R.E. (Acoustic Resonance Enhancement) is Yamaha's own wood-reforming technology. Precise control of temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure shifts the wood's molecular properties towards the condition found in guitars that have been played for years. On the LS16 the treated top is hand-selected premium Engelmann spruce, giving a warm, open, played-in sound from new.
All-Solid Rosewood Back and Sides
The LS16 uses solid rosewood for the back and sides, so the whole body is solid wood. Yamaha describes its rosewood L Series models as offering a well-balanced tone from low to high. The gloss body is trimmed with maple and black binding, an abalone, black and white soundhole inlay and a tortoise-pattern pickguard.
Concert-Style LS16 Body
The LS16 body measures 497 mm long, 380 mm wide and 100–120 mm deep, with an overall length of 1030 mm. This compact shape is comfortable to play for long sessions and is Yamaha's recommended L Series body for fingerstyle guitarists. It still delivers a confident, balanced sound in a band or solo.
Newly Designed Modified Non-Scalloped Bracing
The L Series uses a modified non-scalloped bracing pattern that keeps the bright L Series character while enhancing low-end response. With the A.R.E. top, Yamaha says this gives the L16 models rich warmth and open resonance while keeping excellent tonal balance.
5-Ply Neck with a High Comfort Traditional Profile
The neck is a 5-ply laminate of mahogany and rosewood with a double-action adjustable truss rod for strength and stability. Its High Comfort Traditional profile comes from Yamaha re-evaluating string spacing, string height, fingerboard binding and taper for a stable grip and smooth playability. The LS16 has a 650 mm scale, a 44 mm nut, an ebony fingerboard with a 400 mm radius and a matt neck.
SRT Zero Impact Pickup on the LS16 Electro-Acoustic
Yamaha's passive SRT Zero Impact system is designed to minimise the pickup's effect on the guitar's tone and traditional appearance. It uses an individual piezoelectric element for each string to reproduce the L Series sound faithfully when amplified. There are no onboard controls, just a LINE OUT jack.
Ebony Bridge, Gold Tuners and a Hard Bag
Hardware includes an ebony bridge, urea nut and saddle, black ABS bridge pins with white dots and die-cast gold TM29G tuners. The LS16 is strung with Elixir NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze Light strings, and Yamaha lists a hard bag and a hex wrench as included.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the LS16 different from the LS6?
Both have the same concert body, solid Engelmann spruce top with A.R.E., 5-ply neck, gold TM29G tuners and SRT Zero Impact pickup. The LS16 adds solid rosewood back and sides, an ebony fingerboard and bridge, and maple and black binding. The LS6 uses rosewood back and sides (not listed as solid by Yamaha), a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and cream and black binding.
Should I choose the LS16 or the LL16?
They share the same woods, neck, hardware and pickup. The LL16 has the larger round-shoulder dreadnought-style body (415 mm wide, 100–125 mm deep), which Yamaha associates with rich volume and wide dynamics. The LS16 has the smaller concert body (380 mm wide, 100–120 mm deep), which is more compact and is Yamaha's pick for fingerstyle playing.
Does the LS16 need a battery?
No. The SRT Zero Impact pickup is passive and Yamaha lists no onboard controls, so there is nothing to power inside the guitar. Plug into the LINE OUT jack and adjust level and tone on your amp, mixer or an external acoustic preamp.
What comes with the LS16?
Yamaha India lists a hard bag and a hex wrench as included with the LS16. The guitar is fitted with Elixir NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze Light strings.
Which colours are available?
YMS offers the LS16 in Natural, Brown Sunburst and Dark Tinted, all with a gloss body and matt neck.
Who is the LS16 best suited to?
It is ideal for players who want an all-solid guitar in a comfortable, compact body: fingerstyle players, singer-songwriters and performers who need a natural-sounding acoustic that is ready for the stage.
Why Buy from YMS?
- Authorised Yamaha Premium Retailer
- Genuine stock with full manufacturer warranty
- Demo units at our Bengaluru and Mangaluru stores
- Secure delivery across India
- Free domestic shipping on all orders
Specifications
Overview
| Model | LS16 ARE |
|---|---|
| Series | L Series |
| Type | Steel-string electro-acoustic guitar |
| Body Shape | Concert Style |
| Colours (this listing) | Natural, Brown Sunburst, Dark Tinted |
Body
| Top | Solid Engelmann Spruce with A.R.E. |
|---|---|
| Back | Solid Rosewood |
| Sides | Solid Rosewood |
| Bracing | Modified non-scalloped bracing |
| Body Length | 497 mm (19 9/16") |
| Body Width | 380 mm (14 15/16") |
| Body Depth | 100–120 mm (3 15/16"–4 3/4") |
| Total Length | 1030 mm (40 9/16") |
| Body Binding | Maple + Black |
| Soundhole Inlay | Abalone + Black + White |
| Pickguard | Tortoise pattern |
| Body Finish | Gloss |
Neck & Fingerboard
| Scale Length | 650 mm (25 9/16") |
|---|---|
| Nut Width | 44 mm (1 3/4") |
| Neck | Mahogany + Rosewood, 5-ply |
| Neck Profile | High Comfort Traditional |
| Neck Finish | Matt |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Fingerboard Radius | R400 mm (15 3/4") |
Electronics
| Pickup | SRT piezo pickup (passive), SRT Zero Impact system |
|---|---|
| Controls | None |
| Connections | LINE OUT |
Hardware
| Bridge | Ebony |
|---|---|
| Nut | Urea |
| Saddle | Urea |
| Bridge Pins | Black ABS with White Dot |
| Tuners | Die-cast Gold (TM29G) |
| String Spacing | 11.0 mm (bridge-pin centre to centre) |
Strings & Accessories
| Strings | Elixir NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze Light |
|---|---|
| Accessories | Hex Wrench |
| Case | Hard Bag |
Specifications from Yamaha India's L Series specifications and lineup pages; subject to change by Yamaha.
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