A Road-Ready Concert Guitar That Sounds Better Than It Has Any Right To
There's a type of guitar that gets described as a workhorse so often the word loses meaning — but the Yamaha AC1R earns that label the old-fashioned way: solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, a slim neck you actually want to play all night, and a pickup system that doesn't embarrass you when you plug in. It's a genuine gigging guitar that covers everything from a quiet living room to a full band mix without asking you to compromise.
The concert body cutaway is one of those designs that just works. It's smaller and more comfortable to hold than a dreadnought, but it still projects well and fills out the low-mids in a way that feels complete. That single cutaway means your fretting hand can wander up toward the body without hitting a wall — useful whether you're playing a lead break or working out a tricky chord voicing high on the neck.
This is a B-Stock unit from our inventory, perfect for players who want a serious acoustic-electric at a price that leaves room in the budget for other things. A licensed tech will go over it and set it up before it ships.
This item is a B-Stock guitar sourced directly from the manufacturer. It is new and has never been previously owned. The photos shown are of the exact instrument you will receive. Before shipment, our licensed technician will inspect and professionally set up the guitar to ensure it is playing its best. During our inspection, we noticed Micro imperfection on binding on back body at heel, very small spot of rough cut pick guard. (see pictures) Please note, these may not be the only cosmetic imperfections. As a B-Stock instrument, there may be additional minor blemishes that are small in nature and do not affect playability or performance.
Top Wood and Bracing — Where the Sound Comes From
The AC1R features a solid Sitka spruce top with a custom scalloped bracing pattern. Sitka spruce is the standard bearer for acoustic guitar tops for a reason — it's stiff but elastic, meaning it responds well to both light fingerpicking and harder strumming without going mushy or harsh. The scalloped bracing adds efficiency: the top vibrates more freely, delivering a resonant, expressive acoustic voice that punches above the guitar's price point.
Rosewood back and sides round out the tonal picture with warm, complex lows and a clear, piano-like midrange. Combined with the spruce top, you get a balanced instrument that reads as full and present whether you're playing unplugged in a practice room or miked up in a studio. Yamaha uses real wood binding — mahogany and cream — giving the body a refined, stage-appropriate look without going over the top.
The SRT Pickup — Plugged In Without Compromise
Yamaha's SRT (Studio Response Technology) system is the AC1R's defining acoustic-electric feature. The SRT piezo pickup captures the guitar's natural tone at the saddle, while the System 66 preamp on board gives you volume, a built-in chromatic tuner, a 3-band EQ, and an automatic midrange frequency control slider. That mid control is genuinely useful on stage — it lets you dial in or scoop the midrange as the room demands, without hunting through menus.
Players who record directly often find SRT-equipped guitars easier to work with than average undersaddle pickups, since the system is voiced to translate the body's character rather than just feeding a raw piezo signal to the board. It's not a replacement for a well-placed microphone in a treated room, but for live gigs and direct recording it's a solid, dependable tool.
Neck, Playability, and Details
The neck is African mahogany — a three-ply construction for added stability — with a slim taper profile and hand-rolled fingerboard edges. That rolling on the edges is a small thing that makes a real difference over a long session; there's no sharp ledge pressing into your hand as you shift positions. The rosewood fretboard has a generous 400mm radius, which sits comfortably between the flatter feel of an electric neck and the rounder vintage feel, making the transition from electric to acoustic (or vice versa) pretty natural.
Scale length is 650mm (25 9/16"), nut width is 43mm (1 11/16"), and the tuners are die-cast chrome — reliable and stable. The tortoise-pattern pickguard and gloss body finish give the whole package a classic, stage-ready appearance that looks as good as it plays.
Product Features:
-
Body Shape: Concert cutaway — comfortable, balanced, with upper-fret access
-
Top: Solid Sitka spruce with custom scalloped bracing for open, resonant tone
-
Back & Sides: Rosewood — warm, complex tone with clear midrange
-
Neck: African mahogany (3-ply), slim taper profile, hand-rolled fingerboard edges
-
Fingerboard & Bridge: Rosewood, 400mm radius, 43mm nut width
-
Electronics: Yamaha SRT piezo pickup + System 66 preamp with 3-band EQ, built-in tuner, and midrange frequency slider
-
Scale Length: 650mm (25 9/16")
-
Tuners: Die-cast chrome
-
Finish: Gloss body, matte neck — Tobacco Brown Sunburst
-
Binding: Mahogany and cream body binding; tortoise-pattern pickguard
Brand: Yamaha
Model: A-Series AC1R
SKU: AC1R TBS-2ND|IJM200148
Condition: B-Stock
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
