The A5R ARE retails around ?1,200.00 and putting it against similar guitars in the same bracket it holds its own. I agree that after that excellent guitar, it?s difficult to see where quality goes up with price. As with all brands, it?s the badge and desirability at the top end of the range and in acoustic guitars, Yamaha don?t have that, despite how many of us were inspired by Bert Jansch playing one.

Incidentally, I often toy with the idea of a Yamaha Transacoustic for acoustic folk club use. They do make cracking guitars per se and the novelty of a similar chorus and reverb to that I get plugged in....