Head to head
Yamaha JR vs Yamaha L Series
The verdict
The Yamaha L Series comes out ahead overall — 76 to 70 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Yamaha JR wins on
No standout advantage.
Yamaha L Series wins on
- Better build (93 vs 84)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (75 vs 69)
Scorecard
| Metric | JR | L Series |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 70 | 76 |
| Build | 84 | 93 |
| Playability | 64 | 64 |
| Sound | 60 | 68 |
| Value | 69 | 75 |
Full specifications
| Spec | JR | L Series |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Yamaha | Yamaha |
| Type | Acoustic-Electric | Acoustic-Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | JP | JP |
| Body wood | Mahogany Pattern UTF (Ultra-Thin Film) | Solid Indian Rosewood |
| Neck wood | Locally-Sourced Tonewood** | Mahogany + Rosewood (5-Ply) |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | — | — |
| Scale | 21.26" | 25.59" |
| Pickups | None | None |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | — | — |
| Accessories | Hex Wrench | Hex Wrench |
| Back Material | Mahogany Pattern UTF (Ultra-Thin Film) | Solid Indian Rosewood |
| Body Binding | Black | Abalone + Maple + Stained Wood |
| Body Depth | 80-90 mm (3 1/8" - 3 9/16") | 100-125 mm (3 15/16" - 4 15/16") |
| Body Finish | Gloss | Gloss (Nitrocellulose Lacquer) |
| Body Length | 389 mm (15 5/16") | 513 mm (20 3/16") |
| Body shape | Compact Traditional Western | Round-Shoulder Dreadnought Style |
| Body Width | 317 mm (12 1/2") | 415 mm (16 5/16") |
| Bridge Material | Rosewood | Ebony |
| Bridge Pins | Black ABS with White Dot | Black ABS with White Dot |
| Case | Gig Bag | Hardshell Case |
| Connections | None | None |
| Controls | None | None |
| Fretboard radius | R400 mm (15 3/4") | R400 mm (15 3/4") |
| Neck Finish | Matte | Matte |
| Nut | Urea | Bone |
| Nut width | 43 mm (1 11/16”) | 44 mm (1 3/4") |
| Pickguard | Tortoise Pattern | Tortoise Pattern |
| Saddle Material | Urea | Bone |
| Scale length | 540 mm (21 1/4") | 650 mm (25 9/16") |
| Side Material | Mahogany Pattern UTF (Ultra-Thin Film) | Solid Indian Rosewood |
| Sound Hole Inlay | Black | Abalone + Wood |
| String Spacing | 10 mm | 11 mm |
| Top Material | Spruce | Solid Engelmann Spruce A.R.E. |
| Total Length | 845 mm (33 1/4") | 1046 mm (41 3/16") |
| Tuners | Covered Chrome | Die-Cast Gold (TM67G-Y22) |