Yamaha THR5A 2x3" 10-watt Acoustic Modeling Combo Amp Reviews

This little amp was above my expectations. It's compact and the tone is great for what it is. The nice part is I can sit and play my Yamaha Silent Guitar and dial it in to a volume and sing over it to practice. The "A" series for acoustic guitars is engineered very nicely to do a good job with tonality. It has the features I need. Also my Takamine A/E guitars sound good through it as well. It works very well for me and I give it a solid 5 star rating.

Just loved it!

Yamaha mini amp is perfect for home practicing...love it

I am not easy to impress on tech but this little amp has absolutely blown me away. The sound and quality are just amazing and way exceeded my expectations. And that is without getting into the custom features. Awesome tech right out of the box and great value for the price. My sales agent Luke Herian also top notch. Thanks

I must say the sound of this amp is excellent, with reverb, chorus, delay, and compressor effects that all sound good and are useable. I haven't played it very loud since it lives in the living room but it sounds great at bedroom volume. I love the portability of it, so convenient and fun to take outside in the yard. It also sounds great with my Fender American Standard and Eric Johnson strats!!!

sounds beautiful. also can hook up to the computer and run it through your daw like ableton to record. it has a application you download allowing you to have more settings to the amp. overall very pleased

I haven't stop playing My acoustic since I got it, totally enjoyable. Thank You Sweetwater and Andrew Plassman for the fast service.

Purchased a Yamaha SLG200S and wanted an amp to go with it, as this part of the silent guitar family it was a no brainer. The size, tones, volume, software, portability and that fact it can be battery powered are all plusses, and it looks great with the faux tube glow.

It's plenty loud and sounds great, make sure to use the software to really dial in the sound. Currently the only amp I own, as the only powered guitar I have is the SLG200S.

I bought this amp to use as a practice amp. i was looking for something that make it easier to hear my playing imperfections, it does that and more. I'm still playing with the effects only because they are there. Unit has way more output than I need,operates and sounds great. I like that it's small, way easier to tuck away after use, it is portable and runs on batteries if needed. It's more than I thought it would be. Great pick by Candice (sales rep) who found a better unit than what I was going to get for my acoustic/electric. Her guidance was as usual 10 stars.

This amp is amazing. I play out a lot by campfires, or just sitting around outside. I am totally blown away by the sound quality of this amp. It is right up there with my Fishman Acoustic amp or my BOSS acoustic amp. It has great effects, and is loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the campfire roar.
It is hard to describe the quality of the amp, but I can say that everyone is impressed with it. It looks great and sounds great. I have run it on the batteries for hours at a time. I use the recommended Panasonic BK-3HCCA8BA eneloop pro AA High Capacity Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries.
I do not think you can find a better amp for the price!

The Yamaha thr5a is perfect for what I needed. Sound is amazing. I play lightnin hopkins, r.l. burnside, jr kimbrough style blues and it's cool to get that electric-acoustic reverb-delay sound from the Yamaha. Cool product. Sweetwater sent it in 1 day. I ordered it online, and got it at my door the next day! Outstanding Sweetwater. 5 star all around.

Sweetwater delivers again!....shipped that day.....thanks!

After playing around with it i really love this little amp. some folks had trouble downloading the extras for a computer, but i finally got it all.
I have bad hearing, and pleased with the volume with the amp, but i plugged it into my ION Tailgater speaker, and wow!
I am not a fan of piazzo bridge pickups in guitar, and i use sound hole pickups. i like the fact on this amp i can adjust both the guitar volume, and the amp volume.
I also love to play classical guitar, and thought of buying one, but i plugged in my Alvarez OM masterworks guitar, and used the nylon setting, and i do not need a classical guitar now......not least anytime soon anyway.
So yes something the size of a lunch box i am very happy!
P.S....thanks for the candy sweetwater in my shipment!

This thing packs a good punch for such a small amp. It doesn't distort at louder volumes and keeps the original tone of the acoustic. I originally bought it for playing acoustic and recording, but I eventually started using this even for electric guitar which I wasn't expecting at all. The clean modeling for electric sounds fantastic and doesn't chop any of the range of sound. I've played hard rock, metal, and sparkly chorus and tremolo tones and it holds up as good as any other desktop amp. It's also an audio interface which just puts this over the top for me as the best desktop amp. Easily the best value for a desktop amp.

After looking at every review everywhere I thought I would give it a try.

I got it mainly to practice with my lap steel guitars. All I pretty much need for lap steel guitar is a good reverb. That's what I thought anyway.

When it came I started out with it sitting on the box. Then I moved it up on the table top closer to my ears so I could really better hear what was going on and make it easier to play with all the effects. Wow! The reverb in this thing is really nice. It sounds like you are playing through a huge amp or in a studio. With this amp you can adjust the reverb, delay, chorus, compressor, to your liking. For example with the delay your can even dial in how many repeats are sounded.

My lap steel guitars sound rich and unreal. To be able to hear every nuance really helps to improve my lap steel playing style. Like so many reviewers say "It's hard to stop playing with it".

I ran both Master and Volume full up. It does get fairly loud. Not blasting loud but loud enough. It got a little speaker rattle. There is no need really to run it full blast.

As for gigging with it or for me personally its too small and I'd need a mic input. You could busk with it for guitar solos no problem. Perfect for acoustic jams or parties for either guitar and or lap steel guitar. If you are in a little trio where guys aren't blasting away it could work fine.

One thing to note is you can line out from the headphone plug to a PA or bigger amp for more volume.

If you are a lap steel player Sleepwalk sounds beautiful with it.

And last but not least the internal red lights for sure were a closer. It not only sounds great but looks killer.

I could not download and any software from Steinberg or Yamaha. I just gave up.

Back to playing.

While I haven't had Yamaha's THR5A modeling amplifier long I'm really enjoying it. I'm playing a Cordoba Fusion Series guitar with this amp and it's near perfect.

Ordered this for my daughter to use with her Ukulele, but have also used it with acoustic-electric guitar and violin with pick-up. They all sound awesome through it. It's very loud considering small size. The only problem you'll have is getting one as they fly off the shelf so go ahead and preorder. Love the old school look. The portibility factor is off the chart... Just as loud with battery power. A really great deal.

Great sounding unit. Small, compact, sits in the studio taking very little space, yet, the sound is clean & pure. On-board effects including delay, reverb, chorus, and compressor. I haven't picked up my acoustics and classical guitars in a while, now, I can't put them down.

Bigger sound and better effects than I would have expected for the size and price. Great Buy!

The sound is so real from such a small amp with five Mic choices so many sound options I love this little amp!

Outstanding sound for something so small. Easy to use light weight and very portable.

This little amp is incredible! I play my Taylor acoustic through it and frankly, it has never sounded better...or even close. Even the sound engineers are blown away by this unit and can't decide between a mic or line out and usually do both now. The effects are nice, the on board tuner works, even flat it has an accurate sound reinforcement of my beautiful Taylor. It sounds just as good on the batteries too. The price is right and I can not imagine anyone being less than satisfied with this amp. I'll use it on stage or at a camp fire as it will fit in a backpack! Awesome.

again thanks sweet water and alex super amazing product friendly and professional sales engineer.. this amp. is like a magic plug your guitar and it will give you that magic sounds..

I wanted a small sized amp for practice playing at home for my own pleasure and it has met or exceeded everything I expected from it. If you're looking for a small, easy to carry, great sounding, amplifier, look no further. It may seem expensive a $200 but once you start using it, you will not regret the price at all. In addition to great sounds, it is built very well, controls are all buttery smooth and fit and finish are perfect. Overall, I am delighted with it and give it my highest recommendation.

It sounds great with both guitars and ukuleles too. Go for it!

Super little practice amp. Really nice to plug up with nice sounds without lugging all the equipment out. This thing is quite surprising. For the money it is a good investment

I purchased this little powerhouse, to amplify a classical guitar I'd recently purchased(also from Sweetwater), at Roots/Folk jam sessions.

But once I started plugging guitars into it, and even though it is designated as an acoustic guitar amp, I have had great success running my 335 through it at church.

Great clear tones & plenty of customization with effects. I also like the separate effects & reverb knobs.

This unit is well worth the price.

I plugged my Taylor 214CE Deluxe into this little giant. From the reviews on the net I read I was expecting this to be a really good amp but honestly I wasn't to be impressed this much.
Yes, it's not powerful enough to use it alone on a recital at a large hall, but when you're at home practicing or jamming with another friend (or even few friends) out in your backyard this gem puts out more than enough power for those occasions.

When I bought my 214CE Dlx I was also thinking about a more expensive model Taylor like a 414CE. The difference in the tones between two guitars was subtle but there...
The only question was, does that subtle difference in tone between two models justifies to spend all that extra money. After all 214CE Dlx had a beautiful tone too...

Well, after plugging in to THR5A, I fell in love with my 214CE Dlx one more time and I that doubt disappeared in my mind.
The quality sound coming out of this amp will make you feel the same about your guitar no matter what brand/model Electric/Acoustic you're plugging in it!

It is so easy to move around the home, yard or RV with this amp. Plus at a price like $199 it is most affordable, yet quality amp out there as of today.

If you're looking for a GREAT ACOUSTIC AMP and still on the fence about it, go ahead and jump on it!

Trust me, you won't be sorry!

This amp is awesome! You can copy the exact sound of your Guitar,or you can model it with some of the best effects out there.The Condenser,Dynamic,and Tube settings all give pretty accurate modeling of those mics.The Chorus/Compressor and the Delay/Reverb settings are very nice,and will make your Guitar sound
BIG! I go Busking with this amp,and as long as you use a wall or find a partially enclosed area,this amp more than keeps up with volume.I have played out in the open in Parks,etc. and it does this ok as well.The headphone jack will act as a line out to pa speakers and or bigger acoustic amps,so the volume thing some people dont like is solveable also.Personally I find it to be the best money I have spent on an amp in a long time,and I will be buying a second one.aI also highly recommend the Bag Yamaha has for these amps.Very nicely made and protects the amp when using it as I do.Well done Yamaha!

I have a vintage Guild D30 with an LR Baggs M80 magnetic pickup. I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like this amp when I bought it. I thought that it would be only decent. But after playing through it and hearing the sound, it's like my acoustic is the same sound as playing without being plugged in, but amplified. The effects are really well done as well. Couldn't be happier with this purchase, especially for the price.

The tonal range of this amp is fantastic. It sounds "big" for such a miniscule piece of gear. The output is perfect for playing in the living room / bedroom etc. The effects are studio quality. If you want off-the-wall Pink Floyd sounds, look elsewhere. If you want to dial in the tone of an acoustic guitar to fit any mood, this is exactly the amp for the job.

I have been using it as a pre-amp for praise and worship. I take the output from the headphone jack and feed it to the PA and what I dialed in at home is exactly what I get out of the mains. I have also been using it for my electric guitar on the electric guitar setting. With the gain up, I get exactly the crunch I need for contemporary praise.

The 'build the tone from the ground up using software' approach is an impressive technical achievement. Kudos to Yamaha for this one. My other acoustic amps are collecting dust at this point.

Great things do come in small packages!
For its size and what it's stocked with, THIS MINI AMP is a CHAMP!
A great mini-amp for small gigs, busking (street venues), or
just plain fun at home without pulling out all the heavy equipment.
This THR5A (10-Watt) amp is great for acoustic guitars and instruments.
All features considered, I'm very pleased with its price and performance!
Sweetwater takes great care of its customers, over and beyond most of its competitors.

Amp works great with my Ibanez acoustic that has a magnetic pick up. I also sent my electric thru processor then amp with excellent results. Good battery life with rechargeables.

Perfect with the Yamaha silent classical guitar. Once you get the sound right (I recommend reading the short manual that comes with it) it has a very good nylon string guitar sound with no harshness. This box is loud enough for a large room as a venue and certainly loud enough for practice. I have not tried any editing or recording. But just as an amp, this is an excellent buy for the price and so small and easy to move around.

This amp is very good for the price. It is fun to play, and works great with acoustic guitars. I have 5 acoustics.

If you're looking for a great desktop acoustic guitar amp, this is it! Both my steel string and nylon string guitars really pop with this amp. Reverb, delay, compression, and chorus are excellent effects reproductions. It is amazing how much of a rich, full sound you can get out of this little amp. The only downsides, I was disappointed with the EG CLN voice. You can't really do much to get a good sound with an electric guitar. Cleans were muddy. Also, the THR editor for your PC is nothing special. I thought at least the added equalizing with base, mids, and treble would add some dimension, but not so much. This is just a great acoustic amp as it is. Don't expect much with an electric guitar or the editor.

I already have a Yamaha THR10 amp but I got this one after watching a few YouTube videos about the features -- I record a lot of acoustic guitar and wanted the extra versatility and mic emulation. It's a great little amp and sits on a corner of my desk, so it's really handy for plugging in headphones and playing, and the USB out makes it a good interface with my DAW (Garageband.) Very solidly built and pretty cool-looking, too.

My only complaint about it is it lacks the on-amp preset buttons on its bigger sibling, so the only way to access presets is via the Yamaha software (which itself is pretty cool and very easy to use.)

This is an excellent practice amp which can also function as a high quality acoustic instrument's effects processor. I only could wish it would have an extra mono output, except a stereo one. Otherwise this small thing is a perfect companion.

Needed a desktop-size combo amp for quick recording of song ideas, with a headphone jack for late night practicing. Didn't have high expectations for this model's sound quality, but was very surprised at how good it is. Also own a Fishman Loudbox Artist and have always been frustrated with the effects (Reverb lacks sufficient depth, Chorus sounds too artificial) and have to say that the Yamaha effects sound better to my ear. Have been using the Condenser mic model and Electric Guitar Clean and getting great results with an Eastwood Airline electric resonator for Ragtime and an Eastman all solid maple archtop for Jazz, both of which have one mini-humbucker. Nitpick: the controls are a bit limiting. In terms of tone, there doesn't seem to be any difference between the Master and Volume controls - would rather that one had been dedicated to Gain for use with all of the mic models; Blend controls distortion, but only for the EG CLN model; and there is no OFF setting for the Effect and the Dly/Reverb controls. Regardless, would highly recommend.

would have given 5 stars but when you dial in mic setting it can overdrive it. use it with a traveler guitar. works great.

If you're looking for a practice amp this is the best very handy consumes lrss space and beautiful sound, it would have been better if it had a di out to ise it as a monotor, but its really good for decent sized room.

This amp is perfect for the home or even small intimate venues
much louder than anticipated compression works to smooth things out
reverb and chorus just add to a great product as an owner of two other acoustic amps a trace Elliot ta 30 and ta 50r this will replace the ta 30 for small acoustic venues. as it is light and easy to travel with for small contemporary worship.

This is one of my most successful purchases. When I tried it first, I didn't understand the amp's concept – it's not very powerful even for a bedroom practice, then I tried it with an electric baritone guitar – which was, obviously, a bad idea. Then I tried it with several acoustic guitars (nylon, acoustic, carbon fiber acoustic electric) and connected it to a PA/acoustic guitar combo.
By far this is the closest emulation of a mic'd acoustic sound of a guitar. While this little thing won't be your gig amp of choice (it's good for practice though), it's absolutely brilliant as an acoustic guitar effects processor. Microphone simulations plus compressor, reverb, delay, chorus, tone, gain – all sound very subtle and musical – as a result you really have an impression of playing in front of a decent mic in a studio or in a concert hall.
I could only wish for the regular mono output instead of a stereo 1/4' headphones one. You can have a workaround for that – buy a stereo 1/4 cable with a split mono cables at the other end. If you just plug the mono cable for an output – you will have just one channel. That's why I am giving it 4 stars, not 5.
Otherwise it's just perfect as a small practice amp and a very very good efx processor for an acoustic electric guitar.

I've enjoyed this amp a lot. My acoustic isn't especially balanced so I like plugging in when possible. I use the compression feature and delay effects mostly and then also just run an iPod through with drum tracks. I use it with batteries most of the time and love the convenience.

I've managed to use this with my Yamaha FSX acoustic/electric guitar and it sounds awesome. In most situations the volume is more than adequate. I also have used this amp with a vintage casio keyboard, as well as a vintage yamaha CP20 keyboard and it works well. The amp settings alter keyboard tones quite a bit. It's also a nice device for playing audio from a laptop. It's also nice that it comes with Cubase as well as the AMP editor. It's just a nice, small, fun amp. My first real guitar amp.

Fantastic versatility and power for a desktop acoustic amp.
Hard to believe sound from (2) 3.5 inch speakers
Loads of fun, and recording software too.
Recomended

This is a very good acoustic amp., which does not color the sound of an acoustic guitar, unless you want it to . Has an nice clean sound ,no feedback, and works well with an under the saddle pickup. Has mic. models,effects, and a nylon setting. Even has a setting for electric guitar which I have played a hollow body thru and it sounded decent. Very easy to move around and even works off batteries. Sound is good for its small size- but has limitations. Has USB for recording and editing. Great inside light when turned on. I use a Tak EG523SC mostly but other guitars sound good. My only kick -more volume, but we all want more. If you buy it ,I think you will enjoy it.