Skip to content
Fretline

Head to head

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany vs Yamaha APX600

The short answer is that the scale lengths are not the same (25.3" against 25"). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 22 rows that actually differ marked out.

Fender
Fender CD-60SCE All-Mahogany dreadnought cutaway acoustic-electric, full front view

CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Natural

A solid mahogany top and a Fishman system, well under the price that usually buys either

8.0/104.4 (888)
Yamaha
Yamaha APX600 thinline acoustic-electric in Black, full front view

APX600

Black

The same stage acoustic, in the finish that disappears behind you

7.8/104.5 (1,226)

As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through our links, at no additional cost to you. We do not publish prices, because Amazon prices change constantly and a stale figure helps nobody. Follow the link for the current price and availability.

Score profile

Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.

  • Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany8.0
  • Yamaha APX6007.8

Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.

Specification by specification

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany compared with Yamaha APX600
CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-MahoganyAPX600
BrandFenderYamaha
ModelCD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-MahoganyAPX600
FinishNaturalBlack
InstrumentAcoustic guitarAcoustic guitar
Fretline score8.0 / 107.8 / 10
Value for money9 / 108 / 10
Amazon rating4.4 / 5 (888)4.5 / 5 (1,226)
Price$300 - $500$300 - $500
TypeAcoustic-electric guitarThinline acoustic-electric guitar
BodyDreadnought cutawayAPX thinline cutaway, 80-90 mm deep (3 1/8" - 3 9/16")
Body woodSolid mahogany top with laminated mahogany back and sidesSpruce top with locally sourced tonewood back and sides
TopSolid mahoganySpruce (laminated)
Back & sidesLaminated mahoganyLocally sourced tonewood
BracingQuartersawn scalloped "X"Non-scalloped X-type
Neck jointSet neckSet neck, cutaway for upper-fret access
Neck woodMahoganyLocally sourced tonewood
Neck profileFender easy-to-play shape with rolled fingerboard edges—
Scale length25.3" (643 mm)25" (634 mm)
FingerboardWalnut (current Fender specification; early production used rosewood)Rosewood
Radius12" (305 mm)15 3/4" (400 mm)
Frets20—
Fret sizeVintage—
NutCrème plastic—
Nut width1.69" (43 mm)1 11/16" (43 mm)
BridgeWalnut, with white bridge pins with black dotsRosewood
TunersChrome die-cast—
ElectronicsFishman CD-1 preamp with under-saddle pickupSRT piezo pickup with SYSTEM65 preamp, 3-band EQ and built-in tuner
ControlsVolume, bass, treble, integrated tuner with on/off switch and low-battery indicatorVolume, 3-band EQ, onboard tuner
OrientationRight-handedRight-handed
Skill levelBeginner, Intermediate, AdvancedBeginner, Intermediate, Advanced
StylesFolk, Country, Blues, Pop, Rock, WorshipPop, Worship, Folk, Rock, Punk
In the box——

A marked row is one where the two differ. A highlighted cell is the stronger figure where one can be judged objectively. Empty cells are specifications the manufacturer does not publish — never estimates.

Which one should you buy?

Computed from the specifications and our editorial scores for these two instruments only. It is not a general ranking.

Best value

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Highest editorial value-for-money score of the instruments compared.

Best build

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Highest editorial build-quality score.

Best tone

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Highest editorial tone score.

Most versatile

Yamaha APX600

Highest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.

Most comfortable

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Highest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.

Best for beginners

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Strongest overall score among the instruments we rate as beginner-friendly.

Best for rock

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Strongest overall score among the instruments suited to rock.

Best for the studio

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought, All-Mahogany

Build and tone scores combined, with credit for tuning-stability hardware that matters when tracking.

Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.

Want a third opinion?

The comparator takes as many instruments as you like, not just two, and recomputes the whole table and every conclusion as you add them.

Other comparisons