The cutaway provides good upper-fret access, and the frets feel smooth under the fingers. The guitar has very little acoustic output for a hollow design, but it sounds crisp and full when plugged in. The AEX definitely steps into the crispier zones that early Les Paul Juniors and SGs can't suss. Where Gibsons sound creamy and slightly compressed in their treble registers, the Yamaha has a more transient attack and an open, hi-fi response. The AEX's circuitry preserves the highs as you roll down the volume, but the sound gets overly muddy when you turn down the tone control past its halfway point.
Pickups lack midrange bloom and top-end sweetness.
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