Acoustic options £500 - £750

Fuengi · November 2017

Since sold my Sigma DR28 I've been mulling over what to get next. Research starts now while I'm in plaster for a few months.

I've decided I don't like the size of a dreadnought, so a mid to small sized acoustic for picking and strumming at home.

Budget will be between £500 to £750 and I'm pretty sure I'll buy new as I really want to find the guitar that feels and sounds right, so will want to try lots.

Definitely on my list to try will be Faith, Yamaha and Guild. I really like the look of the new Art & Lutherie Legacy series, and I think Andertons carry an eastern European maker which looks good quality at that price.

What else should I look out for?

Legionreturns · November 2017

I thought the answer to that particular set of requirements was always gs mini? They've come down in price recently too

Fuengi · November 2017

Legionreturns said:

Legionreturns said:

I thought the answer to that particular set of requirements was always gs mini? They've come down in price recently too

Yes, also on the list to compare.

Legionreturns · November 2017

Some good Takemine guitars in that price range too

Modellista · November 2017

Do you want on-board electrics and how good do you want them to be? That's going to take up a bit of budget. I have a Yamaha A3R which has a brilliant modelling preamp - it wasn't the best guitar in the shop acoustically but it was the best for live playing purposes due to its excellent plugged-in sound. If you don't need advanced electronics you'll get better bang for your buck in terms of acoustic tone.

Maybe have a look at one of the Yamaha ARE series - pre-aged woods and IIRC one of those was the best sounding acoustic in that price range last time I had a good play of a few different models in a shop. The LS is the small body, with their discount code this can be yours for £463.60: Yamaha LS6 ARE

Edit: that's got passive electronics so will have an underwhelming plugged-in tone without the use of an outboard modeller.

Fuengi · November 2017

Seems I'm the one person who wants a cutaway but not electronics

paddyb · November 2017

I bought a Faith last year when I had pretty much the same requirements. I love it, the smaller body feels so much more comfortable to me and I play acoustic alot more since I got it.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/faith-natural-series-venus-electro-acoustic-guitar

Fuengi · November 2017

Looks ideal @paddyb I like the new Blood Moon version.

Did you buy from Andertons?

Gulliver · November 2017

100% Faith. went to Andertons a few years back and played just about everything in the price range, the only thing that sounded better that the Venus Natural I bought was a £3k Taylor.

and since the missus was paying, she wasn't up for the extra expense...

Winny_Pooh · November 2017

Dont buy a cutaway, they sound shitter.
Guild, Recording King, Epiphone masterbilt, Seagull, Faith.

Fuengi · November 2017

Epiphone Master built look interesting, will take a look.

paddyb · November 2017

Fuengi said:

Looks ideal @paddyb I like the new Blood Moon version.

Did you buy from Andertons?

Yes, they have a good selection if you can get to the store. The one I linked is the model that I bought.
One of the other reasons I went for that model was that it had more basic electronics

Fuengi · November 2017

paddyb said:

Fuengi said:

Looks ideal @paddyb I like the new Blood Moon version.

Did you buy from Andertons?

Yes, they have a good selection if you can get to the store. The one I linked is the model that I bought.
One of the other reasons I went for that model was that it had more basic electronics

I can get there, they are about half an hour from me. I noticed there is another small guitar shop in Guildford opposite the Post Office, not been I'm there yet.

PMT is also close by also and I really like Guitar Sound in Chichester, super chilled place to try things out and they have some good stock.

Phil_aka_Pip · November 2017

Faith are brilliant

Not much wrong with Yams either. As an interesting alternative (should you like that sort of thing) there's the Epiphone Masterbilt archtop acoustics which I'm quite interested in, mainly the Olympic and Century f-hole models. In your price bracket, at PMT. If you try one, please let us know how you got on with it.

Fuengi · November 2017

Will do @Phil_aka_Pip although it won't be until the new year. The Epi Masterbilt were not on my radar until today and I didn't know PMT carried them. I find PMT infinitely better then Nevada Music was but a little bit pushy and don't always let you try in peace.

I did try the Gretsch Rancher which was brilliant fun and loved the V shaped neck but couldn't bring myself to buy one.

AuldReekie · November 2017

Simples - 2nd hand Larrivee

Fuengi · November 2017

AuldReekie said:

Simples - 2nd hand Larrivee

I don't mind taking a gamble on a used guitar up to £300 as I can always move it on without too much of a hit.

If I'm paying over £500 I really want to chose from a selection and to do that you have to buy from a store.

Also I personally believe that this price point represents the best value for money in the market so there are lots of really good guitars the chose from.

Kilgore · November 2017

Eastman om? There are several flavours in that price range.

Fuengi · November 2017

Cheers @Kilgore I see Guitar Village stock them, they are not far away.

Winny_Pooh · November 2017

If you are going to Guildford you should also look at Guitar Village in Farnham, Massive selection of acoustics. Played mostly high end stuff last time but they had a great violin colour Eastman under £1000

Fuengi · November 2017

Will do the Portsmouth, Chichester, Fareham, Guildford tour trying before buying.

Looking at Eastman's range they do some gorgeous looking guitars for what looks to be very competitive prices. Do they sound any good?

Kilgore · November 2017

Fuengi said:

Will do the Portsmouth, Chichester, Fareham, Guildford tour trying before buying.

Looking at Eastman's range they do some gorgeous looking guitars for what looks to be very competitive prices. Do they sound any good?

Well tone is subjective, best to try them out. But all the ones I've played have fantastic build quality and great playability.

Fuengi · November 2017

The eastern European range Andertons do is Dawina (pronounced Davina), anyone tried one?

Teyeplayer · November 2017

Must it be new? I picked up a fantastic Martin 000-15m for 700 a year or two ago and still occasionally see similiar secondhand deals come up. You should be able to get a nice Larrivee for a similiar figure secondhand. By holding out for a quality secondhand instrument you could have a far better guitar for your money.

Fuengi · November 2017

Teyeplayer said:

Must it be new? I picked up a fantastic Martin 000-15m for 700 a year or two ago and still occasionally see similiar secondhand deals come up. You should be able to get a nice Larrivee for a similiar figure secondhand. By holding out for a quality secondhand instrument you could have a far better guitar for your money.

I take your point. My thinking is that I can get a really good acoustic in this price range and can select the size, shape, top wood and finger board I want, plus I can try a stack and chose the one that feels just right.

Whenever I have bought used I've compromised. I've had some nice acoustics, but at the back of my mind I'm thinking: I wouldn't have chosen this from a selection.

Teyeplayer · November 2017

Fuengi said:

Teyeplayer said:

Must it be new? I picked up a fantastic Martin 000-15m for 700 a year or two ago and still occasionally see similiar secondhand deals come up. You should be able to get a nice Larrivee for a similiar figure secondhand. By holding out for a quality secondhand instrument you could have a far better guitar for your money.

I take your point. My thinking is that I can get a really good acoustic in this price range and can select the size, shape, top wood and finger board I want, plus I can try a stack and chose the one that feels just right.

Whenever I have bought used I've compromised. I've had some nice acoustics, but at the back of my mind I'm thinking: I wouldn't have chosen this from a selection.

Certainly understand your sense of compromise and fully endorse wanting to try a bunch of guitars and take away the one that speaks to you. If it was me however, I’d try the higher end models that met my needs or desired spec, the ones that would be unattainable knew and would aim to get a feel for what worked for me and what didn’t. Once I new what I wanted (for instance I still want a larrivee l-02 or 3 at some point) i’d sit and wait, almost play the long game until the right guitar came up. I appreciate this is flipping hard once gas kicks in though.

Fuengi · November 2017

Yeah, that's probably good advice. I should compare up to £1200 and see if the difference is worth holding out for.

Phil_aka_Pip · November 2017

@Teyeplayer ; OI! You're trying to put him off checking over the Epi masterbilt archtops for me

Teyeplayer · November 2017

Phil_aka_Pip said:

@Teyeplayer ; OI! You're trying to put him off checking over the Epi masterbilt archtops for me

Sorry Phil, I’ll stand down.

crunchman · November 2017

The purists don't like it because of the non-traditional materials but the Martin OOX1AE is a very good sounding guitar.

fields5069 · November 2017

I would recommend looking at Simon & Patrick. I have the all-mahogany "Woodland Pro Folk", and it's a lovely guitar particularly for finger picking. I picked mine up for under £500 in a sale, but £600 - £700 should get you one new.

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Acoustic options £500 - £750

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