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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Acoustic buying advice for friend - £250-300 budget

gusman2xgusman2x Frets: 897
in Acoustics

A colleague at work wants to buy her partner an acoustic for Christmas as a surprise. He used to play. Her budget is around £250-300, and must be new.

I'm not really up to spec on what's good, what's cool etc with acoustics anymore. I remember that Yamaha were generally best quality for the price, but I see there's a few of the Sigma far eastern Martins about now. Are they any good?

It's unlikely that she'll want to put it straight into a shop as soon as getting it, so a brand that has a good rep for factory set ups at that price range would be good too,


Thanks all

https://soundcloud.com/lowriseband
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Comments

  • KilgoreKilgore Frets: 8107
    Yes Sigma are very good for the money. Buying a guitar as a 'surprise' is fraught with difficulties. Size, tone, playing style, all these factors are usually taken into consideration.
    Factory set ups, action in particular are often on the high side. It's very likely that it will need additional adjustment.
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  • fobfob Frets: 1430

    Cort are my usual recommendation (although I usually hesitate because of their business practices). However, the guitars are pretty much the best vfm out there for the lower end and they're the likely builders of other brands lower end guitars. If it were me I'd go for the all mahogany: https://www.thomann.de/gb/cort_luce_l450c.htm  but I think the Cort Earth 100 is the standard.



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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1916
    Coda had some very good price Sigmas on BF deals - not sure if still on 
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  • rustneversleepsrustneversleeps Frets: 173
    Another vote for Sigma.Very good value.
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  • SparkySparky Frets: 90
    edited November 2017
    Add me in to the Sigma corner. Great guitars.
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  • NikcNikc Frets: 613
    Freshman make some great guitars and very sensible prices - I love mine ;)
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  • steersteer Frets: 1043
    Ibanez Artwood? Great guitars at the right price point.
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  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2843
    New for £250 - Sigma all the way.

    I tried a Freshman a couple of years back, they struck me as very good value. 
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  • kt66kt66 Frets: 315
    fob said:

    Cort are my usual recommendation (although I usually hesitate because of their business practices). However, the guitars are pretty much the best vfm out there for the lower end and they're the likely builders of other brands lower end guitars. If it were me I'd go for the all mahogany: https://www.thomann.de/gb/cort_luce_l450c.htm  but I think the Cort Earth 100 is the standard.



    I bought a new Korean one in 99, still have it, sounds amazing, really, but suffers a bit of belly bulge.  Killer tone though
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  • gusman2xgusman2x Frets: 897

    Thanks all. Glad that Sigma is a generally recommended option as my colleague has a shop near her that stocks them.

    @Kilgore yes, totally agree. However, in this day and age, £250 isn't too much of a gamble hopefully, and if it works out, what a great surprise!

    https://soundcloud.com/lowriseband
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  • KilgoreKilgore Frets: 8107
    edited December 2017
    gusman2x said:

    Thanks all. Glad that Sigma is a generally recommended option as my colleague has a shop near her that stocks them.

    @Kilgore yes, totally agree. However, in this day and age, £250 isn't too much of a gamble hopefully, and if it works out, what a great surprise!

    @gusman2x ;;

    You're right £250 isn't much of a gamble. In hindsight I was being way too negative there. I have a Sigma 000. It's my favourite noodling on the sofa guitar. He'll be over the moon.
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  • mox1968mox1968 Frets: 0
    Ibanez-AW54CE-OPN mahogany or AW54-OPN 
    i bought the CE and found it to be straight out of the box playable.
    looks great too...
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  • ClashmanClashman Frets: 175
    What a shame you missed this...
    https://www.cashconverters.co.uk/shop/product/freshman-fwae-accoustic-guitar/68367

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