Looking at electro acoustics

ElectricXII · February 2022

I'm looking at buying an electro-acoustic guitar to use live, and I'd love a Gibson slope-shoulder dread, but I don't want to spend more than about £600 tops. My main electrics are Gibsons, so I'm most comfortable with this scale length, so I've been looking at the Sigma JM-SG45 and wonder if any of you guys have experience of this model.

The scale length isn't a total deal breaker though. as I have a couple of Fenders, and I gig an Electric XII. Any other suggestions?

TheMadMick · February 2022

Beware the pick up police here.

There are a couple of good looking Yamaha's a bit through Acoustics£ you might like to consider. Excellent value in my view and in budget. They might even take offers and you could get a good professional set up.

Tannin · February 2022

I just In that price range there is Yamaha and not much else. It is all made in China, even the Yamahas. (Or Indonesia, which is no better.) Buying new, I'd look at Yamaha, Cordoba, and Sigma. But I'd be much more interested in what I could find used. The used market should be improving now as we transition from shortage to glut.

Mellish · February 2022

I'd have said a J-45 but your £600 budget rules that out. Epiphone I'd suggest you look at

hollywoodrox · February 2022

Mellish said:

I'd have said a J-45 but your £600 budget rules that out. Epiphone I'd suggest you look at

Is there any slash epiphone’s on sale that would be around that price ,it’s gotta be in the ballpark
the vermillion one is £648 at peach .

ElectricXII · February 2022

Thanks for the thoughts so far. I should've said in my post that I usually buy guitars used, so my budget would encompass some guitars that I couldn't buy new. I'm mainly an electric player and would only use the acoustic live for a half dozen songs in our live set, and at home. I've noted the warning @TheMadMick about pickups, but close micing an acoustic in a loud rock band ain't going to happen.

I've got to say that prices are crazy at the moment. A few years ago £600 would've bought a used Gibson J15. Now they're more like £900. Any comments on the Sigma J-45 copy I mentioned in my first post?

chrisj1602 · February 2022

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

Mellish · February 2022

@ElectricXII ; sent you a PM

CountryDave · February 2022

chrisj1602 said:

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

What are the necks like on these?

Mellish · February 2022

Either Sigma JM SG45 or Epiphone "Inspired by Gibson" J45 I'd say. Try to play both side-by-side if you can

chrisj1602 · February 2022

CountryDave said:

chrisj1602 said:

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

What are the necks like on these?

It’s a nice round C, 50s style but not like an R7 or anything that big. I really like it. The finish feels nice on it too.

BigPaulie · February 2022

Tannin said:

I just In that price range there is Yamaha and not much else. It is all made in China, even the Yamahas. (Or Indonesia, which is no better.) Buying new, I'd look at Yamaha, Cordoba, and Sigma. But I'd be much more interested in what I could find used. The used market should be improving now as we transition from shortage to glut.

Is there any sign of this improvement yet?

There still seems to be a paucity of the typical used market wares, and prices remain well above previous levels.

Tannin · February 2022

I'm certainly seeing it here in Oz, @BigPaulie - not so far as advertised prices go (at least not that I have noticed) but an obvious difference in stock levels. All the second-hand guitar shops I keep an eye on have pretty fair stock levels now, where a while back there was hardly anything. Top Shelf in Hobart, for example, has 10 acoustics in stock from $545 up to $1845; last week they also had one or two higher end models (now sold). That compares with, at the peak of the lockdown shortages, maybe three acoustics. That's just one small shop, but similar stories apply to all the others. (I'm a shocking phantom shopper: I follow what guitars are for sale near me the way another bloke might follow the stock market or the racing form.)

Just this week, as I was hunting around for a left hander to buy, both shops I called offered deals and discounts without me asking for them. That's another sign which wasn't there six or twelve months ago.

Slowly,. slowly, the market is turning.

guitarjack66 · February 2022

Tannin said:

I just In that price range there is Yamaha and not much else. It is all made in China, even the Yamahas. (Or Indonesia, which is no better.) Buying new, I'd look at Yamaha, Cordoba, and Sigma. But I'd be much more interested in what I could find used. The used market should be improving now as we transition from shortage to glut.

I've got to say that Indonesian made guitars have been very well made in my very small sample range. I also hear others with more experience saying this too. I obviously wish they were home made but they would then be unaffordable for me and many others though.

ElectricXII · February 2022

chrisj1602 said:

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

Thanks. I've been looking at that one too. A new one is a bit more than my budget, but I'll try to play one, ideally alongside the Sigma version.

Tannin · February 2022

It's not the build quality Jack. It's not even the labour practices. It is the wholesale illegal destruction of forest for the timbers they use. China is by far the biggest importer of illegally logged timber in the world. Indonesia doesn't import much, it just illegally clearfells vast areas on the islands it occupies (Borneo, Western New Guinea, etc.) and turns it into palm oil monoculture plantations. I would never buy a Chinese or Indonesian made guitar (excepting only Yamaha, as I am assured that Yamaha actually follows its own code of practice). I'll pay the extra for an English, Canadian, German, American, Australian, or Japanese guitar every single time. You get better quality too, but that's a minor point.

guitarjack66 · February 2022

Tannin said:

It's not the build quality Jack. It's not even the labour practices. It is the wholesale illegal destruction of forest for the timbers they use. China is by far the biggest importer of illegally logged timber in the world. Indonesia doesn't import much, it just illegally clearfells vast areas on the islands it occupies (Borneo, Western New Guinea, etc.) and turns it into palm oil monoculture plantations. I would never buy a Chinese or Indonesian made guitar (excepting only Yamaha, as I am assured that Yamaha actually follows its own code of practice). I'll pay the extra for an English, Canadian, German, American, Australian, or Japanese guitar every single time. You get better quality too, but that's a minor point.

You are preaching to the choir when it comes to illegal logging and destruction of forests plus poor working and pay conditions with me,but I just don't have the cash to pay extra for 'good quality and legally sourced' guitars. Yes,I am a complete hypocrite and I realise this.

BigPaulie · February 2022

You should be able to get a used Epiphone Masterbilt or Inspired by Gibson at that price.

Failing that, Faith make some beautiful slope shouldered dreads that you could get at that price. The model you're looking for is the "Mars".

Andyjr1515 · February 2022

The Faith Eclipse Venus Cut takes some beating. They are available in places just below or just above your number depending on colour.

Matt Marriott is playing his here:

Teyeplayer · February 2022

Secondhand Maton S60 or S70 would be my tip. They don’t often come up but are lovely and great value. Adding a pickup is a breeze as they are already reamed for a jack pin, so it’s an easy drop in.

drofluf · February 2022

As others have said consider Faith, well made and great value for money.

Tannin · February 2022

I've never even seen one, never mind played one, but I seldom hear a bad word spoken about the Godin Group instruments, in particular Seagull. A used Seagull would be in the price range, maybe even a new one. Something to keep an eye out for.

ElectricXII · February 2022

Thanks for the tips about Faith guitars guys. I hadn't realised they had drop-shoulder models. I'll definitely consider these.

BigPaulie · February 2022

ElectricXII said:

Thanks for the tips about Faith guitars guys. I hadn't realised they had drop-shoulder models. I'll definitely consider these.

The FRESB45 is a beautiful thing indeed!

I think Tanglewood have done some slope shouldered dreads too.

Supportact · February 2022

If I was looking in this price range I'd also consider Simon & Patrick, Seagull, or one of their other related brands (I see someone has already mentioned Seagull).

I gigged a S & P S6 for several years and it's a solid guitar, still got it now. Not fancy but nice to play, stays in tune, sounds good. Worth a look.

Chuffola · February 2022

I have an older Epiphone Masterbilt AJ45e and it’s superb. All solid woods, lovely neck, great sound.

BillDL · February 2022

One thing that tends to set the Sigma guitars in that price range apart from others is that they use "Micarta" for the fretboards rather than opting for Pau Ferro or similar non-endangered woods. I have Sigma guitars with Micarta boards and I like them. They are consistent in colour like good unstreaked ebony you just cannot get these days, and they feel to me just like wood. Just like other manufactured wood substitutes used for fretboards (eg. Richlite) you obviously don't condition them with oil, but they do start getting what I would describe as a dusty appearance on the unplayed bits next to the frets. A very slightly dampened cloth cleans them up fine. That can be your small contribution to saving the rainforests if you buy one. Nothing wrong with composite fretboards (some Martins use it) and I prefer that to poor quality heavily pitted rosewood that comes on a lot of lower to mid range guitars these days as makers increasingly struggle to get decent grades of the stuff. Somebody is bound to argue about tone here.

I haven't played or held a Sigma JM-SG45, but if the build quality and finish is anything like my other Sigma acoustics you won't be disappointed with either of those aspects.

ICBM · February 2022

Tannin said:

I've never even seen one, never mind played one, but I seldom hear a bad word spoken about the Godin Group instruments, in particular Seagull. A used Seagull would be in the price range, maybe even a new one. Something to keep an eye out for.

I’ve seen quite a lot of them… usually when the headstocks fall off. Probably the most common brand for it other than Gibson.

Sadly they’re not very well made, and can start to fall apart quite quickly in other ways too. They sound good when they’re new, but just don’t last well.

Not a fan, sorry. I find most other Godins quite mediocre to be honest.

ElectricXII · February 2022

Chuffola said:

I have an older Epiphone Masterbilt AJ45e and it’s superb. All solid woods, lovely neck, great sound.

Thanks. That's on the list too if I can find one to try.

ElectricXII · February 2022

BillDL said:

One thing that tends to set the Sigma guitars in that price range apart from others is that they use "Micarta" for the fretboards rather than opting for Pau Ferro or similar non-endangered woods. I have Sigma guitars with Micarta boards and I like them. They are consistent in colour like good unstreaked ebony you just cannot get these days, and they feel to me just like wood. Just like other manufactured wood substitutes used for fretboards (eg. Richlite) you obviously don't condition them with oil, but they do start getting what I would describe as a dusty appearance on the unplayed bits next to the frets. A very slightly dampened cloth cleans them up fine. That can be your small contribution to saving the rainforests if you buy one. Nothing wrong with composite fretboards (some Martins use it) and I prefer that to poor quality heavily pitted rosewood that comes on a lot of lower to mid range guitars these days as makers increasingly struggle to get decent grades of the stuff. Somebody is bound to argue about tone here.

I haven't played or held a Sigma JM-SG45, but if the build quality and finish is anything like my other Sigma acoustics you won't be disappointed with either of those aspects.

I agree with you about the use of Micarta and I'm not a huge fan of Pau Ferro. Good to hear you've had positive experiences of Sigmas too.

BigPaulie · February 2022

I've had limited experience with the new Sigmas. I've only tried one, in fact.
It was an SDR-28 in Merchant City Music last year. It was well enough put together, but far from spectacular and it sounded really dull. None of the snappy bass thump you expect from a rosewood/spruce dread. In comparison to other £1000 guitars available these days it was remarkably unremarkable. They're also made by Cor-Tek which is a deal breaker for me, so I'm glad I didn't really click with it.

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