Help me buy a new acoustic.

breakstuff · September 2015

I've finally decided its time to get myself a half decent acoustic.I currently own a Cort Earth Mini 3/4 size travel guitar but have never got in with it due to its cramped fingerboard and crap sound so I'm looking to upgrade.

My budget is around £400 - £500 and I've been looking at the usual suspects like the Taylor Big Baby and GS Mini and also like the look of some of the Sigma models around that price range.

Can anyone recommend any others I should consider?

Cheers.

rossyamaha · September 2015

:-\"

ThorpyFX · September 2015

Yamaha guitars are great, top end ones are on a par with things costing hundreds more. Faith guitars are also superb and I have a faith eclipse (black finish) that plays astonishingly well. Perfect second hand buy!

breakstuff · September 2015

Lol. @rossyamaha

What particular models would you recommend?

rossyamaha · September 2015

We can literally cover anything you want. Give me an ideal guitar and I'll find something for you. £400 - £500 gives you a fair few options. Also you wouldn't necessarily need to go that high to get something that you like.

All that said, Faith, Sigma, Taylor etc are all great.

Roland · September 2015

Someone n here has a Taylor 314 for sale. That would be a not too expensive venture into acoustic

Sambostar · September 2015

Seriously check out some Chinese guitars. You could get a fake D-45 for less than half that and they sound seriously good and are very well made too. Of course get your name inlaid on the headstock eh and do your research, but fairs dues, in their own right they are good instruments.

I got an APC EA100, yeah it's cheap and light, the kind you get off Amazon for £130, I got it cheaper, but with a solid spruce top, sapele sides, sapele neck, zero fretbuzz, actually looks like real blackwood fretboard it's nice. Binding is a bit cheap, but the thin satin varnish feels like bare wood, so it's really honest, sounds good, if not a bit thin, but it is Parlour kind of size and it plays well easy. I suspect it's made in China, although it says made in Portugal. I love it, it's so easy to play and it suits me as I'm cheap and it's very comfy to play as it's not a dreadnought.

So if you took a punt on £200 or £300 for a MIC, you could end up with a very good guitar indeed. Either that or get something old and seasoned.

Personally I wouldn't spend £300 on anything new, I just don't reckon you'll get the sound and quality for the price.

breakstuff · September 2015

That's quite interesting @Sambostar.Which brands would you recommend and where to buy?

I'm very tempted by the Sigma brand which I believe are Chinese made and seem to get excellent reviews.Looking into it they seem to do what appears to be some quite decent kit for less than £300.

I'm going to keep my eyes on eBay,I think to see what used one's go for.

richardhomer · September 2015

If you fancy a smallish guitar which sounds bigger than it is, the Taylor GS Mini is fantastic. Great playability, brilliant quality padded gig bag - I love mine.

dtr · September 2015

Hi @breakstuff, a guitarless fortnight away had me looking for decent travel acoustics recently and I've been pondering a Journey Overhead ever since (they'll count as hand luggage even with Thomson's OTT restrictions). Can't comment on them, never played one, and haven't yet made the leap. Thought I'd mention them as you appear to have travelling in mind too.

http://www.journeyinstruments.com/product/sitka-sapele-acoustic-travel-guitar/

I'm really interested in hearing from anyone who's played one. I'm still mighty tempted.

breakstuff · September 2015

I am tempted by them @richardhomer but the shorter scale kind of puts me off.Could you tell me if the fingerboard feels cramped because my Cort travel guitar does?

Oh yeah,welcome back by the way.

@dtr I've already got a travel guitar so was after something a bit bigger but thanks anyway.

richardhomer · September 2015

^ The scale-length is 23.5" - about two inches shorter than a standard Martin - though OMs and most Gibsons were/are shorter.

As you can probably tell from the picture in my avatar, I'm a biggish bloke. The GS Mini certainly feels smaller than a full size guitar - but not in a way which makes it feel awkward to play.

breakstuff · September 2015

Thanks Richard,that's very helpful.I'll bare that on mind.

randomhandclaps · September 2015

As mentioned Yamahas are really worth thinking about and with the huge discount @rossyamaha will offer you then I doubt you'll do better.

equalsql · September 2015

Walden... seriously!

Here's a real bargain:
http://www.kennysmusic.co.uk/walden-cg4070-cert-acoustic-natural

I've owned a Natura since 2006 and it is a stunning instrument. The neck is is slim superbly stable thanks to the carbon-fibre rods and the tone is just stunning.

breakstuff · September 2015

That looks a bit of a bargain @equalsql

Thanks,that's another one to consider.

Ianpdq · September 2015

Tanglewood are pretty good

breakstuff · September 2015

randomhandclaps said:

As mentioned Yamahas are really worth thinking about and with the huge discount @rossyamaha will offer you then I doubt you'll do better.

Good call @randomhandclaps

Awaiting reply from @rossyamaha ;

rossyamaha · September 2015

Happy to help wherever I can but I got kids to feed. ;-)

DaevidJ · September 2015

I do rather enjoy my Faith Eclipse Venus. For the price it is a rather good guitar.

crunchman · September 2015

Martin X series are just over £500. Purists might not like the materials but they are brilliant.

Bidley · September 2015

The best thing is to go out and try a shitload. I didn't get on with the Faiths I tried, Yamahas were nice but wasn't mad on the neck profile, Taylors didn't sound good enough for the money etc... I ended up with a Tanglewood that fits me perfectly and sounds great with my fingers. The Faiths, Yamahas etc were all great guitars, just not for me.

I know the classic "try a bunch" answer is as helpful as a chocolate teapot in these threads, but I find with acoustics you really need to find one that fits you and your touch perfectly for you to get the best out of it.

breakstuff · September 2015

Thanks guys.

@Bidley that's the problem,there's no shops round here with a big enough stock to try a large range.

I'm actually quite tempted by the Yamaha LS6 ARE.It's got great reviews,is made from decent materials and the smaller body with a regular scale length definitely appeals.I think that's the one I'll probably go for.I can always return it if it's not right I suppose.

SteveGV · September 2015

You won't find much better value for money than Faith, I honestly think they've priced them too cheap

Bluesman1989 · September 2015

SteveGV pretty much said everything I was going to say - Can't go wrong in that price range

thebreeze · September 2015

Washburn? What's happened to them?

woody · September 2015

Im gonna wade in with faith too..theres also a very interesting looking eastman in the classifieds..

usedtobe · October 2015

thebreeze;799753" said:
Washburn? What's happened to them?

Still going, I think..

thebreeze · October 2015

I hadn't heard or seen a Washburn for ages. I still have mine from the '80's and its always been really nice to play but it's not a traditional acoustic sound - tighter and not boomy for sure. Prompted by usedtobe's comment I looked for them - the Warren Hayes model looks really cool I think, and only £375.

musicman100 · October 2015

I have a Taylor but it's a high end one. 816.
I do have a tanglewood n for the money it's a lovely guitars.

woody · October 2015

I think sambostar has right idea but why use fakers..check out the eastman on here.come with a massive reputation.some very skillful jazzers i know play their archtops and rave about them.

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