Acoustic Recommendations

andyp · September 2015

Hi folks.

I've only been playing since January but have progressed reasonably in that time. My "main" guitar is an Epiphone LP Standard, which I love but I recently bought a 1988 Korean Washburn DN12 and have been having a great time playing about with it. Thing is, the action is really high and although my old man has done (what we believe is) all that can be done with it to lower it, I'm finding that playing other acoustics is much easier than my own one...

So... I'm thinking of either selling or trading in the Washburn and getting myself a "better" acoustic as I really want to continue learning both electric and acoustic. Looking at what's around online (new) it seems that around £100-150 can bag a pretty damn good acoustic guitar but I don't know an awful lot about which makes or models to look at. I really like the look of the Epiphone EJ45 and also the Yamaha models around that price mark. I know I could probably just get a setup done, but I'm not sure how much that would improve it and I think I'd rather use that money to put it towards getting a new guitar altogether.

Can anyone offer any advice other than just going to try a few out? A chunky neck is no problem, and the one I have is a full size so that's ok too, I'm really looking for models to look for or avoid and any tips anyone might have on ones they have bought or tried out.

Cheers.

Andy

ICBM · September 2015

Those Washburns are actually quite nice. Hopefully without putting your dad's knowledge of guitars down, check three things first to be sure that the action can't come down any further…

The bridge saddle is no more than 1mm taller than the wood, maybe only 1/2mm - just enough that the strings don't hit the wood in front of it when you fret them at the last fret. You may have to 'ramp' the string holes to get this to work.

The neck is dead straight. Holding the guitar in the playing position, fret the G string at the first fret and the 15th with both hands, and look at the gap between the string and the 7th fret. If you can get more than a piece of very thin paper in, the neck is not straight enough and you need to tighten the truss rod. If possible, try to get the neck dead straight as long as that doesn't make it rattle in the lower positions - if the action is a bit on the high side at the bridge you can get away with it being straighter than you would normally want.

The nut is low enough - this makes a surprising difference. Fret each string at the third fret and check the clearance between the string and the first fret. Again if it's any more than the thickness of a thin piece of paper, it can go lower - there must be a tiny gap or the open strings will buzz, but ideal is so small you can barely see it without tapping the string up and down onto the fret, especially on the plain strings.

Apologies if you've already done all this! Most people know to do the first, but the second and third are less obviously recognised as the solution to a high action. If you have done all this and the action is still too high, you will need to have the bridge shaved or the neck reset.

… or a new guitar.

andyp · September 2015

I'm not sure if he's done all that but we replaced the saddle with a "shallower" one and adjusted the truss rod etc. but the action is still really high. I'll speak to him about your suggestions - they're very useful, thanks for taking the time to reply in that sort of detail.

I'll see how we get on.

Thanks mate.

IanSavage · September 2015

Definitely worth trying out what ICBM recommends, I had one of those Washburns as my first acoustic and it was surprisingly good.

If you do decide on the upgrade path, I'd heartily recommend a Vintage V300 or 400 (and not just because I use their basses, they're genuinely superb acoustics and the V300 won 'best acoustic under £1000' in one of Guitar magazine's roundups). You'd get either for less than £150, be worth seeking a few out to try though as the finishing can be a bit variable.

andyp · September 2015

Ok, thanks very much guys, this is really useful stuff. Much appreciated!

I'll try resolving the Washburn issues before I do anything about buying another as I quite like it, it's just the high action makes it quite awkward. I've just been telling myself it'll make me a better player in the long run if I can work round it

but it would be really nice if I could get it to work even just a wee bit better.

Thanks for the advice.

Sambostar · September 2015

I'm probably gonna get shot down here but I recently got an 'APC' EA100. YOu can find them on Amazon. Apparently they are made in Portugal, although whether that is true or just rebadged I donno.

Anyway, it's a very honest guitar (Cheap) but has a solid 2 piece spruce top and laminate sapele sides and back and one piece mahogany neck and a rosewood like fretboard (Blackwood) and has pieces of real cow bone on it, like on the heel. It's pretty good spec for the money and the intonation is spot on and it holds tune. It is complete opposite to dead, it sustains forever, has great harmonics and sounds great, if a little mid rangey but not overly bright ta all.

Also it's thinner than your usual acoustic and deeply contoured in a folk shape, so it's really comfy to play and the best thing is the thin matt water based varnish finish, which feels and looks like bare wood and actually will wash off.

The back binding join isn't great, but like I say, it's honest, it's easy to play, loud enough without a brittle nor too bassy tone and it sustains forever. The action on mine is around 4mm on the 12th fret, not the best, but well playable, although you could get it to 3mm.2mm E to E by shaving the plastic bridge. The frets are also vintage super thin ones as well and well finished, which makes it easier to play as well and the neck is a thin D shape, especially at the nut and feels like bare wood.

The best thing about it is that it doesn't aspire to be anything other than it is, where as I've found the guitars in the £300 new price bracket generally do and are generally tonally darker and not as resonant, albeit their binding is finished well. The tone on this thing just shimmers.

I don't like a low action on an acoustic to be honest, it just doesn't work for me and the problem I have with more expensive guitars, even going for cheap is that tacky gloss finish. I like Charvel necks and Tru Oil type finishes and worn, bare wood Alder bodies on electrics. It's amazing what the look and feel of a guitar can do for you, especially something as immediate as an acoustic.

So I wouldn't write off 'El cheapo' guitars without trying some.

There are some Branded guitars out there that are much more expensive, made in China or Indonesia, well crafted but play and sound like dogs, especially some of the older ones.

I generally don't like Yamaha dreadnoughts, they are heavy, slow, awkward and cumbersome to play with the gloss lacquered finish. The necks don't feel right and the bodies give me bruises and they sound way too dark. They don't scream at me, play me, which after all, if you have something kicking about, especially if you have just gotten into acoustics again, you want.

The tactile bare wood, lightweight nature, ease to play and resonance of this thing just sells itself.

octatonic · September 2015

I've always found Yamaha acoustics to be excellent for the price, especially the older ones.

As always in the world of acoustics the setup of the instrument is key.

A decent nut and saddle is often a worthy investment, and set it up properly.

Sambostar · September 2015

I'm gonna put some struggling audio up here in a bit, just to prove I'm not wrong and cheap doesn't mean shyte, or maybe to get someone else's sane opinion on my opinion. I suppose it all depends on what kind of sound you are looking for. To me that dark Dreadnought sound doesn't gel. I think it's all about the mids with Acoustics as it is with Charvels and hairmetal.

andyp · September 2015

Really helpful advice guys, thanks very much for this.

I'll have a look at it with my old man and see what we can do. If we're not able to do much more then I'll take it to the local shop and ask them to see what they make of it and find out if they reckon they can sort it with a setup. While I'm there I'll take a look at what they've got and sound them out on what they'd offer for a p/x. I do like it though and it sounds nice and bright so if I can get the setup sorted out then that's probably my best option at this stage of my learning.

musicman100 · October 2015

What about tanglewood

andyp · October 2015

I haven't had a chance to either fix the Washburn or go and have a look at potential replacements yet but I'd seen some Tanglewoods online that look good.

A guy I know just bought one of these... and is raving about it. Looks like amazing value.

vanwinkle58 · October 2015

that would be me I take it.. how do lad, Epiphone yep, thats what I now have but not that model. I have the next model up which is the Pro-1+ and runs in about 160 of your Scottish Yen.

A bloody beautiful playing action, I kid you not. the action on the Pro-1+ is easily on par with the action of an electric, that coupled with Epiphones thinner guage strings the 1st day or so of me having the pro-1+ I was bending the strings because i was using way too much pressure...

Oh btw, I've bought myself the "Gibson learn and master guitar" dvd course which the guys on the Epiphone forum have been raving about, got it 2nd had of Amazon for 50 quid...

Billy

andyp · October 2015

It sounds like exactly what I'm after Billy. I need to get some time to try and sort the Washburn but I'm thinking I'd prefer something like the Epiphone regardless.

vanwinkle58 · October 2015

I think you would too Andy, the action on my Washburn is quite low but even up against my squire it isnt all that easy to play, i think the scale length may be different . mind you I did get my squire set up by a proper tech type...

Evilmags · October 2015

Second hand Yamaha would be my starting place at that price range. Play as many as you can and have someone else play them while you sit in front of them, so you can hear it properly.

andyp · October 2015

Thanks guys. Lots of useful tips again.

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