Is it possible to buy a bad new acoustic with budget £350 to £550 range?

FreddieVanHalen · October 2015

I have been asked the dreaded question by a friend who wants to take up guitar "can you recommend me an acoustic for between £350 and £550".

There are 2 massive challenges to this, in that I don't know much about acoustics and he doesn't know what he wants other than a generalist acoustic, maybe with a pick up so he can plug it in later. (why he wants to plug in I'm not sure but plan gentle interrogation later!)

I was thinking of recommending him a brand to look for like a Faith or Yamaha and just packing him off to a decent shop to mess around with a couple and see what takes his fancy.

Given how budget guitars have improved so much over the years, is it possible that he could pick a real dog in that price bracket?

Thanks for help!

mgaw · October 2015

Probably not if you go with him....bottom line is if the action is good, the neck is good, and its sounds good youre there

more than likely a good store will have good well set up guitars on sale....its whether he likes them or not which will be the issue.

there is a great choice out there in this price range, always some shit ones around though so best get him down to a good store and spend a few hours choosing one.

Personally i would always spend all that budget on the guitar itself rather than going Electro Acoustic as it is so easy to retrofit something at a later date

richardhomer · October 2015

I'm sure you could find something poor if you looked hard enough but generally - much like modern cars - the overall standard these days is much higher than it was in the '70s and '80s, where cheese-grater actions and tone-killing heavy builds were common.

I played a Chinese built Fender the other day that happened to be on a stand in the corner of someone's office I was visiting. It seemed to have a laminate top but was very lightly built and played really well. He reckoned his wife had paid about £75 for it. I've no idea whether it had really been that cheap - what I can tell you is it was a really impressive sounding guitar.

With the budget your friend has, I'd imagine you'll get something pretty decent.

You probably do need to go with him and check them over for obviously playability issues - and you'll find some samples will sound better than others.

crunchman · October 2015

As others have said there are a lot of really good guitars in this price range. I picked up a Martin OOOX1AE for just over £500 because I didn't want to carry my HD28V in a gig bag on my bike. I'm seriously impressed with it. I know some don't like the non-traditional materials but it's a great sounding guitar. I prefer it to guitars that I've played that cost 3 times as much.

I love that Martin but there are lots of brands making good guitars in this price range and you will have a good choice.

The other thing you need to think about is the style of guitar you want to go for. If your friend wants to be comfortable sitting on the sofa then something with a smaller body would be better - possibly even a parlour size. If he eventually wants to play around a scout campfire for 20 people to sing along to then a dreadnought or jumbo would give more volume.

An OM/OOO size is probably the best allrounder.

FreddieVanHalen · October 2015

Thanks for thoughts so far- I'm trying to think of ways to get my friend to think about what he wants to play, and sofa vs campfire sounds like a good image to paint to get him deciding.

Sassafras · October 2015

Forget the "gentle interrogation" bit, nothing but waterboarding him will get the truth out of him.

Best thing is to work out the kind of sound and size of guitar he thinks he'd like. There are so many decent guitars at that sort of price you have to narrow down the choices in some way otherwise you could be trying guitars from now till doomsday.

Gru · October 2015

I love the 000/OM size, very comfortable to play.

I have a Martin OMXAE which is a fantastic guitar, very well made, similar to the 000X1AE, apart from being all HPL and a wider nut @ 1 3/4 inch. A very smooth and even tone.

I do have it up for sale, but played it briefly this morning and really not sure I should sell it, as I could just see myself buying another down the line.

But @ £350 to £550 you have a huge range of brands and Models to choose from.

Faith always rate highly, but you also have seagul, Taylor with the GS Mini (very comfortable couch/travel guitar), Yamaha (fg700s well under budget @ £166 for a great starter solid top)

I alway find the Acoustic Letter on youtube a great starting point to see what's out there, albeit a lot of the reviews are for higher end stuff.

Col_Decker · October 2015

You could buy my nearly new Yammy in the classifieds. It cost £400 new but I'm selling it for less, but if you insist I'll let you have it for £400

Fuzzdog · October 2015

One thing I learned when taking a friend to buy their first acoustic a while ago with a similar kind of budget was just how bloody good cheaper guitars are these days - they ended up with a Tanglewood for £250 which I'd quite honestly have happily bought myself and played anywhere.

There were a few 'less good' instruments, but certainly nothing terrible, even in the £100 new bracket. It's a damn good time to be learning guitar, that's for sure, especially when I think back at what you got for that kind of money when I was learning, which was basically a box with strings about a mile from the fretboard and no truss rod.

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Gru · October 2015

I suppose the thing to be careful of is setup, as on a lower price instrument, it could be the details that are missed.

The nut and action on 2 of the 4 acoustics I have owned have been quite bad, one of them being the most expensive I have owned, but great once sorted.

Faith's seems to have a good set up out of the box. (I sound like I work for Faith, yet never actually owned one)

FreddieVanHalen · October 2015

Thoughts much appreciated - I've had a quick water boarding with the mate and discovered that he'd be happy with a smaller body as he will play in his flat on the sofa mostly.

He wanted a pickup so he could plug into an amp for heavier stuff lol. I let him know that he should probably save a little budget for an electric too!

ICBM · October 2015

FreddieVanHalen said:

Thoughts much appreciated - I've had a quick water boarding with the mate and discovered that he'd be happy with a smaller body as he will play in his flat on the sofa mostly.

He wanted a pickup so he could plug into an amp for heavier stuff lol. I let him know that he should probably save a little budget for an electric too!

Don't get one with built-in pickup and preamp. If it's possible to buy a bad guitar in this price range, going for an electro-acoustic increases the likelihood. The cost of the electronics comes out of the budget for the guitar, obviously.

Unless you specifically want a stage guitar, you *always* get a better instrument if you buy a pure acoustic and fit it with a simple pickup later. You don't need or want a big ugly box in the side with all the reliability and built-in-obsolescence problems that entails.

You also don't want an electro-acoustic of any kind for 'heavier stuff' - you want an electric guitar.

musicman100 · October 2015

I recommend he doesn't even need to spent that much these days.
Even look at 2nd hand acoustics

Wolfetone · October 2015

I have a Tanglewood TW47 and most midrange guitars sound thin and weedy certainly most APX Yamaha's and even some of the more expensive Taylors. I would be looking at Faith etc.

Gru · October 2015

ICBM;819631" said:
FreddieVanHalen said:

Thoughts much appreciated - I've had a quick water boarding with the mate and discovered that he'd be happy with a smaller body as he will play in his flat on the sofa mostly.

He wanted a pickup so he could plug into an amp for heavier stuff lol. I let him know that he should probably save a little budget for an electric too!

Don't get one with built-in pickup and preamp. If it's possible to buy a bad guitar in this price range, going for an electro-acoustic increases the likelihood. The cost of the electronics comes out of the budget for the guitar, obviously.

Unless you specifically want a stage guitar, you *always* get a better instrument if you buy a pure acoustic and fit it with a simple pickup later. You don't need or want a big ugly box in the side with all the reliability and built-in-obsolescence problems that entails.

You also don't want an electro-acoustic of any kind for 'heavier stuff' - you want an electric guitar.

@ICBM
In the past I believe (although correct me if I'm wrong) that you have said the Taylor est pickup system has its problems.

With Taylor's having a 12 year warranty, is this really a problem?

Compared to the LX1E pickup system, the sound it produces is in a different league (in my opinion).

I understand why a separate system is better, but are they really that bad?

ICBM · October 2015

Gru said:
@ICBM
In the past I believe (although correct me if I'm wrong) that you have said the Taylor est pickup system has its problems.

With Taylor's having a 12 year warranty, is this really a problem?

It depends if you want the hassle of taking it back to a Taylor dealer when it breaks, really…

Also bear in mind that Taylor have recently *completely* - ie the two are not compatible in any way - redesigned the Expression System. Neither of them are compatible with anyone else's components either.

It doesn't make sense to me to buy a nice acoustic with a lifespan of perhaps fifty years, and restrict it by having a pickup system which will be obsolete in ten.

The only company so far which has made a point of making all their electronics both forwards and backwards compatible is Takamine, on their professional models.

strtdv · October 2015

I'd be looking at a Furch, I got mine which was just a base model for £500. It sounds lovely, is made in the Czech Republic rather than China or Indonesia, and plays really well.
Even my dad, who isn't interested in guitars at all, commented how much fuller and nicer it sounded compared to the tanglewood tw15

Sambostar · November 2015

Acoustics around £350 shop price to £450 RRP new still seem to exhibit scarf joints on the neck, whether it be at the headstock or a stronger, Charvel/Jackson Epiphone style scarf joint. Which is weird because I picked up an EA100 APC Folk Guitar for £100 and it has a one piece neck which is very skinny and angled Martin type headstock and solid spruce top, sides and laminated back and it's as light as a feather and although a tad bright, very resonant. I'm not saying the £330-£450 guitars don't sound and possibly play better, mainly sound, but still, it strikes me as odd. I don't mind Charvel style neck scarf joints, it's the skinny ones at the headstock that irritate me because they eventually seem to snap. NOt saying they aren't worth the money, just it annoys me a touch and for £450 I would like to get a one piece neck to be honest.

ICBM · November 2015

Sambostar said:

Acoustics around £350 shop price to £450 RRP new still seem to exhibit scarf joints on the neck, whether it be at the headstock or a stronger, Charvel/Jackson Epiphone style scarf joint. Which is weird because I picked up an EA100 APC Folk Guitar for £100 and it has a one piece neck which is very skinny and angled Martin type headstock and solid spruce top, sides and laminated back and it's as light as a feather and although a tad bright, very resonant. I'm not saying the £330-£450 guitars don't sound and possibly play better, mainly sound, but still, it strikes me as odd. I don't mind Charvel style neck scarf joints, it's the skinny ones at the headstock that irritate me because they eventually seem to snap. NOt saying they aren't worth the money, just it annoys me a touch and for £450 I would like to get a one piece neck to be honest.

I completely agree - although actually, one-piece necks are just as bad for breaks. The *best* is the angled scarf joint that runs up under the fingerboard. The flat type is purely for cheapness - it doesn't strengthen the neck at all because the break line is always along the line of the back of the neck, which is above the joint in the unreinforced wood.

So you either go for a one-piece for tone (supposedly) or a proper angled scarf for strength. Or buy one with a laminated maple neck

. If this aspect matters to you at all, of course...

crunchman · November 2015

ICBM said:

So you either go for a one-piece for tone (supposedly) or a proper angled scarf for strength. Or buy one with a laminated maple neck . If this aspect matters to you at all, of course...

Or buy the Martin OOOX1AE with a Stratobond neck. I know it's not vintage correct but I'm amazed how good mine is.

ICBM · November 2015

crunchman said:
Or buy the Martin OOOX1AE with a Stratobond neck. I know it's not vintage correct but I'm amazed how good mine is.

I had a Dreadnought one. (DX1RGTCE/GTi or something!) Astonishingly close to a 'real' Martin considering the only solid wood in it is the top and the bracing.

I'd agree the neck (and body) are extremely strong, but the top is soft and marks easily, especially at the edges (no binding). Still great value for money.

FreddieVanHalen · November 2015

Continued posts on this very helpful and much appreciated.

I didn't know if was this complicated!

Sassafras · November 2015

Just noticed the thread title. Wouldn't your mate rather buy a good acoustic?

Hertz32 · November 2015

I am VERY happy with a secondhand Taylor GS mini e that I got off gumtree for £350.
I'd reccomend one to anyone starting out, as i find the smaller body more comfortable and the tone + projection from the GS mini is something to behold relative to the size.

Gru · November 2015

Hertz32;874457" said:
I am VERY happy with a secondhand Taylor GS mini e that I got off gumtree for £350.
I'd reccomend one to anyone starting out, as i find the smaller body more comfortable and the tone + projection from the GS mini is something to behold relative to the size.

My GS Mini has cured my guitar gas. It's just perfect for what I need, portable, sounds great, plays great, perfect for sofa play and no concern about having to keep it in a case, just an all round great guitar.

Jez6345789 · November 2015

I have been looking for a higher end guitar and still have not found the one despite dilligent application.

I walked into my local store that does nothing high end but is still a nice friendly store.

Played this Cort take on an OM and bought it on the spot it might not be Mrs right but its certainly Mrs right now, a lot of guitar for not a lot of money.

After playing guitars in the states most shops stock way more Adirondack than over here and I sort of liked the sound of an OM with Adirondack. As this was 10% of the cost of the one I played its certainly not 10% of the sound and its still not played in yet.

Enjoying muchly :-)

EricTheWeary · November 2015

Been looking at 'beginner' acoustics today. Nothing that didn't work even sub £100 everything was functional. Quite a lot of suprisingly skinny necks, the Epiphones I tried had little sticks of necks. But picking up a Yamaha fg700 ( the slightly more expensive sandburst variant) was instantly a cut above in terms of a grown up neck, sounding in tune and the depth of tone. I tried a couple of things around £250 but the Yammy still seemed better to me. No doubt £350 to £550 would get you something even better but I'm not convinced a beginner needs to spend that much.

ICBM · November 2015

As someone said in another thread, a beginner can't go wrong by buying Yamaha, regardless of the type of instrument.

I'm not convinced they're always the best value for money since the name itself seems to carry a little bit of a premium, and I'm not at all a fan of some of the models like the APXs, but I'm not sure I've ever come across a truly bad Yamaha anything.

Deadman · November 2015

My recommendation for your friend would be the Seagull entourage. Seriously good guitars for the money.

The23rdman · December 2015

Just save your time and get him a Faith Naked Venus.

rustneversleeps · December 2015

Solid wood SIGMA'S are worth a look,nice guitars for the money.

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Is it possible to buy a bad new acoustic with budget £350 to £550 range?

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