Acoustic guitar suggestions?

Hey dudes!

Figured it's about that time where I budget myself out into investing in a new acoustic guitar. I'm looking to spend in between $500-$800. I don't prefer any particular brand, I'm just trying to get the most bang for my buck.

I like to play jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, fingerstyle and other general forms of rock.

That said, let's hear your picks!

Thanks mates.

:wink:

I suggest you play a Seagull S6 before spending more $$$. I just picked mine up after a setup from my luthier and it plays/sounds fantastic. The price:performance of the S6 is pretty staggering. Of course I'd love to have a Taylor, Martin or Larrivee at some point, but I'm thrilled with the Seagull and the amount of cash still left in my bank account.

I suggest you play a Seagull S6 before spending more $$$. I just picked mine up after a setup from my luthier and it plays/sounds fantastic. The price:performance of the S6 is pretty staggering. Of course I'd love to have a Taylor, Martin or Larrivee at some point, but I'm thrilled with the Seagull and the amount of cash still left in my bank account.

Did a bit more research since I posted this. And I figured I'd get a response similar to this. Seagull S6 definitely sounds like a good way to go. I've been combing the Chicago craigslist looking and hopefully I'll have one in hand soon :smile:

In the meantime, any other suggestions?

I'm on a similar quest and tried out loads of guitars last week. I'm after a smaller OM or 000 size and some of the best budget spanks were from Recording King and Blueridge. Eastmans are worth checking out if you can stretch the budget a bit.

I didn't try the Seagull S6 but I did try the Seagull Maritime SWS Mini Jumbo which was quite nice.

I ended up trying too many guitars and getting in a twist so I'll continue the search next week but Recording King are looking like a strong possibility.

Good luck.

I suggest you play a Seagull S6 before spending more $$$. I just picked mine up after a setup from my luthier and it plays/sounds fantastic. The price:performance of the S6 is pretty staggering. Of course I'd love to have a Taylor, Martin or Larrivee at some point, but I'm thrilled with the Seagull and the amount of cash still left in my bank account.

+1
I have been playing the Seagull S6 rustic for about 5 months now and love it. Beautiful tone and physically stunning as well. Sound wise, think REM's Drive

Seagulls are the best for the buck and are flat out really nice. I was looking at all the different models on their web sight yesterday, the S-6 Rustic looks real enticing to me. I have an S-6 Spruce I bought new in 2000. It has a spruce top. I have to get out and play some more Seagulls at a shop... just for fun. I may buy one.

The only thing I can say "heads-up"-wise is the top is extremely soft. I mean, I'd be more careful with this thing than a baby's head.

I might have to rethink my priorities. :wink:

Seagulls are great. I'd also look at used Takamines and whatever's left of the Epiphone Masterbilt line.

forget the akyoostick and grab a tele! or anything electric for that matter. :)

The only thing I can say "heads-up"-wise is the top is extremely soft. I mean, I'd be more careful with this thing than a baby's head.

I might have to rethink my priorities. :wink:

I've heard the same about the cedar top I've only had mine for a few months and so far no scratches, but I'm pretty careful.

I'll second the Recording King suggestion. I was on a similar hunt recently and ended up with an RD-316. All solid wood- adirondack spruce and mahogany. Really nice guitar.

Excellent bang for the buck is the Yamaha AC1M. Selling in Canada for around $599.

Seagull, made by the GODIN Guitar company, also makes the excellently priced Simon & Patrick that I own (spruce top, mahogany back and sides). They make Normans and concert and electric guitars too, by the way.

Seagull,[maybe all of the Godin Co. acoustics ??], have very thin nitrocellulose lacquer finishes on the tops so they can resonate better. Thus, they are softer and can dent a little easier..... No biggie! Worth the trade off, imo.

Seagulls are great guitars, no doubt, but they have big necks that aren't for everyone. I would never own one for that reason.

That said, I've found the other Godin brands to be worth looking into.

There are also a lot of Pacific Rim companies putting out great stuff for cheap these days.

Walden does some nice affordable stuff with solid spruce tops, and Blueridge makes some very nice sounding instruments. In fact, I once had some time to kill in a big box store, so I decided to find the best sounding acoustic in the place, and a Blueridge won over Martins and Taylors five times its price.

That's right, Tarnisher...... I remember a music store owner in Henderson-ville, North Carolina who, showed me and let me play a new Blue Ridge back in about 2003. I think that Blue ridge was a new company, maybe, but he was very excited about it, and the price was right.. It played and sounded wonderful.. I need to go play one of those again..

Perhaps a blueridge br-163. I have the br-183 myself, just a little more bling

Last fall I decided to buy another acoustic in the 500-600$ range. I played everything from Seagulls, Martins, Taylors, Breedloves, Taks, Epiphones, etc. that I could find. I ended up buying a Martin X series. The laminate construction made it a great option for me as a travel guitar, and a guitar that can withstand the dry heat here in West Texas. I also thought it sounded just as good if not better than all its peers. Plugged it, it sounds like a much much more expensive guitar.


http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/coltwknight/Random%20pictures/100_3548.jpg

Another vote for the Seagull. The S6 Original is the first good quality acoustic I've owned. It's a GREAT guitar.

I like to play jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, fingerstyle and other general forms of rock.I was in a shop a few days ago and they had about 6 Seagulls hanging up and everyone of them was perfectly setup and played and sounded great. And that included their lowest priced line, too. I didn't feel that they extended too deeply into the bass range, however. Oh, yeah, and they tout that the neck is a super strong type of construction where it joins the body - maybe somebody else can elaborate.

Given that they have sold so many, you might find a quality instrument for a good price in a Yamaha - esp if you don't mind CraigsList.

I would say it's a buyer's market right now,
Greg

I haven't played a bad Godin family guitar yet and really liked the Normans and Simon and Patricks. What I brought home though was an Art & Lutherie which was a fantastic guitar for cheap which I later gifted to my sister.

used Wechter Pathmaker with the three way pickup system---great axe, great playability, awesome plugged in.......

I was in a shop a few days ago and they had about 6 Seagulls hanging up and everyone of them was perfectly setup and played and sounded great. And that included their lowest priced line, too. I didn't feel that they extended too deeply into the bass range, however. Oh, yeah, and they tout that the neck is a super strong type of construction where it joins the body - maybe somebody else can elaborate.

Given that they have sold so many, you might find a quality instrument for a good price in a Yamaha - esp if you don't mind CraigsList.

I would say it's a buyer's market right now,
Greg

The Seagull S-6 that I have is a bolt on neck, bolted from inside the body. Mine had a little piece of paper glued over it so it wouldn't show if you looked in. I had always assumed that it was a glued in neck. Maybe some glue was used?? But I removed the paper,[same color as the adjacent wood], and there was the bolt. My neck was a bit loose, and I learned at a repair shop that the paper patch was there. Other wise, I would have never known.

The Seagull S-6 that I have is a bolt on neck, bolted from inside the body. Mine had a little piece of paper glued over it so it wouldn't show if you looked in. I had always assumed that it was a glued in neck. Maybe some glue was used?? But I removed the paper,[same color as the adjacent wood], and there was the bolt. My neck was a bit loose, and I learned at a repair shop that the paper patch was there. Other wise, I would have never known.

Taylor also utilizes a bolt on neck. I don't know if all there guitars use a bolt on setup, but they do use a lot of bolt on necks.

+1 on the Martin X series. Those are remarkable sounding instruments for the price point. At the high end of your price range, I'd at least try a Breedlove Atlas. Comes with a case which IMO is on a par with custom shop models.

+2 on the Eastman

When you said "acoustic," did you mean as in not acoustic/electric, or is that a feature you're looking for/would like?

I've never played a Seagull that spoke to me. Granted, I haven't played a whole bunch of 'em, so maybe I need to get out more, Seagull-wise.

My first recommendation would be to second telleutelleme's recommendation of an Atlas series Breedlove. I have an older, discontinued one (had it 4 years now), an AD25/SM: Atlas series; Dreadnaught size/shape; deep body; soft cutaway; solid Sitka spruce top; solid Mahogany back. Fishman electronics. It is my go-to gigging acoustic/electric.

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/500/medium/My_Guitars_-_September_2008_-_Breedlove.jpg

For that matter, I can even recommend checking out a Breedlove from the Passport series. I've played a couple of Breedlove Passport C250/CMs, one here in Corpus Christi, TX, one in San Antonio. Both were players, and had a nice tone. Concert size/shape; deep body; soft cutaway; solid red Cedar top; Mahogany back & sides.

http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/18/001/411/997/DV016_Jpg_Large_583493.010_natural_R.jpg

Also, +2 on Colt's recommendation of the Martin X series. Pretty good tone, a good value.

When you said "acoustic," did you mean as in not acoustic/electric, or is that a feature you're looking for/would like?

I've never played a Seagull that spoke to me. Granted, I haven't played a whole bunch of 'em, so maybe I need to get out more, Seagull-wise.

My first recommendation would be to second telleutelleme's recommendation of an Atlas series Breedlove. I have an older, discontinued one (had it 4 years now), an AD25/SM: Atlas series; Dreadnaught size/shape; deep body; soft cutaway; solid Sitka spruce top; solid Mahogany back. Fishman electronics. It is my go-to gigging acoustic/electric.

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/500/medium/My_Guitars_-_September_2008_-_Breedlove.jpg

For that matter, I can even recommend checking out a Breedlove from the Passport series. I've played a couple of Breedlove Passport C250/CMs, one here in Corpus Christi, TX, one in San Antonio. Both were players, and had a nice tone. Concert size/shape; deep body; soft cutaway; solid red Cedar top; Mahogany back & sides.

http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/18/001/411/997/DV016_Jpg_Large_583493.010_natural_R.jpg

Also, +2 on Colt's recommendation of the Martin X series. Pretty good tone, a good value.

I really liked Breedloves at about the 800$ price point. They are nice guitars. But honestly, the best thing to do is go out, play ever acoustic you can get your hands on both acoustically and through an amp. Once you go through about 50 guitars, you will know what you like and don't like. Its really hard to go look at just a few guitars and compare. If you sample three guitars, you will always like one better than the other two, but you may not like that guitar once you play 50 more.

I look for a used Larrivee. I got one of their L 03's for around $800 and it's hands down the best acoustic I've ever played. You will have to be patient though, it's rare to get them at that price.

I look for a used Larrivee. I got one of their L 03's for around $800 and it's hands down the best acoustic I've ever played. You will have to be patient though, it's rare to get them at that price.

The L-03 is a great guitar. I also love the limited edition LS-03, the best acoustic I've played.

Try out a Taylor 114

Seagull or Breedlove spring to mind.

I have had a Seagull S6 cedar top for 12 years. Chose it in part because the top did not have a glossy coat. It looks way cooler now that it's covered in pock marks and scratches. Love it to pieces, literally. The top is warped and the bridge had to be re-glued down. I never took good care of it. So if you get one, take good care of it (hard case, humidity under control). It still sounds great, if getting in tune is a PITA. Neck is C-H-U-N-K-Y. Tuners haven't lasted 12 years.

Taylor 114 or 214 sounds v. nice, but not solid top.. which means it doesn't "grow with the player" ... whatever floats your boat. I like solid top. That's why I chose the Seagull as it was the only solid top in the <400 range in the store. I was like 13 years old. Good choice, me.

I agree with the used Larrivee route. The L-03 is a great all around guitar. 1 3/4 nut for fingerpicking and handles strumming very well too. There are always some used ones over on the Larrivee forum in the $700-800 range.

I also recommend the Epiphone Masterbilt series. I have an AJ-500R and it's an outstanding guitar. Holds its own very well next to the Gibson J-45 I used to have, and all for about 1/3 of the price.

I would have to say a used Larrivee as well got a D03 used five years ago and have been in love with it. An absolute quality guitar. Solid wood, ebony fretboard.

I would also throw in the Guild GAD series. I played some a while back and really enjoyed them. I don't know of the newer ones or their other series except for their more expensive ones but they know how to make a quality instrument. Always been partial to Guild though

Hey dudes!

Figured it's about that time where I budget myself out into investing in a new acoustic guitar. I'm looking to spend in between $500-$800. I don't prefer any particular brand, I'm just trying to get the most bang for my buck.

I like to play jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, fingerstyle and other general forms of rock.

That said, let's hear your picks!

Thanks mates.

:wink:

Maybe take a look at the new Yamaha A series guitars. In your price range they're possibly the most guitar you'll get for your money.

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/el-ac-guitars/a-series/?mode=series

I've played the AC3R and it's a real nice guitar.

Eastman or Epiphone Masterbilt

I've used S6, Guild, Taka's, And, Taylor, Gibson. True story here. While playing live, I've used these guitars. I used my Gibson Artist indoors years, however, my wife found me a Fender acoustic/electric at Goodwill and it sounds as good as the Gibson through the PA and Acoustic amp. It cost $29.95. There are diamonds in the rough every where and no two guitars are equal. I've also played $200 Yamaha and Ibanez guitars that sounded stellar. Find you a Silver Creek and you'll be happy too.

Martin OM-1. I got mine used but in pristine condition off CL for $650. Solid wood construction gives you Martin sound in a comfortable, easy to play guitar. 1 3/4 inch nut width is great for fingerstyle or strumming. It's laminated neck laughs at humidity variation, and it's made right here in Nazareth Pa. I put a bone saddle and pins in mine, and a K&K pure mini pickup. Less than 1000 bucks out the door at GC, or less with a special.

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/1145/medium/Picture_114_crop2.jpg

That's right, Tarnisher...... I remember a music store owner in Henderson-ville, North Carolina who, showed me and let me play a new Blue Ridge back in about 2003. I think that Blue ridge was a new company, maybe, but he was very excited about it, and the price was right.. It played and sounded wonderful.. I need to go play one of those again..

I was at a guitar shop in Castle Rock, CO in 1996 that got it's first Blueridges (with the old good looking logos). He had a D-18 version and a D-28 version, I still kick myself in the a$$ for not getting the hog dread back then...

When I get the money saved up, I know what I am on the hunt for...