Best Acoustic Guitar for under $250.00

[guitardedzen]

So I'm headin up to Sioux Falls tommorow to check out my wife and I's baby on the ultrasound. I'm excited beyond words fellas. I can't wait to be a dad. Only six more months!

Anyway, after the ultrasound, I've persuaded the wife and the mother-in-law to spend some time with me at Guitar Center. My mother-in-law just happens to owe me around $250.00, and I just happen to be without an acoustic guitar. My question to you fellas is what would be the best bang for the buck at that low of a cost that I'd find at a GC? I want something with good volume and playability (or at least the ability to be set up so that it plays decent) I'm not expecting a Martin or Taylor here, but I need something to get me by.

[ibobunot]

In that price range I would be looking at the Yamaha acoustics.

Cough up a few more bucks and you could get a Seagull...

[odiemann]

Ibanez makes some good guitars in that range. I was surprised by the neck quality.

[garytelecastor]

That is fabulous news about the baby. They are so cool. Great little faces.

Congratulations to both you (dad) and mom!!!

On the GC website they have a couple Ibanez and an Epiphone for around that dough. There are some fender dreadnoughts. One of the nice things about GC is if you show them the price on the net they will match it for you.

Speaking of S.D. I am going to be playing in Hankinson in about 2 weeks.

[Stefan]

Here is a beauty I would choose!


Epiphone Dove Acoustic Guitar $299

[mikespe]

If you go used check out Alvarez or Talkamines...very nice guitars but new they are out of your price range.

[F1rocco]

Originally Posted by ibobunot

Cough up a few more bucks and you could get a Seagull...

My guitar teach who had tons of gats......Loved the Seagulls......Says its the best for the buck..........

[edgetone]

Look at the Alvarez RD8. I paid $200 for guitar and hard case. Plays really well.

[68tele]

Norman (part of Seagull/Godin, etc..) are fantastic and cheap.

[FMA]

I agree that Seagull would provide best bang for your buck, though, new, they may be more than $250.
Epis and Yamaha are goods to look at, as well as Blueridge.
It's important that you get something with a solid top, not laminate.
And it's also important that you get something that has a good set-up and know someone who can do a good set-up. Just about any budget acoustic out there will benefit greatly from a good set-up.

[51mike]

I have an Epiphone something or other that gets me by just fine.
It has a pickup under the bridge but no preamp. Just whatever you play gets amplified. Simple, to the point. It's a dreadnaught style. Bought it a couple years back and they've replaced it with another model at around the 250 mark.

[aunchaki]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Here is a beauty I would choose!

Epiphone Dove Acoustic Guitar $299

+1 on the mid-priced Epiphones. Epi makes a low-priced line ($99-$199) and a high-priced line (the Masterbilts at $500-$1000). Their mid-priced acoustics are knock-off of classic Gibson acoustics of yesteryear: the Dove, the Hummingbird, the EJ-200, etc... These are true acoustics--no electronics at all.

I have an Epi Hummingbird (also $299 at GC) and like it a lot. It's got a big, boomy, dreadnaught sound that I like just fine. The EJ-200 is a bit pricier ($350). A few years ago, the Dove & 'Bird were $350 and the EJ-200 was $400. Things have come down a bit. The 'Bird also now comes in black (but I prefer the 'burst).

There are some good-playing low-end ($200-$300) Takamines. I have a 12-string Tak that I love. They're built like tanks. A friend of mine calls them "bar guitars," presumably because their tough enough to deflect flying beer bottles.

Trust your hands and your ears. I've occasionally found a guitar that just felt "right," and it often wasn't the most expensive (though my hands do like real Gibson acoustics).

Good luck with your search!

[rand z]

i have 2 of these inexpensive durangos and both are very nice playing and nice sounding guitars, right out of the box...

and, the cherry finished, sloped shouldered b - 16 with sycamore back, won the guitar player mags shootout for best guitar under $500 a few years back.
it's $236 (was $180 when i bought it) but worth a few bucks as its a pretty nice box. GREAT SOUND!

imho.

rand z tropicalsoul.net

[rand z]

sorry forgot the link... here it is:

http://www.folkmusician.com/Durango_Guitars.html


rand z tropicalsoul.net

[rand z]

ok, one more time... its the B - 46 black cherry finish that i have that won the shootout.

ill get it right, yet!

rand z tropicalsoul.net

[charlie chitlin]

LOVE the Art of Lutherie Ami.
Small, though...parlor guitar.
Hand made, solid top.
Amazing guit for short sheckels.

[emjayjay]

Originally Posted by 68tele

Norman (part of Seagull/Godin, etc..) are fantastic and cheap.

+1 - I've got a Norman B15 and it's got a solid top and sounds amazing the older it gets. My uncle who's being playing for years, used my norman as a reference when looking for a top end guitar - he settled on a taylor 3 series in the end. he still plays mine, and says it's nearly as nice a sound as his taylor. mine was about £250, and his was about £1500!

[ibobunot]

Originally Posted by charlie frey

LOVE the Art of Lutherie Ami.
Small, though...parlor guitar.
Hand made, solid top.
Amazing guit for short sheckels.

+1 that's what I have..

[goldtopper]

I did see that Esteban guitars are now an advertiser on this site............

[wilkat1]

+1 on Art & Lutherie guitars.



My son has this one (solid cedar top, wild cherry back & sides) and it rings like a bell. Very sweet.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by guitardedzen

... around $250.00, and I just happen to be without an acoustic guitar. My question to you fellas is what would be the best bang for the buck at that low of a cost that I'd find at a GC?

I understand you are having a baby and money must be tight. But is you can at all possibly spend a little more do as many others have suggested and get a Seagull.
Here is one that sells for $299 at GC, you might even be able to negotiate them down a little from there.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ll-?sku=512366

I have played it in my local Guitar Center and it is by far the best "bang for the buck" in that price range. If you can spend a little more ($379) this model offers solid back and sides.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=512120

[superchicken_VI]

Personally, I wouldn't be worried about collecting $250 from my wife's mother. If she gives you the money, do what you want, but tread carefully. That guitar could very quickly turn into a symbol of something with your and her mother if there's any animosity about it. I don't know the situation, so I may be reading too much into it. What I do know, is that if money is tight and I'm about to become a father, and I'm about to get a small windfall, I wouldn't be worried about blowing all of it on an acoustic. Maybe get a $100 Epiphone or Yamaha and put the rest away for when baby needs something.

That's just me...And not being preachy--just what hit me when I re-read this.

[iowa]

Originally Posted by superchicken_VI

Personally, I wouldn't be worried about collecting $250 from my wife's mother. If she gives you the money, do what you want, but tread carefully. That guitar could very quickly turn into a symbol of something with your and her mother if there's any animosity about it. I don't know the situation, so I may be reading too much into it. What I do know, is that if money is tight and I'm about to become a father, and I'm about to get a small windfall, I wouldn't be worried about blowing all of it on an acoustic. Maybe get a $100 Epiphone or Yamaha and put the rest away for when baby needs something.

That's just me...And not being preachy--just what hit me when I re-read this.

+1
I've been married over 20 years and an issue with an inlaw isn't worth $250.
On the other hand, if it isn't an issue...go play everything in your price range with your eyes closed and see which one feels and sounds best.

[superchicken_VI]

Originally Posted by iowa

+1
I've been married over 20 years and an issue with an inlaw isn't worth $250.
On the other hand, if it isn't an issue...go play everything in your price range with your eyes closed and see which one feels and sounds best.

That's the problem with issues and women-folk. What isn't an issue today is enough to break up a marriage tomorrow. In my marriage, it wouldn't be that she owed me $250, it would be owing us $250. Again, don't know the OP's deal, but that's my one-man take on it.

[esteban]

Has anyone tried the Epiphone 12 string?