Need Acoustic Guitar Recommendation

E

Ed Dixon

New member
I need two accoustic guitars for beginner adults for use in a small church. Price range is about $150 each. Any good recommendations?

Ed
 
The Seagull S6 or Norman B20 (both almost identical -- made in Canada by Godin Guitars) is a very well-regarded acoustic guitar at a very affordable price -- I think close to your budget. I believe it's widely available at U.S. music shops. It has a solid spruce top and cherry back and sides. I bought two of the Normans a couple of years ago as Christmas presents for my two sons (22/21 y/o). Plays and sounds very good. A best buy for the money.
 
I'm not sure if Takamine makes any in that price range, but they are a great bargain for their tone, I would check it out if I were you.
 
Ed Dixon said:
I need two accoustic guitars for beginner adults for use in a small church. Price range is about $150 each. Any good recommendations?

Ed
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The Fender DG-8 is about the cheapest acoustic I would recommend to anyone, and it usually runs about $200. I have a couple of friends with them and they have lasted >2years without any problems. They don't have the greatest sound, but they stay in tune o.k. and are good for a beginner.

The Washburn D-10 is probably comparable.
 
Ed Dixon said:
I need two accoustic guitars for beginner adults for use in a small church. Price range is about $150 each. Any good recommendations?

Ed
Click to expand...

Whatever you get, take it to a tech (not one that works at a Guitar Center) and have them set it up. It will help you and whoever else from quitting because the notes never seem to be in tune.
 
i would recommend the washburn d100, it's $100 and available from only musicians friend (and ebay of course). i just got one for my bday this weekend and i must say it's a nice instrument for the price. the one i got is transparent wine red with white binding. the tone is really good, nice and full, not dull at all. i've played a lot of acoustics in my lifetime, some really good like taylor, and a lot of really bad ones. this washburn definitely leans more toward the good side in terms of tone. i would definitely recommend this to any beginner (or even a more experienced guitarist just looking for something to jam on at home). i'm extremely happy with it, and have gotten some good recording out of it already. lots of people left good reviews on the musicians friend site as well. best of luck in your search
 
I would say anything that plays good and sounds good.

Yeah, i know. That is no help... but this may be..

One day I walked into the local music shop and picked up a black cheapo Fender acoustic that sounded amazing.. while the one next to it... a seemingly identical guitar sounded like trash.

The point is that buying a certain model (esp. considering that all wood insturments age differently) doesn't really garuntee anything.

Look for something that has quality or you will be stuck with a junk guitar sitting in the case after the player moves on to a better instrument.

I would up the budget to like 250 or 350 and get something beginner/intermediate.

You money will go farther.

My recomendation would be to:

1. By a scratch and dent. I picked up my Takamine 360SC w/ the DSP electronics for half the price this way. (It had been factory repaired and still sounds awesome years later.)

2. Ebay. Look for someone with "Gear-itis" dumping their old equipment to buy something new. This way you might get something very nice for a fraction of the cost.
 
Best I've heard in that range are Cort and Art and Luthier. Both are solid tops with good fretwork, action, and feel solidly built
 
reshp1 said:
Best I've heard in that range are Cort and Art and Luthier. Both are solid tops with good fretwork, action, and feel solidly built
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Art & Luthier are also made by Godin Guitars (Canada) -- very close to the Seagull and Norman I mentioned above. Any Godin guitar is a best buy for the $$$.
 
Cheeky Monkey said:
Art & Luthier are also made by Godin Guitars (Canada) -- very close to the Seagull and Norman I mentioned above. Any Godin guitar is a best buy for the $$$.
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Hmm, I knew they were canadian, but didn't know that Godin made them. Cool.
 
reshp1 said:
Hmm, I knew they were canadian, but didn't know that Godin made them. Cool.
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Actually, "Simon & Patrick" is another of the acoustic Godin line. I've read many "best-bang-for-the-buck" acoustic discussions in different forums, and the Seagull S6 (or Norman B20 -- virtually identical except for headstock design), always seems to be a top buy. And remember, for little $$$, they have solid spruce tops.
 
I just got one of these to make it up to the $200 for free shipping.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/511192/

I didn't have any expectations, but I'm really blown away by the bang for the buck. It ain't a Taylor or a Martin, but it didn't really need any set up, is easy to play, and it sounds pretty damned good. Nice action, good intonation, no neck or fret issues. I strung it Nashville, and I love it.

One drawback is lack of a truss rod, so if there were neck problems I'd be SOL. Maybe I just got lucky, but I'm happy as a pig in shit. Those Chinese are really gettin' their shit together. (Please, no political garbage here. :))
 
Is there a brand that's been mentioned here that sounds really good when you first get it, but after a few years the glues degrade and it begins to come apart? I'm not naming names because I'm not sure I heard correctly.
 
Cheeky Monkey said:
Actually, "Simon & Patrick" is another of the acoustic Godin line. I've read many "best-bang-for-the-buck" acoustic discussions in different forums, and the Seagull S6 (or Norman B20 -- virtually identical except for headstock design), always seems to be a top buy. And remember, for little $$$, they have solid spruce tops.
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I just played a Seagull "Artist" series today. Shop owner told me the artist series are handmade by one guy, while the rest of the line are factory made. And I have to say, the thing played like butter. Once of the best feeling guitars I've ever played.

It sounded great, too, although I generally prefer a darker tone. It wouldn't help the $150 crowd, tho. Price was $600. Shop owner claimed that was wholesale and told me that most guitars, even $1200 Martins, cost about a hundred bucks to make.

If this is true, somebody's getting royally screwed.
 
robgb said:
I just played a Seagull "Artist" series today. Shop owner told me the artist series are handmade by one guy, while the rest of the line are factory made. And I have to say, the thing played like butter. Once of the best feeling guitars I've ever played.

It sounded great, too, although I generally prefer a darker tone. It wouldn't help the $150 crowd, tho. Price was $600. Shop owner claimed that was wholesale and told me that most guitars, even $1200 Martins, cost about a hundred bucks to make.

If this is true, somebody's getting royally screwed.
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Yeah, the Artist series is the top of the line Seagull.
 
apl said:
Is there a brand that's been mentioned here that sounds really good when you first get it, but after a few years the glues degrade and it begins to come apart? I'm not naming names because I'm not sure I heard correctly.
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I would guess that statement applies to a number of inexpensive guitars. I have an old Yamaha nylon string ($150 new) that did that after a couple of years. It's virtually unplayable now.
 
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