ashton dualler

[fingmung]

im looking at buying a left handed acoustic that i can use for live performance. my budget is $300 (in australian dollars, i think thats like 150-200 us?) an obviously nothing fantastic. i found the the ASHTON DUALLER in a magazine. then i went to a guitar shop and was told it was of very very poor quality. is there a better option (left handed) for roughly the same budget or is this guitar not as bad as it is said to be?

 

[scrubs]

budget acoustics

I am not sure what is available to you, but I have found the budget Fender acoustics to be decent. I have several friends with DG-8s,DG-9s, and DG-10s that have a usable tone, are easy to play, and are fairly durable. I think the DG-10 comes in a lefty version for about the price you are looking for. I think these are great starter guitars in the sub $300 (US) department. Another option would be a Washburn, but I have never liked the tone of these as well.

If you have a store nearby, try out everything in your pricerange and pick one that sounds good to you and appears to be put together well. Check for fret-buzz, neck-joint stability, tuner quality, and obvious cosmetic issues (glue & finish problems). It is best to take it to a good technician after purchase and get a "setup" job to optimize action and intonation (~ $75 US).

Good Luck.

 

[Tadpui]

I'm sorry, but I think that the Fender acoustics in that price range are terrible. I played a few of them and they sound more like children's toys than musical instruments. Some of them are even made out of that weird composite material and the sound like rubber bands stretched across a shoebox.

For sub-$300 acoustics, check out Alvarez, Yamaha and Ibanez. I think that the Alvarez sounds best, the Yamaha is built the best, and the Ibanez is a good all-around acoustic for the money.

Washburn isn't a bad choice either in the price range. They've got that one acoustic that they say is the best-selling acoustic in the world.

For live performance, you're probably going to want an electric-acoustic, and I don't think that you're going to find a decent one for much less than $400, if at all.

 

[Armistice]

I haven't played any, but I think the Ashtons are probably reasonable for the money - like the Behringer of guitars, sort of. $AU300 new is only really ever going to buy you something that could double as a canoe paddle (and I'm not being harsh, a Gib LP Standard costs about $AU3500 for the non-Australians on the board) - it's the lefty thing that will get you, my normal advice would be don't buy the Ashton but check out Trading Post for a decent second hand guitar from someone who's fallen on hard times or needs the money for drugs or child support, but they're predominantly right handed people I've always found.

Not sure what city you're in but ring Venue Music in Sydney and see what they have on offer or try that place in Newtown if you're actually in Sydney. Never know what you'll find...

Cheers

 

[Tadpui]

Oh, $300 austrailian, $150 - $200 US....

Yikes, maybe the Fenders would be about all that would fall into that price range. Maybe it'd be a good idea to keep saving!

 

[scrubs]

Yeah, for that price there is not much to be had. What sounds good to you is fairly subjective, so definitely try before you buy. Obviously, you will not get a high-end sound from a cheap guitar, but what you really want is one that is easy to play and is somewhat durable.

I last looked at the fenders ~4-5 years ago and thought they were the best in the "super-cheap/starter" category. My sister has a DG-9 that she has been using for solo gigs for several years and it has held up very well. I think the DG-10 is the lowest-end one that comes left handed, though. It also comes in an acoustic-electric version similar to the ashton, but I don't know how the electronics stack up. Probably sounds at least as good as that Esteban guitar.

For guitar reviews, check out harmony central:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/#man