Budget, decent acoustic

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluesmouse
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as soon as i started reading this post, iwas think seagull or A and L. Since they have both already been recommended, i guess my two cents have already been put in. My flatmate has a seagull and it is a really nice sound, sounds like Jack Johnson's guitar.
 
I've had a Seagull for the last 10 years. It is a great guitar that has never disappointed me, in tone or playability. It sounds better now than it did when I bought it. I paid about $580 for it, though, so it may be a little out of your price range, but well worth the money.
 
Buck62 said:
I bought my Yamaha FG335 back in 1977 and it sounds even better now with age. I can honestly say it's tone blows away any Martin or Taylor under $2,000 and is equal to (or better than, depending on the individual) just about anything above that range...

Buck, Buck, Buck...you are a funny guy!:D
 
tdukex said:
Buck, Buck, Buck...you are a funny guy!:D

I'm totally serious, and I've proved it to people who have doubted my claim. They begrudgingly conceeded that I was right. Then, they marveled at how much "prettier" their guitars were than mine.

I'll take tone over looks any day of the week. ;)
 
My cheap acoustic is an old Epiphone, about $300 new in 1980. Recently I went on a hunt for a cheap acoustic for a buddy of mine, with the same $200 price range, give or take. I agree that the Yamahas were at the top, but we actually walked out with a Washburn, which is a *great* cheap axe. The key is this- Guitars are made out of wood by humans, and the cheaper they are, the greater the variation in quality. If you play 10 guitars, all the same make and model, in the $200 range, they will *not* be the same, not even close.
I would say- go to the biggest guitar store you can find, and drive the salesmen nuts. Play everything you can lay your hands on in the price range, starting with Yamaha, Washburn, Epiphone, Takamine, and anything that's used. In the end, the guitar you walk out the door with may not be the one you thought it would be, or the prettiest one, or the one everyone on this board likes, or the most expensive one. It will be the one that some Korean, or Indonesian, or Malaysian made right by coincedence. Give a monkey a typewriter, and sooner or later, he'll spell a word.-Richie
 
I bought a Yamaha FG140 about 20 years ago for $40 at the Salvation Army. The only drawback was the narrow nut width and string spacing that I have noted on a number of older Yamahas. The neck was wide enough to accomodate a wider nut, which I made, and have been satisfied with it ever since.
I agree with many here, that you just have to go play a number of instruments until you find the one you like at a price you can afford. Never buy one sight unseen, unless you are sure you can return it without any major hassles.
 
I've had luck with ibanez, sometimes, but I have a friend who has a seagul, and I would say it impresses me. The lows and mids are very crisp and clear, if I didn't spend all my money on Martins, my second choice would be them. Plus the A/Elect. ones come with an LR Baggs pickup, which is the best pickup I've ever heard. Of course you'll find all kinds of people who don't like them, but whatever.
 
Buck62 said:
I'll take tone over looks any day of the week. ;)

Me too. If you are ever in San Diego, drop me a line first and bring that puppy.:)
 
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