Looking for new guitar, advice.

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question444

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I am wanting to buy a classical acoustic/electric guitar. I've found that this is sort of a rare combination. Just wanting you guys' opinion on what to/not to look for. My spending limit is around 250. At the moment I am looking at a used Ibanez GA5TCE for 175 plus shipping. And what is your opinion of the company "Samick"? Thanks. -Perry
 
New guitar

Samicks can be nice guitars. I had a friend in college that had one and it played beautifully and sounded great.

Are you looking specifically for a classical guitar, or do you just want the nylon strings? If you are just looking for a nylon string guitar, an Epiphone Chet Atkins is a standard, but for my money, I LOVE the Yamaha AEX 500N . It has a sweet feel and playability and just looks pretty :)

If you are really wanting a classical with electronics, first find a guitar you really like. If it has electronics, great, if not, you can always have a pickup installed. I have an Epiphone classical that is my baby, and it has a pickup that was installed later - I've never had any problems with it.

Don't know if that helps, but there it is. :)
 
An acoustic/electric classical guitar is really limiting your selection, so I'd go with what mjareo said and get a guitar that you like, and then add the electronics later.
 
In that price range, if it were me I'd get a low end Yamaha (consistent build, reliable) for $180, then pay $40 for a good tech to set it up really well and put on top quality strings - a high tension set like Savarez yellow card would allow for a very low action. Then slap a Dean Markley $30 Artist transducer on it, use a preamp you've already got as its buffer (or even a bypassed pedal effect) and you could have a great playing and sounding ac/el classical.

For just a little more the Esteve line, made in Spain, is about the best quality/price value around in low priced solid top gtrs IMHO.

For a bizarre classical, look at the Aria Sinsonido AS-100C
I bought one for $280 to use as a travel guitar, and found that it's really excellent as an electric classical.

Tim
 
Question444,
I currently own an Ibanez GA5TCE (purchased new). It's a great guitar for the price and the electronics are ok. I've already replaced the nylon strings because the originals were chewed up (no...not literally :)). The biggest benefit to the accoustic/electric combos are that they usually have the cut-away so you can get access to the higher frets.
Overall, it has a very nice accoustic sound when played without the electronics. Also, many of the other guitars that I've played at that price either had fret buzz or were not tuned correctly at the bridge (strobe tune?).
Dave
 
My Samick sucks. But since it was given to me free, it's got the best "performance vs dollars" ratio of anything I own.
 
I had a Samick steel string acoustic with electronics last year. I think it played and sounded like a box. After I sold it, I bought some K&K True Western pups and put them in my Seagull.

THAT's the sound I wanted. So like other have said - get the good acoustic (nylon/steel whatever) in your price range and THEN work on the electronics.

But price wise - the Samick cost $100 on clearance at GC and I sold it for about $100 on ebay. The Seagull was probably $350-400 years ago and the pups were $80 off ebay.

So if I was just starting out, my approach would have been more pricey than what you might want to do.
 
...btw...you also mentioned a limit of around 250 USD...I got mine from GC at 259 + tax (retail $279 + tax). You won't get the discounted price if you don't ask.
For $179, it's a steal.
 
thanks for your responses guys. I am slowly beginning to explore acoustic instruments but I'm more into the music side of it at this point. Right now I am not very discriminating as to what guitar I want. And I wanted to make sure I wasn't buying a complete piece of crap. I didn't. But I knew I wanted the classical sound for my softer solo songs during my band's set. And I needed it amplified. I went with the Ibanez for $175. I am very pleased with it so far. later...-p
 
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