Yay, a what acoustic guitar thread...
Discussion
...for the penniless. Apologies if it's been done to death before but the search didn't reveal anything recent.
I actually need help on this as I know sod all about guitars. I've been playing for about 7 years but am self taught from reading tabs. My guitar collection consists of a Crafter Ashland electro-acoustic and a Crafter Cruiser electric - both gifts. I recently played a friends acoustic (can't remember what, but it was in the £300 bracket) and noticed that it a) sounded much better than mine, and b) was much easier to play. I'll be doing a small pub thing for charity soon so I thought I'd treat myself to a new acoustic. My budget is about £150 - and I can't really be flexible on that (maybe £165-70 at a stretch.)
I play a mix of stuff - mostly acoustic rock/acoustic versions of rock songs. I do intend to go out and try some in shops and my plan was to have a short list of guitars to try - then find stockists and try them out.
I've been doing some digging, reading reviews etc but most of it goes over my head - I know what the fretboard is, and what the strings are. Everything else is jargon to me. I gather a lot of it boils down to what you're going to play. Anyone able to give me some pointers or recommendations?
I actually need help on this as I know sod all about guitars. I've been playing for about 7 years but am self taught from reading tabs. My guitar collection consists of a Crafter Ashland electro-acoustic and a Crafter Cruiser electric - both gifts. I recently played a friends acoustic (can't remember what, but it was in the £300 bracket) and noticed that it a) sounded much better than mine, and b) was much easier to play. I'll be doing a small pub thing for charity soon so I thought I'd treat myself to a new acoustic. My budget is about £150 - and I can't really be flexible on that (maybe £165-70 at a stretch.)
I play a mix of stuff - mostly acoustic rock/acoustic versions of rock songs. I do intend to go out and try some in shops and my plan was to have a short list of guitars to try - then find stockists and try them out.
I've been doing some digging, reading reviews etc but most of it goes over my head - I know what the fretboard is, and what the strings are. Everything else is jargon to me. I gather a lot of it boils down to what you're going to play. Anyone able to give me some pointers or recommendations?
I have an Yamaha APX500 which I think is great. However I am a newbie really only been playing a year and a half.
But you can get one off e-bay in your budget.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_from=R40&_trksi...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-APX500-Natural-El...
But you can get one off e-bay in your budget.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_from=R40&_trksi...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-APX500-Natural-El...
tenohfive said:
turbopug said:
Yamaha is definately the way forward for sheer playability and value for money.
Anything in particular spring to mind?http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yamaha-F310-Acoustic-Guita...
Real nice neck profile, decent tone and it's cheaper and better than a lot of the chinese crap you see in shops.
I was looking at that earlier - seems to get a lot of good reviews as an entry level guitar. What's the sound like, and any idea what the next step up the Yamaha food chain is (within the budget?) i.e will I get a better sounding/performing guitar for the extra £50?
ETA: on Amazon at least the next step up seems to be the Yamaha FG700MS:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yamaha-FG700MS/dp/B000NUWU...
Currently reading reviews of it.
ETA: on Amazon at least the next step up seems to be the Yamaha FG700MS:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yamaha-FG700MS/dp/B000NUWU...
Currently reading reviews of it.
Edited by tenohfive on Tuesday 26th July 17:13
+1.
However, deals are there if you are ready to wait. Shop soiled guitars do pop up on ebay from time to time, and the scratches and dents in them don't make much of a difference to the way they play. I picked up a £300 Tanglewood for £108 a few years back because it has a small crack in the back that doesn't affect the sound at all.
However, deals are there if you are ready to wait. Shop soiled guitars do pop up on ebay from time to time, and the scratches and dents in them don't make much of a difference to the way they play. I picked up a £300 Tanglewood for £108 a few years back because it has a small crack in the back that doesn't affect the sound at all.
Handy to know, but I can't really wait - need to get it prior to a small charity thing I'm doing.
Just found out that I've already played an F310 - a mate has one, and I was never bowed over by how good it was. I'm starting to think that my budget might be unrealistic - I've since found out that the guitar I played that made me want a new one was some variety of Faith (which seem to start around the £400 mark) - way out of my budget. Out of interest I just googled my existing acoustic (Crafter Ashland) and it's around the £125 mark.
At what sort of price range do you get out of 'beginner' territory?
Just found out that I've already played an F310 - a mate has one, and I was never bowed over by how good it was. I'm starting to think that my budget might be unrealistic - I've since found out that the guitar I played that made me want a new one was some variety of Faith (which seem to start around the £400 mark) - way out of my budget. Out of interest I just googled my existing acoustic (Crafter Ashland) and it's around the £125 mark.
At what sort of price range do you get out of 'beginner' territory?
Here in fact
Auction
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-APX500-Electro-Ac...
Buy now
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/groovoid/m.html?_trksid=p43...
In budget
Auction
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-APX500-Electro-Ac...
Buy now
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/groovoid/m.html?_trksid=p43...
In budget
Edited by Incorrigible on Tuesday 26th July 20:51
Love my Yamaha FS720S, it's a folk sized body but really nice sounding, get quite a few comments from friends that have tried it plays and sounds a lot more expensive than it is.
Personally I'd say just get yourself down a guitar shop and test some out, try and get take someone else who plays to come with you so you can listen to them play and hear what it sounds like from an audience's perspective.
Personally I'd say just get yourself down a guitar shop and test some out, try and get take someone else who plays to come with you so you can listen to them play and hear what it sounds like from an audience's perspective.
Burty88 said:
Personally I'd say just get yourself down a guitar shop and test some out, try and get take someone else who plays to come with you so you can listen to them play and hear what it sounds like from an audience's perspective.
Sounds like a good shout, just a shame that there aren't too many decent music shops around here. Will be going to the main local chain tomorrow with a mate to see if anything jumps out at me.Incorrigible said:
Having read some of the reviews (including some examples of it being played on Youtube) I'm impressed by that. There is one being sold close by to me - I might ask the seller if I'd be able to pop around and see how I feel about it.
A quick thanks to everyone whose posted in here.
I had a poke around a couple of shops and tried a couple of guitars (Yamaha FG720S being the more expensive) and I wasn't impressed - not that it was bad, just that it didn't seem right for me (unsurprising when I didn't really know myself what I was looking for.) I ended up going to a new shop I didn't know about and had a chat with the guy in there. He mentioned the Yamaha APX 500. I tried it and fell in love. To the extent that I couldn't wait, and ended up buying it new for £230.
So I'm now the proud owner of an APX 500 in Violin Sunburst. She sounds fantastic and has played everything I've thrown at her beautifully. I'm going to stop now as I suspect I'm gushing, but cheers everyone (particularly Incorrigible and dazp.)
I had a poke around a couple of shops and tried a couple of guitars (Yamaha FG720S being the more expensive) and I wasn't impressed - not that it was bad, just that it didn't seem right for me (unsurprising when I didn't really know myself what I was looking for.) I ended up going to a new shop I didn't know about and had a chat with the guy in there. He mentioned the Yamaha APX 500. I tried it and fell in love. To the extent that I couldn't wait, and ended up buying it new for £230.
So I'm now the proud owner of an APX 500 in Violin Sunburst. She sounds fantastic and has played everything I've thrown at her beautifully. I'm going to stop now as I suspect I'm gushing, but cheers everyone (particularly Incorrigible and dazp.)
Edited by tenohfive on Wednesday 27th July 21:14
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