Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Check out Simon Patrick guitars. Made by Godin, very nice instruments.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

phil_104 said:
Check out Simon Patrick guitars. Made by Godin, very nice instruments.
Click to expand...

I was also going to plug Art & Lutherie guitars. My wife just got me one for a gift, and it's fantastic. I love cedar topped steel stringers.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

I'd be looking out for a decent Blueridge. They're a suprising good quality all-handmade Chinese Martin copy. Good thing is most of them have all solid wood, come with bone nut/saddles, and old-school tuners, and some pretty fancy lookin headstocks. I almost bought one, but I found a Taylor 214 Grand Aud that hooked me...
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

epi masterbilt or anything from lasido (seagull, simon and patrick, norman...those are the ones Ive played. still need to try A&L and LaPatrie). Thats what Ive tried around that price. Need to get my paws on some Guilds and Blueridges since they seem to get lotsa praise...and pray for a used Larrivee around that price.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Cruise here: all the 6 string acoustics between $300 and $500 on MF

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/6-string-acoustic-guitars?N=100001+304293+10

I have a Guild and it's unparalleled, but the cheaper GAD line, which I hear people think are great, have not impressed me very much in person.

Low end Martins aren't very good. They feel like they're not completed yet, like there's another day's work left on em, but they shipped em anyways. Hard to describe.

You can get a **** nice Seagull in that range; the famous S6 Cedar even. Beandip will let you know about that, though. :laughing:

Yo ucan get into an Epiphone Masterbuilt, which I hear are great, for that price as well. I haven't played one.

I have a Washburn that is a very great player, better than the 2 Taylors I've had pass through my hands, but the neck is very thin. Very very thin. If you like that, then a Washburn D10 is the answer.

My overall vote goes to Yamaha. I have a '74 FG160 that out-Martins a Martin.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Ibanez AELs are in that range. I have the AEL10E, it was to me the best $300 acoustic on the market when I bought. Sounds great plugged in and acoustic. Fishman, 3 band etc.
They are full sized bodies though.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Thomas, with acoustics in that price range, you really need to shop used. Much more guitar for your money, you know?

The higher end, later 70's early 80's Yamaha's are excellent little guitars. FG730S is something to keep your eye out for.

Look for the older Seagull Artists. I'm talking 10 yrs ago older. All solid wood, they've opened up, and just play great.

Martin's 1 and X lines can be had on the used market for fairly cheap. There's a DX1 on my local CL for 350 right now.

Used and vintage Alvarez Yairi. Most models fetch about 275-400 on the used market, but they're amazing players, and sound even better. You don't have to drop the coin on a 1200 Yairi, when you can get the QUALITY of sound from a 400 dollar one.

There are plenty more quality acoustic makers out there in price range. Especially to be had in pawn shops. Just go out there, and play 'em all. An acoustic is nothing like electrics, where "I don't like single coils so that narrows down my options". No two guitars sound the same, they just don't. You have to go out and play every single one of them and find the one that speaks to you.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

For budget acoustics, I have three:

Yamaha, Seagull, Ovation

- Yamaha; Never had a bad Yamaha instrument period. Own two!
- Seagull; Love the sound/feel of everyone I've ever picked up, and I pick up everyone i find.
- Ovation; The rockers choice, built like tanks, play like electrics, and totally amplifiable/effect modable!

I will say this, however - as much as electric guitars can vary of even the same brand/model, acoustics are even more so that way. Play, play, play!!!!! Always play an acoustic before you buy, and play a bunch t that time. Play a bunch of the same model if you can. The differences in feel/sound will amaze you.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

The Seagulls I have played have indeed been very well-crafted and beautiful instruments. Two things to note about them, though: (1) the fret board on the standard Seagull is wider than for most acoustics to aid fingerpicking techniques, and (2) most have cedar tops, which will not sound the same as the much more typical spruce. They do have a "thin" line which has a more traditional width fretboard, and some of them have sruce tops, but you have to look hard for these options.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Stevo 42 said:
The Seagulls I have played have indeed been very well-crafted and beautiful instruments. Two things to note about them, though: (1) the fret board on the standard Seagull is wider than for most acoustics to aid fingerpicking techniques, and (2) most have cedar tops, which will not sound the same as the much more typical spruce. They do have a "thin" line which has a more traditional width fretboard, and some of them have sruce tops, but you have to look hard for these options.
Click to expand...

Did you really have that hard of a time finding a slim spruce? My local GC has two in stock.

Sorry that kinda turned you off to 'em, Steve. Wish it weren't so. Now have you found an acoustic to settle on yet?
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

there are tons out there. I always tell folks to take all the money they want to spend and go to a guitar store with a good supply of new and used Acoustics. And play EVERY one that's in your price range. Spend a while checking everything out and find your guitar.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Thanks for all of the replies everybody. Those Blueridge guitars are very intriguing. i was looking at the BR-140 all solidwood and everything, not sure if the finish is laquer or poly or what though. The epi masterbilts are very nice also, solid wood too. the bluridges are a little out of my price range and the epi masterbilts are within my price range with some good deals on ebay right now.....oh the decision!
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Thomas1190 said:
Title says it all. I was looking and saw these two. I would really like a solid wood guitar, no laminate stuff. i dont finger pick, just strum and what not. If you guys have any opinions on these two or have other recommendations, do tell. thanks everybody!

Yamaha FG750S
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-FG750S-Folk-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=518278

Washburn D10SDL
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Washburn-?sku=516860
Click to expand...

Check out Carvin acoustic guitars. very very nice action and sound. made in Korea but supposedly under their watchful eye.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

The Blueridges are great guitars, some models are laminated back and sides, others are all solid. I had a BR143 and it was superb. I only sold it to get a guitar with a wider nut and string-spacing. The guitar i replaced it with was a...

Guild GAD30. Also manufactured in China, also a very impressive instrument. I'm not sure if the GAD series fits into your budget over there, but if they do, be sure to check them out.

So i can tell you from happy personal experience that both Blueridge and Guild GAD guitars would be well worth checking out. (and yeah, i never thought i'd own a Chinese-made instrument, let alone seek out a second one, but hey....times change ; and anyway, when you find a good or great instrument at a moderate price-point, judge it only on it's merits, not the place of it's manufacture).
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

any of the Godin Made brands are great for the bucks... i'm looking at one now that is $499 Canadian/$430-ish USA that has a gig bag, PU and built in tuner.... I think it's a Seagull, but i remember seeing Godin's name on the headstock... local store has a rack of them
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

beandip said:
Did you really have that hard of a time finding a slim spruce? My local GC has two in stock.

Sorry that kinda turned you off to 'em, Steve. Wish it weren't so. Now have you found an acoustic to settle on yet?
Click to expand...

Almost didn't recognize you, sans willie (so to speak). I will try GC next. Of the two local stores I frequent to avoid going to GC, one doesn't carry Seagull and the other only has higher priced Seagulls (carrying Art & Lutherie and Takamine for the lower end, meaning under $600). I haven't found the right one for me yet but have enjoyed looking.
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

Stevo 42 said:
Almost didn't recognize you, sans willie (so to speak). I will try GC next. Of the two local stores I frequent to avoid going to GC, one doesn't carry Seagull and the other only has higher priced Seagulls (carrying Art & Lutherie and Takamine for the lower end, meaning under $600). I haven't found the right one for me yet but have enjoyed looking.
Click to expand...

What part of Houston are you in? I've been all over the area (having worked in every part) and know some great places that you don't want to pass up. A lot of folks do if they're not familiar with that specific area (north 1960, inner loop southeast, etc)
 
Re: Best Acoustic guitar for $400-$500

beandip said:
What part of Houston are you in? I've been all over the area (having worked in every part) and know some great places that you don't want to pass up. A lot of folks do if they're not familiar with that specific area (north 1960, inner loop southeast, etc)
Click to expand...

I live to the south (Pearland) and work downtown. I am not opposed to driving a bit for a good guitar shop. Parker to the north does not carry Seagull, and Robin carries them but I have not seen any "thin" spruce models there. They have a lot of art & lutherie which may be pretty close in quality (but the headstock is no where near as cool). I want to checkout the Breedlove and Epiphones at GC but have not made it yet.
 
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