Need Help- recommend an acoustic guitar

80's_Metal

Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Backstory.... one of my secretaries at school has a boy who wants to learn guitar. She came to me for advice and to help find him something they could afford. (They are good people and I love them)

Long story short I ended up just giving her my
Only acoustic, a Yamaha SJ180 because it's the right size for her boy, it holds tune amazingly well, and it plays perfectly. It's a much better beginner guitar than we were looking at. Plus.... She didn't have to spend money on one.

So now I need to get an acoustic guitar for myself.

I want to look for something that plays well, sounds good, and is also electric as well, in case I ever want to record a soft intro thing down the road.

I don't really care about brand names as long as it is NOT a Fendurrrr or a squi-err. And I don't want to spend more than a few bills to get one. Used is fine for me. It doesn't need to be a Gibby or a Martin or a Taylor... (Although those sound glorious, I know)


I liked the Yamaha just fine. . . Not too big, not too small, projected very well.

I like black or darker guitars more than regular bursty looking cowboy themed ones.... And I don't know what the sizes mean, parlor, concert, whatever they are all called. (I don't really ever play acoustic)

Please give me a couple suggestions to look into let's say $200-$300 used range.

Thanks guys! You are always helpful.
 
Find a USA-made Guild. Westerly RI or New Hartford are my favorite eras. The D-25 is a popular one and can often be found for $1,000 or less. The D-6 and Dv-6 are sleepers (I recently bought a '93 D-6 for $350 USD, it's very similar to a D-40).

The DCE series are cutaway dreadnought acoustics with a fishman pickup/preamp and we're available in a black finish. There's also the FCE series that are cutaway orchestra body acoustic-electrics with 24 frets.

Guilds are the best tone-per-dollar as far as USA-made acoustics go.

Edit:
I know this twice your stated price range but c'mon, it's from 1977 and made in USA!

If you really are set on staying around $300, an '80s MIJ Washburn is worth searching for. I have a D-26S-12 that sounds and looks great!
 

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Yeah, I'd suggest trying out a few different shapes to see what you are comfortable with. You can find different shapes in all price ranges.
 
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