Need Help- recommend an acoustic guitar

80's_Metal

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 is twice your stated price range but c'mon, it's from 1977 and made in USA!

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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.
 
Nowhere to really try anything out. The closest music stores are about 70 miles away.

Kind of just putting feelers out.

I'll probably buy one off reverb or Facebook marketplace.
 
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Most important piece of advice I can give you is to make sure to file the bridge down. The only way you can adjust the strings on an acoustic without buying new saddle is to lower them, so all acoustics come from the factory with the strings too high. There is no reason why a set of 12s on an acoustic shouldn't be able to play as easily as a set of 12s on an electric.
 
80's_Metal said:
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.
Click to expand...
No advice on acoustic, just popped in to say that good things happen to good people. You're a good man.
 
I went thru this a while back

Most acoustics have a 25.6 scale , slightly longer than the Dreaded scale

My Epiphone Hummingbird Artist was $175 new
The scale is 24.75
But no electric on it ,
I did install a Fishman myself
Kinda easy

The Epiphone Starla is very similar and under $200
Colors are limited

Yamaha FS-TA 1000009875.webp

Picture is the Epiphone and the Yamaha

The Yamaha has a 25 inch scale
On-board tuner and On-board reverb and chorus
New it was between $400-500

Yammy all day
 

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I actually bought one of those Epiphone hummingbirds for my guitar class back when I taught that, it sounded great but developed a slight back bow (despite all the things I did to fight it off) and I hated it after that ha ha.
It still played better than the 6 fendurrs we had
(I didn't order those)

Your Epiphone is beautiful though! Wowza what a looker!
 
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I did have one of these super cool ML acoustics back in the day.

https://imgur.com/FGrjPME

Looked killer, played really well, sounded like a wooden coffin... Damp and occupied....

I entertain the thought of another once in awhile for giggles. Just can't justify the money on something I'd never really use.
 
This Sigma looks cool

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Under
$200

Sigma was a Lower brand of Martin at one point

Should sound cool
 
The Stiger looks like it may have the round back like the Applause/Ovation
Those don't really sit in your lap very well

The Enya gets some great reviews online
But it just seems like a toy to me
Not really an acoustic

But hey it's just money
They are cheap enough , you could probably get most of it back when flipping it
 
ehdwuld said:
The Stiger looks like it may have the round back like the Applause/Ovation
Those don't really sit in your lap very well

The Enya gets some great reviews online
But it just seems like a toy to me
Not really an acoustic

But hey it's just money
They are cheap enough , you could probably get most of it back when flipping it
Click to expand...

I've always wanted one of those ovation domed guitars too!

 
Ok I'm getting it more narrowed down now with what my eyes, brain and budget can agree upon so far. Appreciate all the suggestions so far guys !

I haven't been able to use my ears so far, but here's where I am leaning.

1. Ovation/Applause aesthetic and great sound reviews:
https://reverb.com/item/89273096-ov...ctric-guitar-spruce-top-vintage-varnish-satin

2. Martin (it's gotta sound good right? Because of the brand name?)

3. Ovation/Applause with regular sound hole. Budget hit!

4. Real ovation

5. Smiger- Something new and budget. Gamble on sound quality, electronics look cool.
 
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