What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

uOpt

uOpt

Something Cool
I'm really not up-to-date with acoustics.

I need a 6-string for my wife and it should have a small neck and a small-ish body.

Resell value is more important than price, something MIA or MIJ is probably good. I'm willing to pay for a properly cut nut and adjusted bridge so I guess a budget of 650-900 used?

Any particular recommendation?
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

You would probably be able to get a used Martin 000-16 for that price range$ . . . the ones that I've played have all sounded pretty nice.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

My friend wants a small acoustic too. She is leaning to Taylor GS Mini or Little Martin.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

I didn't mean going outright octave guitar :) I think a shallow body might be more important than outside measures.

I still want one of those octave-up mini Les Paul 59 clones. That's just awesome.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Fx73q.jpg

Taylor GS Mini.

$499 brand new

23.5" scale length
Ebony fretboard
Sapele neck
Sitka Spruce top
Sapele laminate sides

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/gs-mini/

PG Review
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Look at Simon & Patrick and Godin's folk sized offerings. If you want to go lower in price, look at Takamine's New Yorker or Morgan Monroe's OM/Folk sized guitars. If you want to go higher look at entry level Taylor or Martin.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Yamaha APX series...really great sound from such a thin body and excellent build quality as most Yamahas have. I've owned 3 APX guitars from an entry level 3 series to a top-of-the-line '90s APX-20 and all of them were an excellent value. In fact, for a slimline acoustic with a friendly neck, you really can't beat them for the price, especially on the used market, where you can often find the higher-end models very cheap.

I convinced a friend of mine to get one for his fiance last year and she loves it!

I just noticed that you can pick up a brand new Yamaha APX500 series (newer intermediate model) for around $260 brand new on eBay! If she didn't like it, you could certainly get your money back out of it at that price!

Otherwise, if you don't mind used, look for an older APX-10 or APX-20...unbelievable quality on those, typically made in Japan, with top-grade woods and definitely within your budget!

yamaha-APX20C.gif


$(KGrHqEOKjcE5hLSR-OQBOidV3uJOg~~60_3.JPG
 
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Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Big Baby. Electric sized neck, very nearly. 15/16ths sized body, full scale length.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Personally I prefer Martin over Taylor's but I think a Taylor may be a better choice in this situation. Taylors have very thin necks & very low action. This will probably make the guitar easier to play for your wife & you should really look to encourage her playing.

The Gran Concert size Taylors would be a great place to start. Small body guitars are generally thinner in body depth as the bodies are smaller also. For this reason I prefer Rosewood back & sides. RW usually enhances the bottom of a guitars tone. For a smaller body guitar this will round out the sound some & give the guitar a nice voice.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Look at the Godin-made parlor guitars. Seagull, AMI, Art and Luthiery, Simon and Patrick, etc. Very good guitars, American made, and you won't get much smaller.

Simon and Patrick made (or maybe still makes) an all solid model (the Woodland Pro) for within your budget (pic below). I think all the other ones have laminated back and sides, but they are a few hundred bucks cheaper because of it. The S&P also has the best looking head of the bunch. (Seagull is hideous.)

SIMON-035151.jpg
 
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Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Without Question the martin 000-15 (?) Mahogany . It may cost a fair bit more, and you might be wondering where all the fireworks are compared to cheaper , brighter and boomier guitars, but when its quiet, and peacefull, the Martin will always but always soun nealry 50 times better than anything ease you were going to waste your money on..and to the point of the OP, yeah, the Resale value will hold and get better with time..most anything else beside a Gibson parlor style will depreciate or else not appreciate.
 
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Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

Well, that was easy.

Her dream guitar is a - Taylor 410 CE after all :)

The Taylor mini isn't a real guitar.

The only thing I'm really confused about is the side wood. The one we played should be ovangkol but it was very light colored. And it sounded much better than a 414 next to it that was labeled as ovangkol.
 
Re: What's a nice small-ish acoustic?

I love the undersized mahogany Martins.
 
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