I thought it would be interesting to get an idea of forum members experiences of acoustic guitars. So what is the best acoustic you have experienced for £500 or under?
Faith guitars are all solid wood construction, come with a case, designed and quality control overseen by Patrick Eggle and come in at bang on £500 (about a £1 under in fact).
My personal experience tells me this is the nicest range of acoustics at £500 ....
I have a Takamine 6 string electro-acoustic that was not less than £500 but as it is so good and a few friends have Takamine guitars I will suggest the Takamine EG523SC as worth comparing for personal preference.
It's a pity my Faith 12 string wasn't less than £500 otherwise I would have nominated that.
Ummm I dont want to bully you on the "rules" but I did say NOT electro !! I think its easier for anyone using it as a refence to keep electro seperate from regular acoustics?
Just as a side note, my experience of Takamine G series electros in the mid range was a very painful one - quality was just appauling but its not to say they couldnt knock a half decent one out every now and then - and its not to say they haven't improved them since the years I focused on them.
Anyway - if possible , pure acoustic models and we can do another thread for electros seperately.
I've got a Guild GAD F20 that I think is superb. I can't remember exactly what I paid for it but it was around the £500 mark. Guild no longer make the GAD range which is a shame if they were all as good as mine.
Being a Parlour guitar it might be a bit on the small side for some but it got a quality, lovely finish and simply amazing projection with a really rich, full tone and it came with a really nice tweed hard case. I feel that in the UK Guild are often overlooked for Taylors and Martins which is unfortunate as to me they don't lose out to these in any way.
I've always been a fan of the Yamaha LS series, so I'd probably go for the LS 6 II. That, or my all-time favourite (which comes well under budget at around £300) the Art & Lutherie Ami which is worth every single penny in charm and character!
I have a faith neptune eclipse I got for a shade under £500 and it is amazing and everyone who sees and hears it thinks so too. Plus they come with a fitted hard case............result!
My son has got a Seagull S6 Mahogany Cedar which he paid £180 for secondhand. It's a bit battered and bruised but it's a great guitar. (Nearly as nice as my Faith!)
A suggestion for a used guitar would be an Eastman E-OM20 or E-OM10, IMO equivalent to name brands costing twice and even three times as much. When I played them in 2010 at Ivor Mairants in London they retailed @ £730 !!! so it's possible you might come across a secondhand one. There other models are excellent VFM also.
Id say the Yamaha FG 730 acoustic is well worth the money and a bargain at under £300
Another nice sounding guitar i tried in a store was a Guild Gad - 40 ( Asian made ) acoustic price £500
But the Yamaha because of the price was best for the buck from any guitar at the £500 mark i have tried reason i bought one 2 yrs ago and play it whenever i can .
I have just placed an order for a LAG Tramontane T66DC from Richards workshop, not an expensive guitar but purely something to take away when travelling in my camper, that can be bashed about around a campfire (I dare not take my Faith outside!). I cannot wait to see what magic can be weaved with a relatively cheap guitar, January cannot come quick enough!
I just got me an Eko, They start at around £100 for that price you get a great sounding guitar great for beginners but perfectly giggable, for £180 you can get a vintage reissue 12 string with bolt on neck. Personally i went for the Laredo cutaway for £145 with Fishman electrics (yes richard i read the rules ) great action and setup from the box, well dressed frets, and perfect intonation, and some great features like action adjustable via a an allen bolt through the body, the neck is a set neck so the action raises and lowers at the body joint. If you only have £200 to spend you could do a lot worse in my opinion.
Well dressed frets.
The action adjustment through the body.
The pretty rear bodywork.
The even prttier front bodywork, we all love a bit of grain right?
The neck joint, the strap button unscrews to reveal a locking screw that locks the action adjustment once you have it set.
Got a brand new Seagull S6 Original for £311 from the US...
Heard the Seagull S6 gets a guid name and they are Canadian made from Godin whom also are makers of 2 other makes of guitars in which names have escaped me for the now
Seagull S6 guitar and ye can get one sent to you from
London in Britain as there is i know a store in London whom sells them , So maybe a store not too far fae you ?
Comments
Faith guitars are all solid wood construction, come with a case, designed and quality control overseen by Patrick Eggle and come in at bang on £500 (about a £1 under in fact).
My personal experience tells me this is the nicest range of acoustics at £500 ....
http://www.richardsguitars.co.uk/acatalog/Faith_Guitars.html
Hence why I specialise in them.
It's a pity my Faith 12 string wasn't less than £500 otherwise I would have nominated that.
Just as a side note, my experience of Takamine G series electros in the mid range was a very painful one - quality was just appauling but its not to say they couldnt knock a half decent one out every now and then - and its not to say they haven't improved them since the years I focused on them.
Anyway - if possible , pure acoustic models and we can do another thread for electros seperately.
Being a Parlour guitar it might be a bit on the small side for some but it got a quality, lovely finish and simply amazing projection with a really rich, full tone and it came with a really nice tweed hard case. I feel that in the UK Guild are often overlooked for Taylors and Martins which is unfortunate as to me they don't lose out to these in any way.
Jerry
Check them out on Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=...ItemCondition=3
OM style
http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/52/products_id/4965#v1
or a Dreadnought -
http://www.fouldsmusic.co.uk/guitars/handcrafted-and-quality-acoustic-guitars/eastman-ac-320.html
or
A suggestion for a used guitar would be an Eastman E-OM20 or E-OM10, IMO equivalent to name brands costing twice and even three times as much. When I played them in 2010 at Ivor Mairants in London they retailed @ £730 !!! so it's possible you might come across a secondhand one.
There other models are excellent VFM also.
Comes in an electro acoustic version with Fishman Sonitone under-saddle pick-up.
Looks, feels and sounds far and above it's price point of £400.
Another nice sounding guitar i tried in a store was a Guild Gad - 40 ( Asian made ) acoustic price £500
But the Yamaha because of the price was best for the buck from any guitar at the £500 mark i have tried
reason i bought one 2 yrs ago and play it whenever i can .
£350
This one really got my pulse racing. I wish I'd bought it.
Well dressed frets.
The action adjustment through the body.
The pretty rear bodywork.
The even prttier front bodywork, we all love a bit of grain right?
The neck joint, the strap button unscrews to reveal a locking screw that locks the action adjustment once you have it set.
another angle on the neck joint.
The all important family shot
Solid top.
So close to its Martin equivalent in fact (shop owner kindly let me do a side-by-side comparison)
A steal at £299
Heard the Seagull S6 gets a guid name and they are Canadian made from Godin whom also are makers of 2 other makes
of guitars in which names have escaped me for the now
Seagull S6 guitar and ye can get one sent to you from
London in Britain as there is i know a store in London whom sells them , So maybe a store not too far fae you ?