My first guitar - acoustic

I’m on the cusp of buying my first acoustic guitar (first guitar of any kind to be fair) and have spent the last few months swatting up on all things acoustic.

So, with a budget of £500 - £1k where would your money go?

Ive bin looking at the the obvious choices from Martin & Taylor but it would seem that if you go a little left field you can get a solid wood, front, back and sides from the likes of Faith & Eastman to name but 2.

There seems to be a myriad of brands available, some familiar to me, others not so. On a point of note I prefer the look of a cutaway body if that makes any difference and not yo bothered about having a pick up built in as it will strictly for home use, that said most seem to have them.

Im heading into town this weekend so if time allows I will try and get over to GuitarGuitar in Camden to try a few for size. Might even venture down Denmark street if I’m feeling brave.

Any pointers would be appreciated for make and model for a beginner and things to look out for.

For a first guitar in your budget I'd definitely recommend going for a Taylor. For several reasons. 1. They are well made 2. Easy to play (low action) 3. Designed to be easy to repair and set-up 4. Stay in tune and have good intonation

I have several acoustic guitars, some of them high end. The one I end up playing the most is my Taylor 322e. It's so easy to play and sounds great.

An easy playing acoustic guitar is truly a priority. You want one that is hard to put down!

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Originally Posted by ben4watches

I’m on the cusp of buying my first acoustic guitar (first guitar of any kind to be fair) and have spent the last few months swatting up on all things acoustic.

So, with a budget of £500 - £1k where would your money go?

Ive bin looking at the the obvious choices from Martin & Taylor but it would seem that if you go a little left field you can get a solid wood, front, back and sides from the likes of Faith & Eastman to name but 2.

There seems to be a myriad of brands available, some familiar to me, others not so. On a point of note I prefer the look of a cutaway body if that makes any difference and not yo bothered about having a pick up built in as it will strictly for home use, that said most seem to have them.

Im heading into town this weekend so if time allows I will try and get over to GuitarGuitar in Camden to try a few for size. Might even venture down Denmark street if I’m feeling brave.

Any pointers would be appreciated for make and model for a beginner and things to look out for.

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Some nice choices there Ben. You want a solid top at least.

Good choice going to GG, perhaps phone beforehand to make sure they have everything you want on site.

Stay away from Denmark street IMO.

You possibly won't get better advice than just trying as many as you can that are within your budget.

None of the recommendations you'll get are wrong per se, but it'll ultimately be the one you simply like playing the most that swings the vote. I've never had a watch 'sing' to me, but the right guitar is pretty obvious to me right away.

Denmark street is fine as far as my experience goes- they're more than happy to help out in all of those shops but don't expect bargains!

And of course, you are likely to end up with more than one at any rate, so have fun and don't worry too much about the decision, is my advice ;)

A very nice conundrum to have!
When in the shop have a look below the £500 mark aswell. The Fender California series offers some serious value for money and look that bit different with the inline 'strat' style headstock.
For around the £800-900 mark have a look at the new Fender Highway Series aswell. Although you've said you don't need a pick up and these are strictly electro acoustic, they take up a lot less room in your living room or wherever you will keep the guitar. Much easier to take around with you aswell if you do venture out with it to an open mic night or similar.

Interesting, one on the list of possibilities is a GS mini of some description. My thought process being a smaller body one shorter scale maybe beneficial to a newbie.

They certainly seen to be very highly praised from reviews I’ve read/watched.

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Originally Posted by A440

For a first guitar in your budget I'd definitely recommend going for a Taylor. For several reasons. 1. They are well made 2. Easy to play (low action) 3. Designed to be easy to repair and set-up 4. Stay in tune and have good intonation

I have several acoustic guitars, some of them high end. The one I end up playing the most is my Taylor 322e. It's so easy to play and sounds great.

An easy playing acoustic guitar is truly a priority. You want one that is hard to put down!

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Originally Posted by ben4watches

Interesting, one on the list of possibilities is a GS mini of some description. My thought process being a smaller body one shorter scale maybe beneficial to a newbie.

They certainly seen to be very highly praised from reviews I’ve read/watched.

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Having been a guitar player for years, but only ever had a Fender Newporter acoustic since the late 1980s, I'm now on the lookout for a smaller travel-type guitar.

After much research I've wittled it down to a Martin Dreadnought Junior, a Taylor GS Mini sitka top, sapele sides or a Sigma 000M-15. I also looked at the Guild M-140 but having played it, dismissed it. I was really hoping the Guild was going to be the one but compared to the others, it just didn't feel or sound right, with a weird shape neck and high action.

The Taylor GS mini was wonderful, with a big sound for such a small guitar, due in part to the laminate back and sides. It's bright and clear, with easy to play neck and fretboard, unless you have giant's hands.

The Martin also sounds wonderful, but not as bright and probably has more bass tones. The neck and fret board is closer to a standard dread and it's actually only 15/16 size so not that much smaller. The whole body is solid wood but strangely didn't resonate as much for me as the Taylor.

Finally, the Sigma is brilliant. It sounded perfect up and down the board, the neck was a good fit, and the size is somewhere between the Martin and the Taylor. The downside is that it's about £250 more than the Taylor, which is the cheapest at £450.

I'm starting to lean more towards the Taylor for its combination of sound, size, price, build quality, and the free gig bag is far and away the best of the three.

I've played Faith acoustics and they sound lovely, but I had an irrational dislike of the lack of fret markers until the 12th, and lack of scratch plate. Ridiculous, but I want it to look right, as well sound and play well.

Not played any Eastman but hear good things.

I wouldn't dismiss Fender either. My son has the CC-60 concert guitar and it sounds far more expensive than it was. I can't actually play it though because he's a lefty.

Yamaha always get good scores in reviews, and of course there's Epiphone, but not sure if they do a smaller acoustic?

Best thing to do is try a few and find the one that feels most comfortable to sit down and play, but I think for a beginner you could do a lot worse than the Taylor GS mini.

I love this guy's review of the GS Mini v Martin Dread Junior:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFutVQ5tghI

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Originally Posted by ben4watches

Interesting, one on the list of possibilities is a GS mini of some description. My thought process being a smaller body one shorter scale maybe beneficial to a newbie.

They certainly seen to be very highly praised from reviews I’ve read/watched.

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I'm certainly a fan of smaller body guitars where the scale length is on the shorter side (lower string tension). The 322e has a shorter scale (24.9") and a smallish body (Grand Concert). Making it a great guitar for noodling on whilst on the sofa. I like the look of the GS mini. Haven't tried one yet, but it does look like good 'sofa' guitar that is easy to take anywhere! Certainly worth trying out, I'd say?

My first acoustic guitar was a second-hand BM (Barnes & Mullins) Espana and bought for £70 from a small guitar shop in Chichester on recommendation of the chap who was going to be my guitar teacher. I'd signed up for an "intro to guitar" course of 10 group lessons, and the tutor, being an expert player, was able to advise on finding a good beginner guitar with nice bold tone and a bit of character, and not too expensive that it might be a waste of money should I decide that guitar wasn't for me. He'd actually been in the shop and played it, so knew it was a good choice. As a beginner, I would have had no clue.

So personally I would advise to look for something second hand at way under what you are proposing as your budget, preferably on advice from someone that knows what they are talking about and has actually played the ones you will consider, plus spend some of that remaining budget on lessons, and then if you find you take to it, to upgrade to something fancier once you've developed your playing.

Hopefully the start of a fun hobby for you ... good luck !

Taylor Big baby

I have a Taylor GS Mini and it plays beautifully, with a super warm sound that belies its small size. I have small hands so the shorter scale helps. I would definitely recommend.

I have a couple of acoustics. A high end Martin and an Epiphone.

They sound completely different. I don't believe one is better than the other, the Epiphone is more rounded and the Martin is scooped.

I will say that the Epiphone is far, far easier to play. If it's for a first guitar, there's no way I'd suggest the Martin.

My Epiphone came with Robot tuners that I replaced. It's my go to acoustic unless I'm recording something that needs a different sound. It was basically an Epiphone Hummingbird with silly tuners.

The Gibson scale length is shorter and for me, easier to play and bend. I haven't seen anyone else recommend Gibson/Epiphone on the thread to look at the Hummingbird or J45.

Do you know what? As a completely left field option (don't worry, I'm not going to suggest an mx-5) maybe consider an Epiphone Casino.

Hear me out:

It's not a typical acoustic guitar but it is completely hollow, so you get a very serviceable acoustic guitar experience on a guitar with all of the comforts of an electric. Shorter scale length, lighter strings etc are all things that make my acoustic guitars redundant, and it's a lot easier to reach the dusty end than a conventional acoustic.

You could get a headphone amp like a WAZA air and it'd be the whole package for all your guitar playing needs should you want to progress to electric.

So there's a wildcard- give it a whirl, it might be the one!

I remember my uncle buying an acoustic many years ago, he knew very little about them at the time but went into a few guitar shops and played everything single acoustic in those the shops.

He left with a Yamaha which was far from the most expensive but he swore was the best he played.

It was a really, really good acoustic guitar and I can totally believe it would have held its own with far more expensive guitars, i bought the same model sight unseen after playing his and it was simply not a patch on his. Looked identical but his was just better in every way.

My advice would be to try loads of different models and then really trust your own judgement when you find the guitar that speaks to you. Happy hunting.

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Originally Posted by MadeOfCheese

I have a Taylor GS Mini and it plays beautifully, with a super warm sound that belies its small size. I have small hands so the shorter scale helps. I would definitely recommend.

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+1

Great guitar and the size is perfect.


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I also have GS mini. Plays beautifully and obviosuly very convenient but the sound is certainly a little boxy compared to a larger bodied alternative in the same price range.

I would lean towards a full size Taylor Grand concert or a Faith in that price bracket. Furch are also very nice but would be towards the top end of the budget.

I'd be buying this beauty!!!

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Originally Posted by learningtofly

I'd be buying this beauty!!!

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Typically TZ, twice the stated budget :biggrin-new:

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Originally Posted by Saint-Just

Typically TZ, twice the stated budget :biggrin-new:

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Originally Posted by ben4watches

So, with a budget of £500 - £1k where would your money go?

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My apologies Tony, the cheapskate in me only registered the first figure :redface:

If you’re going to be in London anyway, then it’ll be worth popping into the Yamaha store on Wardour street.
They have a good selection of acoustics in a range of price points.
When I was last there they were happy to do a deal so don’t be put off by the price tag. They are also renowned for their set-ups.
Yamaha typically offer a lot of bang for your £ and are well built.
From memory, your budget may allow a Japanese made version to come into range. Can’t remember the model name off-hand though.
Good luck!!

Another recommendation for Yamaha here, they make some lovely guitars and I have a FG 320S which has a lovely warm sound and is a joy to play.

I’m a fan of Epiphone guitars too and have a very nice electro-acoustic Humingbird Pro. Both are excellent value and more than good enough for my needs without the higher price tag.


Cheers
Neil

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Originally Posted by jneds

Another recommendation for Yamaha here, they make some lovely guitars and I have a FG 320S which has a lovely warm sound and is a joy to play.

I’m a fan of Epiphone guitars too and have a very nice electro-acoustic Humingbird Pro. Both are excellent value and more than good enough for my needs without the higher price tag.


Cheers
Neil

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I’ve got an FG 180 nippon red label from 1972 !


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Originally Posted by Thom4711

Do you know what? As a completely left field option (don't worry, I'm not going to suggest an mx-5) maybe consider an Epiphone Casino.

Hear me out:

It's not a typical acoustic guitar but it is completely hollow, so you get a very serviceable acoustic guitar experience on a guitar with all of the comforts of an electric. Shorter scale length, lighter strings etc are all things that make my acoustic guitars redundant, and it's a lot easier to reach the dusty end than a conventional acoustic.

You could get a headphone amp like a WAZA air and it'd be the whole package for all your guitar playing needs should you want to progress to electric.

So there's a wildcard- give it a whirl, it might be the one!

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That's a good shout Thom!

I am still bowled over by my Yamaha APXT2. I sat in the shop and played loads, but this one just sounded better (and I wanted to prefer the similar-sized Martin but it wasn't quite as good to my ears)

Definitely helps to play the actual guitar you intend to buy - no two are quite alike, even the same model. And I think a built-in tuner (the APTX2 has one) is really useful, even if you don't use the pickup for anything else.

Ignore the price and spend the change on some lessons ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7s0BJRMG3o

Thanks for all the replies guys, helpful as ever.

Well, just back from London and no time for guitar shopping I’m afraid so may have look a little closer to home, a few choices in Exeter and Bristol so have not to far away.

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Originally Posted by Tokyo Tokei

I am still bowled over by my Yamaha APXT2. I sat in the shop and played loads, but this one just sounded better (and I wanted to prefer the similar-sized Martin but it wasn't quite as good to my ears)

Definitely helps to play the actual guitar you intend to buy - no two are quite alike, even the same model. And I think a built-in tuner (the APTX2 has one) is really useful, even if you don't use the pickup for anything else.

Ignore the price and spend the change on some lessons ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7s0BJRMG3o

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I bought one of these recently and would recommend one too. I would say that it sounds fine for the money but the thing that swung it for me is that it plays really nicely. Much better than it should do for the money. The built in tuner is also very helpful so I would not discount that as a feature.

More widely, anything Yamaha is likely to be consistently good value in terms of what you get per £ spent.

At that price point, definitely Yamaha.

Can recommend the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa plus. Just under your budget limit and its a beautiful guitar. Each one is unique and it sounds fantastic for a smaller guitar and the size is perfect for picking up and strumming for a few mins as a beginner. It begs to be played.

I wouldn't be spending £1000 on my first guitar. I'd be looking to get a couple of different options because you don't know where you'll be in a year. :smug:

Sizes

Small guitars are great, very convenient, but not particularly versatile - especially wee parlour sized guitars.

Dreadnought guitars can be uncomfortable but can do anything, including loud as hell bluegrass where you're digging in with a hard pick and your strumming can be heard in a group setting.

OM sized guitars are more comfortable but wouldn't be as suitable for very loud (un-amplified) strumming, especially in a group setting.

Materials

Solid top is best and preferably spruce (or equivalent) for anything requiring volume (bluegrass/strumming).

Mahogany (or equivalent) top for a more mellow tone/less volume.

Back and sides don't make anywhere near as much difference as the top. I wouldn't worry whether they were rosewood, mahogany or solid/laminate. Especially as a first guitar.

All of the above is rule of thumb advice, there are exceptions.

I'd echo the recommendation for a used Epiphone Hummingbird, if you like the looks (I do, I have a Gibson Dove that I adore). It will do virtually everything and won't be hard to sell when the time comes.

Should have enough left over for a used baby Taylor or Martin lx1. Again, will sell themselves if/when the time comes.

Loads of other options.

@Fender

thank you for your insightful post, very enlightening and food for thought. I perhaps have been getting caught up in specs but would appear thats not necessarily a pre requisite for a first guitar.

My no.1 piece of advice is to buy something that you like the look of and you want to play.
It won’t matter how good it is if you don’t pick it up every day.

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Originally Posted by Fender

I wouldn't be spending £1000 on my first guitar.

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Definitely agree. Get something second hand and pay for a decent set up. In a few months' time, you'll be able to make a much more informed choice.

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Originally Posted by Fender

I wouldn't be spending £1000 on my first guitar. I'd be looking to get a couple of different options because you don't know where you'll be in a year.
I'd echo the recommendation for a used Epiphone Hummingbird, if you like the looks (I do, I have a Gibson Dove that I adore).

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The Hummingbird is a lovely looking guitar and makes you want to pick it up, not quite as bulky as my Yamaha either.
Someone mentioned a hollow body Casino earlier and I mostly strum away on dad’s 30 year old Epiphone Sheraton as you get an ok sound out of it without amplification which keeps my wife happy. For beginners it also easier to play due to low action and thinner strings meaning the tips of your fingers won’t hurt as much in those early days of learning.

https://i.imgur.com/GGKlfoG.jpg

Cheers
Neil

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Originally Posted by jneds

The Hummingbird is a lovely looking guitar and makes you want to pick it up, not quite as bulky as my Yamaha either.
Someone mentioned a hollow body Casino earlier and I mostly strum away on dad’s 30 year old Epiphone Sheraton as you get an ok sound out of it without amplification which keeps my wife happy. For beginners it also easier to play due to low action and thinner strings meaning the tips of your fingers won’t hurt as much in those early days of learning.

https://i.imgur.com/GGKlfoG.jpg

Cheers
Neil

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How did the Red Special sneak in there??

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Originally Posted by MadeOfCheese

My no.1 piece of advice is to buy something that you like the look of and you want to play.
It won’t matter how good it is if you don’t pick it up every day.

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That has been a big part of my search criteria along with the idea of a cheap guitar will not play as well as a more expensive one that’s been put together better.

I like the idea/spec of the GS mini but the looks don’t really do it for me (has been mentioned by a few and reviews well) ascetically I like the look of a cut away body and have been looking at Cort guitars this week, especially the Gold A6.

Any thoughts?

When I started, I bought a second hand Vintage V300 on the basis it got good reviews from the guitar magazines. I've attached a list of best budget guitars in case they would be useful.

https://www.guitarworld.com/features...oustic-guitars

https://www.musicradar.com/news/best...oustic-guitars

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Originally Posted by ben4watches

That has been a big part of my search criteria along with the idea of a cheap guitar will not play as well as a more expensive one that’s been put together better.

I like the idea/spec of the GS mini but the looks don’t really do it for me (has been mentioned by a few and reviews well) ascetically I like the look of a cut away body and have been looking at Cort guitars this week, especially the Gold A6.

Any thoughts?

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I’m sure that Cort make guitars for other well-known brands.
Their own brand ones have always been well reviewed as they use the same expertise as when making guitars for others.
Especially when starting out, get something you like the look of as it will make you pick it up and play it. You have a very good budget, but no need to spend loads initially.

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Originally Posted by bambam

How did the Red Special sneak in there??

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Spotted that too!


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Originally Posted by ben4watches

That has been a big part of my search criteria along with the idea of a cheap guitar will not play as well as a more expensive one that’s been put together better.

I like the idea/spec of the GS mini but the looks don’t really do it for me (has been mentioned by a few and reviews well) ascetically I like the look of a cut away body and have been looking at Cort guitars this week, especially the Gold A6.

Any thoughts?

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Firstly Ben I am no expert on acoustic guitars. I have one, an old cheap no brand thing that was given to me. I never play it. The rest of my collection are all electric.

These days there are a lot of good quality products coming from the far east at competitive prices that will play really well. I’ve a couple of Squiers that match up to Mexican assembled Fenders really well. So cheap guitar = poor playability is not really the case if it’s been set up properly.

If you’re a complete novice take someone with you who plays and have a really good look at your shortlist from reputable retailers. I would also echo those that say £1000 on your first guitar is slightly excessive. Guitars are like watches. N+1 sound familiar?


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Friday morning I had a wander around town. Tried an Ozark resonator parlour size in a guitar shop, second hand £495, perfect condition. Then tried a Faith electro acoustic in a pawn shop, second hand £300, a few knocks and marks.
Both were delightful to play and both would be ideal first acoustics for not a lot of money.

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Originally Posted by ben4watches

That has been a big part of my search criteria along with the idea of a cheap guitar will not play as well as a more expensive one that’s been put together better.

I like the idea/spec of the GS mini but the looks don’t really do it for me (has been mentioned by a few and reviews well) ascetically I like the look of a cut away body and have been looking at Cort guitars this week, especially the Gold A6.

Any thoughts?

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Completely missed the part where you said you'd prefer a cutaway, and why not!

Cort are fine. But resale? Just don't overpay for the one you buy. That's why I mentioned buying 'blue chip' brands (NigeG is exactly right when he says guitars are like watches).

Cutaways tend not to be as popular as non cutaways because purists associate great acoustics with old Martins/Gibsons. Me included.

The good news is that you might get a big name brand cutaway for a decent price - used. I am pretty clueless when it comes to cutaways.

Get something that's really easy to play. If it's not, buy thinner strings and up the gauge as you progress.

I didn't mean to pour cold water on your budget by the way. I've enough guitars to open a shop and nobody ever hears me play. But I likes em.