[www.groupon.com]

Takamine S35 acoustic via Austin Bazaar. Composite spruce top, nato (an Asian hardwood?) sides and back, rosewood fretboard, made in Asia, [likely China], $69. Can be had for about $80 normally on Amazon, etc. Gets decent if not glowing reviews, mostly from beginners but also from some claimed pros. I think you'd have to figure another $40-70 for proper set-up, though, unless you get lucky and get a great one. I think s/h is 10 bucks, though, so not really a deal but for this:

For another 10 bucks, you get a year of free online lessons from Dangerous Guitar. I started taking lessons about a month ago from a local instructor and will continue to do so (wanted to play guitar since I was a kid) (bonus: was practicing last night and the wife casually walked past and said I looked "sexy", but I thought with or without this guitar, a deal on unlimited online lessons (lowest I found outside of this combo was $40/year from DG) is nice. Unless you guys have other online (free?) sources to recommend?

So you can glean I'm in the market for an acoustic, the more value the better but I recognize that quality matters once one is past the beginner stage. To that end, I'm also looking at Seagull S6 and S6 Entourage, in the $320 (on Amazon)-400 range which is where my budget tops out at for this*. Also gets rave reviews (but what guitar doesn't once you've spent a few bucks). Full cedar top, composite wild cherry sides and back, silver maple neck, rosewood fretboard, made in Canada (go, Canada!). Open to other suggestions. Heading to my local GC to play some this week. Someone on Amazon mentioned that the S6 acoustic-electric went on sale for something crazy like $321 last year, so that's another consideration. (Mine goes all the way to 11!) I can wait for a sale.

Guitar I'm on now is a quasi-inherited Yamaha FG-75 tan label. I don't have huge hands but they must be unsuited to this guitar as the strings are real close together (for me) and fretting chords/fingerpicking isn't as easy as it should be imho. I think I read somewhere that it's a 3/4 size (student) guitar. And I'd also just like to have my own guitar, that actually fits ME, and not have to worry about the rest. Learning guitar is hard enough without my own fingers getting in the way. I also recognize that each guitar has its own sound, that will also come into play.

*I want a guitar I'll be enthused with for the next 5-10 years (longer?). Whether that's $80 or $400 is what I need to determine. Trying to figure out what's out there and worthy in this price range. Thanks.

I would love to be able to play any instrument. I seem to be congenitally tone deaf.
The worst part is when I sing dawgs cry and chickens die . . .

I am not sure I could even tune a guitar *(:*

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“Stay Hungry Stay Foolish"
"There are only two mantras yummm and yuk "
"There is a fine line between a rut and a groove"
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly
and applying the wrong remedies."Groucho Marx
"I got to that part and I knew there was going to be some weapons grade stupid to follow"Lux Interior
"When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then
will you discover you cannot eat money."
~ Cree Prophecy

Do keep us up to date on online courses. I have my dad's 1950's Martin that I would dearly love to learn how to play. I just never find the time... and my right arm just doesn't bend like it should... too much stainless steel and wire holding it together.

But you could certainly tuna-fish!

I think you need to spend the time to go to a bunch of music stores and play as many guitars as possible. That's what worked for me (granted that I did buy my guitar, a Gibson J-45, before there was an Internet). Finding my guitar was a eureka moment. There were other very nice guitars but this one was the one that immediately announced that it was "the one" via the action, the sound, everything. You can't do that kind of evaluation on the Internet.

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"So be proud to be a decent American instead of just a w'anker whipping up fear!" - Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland

Quote
davester
I think you need to spend the time to go to a bunch of music stores and play as many guitars as possible..... Finding my guitar was a eureka moment. There were other very nice guitars but this one was the one that immediately announced that it was "the one" via the action, the sound, everything. You can't do that kind of evaluation on the Internet.

+1
if you find the make and model then go shopping online to see if you can beat the deal at the store, else just go with what is in hand...

I have learned through udder endeavors to get the right tool and my skills will improve.

I have also learned if you are good at what you do any tool will do *(:>* ymmv

---

“Stay Hungry Stay Foolish"
"There are only two mantras yummm and yuk "
"There is a fine line between a rut and a groove"
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly
and applying the wrong remedies."Groucho Marx
"I got to that part and I knew there was going to be some weapons grade stupid to follow"Lux Interior
"When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then
will you discover you cannot eat money."
~ Cree Prophecy

Yeah I'm going to sample in-store as I mentioned. But thanks. What I mentioned above and whatever others are in that price range. As well as any recommendations I can get here. Thanks again.

Seagull S6 is very tough to beat in that price range. If you don't want to spend that much, Yamaha makes some very nice models in the $200-300 range. For example, the FG730 is $239.99 at musiciansfriend.com (and many local dealers will match that price) and is very highly regarded:

[www.musiciansfriend.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2012 06:00PM by Yoyodyne ArtWorks.

Shop with a good guitar player.

...Composite spruce top, nato (an Asian hardwood?) sides and back

The Takamine S35 acoustic is constructed of plywoods (aka composite).
"Nato" is a darkish asian lumber, usually from Gutta-percha trees.
Unfortunately, it's not an equivalent substitute for Mahogany in guitar building.

Keep in mind, a $100 guitar is no bargain when you have to pay a tech another
$100 to make it playable {and comfortable}. Sharp frets hurt

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I'd be interested if someone could post any info on online guitar lessons. The idea that you are paying for the lessons and the guitar is just some gravy, that you can give to Goodwill or whatever, isn't a bad one IF the lessons are worth taking.

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"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences." ~ Brian Eno

Quote
Yoyodyne ArtWorks
Seagull S6 is very tough to beat in that price range. If you don't want to spend that much, Yamaha makes some very nice models in the $200-300 range. For example, the FG730 is $239.99 at musiciansfriend.com (and many local dealers will match that price) and is very highly regarded:

[www.musiciansfriend.com]

Sweet. Looks like a great guitar, thanks, I'll add that to my list. Those guys also have a couple of nice coupons going. Cool. Thanks.

Justinguitar.com

Best. guitar. lesson. site. ever!

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"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

i've been eyeing the Takamine Jasmine as a recommendation for new students for a while but had never seen one in hand until a student walked in with one last summer. it actually is a decent starter guitar and much better build quality than the Guitars Center's Mitchell offerings.

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"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

if you're willing/able to pay for lessons look into Truefire.com.

Some of the courses are quite good and I like the fact that you have the option of subscription service or buying the course outright. around black friday and christmas they had some really awesome sales.

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"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

Thank you, Graylocks, this is the kind of info I was hoping for!

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"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences." ~ Brian Eno

$tevie, you have to start learning the guitar. Every step along the way can be exhilarating, regardless of how simple. It it truly one of those things where the trip is more fun than the destination. You can learn 4 or 5 chords and play lots of songs. You can get pretty good on blues, country, doo-@#$%&, etc. pretty fast. Learn the chords and rhythm primarily before you try to pick very much. Also, study theory as a subject, even when you're not playing. Don't get overwhelmed by the complexity of theory; just walk into it. It's like walking in the woods. You can enjoy it no matter how far you go. After you learn G, C, and D, learn E minor and A minor and keep going. Download chords to songs you like and sing along. If it's too high or too low, find another key. There are some great songs that are not hard to play. Just find a guitar that is not junk and is easy to play.

My second acoustic guitar ever was a Takamine, I loved it. I had traded it for a violin in 1982, and played that guitar daily until 2006. I had it longer than any other guitar. I replaced it (it perished in a fire) that year, and found it was incredibly hard to settle on a guitar! After trying and playing many, in various music stores around Santa Monica and west L.A., it took four months before I could finally make the permanent choice! And it meant buying one and changing my mind, returning it, then choosing the other one I liked (both Martins) so I finally got what my friend said about taking time to try guitars and find one that fits you. It really does take some investment in time.

On the other hand, a Martin is bigger-ticket, costly choice, so the investment was more fraught with anxiety. I wanted to avoid buyer's remorse, since I know I want to keep it for the rest of my life. For a more affordable guitar, I can imagine being more impulsive.

I'll second justinguitar.com

I would not pay anything for a "composite" topped guitar. The top of the guitar resonating is where the sound comes from. You really want, at the very least, a solid top. The back and sides don't add much to the sound, so you'll find a lot of budget guitars (and some decent ones too) that have laminate back and sides.

Much as it may be tempting to try in-store and buy online, I advise against it. Most "cheaper" guitars (and by this, I'll say any guitar under $500) can vary greatly in sound from one to the next. Even some priced above $500 can vary. A lot of guitar players won't buy a guitar without trying it first. I'm part of that crowd. Besides, you can often negotiate a good deal with a local shop that will rival online prices. I know, I've done it more than once.

You said: *I want a guitar I'll be enthused with for the next 5-10 years (longer?). Whether that's $80 or $400 is what I need to determine. Trying to figure out what's out there and worthy in this price range.

I'm going to venture a guess that if you really start to get into it, you'll want to trade up in less than 5 years, regardless of what you get. My suggestion is to get whatever you can afford that sounds good to you, and isn't hard to play. You mentioned that you had a Yamaha... they actually have a very good reputation for good, inexpensive guitars. The Seagull you mention is a nice guitar too. I'm partial to Taylor guitars myself. But their bottom of the line full-sized guitar starts at $599 (street price... you can get it at GC for closer to $500 with a coupon... and yes they will accept the coupons on Taylors). Also, don't hesitate to shop used. I know people who will ONLY buy used guitars. For the most part, they don't appreciate in value unless you have something really rare. I have a "collector's model" that is 13 years old that I bought last year, and I got it about 2/3 of what it sold for new. You can't even tell it's a used guitar. Whoever owned must have never played it, because it's in better condition than some "new" guitars I've seen in shops.

In general I would not buy a composite top (or sides for that matter) guitar. They are usually thin sounding and don't project. That being said, I really like Takamine guitars. I play a Tak Supernatural TAN15C, being partial to cedar for tops, among others. reviews on Amazon seem favorable: [www.amazon.com]

In any case, if you are serious about learning you need a decent instrument to learn on. That doesn't mean expensive but it needs to stay in tune, fret true, play comfortably and inspire you to practice. Back in the early 70's when I sold instruments on 48 St in NYC, Yamaha made decent student guitars. I don't care for what I've seen from them over the last few years. I'd also recommend Segull guitars.

You might want to look at Fender acoustics as well. I don't know how they are now but about ten years ago my buddy bought a cheap Fender acoustic just to fool around on and we were both pleasantly surprised at the sound and quality of that guitar which cost arounf $150 at that time.

If you decide to buy something a little better and in the $300-$400 range I would buy from a reputable dealer and do something I always do when buying an instrument: have them bring out 3 of the same instrument to choose from. Most people don't realize it but you will find differences between each instrument, even when they come out of the same lot.

Good luck!

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JoeM




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2012 09:42PM by JoeM.

Quote
Dennis S
$tevie, you have to start learning the guitar. Every step along the way can be exhilarating, regardless of how simple. It it truly one of those things where the trip is more fun than the destination. You can learn 4 or 5 chords and play lots of songs. You can get pretty good on blues, country, doo-@#$%&, etc. pretty fast. Learn the chords and rhythm primarily before you try to pick very much. Also, study theory as a subject, even when you're not playing. Don't get overwhelmed by the complexity of theory; just walk into it. It's like walking in the woods. You can enjoy it no matter how far you go. After you learn G, C, and D, learn E minor and A minor and keep going. Download chords to songs you like and sing along. If it's too high or too low, find another key. There are some great songs that are not hard to play. Just find a guitar that is not junk and is easy to play.

My husband plays and he has a little Gibson that he says would be good. Since it's free I think I'll give justinguitar a try!

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"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences." ~ Brian Eno

Cool, I knew this would be a fruitful thread. Awesome comments up and down the page. Thanks, all, keep 'em coming if anyone feels like adding anything else. We need to have a MR Jam!