Buying an acoustic


SophieM
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Joined: 09/02/07
Posts: 14
SophieM
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Joined: 09/02/07
Posts: 14
09/09/2007 4:17 pm
Hi I am looking at buying an acoustic and I am not really sure which one to get. I was looking at my local music shop's site http://www.musicianshop.com/cgi/musicianshop-uk.cgi/main/46e41af63a81
and I have found a few I might be interested in. I can't go above £200 and would prefer to stick arond £150.

These are the ones I am interested in:
Walden D550 Acoustic Guitar
Walden D560 Acoustic Guitar
Stretton Payne Acoustic Guitar D2 Solid Spruce Top

These are around my price range and seem to gte pretty good reveiws. I'm not really sure what makes a good acoustic. I don't mind if it is electro acoustic or normal but it almost definately has to be on that website as I want ot go in test it out and buy it. I would be going in in a couple of saturdays and just testing them then going back again and testing them to buy one. I would also be buying a strap and spair strings etc on the day so anyway to save abit of money would be appreciated.

What are your views on these guitars? Any reccomendations?
Thanks for your help,
Sophie
# 1
equator
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equator
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Posts: 558
09/09/2007 5:32 pm
Hi Sophie.
I just want to give you two things to consider:
a) Would a guitar with Cut-Away be the best guitar for you? Personally I like them with cut-away to be able to play the notes on the frets closer to the bridge.

b) Do you plan to record your music to your PC?
If so, consider an Electro-Acoustic guitar. Placing microphones in front of your guitar requires some experience in order to get a good sound.


When you go to test the guitars you mentioned, also take some time to test these:
Stretton Payne Electro Acoustic Cut-Away Body Guitar G2CE click
Tanglewood TFC-E-ASB Electro Acoustic Guitar click
Applause Electro-Acousic Pink AE127-PK click me



.
Someday I`ll play like in my dreams.

equator's Music Page.

.
# 2
rhythm
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Joined: 05/27/07
Posts: 37
rhythm
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Posts: 37
09/10/2007 1:05 am
Sophie, I know you want to stick around 200 max but................ There is a guitar called the Tanglewood TW15-ns which you can get for £290 on the net in the UK. I wanted to spend the same as you but I stretched my budget to get it because I wanted to love the sound and not just enjoy it. See, the main thing to look out for on a good acoustic is solid wood instead of ply. You want to at least get a solid wood top acoustic as this really improves the tone and if you can, get an all solid wood acoustic for the best sound.

You can get a solid top for under £200, but generally an all solid costs £500-600+. For some reason the TW15 is different and is solid Spruce top and solid Mahogany back and sides. I bought mine a couple of months ago. I walked into my guitar store and the guy there gave me the pepsi challenge, he played me stairway to heaven on a Martin D-18 and on the Tanglewood he told me to close my eyes and see if I could tell the difference. I did pick out the Martin and it did sound better, but only very very slightly, like 10%, but the Martin costs about £1500.

All I say is, check it out. Its the Tanglewood TW15-NS Sundance Pro. Google some reviews, but importantly, go and test one in a store next to an all solid Martin or a Taylor, if you cant play just feel it in your hands and get one of the shop blokes to play for you. It is the best value acoustic going in my opinion and if you can stretch that little bit more on the budget you will be getting a really nice advanced guitar and you wont have to wonder what you might sound like on an all solid body.

I have to say, this is all just my opinion, there will be a right guitar for you and you will feel if when you hold it. The Tanglewood was that guitar for me, but may not be for you. good luck!
# 3
freaksauce
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Joined: 06/07/07
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freaksauce
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09/10/2007 5:33 am
Just make sure you go and play a few of these to get an idea which one feels and sounds the best for you. I recently went into a shop and played on a bunch of Taylor and Martin guitars where everything was above AUD$4000 and I just didn't like the Martin's which I expected to be amazing for $5000-8000!! 1 or 2 of the Taylor's were absolutely perfect and not necessarily the most expensive. So it really is dependant on what you think feels right.
# 4
Andrew Sa
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Andrew Sa
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09/10/2007 9:13 pm
I'm with Rythm here.
Tanglewood make some really nice Acoustic guitars.
Walden are ok, but tanglewood would be my first choice.

A solid top guitar is much much much nicer than a laminated top, and will only sound better with age.

Check out that suggested Tanglewood. Where in the uk are you based? if you ever have the chance, go to Hanks in London, on denmark street...they sell only acoustic instruments and have some great pieces in your price range (or did when I used to live in London).

Otherwise, Soho Sound House are the yamaha agents...there are some lovely Yamaha acoutics in the fG series (I think) and they also make a really nice parlour acoustic that sells for about 200pounds...certainly worth a look.

I know you want to spend 150-200, but the fact is, you get what you pay for...it'll be very rare for a 150 pound guitar to be better made than a 300 pound guitar.
[FONT=Century Gothic]Hope is when we feel the pain that makes us try again[/FONT]
# 5
SophieM
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Joined: 09/02/07
Posts: 14
SophieM
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Posts: 14
09/11/2007 3:23 pm
Thanks for your help.

My sister is going to a university open day soon and my mum said she'd take me somewhere nearby and London is pretty close so I'll see if I could pop in.

I'll try out the reccomended guitars and I'll go above my budget a bit to see if I could get one for Christmas in a few months time.

I understand the whole thing about budget...but this won't be my main guitar. I get the whole mor money (usually) = better instrument...but I am only 14 and this is my own money I would be spending and I was hoping to get some guitar extras and arecording setup with that.

Thanks for the help everyone,
Sophie
# 6
rhythm
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rhythm
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09/11/2007 6:19 pm
I understand if you cant stretch the budget to the Tanglewood. Do it if you possibly can but I remember being in my early teens (10 years ago!) and money is pretty precious. These guitars I have found are from trusted names and have that all important solid top (a solid top is more important that solid back and sides) and fall with in your cash. I have not played them, or seen them in the flesh, but you should look to try out these kind of models if you stick to the cash you have. Good Luck.

Here is a solid top Fender £139

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/acoustic_guitars_detail.asp?stock=06060214323128&guitars=

Here is a solid top Ibanez for £150 (reduced from £200)

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/acoustic_guitars_detail.asp?stock=04031414545918&guitars=
# 7
ren
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ren
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09/12/2007 2:14 pm
For that kind of money, I think Washburn make very good guitars... solid top easily acheiveable at that price point.

Same advice as ever - go to a store and play every guitar you can afford... and enjoy the hunt.... ;)

Check out my music, video, lessons & backing tracks here![br]https://www.renhimself.com

# 8
SophieM
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Posts: 14
SophieM
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09/12/2007 7:12 pm
Yeah I'll play them all to death. I love hunting for new guitar stuff or just going in and trying everything (within reason) that you could possibly afford even if you aren't intending to buy.
# 9

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