first guitar

Hey. I'm looking into buying an acoustic guitar soon. I've never played before. I'm really just looking for something to start out with that sounds somewhat decent. My price range is very low. I'm look for something 150 or less. I just can't justify spending a lot of money on a guitar since I've never played before, but I don't want an absolute piece of junk either. I just want your typical, 6 steel string acoustic. I'm not really sure what I need at all. Any suggestions as to guitars that I should look into?

My recommendation would be to spend a little more, you get a better quality instrument, and that way, if you dont like playing guitar, a decent name brand instrument will have good re-sale value. I'd suggest Ovation and Crafter, they make decent sounding acoustics (I have 3 crafters and they all really ring out) that wont break the bank.
Check out ebay, you might get a 50 dollar bargain, at that kind of price it doesnt matter too much if you're stuck with it.
Go to the store and explain you're looking for a guitar to start out on, if they're good people, they'll try to be as helpful as possible so you'll come back and by that 2 grand avalon they're trying to sell.
Good luck!

Almost everyone here will recommend buying a used guitar as your first. Any moderately used guitar (i.e. not very old, but not very new, either) for $150 USD will be a decent starter guitar.

If your heart is stuck on buying a new guitar, though, and you can manage $200 USD or so, check out Yamaha or Simon & Patrick guitars. S & P might only be available here in Canada, though; I'm not too sure. I have a 6-year-old Yamaha FG-412S, and it sounds sweeeeeet!

Alright, since the consensus seems to be here, among other places I've visited, is spend more. I'm still looking cheap though. Any new recommendations for 250 and below?

Alrighty... here are some Ebay gems (URLs have been formatted properly to avoid Lordathestrings erupting):

Ovation electric-acoustic

Used Seagull S6 acoustic with case I've heard many good things about Seagull acoustics, and this one is a cedar solid top

Brand new Seagull S6 with case

Washburn D10S Solid Spruce Top seems like a good starter guitar


Oh, and as a side point; make sure you get a solid-top guitar. The sound quality and durability makes the extra few bucks well worth it.

Kramer man, Kramer... http://www.musicyo.com

Does anyone know anything about old hohner's? I talked to this guy, and I can get it from him for like 130. He said that it's awesome. He's taken it to the music store, and they said it's one of the best acoustics they've seen in a while. He said that the new hohners suck, but that the old ones were really good. Anyone know anything about the validity of that statement? If I don't find out that Hohner's are good, I'll probably go with the Washburn D10s... it sounds pretty good from what I've read. Thanks for all of your help to a guy who knows absolutely nothing.

[Edited by poopmasta on 10-07-2003 at 09:49 PM]

hohner´s are pretty good guitars - not among the best, but pretty good and for sure good enough for the start. i could tell you a bit about nylonstring acoustics, but since you are into steelstring, i cant realy help you out with those.

my first electric guitar was a hohner rockwood, cheapo strat copy *sniffle* ahh the memories.. I figured out the entire metallica back catalogue on that axe.... before getting pissed with it one day and sawing it up to make my custom job.

My brother has an aria electro acoustic, it cost him £190, it sounds like a plank. I have a crafter electro acoustic, cost me £140 nice and rich sounding axe.

and yeah, buy 2nd hand if you can

You could go with a new Yamaha acoustic... they're in your price range and they do sound pretty good. The standard Fender dreadnaught is pretty good for that as well. I went and spent just a little more than your $250 for my Takamine GS-330S and I love it. I was only $275 I think and then I bought a good case for it later which ran $80.

Why don't you just go to a guitar store and play a few? I had no clue what I wanted, needed, was looking for at all. Had a buddy come with me and we played everything we could get our hands on.... Piece of advice, start from the cheapies and work your way up. If you're like me, you'll be a little disappointed by the time you get to your ORIGINAL price range =)

good luck!

I'm curious....

What made you say "My Screen name should be poopmasta?

maybe he misspelled "popmaster" or "pop my sister" or "Popo manslaughter" or "Puppet master?"

Originally posted by Azrael
hohner´s are pretty good guitars - not among the best, but pretty good and for sure good enough for the start. i could tell you a bit about nylonstring acoustics, but since you are into steelstring, i cant realy help you out with those.

You can tell me about nylon strings...that's right...let it all out.

Poop was funny at the time. I thought it would be funny to make a name "poopmasta" for an online game "______" was killed by poopmasta... It was indeed funny. The name kind of stuck. Now, at 18, it is still funny...


What, are you questioning my maturity level!?!?!?