New Accoustic - Have no idea what to get.

thehomeofDob

I'm looking for a new accoustic guitar. Right now I have a Takumi Luthor (Classical) and an old Yamaha accoustic. The Takumi is fairly decent, for classical solos or fingerstyle but just doesn't give the sound I'm looking for when beating out chords.
I have no idea what is good and what isn't in terms of a mid range guitar. I want something better than an intermediate guitar, but not so far as a custom built pro one.
Make isn't a big deal, and as far as cost is concerned I dunno yet, have €500 in a savings account for just this, but I wouldn't mind paying less, an I might pay a bit more.

So go on, throw some guitars at me, preferably with a link to a review

Zapp Brannigan

Go into Musician Inc. and try out the Tanglewood guitars. For the price you pay for em they're bloody brilliant.

Flaimer

Dude, I'm using the SX Accoustic guitar. It fitted with Gibson strings and it sounds brilliantly.

Creamy Goodness

Sx are pieces of chipboard vasolined together (slight exaggeration) but they aren't exactly a taylor/martin/ovation now are they.

as slurms said i'd check out some tanglewoods, they sound soo good.

steveland?

The place on Capel St. (Goodwins or something?) have a great Fender acoustic with a nice pick-up in it for €295. Bought it myself a couple of months ago (dunno if they still have it) and I love it.

Stays in tune no matter how much I bang away at it, get yourself some Gibson strings and you're set

Creamy Goodness

i'd also reccommend a trip to goodwins, they know what they are talking about and have a good range of acoustic.

also they seem to be cheaper than other shops for the simple things like plecks (40c instead of 50c) and martin acoustic strings (7.50 instead of 8.00) makes a difference if you buy in bulk.

thehomeofDob

Sounds good, I'll check out Musician Inc. and Goodwins, been into both a few times but just haven't had any idea what to look at. Thanks for the replies everyone.
Will probably head into town this saturday and try out a few. Will update with any questions. Feel free to recommend some more.

Quattroste

Cremo, SX's aren't that bad and you just dissed some dudes baby. I bought my son an SX and although its no Martin etc it didn't cost €1500+. The original poster has €500 to spend. You find a guitar from your list for that.

For 500 I'd be looking at Washburn and Garrison. Garrison are a Canadian company and their guitars sound great. Not your usual makeup as they don't use wood on the frame. Its a plastic composite and I was well impressed. I'll be looking there when I go to upgrade my Washburn.

carpothepunk

Check out a canadian company called "Seagull",they make fantastic acoustic guitars for around that price

For that money i think the waldens in MusicMaker are very good. Whatever you do dont play the Taylors because it will change your mind about everything cheaper. I have a nice crafter guitar which was about 600 euro and is very nice. I think they do them in perfect pitch although i've found the guys in there to be very rude.

Eoin Madsen

thehomeofDob wrote:

I have no idea what is good and what isn't in terms of a mid range guitar. I want something better than an intermediate guitar, but not so far as a custom built pro one.
Make isn't a big deal, and as far as cost is concerned I dunno yet, have €500 in a savings account for just this, but I wouldn't mind paying less, an I might pay a bit more.

To be honest, your budget still leaves you in the beginner range. Two to four times that amount would be more along the lines of "mid-range". Personally I'd say save your money until that's what you're looking at. The improvement from what you have is a bit too marginal to justify the expense. Anyway, avoid anything that has laminate woods - solid wood generally sounds a hell of a lot better to most people's ears, and every part of the acoustic resonates, not just the top. Most cheap guitars are cheap because they're mostly or entirely laminate. Try going second-hand and look to spend at least 7 or 8 hundred and you should do reasonably well.

www.ebay.com is very useful... but try and play as many acoustics as you can in shops in Dublin so you can get an idea of your preferences with regards to the top and side woods, the neck wood, the fingerboard wood, and the body shape and size. There are only so many common variations, so you should be able to get a fair sampling. It is a bit demoralising to play a high-end Taylor, but at the same time, you'll learn a lot about what kind of sound you're striving for.

Cost is obviously not an accurate or true indication of how good a guitar is - it's only a reflection of manufacture cost and various mark ups. But be aware that the cost/quality ratios of guitar brands like Taylor, Takamine, and Gibson are not good.

It wasn't me!

Simon and Patrick and Seagull. I got mine for six hundred (Simon and Patrick), and you'd confuse it for something over a grand. It's magnificent. seriously, give them some serious playing time in Music Maker.

Eoin Madsen

Actually, yeah, Simon & Patrick seriously impressed me. It's a pity they only do dreadnought shaped bodies. But definitely check them out. I think Seagull are a sister company.

It wasn't me!

Methinks so alright...

Niall123

I'm Happy with my tanglewood.

Shanannigan

Yamaha!!!!!

cormhag

i bought a 400 euro yamaha last year and it is a great guitar. you just have to shop around (with some help from your guitar teacher if possible;) ) as acoustics will vary a lot from individual guitar to guitar. better to buy from a shop so that you know the exact one you will get. the guitar i got was a lot better than 500 or 600 euro models.

daram

go second hand. i'm still 100percent happy with my takamine en10c which i got for 500 quid about 4 years ago.

thehomeofDob

Eoin Madsen wrote:

To be honest, your budget still leaves you in the beginner range. Two to four times that amount would be more along the lines of "mid-range". Personally I'd say save your money until that's what you're looking at. The improvement from what you have is a bit too marginal to justify the expense. Anyway, avoid anything that has laminate woods - solid wood generally sounds a hell of a lot better to most people's ears, and every part of the acoustic resonates, not just the top. Most cheap guitars are cheap because they're mostly or entirely laminate. Try going second-hand and look to spend at least 7 or 8 hundred and you should do reasonably well.

www.ebay.com is very useful... but try and play as many acoustics as you can in shops in Dublin so you can get an idea of your preferences with regards to the top and side woods, the neck wood, the fingerboard wood, and the body shape and size. There are only so many common variations, so you should be able to get a fair sampling. It is a bit demoralising to play a high-end Taylor, but at the same time, you'll learn a lot about what kind of sound you're striving for.

Cost is obviously not an accurate or true indication of how good a guitar is - it's only a reflection of manufacture cost and various mark ups. But be aware that the cost/quality ratios of guitar brands like Taylor, Takamine, and Gibson are not good.

Replies have been great so far! Thanks guys. Haven't had a chance to head into town yet been sick all week

I would consider myself an above beginner player, but just a player. I have no idea what makes a guitar sound good or not. ^^ Above post was very informative. Will take all these things into cosideration. Thanks guys.