I'm lookin' to purchase an acoustic guitar. Not top of the line, just something for a newbie that want's to learn how to play in his free time.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Also where to buy. Thanks.

A Johnson Parlor Guitar is an awesome value. They usually retail for about $150-$200 without a pickup, and if they are set up properly, they play like a $300-$400 guitar.

Ibanez has a lot of good guitars in the 200$ to 400$ range.

This came up in that Fender Guitar thread last week but the $150 range Fender accoustics are actually quite good. Busty and the Cap'N will back me up on this one; not bad at all for the money.

And dont buy an Ibanez.

Get a Martin Guitar.

They have wonderful tone and are pretty easy to play. They run anywhere from 200 to 800 probably.

good guitars.

thanks for the help guys.

Neat-o fact about me: I'm related (albeit distantly) to the Martin family. And no, I can't get you a cheap guitar. I can't get me a cheap guitar, either. Never met them, but there's a bloodline to 'em.

I highly recommend Epiphones (but not the student models). I have two Epi acoustics: one 1970 6830 and one newer EJ-200. Nice guitars for the money.

Play a bunch or take a friend who plays along when you buy. I think seagulls are great for the money, although I don't own one. I've had Taylors, and martins, and both are great. You can get a low end martin new for about $600.

My favorite acoustic i've owned (now the only one I own) is a 1987 cedar top alvarez yairi with rosewood back and sides. It ran me $300.

Yamaha makes a good starter for under or around $200, also at Guitar Center or Sam Ash.

-P

As usual, best advice comes from Phil.

And to second Yail's sentiment, the $150 fender is a lot better than it has any right to be. Probably the best bang-for-buck ratio you can get (and I know that ratio's close to your heart).

My take: Only buy 2 kinds of guitars: one that maxes out the Cheap scale yet is still acceptable, or one that satisfies every quality constraint you have, regardless of price. Everything else will let you down, even if it takes a year or so to realize it.

To wit: I have a mexi-strat that was like $300 out the door. No case, shitty pickups, etc. I threw better pickups in it, and it sits around the house for me to plunk on when I feel like it. It falls over in the parking lot when I'm moving? No sweat. It was cheap. It serves its purpose wonderfully, because I know what to expect of it. But a $500 middle-o-the-road electric? Risky. You care if it gets scratched, but it never plays / sounds as good as ones that cost a little more. Fail and Fail.

Play 7 or 8 different ones, listen to them carefully, take a friend, and do NOT spend much.

how would you guys rate this one...

http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem. ... BestSeller

My two acoustics best exemplify these two extremes: The Taylor 814CE (I've never played a better guitar) and the aforementioned Johnson, which I could happily leave at the beach and not think twice about it.

This from the guy with 15 fucking guitars, LOL.

But its true: I love my "cheap" bass that I hot rodded almost as much as my Carvin.

But a lot less as time goes on.

That's by far the best thing that you will get at that price and will probly even last you past the "do-I-really-wanna-pursue-this?" stage.

I'd give it a go.

well alright. thanks again dudes.

The DG6 was the one our buddy bought 8 or so years ago, that we've all been impressed by. Thoughts:

"Nato" and "Meranti" are fancy names for indonesian woods, nothing as fancy as the names make them sound. They're fine for the price.

The "Spruce top" is laminated, which is exactly what you expect for the price. Just as an aside, the top of the acoustic is, more or less, the "speaker" for an acoustic guitar, so solid tops are where 80% of the Holy Shit That Sounds Good comes from on pricier guitars. Solid = stiffer, warmer, and- damn, that was getting dirty. It'll sound just fine for the money.

***Case is not included. I cannot stress how much you'll need one, and NOT a gigbag (also not included). A case does the obvious stuff when you move the guitar somewhere, but it also keeps the guitar sheltered from your house's humidity fluctuations somewhat. Constant humidity is your guitar's friend, and during the winter, the heat sucks all the moisture out of the air, vs the summer, when it's humid as hell. So keep it in the case when not in use. Even a cheapshit hard case will work great for that. But factor that into the price.

At'll do Pig, at'll do.

You and Busty got burned pretty bad by that climate change, eh Cap'n?

Serves y'all right for leaving me gigless.

Also, keep in mind that D lives in S. Florida. If he's not taking the geetar anywhere he can probly skip the case and just get a stand.....

hey Cap'n, is the laminated Spruce Top a bad move?

if i move into the $200-$300 range, will I get a much better sounding guitar? will it be a huge difference from this one?

oh shit, a stand! duuuh. i was lookin' at cases and bags, and didn't even think about a simple stand.

I think you could probly move into the most inexpensive acoustic/electric models of Fenders and Yamaha (another brand who makes decent cheapo acoustics)

You'll be fine with that top, IMHO. I'm thinking that the Cap'n will agree.

We're serious too about that guitar being OK.

Oy veh, the fuckin headaches I've had keeping the fleet running up here... the les paul is pissed about having spent 6 months in my old basement, with fine cracks in the finish now. The acoustic won't take 2 hours in a car at these temps (+8 or so). The fenders and home-mades have fared well, since the finishes are thicker and the constructions simpler (bolt on, baby!). The amps do wierd, crackly poppy shit till they get REAL warm. And now that we bought a postage stamp of a condo, I have nowhere to put them all. Still, you can have my guitar collection when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

Dude I miss just getting to hang out with your guitars not to mention actually hearing them.

How is Busty's Strat doing? I know his Taylor is fucking hate it.

No and No. The huge difference comes at about the $800 range. I never recommend pulling that kinda trigger at the get-go. Never learn to ride motorcycles on a 1100cc crotch rocket, and never buy a pricey guitar as your first. Yes, it's easier to play and sounds great, but you'll never appreciate it, and the odds say you'll give it up (just sayin), which means you're out less. Plus that particular guitar is NOT hard to play, but rather a joy. And then, after a while, you'll pick up a Martin or a Taylor, and you'll ruin a pair of underwear when you hear how good it sounds. That does NOT happen when you start with it.

His strat is picture-perfect. Bolt-on flat-tops like that can take a lot more neglect. His Taylor is down but not out. It still plays / sounds fine, it just looks like it picked a fight with a lawnmower and lost. Bring your guitars indoors in the winter, kids.