Do You Play Acoustic Guitar?

[joemagar]

+1 for Takamine.

Are you going to be playing this guitar amplified? Personally, I find that with acoustic guitars in that price range I like to avoid the ones with built in preamps and pickups. Spend my $$ on the guitar and not cheap electronics in that price range.

 

[throughthefire]

We have several lying around (I used to play guitar until my wife took over duties permantly, and I moved to bass).

Takamine - Great guitars for the money (about $500). Avoid the 'Jasmine by Takamine' - cheap rubbish.

Yamaha DGX500 - About $350. Good if you're playing plugged in, or prefer a smaller thickness in the body. Acoustically, it sounds like a plank of wood with elastic bands on. Very stiff body holds down the feedback, but impinges on acoustic resonance.

Simon & Patrick SP6 - About $500 second-hand. Fantastic guitar sonically. Not a campfire guitar, as the finish is very fragile, but the sound beats anything else I've played - including high-end Martin, Taylor and Breedlove. Mine didn't have any electronics in it, so I installed a fishman pickup in the bridge. Absolutely needs a hard case. Made in the same factory (I believe) as Godin, Seagull etc.

For a beginner/young person, I'd recommend the Takamine or Yamaha. The S&P sounds better than both, but the fragility of the finish (finish? What finish?!) means that it will scar very easily. Best kept aside for adults and/or careful people.

 

[baba]

I play a Taylor 314CE. In your price range, I would check out the Seagulls.

 

[BassClef 2010]

I play a Takamine 12 string and a Lag 6 string. Look at Lag, it's a French company and I love their products!