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Acoustic Guitars?

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 9:00 pm
by Addam
Are they all horrid to play?

I've had 3 or 4 in my life but never really got along with them, though I think[i/] £50 is the most I've ever paid for one.
Currently 2 of them are in my house, one has a loose neck joint (the fifty-quidder) so has sky high action (I've been playing slide on this recently), and the other one makes the tendons in my left hand hurt just looking at it...

I had a quick bash on a Fender Malibu in a shop a year or so ago, and was quite impressed, (I am pretty green with acoustics though).

Any recommendations for a poor as shit acoustic guitarist?

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 9:14 pm
by lorez
I got a Fender Gemini I bought over 20 years ago. Frets are working out of the finger board now but for a cheap acoustic I still won't get rid. It's tuned dadgad and sounds lovely with the drones.

When I did consider replacing the Simon & Patrick guitars seemed to get great reviews for the price so maybe check them out

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 9:22 pm
by taylornutt
Unfortunately, I am a Taylor guitar enthusiast which means not cheap. They do have the Baby and Big Baby Taylors. I have two Baby Taylors and a 614ce.

Yamaha and Washburn make some nice ones. What brands do you usually have access to?

My first purchased guitar was a Fender Acoustic which I just sold to one of my guitar students.

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 9:42 pm
by George
apparently Vintage V300s are the bee knees for cheap acoustics

[youtube][/youtube]

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 10:14 pm
by Addam
On the subject of 'Vintage' brand acoustics, I've been jonesing for one of
[url=hthttp://www.reidys.com/pr/electro-acoustic-guit ... xkA1gtp://]these[/url] for a while
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Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 11:59 pm
by Bacchus
I really like the Epiphone EJ-200 (or 300, but I don't think they make that anymore).

I'd love to try an Art and Lutherie Ami too. Or a Sigma 000M-15.

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 12:35 am
by robroe
mine has a malibu neck with a tiny parlor body attached to it

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Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:27 am
by westtexasred
I want a Washburn Bell Style 5270 guitar like Fess Parker,Robert Mitchum and Carl Sandburg all had.

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[youtube][/youtube]

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 3:00 am
by blane
I have an Antares Acoustic guitar DX26 model. I've had it for a very long time now.. At leasy 18 years or so. It's still strung up and I still play it.

They're not easy to find, but when you can find them they're cheap as hell.

There's one on ebay right now that needs some new tuning keys.. It's in better condition than mine is. Its got great low end and mids.. the highs aren't great but for £96 shipping... not a bad choice.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antares-DX26- ... 19dcbf131a

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 4:27 am
by paul_
Recommend Martin "silk & steel" folk strings for a more playable experience as they are ultra low-tension, though I ultimately went back to bronze in lieu of being a pussy; I find phosphor bronze .12s more agreeable for accompanying my voice with acoustic guitar, both in feel and sound. I use 10s or 11s on electric guitars so it's a given to me the acoustic is going to be less playable, but not wanting to bust out Eruption on it too often I'm not that bothered.

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 12:45 pm
by Brandon W
AddamInsane wrote:On the subject of 'Vintage' brand acoustics, I've been jonesing for one of
[url=hthttp://www.reidys.com/pr/electro-acoustic-guit ... xkA1gtp://]these[/url] for a while
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I've been after the epiphone one like this also. I find acoustics with knobs on them to be super attractive. I play a takamine right now and I like it a lot.

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 12:52 pm
by dezb1
Get an old Eko ranger VI, great guitars, great prices, bolt on neck so you can adjust the action... me and jimmy page can't be wrong.

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:07 pm
by Freddy V-C
Every Tanglewood acoustic I've played has been lovely, and they're reasonably cheap. I play one of these

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:18 pm
by timhulio
Afraid I'm a -1 on the Eko Ranger. Horrible guitars, weigh a ton, sound awful. They are however indestructible (there's tons still around) which may be a good or bad thing.

I like the look of Rob's Malibu, even with the pop punk connection. They also make one with a cutaway and electronics. This one needs a suntan:

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Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:23 pm
by robert(original)
generally there are a few major problems that re-occure with aucoustics.
first of all... 94 percent of guitars that are 500 or less the neck is made and then glued onto the body, this creates a nasty HUMP at the join(right around the 14th fret)
this means the action has to be stupid high in order for it to sound. not cool.
it can be fixed, basically by leveling the shit out of the frets until they are barely there anymore.
and the nut/bridges are always cut like shit, and too tall, in all reality as long as you can follow a tutorial you can make any shit guitar play like butter in less than an hour, my current rogue guitar came to me a bruised and broken thing resembling a guitar, i gave it some love, and now it feels like an electric.
fender is actually one of the few companies that for the most part(for the most part!) they put the neck on the body and THEN they glue on the fretboard, which eliminates this HUMP. I would suggest looking for an 80's malibu, they are CHEAP! and well built guitars. full sized dreadnaughts with solid tops, i got mine for less than 200 with a hardshell case, i know they can be had for that, but they are kinda rare, the sonoran was also re-issued in the 80s to early 90s and its pretty much the same, tho if it has a painted(solid color) top then its an hpl.(high pressure laminate)

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 2:55 pm
by dezb1
timhulio wrote:Afraid I'm a -1 on the Eko Ranger. Horrible guitars, weigh a ton, sound awful. They are however indestructible (there's tons still around) which may be a good or bad thing.

I like the look of Rob's Malibu, even with the pop punk connection. They also make one with a cutaway and electronics. This one needs a suntan:

Image
That's the beauty of guitars such a personal thing, I've never played a bad ranger VI they are heavy as fook.

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:24 pm
by sholkham
George wrote:apparently Vintage V300s are the bee knees for cheap acoustics

[youtube][/youtube]
I've got one of those, it's very nice, not blow you away nice, but great considering the price.

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 12:03 am
by dmc69
What about the Washburn D-10S? Cheap and pretty good (solid top) for the dirt cheap price.

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 9:45 am
by ekwatts

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 10:45 am
by Zeezee
I have the 3TS Malibu SCE. Had to file down the bridge a tad to lower the action, and i stuck on slightly lighter strings. Plays pretty nice for what i need.

Looks like this:

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