Best Guitar for the Money
 

Who do you think builds the best all around acoustic electric guitars for the entry level market, when it comes to tone woods, nut and saddle materials, tuning keys, neck, fit & finish etc? I would think the list would include

Seagull
Simon & Patrick
Boulder Creek
Breedlove
Yamaha
Takamine
maybe Guild or Ovation?

Taylor 110's are pretty amazing. I sold mine to a student because I picked up a nice used 314ce with a custom ordered Mahogany top. Try as I might- I couldn't find one flaw on that guitar. I loved playing it unplugged- but struggled a tad with the ES-T pick-up. It was good for smaller gigs but I couldn't dial it in for our larger gigs...

I played a Martin 000X1CE that I liked a lot too. Some of the newer lower end Breedloves with the square headstocks are pretty nice for the price.

Mike:)

I can't say for fear of sounding like a Shill, bloomin' internet!

I will say all levels of Yamaha are very well thought through, from design to build quality, and you're pretty hard to beat them for the money.

I agree and would call Takamine a very close second...

Yeah, I played a 114 yesterday that was fantastic, and I dont even like Taylors ...lol !

Yamaha, Seagull and Cort all work well for me.

I'd probably go with the Seagull. The Taylor 110 series has never done anything for me... maybe I just can't find the right one. The Japanese entry-level guitars are a pretty good value. I can even tolerate the Martin laminates as long as the top piece is sitka spruce.

My Taylor is tops, but for pretty small coin you can get an excellent used Takamine, very versatile and great plugged in. I actually use my Tak more than my Taylor when gigging, the Taylor is used more for special items. My Takamine is solid Rosewood/Spruce with a very durable finish and I paid XXX. The same specs on a Taylor will be much much more . . XXXX.

I think my Martin OM-1 was a good buy.

Can you define "entry level market"?

I'd go with Yamaha at the lower end of the entry price spectrum, though I've seen some pretty nice Epiphones lately.

Up one step in price, I'd go along with people who like the 100 series Taylors. (Nothing wrong with the 200 series either) I recently bought a 110 to be sort of my couch guitar, but the tone seems to be something that just strikes me the right way. Between that and my Martin dread, I feel like I have enough of the tonal spectrum covered and it's becoming apparent that I'm not playing other acoustics I have all that much anymore.

IMHO - The 110e, at a slightly higher price, (versus using a soundhole pickup), is one of the best A/E guitars out there right now, better than a lot of higher end models from other brands. Obviously, YMMV...

In terms of a good "entry level" acoustic for your money I really think Yamaha does a great job. I don't know that their sound will floor you (but I'm talking about $400 or less guitars here) but I find them to be consistently good sounding guitars that are made nicely. I've played several and own one. I always find them well put together (they aren't sloppy).

I've tried several Seagulls (laminate and solid back/side models) and didn't find the sound all that appealing (could be the strings though). However, they are generally well made.

I was recently playing low end guitars at GC. I preferred the EG-series Taks to the Yamahas. The selection was limited so it could have been they just didn't have the right Yamaha. I ended up with a Takamine EG363SC and am very happy with it. It's no Taylor (I absolutely loved the 314CE) but then it cost less than 1/3 the Taylor.

Everyone's ears are different so it's really just not possible to assume you will like what someone else likes. The only way to decide is to play as many as you can and pick the one you like.

No one such guitar for me to recommend. There are so many good values now. For anyone just starting, I say: Choose one that is easy to play, and then play it!

Blueridge BR-163. I have some $2000 guitars but my Blueridge cost me about $XXX with hardshell case and sounds like a $2000 guitar. Did need some set up work (saddle and nut work) to make it play like a $2000 guitar but it sounded like a $2000 guitar right from the get go.

Gostwriter,

I have long thought that the Yamaha LL6 really provides a lot of bang for the buck, used models even moreso. In fact, it is the guitar that I recommend to my beginning guitar students.

Cheers!

Jonathan

I was recently playing low end guitars at GC. I preferred the EG-series Taks to the Yamahas. The selection was limited so it could have been they just didn't have the right Yamaha. I ended up with a Takamine EG363SC and am very happy with it. It's no Taylor (I absolutely loved the 314CE) but then it cost less than 1/3 the Taylor.

Everyone's ears are different so it's really just not possible to assume you will like what someone else likes. The only way to decide is to play as many as you can and pick the one you like.

Entry Level Guitars
 

LARRY J,

Without using dollar amounts (which I wish we could, not sure what the hangup is on dollars after all that's what it all comes down to for everyone) but that said, I suppose we're all in the same general range, I'm not talking about the guitar you might buy your four year old to hold in photos but a decent beginner for teens to and intermediate guitar something maybe even most of us could still get a some use out of for little money. I think of the next higher level as those using more solid woods and higher end electronics and tuners I suppose.

I guess the Yamaha's, Taks, Taylor and Voyage Air get the bulk of votes and maybe one for Epiphone. I played an Epi Hummingbird and I'll tell you if I never played the Gibson version - other than the tuners which were a bit of a challenge to operate I might not know the difference and they are really sharp looking to boot although I picked up another and wasn't quite as crisp and clear sounding.

also
I met a guy at GC last weekend and he was in the amrket for Voya air and said he been to a number of stores and couldn't find anyone that carried them let alone ever hearing of htem. So who carries them?

Guild...............

Ted from LA Guitar Sales (Tarpman here) stocks them. Also, the V-A web site has a list of dealers. http://www.voyageairguitar.com/site/#

Of the brands listed, the only ones I have experience with are Simon & Patrick and Seagull. Both are excellent guitars, especially for the money.

Just today, I recieved my Takamine EG363SC lefty model. I really like it! sounds great,really smooth to play and looks good too! My Yamaha FG412L
is my first guitar and I would say Yamaha guitars are also swell for the price range. Mine is over 20 years old and have never had a problem with it. In fact, it's quite loud for a pure acoustic.

To many good ones,

Yamaha
Larrivee
Epiphones
Blueridge

If I have to pick one.. Larrivee

Hands down best guitar for my money is a Silver Creek T-170.

If you can spend a little more Eastman is fantastic.

I'd have to agree that Larrivee is the best value in all-solids, but that's a higher price point. In the $500 and under range I'd recommend the Godin guitars, particularly Simon & Patrick and Seagull, depending on your ergonomic preferences. Normans are a little cheaper, I think, and also very nice. I had a Takamine in the $200-$300 range and it was nice, but the Godins were much better. My son plays an S&P w/ lam b&s and wants nothing else.
Actually, I think Seagull makes an all-solid at a few hundred more, and that may be the best single deal around.

Forgot to add Blueridge on the List the BR-40ce.

I like these:
Yamaha FG 730
Seagull S6
Larrivee D-03
All solid Taylor 214

Anything from the Epiphone Masterbilt series rock my boat for the money.

Gonna have to go with the Eastman...Hand built..solid woods..great sound..reasonable price...


Eastman AC412CE
Martin DC16GTE
Seagull s-6 Slim
Alvarez Yairi DY-38

The Yamaha is great for the buck. Well built also.