[IanHenry]

I know this is a subjective question, but I’ve recently started thinking about buying a new acoustic guitar. I haven’t tried any yet (or even been to a shop) but I’d like opinions from members here as to who produces the best acoustic guitars.

When it comes to electric, I would never buy anything other than a Gibson, but I’m not sure about acoustic.
The brands that I’m thinking about are:

Gibson (of course)
Martin
Taylor

I don’t want to spend too much, and obviously I want the best value for money I can get, but I think this will probably be my last steel strung acoustic guitar that I buy, so I want to “live with it” and grow old together!

Looking around the starting price for Gibson’s is higher than Martin, and I think a Gibson might be pushing my budget, but for the right one, I think I may push myself for it.
Any opinions will be gratefully received,

Regards,
Ian.

[Versatile]

IMO this is the best time to be buying a good quality acoustic guitar...

There are fantastic examples around at all price points...due to the recession and global mfg options...VFM has never been so good...

Depending on specific requirements, home use or gigworthy, electro or pure acoustic...

I have a 20yr old Yamaha 12str which has aged beautifully

Other experiences include...

Guild
Ovation
Breedlove
Takamine
Eastman
Peerless

V

[kidblast]

Some parameters around what your budget is will help.

I have a few Taylors, (GS Series, 314CE) - They don't get a lot of love on this forum, but for me they work. I do a lot of finger style playing with alternate tunings and their neck profiles & action fit well for my hands for this sort of playing. Taylors have a lot of price points available. the 300/400 series are probably good mid-point places to look.

I would love a Gibson Advanced Jumbo or SJ200 but right now, out of my $reach$ unless I start offing things, which I'm not really interested in doing at the moment.

RE: Martins, love the sound of a good Martin, I just have never found one that works for my hands like Taylors do.

I think you're best plan is get on the road, get to some dealers, and spend the time finding out which of them seems right for you, then bring it home!

[heymisterk]

For me, Taylor wins, hands-down. I love my GS-7. I played lots - and I mean LOTS of acoustic guitars before I settled in my Taylor. The quality of its construction is superb.

If you want to spend less money and still get excellent quality, I highly recommend an Alvarez-Yairi: great quality that is relatively affordable.

I have yet to find a Gibson acoustic that really speaks to me, other than my 1964 Epiphone Bard 12-string!

[heymisterk]

Versatile, on 01 February 2013 - 05:08 AM, said:

I have a 20yr old Yamaha 12str which has aged beautifully

Those are great guitars. A woman in my church choir used to play one from the '70s that was MIJ and sounded awesome.

[zigzag]

To me, best value means quality AND price. For that, consider Takamine. As you may or may not know, each acoustic will sound different, even within the same brand and model. Get in a quiet room and have the salesman pull down every model in your price range and play them all side-by-side.

[IanHenry]

Thanks for your replies,
I already have a Takamine EG523SC, which is quite nice, but it's got a terrible action, I also have a Yamaha FG180 which my father bought me in the 70's, but I fancied something like a Gibson of a Martin.
My budget is £1000 to £1500 ($1583 to $2375) but for a Gibson I think I’d have to go a little higher.
The guitar is for home use only, and having a pick-up is of no interest to me.

Regards,
Ian.

[Murph]

My Mother in law has a Takemine Glenn Fry. I hate to say, I have no idea how he put his name on that thing. Next to my J-45 it sounds like a plastic box.

I say, save your money and buy a good one.

[zigzag]

Interesting. The action/playability of my Takamine (an F-341) is almost as good as any of my electrics. The tone (w/o amplification) is full, well balanced, woody, and loud- like a grand piano. I bought it around 1985, and compared it to close to 10 other brands. This probably simply proves that each guitar has its own character, and we are all looking for a different sound out of our acoustics. All that said, I hardly ever play it. I much prefer electric.

It is also worth noting that I found another Takamine, the same model as the one I bought, in a different store. I played it and it sounded very different from the one I bought. To me, this demonstrated the difference in sound of each guitar, but was probably influenced as much by the acoustics of the room I was playing it in. That is why I recommend comparing guitars side-by-side. I apologize that this sounds so elementary, but for those who don't have much experience buying acoustic guitars, I think it is very important.

[Rock and Reel]

Without getting into boutique makers I think C.F. Martin makes the finest, most well respected acoustic on the planet. I also believe they hold their value better than most especially if you look for a previously owned instrument. I suggest putting yourself in a position to play each guitar on your list at one sitting where you can compare the qualities in each that are important to you.
I have a couple of Gibson acoustics but I am partial to Martin.

[stein]

Don't forget to SHOP. Accoustics vary a lot from one to another, and it's a good idea to hear and play them.

I don't think that Gibsons are really priced higher right now, they are actually pretty competitive. It's more of a matter of Gibson offering little in the "mid" priced catagories.

There is a major difference once you get into the "big leagues" of accoustics, and it takes a minute or two to start to hear it if you are used to economy ones. But once you get it, you know it. Then you can kinda evaluate what is a high-end economy guitar, and a less fancy "high-end" guitar. They could be priced the same.

You also gotta ask yourself what TYPE of guitar you are wanting. A dread? An L-00/OO? A jumbo? They all have differences.

Best advice I could give is to have fun with it, using the time and the oppurtunity to play a bunch and make new discoveries that you can only get by getting your paws on them and discovering what good guitars REALLY do.

[geeterpicker]

There's a lot to think about, IMO. Big or small body? Long or short scale? 12 or 14 frets? How much $$? Much depends on the music you play. People who play electrics a lot might want to get something that has a fast neck and is thinner in depth. The OM might work really nice. I think Huss and Dalton make some of the easiest playing guitars out there and the tone/craftsmanship are top notch. But they ain't cheap. Collings makes a terrific OM as well, but again, not cheap. Martin OMs can be had for a pretty reasonable price. The J-45 is a classic to have with the plus of having that short comfy scale. As for Taylors, they play fine, but to my ears, are very boring tonally.

[IanHenry]

Has anyone played one of the Martins made from HPL material? Are they any good? Just wondering.

Regards,
Ian.

[Twang Gang]

I am with Kidblast on this one and favor Taylors. As he said they are not too well liked by members here - but visit their website. Their big thing the past couple years has been "Find your fit". It's a program where first they outline the tonewoods and how they effect the sound. Then they explain the different body shapes and how that effects tone and volume - which is voiced for fingerstyle, flatpicking, bluegrass, etc. And they have a huge line from small inexpensive travel guitars to custom ordered dreadnoughts and jumbo sizes and everything in between. 12 fret 14 fret, 6 string, 12 string, and even baritone 8 string. So visit their sight just to gather some info - it will help you when you go out to shops and start playing the different brands.

[Twang Gang]

IanHenry, on 01 February 2013 - 09:26 AM, said:

Has anyone played one of the Martins made from HPL material? Are they any good? Just wondering.

Regards,
Ian.

Martin is the holy grail for a lot of people - but I owned a couple of them and my mother taught me if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all.

[Versatile]

IanHenry, on 01 February 2013 - 07:19 AM, said:

I already have a Takamine EG523SC

I have that exact guitar too...and IMO is tremendous VFM with the cachet of the brand...

If you care to loosen/remove the strings, there are two shims under the bridge which can lower the action to taste...

V

[milod]

As has been said, there are lots of variables.

I've played a batch of Taylors. Don't care for 'em. Dunno if it's "feel" or "sound." It doesn't make much difference.

Ditto Martins although I tend to really like the D-body booming for Bluegrass and I've only played one smaller body.

As has been mentioned, a lot also has to do with what you want for sound and how comfortable you are with the body size, style and neck.

If it's just to play in "the parlor," there's a reason smaller guitar bodies were called "parlor guitars."

I've got more expensive and bigger pieces, both electric and acoustic, but - and laugh as you will - my "go to" acoustic for solo performances and a lotta "practice" the past two years has been a "cheap" Florentine cutaway Epi PR5e.

You could make a case it's very, very similar to the 1950s CF100 or CF100e that ain't been made since the '50s. A friend has one of each and yeah, I'd rather have one of 'em, but I don't wanna get into a gunfight I'd have to win with the old rancher I happen to like.

In fact, his Gibsons are probably what got me into investigating the Epi.

So, that Epi also is very similar in size and shape to the ES175 that I'm in love, with or a classical box such as I started on. It sounds a bit cigar boxy with my light strings, but so do other similar size flattops. Electrified it sounds as good as far more expensive pieces whether I'm doing a fingerstyle "Misty" or a cowboy song. I got a "great guitar sound" comment at one performance from a cupla Brits who do music vids, so it's not just "me."

For me it comes down to feel and whether it's got the sound quality when I do something "out." It feels marvelous to me, neck, body... but I know it might not to many others.

I've got big boxes that cost a lot more. Sound great. Nice necks. I just don't play 'em that much.

But it's almost embarrassing to admit that with a stable of seven AEs and a few more electrics than that, the least expensive is the one played most at home or "out." Ain't got that much "bling," but bling never really helped my picking much.

m

[Tman]

I thought Best Buy was out of business but I just checked and they have all of the above mentioned guitars so you should be good to go

[bobf8332]

Versatile, on 01 February 2013 - 01:04 PM, said:

I have that exact guitar too...and IMO is tremendous VFM with the cachet of the brand...

If you care to loosen/remove the strings, there are two shims under the bridge which can lower the action to taste...

V

Make that another with this guitar. I think it's an awesome value. I've had mine for 6 or 7 years and I'm still just as thrilled to have it as when I first bought it. If I was a pure acoustic kinda' guy, I might get into the multi-thousand dollar acoustic game ... no I wouldn't.

To the OP ... have your Takamine set up. You might end up saving yourself some $$ :-)

[Hall]

It took seven years for the Taylor 814 CE I own to open up fully. It has at last, and it is one fine guitar as of this winter. But, that was a long wait to pass muster. I said so on the acoustic forum here, but not much interest. I bought a new Martin D18 last year and a Gibson Southern Jumbo (S. C. model). Both are very nice guitars and are pretty close to my ancient ones of each model. If you don't want to spend that much money, it is kind of hard to come away satisfied long term. I'm with Murph, get a good one if you want to be happy.