Time for an acoustic - I need some advice

flatfourfan

So I've been itching for one for a while, but never really knew where to start. Looking at second hand as I want a bit more for my money. Electric Acoustic and I'm thinking something along the lines of an Ibanez AEF. But I'm open to ideas. I do however want a single cut.

My budget is about R1500-R2000 all in and I'd like a case for it as well.

Any advice?

costafonix

For your budget I can highly recommend the Tanglewood's, they have all the features you're looking for, and the added bonus is they use bone for their Nuts & Saddles, and maple for their bindings. The action on these guitars is also incredible. Go try one out, i'm sure you'll be impressed. :yup:

Bob-Dubery

Do you need the electronics? They obviously push the price up, so you might get a bit more GUITAR if you go for something with no pickup in it.

I've heard Ibanii sounding quite good plugged in, but some folks tell me that the electronics tend to last only a few days longer than the guarantee.

At that price point I'd look at Cort and Tanglewood. Dunno what the 2nd hand market for those is like. IMO those are the best budget brands around right now.

If you can wait a bit and save a bit more you can do quite a bit better. The difference between a 15 grand and a 20 grand acoustic is often not much, but the graph of bang and buck has a steeper curve lower down the price range, so the difference between a 2 grand guitar and a 4 grand guitar can be significant.

Whatever you buy, check the saddle and if it's common or garden "plastic" then consider an upgrade to Tusq. That can make quite a bit of tonal improvement.

Reinhard

The Corts seem to be great bang for your buck and there is usually a bunch of them on gumtree. If the action is high on the guitar, just check whether there is enough meat on the saddle that will allow for decent action after a setup. If the saddle is already low and the action is still a mile off the fretboard, you probably have too steep a neck angle and a decent action will be hard to attain.

flatfourfan

X-rated Bob wrote: Do you need the electronics? They obviously push the price up, so you might get a bit more GUITAR if you go for something with no pickup in it.

I've heard Ibanii sounding quite good plugged in, but some folks tell me that the electronics tend to last only a few days longer than the guarantee.

At that price point I'd look at Cort and Tanglewood. Dunno what the 2nd hand market for those is like. IMO those are the best budget brands around right now.

If you can wait a bit and save a bit more you can do quite a bit better. The difference between a 15 grand and a 20 grand acoustic is often not much, but the graph of bang and buck has a steeper curve lower down the price range, so the difference between a 2 grand guitar and a 4 grand guitar can be significant.

Whatever you buy, check the saddle and if it's common or garden "plastic" then consider an upgrade to Tusq. That can make quite a bit of tonal improvement.

Cheers Costa, you're the 3rd person to mention Tanglewood.

Bob.......Probably not need, want yes, but I can do without them to be honest.

I've noticed that people seem to hold onto acoustics a lot longer than electric guitars. My budget maxes out at R1500-00 for an entry level unit as I want to see if it's for me, before getting something better. Not really looking at upping my budget at this stage.

Cheers for the advice.

Reinhard wrote: The Corts seem to be great bang for your buck and there is usually a bunch of them on gumtree. If the action is high on the guitar, just check whether there is enough meat on the saddle that will allow for decent action after a setup. If the saddle is already low and the action is still a mile off the fretboard, you probably have too steep a neck angle and a decent action will be hard to attain.

Noted.....I've decided that I'm going to music mate after work and go and test some out to see what I like new and then get a better idea of what I should be looking at second hand.

Bob-Dubery

flatfourfan wrote: Noted.....I've decided that I'm going to music mate after work and go and test some out to see what I like new and then get a better idea of what I should be looking at second hand.

Do they stock Cort and/or Tanglewood? If not then head for some place that does.

Note Reinhard's comments about the neck angle. At that end of the price range QC is not that consistent, so play LOTS of them. You'll find a few dogs, but you may find a bargain as well. I'd factor the price of a set up into the equation. If you're trying to decide if you like playing acoustic, then at least give yourself (and acoustic guitaring) a fair chance by getting a reasonably well set up guitar.

Warren

From my side: forego the case and spend the whole budget on the guitar. In that price range a case is more or less half your entire budget, and a R750-ish case to protect a R750-ish guitar doesn't sound like a great idea to me.

Also check out Yamaha, they are generally quite sharp on quality, though I'm not sure they make stuff in that price range.

flatfourfan

X-rated Bob wrote:
flatfourfan wrote: Noted.....I've decided that I'm going to music mate after work and go and test some out to see what I like new and then get a better idea of what I should be looking at second hand.
Do they stock Cort and/or Tanglewood? If not then head for some place that does.

Note Reinhard's comments about the neck angle. At that end of the price range QC is not that consistent, so play LOTS of them. You'll find a few dogs, but you may find a bargain as well. I'd factor the price of a set up into the equation. If you're trying to decide if you like playing acoustic, then at least give yourself (and acoustic guitaring) a fair chance by getting a reasonably well set up guitar.

Well music mate have cort, tanglewood, yamahahahaha, Ibanez and then obviously up and up. He reckons a nice tanglewood can be had for R1900 before discount (lol, I love that term). I'm in no rush to buy so I can be picky. I don't intend buying new.

Just to clarify, I like playing acoustic, I've been playing with my sisters old Kay, but it's a bit of a dog, I just want to get better on my OWN guitar.

Cheers for the advice.

flatfourfan

ShreddySmurf wrote: From my side: forego the case and spend the whole budget on the guitar. In that price range a case is more or less half your entire budget, and a R750-ish case to protect a R750-ish guitar doesn't sound like a great idea to me.

Also check out Yamaha, they are generally quite sharp on quality, though I'm not sure they make stuff in that price range.

affirmative.........I just called around a bit and I think that a case can wait. lol.

Norman86

theres a tanglewood sundance in the classifieds?!

Bob-Dubery

OK. Today I went out shopping with a friend who has rising Telecaster GAS. I took the opportunity to play some R2000 and down acoustics, and a few that cost a bit more. I did not write any model numbers down, so don't ask ?

1) At this price point Cort seems to me to be a better bet than Ibanez, but you're still getting what you pay for.

2) The difference between a just under 2k guitar and a 2.4k guitar (all Ibanez in this case) is significant. At this end of the scale 500 or 600 extra buys a lot more guitar. The difference in playability could be felt immediately.

3) Just about everything I played needed a set up (at the very least a truss rod adjustment). But see above, the 2-and-bit thousand guitars were better in this regard.

4) Which suggests to me that a lot of such guitars in circulation might have been bought by people who wanted to try, found it physically hard going, gave up and moved on. The extra money would have made the experience better, and some 2nd hand guitars STILL need a setup (because the person selling didn't realise what the problem was)

5) So factor the price of a set up into things

6) Go for a natural finish, if possible satin. The solid color guitars had THICK coatings on them - which doesn't do the sound any good. Natural finish guitars seemed to have less finish on them and satin finish less still. Also a solid color finish may hide a multitude of sins (and you can't easily tell if it's solid top or plywood)

7) They all seemed a bit short of sustain and the "ring" that a good acoustic has. This is understandable at that price, I guess, but it also comes back to the setup issue - a decent saddle (good material, cut to fit properly) could make a distinct difference here.

8) None of them came with cases. You can buy a case as an extra, but really, they (manufacturers and shops) would have to cut a corner somewhere else to include a case at that point.

9) At this price, if you ask if a set up is included the salesman is going to congratulate you on being so witty.

ShakeNBake

X-rated Bob wrote:
If you can wait a bit and save a bit more you can do quite a bit better. The difference between a 15 grand and a 20 grand acoustic is often not much, but the graph of bang and buck has a steeper curve lower down the price range, so the difference between a 2 grand guitar and a 4 grand guitar can be significant.

Just my 2c worth of experience to further validate that. ^

There can be a big difference between a few hundred rand on the 2nd hand market.

Usually a R2k acoustic 2nd hand - you're looking at Cort Earth Series (actually they should be cheaper) or the model I had before my current, snap can't remember.
That or some beat up Washburns - you won't be spoilt for choice on gumtree - from my experience anyway.
But (and maybe I just got lucky) R2700 got me my current Cort CJ5X - which I feel was a great deal.

Tanglewoods are awesome and certainly also for consideration.

But you've mentioned you're just wanting to find your groove initially with an acoustic - so perhaps you don't need us talking your budget up another R2k ?

But hey - good luck and sure you'll find something that suits your needs ?

Norman86

frodo bagins is selling his tanglewood sundance acoustic...
check the classifieds!

www.guitarforum.co.za/index.php?action=classifieds;sa=view;id=1806

RJN

X-rated Bob wrote: OK. Today I went out shopping with a friend who has rising Telecaster GAS. I took the opportunity to play some R2000 and down acoustics, and a few that cost a bit more. I did not write any model numbers down, so don't ask ?

1) At this price point Cort seems to me to be a better bet than Ibanez, but you're still getting what you pay for.

2) The difference between a just under 2k guitar and a 2.4k guitar (all Ibanez in this case) is significant. At this end of the scale 500 or 600 extra buys a lot more guitar. The difference in playability could be felt immediately.

3) Just about everything I played needed a set up (at the very least a truss rod adjustment). But see above, the 2-and-bit thousand guitars were better in this regard.

4) Which suggests to me that a lot of such guitars in circulation might have been bought by people who wanted to try, found it physically hard going, gave up and moved on. The extra money would have made the experience better, and some 2nd hand guitars STILL need a setup (because the person selling didn't realise what the problem was)

5) So factor the price of a set up into things

6) Go for a natural finish, if possible satin. The solid color guitars had THICK coatings on them - which doesn't do the sound any good. Natural finish guitars seemed to have less finish on them and satin finish less still. Also a solid color finish may hide a multitude of sins (and you can't easily tell if it's solid top or plywood)

7) They all seemed a bit short of sustain and the "ring" that a good acoustic has. This is understandable at that price, I guess, but it also comes back to the setup issue - a decent saddle (good material, cut to fit properly) could make a distinct difference here.

8) None of them came with cases. You can buy a case as an extra, but really, they (manufacturers and shops) would have to cut a corner somewhere else to include a case at that point.

9) At this price, if you ask if a set up is included the salesman is going to congratulate you on being so witty.

Thank you !

flatfourfan

Well I played a few on Friday and liked them all. For the records, I'm firm on my ceiling price, nothing about R1500 for a starter, this also won't be my main guitar, that'll still be my electric, this is for when the mood grabs me.

SO I appreciated all the advice given. I've dumped the idea of a case at this stage and all my money will go for the guitar.

I did see frodo's tanglewood, but he's in CT and I want to play it first, plus his is outside my budget.

I've had a Yamaha thrown my way from the 80's that I'm playing after work today. Will give some feedback on that tomorrow.

Cheers for all the advice. much appreciated.