good cheap acoustic guitar brands image
Q. I'm buying a cheap acoustic guitar for my boyfriend and I've looked online and all the ones that are 36 inches say they are "Children's" guitars. How big should a guitar for an adult be?
I know nothing about guitars so any help is welcome.
I know nothing about guitars so any help is welcome.
Answer
I don't know what stores you are looking at, but real guitars for adults are never sold in "inches".
They are sold with no labeling at all referring to size OR they may be "3/4 size" for children.
Do NOT buy a cheap guitar from a place like Wal-Mart or Target for like, $100. They will be awful to play. They are hard to play because of the cheap construction of the neck and bridge, and they cannot be tuned.
I'm not joking. They are made so imprecisely (the location and spacing of the frets on the neck), that they will always sound out of tune.
Having played guitar as a serious hobby and in a few bands for the past 30 years, let me give you some honest advice. Expect to pay about $300, for an acoustic guitar that is at least playable, meaning the strings won't be absolute agony to hold down, it will stay in tune, and will have a pleasant sound. Anything cheaper is total frustration.
If you are looking on-line, you can look at Musicians Friend or American Musical Supply (google them, they are easy to find), and look for something in the $250to $350 price range.
I have bought from both of those on-line places before, and they have always been reliable, even buying instruments through the mail. If he is serious about playing, it is much MUCH better to go to a local music store where you can try out the guitars, because there is a lot of variation in what you'll get for your 300 bucks.
(Of course, if your budget is bigger, you'll get a BIG jump in quality if you can get into the $700 guitars, and still other big jumps at the $1200, $1600, and so on, level. Yes, good guitars really do cost that much, and with good reason).
If you have a choice, TRY to get ones with a SOLID top (not laminated). Unless the description SAYS it has a solid top, it doesn't, believe me. Next up, you want solid back and sides (again, it will say if it has this). But now you are getting up into the $700 and up range.
Brands in $300 price range that make decent instruments, that I have actually tested out, are Guild, Yamaha, Ibanez, Takamine, and Epiphone (there are others). I have NOT been pleased with Fender's acoustic guitars, so I'd stay away from them, despite their well-respected name in amplifiers and electric guitars.
The really good stuff, like Martin, Taylor, Seagull (cheaper than the other two!) are $800 - $3000.
Oh, and for historical information, my first guitar was an Ovation (I don't care for them anymore, but they do still make fine guitars). It cost $200 in 1978, so today, it would be
$750. Next was a Seagull around year 2000 that cost $600, and just recently, a BEAUTIFUL Taylor that cost about $1700.
I don't know what stores you are looking at, but real guitars for adults are never sold in "inches".
They are sold with no labeling at all referring to size OR they may be "3/4 size" for children.
Do NOT buy a cheap guitar from a place like Wal-Mart or Target for like, $100. They will be awful to play. They are hard to play because of the cheap construction of the neck and bridge, and they cannot be tuned.
I'm not joking. They are made so imprecisely (the location and spacing of the frets on the neck), that they will always sound out of tune.
Having played guitar as a serious hobby and in a few bands for the past 30 years, let me give you some honest advice. Expect to pay about $300, for an acoustic guitar that is at least playable, meaning the strings won't be absolute agony to hold down, it will stay in tune, and will have a pleasant sound. Anything cheaper is total frustration.
If you are looking on-line, you can look at Musicians Friend or American Musical Supply (google them, they are easy to find), and look for something in the $250to $350 price range.
I have bought from both of those on-line places before, and they have always been reliable, even buying instruments through the mail. If he is serious about playing, it is much MUCH better to go to a local music store where you can try out the guitars, because there is a lot of variation in what you'll get for your 300 bucks.
(Of course, if your budget is bigger, you'll get a BIG jump in quality if you can get into the $700 guitars, and still other big jumps at the $1200, $1600, and so on, level. Yes, good guitars really do cost that much, and with good reason).
If you have a choice, TRY to get ones with a SOLID top (not laminated). Unless the description SAYS it has a solid top, it doesn't, believe me. Next up, you want solid back and sides (again, it will say if it has this). But now you are getting up into the $700 and up range.
Brands in $300 price range that make decent instruments, that I have actually tested out, are Guild, Yamaha, Ibanez, Takamine, and Epiphone (there are others). I have NOT been pleased with Fender's acoustic guitars, so I'd stay away from them, despite their well-respected name in amplifiers and electric guitars.
The really good stuff, like Martin, Taylor, Seagull (cheaper than the other two!) are $800 - $3000.
Oh, and for historical information, my first guitar was an Ovation (I don't care for them anymore, but they do still make fine guitars). It cost $200 in 1978, so today, it would be
$750. Next was a Seagull around year 2000 that cost $600, and just recently, a BEAUTIFUL Taylor that cost about $1700.
What's a good electric-acoustic guitar brand?
loveomusic
I am starting guitar lessons this summer although i already have some experience with playing but i have a really cheap acoustic guitar that i got five years ago, and so my parents are buying me a new one. i want an acoustic for sure, but was thinking of electric acoustic because i could make it louder (i have an amp and an electric guitar at home). what are some good brands for actoustic and electric acoustic guitars?
Answer
There are tons of great brands - Gibson, Epiphone, Ibanez, Takamine, Martin, Taylor, Seagull, Breedlove, etc. But since musical instruments are very personal and there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all guitar, the best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different ones. Each brand tends to have its own feel, so the only way to know which guitar is right for you is to handle a whole bunch of them.
I'm partial to Ibanez guitars because they've got really thin necks and low action, which makes them more comfortable for me to play (I've got small hands). They're also built like rocks, sound amazing, and nicer than many guitars that cost twice as much. My gigantic-handed brother likes Martins and Gibsons, which are beautiful instruments, but have chunky necks that are too fat for my hands.
If you want to do some research before going to the store, Musician's Friend is a great resource. You can search by brand, price or customer rating. Customers also post reviews that will give you a good idea which guitars are great and which ones have "issues" that could make them difficult to play or keep in tune. Here's are links to the acoustics and acoustic-electrics:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-guitars
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-electric-guitars
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that feels really comfortable and natural in your hands. One person's dream guitar is another's nightmare, so trust your instincts. The more comfortable you are with your guitar, the more you'll be inclined to play and the sooner you'll become a great player. Good luck!
There are tons of great brands - Gibson, Epiphone, Ibanez, Takamine, Martin, Taylor, Seagull, Breedlove, etc. But since musical instruments are very personal and there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all guitar, the best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different ones. Each brand tends to have its own feel, so the only way to know which guitar is right for you is to handle a whole bunch of them.
I'm partial to Ibanez guitars because they've got really thin necks and low action, which makes them more comfortable for me to play (I've got small hands). They're also built like rocks, sound amazing, and nicer than many guitars that cost twice as much. My gigantic-handed brother likes Martins and Gibsons, which are beautiful instruments, but have chunky necks that are too fat for my hands.
If you want to do some research before going to the store, Musician's Friend is a great resource. You can search by brand, price or customer rating. Customers also post reviews that will give you a good idea which guitars are great and which ones have "issues" that could make them difficult to play or keep in tune. Here's are links to the acoustics and acoustic-electrics:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-guitars
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-electric-guitars
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that feels really comfortable and natural in your hands. One person's dream guitar is another's nightmare, so trust your instincts. The more comfortable you are with your guitar, the more you'll be inclined to play and the sooner you'll become a great player. Good luck!
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