Recommend me a budget electro

JDE

I'm shopping around for an electro, mainly for live use. I'm not Tommy Emanuel, it's mainly for strumming and the occasional Elliott Smith style finger picked singer songwriter type bumf.

Budget is about 500 quid. Only real requirement is non-Jumbo in size, not a parlour either. OM and up, not stretching to a 17" bout. Not fussed about a cutaway or fancy shit, just need a workhorse that sounds good.


I've played leccy and archtops for years, so am pretty clueless about flattops.

bluechargeboy

New or secondhand?

 

Nice guitars: Yamaha in the sale

I played a few recently, Faridas are not too shabby, Epiphone Masterbilt was pretty good.

JDE

New or used, not overly fussy. Like the look of the masterbilt's, will look into Farida's.

Always fancied a Yammy (big Elliott Smith fan), so will have to make more effort with Classifieds/eBay.

Thanks!

bluechargeboy

Best to try out acoustics in a shop and buy the one you like, if at all possible. They are much more varied and subject to personal taste than electrics.

Also, DO NOT try guitars that are outside your budget, because you will want them and probably buy them anyway. Ask me how I know!

Octahedron

@bluechargeboy has a wisdom from me. 

On both counts. 

The above has resulted in my long-term lusting for a Taylor and a Lowden. Something I kinda can, and can't justify the price tag for all at the same time. 

MtB

Not a recommendation, but Dolphin have a sale on at the moment - including Yamaha Electro-Acoustics.

The A3R seems to get good reviews, and they're currently at £260 less than anyone else is selling them for..... 

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/buy/Dolphin-Summer-Sale.html/m/4

Gassage

Try get a Yamaha with the SRT system

TheMarlin

Find a used Faith Saturn for £300 ish.  It'll be the best £300 you ever spent.

Or a late 1960's Yamaha FG110 (or FG160) red label made in Japan model.  You'll get one for £200ish, and they're almost Martin like tone.

Or, Yamaha LL16 

Marlin

Phil_aka_Pip

Faith. Try, even if you eventually decide on something else (but I bet you won't once you've tried one)

stimpsonslostson

The Giltrap Signature by Vintage is something rather special. I tried one as I thought it looked cool. SO nearly bought it!
All the Yamahas I've played felt a bit plasticy... I doubt you could chip the paint on one of those with a hammer! They sound MUCH better plugged in than I expected though.

bazxkr

I have a mint OBB Yamaha APX500ii in orignal Yamaha hard case in the classifieds (if you go back a bit)
In RM5 Essex if you wanted to check out whether it is for you or not

Cheers
Baz