If you had £400 to spend on an acoustic, what would you get?

LooseMoose

If it helps I have a mint Faith Naked Venus with Hiscox that's inside your budget and would tick all the boxes!

fretmeister

@LooseMoose can you give me specs and pics?

pintspiller

Skarloey said:

What 'big' (i.e. places with a healthy and varied stock level) guitar shops are near you?

Sounds like you need to go somewhere with a range of models to see what suits.

Don't rush your purchase either. Use checking-out-guitars as an excuse to go to another-big-town-or-city with your significant-other/mates to try a few more "big" guitar shops.

My advice is always to go by feel and sound of in instrument over brand.

There will be more bang-for-buck by getting a used guitar, so try "over budget" in the shops so you can compare possible 2nd hand ones via Gumtree against new ones within your budget.

I haven't played an acoustic guitar in years, but when I gave guitar lessons twenty years ago I generally told students or their parents to buy the most expensive Yamaha they could afford. But that may not be the case these days.

Gassage

Ironically, I'd get a Yamaha APX1000

ToneControl

Actually, best advice is to get someone who has lots of experience, who is a good player, and has more expensive instruments, to take you round some shops

Try to do a day trip to Frailers in Runcorn http://www.frailers.com/ to get ideas

However, their good stuff starts at £700 with Larrivees

pintspiller

Like I said, "try "over budget" in the shops so you can compare possible 2nd hand ones via Gumtree against new ones within your budget".

Maybe you'll be able to pickup a used Larrivee within budget via Gumtree (other-used-guitar-sources-are-available).

buckfast

A used Blueridge. I can't fathom how they aren't more popular. Probably due to availability over here.

Sassafras

There are quite a few very reasonably priced Faiths on ebay at the moment.

From £200 to just under £400.

fretmeister

I tried a GS mini today. Sounded nice but the shirt scale is too cramped.

Tried the Taylor Big Baby - that was much better scale wise.

ToneControl

buckfast said:

A used Blueridge. I can't fathom how they aren't more popular. Probably due to availability over here.

I have a Blueridge tenor

it's a lot better than the Martin cheapo ones that are £200 more

I'd assume the BR63 etc are good, go for £200-£250 on ebay

the BR60 etc got excellent write ups in the USA "acoustic guitar" mag

LooseMoose

fretmeister;1144024" said:

@LooseMoose can you give me specs and pics?

PM'd