wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction for buying a new electro-acoustic! budget is around £400-£500! wanting a solid top 6-string, has anyone got any suggestions...
Thanks, I was looking at Takamines and they look good! not sure which model like. Also not sure if there are any Martins in my Price range! anything else i should look out for?
No, there are no Martins in your price range. They do a specifically electracoustic model, one of these strange things with a neck apparently made from a ply/composite material, works ok on stage but not so dazzling as an acoustic. And about 80% higher than your budget.
A friend of mine is very pleased with his new Yamaha, bug + built in mike ( you can see it through the soundhole ), can't remember the model.
Otherwise look, try, listen, take along another guitarist for second opinions, plus listening whilst they play too.
There's a couple of nice Yamaha dreadnoughts in that range with solid wood throughout, although they don't have a pick up. But as it's possible to import very good pickups stupidly cheap from the USA at the moment (including tax) that shouldn't put you off non-pickup equipped guitars. A good non-invasive pickup (ie one you don't have to chop the guitar for) is an investment, it can travel from guitar to guitar and in the long run save you money (or let you get a better guitar for you cash).
In my opinion guitar pickups are an absolute minefield of disasters. I always used to be of the opinion that you get the best guitar you can affod and then worry about the pickup. But, if playing through a PA is a big part of what you want (and lets face it, that's usually when you most want to have it sound right in front of lots of people) then get a guitar that already has a matched pickup that you can try in the shop. In Australia Maton do good packages around your price but worldwide I think Takamine does the best package wise.
You can get any good sounding guitar to your ear and then add a pickup. i agree with Donough. The under saddle or under bridge I-beam kind of things give a nice natural sound. they cost in the $80-100 range, and are easy to install or a luthier can do it cheaply and quickly. If you want more than the simple volume control they offer (the active ones anyway) you can get a pre-amp.
I hate to see guitar sides cut out too, LOL.... I know, silly! But I think you have more control over what you get if you do it after getting the best guitar you can for the money.
You might find some used guitars though that you can try out that already have a pickup. If you don't mind dings and dents you may come out pretty reasonably.
Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction for buying a new electro-acoustic! budget is around £400-£500! wanting a solid top 6-string, has anyone got any suggestions...
# Posted on September 6th 2006 by Gersfanno1
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
If the pickup sound is important look at Takamine. They do both Nylon and steel string ones.
# Posted on September 6th 2006 by Donough
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
Thanks, I was looking at Takamines and they look good! not sure which model like. Also not sure if there are any Martins in my Price range! anything else i should look out for?
# Posted on September 6th 2006 by Gersfanno1
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
No, there are no Martins in your price range. They do a specifically electracoustic model, one of these strange things with a neck apparently made from a ply/composite material, works ok on stage but not so dazzling as an acoustic. And about 80% higher than your budget.
A friend of mine is very pleased with his new Yamaha, bug + built in mike ( you can see it through the soundhole ), can't remember the model.
Otherwise look, try, listen, take along another guitarist for second opinions, plus listening whilst they play too.
# Posted on September 6th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
There's a couple of nice Yamaha dreadnoughts in that range with solid wood throughout, although they don't have a pick up. But as it's possible to import very good pickups stupidly cheap from the USA at the moment (including tax) that shouldn't put you off non-pickup equipped guitars. A good non-invasive pickup (ie one you don't have to chop the guitar for) is an investment, it can travel from guitar to guitar and in the long run save you money (or let you get a better guitar for you cash).
# Posted on September 6th 2006 by Andy V
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
In my opinion guitar pickups are an absolute minefield of disasters. I always used to be of the opinion that you get the best guitar you can affod and then worry about the pickup. But, if playing through a PA is a big part of what you want (and lets face it, that's usually when you most want to have it sound right in front of lots of people) then get a guitar that already has a matched pickup that you can try in the shop. In Australia Maton do good packages around your price but worldwide I think Takamine does the best package wise.
# Posted on September 7th 2006 by Donough
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
You can get any good sounding guitar to your ear and then add a pickup. i agree with Donough. The under saddle or under bridge I-beam kind of things give a nice natural sound. they cost in the $80-100 range, and are easy to install or a luthier can do it cheaply and quickly. If you want more than the simple volume control they offer (the active ones anyway) you can get a pre-amp.
I hate to see guitar sides cut out too, LOL.... I know, silly! But I think you have more control over what you get if you do it after getting the best guitar you can for the money.
You might find some used guitars though that you can try out that already have a pickup. If you don't mind dings and dents you may come out pretty reasonably.
# Posted on September 7th 2006 by irisnevins
Re: Buying a new Electro-acoustic guitar
Yamaha have some good ones.
# Posted on September 7th 2006 by bodhran bliss