Acoustic recommendations

[Stevepage]

I'm thinking of picking up an acoustic to learn something that's different from what I've been playing for years. Been listening to players like Andy Mcgee, Al Di Meola and Eric Johnsons acoustic stuff and I've been giving it some thought.

Which acoustic would you recommend with a budget of about £400 maximum?

would prefer something non electro acoustic as I won't be plugging it into an amp or anything,

[sgmypod]

Tanglewood, Simon and Patrick, Seagull

[Andrew W]

I have a Simon and Patrick parlour guitar which is a great little instrument though probably not specifically what you're after.  As a make they seem to offer well-made, not fancy, decent guitars for the money.  And they're well within budget for you.

[nfe]

I have a Blue Ridge acoustic, it's really excellent, I sold my Taylor 314ce after I bought it. it was a paltry £300 odd, albiet with a decent discount.

[38thBeatle]

I would say try a few and take someone who can play along so that you can listen whilst he or she plays it. I tried a bunch of guitars out for a friend a while back and was homing in on a Washburn D10 until we realised the Taylor Big Baby was in his £400.00 budget and he bought that.

[AndyR]

Have a look at Freshman guitars.

I can't remember what mine is exactly, a FA200D or FA250D I think - but they both show up as "under £400". (It might be an FA350D, but that's the next range up - I bought mine three or four years ago though.) I tried loads of guitars in my budget that day (~ £400), including takamines and so on - I'd never heard of Freshman, but the three I tried beat them all hands down (I was after "accoustic only", like you).

I'd second what 38th says as well - have another player with you so you can hear it "out front". Either that, or take someone whose taste in accoustic guitar sounds you can trust!

[mikeluke]

+1 - I've found that you can be blinded by the brand name on the headstock - my advice would be to set your budget and then try everything in the shop in your price range - you might be surprised at your conclusions...

[hunter]

You should try out a Taylor Big Baby. It's a very good guitar in that range, if you like it bright and loud. I am very happy with mine.

[sgmypod]

for smaller parlour size try the S&P and seagulls......and I hate to say it(because I love the big babys and not a martin fan) the small Martin is in similar price range to the Big baby..but sounds better and looks prettier/better build quality

[Lu_B]

Might be a bit over budget but I like K.Yairi cracking guitars for the money, failing that Yamaha are always pretty solid.

[Elliot]

I'd second the blueridge - excellent guitars!