Buying an Acoustic Guitar

[cjam]

Hi all, i'm new to this forum.

I've posted this in the tools of the trade forum but think it is probably better suited for here.

Been playing an electric for about 2 months now and want to buy my first acoustic.
I've been looking around various online shops for something around £100-125 and found an Ibanez PF60 and a Washburn D10s - can anyone recommend which I should get or should I go for something else?

Help...

thank u

[mishmannah]

A warm welcome to you, cjam!

May I comment on your two choices of guitars...

The Ibanez is a very nice guitar and reasonable for the price. The great thing about it it that it has a solid spruce top. To have a solid top will guarantee the best sound quality. It has mahogany back and sides, so it may give you a bright responsive sound,slightly trebly, with just the right amount of bass.

The Washburn...it has the same spec as the Ibanez, and the company has the reputation as being a high end guitar company (making very good quality guitars.) The Ibanez is seen as a mid-range company. That is why you see a difference in the price...with Washburn, you are paying for the name. I have got a feeling if you picked up the Washburn and played it, it would be bright with a lovely warm bass sound.

I personally have an Ibanez AEL guitar, and am very pleased with the responsiveness of the fretboard. It responds like lightning, and has a bright sound. My guitar is an electro-acoustic, and you may want to think about whether you want a pickup on your guitar.

You can buy pickups to tack onto your acoustic guitar, or just point the instrument at a mike...it depends whether you are hoping to do gigs.

I live in the UK, and I apologise if the other forum members are peed off with me for repeating this, but I still revel in my purchase of the Ibanez guitar...I bought it from the US last year for half the price, although brand new. Make the most of the dollar's position and the joys of internet shopping...and feel chuffed that you may be the only person in the UK to have a specific model!!!

Sorry if I have overwhelmed you with info....and good luck on your choice. You have made two very good choices...

All the best! :D

[cjam]

Thanks for the quick reply and the warm welcome

I've read all good reviews about the Washburn until this one http://www.epinions.com/content_169903165060 but it's only one persons opinion
Haven't found any reviews on the Ibanez though, but would I be safe to think that as I wouldn't be paying for the name so much, i'd be getting better value for money?

I'm quite a way from doing any gigs yet so the pickup isn't really important at the moment

:rolleye:

[mishmannah]

Cjam...

I read your link to the Washburn review and was very surprised! I thought that they had a good reputation!

Right then, I will stop being objective and inflict on you my opinion on Ibanez...I think that they are a pretty good guitar company- My Ibanez acoustic is immensely fast on the fret board and fingerpicks like a dream. The one you selected looks like a good guitar. I have read tons of Ibanez reviews, and they are all pretty good!

I understand that guitar buying can be a mildly scary affair- especially when you have so many companies crying out for our money...and that to get a cheapish guitar you have to be prepared to accept that these things are made in the Far East!

The best advice I was offered was to visit my local music store with someone who knows loads about guitars, and try out different guitars, if you are brave enough to play in front of the store owner! Humans have been made in all shapes and sizes, and one recommendation for a guitar from a guitarist may be another man's nightmare. It may well be that you need to get a feel for what suits you.

Apparently, when you are looking at a guitar, a well made guitar has no hobs of glue inside the soundbox...

Another company I recommend is Samick. I have a Samick dreadnought guitar retailling at £100, I think it is made of nato wood, which is cheap quality, but it has a good tone.

Why not tap "Yamaha" into google and see what they have to offer. They also have a good reputation for guitar making. My friend has an APX (Sorry, Electro Acoustic!) and she loves it to bits!

I laughed when you said that you were quite a way from gigging...I used to do a few gigs, but at the moment, I am just enjoying jamming at home with me the only audience.

I hope that you find your dream guitar... :D

[guitaraholic680]

Holy crap, i HAVE that washburn. HAHA. I love it. But mine is acoustic electric with a cutaway. It sounded great. I've been having trouble with mine, so its not been to fine lately. But we won't get into that. I'd say go for the Washburn D10. Nice guitar. I sure love it.

[PerianArdocyl]

Wow...an electric guitar player who wants to learn accoustic. CJam, I salute you!

[cjam]

Well I had decided on the PF60 but changed my mind at the last minute and went with the D10S

Thanks for all the advice, i'll let you know when I get it in a few days time

[mishmannah]

Well I had decided on the PF60 but changed my mind at the last minute and went with the D10S

Thanks for all the advice, i'll let you know when I get it in a few days time


An absolute pleasure,Cjam; Woot! I am glad. Washburn do have a better reputation than Ibanez...

Yes! Please keep us posted on how you get on with the Washburn- I have done a bit of research myself ('cos I like cyber window shopping for guitars myself) and the Wasburn brand is generally cited as a top end company.

It is exciting waiting for a guitar to arrive in the post...I would buy another guitar just for the thrill of the delivery date and the guitar shaped box....then the WOW as you open it.....

[Acoustic Belle]

Hi guys, my first guitar was a washburn and I still play it only its wearing pretty thin onthe frettboard these days.
they are lovely guitars and i think you made the right choice, and its funny i didnt know ibanez made acoustics.
I have last years catalogue and no acoustics in that, but you learn something new every day.
enjoy your new guitar, and its nice to see some brits on here. I thought i was the only one.
Belle

[mishmannah]

Hi guys, my first guitar was a washburn and I still play it only its wearing pretty thin onthe frettboard these days.
they are lovely guitars and i think you made the right choice, and its funny i didnt know ibanez made acoustics.
I have last years catalogue and no acoustics in that, but you learn something new every day.
enjoy your new guitar, and its nice to see some brits on here. I thought i was the only one.
Belle


Hey- I am a Brit....nice to see you on here too! :D

Why not sign up and stay with us?

What do you mean by your fretboard wearing thin? You must really play!! I have not had any guitar long enough for that to happen!

I have an Ibanez and I like it..

[mr mungbeen]

I've played acoustics of the same make and model that sound different, there is just so many variables in making them.

It's subjective... What I like you mightn't, so my opinion really isn't that useful to you. My advice is not to buy an acoustic based on brand or name. I would just keep playing instruments in your price range until you find the one that sounds and feels the best for you.

[cjam]

Well I got my shiny new guitar the other day and i'm very pleased so far. Sounds great when i'm not whacking the strings too hard :hmmm:

The strings squeak loudly when i'm moving between barre chords but thats probably me dragging my fingers too much - gonna get some Elixirs though as I believe they're supposed to be smoother.

Even after just a few hours playing it i've improved considerably - it's more difficult to play than my electric. Only disadvantage is that I can't murder a song peacefully now by switching off the amp so my housemates will have to suffer, hehe!!

:_devil:

Thanks for all the help

[Carbohydrates]

Funny, when I bought my guitar I went Ibanez but I'd been looking at Washburns a lot, too. Tell us how she goes!

[MetalMark]

Tanglewood Solid Top Guitars (http://www.guitarbitz.com/tanglewood_guitars.htm) tend to have great tone and a full bodied sound - I recently played a TW115ST (http://www.guitarbitz.com/413.htm) which for under £200 had nice action and great sound - have you considered this brand?

[GapToN]

Washburn is , i believe, one of the TOP end company out there.

and that SINGLE review is done by a SINGLE person. not to mention that he played guitar for 40 years (according to what he said) and he has never heard of the brand Washburn. i mean, i played guitar for 2 years and i know about Washburn guitars.....do a search on this forum and u will see how many results u will get from the keyword "Washburn"

moreover, do u know the magazine "Acoustic Guitar" ?? u sure do

that is a MAGAZINE, with more than ONE PERSON. they looked at the market and picked 14 best acoustic guitar (under $500 range i think) and the D10S is one of them.

trust ONE random person or the "Acoustic Guitar" ?
i personally will just ignore what that guy said

[Submerged]

I have a $180 ibanez, and used it in church just fine. eventually i got a $600 alvarez, and now im saving up for a $1000 breedlove. But my point being, that in my experience ibanez is a very decent company, especially in the somewaht cheaper models.

oh, and some reviews:

ibanez model:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Ibanez/PF60BK-1.html

washburn:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Washburn/D_10S-1.html