Acoustic guitar recommendation

[jus]

Hi guys, I can see that electrics are more popular than acoustics here.. But i hope i get a few opinions

I've been using a hofma solid top guitar for a little a over a year now.. With my limited experience with guitars (this is the only acoustic guitar i've ever played - bought for RM300 in Msia first hand) I have no idea where this guitar stands quality-wise.. But I'd like to get a nicer guitar now.

My old hofma is still going strong but there's just something in the tone that's missing out.. It doesn't sound as full as I'd like it to be

My budget is $400, definitely open to second hand units as it's probably more value-for-money. Budget can be stretched if it's REALLLYY worth it

Any recommendations? Or is my budget too low? I've seen so many recommendations for the J&D 108 but I've heard their QC isn't that good and thus i'd like to get something better. Maybe my budget really is too low, haha.

Thanks

 

[pessimist]

I would recommend maestro guitars. I recently bought a SD-2 CE and I'm very happy with it. the action is very low, and the sound is really nice.

 

[alongday]

Well, with 400 bucks, probably can get u a decent Takamine at Davis. or if you're in for something different, you may get one of the lower ends Ovation in Citymusic (Ovation guitars rock! I used to own one till my friend borrowed it from me after a gig, and the strap snapped, he couldn't catch it in time, the guitar hit the road, and the whole head broke).

For a great acoustic guitar, you'll definitely get what you pay for. Try different guitars and maybe even at different shops and you can really hear the difference in tone. Spruce top acoustics are pretty popular but on some guitars, the sound's really "steely". you'll have to try it yourself and find one that is really suited for you! I'm currently using a Martin D-1, spruce topped. sounds like an angel i swear.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Hi there,

Glad to meet another acoustic player (I play electric too but barely play it these days, I play mainly acoustic fingerstyle). I'm currently using an Ibanez SGT120 dreadnought which is an all-laminate and within your budget. I get quite an unusual tone from it which I like very much. But in light of the fact you can get a solid-top (supposedly better) for that same amount or less, I would not exactly consider it value for money. Superb guitar, but there are more value-for-money options out there.

I for one like the Jack and Danny DG108 very much. It is an unusual guitar with superb tone, and when you find a well-made piece, it will go a long way. I personally find their build quality quite good, just a bit inconsistent at times.

You can also try the Cort Earth 100 which costs around $300 and has a solid spruce top. I've tried it and it is a very nice guitar. Just very run-of-the-mill but very good at what it does.

There are also the Custom Acoustics at City Music that offer nice features for the asking price. You can get a solid-top for less than $400 for sure. Those around $300 or more seem to be nicely made guitars for the money, so you could consider those too.

If you can stretch your budget further, Maestro guitars are hard to beat. Really nice tone and playability from the Elite series, which can be had for $500+. The Standard series are somewhat like my Ibanez. Kind of expensive considering that they use laminate woods, but they're guitars too. Just not as bang-for-buck.

Hope this helps. Cheers!