# New guitar suggestions



## JasonC3 (Jun 6, 2020)

Hi guys, I've been a pianist my entire life but I recently fell in love with the sound of acoustic guitars! Since stores are still closed to the public, I was wondering if anyone could give me some good acoustic guitar suggestions for a beginner to purchase. Thanks!


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

I'm a piano player who also plays guitar. My own lifetime guitar is a dobro but I imagine you'd enjoy some kind of small body "parlour" guitar. I can't make brand recommendations. Why a parlour guitar? You're a natural for finger picking and small-body guitars tend to be more transparent so you can hear the multiple voices in a finger-picked arrangement.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

You can't go wrong with the Yamaha FS/FG series.

FS are the smaller body guitars
FG are the dreadnoughts

Budget you're looking at $260 for standard model up to $550 for fancier models.

I own an FG830 and love it. I tried every acoustic at the L&M Burlington store under $1000 and bought this.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Pretty much anything made by Yamaha is going to sound great


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Godin/Seagull/Simon& Patrick. Canadian made. Go for a solid top, or solid all round if you can.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

You got good ideas from other members here. I would add Eastman (made in China).
You could also buy used for half to two thirds of the brand new price.
I would suggest to pay attention to string spacing compared to the width of you fingers and the height of strings at first and twelfth fret since many low grade instruments have to be adjusted (lowering the strings for a decent action).
Welcome to the acoustic guitar world ! ;-)


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## Acoustic Tom (Apr 6, 2020)

I agree that the yamaha acoustic is an amazing instrument for the money. The epiphone aj and dr series guitars are really affordable also. I used ultra light strings on mine and it's easy on the fingers . However , what ever you purchase it should have a set up done to ease your transistion from piano.


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## BEACHBUM (Sep 21, 2010)

Blueridge, Eastman and Guild Westerly Series.


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## Stephenlouis (Jun 24, 2019)

Guncho said:


> You can't go wrong with the Yamaha FS/FG series.
> 
> FS are the smaller body guitars
> FG are the dreadnoughts
> ...


This, but with Yamaha I would buy used.



Mooh said:


> Godin/Seagull/Simon& Patrick. Canadian made. Go for a solid top, or solid all round if you can.


And most definitely try out a few of these guys guitars, great, great value.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

Once you get your guitar, here are some simple suggestions:
-do get it set up by a pro, but also
-learn how to adjust the neck tension so you can keep the strings at the optimum height all along the neck
-your strings are equal partners with the guitar in producing and projecting the sound -- pay attention to them
-try different strings whenever you change strings until you find the ones you like best (if the wound strings get dull, you can clean them at least once with lighter fluid to bring some of the brights back)
-rub a soft black pencil into the the nut slots -- the graphite lubricates where the string must slide when tuning
-if your tuners have open gears, oil them
-wash your hands before playing
-the hardest part at first is that your left-hand fingertips will hurt and, being soft, won't fret the strings effectively -- you'll sound crappy
-a couple of weeks of woodshedding will toughen up your tips and fix up your sound
-store your guitar on the wall or somewhere that's right there when you feel like playing
-jam with tapes


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Stephenlouis said:


> This, but with Yamaha I would buy used.
> 
> 
> 
> And most definitely try out a few of these guys guitars, great, great value.


I'm not sure I would recommend a beginner buy a used acoustic considering that generally, a new acoustic comes with a free setup which is a $65 value. (According to the 2017 L&M Repair Rate Guide)

What is the one thing people tell beginners buying a used guitar? Get a setup.

Take a $300 Yamaha. Let's say you find it used for $200, then you pay for a setup. That $200 guitar now cost you $265. So for $35 you are buying a used guitar with no warranty and no idea how to look for serious defects.

Doesn't seem worth it to me.


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## Stephenlouis (Jun 24, 2019)

Guncho said:


> I'm not sure I would recommend a beginner buy a used acoustic considering that generally, a new acoustic comes with a free setup which is a $65 value. (According to the 2017 L&M Repair Rate Guide)
> 
> What is the one thing people tell beginners buying a used guitar? Get a setup.
> 
> ...


Fair enough, I did not think about set up as it is so automatic for me.


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## Sketchy Jeff (Jan 12, 2019)

JasonC3 said:


> some good acoustic guitar suggestions for a beginner


who or what would you sound like if you could play anything you wanted?

j


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