Looking at electro acoustics

ElectricXII

I'm looking at buying an electro-acoustic guitar to use live, and I'd love a Gibson slope-shoulder dread, but I don't want to spend more than about £600 tops. My main electrics are Gibsons, so I'm most comfortable with this scale length, so I've been looking at the Sigma JM-SG45 and wonder if any of you guys have experience of this model.

The scale length isn't a total deal breaker though. as I have a couple of Fenders, and I gig an Electric XII. Any other suggestions?

TheMadMick

Beware the pick up police here.

There are a couple of good looking Yamaha's a bit through Acoustics£ you might like to consider. Excellent value in my view and in budget. They might even take offers and you could get a good professional set up.

Tannin

I just In that price range there is Yamaha and not much else. It is all made in China, even the Yamahas. (Or Indonesia, which is no better.) Buying new, I'd look at Yamaha, Cordoba, and Sigma. But I'd be much more interested in what I could find used. The used market should be improving now as we transition from shortage to glut.

Mellish

I'd have said a J-45 but your £600 budget rules that out. Epiphone I'd suggest you look at  

hollywoodrox

Mellish said:

I'd have said a J-45 but your £600 budget rules that out. Epiphone I'd suggest you look at  

Is there any slash epiphone’s on sale that would be around that price ,it’s gotta be in the ballpark 
the vermillion one is £648 at peach . 

ElectricXII

Thanks for the thoughts so far. I should've said in my post that I usually buy guitars used, so my budget would encompass some guitars that I couldn't buy new. I'm mainly an electric player and would only use the acoustic live for a half dozen songs in our live set, and at home. I've noted the warning @TheMadMick about pickups, but close micing an acoustic in a loud rock band ain't going to happen. 

I've got to say that prices are crazy at the moment. A few years ago £600 would've bought a used Gibson J15. Now they're more like £900. Any comments on the Sigma J-45 copy I mentioned in my first post?

chrisj1602

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

Mellish

@ElectricXII ; sent you a PM  

CountryDave

chrisj1602 said:

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

What are the necks like on these?

Mellish

Either Sigma JM SG45 or Epiphone "Inspired by Gibson" J45 I'd say. Try to play both side-by-side if you can  

chrisj1602

CountryDave said:

chrisj1602 said:

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

What are the necks like on these?

It’s a nice round C, 50s style but not like an R7 or anything that big. I really like it. The finish feels nice on it too.

BigPaulie

Tannin said:

I just In that price range there is Yamaha and not much else. It is all made in China, even the Yamahas. (Or Indonesia, which is no better.) Buying new, I'd look at Yamaha, Cordoba, and Sigma. But I'd be much more interested in what I could find used. The used market should be improving now as we transition from shortage to glut.

Is there any sign of this improvement yet?

There still seems to be a paucity of the typical used market wares, and prices remain well above previous levels.

Tannin

I'm certainly seeing it here in Oz, @BigPaulie - not so far as advertised prices go (at least not that I have noticed) but an obvious difference in stock levels. All the second-hand guitar shops I keep an eye on have pretty fair stock levels now, where a while back there was hardly anything. Top Shelf in Hobart, for example, has 10 acoustics in stock from $545 up to $1845; last week they also had one or two higher end models (now sold). That compares with, at the peak of the lockdown shortages, maybe three acoustics. That's just one small shop, but similar stories apply to all the others. (I'm a shocking phantom shopper: I follow what guitars are for sale near me the way another bloke might follow the stock market or the racing form.)

Just this week, as I was hunting around for a left hander to buy, both shops I called offered deals and discounts without me asking for them. That's another sign which wasn't there six or twelve months ago. 

Slowly,. slowly, the market is turning.

guitarjack66

Tannin said:

I just In that price range there is Yamaha and not much else. It is all made in China, even the Yamahas. (Or Indonesia, which is no better.) Buying new, I'd look at Yamaha, Cordoba, and Sigma. But I'd be much more interested in what I could find used. The used market should be improving now as we transition from shortage to glut.

I've got to say that Indonesian made guitars have been very well made in my very small sample range. I also hear others with more experience saying this too. I obviously wish they were home made but they would then be unaffordable for me and many others though.

ElectricXII

chrisj1602 said:

I’ve got an Epiphone “Inspired by Gibson” J45, I’d highly recommend it, it plays and sounds fantastic, solid wood construction and a nice semi-gloss finish.

Thanks. I've been looking at that one too. A new one is a bit more than my budget, but I'll try to play one, ideally alongside the Sigma version.

Tannin

It's not the build quality Jack. It's not even the labour practices. It is the wholesale illegal destruction of forest for the timbers they use. China is by far the biggest importer of illegally logged timber in the world. Indonesia doesn't  import much, it just  illegally clearfells vast areas on the islands it occupies (Borneo, Western New Guinea, etc.) and turns it into palm oil monoculture plantations. I would never buy a Chinese or Indonesian made guitar (excepting only Yamaha, as I am assured that Yamaha actually follows its own code of practice). I'll pay the extra for an English, Canadian, German, American, Australian, or Japanese guitar every single time. You get better quality too, but that's a minor point.

guitarjack66

Tannin said:

It's not the build quality Jack. It's not even the labour practices. It is the wholesale illegal destruction of forest for the timbers they use. China is by far the biggest importer of illegally logged timber in the world. Indonesia doesn't  import much, it just  illegally clearfells vast areas on the islands it occupies (Borneo, Western New Guinea, etc.) and turns it into palm oil monoculture plantations. I would never buy a Chinese or Indonesian made guitar (excepting only Yamaha, as I am assured that Yamaha actually follows its own code of practice). I'll pay the extra for an English, Canadian, German, American, Australian, or Japanese guitar every single time. You get better quality too, but that's a minor point.

You are preaching to the choir when it comes to illegal logging and destruction of forests plus poor working and pay conditions with me,but I just don't have the cash to pay extra for 'good quality and legally sourced' guitars. Yes,I am a complete hypocrite and I realise this.

BigPaulie

You should be able to get a used Epiphone Masterbilt or Inspired by Gibson at that price.

Failing that, Faith make some beautiful slope shouldered dreads that you could get at that price. The model you're looking for is the "Mars".

Andyjr1515

The Faith Eclipse Venus Cut takes some beating.  They are available in places just below or just above your number depending on colour.

Matt Marriott is playing his here:

Teyeplayer

Secondhand Maton S60 or S70 would be my tip. They don’t often come up but are lovely and great value. Adding a pickup is a breeze as they are already reamed for a jack pin, so it’s an easy drop in.

drofluf

As others have said consider Faith, well made and great value for money.