Recommendations for an acoustic to strum with vocals?

richh

I'm mainly an electric guitar player, but got my old (cheap) acoustic out and tried playing a few songs strummed (with capo) and sang along.  I enjoyed it, and wouldn't mind getting something a bit better for this.  I'll never be great at this, as my vocals are limited.  And I think my main focus is going to stay on jazz stuff on my electric.  But this was fun, and I'd like to do more of it!

Any recommendations new or used please?  Assume my current instrument is very low grade, but playable, and while I could afford a £2k instrument, I really can't justify that for this purpose, so maybe something that would sound and play better, but not be something I'd worry too much about treating with kid gloves?

Don't really need a pickup or cutaway, and if I try some, I might be tempted to spend more if I found something I loved playing?

I'm based in Oxford, but sometimes am in Birmingham, Northampton and London.

Thanks, and this is maybe a bit too vague, but I have zero experience with acoustic steel strings beyond entry level ones!

drofluf

Why don't you take a trip down the Cowley Road? PMT appear to have a good selection of Faith, Fender, Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha etc. in your price range. That may give you a good idea of your preferred body size - I find Dread's too big for example - and the different sounds. 

You'll get better value if you buy used but it may be worth seeing a selection from different manufacturers to help you narrow your search.

richh

Thanks, haven't been in for a while, and I wasn't very familiar with their acoustic range.  But yes, that would be easy enough!

drofluf

I haven't either but last time they were very welcoming and let me try out lots of stuff. 

TTony

I'd really only recommend getting to a decent shop and trying a load.  Start by narrowing down the body shape/size to what feels most comfortable for you, then try a few models from the different brands in that shape/size.

Consider a built-in pickup too.  You can retrofit them, but those tend to look "retrofitted" (and messy) and you'll probably get basic EQ built in too if it's electro from the factory.  Makes recording a lot easier if you decide to get into that too later on.

You can't really do the Harley Benton thing with an acoustic, so whilst you could get something decent for <£500, you can't really "upgrade" it in future, and it might be cheaper in the long-run to aim at £1k as a sensible limit.

Have fun!!

richh

Thanks Tony, good suggestions, I'll try some out and see if I can tell the difference

Timcito

The classic strummers' guitar was always the Gibson jumbo, and there are numerous models of this. They are not trebly guitars; in fact, as a pickerpicker myself, they don't really interest me because I like ringing trebles and sustain. The Gibson jumbos are more muted and will not overpower a singing voice. However, they can be pricy..

Have you thought of an Ovation? The slim bodied varieties are great for people more used to electrics. A good one will have a decent acoustic tone (again, nothing to overwhelm a singing voice) and be easy to play, with a slim neck and low action. And, of course, they sound great plugged in.

Snags

To some extent it's going to depend on your voice and the style of stuff you sing and play, particularly when it comes to body shape and (if you get spendy enough to have a choice) woods used.

But if it's literally just for strumming along with a few chords, then I'd probably start with something like a pre-loved Faith of some description, and wouldn't necessarily rule out Tanglewood, Alvarez or Yamaha. Personally I don't particularly like the Fenders (in general - a friend has one that sounds OK), and IMO you're paying more for the name than the guitar with the lower price Martins, Taylors, Gibsons etc.

So as usual, get yourself to a few shops and play a few is the best advice, to find something that suits you. If you're Oxford-based and don't mind a bit of a trip, you're potentially within striking distance of Coda (probably a couple of hours depending on time of day) and even, at the risk of invoking a forum bete noir, a quick nip up the M40 to Richard's Guitars in Stratford-upon-Avon which carries some brands you might not get at so easily elsewhere.

tomjax

If you’re mainly an electric player, you might find the Yamaha acoustics comfortable as they typically have a very slim neck profile. Also, consider a used Gibson J15, great strumming guitar, just like the J45.

richh

Thanks for all the suggestions, and I'll try some out when I can, and get a feel for what feels right, and see if the sound is really much better than what I already have!

BigLicks67

A used Taylor 310 would probably do the job. You can find them for less than a grand or a used Yamaha LL6.

thomasross20

My L-05 in classifieds, guaranteed richer and more luxurious than most others you'll try  

Otherwise for cheaper and assume new, depends also on what EQ you prefer and what body shape you are comfortable with. 

Pigknows

A Guild would probably suit you very well for the purpose you describe. I'm a big fan. The dreads and jumbos in particular are great strummers. Very balanced. Naturslly compressed. Record well. Great choices to accompany/complement a singer and not overpower them. 

 The '70s/'80s D25M with the arched back would be my pick if you were to have only one acoustic for strumming. One of Guilds more basic models back in the day but for what you describe (mindful that you don't say what kind of music you'll be playing) there's nothing better in my opinion, regardless of price. Sounds great played hard (won't crap out) or soft). Pretty bombproof and you won't be scared to play it. Highly regarded by many Guild fans. Ryan Adams plays one. 

If you'd have said you were a picker, I'd have recommended an F30

rustneversleeps

+1 for Guild underated guitars.

munckee

Pigknows said:

A Guild would probably suit you very well for the purpose you describe. I'm a big fan. The dreads and jumbos in particular are great strummers. Very balanced. Naturslly compressed. Record well. Great choices to accompany/complement a singer and not overpower them. 

 The '70s/'80s D25M with the arched back would be my pick if you were to have only one acoustic for strumming. One of Guilds more basic models back in the day but for what you describe (mindful that you don't say what kind of music you'll be playing) there's nothing better in my opinion, regardless of price. Sounds great played hard (won't crap out) or soft). Pretty bombproof and you won't be scared to play it. Highly regarded by many Guild fans. Ryan Adams plays one. 

If you'd have said you were a picker, I'd have recommended an F30

I've got the Guild D25 spruce version from 88, lovely to play and sounds great and really has some acoustic volume when you bash it - and I'm a fairly heavy handed strummer.  Cost me less than a grand and is all the acoustic I'll ever need (won't stop me splashing out on something ridiculous at some point of course) brings me as much joy as my previous gibson sj100.

jaymenon

Avoid a small body 000 or smaller.
They are quite mid-heavy and so not good, since they compete with a solo male vocal.

A slightly bigger body (dreadnought or jumbo) with more bass and treble and a gentle relative mid-scoop, will allow your vocal to sit nicely in that mid-scoop and sound better.

RickLucas

Dreadnought