I have just been left some money by a close relative and in memory of her I want to spend the money on a guitar. I have been changing my mind regularly on whether to buy acoustic or electric, but as I play acoustic far more, I think that is where I would be best to put my money.
Acoustic wise at present I have a Breedlove Atlas AC-SR25 Plus and a Faith Neptune Trembesi. I would therefore want something different in looks and sound. The Breedlove has a very bright resonant tone where the Faith is darker and more mellow.
I will have ideally £1,000 to spend but may be able to push it by a few hundred for the right instrument. I realise that the only way to truly decide is to play a load (and I certainly don't want to buy blind) but I don't know where is best to put my money. It would need to have a pickup too.
Due to the sentimental value it will be a keeper so resale is not going to be an issue for me.
I would value any advice on what guitars are good value for that money and what might be good that is different to the acoustics I already have.
I love the look of a J45 but they are about double what I have to spend. What else is worth considering. I assume that as I don't have the money for "vintage" that buying new would give me the best array of choice rather than used.
Comments
Guild DS 240 - a mere £449. It came tuned straight out of the box, and has rarely needed tuning since.
Background
Ive owned a lot of decent acoustics; Taylor 814ce, W65, 912, RRR, 614 ce 30th anniversary fall ltd, J45, Collins, Atkin The 43 (loved that one).
Then, I had to really reluctantly sell my Atkin to fund a business deal. My mate had a Guild DS240, and I played it and completely loved it. Amazingly, probably the best acoustic neck Ive played and it sounds like a £2000 guitar.
Ive just fitted a K&K Pure Mini and it sounds superb.
Not a high end, but def a keeper for life for me, due to its playability and low value.
https://www.guitar.co.uk/guild-ds-240-memoir-slope-shoulder-dreadnought-vintage-sunburst-gloss?gclid=CjwKCAiAzNj9BRBDEiwAPsL0dwN0F8p6UYgcocmfsExCdL6Fx-bP6orYf6fMkda_hmk3z9i3EbIKExoCeDQQAvD_BwE
Harmony H1260 Sovereign
Kalamazoo KG-11, possibly but pushing it I think can’t get a 14 on your budget these days
Pre-War Harmony possibly
All great sub £1000 classics
Newer but still cool
Gibson J15 or J35
Martin 15 series
New I would consider a Gibson G-45.
That's a top-notch UK luthier-built Lowden-design instrument worth over £3k new
some used Larrivees can be found under that, I'd prefer them out of the big brands for that budget
If you forget about buying first-world-made guitars, you will find some stuff that's good but it's harder to rely on brands, and resale values could be poor
https://reverb.com/item/37139897-2020-gibson-j-45-studio-walnut-walnut-burst-fishman-pickup-ohsc-candy?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=37139897
This is the day it arrived.
have you heard of Frailers?
https://www.frailers.com/acoustic-guitars/
They (at least used to) import used guitars from the US , and often have great bargains