Electric players - your favorite cheap acoustic?

[NumbSkull]

Got those already...

But in London, one of my favourite things to do is to browse through the west-end music shops. And it's a much more meaningful exercise if you go with a MISSION!

The classic area to explore is around Denmark St in the West end. It's not quite what it once was, but it still has eye-candy.

But my inexpensive Reso come from Hobgoblin Music in Rathbone Place, a few minutes walk away near Soho. It's a very cool shop to explore interesting acoustic instruments, and I spent an enjoyable hour playing there. Being part of a national chain, prices are quite reasonable.

It travelled back with me safely to Aus and it's now my favourite non-electric player. I'd like to put a P90 in there...and maybe a lav mic....

I used to live in London, spent a lot of time around Denmark St, British Museum,
bookshops like Treadwells and Atlantis, Forbidden Planet.

Last time I saw Denmark St it was largely closed down because of major rail works,
I have heard its back but have not seen it recently.

Funny old place the internet, you chat to someone 1000 miles away and find you have a lot in common.

 

[circles]

I am predominantly electric, but this cheapo Franciscan I enjoy strumming on.

 

[BlueX]

Esteve 655 nylon string. Not expensive, but has solid spruce top and sounds good. Had it for many years, and play it regularly: mainly classic and fingerpicking blues, not so much flamenco nowadays (unfortunately). I've been looking for a better (more expensive) one, but the selection is tiny around here. Haven't found anyone that made it home with me, yet, and this is not the type of gear I buy online.

Furch D20-CM steel string. Solid cedar top and solid mahogany body. Has a very nice sound, but is a bit difficult to play (don't know why). Had a cheap Washburn for many years. Solid spuce top and sounded very good. It was also extremely easy to play, almost played itself. Unfortunately that solid top cracked one cold winter when it was really dry air inside (if that's the reason). Still haven't found another guitar that's so easy and nice to play.

 

[Audrix]

AZ acoustic Jumbo $100 in 2010 with strap and bag
Sounds ok because jumbo (of course a Gibson SJ200 is better but the low frequencies are great on this cheap AZ guitar)
Sill stays in tune if it stays in the same room
Without electronics
Cheap tuners but stays in tune
The neck shape is ok for me
The frets are not very comfortable : it could be improved with tools by a good Professional luthier, but it's not a priority
I never had to modify the trussrod setting and the action is ok

 

[telemarshall]

When we were coming out of Covid lockdowns, my band was offered a couple of small pub gigs. I needed an acoustic.

At my local store I found a used, like new, Epiphone Masterbilt DR500MCE Acoustic/ Electric. It was about $700 CAD (about $500 US I guess).

I think it's a great guitar.

A pic I stole off Sweetwater:

I've got two Epi Masterbilts (a DR500 MCE and a DR400 MCE). Yep, fantastic acoustics that won't break the bank.

 

[scott6762]

Gretsch Jim Dandy.

 

[Karl Brake]

If you can find a 300 series Yamaha made in Japan, they play fast, stay in tune, and have surprisingly good depth for the basic quality of wood they used. Well made, and pretty darned bullet proof. Not the resonance of my Martin, but a helluva a lot of fun to play. Fat frets make it feel like an electric. Run it through a modern pa with a little bit of chorus, and, Bazinga!

 

[Matthews Guitars]

The only acoustic guitar I own is a 18" full hollowbody acoustic archtop, (Gibson Super 400 class) which I built for myself in 2002. I'm just not much of an acoustic player. But that's a hell of a guitar! My oldest brother ended up with my father's 1964 Gibson J-45. Which to me, is the sound that a flattop acoustic is supposed to have. My brother SHOULD have that guitar, and I said so in no uncertain terms. There are no hard feelings about him getting it.

 

[scozz]

Bought a new 1974 Guild D35 right after I graduated high school in 74, 50 years later I still have it.

I played a bunch of acoustics at the store, including Gibson’s and Martins, ( I don’t believe Taylor was around then, don’t recall).

The Guild was head and shoulders above the Gibson and the Martin, it was the best acoustic in the store, in tone and playability.

In those days Guilds were made in the US in Westerly RI.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

Les Paul unplugged in the bathroom.

 

[TheLoudness!!]

Bought a new 1974 Guild D35 right after I graduated high school in 74, 50 years later I still have it.

I played a bunch of acoustics at the store, including Gibson’s and Martins, ( I don’t believe Taylor was around then, don’t recall).

The Guild was head and shoulders above the Gibson and the Martin, it was the best acoustic in the store, in tone and playability.

In those days Guilds were made in the US in Westerly RI.

I have a Guild D25 from 1980 and have no idea what it sounds like. It has a very poor headstock repair so I've never gotten to play it. I've had it for at least 2 years and it was $25.

At my last job, a guy I worked with had a D25 from about the same era. It sounded fantastic and if mine ends up sounding half that good, I'll be happy.

I praise the Gibson Faded J45 quite a bit.
My absolute favorite acoustic that I keep going back to is my 1974 Gibson Gospel but it needs a lot of work. I also played a J50 from 1973 or 74 and it was just completely dead sounding.

With Norlin era acoustics, there are some good ones and bad ones like any era of course.

 

[SkyMonkey]

My cheap (only) acoustic is a Jasmine NTS70SC NS cutaway dreadnought.

I was looking at acoustics on a whim in the late 90's and came across this one in a small music shop.
It has a basic electro acoustic circuit, with T/M/B/V controls, and a combined strap button/jack.
I had a strum for a while and then asked for a tuner to set the guitar with.
Knowing that acoustic intonation is usually quite poor I checked anyway.
But it was spot on.
It played nicely too (to my poorly trained fingers), so I bought it new for about £240-ish.
I am an electric guitar playing wuss though, so it now has 10-47 strings.

Jasmine are the 'Squire' of Takamine. So not a bad pedigree really.
It doesn't get played often, but it's a keeper: