acoustically challenged

[wilsford]

okay guys - I am looking for an acoustic and I am an electric player and I know nothing. I have a mid price Tanglewood which is, frankly, dreadful, or certainly feels like it after playing one of my electrics. I have had a look round the internet and 3 things strike me.

1) Yikes! your Martin's, Alvarez, Breedlove's Gibson's etc are expensive! $1500-3000! Are they worth it?

2) sizes - what do they mean? Concert? Dreadnought? Jumbo?

3) Woods - seen some Mahogany, Spruce, Cherry - do the same laws apply to acoustics as to electrics - ie solid mahogany gibson versus alder bodied fender etc

What I think I want is an acoustic that plays like an electric but sounds like an acoustic... is this possible?

a further complication - I'm a lefty, so the chances are, anything I want would have to be ordered, and the chance to try loads of different ones here in the UK are few and far between - so the more I know or maybe the more I can 'hear' before I enter the store, the better!

Any suggestions gratefully received.:confused:

[triggercut]

1. Martins and Gibsons are great guitars, and if you have that kind of money to spend on them more power to you. But there are a lot of great-sounding cheaper guitars out there. I'm an Epiphone fan (as far as their acoustics go), and you can get a high-end Epiphone acoustic for $300-$400 new from places like Musicians Friend. Martin also makes some cheaper models which are supposed to be rather good (like their D-15 model). While, in general, more expensive guitars are certainly better-made, sound-wise there may not be a huge difference.
2. As far as guitar sizes go, Jumbos have the largest body, followed by Dreadnought, followed by Concert. The size of the body does have an effect on the sound of the guitar, in general the larger the body the deeper the sound. I'm a dreadnought fan myself, I find the Jumbo a little too cumbersome because of their size and the Concerts don't sound as good to me.
3. Just like with electrics, different woods give different sounds. Don't really know more than that.

As far as finding an acoustic that plays like an electric, you should be able to find something like that out there.
As far as being a lefty, you may have to special order a guitar, but another option is just to flip the guitar and play it left-handed. You'll have to restring the guitar and may have to change the nut, but it can be done (Back in his Beatles days, Paul played an right-handed Epiphone Texan left-handed by doing that sort of thing).

All in all, if I were you I'd just go to a guitar store with a good selection of acoustic guitars and just try 'em out until you find one you like playing and is in your price range. Hope this helps.

[guitarjames]

Jumbo's have a great low end sound, where as dreads are good all around instraments (lead and rhythm.) I have 2 epi accoustics and love them. Also, Martin has guitars out which cost under $600.

Another thing to think about is climate. I am in the Nevada desert where guitars like ovations and jumbo's can have problems.
If you invest a lot of money in an accoustic humidify or dehumidify. I think the magic number is 47%.

Good luck!

[guitarjames]

Trigger has put it very well! I didnt read his post until after I posted. :D

[d y l o n]

If you decide to go Epiphone, definitely go with a higher end Epi.

I've played the cheaper models and they felt like they were going to fall apart on my lap, the higher end stuff is fine though.

You'll probably want to start with a dreadnaught style, and just string it left-handedly (unless you absolutely need a left-handed cutaway).

To get it to play like an electric, just find one with a thinner neck and use light strings ;)

You can always change the nut and saddle, which will affect your tone, so keep that in mind if you want to buy a cheaper guitar and do a little customization.

[d y l o n]

Oh and for woods, you're looking for SOLID spruce or cedar tops (bright and mellow sounding respectively).

Probably laminate rosewood sides and fingerboard, maple neck.

[guitarjames]

If you can find a reasonably priced guitar with an ebony neck that would be even better. Its a harder wood and will last a lifetime.

[The User]

I own a Martin dreadnaught.
I wont change.

[grunge grl]

You really shouldn't try to go with the brand name for your first time... The best way is to go into the store and try those guitars out for yourself and see which one fits your sound and if you like the way it feels. Personally I like Martins but I just don't find the dreadnought body comfortable, I'm a short girl with small hands.
The big problem is finding stores that stock up on lefty models and sometimes those lefty models cost slightly more than their right-hand counterparts.

One very important thing you should consider is the neck or nut width. From an electric guitar with the thin neck feel, it will seem weird at first to hold an acoustic which tend to feel thick so you really have to find one that suits your hand.

Thinbody guitars play like electrics but they do sound like acoustics yet its not as deep as the sound you can get from the dreadnought guitars. Have you thought about getting an acoustic electric or just an acoustic guitar?

[cormac]

good advice from grungegirl btw -- an acoustic feels real weird after an electric (even tho i play maybe 60 percent acoustic and 40 electric, if i practice electric first and switch to acoustic, i feel like i'm trying to play a stand-up bass over my knee) --

and i'd re-emphasize the neck aspect -- go smaller than your electric even if possible since you're gonna have to 'bear down' on the strings as compared to an electric -- regardless of string guage, quality, etc, etc --

i'd recommend strongly the dreadnaught body too -- generally speaking, great tone and good volume (my Epi is actually very loud) --

and if you're looking for a lower end one, the Takamine's that i'v played in the $200 to $150 (even about $100 if i remember right) have been very nice for that money -- good sound and action especially for that money --

[chris g]

Try out some Taylors if you can. They get really pricey in the upper end, but they all play great in my opinion. I think one may fit you style of "playing like and electric, but being an acoustic". Give them a try, you'll be in for a treat.