Looking for a second £500-£800 guitar, quite fancy an electro acoustic

[TDW]

Firstly, hi all. I couldn't find a intro section so it's worth saying hello given this is my first post.

I'm originally from the North of England, but currently live in Bedfordshire which is about 40 miles north of London. I'm an amateur player of acoustic guitars and first picked one up when I was around 10 years old. I had a laminate tanglewood until about 3 years ago and then decided to buy something a bit nicer as I was starting to get into it a bit more. I subsequently bought a Martin D15M for £850 second hand and I love it, but as with all of my playing, I tend to dip in and out for 20 mins here and there and don't really finish learning music and never seem to master a particular piece.

Anyway, to the point. I'm a fingerstyle player and I've decided I'd like a new guitar for Xmas. I quite fancy an electro acoustic, but don't ask me why. I think it's because the Martin plays beautifully, but it can sometimes be a little quiet on the tones and some of the music gets dulled down. I'm not against getting another acoustic, but thought about the best of both worlds if I just got the former.

I'm not well educated when it comes to guitars and have been reading various posts on here to get an idea of well regarded brands. I've picked up that Eastman and Seagull get fairly good backing at the price range in looking at, and it's good to see my own D15M get a frequent shout for being a good guitar. I personally bought it on a whim! I don't really want to buy second hand, but for no other reason than I'm looking at getting this for Xmas and time is against me.

I was trying to find Black Friday deals yesterday but couldn't really find any. I was quite taken by the Seagull Entourage as it appears well built, sounds good for the money and has a slim neck (which might help me improve in my playing). I also stumbled upon the Eastman E3OME which looks really nice as well. I'm thinking of going for a smaller guitar this time round as I often capo the 2nd fret to make transitions in finger picking easier. In all honesty, I feel like I can't see the wood for the trees at the moment, which is why I'd like to ask if anyone can recommend me some other guitars to look at.

Thanks in advance
Tony

[Silurian]

Have a look at Faith. (UK brand. Made in the far East but all solid wood construction)
Highly regarded.

They have a number of electro acoustic models within your budget. The Mercury and Venus models would be good for fingerstyle. The Mercury parlours have a short 24 inch scale.

[AndrewG]

I'll echo the above (for obvious reasons!). This is the Faith 'Naked' Venus; probably Faith's best-seller...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KOi_isKuys

Here's a demo of the Naked range-all within your budget...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbp8yavToyw

[catdaddy]

I live in the states, so I'm not sure what choices you have available where you are, but in your price range I would consider a Martin 000-X2E or Martin 00L-X2E. Both are smaller bodied than your D-15M, have built-in electronics, are shorter scaled (less string tension for easier fingering), feature a 1 & 3/4 inch nut width (perhaps a bit easier for fingerstyle playing than the narrower nut width on the D-15M), have Martin's performing artist neck shape and high-performance taper, and both have solid spruce tops. I own a Martin 000-X1AE, the precursor to the newer 000-X2E, and have nothing but praise for its playability and tone. Martin's X series guitars offer great value at the price point.

[takamineGD93]

Anderton had a lot of alvarez deals yesterday. They where still on there page today. The cort luce 300 seemed like steal. All solid 45mm nut, soniton pickup.
Did you look at there page?

[boombox]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

I'll echo the above (for obvious reasons!). This is the Faith 'Naked' Venus; probably Faith's best-seller...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KOi_isKuys

Here's a demo of the Naked range-all within your budget...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbp8yavToyw

Hi, Tony and welcome to another Brit. You will get lots of advice here and will doubtless learn a lot. Your wallet may not like you though, as you find out about more brands, woods, etc.

I will echo the above (can you have a double echo??). I think your request has Faith Venus written all over it. That said, the Mercury is a 12-fret, which, given your comment re liking to capo, would mean you wouldn't need to. Some Mercury models come with electrics and they offer both 1 11/16" and 1 3/4" nut widths.

[TDW]

Hi guys, thanks very much for giving me more food for thought. I have previously looked at faith guitars and hadn't necessarily discarded the idea, but hadn't realised they were all solid wood.

I also appreciate the Martin recommendation and if I'm honest, I'm really quite bothered that I'll struggle to find something as good as that. The reason why I was mentioning the Seagull and Eastman guitars is because I was reading another thread which asked people what guitar they would buy within certain budgets and both of those brands came round time and time again.

I did spot all the Alvarez guitars on sale yesterday, but I've no idea anything about them or how they fair when compared against some of the more well known brands. It feels like I've got a lot to learn about brands and quality, but I am pretty set on getting something smaller so that I can navigate the feet board easier and quicker. Mastering fingerstyle will take me a lifetime, but it would be good if I could find the notes quicker and a smaller guitar will hopefully help with that.

Please do let me know if I should be looking at anything else, and thanks once again for the warm welcome and advice.

Tony

[stillsteven]

Originally Posted by TDW

I think it's because the Martin plays beautifully, but it can sometimes be a little quiet on the tones and some of the music gets dulled down.

Hi Tony, welcome to the forum. Mahogany tops have a tendency to be quieter with less clarity than guitars with spruce top. I enjoy the sound of my 000-15M but I understand it’s not the most versatile choice out there. Based on what you said I think you should consider getting a spruce top guitar. In the price range that you specified it’s hard to beat all solid wood Yamahas (AC3R or LS16). Both are smaller guitars with spruce top and rosewood b/s. Or AC3M if you prefer the added crispness of mahogany b/s. I think Eastman E3OME, AC122-1CE or AC222CE would be great options though I must point out I have never tried those myself. Faith guitars are other options I would look at but probably stay away from their all trembesi guitars. Trembesi is a hardwood so it won’t sound that different than your D-15M.

Originally Posted by TDW

I was quite taken by the Seagull Entourage as it appears well built,

For not much more money, Seagull Maritime SWS I think has a better value than Entourage.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by TDW

Looking for a second £500-£800 guitar, quite fancy an electro acoustic...

The world is your oyster. Check out the Guilds being made in China. Get a jumbo. You won't be sorry!

[TBman]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

The world is your oyster. Check out the Guilds being made in China. Get a jumbo. You won't be sorry!

I have a D-120CE and it's a decent guitar. It isn't as mellow sounding as a Martin all hog, actually its more like my spruce tops. I think tone is more about the builder than the woods used in many cases.

[TDW]

Thanks again for the extra suggestions. I'll certainly look at all the recommendations. Out of interest, do any of these Breedloves look like a particularly good deal? https://www.dawsons.co.uk/acoustic-g...ustic-guitars/

I know nothing about them, but the 'saving' against the rrp is ~40%+ so I wanted to get opinions. I read their concert guitar is mid way between a 00 and 000, so it would seem to fit what I'm looking for.

[Aimelie]

TDW, is there any possibility that you could make the trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon? (Richard’s Guitars). I see that it’s about 1 1/2 hours’ drive from Bedfordshire.

They have a shop full of acoustics and are now doing personalized appointments with clients to find the best guitar to suit her/his needs (and that includes price range).

Nothing beats trying a guitar physically — hearing how it sounds, feeling how it plays.

In your situation, that’s what I would do.

[cmac]

Originally Posted by TDW

Thanks again for the extra suggestions. I'll certainly look at all the recommendations. Out of interest, do any of these Breedloves look like a particularly good deal? https://www.dawsons.co.uk/acoustic-g...ustic-guitars/

I know nothing about them, but the 'saving' against the rrp is ~40%+ so I wanted to get opinions. I read their concert guitar is mid way between a 00 and 000, so it would seem to fit what I'm looking for.

First, don't be taken in by RRP. Nobody sells at RRP anyway so it's not a genuine saving.

As for instruments... Honestly, at that price range there's little to choose between one manufacturer and another. What really matters is getting them in your hands to see what feels and sounds good to you. If a Breedlove turns out to be one that works for you then there are certainly good deals to be had. But you can also get a decent Takamine, Yamaha, Sigma, PRS and others in that kind of range.

Don't forget used guitars too. And if you find a acoustic guitar with no electronics then it's not a big deal to add a pickup later on if needed.

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by TDW

Anyway, to the point. I'm a fingerstyle player and I've decided I'd like a new guitar for Xmas. I quite fancy an electro acoustic, but don't ask me why. I think it's because the Martin plays beautifully, but it can sometimes be a little quiet on the tones and some of the music gets dulled down. I'm not against getting another acoustic, but thought about the best of both worlds if I just got the former.

Welcome! I'm pretty sure it's against forum rules to not suggest additional instruments (he said, dripping with sarcasm), but in your shoes I'd get a K&K pick-up and a pre-amp. I don't know prices in England, but I'm pretty sure that keeps you in the neighborhood of 300 pounds, installed.

[TDW]

Hey, thanks for the messages. I'm not that far from Stratford but I was coincidentally having the same conversation over a coffee this morning and it's convinced me that I need to try a few out in person. I actually work in London so I can go to guitarguitar in Camden and try a few out for size. There are also a few shops in Milton Keynes that are worth visiting so I think it's best that I go and see whats on offer. Let's face it, the hunt for something new is half the thrill anyway

I'll report back when I settle on something, but I'm really grateful for all the advice so far and the nice warm welcome.