How do I judge a great guitar from a fake?

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Miss Easly

I'm a beginner guitar player and have completely fallen in love with playing. I've been practicing on an older guitar that doesn't tune well anymore. I know from experience that instruments can look amazing but sound awful. I just want to find a cheaper, high quality guitar that will last a long time.
How do I find the right one?
Yes, I'm looking for an Acoustic Guitar.

Answer
Well, you basically have like two quite separate questions here.

The first one - judging a great guitar from a fake - is some times a complicated matter and will only involve well known and expensive brands ... or highly sought after, rare instruments.

In that respect, I don't really see how it applies to your situation - looking for a lower priced guitar. Also, like an other poster has touched upon, cheap and high quality does really not go hand in hand. A high quality acoustic instrument is expensive beyond belief (think tens of thousands of dollars).

You can however find a decent instrument for a couple of hundred dollars - an instrument which will serve you well for a long time.

If you look into acoustic steel string guitars from Ibanez, Yamaha, Jasmine (Takamine) or Epiphone, you should be able to find a decent guitar with an all wood (solid) top and more than fair build quality. Just make sure - if you want to be able to enjoy your instrument and continue playing - that you have the guitar properly adjusted with light strings. You can read more about that issue below when you feel like it :-)

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What is the best acoustic guitar to get for a beginner?

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ILoveJBieb

I have a guitar already and it is really old and the strings have snapped. I am starting acoustic guitar lessons and I just wanted a good make guitar which is easy to play and good for beginners

Much appreciated :)

Answer
Nothing wrong with an old guitar if it still plays well. Might be worth $5 for a new set of strings just to see how it plays and sounds. I got an old guitar from my grandpa. It didn't look like much. The finish was checking and some strings were missing and one of the tuning pegs was bent. I, being young and stupid, tried to fix it up by sanding it and refinishing it. removing the bridge and "adjusting" it, and putting new tuners on it. Turns out it was an old Gibson Kalamazoo guitar which I complete ruined by trying to fix it up like a "new" guitar. Sorry guitar lovers it still breaks me up that I was so dumb too!

But if it's actually an old piece of junk or you just want a crisp new guitar, you can get some decent beginner guitars in the $100 range if you get one with a laminate top. Laminate (plywood) tops don't have the tone or sustain of a solid wood top but for a beginner the bigger thing is the playability of the guitar. The Takamine Jasmine is a decent guitar for a beginner on a budget (way better than comparably priced Dean, Gibson Maestro, and other sub $100 guitars). Guitar Center has a Mitchell guitar they sell for $129:
The full size dreadnought model:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mitchell-MD300S-Solid-Spruce-Top-Acoustic-Guitar-105769301-i1505586.gc
If you need a smaller bodied guitar there's this orchestra model:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mitchell-MO100S-Solid-Top-Orchestra-Guitar-105343248-i1460870.gc

At just around $200 my favorite is the Yamaha FG700S. It's a full size dreadnought with a solid spruce top. Yamaha makes excellent beginner guitars and I recommend these to many of my students who want a bit better beginner guitar that will last them a few years.
If you want a smaller body the Yamaha FS720S is a great option but you're getting up in the $275ish price range now. Still a good guitar if you want something smaller bodied but still a full size guitar.
You're right to realize people have preferences when it comes to choosing guitars and I'm sure some very experienced guitarists on here will disagree with some of my recommendations and have options of their own that are equally good. The ones I'd avoid (again my preference and experience picking guitars for my students) are:
Dean - I've played several of their lower end guitars and the majority are just unplayable because they are set up so badly from the factory. They buzz, are difficult to fret and have horrid intonation.
Fender - If you want a strat or telecaster or a good tube amp then Fender's great, but they're acoustic guitars just don't have the tone you'd expect from Fender.
Gibson Maestro - yuck! Why waste $100 on one of these toys when you can get a real guitar like the Takamine Jasmine for the same price?
Ibanez - again, great electric guitars and basses but their acoustics, while they play OK just don't have the tone I like.
Epiphone - some are OK but not the cheaper ones. If you love Gibson and want to look like you own one from a distance they're OK but not music to my ears. Besides my first guitar was an Epiphone and it was a bear to try to play. They have chunky necks and high action which are not ideal for an 8 year old learning to play guitar (that's what I was, no idea how old you are).
Yamaha is much better than those for the price (again just my opinion).

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What is a good beginner guitar to buy for $100-$200 budget?

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Trystin

I would like to start back up my hobby playing the acoustic guitar...
However I don't know what's a good brand to get?
I've been looking online everywhere, reading reviews, and my understanding of the terminology has weakened.

I'm a fairly small person; 5ft 1in, so I have short arms, fingers, and small hands (I have even compared my hands to 3rd graders...Theirs were still bigger, haha).
I was thinking of going for a 38" guitar.
Does this mean the frets are closer to each other? Because I think I had a 41" and I could barely reach certain chords without placing my arm, hand and fingers in such an awkward position.

I'm just looking for a decent guitar, good resonance, and wont need constant tuning.
Looking for any kind of advice and brand suggestions :) Thanks!

Answer
Total length measurements like 38" or 41" are something you only see in ad copy for low-quality bargain-basement guitars. They are best regarded as a sign that you're looking in the wrong place.

The way real guitars are categorized is by the scale length (the length of the part of the string that vibrates, in other words the distance from the nut to the saddle) and the body size. A full size guitar is one with a scale length of 24.5 - 25.5". This would be the most appropriate for you. Shorter scale lengths (3/4 and 1/2 size guitars) are made for young children and are usually of low quality.

Body size does not vary much on classical guitars and is fairly small (you didn't say whether you wanted a classical or a steel-string. Both are acoustic, meaning not electric). Steel-string guitars have a range of body sizes and patterns, which often differ in their names and exact dimensions among different manufacturers. Other than avoiding sizes that are actually uncomfortable, you should select the body style by how it sounds, not by how big you are. You would probably not like the large "dreadnought" size, which is the commonest in most stores, but there are certainly other options available. Visit a reputable guitar store and ask to look at small-bodied guitars. Asking for "parlor guitars" may also be productive. If your hands are small, you may also wish to play special attention to the neck width and thickness of the guitars you try out. Steel-string guitars have much narrower necks than classicals do.

In your price range, Jasmine, Epiphone, and Yamaha are good options. Ibanez might also be a good choice as they have a reputation for slim necks.

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What kind of acoustic guitar should I get?

What kind of acoustic guitar should I buy?

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FLNH

I just started playing guitar, and the acoustic I have is horrible. I don't want a beginner's acoustic but I don't want to spend loads of money on one either. What are the best brands? What are some good brands I can get cheap? Any ideas?

Answer
i bought a martin d16 for 1300 after almost a year of playing a jasmine that sounded like crap. put to learn on it was ok. taylors are good. seagulls. alvarez. if you want to spend a few hundred dollars. go to musiciansfriend.com and request a catalog.

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Is this a good guitar Jasmine by Takamine S35 Acoustic Guitar?

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chad l

I am wondering if this is a good guitar it will be the first one I am ever buying.

Answer
Yeas, Takamine makes good stuff, if your asking, then I would get a cheaper one than expensive to practice on, you may not like or stick w/it. If you do & get better, than by all means buy a better one later.

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What is the best acoustic guitar to get for a beginner?

guitar jasmine image

ILoveJBieb

I have a guitar already and it is really old and the strings have snapped. I am starting acoustic guitar lessons and I just wanted a good make guitar which is easy to play and good for beginners

Much appreciated :)

Answer
Nothing wrong with an old guitar if it still plays well. Might be worth $5 for a new set of strings just to see how it plays and sounds. I got an old guitar from my grandpa. It didn't look like much. The finish was checking and some strings were missing and one of the tuning pegs was bent. I, being young and stupid, tried to fix it up by sanding it and refinishing it. removing the bridge and "adjusting" it, and putting new tuners on it. Turns out it was an old Gibson Kalamazoo guitar which I complete ruined by trying to fix it up like a "new" guitar. Sorry guitar lovers it still breaks me up that I was so dumb too!

But if it's actually an old piece of junk or you just want a crisp new guitar, you can get some decent beginner guitars in the $100 range if you get one with a laminate top. Laminate (plywood) tops don't have the tone or sustain of a solid wood top but for a beginner the bigger thing is the playability of the guitar. The Takamine Jasmine is a decent guitar for a beginner on a budget (way better than comparably priced Dean, Gibson Maestro, and other sub $100 guitars). Guitar Center has a Mitchell guitar they sell for $129:
The full size dreadnought model:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mitchell-MD300S-Solid-Spruce-Top-Acoustic-Guitar-105769301-i1505586.gc
If you need a smaller bodied guitar there's this orchestra model:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mitchell-MO100S-Solid-Top-Orchestra-Guitar-105343248-i1460870.gc

At just around $200 my favorite is the Yamaha FG700S. It's a full size dreadnought with a solid spruce top. Yamaha makes excellent beginner guitars and I recommend these to many of my students who want a bit better beginner guitar that will last them a few years.
If you want a smaller body the Yamaha FS720S is a great option but you're getting up in the $275ish price range now. Still a good guitar if you want something smaller bodied but still a full size guitar.
You're right to realize people have preferences when it comes to choosing guitars and I'm sure some very experienced guitarists on here will disagree with some of my recommendations and have options of their own that are equally good. The ones I'd avoid (again my preference and experience picking guitars for my students) are:
Dean - I've played several of their lower end guitars and the majority are just unplayable because they are set up so badly from the factory. They buzz, are difficult to fret and have horrid intonation.
Fender - If you want a strat or telecaster or a good tube amp then Fender's great, but they're acoustic guitars just don't have the tone you'd expect from Fender.
Gibson Maestro - yuck! Why waste $100 on one of these toys when you can get a real guitar like the Takamine Jasmine for the same price?
Ibanez - again, great electric guitars and basses but their acoustics, while they play OK just don't have the tone I like.
Epiphone - some are OK but not the cheaper ones. If you love Gibson and want to look like you own one from a distance they're OK but not music to my ears. Besides my first guitar was an Epiphone and it was a bear to try to play. They have chunky necks and high action which are not ideal for an 8 year old learning to play guitar (that's what I was, no idea how old you are).
Yamaha is much better than those for the price (again just my opinion).

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What is a good acoustic guitar to buy for beginners?

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Alexis

Im planning on taking acoustic guitar lessons, but dont know what a good guitar would be to buy. I dont want anything to expensive and I need one thats good especially for a13 year old beginner. If you could add links of different guitars, That be great!

Answer
I don't know whether you are looking for a steel-string guitar or a classical guitar (both are acoustic), but either way, your best bet is to visit a music store and ask to try out some guitars in your price range (which should be at least $100 and probably about $150-300). Yamaha, Epiphone, and Jasmine are examples of decent makes for beginners. Avoid buying online or from discount stores or big box stores. There is a lot of unplayable junk out there, especially in the sub $100 range, and you don't need to waste your money on a lemon.

P.S. In case the issue comes up, a 13-year-old most likely needs a full size guitar, which means that scale length is 24.5 - 25.5" and body size is whatever you find comfortable. "3/4 size" guitars are for kids of 8 or 10.

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