What Acoustic guitars should I look into?

Question

I am looking into buying an acoustic guitar. I already have an electric guitar and and still learning to play so I have no need for top of the line although quality preferred of course. I am 20 so I do not want child's guitar but I do have small hands. I am looking for a slim neck and narrow body acoustic in the 199-250 range. First off is this doable, and if so what brands are best suited for me?

Answer 1

The best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different guitars, since each brand tends to have its own feel. Epiphones, for instance, have really wide, chunky necks that make them challenging for small-handed guitarists to play. And some have much lower action than others, which makes it much easier to move smoothly between chords and notes.



I'm female and have really small hands so I looked long and hard before concluding that Ibanez guitars were ideal for me. They're known for having really thin necks and low action. They're also built like rocks, sound great and are often nicer than guitars costing twice as much.



There's an Ibanez model called Sage that's one of the nicest guitars I've ever played, but which costs only $180 at Musician's Friend and Guitar Center. It has a solid spruce top, which is the most important feature in an acoustic guitar. Most lower-end guitars have laminated wood tops so they don't sound as warm and full as ones with solid tops. And spruce is one of those woods whose sound improves with age. I bought a second-hand Ibanez guitar more than 20 years ago and figured I'd upgrade to a "nicer" guitar after I learned to play. I eventually did get more guitars, but the old Ibanez is still my primary guitar for both recording and playing live because it sounds nicer than any other I've tried and still plays like it was custom made for me. And my guitar snob brother, who owns a recording studio and swears only Gibsons and Martins are worth owning, often borrows my Ibanez for recording projects because the sound is so pristine.



I'll post a link to the Sage at Musician's Friend. If you read the reviews, you'll find I'm not exaggerating about how nice it is. Jasmine by Takamine guitars are also really comfortable for most small-handed players, so they're worth considering, as well. Takamines are great, but tend to cost a bit more. If you handle a bunch of different brands before deciding, chances are you'll have no trouble finding an excellent guitar that won't break the bank, but which will serve you well for decades.



http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-SGT120NT-SAGE-SERIES-Acoustic-Guitar-?sku=512326

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=620424 (The acoustic-electric version.)

Answer 2

Alvarez makes fine mid-range-cost guitars and are beautifully finished. Average dreadnoughts price at around $300 on sale and the neck action is acceptable. The dreadnought, having a larger box cavity, will produce more resonance and tone than a smaller parlor-size acoustic will deliver. Don't concern yourself with acquiring a single cutaway; you have plenty of time and enough frets to keep you busy for a couple of years. Your first hurdle, other than learning some basic chords and strumming techniques, will be to build up your calluses. That can be a deciding factor if you will continue playing. Depending on your motivation and drive to learn the instrument, you'll move beyond the temporary pain and discomfort of sore fingertips. Just keep them dry as much as possible. Put a latex glove on your left hand when showering. It sounds silly, but sore fingertips will dissuade you to play if you allow it. Take a guitar player with you when you go to a local music store for your first purchase. He or she will better advise you, although the sales representative probably plays guitar too. There are other quality brands besides Alvarez; shop around until you find one that you feel suits you. Final recommendation: Buy an acoustic and learn on it first before going to the electrics. You'll thank me later. Happy playing.

Answer 3

Seagull has nice thin necks and are great for small hands, play nice too

Answer 4

go to musiciansfriend.com I love Washburns...