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new acoustic guitar for beginner and hip hop recording.

hiphopdraw

By hiphopdraw
in Acoustic Guitars

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hiphopdraw Newbie

hiphopdraw

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I want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar. Can someone recommend me a nice sounding acoustic guitar that is maybe worth around 200 or less. Hopefully, I could use it for hip hop/r n b recording in the future. In the future, I always want a martin d-28 when I am ready to upgrade. Thanks everyone... I hope to buy one for the next semester of school this fall and take the beginning guitar class. Maybe a lower end martin??? What do ya'll think?

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BackPocket Newbie

BackPocket

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I guess I will add my 2 cents. There will be lot of better opinions but it seems like you are looking for some response at least. There are many more knowledgeable people here

 

A low end Martin will cost you at least 500 - 550 and they are not like the high end Martin that you mentioned. They sound O.K. (to some) but they have what's called HPL back and sides which is not so awesome.

 

If you want something like a Martin, you can look into Blueridge or the Johnson Carolina JO-26 or JO-27 series. They are all solid wood and run about 400-600 depending on models. These are nice guitars, but they are slightly over you price range. If you wanted to check out Blueridge, call Andrew or Maury at www.maurysmusic.com - they can give you some good advice and they have great prices.

 

The Taylor 110 runs about 600 I think but you might be able to get one cheaper somewhere.

 

I have a Seagull S6 that I really like a lot. I think you can get seagulls for 300ish. If you are doing under 500 still I would also sincerely look into Epiphone Masterbuilts guitars. I have played some for 450 that have been awesome.

 

People seem to be fond of Guild guitars and some Yamahas.

 

If you have a friend who is a guitar player - bring them with you to check out some guitars. If you don't know anyone, maybe just ask a player in the acoustic room who seems to be pretty good for some advice about guitars yo are looking into - maybe have them play one for you. Couldn't hurt I guess.

 

Lastly, since you are not sure if you are going to stick with guitar yet and you are going to keep it at school, you might want to get a less expensive guitar. Less expensive guitars have less solid wood and a less effected by temperature and humidity issues. You can get an OK guitar for 150 - 200 then just get it setup and it will play decently enough.

 

Good luck - I hope this helps till you get some better answers.

 

Matt

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attic Newbie

attic

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I'd go check out the seagulls too if I were you. Wonderful price/quality.

I don't have any experience with Blueridge guitars.

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OldGuitarPlayer Newbie

OldGuitarPlayer

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I bought a almost mint yet used 1989 Sigma (by Martin Co.) DM2 dread for $200 and I feel it's a really nice guitar. I am not sure if it would be alright for "hiphop" or "RnB" music but for old time country and folk music it plays and sounds purty dern good :thu: I guess it's about as close as I will ever get to owning a "real" Martin.

 

Check the pawnshops and used music stores too...sometimes you can find a real bargain. If you are looking at buying something new then I would check out the Art & Lutherie brand of guitars as they are made by the same company as Seagull and are usually made of laminate but are great beginner guitars...easy to play and sound nice with Tusq nut and saddle and run about $200 new.

 

Good Luck :D

 

OGP

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DonK Newbie

DonK

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for the acoustic experts, can you help me make out the acoustic guitar lauryn hill uses in these videos? i like it the sound, especially in conformed to love...






 

 

The quality of those videos is so crappy it's almost impossible to tell, but I think its a Taylor nylon string model, something like the one here:

 

http://www.taylorguitars.com/Guitars/Acoustic-Electric/Nylon/NS32ce/

 

 

There's nothing particularly distinctive about her playing or her tone, certainly nothing you couldn't get with just about any decent nylon string guitar. The Taylor nylon string models are hybrid guitars: they're designed to sound more like a nylon string classical guitar, but to play more like a standard steel string. They're relatively expensive, and would be a poor choice for a beginner. First, why would a beginner spend that kind of money? Many beginners decide not to stick with it, and even the ones that do won't learn their playing preferences until they've spent some time sampling different brands and models. Second, the Taylor nylon string hybrid is a relatively unique instrument; it's really designed for a steel-string player who wants to get a classical guitar sound.

 

Buying an inexpensive, student-level classical guitar and popping a pickup in it would get you her sound - again it's not really very distinctive - but classical guitar demands a different technique than standard folk/steel-string instruments. The neck is significantly wider, the fretboard is very flat; in short, it's meant to be played using a fairly rigid and formal technique that's different from what most acoustic steel-string players use.

 

I don't see anything hip-hop about Lauryn's style or sound as it relates to the guitar: you could get the basic sound from any acoustic. A good bit of what you're hearing is the effect of the pickup (she's playing an acoustic-electric).

 

If you want to learn to play acoustic guitar, and you're not really interested in a classical instrument, then there are bunch of good beginner and moderately priced brands out there, including Seagull, Yamaha, Alvarez, Arts & Lutherie, Norman, Walden, etc. You don't need Lauryn Hill's model to play her music. (The notion that a Takamine is particularly suited to hip-hop and R&B is one of the sillier things I've heard.)

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T.B. Newbie

T.B.

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Ms. Lauryn Hill has favored/played Takamine classical/nylon string guitars in the past and she usually plays Ovation steel string guitars in concert. I agree with Don, any of the entree level guitars he mentioned should get you were you want to go. I have an infinite for Yamaha and Walden. :) I play a lot of R&B, Funk, and Soul on my acoustics -it's the reason why I like Guild's- amazing bass response and balanced mid range. Maybe the Guild GAD series or a used Guild models: D-4, D-6, D-25, D-35, D-40 would be worth looking into. The Guilds I've mentioned, all have solid spruce tops with mahogany back and sides. Good luck in your search (it's half the fun) come back and tell use and show us whatcha got. :) Cheers.

 

 

Trina

 

P.S. The Guild GAD's cost as much as Martin entree level stuff and is of much better quality. IMHO

____________________________________________

Alhambra 9P (senorita)

Guild DV-52 & F47RCE

L'Benito G234

Walden G570TB

Yamaha FG-150

Cort Earth 900 (parlor)

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DonK Newbie

DonK

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No, it's not really that fun to find one. There are so many models to choose from.

 

 

Well, in the $200 range there are probably fewer choices than you think, especially if you want to buy new.

 

This, or a variation thereof, is probably what Lauryn is playing, but as you can see, it's $550 (though you might check eBay for a used one):

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Takamine-EG522C-Classical-Cutaway-AcousticElectric-Guitar?sku=512616

 

But you say you eventually want a D-28...that's a nearly $2K guitar that's about as far from a nylon string as you can get. But if that's what you eventually want (not sure how you know if you don't yet play?), then consider starting off with an inexpensive dreadnought:

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-FX335-AcousticElectric-Guitar?sku=512943

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T.B. Newbie

T.B.

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No, it's not really that fun to find one. There are so many models to choose from.

 

 

Well I'll give you my standard picks in the steel string:

 

Yamaha F325 Dreadnought:

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/F325.htm

Not a solid top but nobody does it better when it comes to budget guitars. IMO Buy several packages of acoustic guitar strings, get your bill up to $149.00, and Elderly will ship your git/strings for free!

 

Yamaha FG700S:

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/FG700S.htm

 

Walden Acoustic Guitar:

http://instruments.search.ebay.com/W...R40QQsacatZ619

 

G570 $189.00

If you check back you can sometimes find a B stock Walden for $150.00 if you can afford to expand you budget by a cupola bucks, you want be sorry.

 

Trina

 

P.S. Here's the sunburst version of the Yamaha F335, M.F. pictures doesn't do this guitar justice. Played F335 yesterday at G.C. Free shipping.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=512940

 

Checkout Washburn D10S and Walden 500 Series Dreads.

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T.B. Newbie

T.B.

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I'll try to win it if any of you think it's a good deal...

 

 

 

Sorry Hiphopdraw, I didn't see your previous posting. Yea, the Yamaha F335 would be fine. I don't think there's any/much difference between Yamaha F325/335. You may want to checkout the reviews on Harmony Central and M.F. I've had more experience playing the Yamaha F325, they've been consistent in both play/sound.

 

Yamaha F335 Reviews

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Yamaha/F-335/10/1

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-F335-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=512940

 

Yamaha F325 Review

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/product/Yamaha/F325/10/1

 

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:sumDJbwNMikJ:www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-GigMaker-Guitar-Pack%3Fsku%3D519040+Yamaha+F-325,+review&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

 

P.S. Here's the other Yam review, boy I'm little slow tonight.

 

Checkout the Epi's too $69 bucks, M.F.

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1684544

 

 

Trina

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hiphopdraw Newbie

hiphopdraw

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The 335's list price is actually - $349.99. Seems like a deal to me. There was only one review on the 325. and it lists for 200.00 i believe....

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OldGuitarPlayer Newbie

OldGuitarPlayer

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Yes...The Yamaha is a good guitar to star out with. They usually sound and play nice enough that you will enjoy years of fun with it. When you do finally upgrade to another guitar you can always keep the Yamaha around as a "beater". I also have a Yamaha FG-331, it's 28 years old and it plays and sounds great...especially since I upgraded to bone nut & saddle. One of my best friends has a Yamaha he bought new in 1990 and it's been his only guitar since that time and he will never part with it.

 

Good luck and keep playing :thu:

 

OGP

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hiphopdraw Newbie

hiphopdraw

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Thanks for all the help on this site. I finally got this yamaha acoustic guitar, & i love it. This place imo is the best place to ask questions... i can't wait till i get better and upgrade. thanks again.

 

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garthman Collaborator

garthman

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Thanks for all the help on this site. I finally got this yamaha acoustic guitar, & i love it. This place imo is the best place to ask questions... i can't wait till i get better and upgrade. thanks again.


 

 

I wouldn't worry to much about getting an "upgrade" if I were you - that guitar will serve you well for many years. Enjoy playing it.

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