I really like the Seagull acoustics,I own one that is acoustic/electric. Igot mine for under 500.00. PRS makes a nice acoustic/electric under a 1000.00. I recently looked at acoustics around a 1000.00 and none were an upgrade from what I own tone wise or build. You have to jump up to 1500.00 and up to see any real difference. Even thin your paying for the brand name. Best advice I could give is play as many as you can before making a decision.Good luck!

First, look used. Craigslist might be good here.

As for what to look for – the main thing is a solid top and a neck that you like. Solid sides and back would be a plus, but I’m not sure you will find that at your price range, and it might not make that big a difference.

You should also consider size, which is mostly a function of what you are going to be playing. If you will do finger style, or delta blues, then smaller is better. If you want to strum or flatpack, you probably want something bigger, like a dreadnaught.

Hope this helps.

I went thru this process a little over a year ago and for my ear, these are my favorites

Yamaha AC3R – $899 – Great all solid wood construction, concert size so its comfortable to play. It has a special electronics package that will give you tones as being recorded with 3 different mics in different studio settings. Makes the guitar more versatile when amplified – video demo of the Yamaha SRT system below
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AC3RHC

PRS SE Angelus A30E – $829 – I own the older model of this guitar – PRS Angelus Custom SE – and I will guarantee that this will compete with Martin & Taylor guitars in the $1500 range. No offense intended to those that own Martin & Taylor guitar but this guitar will surprise you. Neck is very similar to the PRS electrics, great balanced tone and easy to play
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AngelusA30E

PRS SE Angelus A10E – Tortoise Shell – $599 – Mahogany Top, Mahogany Back and Sides, Rosewood Fingerboard, Bird Inlays, and Onboard Electronics. Mahogany usually doesn’t ring out like rosewood but I have to say that this one has some great tone going on for the money
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SEAngelusTS

They are hard to find in stock but I’d suggest that you also look at the Alvarez Masterworks line of guitar. Their Regent line is the lower line with laminated top, their Artist line has solid tops but the Masterworks guitars are solid tops, back & sides. Most models are priced between $700 – $900

Some of Washburn’s guitars in that price range sound really good but some are total duds. They are worth the time to try them

I second the Seagulls in that price range.

Horses for courses as the saying here goes..save yourself some money, have your 12 string re-fretted and set up and then take the rest of your money and buy yourself a big mac meal and then later a few beers..You have not been charged for this advice…see the savings just keep rolling on…hahahaha

Good luck on your search Mark.

I have an acoustic with a cutout, and yes I can play stuff above the 12th fret, but it’s not easy to do as compared to a Fender Strat. So when I want to play an acoustic, I choose one without a cutout and just stay below the 12th fret.

Also, my cutout acoustic has one of the mic pickups inside the body, with a control panel etc on the side of the body. I think those kinds of pickups adversely affect the sound when playing either amplified or acoustic. On the other hand, my Taylor GS Mini has a very neatly placed humbucker (apparently) pickup just at the base of the neck. The pickup comes as a DIY option, and after installing it, I couldn’t detect any adverse effect on the acoustic sound, while the electric sound is awesome…way better than guitars with the internal mics. And comfortwise, it sits right where it should for me. But everyone is different, so I would look at it as a good opportunity to go spend an afternoon in your local guitar shop and just play a bunch of different guitars. Could there ever be a better way to spend an afternoon?

Tons of great guitars under $1000. Don’t overlook Yamaha, they are making some good guitars and their ARE treatment really seems to generate good tone. I had an LS16 that was really nice. Plus, they are easy to find and play, and i would recommend playing a guitar before you buy if at all possible.

I should add, I wouldn’t get too caught up in specs. My experience is a guitar can have all the specs (all solid wood, premium woods, etc.) and be a dud, and vice versa.

I agree on the Yamaha, Taylor… My 12 string is a Yamaha F series and I was always very pleased with it- great tone, projection, and comfortable to play. The AC3R that GnLguy recommended is very intriguing. I also agree that in the case of an acoustic, I need to physically play it before buying. Found a shop not too far away that has a couple, now just gotta get down there.

The only reason that I didn’t buy the Yamaha AC3R is that I found my PRS as a manufacturer refurb and I thought that unplgged the PRS had the upper edge. I wanted one when they were a production model but didn’t have the $900 that they were selling for then. AS a Mfg refurb, I got it for $600 and haven’t regretted it
As the video pointed out, Yamaha revamped the neck on that line of guitars and they are very comfortable and great for chords as well as single line runs

If I find a used Yamaha AC3R at some point, I will be tempted pull the trigger on it. My acoustic playing is getting to the point that electronics such as Yamaha’s will be a consideration for me.

Similar to Yamaha’s SRT system, Martin is now employing a Fishman system in some of their guitars called Aura. I chatted with a Martin tech rep last week and he explained how it bring the other voices to your guitar if you recording or playing live, without the need of any effects and the overall concept that Fishman is using is the same as Yamaha’s SRT system

I played one of the Yamaha AC3R one time and if I remember correctly the fretboard had rolled edges, and personally I did not like that. I bought my last 2 guitars off of Reverb.com I look for factory B stock with minor flaws and save a ton of money. I see no flaws whatsoever.

The only reason that I didn’t buy the Yamaha AC3R is that I found my PRS as a manufacturer refurb and I thought that unplgged the PRS had the upper edge.

I thought PRS did not allow refurbished product(s) to go out the door, in fact I’ve read that the defective guitars are put through a band saw. Apparently that’s not true?

Would like to know who carries PRS refurbs if they exist.

GnLguy wrote:

The only reason that I didn’t buy the Yamaha AC3R is that I found my PRS as a manufacturer refurb and I thought that unplgged the PRS had the upper edge.

I thought PRS did not allow refurbished product(s) to go out the door, in fact I’ve read that the defective guitars are put through a band saw. Apparently that’s not true?

Would like to know who carries PRS refurbs if they exist.

Can’t speak to that being PRS’s policy but my guitar came from Pro Audio Star Ebay store. It may have been refurbed by an authorized repair center instead of the factory, hard to say. I just know that the guitar is flawless, excellent build quality
http://www.ebay.com/usr/proaudiostar?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2754

Thanks for the info.

I was looking for an acoustic with cut away and I saw great reviews on the Yamaha ac3r so I researched and saw the mahogany version Ac3m on a YouTube video, take a look at this. https://youtu.be/03WyrzP92Xo

I was looking for an acoustic with cut away and I saw great reviews on the Yamaha ac3r so I researched and saw the mahogany version Ac3m on a YouTube video, take a look at this. https://youtu.be/03WyrzP92Xo

The AC3 line of guitars from Yamaha are great. Yamaha developed a different neck profile for this line and the electronics are very useful for recording. You have your choice of 3 different mic models with these guitars

Here are couple of videos from Yamaha about the AC3 guitars and their SRT system

I’ve been playing an Epiphone Masterbuilt DR-500MCE for the last few months. Excellent Guitar for the money,
Solid Wood, Great Action, Excellent Construction, Great Sound especially for Blues/ Bluegrass/ or Flatpicking, on board electronics. $650 well worth a look.

Rick

I would say more than with an electric you need to hit local stores and try as many acoustics as you can.

I have a Carvin cobalt which are no longer made (but I believe are rebadged Cort guitars) which is astounding, but my goto performance acoustic is a fender T-bucket C300 that bought in Maine on vacation that I absolutely love. I’ve played others of the same model since that sound nothing like mine, so I obviously found something special.

With a bit of luck you might find a gem

I would say more than with an electric you need to hit local stores and try as many acoustics as you can.

I have a Carvin cobalt which are no longer made (but I believe are rebadged Cort guitars) which is astounding, but my goto performance acoustic is a fender T-bucket C300 that bought in Maine on vacation that I absolutely love. I’ve played others of the same model since that sound nothing like mine, so I obviously found something special.

With a bit of luck you might find a gem

Steve

you bring up a great point in trying acoustics before buying. I experienced the same thing as you did with guitars of the same brand same model having a little different tone to them. Regardless of brand or price tag, one guitar would have a better bass response while another may project louder and have a stronger mid range

Another point is to not assume that more expensive guitar will sound better. I was at Sam Ash in Cincinnati and picked up a $200 Ibanez acoustic that was all mahogany (link below). I wasn’t expecting too much from a $200 guitar and usually mahogany doesn’t ring out like rosewood. I was totally amazed and taken back at what I was hearing coming from that little flat top. It was hard to not buy it on the spot.

http://www.ibanez.com/products/u_ag_detail.php?year=2016&cat_id=3&series_id=84&data_id=28&color=CL01

In the same room, I saw a Breedlove all mahogany guitar that was $499 so I tried it and it was a total disappointment. Beautiful workmanship, great neck and action but the sound just wasn’t there

The video below is from a guy that is a reseller and he is demoing a older Yamaha guitar that was made in the famed Nippon Gakki factory. Note what he says about the grain of the sound board beginning at the 0:20 second mark. Very sound advice of how to tell by looking if the sound will be really good. I’ve found what he says in this to be true…..