Advice on buying new acoustic

[RMO]

Hi, since some time ago I was thinking of getting a new acoustic, I still need to save money though, but I've been thinking of Epiphone Ej-200 or Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500 for some time, the problem is that here in Mexico City sometimes is hard to find the instruments, also those guitars are around $500, anyway today I went to a guitar shop and tried a Cort Earth 70E and it sounded really good to me and its really cheap, $290, so now I dont know which guitar to buy, should I get the Cort or save money and wait until I see one of the Epiphones?? I'll search for some vids so you can see the comparison in sound. Thanks!!

[guitarron]

The thing i like about the Masterbuilt that i like is the fact they use solid tone woods for the backs and sides-i'm a big fan of rosewood personally
Cant really say much about Cort acoustics-never played one-they make some really sweet basses and electrics

[Greeny (No longer active)]

In my experience, Takamine are always worth a look. They cover a lot of price points and are exceptionally reliable work-horses. They would always be my first call in the sub $500 range.

That said, I've tried some Yamahas (very decent guitars), and even bought an Ibanez Masa electro-acoustic for around $300. It was my 'live' guitar for a long time, and I still love it.

I've tried a few Corts in music shops, but can't say I was ever overly-impressed. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with them, but they just didn't 'speak' to me in the right way.

You'll know the right one when you find it! Good luck.

[guitarron]

Tak's are nice i have a Ef341 from the 80's. A buddy has been trying to get me to sell it to him for years.
Seagulls are worth a look too. My s12 has served me well-was about 300 bucks back in the day

[Flash Harry]

You should choose a guitar that suits you. Solid wood top and back gives good tone and the instrument will improve over time. Ply tops and backs give deader sounds and do not improve with age.

Check the intonation of the neck, it should play accurately all the way up and the octave harmonic should be exactly the same note as the fretted octave, if it isn't don't buy it but try another of the same model. Paly evert note on every string. Listen for tonal accuracy, fret buzz and dead spots.

Put your finger on the 12th fret and make sure that there is a small gap, just enough to feel when you put your finger on the 7th fret. Check the neck for straightness, it should not bow at all.

Check the belly of the guitar where the bridge sits, it should be dead flat and should not be pulled upwards by the bridge.

Check the body and side binding. Make sure that there are no gaps or signs of movement.

Put the sound hole to your mouth and feel the back of the guitar as you say 'ahhhh' into the sound hole. You should feel the back vibrate as you speak.

Try all these tests with a few guitars ranging in price and play each one. You will soon get the hang of it and it will help you choose the right guitar for you.

There is more of a difference in the quality of instrument per dollar at the low end, that is a guitar costing $400 will be much better than a guitar costing $200, but $800 and $1600 price tags do not show the same quality improvement.

A good guitar will last you many years, a cheap one will last you a very short time.

Good luck.

[Saijinn Maas]

I concur with Flash. Don't be too hung up on the brand name. Play as many as you can, and check for all the things Flash mentioned.

Two things I would add is to check the tuners and the nut. A lot of times guitars below $500 or so, will use tuners that are a bit cheaper. This tends to be the case anytime you see a manufacturer use parts labeled with their own name. Make suer the tuners have NO PLAY. They should not feel loose or wobbly.

The nut can be checked by turning the tuning pegs way out of tune and then back in. You should hear the note change smoothly. If you hear no immediate change in note and then a ping and/or sudden change in note, that means the nut is binding (pinching the string). Check this on all strings as this can cause problems with keeping the guitar in tune.