Acoustic electric

I want a really cheap acoustic electric, but I don't really know much about them. Are there any brands I should stray away from? Anything I should look for?

From personal experience, I like my Yamaha FX-335. It's survived my sister's and my own playing (which is somewhere over a decade of use and misuse!). I'm sure someone else can give you more options, though.

Thanks. So Yamaha are good?

I don't know about the rest of Yamaha's acoustics. I just know what I have: a Yamaha FX-335.

seagull guitars are the best deal going for price/quality... cheap as sin and great

Speaking of, I just remembered this demo by Livingroom Gear Demos! This video is how I got into Bahamas, and why I keep a sticky on Furch guitars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBuqrfVyqc

For tone and feel, I love my cheap Mitchel I got from GC for about $100.

For all the bells and whistles, I like my Ovation Celebrity acoustic.

If you go used, Takamine and Taylor are generally good. Fender's acoustics do not impress me.

Ovations are pretty good, but they're super uncomfortable to me. I always thought the plastic backs would really mold to your lap or body when you sit and stand, but it feels massive, like it's pushing against me.

Plenty of artists use those, most notable Kaki King who has her own signature. She makes some instrumental acoustic music, fantastic artist and a musical genius in her own right.

EVERYONE used ovations live when they came out in the 70s, they were still pretty ubiquitous when I was a kid.... used to see them all over empty-vee in its early days, especially the ovation 12 string models

personally I can't stand them, but they serve a very real purpose and were literally th only game in town for feedback free electro-acoustic guitar on large arena stages for a VERY long time

you called some Lilith Fair noodler a musical genius, you just toss this shit out left and right, dn't you? always makin' with the hyperbole... when you learn more about music and the guitar its all going to seem a lot less impressive

to the OP:

I think everything mentioned so far is a pretty good option.... used low-end taylors, takamines (older is better with taks) seagulls, yamahas (I prefer the old yamis too, they are still quite affordable and are universally great instruments in the 70s and 80s)...

there's lots of decent and affordable acoustics, just go play some... check out the bargain wall of used cheapies at your local big box store just to get a feel for what the sub-$200 used guitars are like from each rband

thanks guys! :)

One more question, amp wise for the acoustic, could I use a Vox AC1 in busking or would it not be enough? Thanks

Well that's just how I see her. Perhaps you may not agree, but that doesn't mean you should put her down. Perhaps by your standards, she is not that impressive. By my own, however, she is, for better use of wording, a technical genius.

One more question, amp wise for the acoustic, could I use a Vox AC1 in busking or would it not be enough? Thanks

This would be a good starter package.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LoudBoxMiniPK

I am putting everyone, myself included, down.... guitar is not terribly difficult and just about any genre of pop/rock music is very easy to compose and arrange competently if you diligently build the skill set required to do so. I am telling you that everyone will seem less brilliant once you hone your chops and learn more about what makes their compositions and performances tick. Kill your heroes and woodshed until you're a guitar hero yourself. And do it because you love MUSIC

Also, listen to some music, even guitar centric music, that is outside your comfort zone. Maybe some music that predates rock 'n roll. The great American Song Book is loaded with... you guessed it, great American songs and I really don't think anyone but the Beatles and maybe Burt Bacharach managed to keep up with the likes of Cole Porter and the Gershwins. Familiarize yourself with the pioneers of your instrument like Charlie Christian, Merl Travis, Chet Atkins, Django Reinhardt, Bert Jansch, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Bird and even the ubiquitous early blues guys like Robert Johnson. You don't have to like it or choose to listen to it again, but it will broaden your guitar horizons considerably just to hear and analyze some of this music. Give your playing and writing some scope, and even sharpen your critical listening through historical context.

Now back to Khaki King, do you think she's single and liked toddlers? My therapist is on me to date again and I really think I am going to enforce a 'serious musicians only' policy... there's just no talking to non-musicians sometimes and that's no basis for a relationship as it turns out.

I'm sure you could use a pocket amp, but they are voiced for electric guitar so it may not be flattering.

I agree. The more music you can actually play, the wider the range of value bands will have for you. A begginer/non-musician will likely have 3 categories. I hate it, It's okay, I love it. An artist paints in many shades.

For me, AC/DC always sounded boring and easy. The chords Angus Young plays though are beyond my fingers though and when I've attempted to learn some of their hits, the guitar sections make my hand hurt.

hahaha, Angus and Malcolm are more proficient than one would guess just listening to all the stock rock harmonic clichés they use in their tunes... but they are straight up rockers and don't try to reinvent the wheel, just spin it with aplomb. AC/DC is easy to understand but difficult to execute with their level of precision individually and as a band.

thanks for backing me up, I was not trying to bash the young man or Ms King (Lilith fair noodler sounded harsh, but you are what you are.... I'm a washed up, phrase-stealing, hack songwriter), just encourage him to tone down the rhetoric, listen critically and develop a 'can do' attitude to music. If you say 'that's genius, I could never pull that off' then you never will. And if that's your attitude you are putting yourself down and I don't need to bother!

I never had a pickup-system that fully convinced me. So why don't you just use a good guitar with a mic?

I can't stand Ovations.

I agree on both counts, but I don't think his goal is good tone, just adequate sound with feedback-free projection in the open air so he can sit on the corner and beg for change.

Something I really want to try next time I need acoustic guitar in a stage environment that is not microphone friendly is using a cheap pickup system through an impulse response of a nice old Martin or Gibson right into the PA..... but this guy just wants to be heard across the street!

Holy shot, guys, you lot made my invox explode. Ehat've you guys been doing in te forums?! My internet is down, so it's going to e a bitch looking through all these threads and all the quality corrections on Ghost BC page!

I'll grt back to what you guys said, just lettin you know my response will be delayed heavily.