Hey everyone, I have my first acoustic guitar, a Yamaha that cost about $200 a year ago. Nothing wrong with it, other than it feels like Iām trying to run through wet knee high cement when Iām playing. I have to almost stand on the strings at the frets to get the various notes. The action seems high, even though I had it lowered as much as possible, and the sound could be better. I have short, fat fingers, and really have to press down hard as possible to get the six strings to sound out. I also play a 5 string banjo. The one I use most often is not expensive by any means, but itās sure a lot easier to hold down chords without crippling my fingers. Iām looking to get a replacement for my acoustic guitar, probably in the $400 to $800 range, and would like to know peopleās experiences with various brands. Which to look at, which to avoid, etc. A particular model would be nice to know as well. Iād like to get a new one as I donāt have the experience to check out a used instrument and say itās ok or has issues. Thanks!
Hi Jim, HEC here UK i cant help you with the acoustic side of things in fact I got that fed up I have started to build one but I am sure somebody will come to the rescue nice meeting you anyway, I hope you get help soon cheers
Iāve got a slight bias but let me be the first to say Taylor GS Mini. The short scale will make it easy to play (I have 2 Taylor acoustics)
Youāve hit the sweet spot for inexpensive guitars. Your going to get a lot of opinions so the best thing to do is go to a music store and play as many guitars in your price range as you can.
Make sure you buy something that is comfortable.
Guitars come in all shape and sizes so if a Dred feel to big donāt buy it.
I wouldnāt get a GS mini as your only guitar. They are small, donāt sound all that good and way over priced for what they are.
Hi Jim. Lots of choices in that price range. Breedlove have a good selection between $500 and $750. My husband bought me my first guitar, which was the previous iteration of the white one youāll see in that list. 
The one thing Iāll say (and so will many others): Go play instruments before you buy. Play lots of them, and decide which body type and size you want (Donāt fall into the dreadnaught trap without understanding where youāre going! They sound great, but many people purchase one only to ultimately find the geometry does not suit them). Cutaway or no? Electronics or no? Stay tuned for lots more advice.
Edited to add: going used is a great option. For me, Iād consider only buying through a reputable shop, rather than from an individual. They can guide you to a suitable instrument. And again speaking for myself, I just donāt know enough about guitars yet to be confident buying from a stranger.
Hi Jim,
is the Yamaha otherwise ok? LIke size wise?
You could also give her a chance with a set-up, so that the strings would be lower above the fretboard and then it will be much easier to play.
The sound will very probably not change a lot, but might be a bit better with new strings.
There are also always strings that are easier to play and others harder.
Thicker and thinner, on both, stell string and nylon string guitar.
The setup can be done alone, if you like to tinker or by a shop. But if youāre certain youāll want a new guitar, I wonāt tell you not to.
One thing still - if you really get a new guitar and have fat fingers, better look for one with a wider fretboard. The nut size is often given here. Look for at least 45mm, is my recommendation.
Maybe measure the nut size you have now and think if itās fine or if youād like the fretboard to be wider or slimmer. Think about other things that you like about your guitar or that youād like to change and best - try a few out in a shop!
Good luck,
Dominique
Plenty of good advice above Jim , the most important piece of advice is to go and play as many guitars in your budget that you can. There are plenty of great guitars in the $400 range. I own two acoustics, an Eastman PCH which I bought new a few years ago for around $400. Itās a beautiful guitar to play. The other is a second hand Guild D240E which plays and sounds like a dream. I bought this at Guitar center having gone in to try out a bunch of other brands but this one āspoke to meā 
.
I would recommend starting with some low-cost measures like a thorough tune-up (first of all a truss rod) and possibly replacing the strings. Your Yamaha is probably fitted with 12-52 strings, I use 10-46 strings on all my guitars, including my acoustic Epiphone DOVE. Putting on thinner strings will also reduce the tension on the neck, which will result in a lower action.
If it doesnāt help you still have an option to buy a new guitar - which always is a great pleasureā¦ 
Thanks everyone, all great advice. Now I have the ammunition I need to go find a new one. I did try replacing the original strings on that Yamaha with lighter ones. I prefer a lighter gauge on my banjo and those work well for me, but that didnāt do it for the Yamaha. I lowered the action as much as I could and it still takes a lot of effort to hold down those strings. Iāll hunt down the perfect one for me somewhere, and be patient looking until I find it. Those that mentioned finding one thatās the perfect size helped too. This one feels like Iām holding a sheet of plywood when I play. Just feels awkward.
A newbās comment here (for what itās worth)
I bought a new Yamaha FGX830c. It has a jack, I bought a refurbished electric gizmo (Scarlett Solo) so I can record to my computer (which I rarely do). But it is nice in that it gives a relatively high fidelity rendition back to me of what I played (as opposed to my ears behind the sound hole). Itās sort of like listening to a recording of your own voice: do I really sound like that?. A lot becomes apparent that I donāt hear while Iām playing.
The two downsides, that Iām aware of for me, of the Yamaha
- The action feels a bit high, but when I measure it, it is not
- The sound is very vanilla.
I inherited an old guitar where the action is lower, and I really prefer the sound (I also wouldnāt spend what itās worth). I play it more than my new guitarāit talks/sings where the new Yamaha sounds more like recitation (that could well be from my lack of skills too). I restrung it flat wound strings, and these four strings are more kindly to my fingers. The flat wound also mellowed the sound some which I find more appealing.
Are you playing with light strings?
IF not, you might try purchasing some and see if that makes it easier to play.
This could buy you some time, cheap, so you can up your game before committing to a new guitar.
Maybe donāt write off a used guitar?
A good music store will stand behind their goods, and give you a grace period to return the instrument (undamaged). You might find a guitar
- that feels and sounds good to you
- where you wonāt be paying new sticker price
The music stores I went to, I was so bold as to ask obviously experienced customers, who were checking out guitars, if theyād play a few bars on a guitar I was looking at. āDoes anything feel off to you? Whatās your impression of the guitar?ā. Every single one enthusiastically agreed and gave useful feedback. To hear them bring beautiful sounds out was inspiring to boot.
Some great points, tips and tricks. Thanks!
Interesting, @mundeli
I bought a new Yamaha FGX830C two and a half years ago and been very pleased with it. After I had it for a couple of months I took it to a local small guitar shop to get set up and was told in advance that the owner was a big fan of Yamaha guitars. We discussed strings and decided to change from the 12ās it came with to 11ās and have not regretted it.
You are right what you hear when playing is not what somebody in front of you hears or if you record it. Also the space if not amplified has quite an effect on the overall sound, in small room as compared to a church hall.
Michael
I too like the FGX830cābig sound, looks good, good craftsmanship, nice machines, stays in tune (mostly). I rationalized buying a guitar that is a step or two up from a beginner guitar as a way I could use my frugal Yankee proclivities to shame me into persevering should I grow weary.
What???!! You canāt walk away from playing after youāve invested that much!
Just who do you think you are, Daddy Warbucks?.
The reality is, though, that whatever $$ I invest in a guitar is utter peanuts compared to the investment of time. Yet, though money accrues but a few percent a year the yield on learning to play is of far greater worth.
For me it all comes down to this: visit a or several shops, talk to the people in the shop, explain what youāre after and most important, try several guitars of serveral brands and see what you like, or donāt.
For me, thereās nothing that can be written that can compare or can convey the feeling of āAh, this oneās itā
The instrument really communicates, i find. (Sometimes it will struggle a bit, but eventually, theyāll start talkingā¦ 
). Something like love on first sight. Or maybe iām just nuts. Thatās possible tooā¦
A visit to a luthier is recommended after purchase to fine tune what youāre after.
Good luck!!
Iād throw another vote into a Taylor GS miniā¦itās such a fun little guitar to hold and play that you will find yourself holding it and playing it more for that very reasonā¦it really rekindled my guitar journey a couple years backā¦I bought 2!
Hey Jim @jvlynch
My favorite acoustic in your price range is my Seagull S6ā¦ itās a dreadnought, but they make other sizes/styles. Itās got cherry back & sides with a cedar top - Iāve had it for many years. I see that youāre in western North Carolina - looks like thereās a couple of shops in NC that carry the brandā¦
LARRYāS MUSIC & SOUND, LLC
266 Union Square NW
Hickory, NC 28601, USA
www.larrysmusicandsoundnc.com/
[(828) 261-0415 Ext. 0000](tel:(828) 261-0415 Ext. 0000)
and
MULLIS MUSIC CO.
31 UNION STREET SOUTH
CONCORD, NC 28025, USA
www.mullismusic.com
[(704) 788-2515 Ext. 0000](tel:(704) 788-2515 Ext. 0000)
I have had good luck ordering through Sweetwater & Musicianās Friend as wellā¦
If you could play one, you might be surprised! When I bought mine, I was in my favorite music store with the idea that I wanted a new Taylor. I had played every Taylor they had in store & the only one that āspokeā to me was about 4 or 5 times the top of my budget was. So Iām sitting in the acoustic room, kind of disappointed, when a guy comes in & starts playing a Seagullā¦ WOW! What a beautiful sound was coming out of that guitar & it wasnāt the player, either! He was marginally better than myself, definitely a beginner, but the guitar sounded great! After he put it down & left, I went over to check the price, expecting it to be priced in the thousands. Imagine my surprise when I saw $399!!! Obviously, prices have climbed since that day many moons ago, but essentially the same guitar is now around $550ā¦
(found this on Sweetwaterās site)
Seagull Guitars S6 Collection 1982 Acoustic Guitar - Natural
6-string Acoustic Guitar with Cedar Top, Cherry Back and Sides, Maple Neck, and Rosewood Fingerboard - Natural
$551.58
Or $23.45/month Ā§ with
24 month financing* i
Good luck with whatever you decide!!!
Tod
I echo what many have already said. Go to the guitar store and try out as many as they have in your price range. And donāt be scared of used if itās in a reputable shop that stands behind what they sell.
A couple years ago my wife were out buying her a treadmill and she agreed to head to Guitar Center for me to tool around on some six strings as my other acoustic is a twelve string. I had stopped at a used shop the day before and played one that sounded nice. She told me to buy it but they were closed on Sundays, thus the trip to GC.
She patiently suffered through me trying out out a dozen or so guitars. I kept returning to a Taylor 114e. While I could pick out slight differences in each, she commented that the only that sounded different to her was the Taylor and that it sounded very nice. Seeing as she confirmed what I was also hearing, thatās what I bought.
Yes, she is a keeper.
Wife or guitar?
Yes, to both 
. But mainly my incredibly patient wife.
This is also good advice. You definitely need a guitar that is comfortable to play, thatās number one on the list but then thereās the sound. Thereās what you hear as a player but also what sound is projected out of the front of the guitar which the player has the worst seat in the house for! Certainly if the other person is a non-player then theyāre less likely to be swayed by the letters on the headstock and say which sounds the best to them. Itās not essential to have someone else with you but a nice bonus if you know someone patient enough to do it!