Hey there!

I've been learning the piano for 10 years now, and recently decided to start learning the guitar as well. I have learned some chords and strum patterns, and have used all my music knowledge to speed up the learning process. But it is time that  I stop using my cousin's guitar!     I decided to buy a new one!

I think I'd like an electro-acoustic guitar. Electric guitars are out of the question, I don't want to be dependant on an amplifier. So that leaves Acoustic or Electro-acoustic. I chose the latter due to the possibilities it opens.

Anyway, I want to play a little bit of everything, but as I progress I might focus more on Jazz, Blues, and Spanish music. I'm particulary fond of Chick Corea's musics.

Also, I am not expecting to spend more than 200euros...

So, having all that in mind, what kind of guitar would you recommend me?

EDIT: I thought an Ibanez AEG8E could do the trick, but then found a website which told me Ibanez really wasn't that good. Is it true? I then found Takamine EG260C. What about this guitar? Is it cool? Do you think that it can be good in Jazz, Blues, and pieces with a spanish character?

Hello Blues003, welcome to chordbook. Well you raise a popular question, comparing one brand to another, also asking if certain models of each are suitable for certain kinds of music. The best advice you'll get unless someone is being brand loyal for example, is to play some guitars in a few music stores in the styles you plan to play most. Beyond that, you're going to find that since there are so many brands and models out there and even more owners of each of those that you'll get 'buried in the corn' so to speak with suggestions regarding which brand/model to purchase.

I will say you make a wise choice going acoustic-electric and you won't go wrong spending the extra euros. Don't forget that an acoustic-electric uses an amp designed for acoustic-electric guitars also. Speaking of which, 200euros feels like 400US or so, give or take I suppose for frequent adjustments. While you can buy an excellent guitar for that much, especially in the used dept. of many music stores, you may want to consider spending a little more to go for better electronics, a case, cord etc. which many times come in slightly higher end guitar packages. Again though, best to play a bunch of guitars to find out if they work in the genres you plan on practicing most. Hope some of this helps and please ask for clarification on anything I've mentioned, also someone else that has ideas on your question will chime in.

GuitarZen

Thanks for your kind reply!

I went through the net and I saw a lot of people advising newer players to buy a solid-top guitar. There are two Takemines (which seem to be generally accepted as great electro-acoustic guitar-makers) which have a solid top, but are 274€. Are the extra 65€ really worth it? Or not really?

I want to go and try them, but unfortunately the stores I have access to do not sell takemines. So yeah, that kinda sucks... :x

Hey Blues, well you might want to stick with brands that your local stores sell if it's difficult for you to travel or something to try brands you've 'heard about'. Once again I'm sure everyone who knows will agree with 'try before you buy'...when you can !

Cheers,

GuitarZen

definately try b4 you buy...I almost made a huge $400 mistake for the fact that I did not try.  I was going to purcahse a guitar from musiciansfriend.com it was very high rated there were no bad comments....it seemed a wonderfull guitar for its price...then I went to the closest music store that sold that make of guitar and tried one..... while it was an incredible guitar it didnt fit my style.  So definately try it..Takamine are excellent instruments I would advise the buy if yo ucan play one....Ibanez acoustics arent worth it...they make amazing electric guitars...but their acoustics leave alot to be desired...

I will try some guitars at my local music store. However, it seems I might just get an amazing deal after talking through e-mail with the dealers from   http://guitare.playback-europe.com/  . Do you happen to know if this website is cool in what concerns shopping online? Or should I not take the chance?

I don't know a thing about them Blues, but hopefully someone from your side of the pond will jump in with info on them. I'll always stress trying before buying and better still if you get your guitar from a store near you. The question is always, 'ok, I got this guitar online and now it's broken, what do I do?'..whereas, if you have a problem with a guitar you purchased locally you have a better chance for fast service on your warranty. Just my opinion though....but I haven't bought anything guitar related online.

Cheers,

GuitarZen

hello guys. i'm just register for this page, 'coz i have some quiestions. i wanna buy an as93 by ibanez. i wanna ask you if anyone here has this guitar. how does this guitar work? i wanna plan with tghis guitar for a long time so i wanna consider this purchase properly.
thank you in anticipation

and i apologize but my english knowledge not the best

thank you guys

kersakdave wrote:

hello guys. i'm just register for this page, 'coz i have some quiestions. i wanna buy an as93 by ibanez. i wanna ask you if anyone here has this guitar. how does this guitar work? i wanna plan with tghis guitar for a long time so i wanna consider this purchase properly.
thank you in anticipation

and i apologize but my english knowledge not the best

thank you guys

Welcome to chordbook...In my opinion, if your talking about an Ibanez electric guitar, you cant go wrong. If its an Ibanez acoustic your talking about, then i'd be buying some other brand.

Hello Bob! at first, thank you for your reply.
this isn't a acoustic guitar. this is a hollow-body guitar. look: http://www.ibanez.com/HollowBodyGuitars/model-AS93
have you got any information about sicamor? at the page that i copy for you write the body as a flamed maple, but a hungarian page write it as sicamor body. what is it like? I cant find anybody yet, who knows. please help me
another quiestion : what does it count that which wood build up the guitar? and whats your opinion about this guitar from the description?
I'm searching sy who has this guitar to quiestion about this, but im not find yet. can you help me?
thanks
have a nice day.

oh, i forgot sg.. i wanna learning and playing jazz with this guitar.

please, look at this site

That's a good looking website kersakdave. Did you buy that guitar that's shown?

GuitarZen

Kersakdave,

Thats a nice looking guitar.  I dont know anyone who owns one.  I would certainly want to try it before I bought it.  As far as the wood goes,   Maple is a good hard wood, I would stay away from the ones built with sycamore wood because sycamore is a softer wood, not nearly as strong as maple.

Jim

I heard about the sycamor at other forums. they said the sycamor is a variation/version of maple. isn't it?
I frightened, because that guitar is my lover )) and you said that you stay away from the ones built with sycamor. so I don't know... but this is a jazz-guitar then the manufacturer knows what he do... or this is just my opinion, cause i'm a narrow-minded AS93 fun?!

oh, gitarzen.. no, i will not buy this guitar before this summer, cause i don't have enough money. but after the summer... i hope so...
i want to get a lot of information about that gitar, but don't find enough. i saw the youtube, but no. i found videos just about the AS73. help me if you can with anything

Well kersakdave, it sounds like you've got your mind made up so you might as well go try one and if you like it, you might as well buy it. Beyond that I have nothing for you since I've never even seen one much less played one.

I will come out in support of jaguar though and I'll say that sycamor (sp)  isn't a wood I've heard of that is used for guitar tops. That being said and once you play one, if you still like it and it does what you need it to do and since it's pretty, go ahead but don't say you weren't given some heads up, especially from jaguar...this man knows from whence he speaketh !

Cheers,

GuitarZen

blueoo3
i just wanted to say that i own a takamine g330. it was given to me. it is very old now and sounds really nice the action on it is as good as some thousand dollar acoustics i have played. but it is not a top end taylor either.
so i am being a bit brand loyal but i can say with safety that tak. makes quality that sounds good and is long lasting.
hey thats her to the left not the black one.thats my Dakota cutaway i would love it if someone could tell me about thtat one. it is made in korea but was not cheap 20 yrs agoit  was $250

Actually the spanish people like to use classical guitars more just in case that's a route you're taking... if not I own a pretty good guitar, it's an Ibanez v70ce and its affordable. the only thing with mine is the bridge pins are kinda questionable

Hi - Just registered and am new to electric but have my eye on a guitar made in Quebec Canada.

It is a Godin Summit - I am somewhat partial to buying something made in Canada.

I like the sound, touch and looks.

Has anyone heard anything negative about this make and model? Before I drop the bucks!