https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:57:16 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374917 Fri, 04 May 2012 22:55:52 +0000
I don't know why no one has recommended a semi-acoustic (archtop, hollowbody) guitar before me. I just bought an Epiphone Broadway for under $400 dollars and the sound is just fantastic. It's a fully acoustic sound plugged in. And yes, it handles distorsion with no problem at all. People who say they feedback to much need to learn how to play rock. I've never heard a better guitar to play slide on. They look great too.

It cost about 1/6 of the price of my acoustic, but it sounds 100x times better plugged in. The unplugged sound is ok too, nowhere near the acoustic though.

There is a great band in Sweden (Johnossi) where the guitarist uses an acoustic guitar. The play heavely distorded rock and he manages just fine. When playing with an acoustic guitar plugged in the main thing is the pickup in it. The sound from the guitar itself dissapears anyway with all the electronics. So he just uses cheap guitars with expensive pickups. I had a long talk with him a couple years ago where he told me all this and I choose to believe him.]]> Opinions and Polls Niklas https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374917 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374851 Wed, 02 May 2012 20:20:39 +0000 Opinions and Polls Bgdaddy316 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374851 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374833 Wed, 02 May 2012 01:11:52 +0000
I think:

- If you're going to plug the guitar into something, use an electric guitar.

- If you use an acoustic guitar, put a microphone (or two) in front of it.

The absolute best "amplified" acoustic guitar sound I have ever heard in person was produced by a Pacific Northwest musician, John Twist, who used saddle piezos, a magnetic soundhole pickup AND at least one mic. It sounded like an acoustic guitar. You can't do better than that. Not with an "acoustic electric."

Your mileage, of course, may vary.]]> Opinions and Polls Crow https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374833 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374830 Tue, 01 May 2012 23:39:34 +0000
Cat]]> Opinions and Polls Cat https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374830 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374826 Tue, 01 May 2012 23:09:48 +0000 Opinions and Polls EzraplaysEzra https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374826 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374825 Tue, 01 May 2012 23:03:45 +0000
I really don't like a/e guitars, especially at this range. At $500 you're just starting to get into decent guitars, add the cost of transducers and a preamp and your on the back foot again.
That said, my brother went with a Martin

http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store-Used-USED-MARTIN-00X1AE-AC-EL-JAVA-MAHOGANY-107641569-i2450224.gc?source=4WFRWXX&CAWELAID=1289975512

$500 new, decent electronics (so I've heard) and... it's a martin. I don't know how the engineered woodstuff will age but It's a good sounding acoustic guitar.

So ask yourself what you need, are you recording with it to a PC or are you playing coffee shops and street corners? If your looking to play with a band you might... consider not doing that. Or getting a good sound hole pickup. For the most part, you want a solid top. Rosewood sides project well as does maple but maple tends to be brighter and have less mid range. Mahogany, Sapele (sp?) and Korina are darker and warmer sounding but don't project as well, they tend to bloom mores. I always think the rosewood guitars sound more like a brass instrument and the Mahogany sound more like a woodwind if you can imagine that. Laminated sides are not always a sign of a cheap build.

With all do respect to the prior poster and his girlfriend's sister, Fender is notoriously unable to make a remarkable flat top. Think of all the great and coveted flat top guitars out there, is one of them a fender? No. Fender is great at easily manufactured component based platforms, well made acoustics do not fit that description. In their defense, Martin and Taylor have yet to make a desirable electric, Guild and Gibson are the rare companies that do both well.

I have played some Epiphones that you really have to dig into to justify why anyone would ever pay 5 times as much for a Gibson, their Jumbo, 00 and advanced Jumbo are amazing for the price and the master built's (starting around $500) are as good as many Gibson's and Martin's I've played. Find a guitar that fits your playing style and whether you stand or sit while playing out. A decent used guitar will often sound better than a new guitar so you need to consider that (new guitars will generally get better), acoustic's need time to break in and should have their braces re-tuned after a year (nobody does that) but a guitar that's 20 years old is probably getting ready to have a major reset. So buying used isn't always cost effective when you consider a belly-up or a neck reset.

Good luck.]]> Opinions and Polls EzraplaysEzra https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374825 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374811 Tue, 01 May 2012 09:46:49 +0000
Cat]]> Opinions and Polls Cat https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374811 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374806 Tue, 01 May 2012 02:52:21 +0000 Taylor and Takamine do to an extent, but they are great makers.
often disregarded is Epiphone.

if you can I highly recommend you play before you buy.
the fit, sound, size, all matter greatly.]]> Opinions and Polls dogbite https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374806 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374771 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:58:38 +0000 Opinions and Polls Dan Lasley https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374771 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374768 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:51:41 +0000 Opinions and Polls rsadler https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/choosing-an-acoustic-electric/#post-374768