Best Budget Guitar Acoustic (Jan 2023 Update)

I am a professional musician/songwriter (also a Berklee grad-1981). While guitar is not the principal instrument I was trained on (piano/keyboard are my primary), I have been playing guitar on and off since I was a teen back in the 1970s. However, over the last couple of years I've been putting a lot more dedicated practice time on improving my guitar skills for both for songwriting and solo guitar playing. I've been particularly focused mastering the layout of the guitar fretboard so I can put all my harmonic knowledge to work on the instrument, something I wish I did many years ago, but better late than never! I purchased this guitar because I wanted an instrument that was reasonable, easy to play, and enjoyable to listen to. I tried guitars in a variety of price ranges and was surprised at how much more I liked the F335 than guitars 2-3xs more costly. Although this guitar has a laminate rather than solid spruce top, it has a clear yet warm sound that I find really pleasing sonically. The fretboard is also very comfortable and easy to play which adds to the enjoyment of making music with it. I was so impressed with this instrument that I recently also purchased a Yamaha FS800 to use more for fingerstyle playing while using the F335 for flat picking. Those are a nice combination of instruments that cover all my guitar playing needs at this time. Regardless of what level you are playing I highly recommend this (and the FS800) for anyone looking for a very reasonable option that you can use for playing and songwriting.Scott F.

First of all, I own 2 Yamaha Guitars, the F335 being the first one I have owned. For an entry-level dred, you could not ask for a better quality, easy to play right out of the box, althought I would recommend a set-up with any instrument right out of the box with the addition of a bone saddle. Did this with this one and it brought its already rich tone to another level. I only give it 4 stars because I have owned a number of high-end instruments. If you are a brand new player, or one who is in the market just to have a dred to beat around with, look no further. This is the one for you.Chris

I purchased this guitar while it was on sale so can't really complain. There are several QC issues I would expect better from Yamaha even in a cheap imported product. Fit and overall build seems solid but there are odd finish issues that make no sense. At the neck joint there seems to be the remains of a tape line from the body to the neck all around the joint. This neck feels quite thin and comfortable but again, the finish is inconsistent. Just before the headstock, the finish goes from semi-gloss to mat in a very visible way that can also be felt in the hand. As I said in the beginning, cheap guitar, cheap price, hard to complain.Robert

After allowing the guitar few weeks to adjust and giving it a good set up including new strings and a neck adjustment (tightening the rod), Conditioning the fret board and a good polish, The guitar is easy to play and has great sound for an inexpensive guitar. I like the So Cal green color others may not as it is a vintage vibe. Tuners are price point but even price point tuners these days are decent. A little sticking from the nut, I think I can lightly file that out and add some nut sauce. The fret ends were not too sharp but I conditioned them to a nice smooth finish useing 500 grit sponge. Very little cost to make improvements and the guitar is fun to play. The sustain is probably the biggest suprise and I am satified to practice with this guitar every day. Very pleased for the cost. Good value.Bruce P.

This guitar has a decent sound for the price. A good starter guitar for someone who hasn't played in a long time. The first unit I was sent had a small issue. BCP's customer service was super friendly and took care of the problem right away. I would recommend this instrument if you are looking to learn to play.JW P.

My first guitar. I love it with its color and good quality also the good deal. Thank you BCP. You're the best as always. I'm no doubt and very happy when buying from you. Good deal, good quality, careful packing, timely delivery and perfect customer service maybe the description of you. Once again, thank youHang N.

I have wanted to learn an instrument but didn’t want to spend too much money in case it wasn’t for me, however, this guitar is perfect!! It’s pretty cheap and sounds lovely!! Definitely will be coming back for more in the future!!Bright B.

The guitar is beautiful for my 10 granddaughter. It going to be a wonderful surprise at Christmas. The guitar is a awesome price and i might get one for me. It was received fast and has all the accessories inside.Sylvia G.

Inexpensive but good beginner guitar. However you should swap out the steel strings this comes with a good set of nylon strings. This is a Classical guitar and must have nylon. Steel strings will only make this guitar last a shorter amount of time. Otherwise for the money and for anyone, kid or adult, this is an excellent buy to begin learning guitar. Sounds great with the nylon I swapped out and the guitar will last longer.Paul Fox

I bought this guitar to check out a budget friendly offering from Yamaha. I have to say I was not disappointed! Excellent tone and volume, the top really resonates. The guitar was really well setup right out of the box. It needed about 3/4 of a clockwise truss rod adjustment, no prob. Other than that it didn't need any fret dressing whatsoever. That's really impressive for a Chinese guitar. Heck even one of my Mexican Martins needed fret dressing out of the box! Also intonation was spot on and this also is important in your guitar. Very impressed with this guitar, intermediate/advanced feel but priced at a beginner budget. You won't regret picking one up, I assure you!Big Bone Murphy

There is a point of quality when an instrument reaches when it stops being seen as "better or worse" but rather just a different flavor. This Yamaha has reached that point. You can play it alongside a guitar costing 5x more and it stands up well. Yamaha is also one of those rare companies with a long history of top quality across all kinds of products, and guitars are an area Yamaha knows well. This is just a beautiful guitar through and throughout. You can get beautiful uncompromisingly great studio recordings with this guitar. Hitting the low strings hard with strumming gives a nice deep and rich tone. Also, the hardware / tuners are nice.Scott

I've owned many acoustics over the years, MANY, and this Yamaha is one of the best sounding I've ever owned. Went to GC just to check out a few lower end acoustics to pick up for jamming on, and tried almost every one in the room. Picked this one up last just before I was ready to leave, and immediately was blown away by the sound and playability, brought a couple friends to listen and tell me which one they thought sounded the best, and hands down this won over all of them. It has the tone and warmth of a Martin D34, which I have owned a few, and it plays like a dream. The neck is so sliky smooth, easy to fly up and down with no effort. It has amazing sustain and beautiful tone, I fell in love with it and just couldn't put it down. I didn't expect a guitar of this price range to sound as good as it does, got it home and I couldn't put it down. Played for 4 hours straight, and even after trying to put it down to go to bed at 1am I found myself playing a for a few more minutes before I could actually go to sleep. Love this Yamaha more than any guitar I've bought in the last decade. The best thing about it is, It gave me the desire to pick up playing guitar again, after hardly touching any of my other guitars for almost a year it's the one I want to play more than all of them. Great guitar, wouldn't hesitate to buy another in a different color, if you want something that you won't be able to put down this baby has the sound and feel your looking for.Johnny D

Let me start by saying this – I will never go anywhere else for our guitar needs other than SamAsh Music. The reason? I work at a Title I school just south of Cincinnati in a little town called Dayton, Kentucky. When disaster struck and our guitars were damaged due to a heating issue in the building, SamAsh stepped up and saved the day! They gave us a GREAT deal on brand new FA-115 Dreadnaught Guitar Packs. We were able to purchase an entire class set, and it wouldn't have been possible without their generosity! These guitars are significantly better than the recent Honer brands we were using. The attack of the notes is crisp, the resonance is fantastic, and its incredibly easy and smooth to maneuver on. My students were ecstatic when they came back from Winter break! Thank you Fender, and thank you SamAsh music for making many young musicians happy, and eager to play the guitar!NONE

This guitar is great. I upgraded my rogue starter guitar and this one sounds so much better. They gave me extra strings and a case. The strings are much closer to the fret and there is a notable quality difference from the previous starter guitar that I got. I think this is well worth it! Sam Ash was also great. They did a really good job and I am glad I purchased from them. They happen to give me extra picks!Grace

Exactly what I was looking for and my sales person was extremely helpful and not pushy. He tried to analyze what me needs were and once he did he focused on it and even though he did up sale me on a tuner, he wasn't pushy on upsalesDenny

I bought this guitar years ago for a few bucks. I bring it everywhere. Its small and takes a beating. The tone has only improved over time.Joe Kyser

I bought this for my friend that wants to learn how to play the guitar. I chose this for him because it's a nylon string so it wouldn't hurt his fingers which I noticed that most beginners easily gets frustrated when the steel strings hurts their fingers and then stops learning how to play the guitar. The guitar is well made and it looks like that it will last a long time of course with proper care. It's very light weight and compact so it's easy to maintain and store this guitar and also good for traveling.Rome

This Yamaha classical guitar is sold as a 'student' guitar but it's also a great travel size instrument. It's affordable, stays in tune, intonates well and has a great full body sound even though its a 3/4 size guitar. The nylon strings are easier on the fingers than steel strings and are great for someone just starting out. This one arrived with smooth fret ends and played perfectly right out of the box. Yamaha is one of best quality guitar brands, this one proves it.bascorulesright

This was my first time trying out Musiciansfriend. I must say I wish l had I known about them sooner. I bought a guitar for my daughter's lessons. The guitar came well protected in the box. The shipping was super fast and it arrived on time. The color of the guitar is gorgeous – my daughter loves it. The price too was very good compared to other sites. I also bought a case separately and the foot stool which I am happy with. I will definitely be shopping here for all our instrument needs. To top it all off. I received a purchase follow up call from the team at Musicianfriends. It's important to make sure your customers are happy with their purchase or address any questions or concerns.Noma N

Having relatively recently started learning guitar on an electric stratocaster-style guitar this was a great transition to the acoustic segment. The thinner body makes it much more comfortable to play than say a dreadnought and the neck is comfortable to transition too, yet the guitar doesn't seem to sacrifice as much sound as you'd expect from a thinner guitar. The finish of the guitar is that of a more expensive guitar for example the rosewood finger board. On arrival I actually thought the guitar looked better than the pictures on the website suggest but do note that because of the finish it is prone to showing finger marks which would need cleaning time to time. I would highly recommend this guitar.Richard P.

After suffering a permanent back injury I could no longer play my elictric guitar as it was too heavy or my acoustic electric guitar because it felt like it was twice it's normal size because I could no longer find a comfortable position for myself to play it. I bought a keyboard thinking that I could still play music. Afterv two weeks of playing around with the keyboard I gave up pllaying. Then I saw on the internet one night an advertisement for a 3/4 size Yamaha acoustic electric guitar guitar with a slimline bosy which looked like a nice guitar so I checked out males and females playing it and sounded very nice so I bought one. Man am I'm so glad I did. I got the sunburst like this one on sale. I was excited as l took it out of the box and went straight to my mancave and started playing it. It was perfecty in tune and for a guitar of this size it's got such a beautiful tone playing ACOUSTIC. So I plugged it in and it's as good as it sounded on YouTube. As an 67 yesr old man who started playing guitar when I was 16 years old, this is a beauty. I recommend this guitar to beginners, anyone with small hands and even people who want a good guitar to take with them without taking up much space in your car. Yep, it's a beaty.Deano

Great sounding and playing guitar, I replaced the synthetic saddle for bone, original was to tapered on the high E new saddle took care of that. Buy the epiphone or roadrunner jumbo case, nothing else fits, make sure if the guitar comes straight from the factory you use a humidifier in your case for at least 6 months. Especially in colorado. Then if you leave it out without a humidifier that you dont have forcrd Heat or air conditioning vents close to the guitar. This guitar has great projection.Kenny

After purchasing this guitar from American Musical Supply, I was really nervous awaiting its arrival because this was actually my first time purchasing an instrument online. I’m used to going inside music shops and trying out different gear and playing guitars before I buy them so I know that what I’m taking home with me already feels comfortable and right in my hands. This guitar in particular, however, is not a style that is normally kept stocked in the stores for customers to test drive before they purchase. Similar models are available in stores near me but I think anyone who has ever wanted this particular model from Epiphone knows that they have heard and felt the beautiful sound that projects from this big guitar and I am here to tell you that my “leap of faith” online purchase was nothing more than a huge win in my book! This guitar looks, sounds and plays just as I expected it would with much more to offer once it’s actually in your hands! I’m personally a country/blues guy so this guitar definitely fits right up that alley in my opinion. It feels so solid in your hands and the tone is just plain awesome! The Jumbo body allows the sounds inside the guitar to reverberate through your body as it’s pressed against you before making its way through the sound hole where it flourishes into that awesome deep, thick sound. From the factory the guitar is set up beautifully and very playable right out of the box. Quality parts, quality wood and quality electronics as expected from Epiphone and very well executed in this model. Definitely worth every penny for the undecided guitarist but hey, don’t take just my word for it! Pick up this awesome guitar from Epiphone through these good folks here at American Musical and set yourself up with one of their payment plans if that interests you! It’s an awesome way to be able to get the gear you need and the gear you’ve been wanting without breaking the bank right on the spot! Excellent Job by Epiphone once again and an excellent job by American Musical for supplying it at an awesome price and providing sweet payment options for your customers and future consumers!Billy

I once owned a Gibson J15, that I bought from Guitar Center, and I loved it, but I always wanted a J200, I just could never afford one. Well, I ended up having to sell my J15 to pay rent one month, and I ended up having some extra money from it, and thought why not give the Epi a try? It's closer to the Guitar I always wanted anyways. I was blown away. It has all the high end stylings of a Gibson J200, maybe even more if you consider the built in tuner and cutaway features for about 3000$ less. Well, unfortunately I only owned it for about a week before my car broke down and I had to return my Epi to pay for the repairs. I've regretted it ever since. I would have rather donated blood 50 times than have returned that guitar. (Fortunately I just got my tax return and repurchased it, and it seems like it sounds even better than before). As I was saying, it stacks up against s Gibson guitar nicely, the shadow preamp isn't as nice as any LR Baggs system but it will certainly give you lots of usable sounds. I think this is the best guitar in the 500$ price range and I'm disappointed in Guitar Center for not carrying it in store. I'm a firm believer in the fact that having a guitar you like, you like the looks of, you like the feel of, will make you a better guitarist, and that's what this beautiful, fat boy jumbo acoustic has done for me. I actually like mine so much I decided to put some money into it for upgrades, and I haven't been disappointed. I stuck some Grover Keystone tuners on it in gold of course ( had them on my Epi Les Paul before and thought would look cool so I just swapped them), some Martin ebony bridge pins, and some D'Addario EXPs and this thing sounds unreal now. So, if you're reading this because you're unsure as to whether you should buy this guitar or not, yes, you should absolutely buy this guitar and never look back.Anonymous

A fine, good looking guitar that sounds every bit as good as it looks. The Fender feel is right there and the tone. The design has been adhered to rigidly, this is transferred over to the player , it blends into the body. Then of course, the price, I would have willingly paid a lot more than the Fender price for a guitar that was up to the Fender standard . Unbeatable.footballer10sweeper

Sounds great and does everything it needs to! Ticks all the boxes for me as I’m just starting out as a guartarist… thoroughly recommend for anybody starting out, although consider whether you want an amp or not first, this version doesn’t have an audio output…Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I bought this guitar for my wife to learn how to play and it is perfect. I have been a Fender devotee my whole life and could not believe the great value for money this guitar was. Manny's allowed for a trouble free purchase, I can recommend them for both price and service!Greg

I bought this guitar for my grandson as he was interested in playing. He found other interests and It sat in his closet for about a year and a half. I have a very nice Alveraz accoustic guitar I've been playing for about 20 yrs. now paid about 500 plus with the case. Long story short, I was looking for a camp fire type guitar and asked to use his. The neck was out of alignment so i took both my alveraz and this ibenaz to my guitar lutheran for neck adjustments and new strings when I picked it up he could not believe this was a cheap guitar and said I would probably like this better than the Alveraz. This is now my go to guitar for practice. It sounds Great and after the minor adjustments the to the neck which you would do time to time anyway, the DiAddario bronze 11's the action is spot on. I can live with the frets being a little rough. If it bothers you file it down a little.Intermediate Player

I received this JamPack as a gift from my dad for my 14th birthday in 2004. 9 years later, I still play this guitar almost every day. I learned on it, progressed to "better, more expensive" acoustics which eventually were sold, and have hung onto this cheap Ibanez. My example has press-in tuners, which is my only real gripe. These may be upgraded to bolt-in tuners someday, but i'm in no rush. The guitar holds tune for weeks (really), and holds intonation and a setup forever (I set it up once, when I first learned how to work on my own guitars somewhere around 2008. It's still holding that setup perfectly). The build is very solid, the tone is perfectly passable, especially considering what was paid, and I've had a very hard time justifying higher priced guitars because of just how much I enjoy my cheap Ibanez.MattyBegsBassist

I've had this guitar for about 10 years now. It was my very first guitar, way back when I was first starting out. This guitar isn't high quality, but for the price you should know that. Everything about this guitar is decent- the sound, the look, the finish. It gets the job done, and will be a great guitar for you if you're just starting out. The main gripe I have with it is reliability. I've treated mine very well besides a few dents and some fading on the finish near the fretboard, but the sound just faded. Maybe it's because I have much better quality guitars now but it just doesn't sound right to me anymore and I basically just keep it for the memories. The frets buzz now, too. But you'll get that on just about any starter pack guitar. It doesn't last in quality but honestly it's not made to. It's made so you'll learn on it for a few years, then graduate to a much higher quality guitar if you're committed. And honestly it does that job very, very well.Christina4242

I purchased this guitar for my 11 year old daughter. I wanted to find a quality instrument that is smaller in size, easy to play, and stays in tune. I have owned other Yamaha guitars before, and they are a great guitar for the price. The Yamaha FG JR1 did not disappoint! The guitar is easy to play, stays in tune and it sounds pretty good for a small guitar. The strings do feel a little heavy for a beginner. I would definitely recommend changing the strings to a lighter gauge for a beginning player. I recommend the Ernie Ball Earthwood Silk and Steel Extra Soft 10-50. They’re a great string for tender young fingers.Jimmy

I bought the Yamaha JR2 for my daughter as a Christmas present and I was surprised. I didn't expect it to be that good because of its price but WOW!!! The resonance is unbelievable given that it's not made from solid wood and the neck is so comfortable, perfect for kids who are learning. This is my third guitar from Better Music and they never disappoint me. The guitars are well set up and the packaging is unbelievable every time. It just shows how much they value their customers and that's why I keep coming back. I don't usually leave reviews but I appreciate what these guys are doing. Keep up the good work!Marvin B.

I bought this on the 7th birthday of one of my twin girl. I was on a tight budget of around $100 and then I thought to speak to one of the representatives at SamAsh. After having a talk with him I was convinced to get a good guitar to start even though I have to stretch my budget. Since my family is a newbie in musical instruments i am happy that my girl is interested in learning music. She is very happy and we are thinking to take her to few lessons. It's well-made and offers a good tone. Great buy!!Preeti

I was very excited to see and play a highly reviewed 12 string that costs pennies compared to my 12 string Takamine, Yamaha and Ibanez. Once I got through the box I saw the guitar had the look of some cheap pressed wood. The sound was as weak as a cup of Finnish coffee. The darn thing couldn't stay in tune to save mine or its life. How this guitar gets rated so highly MUST be a result of fake reviewers OR I simply got the ONE Rogue 12 string that seemed to be made by the Fisher-Price Company. This is NOT a musical instrument. It IS an instrument to make noise with. My edition was not worthy of the effort one has to put forward to learn and play guitar. One must have to have an instrument meet the musician at least half-way. With this "musical" instrument, you have to cross the block, pick the guitar up and fight against it to produce close to a tone that sounds musical. Best to buy a used good name 12 string guitar. Or save your pennies and get a Takamine or Yamaha. The latter will be excellent and cost in the $350 range. But a Yamaha will play forever and stay in tune. I recommend my Yamaha over my ash Ibanez. The former just has a fuller tone. If possible save for the Takamine which is on another guitar plane altogether. But don't buy a guitar based on price and/or name. I've discovered many of the friends I play with can't tell if their singing and/or playing is in tune!!. And yet, they own $5,000 MARTIN GUITARS!! Haha. Quite simply a waste of money. Be like me buying a red-green "masterpiece" oil painting, as I'm red-green color blind. But I DO have a good ear and this Rogue of a guitar is worthy of no one's money or effort. M.F. has many more-though more expensive-options that will bring the performer YEARS if not DECADES of playing happiness. Only misery lies in a 12 string Rogue guitar. Avoid.muskoxmike

Purchased this around December hoping to get my kids into it. As usually happens, it ended up being much more of a display use. I would imagine it was picked up about 12 times max total. It sat on display being ignored primarily. Still, by mid-June (in under 6 months) the bridge has warped and started to detach from the main guitar. I noticed this as I walked past it. The glue did not hold. Surprise though, because you can't just pull up a website for Rogue. I called Guitar Center for help to contact the manufacturer as this should be covered under their warranty. Guitar cCenter took my information and said they would forward it to their "contact" for the company and I should receive a response in 3-5 business days. It's been a few weeks now and I'm not impressed. No one called me back, they wouldn't simply give me an 800 number to call to handle it myself, and I still have no solution and no idea who to contact in order to make a claim on the manufacturer warranty. I am more than disappointed with Guitar Center's negligence to truly stand behind a beginner product they seem to offer a great deal of.Amanda V.

I'm so impressed by my RD 90. I think some reviewers are hesitant to give it the praise it deserves because it is an inexpensive guitar. I did a little work to lower the action and now it is perfect. Humidity and temperature changes cause it to need occasional tuning, no different that my other two acoustics. It has a full, rich tone. It plays easily. It makes me feel like I got a real bargain; I don't know how they turn a profit at this price.Charles

Rogue Starter Guitar. Bottom line: NOT for beginners, requires too much set-up work and the strings feel very harsh on the fingers. I really tried to make it work. I was warned against buying cheap, but I thought I wanted something I could learn on, that I wouldn't be intimidated by, and eventually donate somewhere. But it was not playable out of the box. At first the tuning was awful. I figured out why they include an Allen wrench, and eventually put on my big-girl shoes and adjusted the truss rod. There are no instructions included with this guitar, so here's a clue: the access panel is in the front of the head stock, and you need to open the rhomboid black panel to access it. It was difficult to turn, but I adjusted it and made it sound a bit better, even though I was afraid of breaking it. However – the D-String tuning peg turned out to be totally defective, the screw threads were not lined up. How can I learn what it's supposed to sound like if it never sounds right? We are still in the middle of Covid-19, and I was unable to bring it back to Guitar Center for repair or replacement for weeks, so I tried to work with it and continued my self-guided lessons. As soon as the shop opened to walk-in customers, I returned it. I will not be replacing it with this model. It did serve its purpose in a way, I researched the guitar parts and repair, and took it upon myself to try to fix the issues, so now I am not intimidated by a guitar.J-net

Sorry, I hate to write negative reviews but… in what world are these the same guitars? From the picture, the Red Burst guitar looked like a dark mahogany color. Instead it's a bright red with a black edge. I'm sure that's some people's style, but not mine. It also won't stay in tune, and it's a pain to retune it every day I pick it up. I picked this guitar because I'm just starting to learn and didn't want to sink too much money into something I don't stick with. I'm not sure if I want to spend the extra money to upgrade to a better guitar, but I at least plan on taking it into the nearest guitar center store and see if I can exchange it for another color. Even that will be a pain, since I'll have to take it on the train and I don't have a case for it yet. I just wish the pictures were more accurate to the product!Rachel

Bought for my ten year daughter. Action is insane for such a affordable price. Sounds good. Beautiful color. My guitars were too big for her. This one fits just really get. Love that the scale is normal still. Allowing for a great transition. When it's time to upgrade.Nick

I have no idea how they do it for the money. Quality binding and purfling, good finish, ebony bridge and bridge pins, TUSQ nut and saddle, vintage Grover-style tuners, abalone inlays down the back of beautiful solid Pau Ferro back and sides. This guitar would be a good deal at $2,000 USD when you compare it to the other stuff on the market, at the current price it's practically robbery. Tonally speaking it's very bright and somewhat lacks bass, but if you go play very expensive guitars you'll find that's actually quite common for spruce tops made from hard body back and sides (rosewood, maple, walnut, pau ferro, etc.). I personally like a really bright guitar because on recordings guitars always end up sounding darker and bassier than in person (due to proximity effect). To my ear it sounds like a high-end Martin D-35, which I also own and have compared together. If you're looking for a bright and somewhat even midrange response from a guitar, especially for recording or playing live gigs then I highly recommend the Sierra. This guitar has no business being as cheap as it is for the quality. The workmanship is very good all throughout and I will almost certainly be buying their all mahogany guitar next.Joshua

I bought this guitar on faith. Faith in the reviews. Faith in the guitar's description, the manufacturing process descriptions, and the warranty promises of the company. Prior to Covid, I would not have conceived of buying a guitar online, without playing it first. But I have a couple friends who buy guitars online and they have done well. So I pulled the trigger. A few days later my guitar arrived, and slightly ahead of schedule. The outer box was damaged, and there really wasn't any other protection other than the included hardshell case. But the case did protect the guitar, and my first revelation was, just how nice the case is. It really is a nice plush and sturdy case. Then I pulled the guitar out of the case, and it was undamaged. I inspected it carefully and could not easily find any flaws in it's construction or finish. So I tuned it up and walla! It sounds great. And it feels nice in my hands. It probably needs a slight truss rod adjustment, as it buzzes very slightly, but it did come from clear across the country to a very different climate. I bought this guitar on sale, and for the solid woods and quality components, it is definitely a higher quality instrument than offered by other Guitar companies at this price point. So I am very pleased with my purchase. I will gladly recommend Orangewood to my friends.Stephen C.

I have played guitar on and off for most of my life and have just picked it up again after a 15 year hiatus. My last acoustic guitar was a Martin D15 which I loved but rather than let it collect dust, I sold it to someone who appreciated it and gave it the attention it deserved. When I decided to start playing again I considered several different brands but based on you tube reviews was originally interested in the Orangewood Echo. But then I watched a video that was a blind comparison of the Hudson to a Huss and Dalton and a Martin D41. I was blown away and when this went on sale, I made the leap and bought the Hudson rather than the Echo because I love the way the sound of a solid wood guitar evolves as it is played. Even though I haven’t played in 15 years, the setup on the guitar was perfect and I was able to get some beautiful tones immediately. My chops are coming back quickly (muscle memory still there despite the time lapse) because it is such a joy to play. Not only do I love the tone and sustain of this guitar, the fit and finish is outstanding. The herringbone binding on the top and back is clean,elegant, and refined. Reminds me of the D28 herringbone, but even nicer in my opinion. I am thrilled with this guitar. It has reminded my just how satisfying playing a quality guitar is.Brian N.

I bought this guitar to check out a budget friendly offering from Yamaha. I have to say I was not disappointed! Excellent tone and volume, the top really resonates. The guitar was really well setup right out of the box. It needed about 3/4 of a clockwise truss rod adjustment, no prob. Other than that it didn't need any fret dressing whatsoever. That's really impressive for a Chinese guitar. Heck even one of my Mexican Martins needed fret dressing out of the box! Also intonation was spot on and this also is important in your guitar. Very impressed with this guitar, intermediate/advanced feel but priced at a beginner budget. You won't regret picking one up, I assure you!Big Bone Murphy

There is a point of quality when an instrument reaches when it stops being seen as "better or worse" but rather just a different flavor. This Yamaha has reached that point. You can play it alongside a guitar costing 5x more and it stands up well. Yamaha is also one of those rare companies with a long history of top quality across all kinds of products, and guitars are an area Yamaha knows well. This is just a beautiful guitar through and throughout. You can get beautiful uncompromisingly great studio recordings with this guitar. Hitting the low strings hard with strumming gives a nice deep and rich tone. Also, the hardware / tuners are nice.Scott

I've owned many acoustics over the years, MANY, and this Yamaha is one of the best sounding I've ever owned. Went to GC just to check out a few lower end acoustics to pick up for jamming on, and tried almost every one in the room. Picked this one up last just before I was ready to leave, and immediately was blown away by the sound and playability, brought a couple friends to listen and tell me which one they thought sounded the best, and hands down this won over all of them. It has the tone and warmth of a Martin D34, which I have owned a few, and it plays like a dream. The neck is so sliky smooth, easy to fly up and down with no effort. It has amazing sustain and beautiful tone, I fell in love with it and just couldn't put it down. I didn't expect a guitar of this price range to sound as good as it does, got it home and I couldn't put it down. Played for 4 hours straight, and even after trying to put it down to go to bed at 1am I found myself playing a for a few more minutes before I could actually go to sleep. Love this Yamaha more than any guitar I've bought in the last decade. The best thing about it is, It gave me the desire to pick up playing guitar again, after hardly touching any of my other guitars for almost a year it's the one I want to play more than all of them. Great guitar, wouldn't hesitate to buy another in a different color, if you want something that you won't be able to put down this baby has the sound and feel your looking for.Johnny D

Look, just wanted to reply to some reviews that say this guitar sounds well…..thin. Duh, yes its not a jumbo acoustic or even a regular body acoustic. Its a thinline acoustic so it sounds just like what it is. Ive played several thinline guitars and they all sound…well…thin. That doesnt mean its cheaply made or a bad sounding guitar. It has its own sound. If you want a deep bass, then buy a jumbo or regular acoustic. I like the easy neck movement. The chords sound fine and this guitar doesnt require anymore tuning than any other in this price range. I tried ten guitars at guitar center including more expensive brands like fender, mitchell, yamaha and others and this was the only one under 400 dollars that stayed in tune from an E chord to a C chord. I bought it because Ive owned Ibanez before and never regretted it. To each his own but keep in mind a thinline guitar is not going to have a deep rich sound, but, I record my bass along with it so it sounds fine. It is what it is…a nice thinline acoustic-electric guitar.Kjmmusician

I had been playing a very old and very nice acoustic at church for night service, and didn't want to subject it to the rigors of live playing on a regular basis. After some research, it came down to purchasing a Talman or a Stratacoustic. I went with the Talman due to the price, and Ibanez's reputation. When the guitar arrived, I was a little apprehensive as the neck felt awesome, but the setup was awful. The strings were heavy gauge, and were set way too high. After some work shaving down the bridge, changing to light strings, and adjusting the truss rod, this baby plays great! I love that the electronics are really easy to use, and it was made to plug in. The sound when you are practicing unplugged isn't as full or rich as you get with a full sized acoustic, but this guitar wasn't made for that – it was made to be plugged in. I was able to eliminate having to use pedals to get the proper volume and EQ, which makes the live rig way easier to set up and tear down. I play it through a Line 6 spider II 75 watt head running through a Marshall 4×12 cabinet. The spider's clean channel is great for acoustic as it does not color the tone, and the Marshall is plenty loud for a church sanctuary. Overall, I am quite happy with the Talman, even though I had to put in some extra work to get it the way I like my guitars. It is a steal at the price if you have the skills and are willing to play with the setup.Stratbuilder

Open Box / Blemish – still can't find any blemish, maybe two tiny smudges on the back of the body, but with the satin finish they're hard to spot. The NEX body is comfortable and it really projects the sound. The action was way too high, even for a factory setup. But it was easy to get it lower and lock in the harmonics.Mike

The Takamine GN20 is a great guitar. The natural wood matte finish is handsome. It's a baby jumbo that gives you full quality projection, with beautifully balanced tone. The cedar top and mahagony back and sides provide a depth of tone, that makes the instrument sound wonderful in performance. Your hand fits easily around the slim neck and makes playing a real pleasure. To me, it feels like a vintage Ovation guitar. I've had mine for two years, and perform with it on weekends on a regular basis. It still looks like new. The price was easy to handle. Wait for the sale price, then buy this guitar. You won't regret it.Ovationation

Overall: So, I have owned this guitar for several months now. It is without a doubt a very good sounding guitar, it's up there with my Gibson's and Martins. Strumming or finger picking it just sounds amazing. I did not love the string spacing, so I replaced the nut with a bit wider spacing for my style of playing. The whole point about me taking the plunge on this guitar was that it was all solid woods, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and one of Yamahas absolute best acoustics available. I have no regrets buying this guitar at all. My friends are amazed at the beauty and sound of this very well-built guitar. The electronics do a good job plugged into the PA for playing live, and it will amaze you how good it sounds unplugged all by itself. I never thought I would buy anything but Martin or Gibson's…. this changed my mind completely. if you're thinking about one of these just buy one!! My honest opinion is the price will go up on these as the solid woods and craftsmanship are stunning.Michael

I’ve had my A3M for three years now. I still look at mahogany wood grain in awe. This guitar has a nice rounded tone that can compete with Taylor and Martin guitars made from mahogany. Plugged into an acoustic amp sounds even better. I notice the price point has increased $100 (not sure of due to inflation) which shows that it is a respected instrument. I spent months spinning around for a acoustic guitar and I was truly pleased with the Yamaha A3M. I think it can keep up with Martin and Taylor on stage as a reliable gig machine.bryan nuñez

Really awesome guitar for beginners. The action was a bit high for me but it was easily adjustable. Been using this guitar to play in Central Park and it has great resonance and sound. Definitely a great quality acoustic guitar for someone starting out and doesn't want to break the bank. And the guys at Sam Ash were super helpful helping me pick it out!HUNTER

I'm a beggining player, and so I went into the store not knowing anything about guitars. I was instantly helped by an employee, and was drawn to this guitar. It is great quality and sounds wonderful. The kit is really useful and saved me some money. Defiently would recommend this guitar to beginner and novice players alike, and will defiently be coming back to this store!Christian

A very good starter pack. Through time, the the strap and soft guitar case will be upgraded to a strap of personal choice and a hard case for better protection during transport, but, they are fine for now. The guitar itself is of very good quality and could easily last a lifetime with proper care. The tuner is a necessary piece of equipment and the extra set of strings is a welcome idea. I believe this purchase represents the higher-end of an entry-level guitar package. One note about Guitar Center. We took the guitar to Guitar Center for tuning, fully expecting to pay a fee. Overall, the feeling of the store is that of the old style family owned business. It was refreshing. The staff won't steer you toward the "slower" moving stock like big-box stores are now doing. The kids were "blown-away" with the comprehensive array of instruments and of the staff encouraging them to "give it a whirl" even though they knew a sale wouldn't be made that day. We weren't charged for the tuning and we left with the staff encouraging us to "come back anytime". We plan to… In just an hour or so, Guitar Center established themselves as the retailer of choice for any further purchases of instruments or repairs. I believe we made a good choice selecting the Yamaha Starter Pack and with Guitar Center handling the transaction.Stan