Black Acoustic Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

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

There are hundreds of reviews on this guitar, of course some good and some bad. The good reviews (4-5 stars) far out number the rest. Although I’ve read some really, really bad ones. I suppose every guitar maker churns out a turd on occasion when mass producing affordable beginner (read inexpensive) guitars.
I can only tell you about my particular guitar.
It is fantastic, it’s beautiful, sounds amazing (plugged in and acoustic), plays amazingly well, stays in tune, the tuners are smooth and work as you would expect on a much more expensive guitar. The neck is perfect, the action is great (Martin MA540 Authentic Acoustic Light strings 0.054-0.012). I haven’t a single complaint I can’t say whether the quality has gone up or down in the last few years. Mine is an earlier production model about 10 years old. They’re relatively common , You can find a nice used one locally in most cities for under $150. That way you can play and give it a thorough inspection before you buy it. Check your local Guitar Center, try it, return it if you don’t like it, my bet is you will love it.Larry Daniels

I usually don't leave negative reviews. This guitar is beautiful, it sounds amazing. However, I just can't believe that guitar center would let this be shipped. The neck seems fine but every fret divider is razor sharp. It's so uncomfortable that I have quit playing it. Living in a small town it's very expensive to return stuff, so I guess it will just sit for now. To guitar centers credit, I have shopped there for many years and never been disappointed. But gee guys, why wouldn't you be checking this stuff? If I picked it off your wall I would never buy it unless you fixed it for me. Sorry but this sucksJohn

Tried out two of these at the local store looking for a first guitar for my son. Both sounded pretty good for the price point, but both had problems with the neck and really terrible frets. Terrible like not safe for children or unsuspecting adults – they both had sharp edges sticking out the whole length of the neck. Between that, some minor string buzz, a crazy high 9th fret on one, and iffy intonation on the other, it just didn't seem worth getting either of them. What's the point of getting a low priced guitar if you have to spend $100+ getting it worked over to make it playable? I suspect that the neck binding makes it difficult for the factory to really get the frets properly dressed and still pass cosmetic inspection. It may be I just had the bad luck to find the two worst examples of this model in the same store, but I suggest you move up notch in price range and you will be happier with what you get.triple.ratrider

I love the color and the shape and how light it is. It's perfect for beginners and for those who aren't beginners. It has a beautiful sound and you can't go bad with this guitar. I would definitely be ordering another one smaller for my daughter who is turning 9. I can't express how amazing this guitar is.LatinaGoddess

The guitar is great, being just slightly heavy. However, it does not, at least it didn't for me, include picks. It sounds fine, although I haven't tested it with an amplifier. If you are on the fence, I recommend it. It's a guitar. It's not super special.TheZman

Nice product. Pleasantly surprised with how nice this guitar locks. Cant say much for the quality because I dont know anything about guitars quite yet but Im hoping to use this is my first learner! But so far looks great and sounds nice when strumming.waterbearcycles

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

After trying to use a no-drilling-required pickup on my dreadnought and getting obnoxious buzzing noises, I saw one of these on the wall at my local Guitar Center. I liked the feel, and was really surprised at the sound when I tried it through a PA. I saw one in their Used section online and got it for a giveaway price. Like another reviewer said, this thing plays like an electric; a soft-V neck with great action. Big secret: Whether you pay $250 or $3,000, acoustic-electric guitars all sound about the same through a PA. So why bankrupt yourself? I'm going to open mics and playing next to people with very high-dollar guitars and sound just as good! Yamaha is also far and away my favorite brand of acoustic; I have five. Now, this thing DOES have a few finish flaws you don't see on my Yamaha FG730s guitars, like one speck under the finish and a drip on the upper bout. However this is their absolute entry-level electric acoustic so I guess they train new guys on this line, and for how well it plays and sounds, and the price I paid, I have no complaints. Thank you, sir, may I have another!Art's Tunes

Bad – This guitar came without the usual Yamaha Factory Box and Accessories (truss rod, inspection tag, instructions). It looked like it was 'reboxed' by Guitar Center to fulfill Musician's Friend's order. And it shipped from a Guitar Center store rather than a warehouse. This happens way too often with Musician's friend, and they never seem to label the guitar as 'open box' or 'used.' Although the guitar was re-packed with lots of bubble wrap, the guitar was obviously damaged at the store. There were cracks on the top and side of the guitar. That probably explains why Guitar Center repackaged the guitar-the original shipping box from Yamaha would have been an obvious clue to the damaged guitar. Good-All Yamaha guitars go through a quality control process. And when I purchase them from other retailers, they all come with the proper accessories and inspection tags and are factory-packaged in the sealed Yamaha boxes. So, just make sure you are getting a new product, not a showroom or return-recycle when you order a Yamaha product from Musician's friend. Ugly-This guitar has a laminate top and the tonal balance of the guitar isn't top notch. Plugged in for performance or recording *and* when just played unplugged you can hear the difference between a Yamaha laminate vs solid top acoustic. I would recommend going for the solid top. I'm not sure if the Musician's friend website clearly specifies this is a laminate top guitar. Okay, if you get a new one with the inspection tags and truss rod tool, it's good for learning guitar or campfire use, where you might get caught in a rainstorm or you might be gifting a guitar and aren't sure how it will be taken care of. Moving up to the Yamaha solid top guitars, you are going to be happier in the long run, if you are a serious guitarist. I recommend trying this guitar out in a retail store, to make sure you get one fresh from the factory with the inspection tags and barcode on the factory box to prove it.Seasoned Musician

Exceptional guitar for the money. I went into to guitar center for the fgx800c but it wasn't in stock. Came across this one and was satisfied with the sound. It plays well, sounds great, and won't break the bank. I do wish it had an onboard tuner though. Highly recommend!Richard

Overall: I purchased this guitar in February and it arrived unplayable. I was unable to review for this reason. Due to living in a remote location and being disabled it was to dificult to exchange, however, zZounds was very prompt at trying to help me return it. Unfortunately my caregiver had to throw away all the packaging. So my fault I couldn't return. I have purchased many ibanez guitars and this was the first time I had a problem. However, it's pretty obvious ibanez knew about this when sending the guitar to zZounds. So a little disappointed. So I'm unable to try this guitar, however, zZounds was very prompt and the customer service was great. I just can't return it and that's my fault. I would still recommend this guitar and zZounds.Kenneth

Looked good online but like someone else said it's like a toy I should have listened. I was told since I didn't like it I would have to pay return shipping and ups quoted me eighty five so I called guitar center and they said I could return it there. I did and they were very nice and it went back on my cardDavy E

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.

Guitar is ok for the price; however, I was expecting the strings to last longer than 2 days before breaking. Even the extra ones that came with the bundle broke as I was putting them on. I had to buy better ones and had a professional put them on to make sure they were adjusted correctly. Additionally, the small tuner's battery was dead out of the box so I had to get a new one. Again, I guess you get what you get for the price. On a positive note, the guitar looks nice, the small amps is super convenient, and everything arrived fast and together in one box.Luis L.

The guitar did not have the black scratch panel that is shown in the Sunburst guitar. Also, when my son opened the gift guitar, the black bag was covered in a white mold/mildew. It was delivered one week before his birthday and kept in a dry room, and opened for the first time on his birthday. The guitar seems ok, I will know more when someone with some guitar knowledge checks it out for me. It may be going back to the store. The pictures show exactly what the bag looked like minutes after the gift was opened. Looks rough, 2 stars are for the fact that the guitar was not moldy.Kacee

I own a vintage guitar shop and try to keep inexpensive guitars around to give to deserving young students. I bought two of these based upon good reviews. I was first amazed at the quality of the guitar…no sharp fret ends, no high frets, no blemishes in the finish, intonation right on. The set-up was quite good out of the box. I did file the nut some, but I always do even on high end guitars. The guitar sounds decent acoustically, but plugged in is where it shines. It stands up to guitars priced over a grand when plugged in. I gave one of these to a Grammy winning guitar player who is also amazed at its quality and sound. He thinks it is a great practice guitar that he does not need to worry about getting broken or stolen.Gary

I have been playing about 2 years. I have an acoustic guitar and wanted to try an acoustic-electric without breaking the bank. I bought the RA-090 concert size because a dreadnought size guitar is too large for me. The built-in tuner, volume and tone controls are handy. The action is a little high but it plays fine. The top and body are all laminated and of course sounds different than my solid spruce top acoustic.I had realistic expectations of an instrument in this price range, and overall, I am satisfied with the guitar.John

I couldn't resist buying this guitar, in spite of the fact that I own several acoustics of better quality. I have been wanting to try an acoustic/electric for a long time, one with barn-door electronics, and this one was on sale so I thought I'd roll the dice. And that's exactly what you do when you buy a Rogue. For the money involved, don't expect consistent quality. Mine came with no glaring issues, with fret ends fairly smooth (I did give them a quick touch-up) and a reasonable finish, although the back of the guitar did have some spots that could have used more polishing, but black is a hard finish to make look perfect. The neck is rather beefy, and some may find it too big, but it fits my hand better than a skimpy neck. The sound unplugged is OK but not rich in tone, and the electronics work fine when plugged in, albeit a little harsh sounding. I'll have to work on that with some creative EQ. Taking a peek inside with a light and an inspection mirror, everything looked clean except for some shoddy drill work through the bridge plate. The truss rod turns easily, and came properly adjusted. The cheap tuners all work as intended with no slippage. For the bad, plan to throw away the strings immediately. And the intonation was considerably off, due to the saddle tilting in its slot from string pressure and a sloppy fit in the bridge slot. This was corrected temporarily with a cardboard shim in front of the saddle. Next I will have to address the nut slots (not deep enough) and the saddle being too high. All considered, this is a good buy if you want an inexpensive acoustic/electric.Jimmy J

Good sound and feel, especially for the price. I honestly really enjoyed playing this guitar. However, it is quite disappointing that the craftsmanship was lacking, since I always took great care with handling it, and the bridge snapped in half. I was using it very often, so it may be best for beginners or for only periodic use.Nick

I bought this guitar because it was the cheapest acoustic in the store and I wasn't sure I'd stick with playing. I have had so much fun with it a year later I feel compelled to write a review! This guitar looks, feels, and sounds great, and mine rarely needs a tune-up despite regular use. Folks are saying the action is too high but I haven't noticed (and as a newbie maybe that's helped me build finger strength more quickly, who knows.) The only con I can think of is the sound is a tiny bit thin, but for a casual player like myself, that's no big issue. Anyway, I love this guitar and would absolutely recommend it for newbies/casual players. This is a great value instrument!Nomi

I have always had trouble with guitars. My hands are small and not very strong, so I've never had good luck trying to get good, consistent sound out of a guitar. It's just been too frustrating for me to continue. I also have a hard time feeling comfortable with the size and shape of most guitars I've tried. I've got limited funds to invest in an instrument and I wanted to make sure it was going to be an instrument that would let me play the things I wanted to play, and give me the range I was looking for. I've looked at banjos, classical guitars, and even junior guitars. But I always came back to the acoustic guitar in terms of sound and range. So when this guitar went on sale, I took the plunge and placed the order (after watching numerous video reviews, of course). I couldn't be happier! This is a gorgeous guitar that feels great, and it doesn't take much pressure at all to get a beautiful sound from it. It is wonderfully constructed. I had mine shipped to the store, which may have protected it. Either way, I didn't experience any of the construction issues I read in some of the other reviews, but also I was confident in the purchase guarantee of Guitar Center, and I knew I would have received a replacement if anything was wrong. It's definitely why I purchase through Guitar Center. Now I'm so excited about playing this guitar that I practice twice a day because it's so much fun and it sounds so great. As a new player, I simply couldn't be happier about this purchase. The onboard tuner makes it very easy to tune quickly. When I first tuned it, I used my Super Snark tuner to check the accuracy and they both matched exactly. I also purchased the Fender 20 watt amp and plugged it in. Wow! What a fun set-up! This is definitely a purchase I will treasure forever.Kristin

A lot of value, especially at the discounted sale price. Handsome design. But… Where is the quality control? Sharp fret ends, action set waayyy to low. major fret buzzing. several of the tuners were sticking. Rough edges on wooden bridge, strings are "rough" and lifeless. Pre-amp works well, but the tuner is inconsistent. Fretboard wood was really dry… did they store it dry storage? If you are willing to invest some time and effort like I did, filing the fret ends, raising the bridge, conditioning the wood, etc. it can serve as a first beginner guitar or a beater that I wanted. I'm no expert, but one can't expect a novice to take care of these issues. Getting a luthier to fix things properly, and you've doubled the price of the guitar. I've been spoiled. My other 4 guitars are medium to entry-level Yamahas, and none had these type of issues. BTW. the finish is not black, it is a charcoal grey and is distinctive. The neck is easy to play, but the sound and resonance is typical for a thin-bodied guitar. But, with a built-in tuner pre-amp, it's a decent value.Lawrence

Sounds good so far. First impressions: the "metallic black" is more metallic than black. It's really more of a shimmery dark grey than black; the pick guard which IS basically black contrasts more than product images suggest. Frets are a bit sharp at the ends, but otherwise, no major complaints.Jeff

The electronics didn't work well at all. I was able to sporadically interface with my Tonewood Amp, but it was hit-or-miss. I know it wasn't my TWA or cable that was the problem. I liked the sound of this guitar, and it was comfortable for my frame. The action was perfect for me out of the box…about as low as you can get without fret buzzing. However, all of the fret ends we're sticking out and would have needed filing. The fretboard and bridge wood seemed soft and rough. I suspect neither would wear well. There was a spot near the sound hole where it looked like glue had been smeared when the pick guard was placed on. That would not rub off. Gooey streaks elsewhere did clean off. There were some ripples in the finish around the sound hole. The color was more grey/gunmetal than black, and spray marks were visible in the paint. I got this guitar on sale at 40% off: $127.19, delivered. For that price I probably would have kept it had the electronics worked properly. I returned it.Regina

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

Bought without trying it out because I had seen a photo and decided I would like to try it but was out of stock for many months. Then it became available for $79 off and I jumped. – It came well packaged and in perfect condition. 'Played as well as it looked and it looks even better than the photos show it. The finish is as deep and glossy as any I have seen, and even the fretboard is bound. It seemed a tad bass shy at first but over the last few weeks has bloomed and now sounds beautifully balanced with tight well defined tones throughout the octaves and plenty of shimmer up high. 'Have not plugged in yet but it projects well without amplification and should be just fine for a small stage like a church or coffee house. I highly recommend this guitar to any enthusiast.Steven

I went to the GC in Palm Desert CA with a five-hundred dollar budget for a new acoustic/electric. There were three guitars that I had to play, but I was open to checking out others. I didn't see the Hummingbird in the room so I asked the clerk to check for me … he found one. Before he got back with the Epiphone, I had a chance to play the Guild and a Fender that were on my list, as well as a few that were not. The Fender was winning … until the clerk showed up with the Epiphone. The craftsmanship/fit and finish, the feel of the neck/action, the sound projection/tone … Everything about the guitar was perfect for me! I could not be happier!John

I had a cheap 12 string guitar for about almost two years. I had been playing corridos during this time. However, I had played guitar for several years. Mainly rock and other stuff. Well, after I got it, I could play all the solos I couldn't really play clean. I guess the other guitar really was bad, or this one is great. Funny thing, I had a really good player tell me to not buy this model but the more expensive one. Well, I'm glad I decided to go with this one. This guitar sounds great and it's extremely easy to play. The guitar stays in tune fairly well for a 12 string guitar. The action is low. I haven't tried it the electronics aside from the tuner which works fairly well compared to my snark. I do have a Taylor and Martin guitar, and the tone on this guitar is pretty clean.Juan

This Guitar plays like a dream, sounds great no matter if it is plugged in or not, stays in tune and looks great. This is a great price for a guitar of this quality, but thanks to another dealers daily deal and Guitar Center's price matching, it was even better. I was able to get this out of layaway for $240 less. I am very happy with this guitar. I have not played in a band for a while, but getting back into practice and plan to start back with some solo acoustic gigs. Having this awesome new guitar is surely an inspiration to help me want to practice more.Kip

I had a cheap 12 string guitar for about almost two years. I had been playing corridos during this time. However, I had played guitar for several years. Mainly rock and other stuff. Well, after I got it, I could play all the solos I couldn't really play clean. I guess the other guitar really was bad, or this one is great. Funny thing, I had a really good player tell me to not buy this model but the more expensive one. Well, I'm glad I decided to go with this one. This guitar sounds great and it's extremely easy to play. The guitar stays in tune fairly well for a 12 string guitar. The action is low. I haven't tried it the electronics aside from the tuner which works fairly well compared to my snark. I do have a Taylor and Martin guitar, and the tone on this guitar is pretty clean.Juan

This Guitar plays like a dream, sounds great no matter if it is plugged in or not, stays in tune and looks great. This is a great price for a guitar of this quality, but thanks to another dealers daily deal and Guitar Center's price matching, it was even better. I was able to get this out of layaway for $240 less. I am very happy with this guitar. I have not played in a band for a while, but getting back into practice and plan to start back with some solo acoustic gigs. Having this awesome new guitar is surely an inspiration to help me want to practice more.Kip

First of all, this is a gorgeous guitar. It looks just great. It has a big, rich sound even moreso than other larger bodied guitars I've seen. The tuner works great. I love playing it. A few minor issues. First, I find the action high, & the bridge is not adjustable. 2nd, the complaints others have offered about the fret edges being VERY rough are entirely true: you can practically leave your hand bloody, I'm sure, if you play long enough, just from being roughed up by the fret edges. I'll try filing them down & refinishing them, as some have suggested. Finally, you'll want to get rid of the strings & go with a lighter gauge, partly to alleviate the high action issue. I'd get this guitar again. I think it is a $500 – $600 guitar lurking for only a little more than half that price. But before recommending it to a friend, I'd point out these couple issues.DET

Poor quality control! Neck is a mess with all of the fret ends protruding and sharp. One fret is noticeably higher causing all kinds of issues. Inside edge of the sound hole is poorly finished and some of the ribs look rough, like they weren't sanded smooth. This one's going back!Bill

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

This has been a great entry level (or more?) guitar. Been using it with youtube videos and Rocksmith and everything works as advertised!ROBERT

Outstanding value in this Ibanez guitar. First off, it's beautiful to look at it. Blue or the black, you can't go wrong. They are both attractive (I bought the black one). Neck is smooth as butter. Sounds great plugged into my little Blackstar amp and just as good unplugged. The gear seems like something you'd find on a higher priced guitar. The tuners and EQ are top notch. Really couldn't be happier with the guitar, the price and the service from AMS. They promised 2 day shipping and they delivered.Eric

Overall: Great for playing in the living room, I've strummed pretty hard on this and it can take it. Everything works great on it. Stays in tune good. Frets probably need filed like everyone else is saying but I'm very happy with it.Joe

Sound: I changed the settings as I always do when purchasing a guitar, and if course had to retune until the string memory was suffice. I haven't had to retune it since (after 3 weeks … Of course some minor tuning was needed). The eq helped get more low end that I desired. Features: I like the truss rod feature, I changed the tuners to some more appealing Gibson deluxe tuners. The frets needed a little filing but minor tweaks and adjustments are almost always necessary to obtain desired playability. Most (inexperienced) People want straight out of the box perfection, I suggest bringing any new guitar to someone that knows what they're doing and tell them what you want. My brother worked for Gibson custom shop as a guitar tech and let me know that most companies rely on quantity and not so much perfecting every guitar as everyone's idea of perfect is different. Overall: Tweek it or let someone that knows what they're doing tweek it … That includes all guitar purchasesMark

This 79 buck guitar was the biggest surprise ever! I really didn't expect much, and was having second thoughts after I placed the order. I bought the sunburst version on a SDOTD as a total impulse buy. I have several expensive acoustics, and I don't need a cheap guitar. But I have to say, this is a really nice instrument. The fit and finish is above average, with relatively smooth fret ends and a huge sound. The tuners, however inexpensive, work as intended and stay in tune. The sunburst finish is lovely, with only one small thumbnail scratch. The neck joint is well done, and the neck has a comfortable full feeling. Epiphone has improved the "E" symbol on the pickguard, it is made into the plastic, and not glued on and wanting to fall off like on the older Epiphones. The rosette appears to be painted on, but it looks good regardless. The bridge (rosewood) is solidly attached to the top, with no lifting or gaps. The body has a white plastic binding front and back that is well executed. The rosewood fretboard is attractive with nice grain. And the sound! This guitar has a huge, loud sound for a laminate guitar. Tomorrow I plan to replace the original strings with some quality mediums, which can only make it sound even better. One odd feature is a false truss rod cover, held in place with three wood screws. There is nothing under it! The access to the truss rod is inside the sound hole. I did have to remove some glue from around the truss rod adjusting nut inside the guitar. Quite frankly, the quality and sound of the Epiphone just blows me away! If I had to sell all of my other acoustics and only keep this one, I would be content. It's that good!JimmyJ

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