I noticed many guitar comparisons do not include a washburne for some reason, they are beautifully built, mother of pearl inlays, solid tops, and within this price range and sound amazing, please look into adding a washburne for your next beginner guitar comparisons.🤠👍
Thanks Just ordered a Yamaha FG830 so I was pleased to see that you like this one.Very interesting video,it's disappointing to think that retailers can ship out guitars so poorly setup like the Epiphone.
My first guitar at the age of 8 was ten dollars from a five and dime store near our farm in southwestern Pennsylvania. It was something akin to a cement block glued to a two by four with strings. The action was so high it made my fingers bleed for the better part of my first year playing but it did help me create some massive callouses on my left fretting hand fingers. I played this all the way to high school when my music teacher loaned me a nice “real” guitar to borrow for my junior and senior years in guitar classes there. If I had the chance to own any of these guitars when I first started to play I would have felt blessed by heaven with the least of this pack (except for the Epiphone)! That said, I remember my terrible first guitar with nostalgia. Now I own a bunch of great guitars. My two favorite go to guitars are my Collings 01-T and my twenty year old Tacoma C1C Chief. I have a guitar student who came to me playing/owning a poor quality guitar I shall not name sold to her parents who could afford nothing else by an unscrupulous big box store salesman. She is 11 years old and is currently my only student. She has obvious natural talent and a sweet nature so after teaching her for one year, with her parents permission, I gave her my Martin 00M-15 which I’ve owned for a year or so. It’s a great guitar and she’s tall for eleven years old with long strong fingers so I knew she could play it and oh my, she sure did. She’s had it for three months now and her learning has skyrocketed. I could have kept this guitar but at 69 years old with more guitars than I actually need it felt right to pass it on to her. Even at eleven she tells me she wants to become the best guitar player in the world. I think she has a shot at it with great encouraging parents and a strong and steady willingness and patience toward learning. We retired her crap guitar and she might just achieve her goal. Great channel you guys. My student and I watched this video together after our recent lesson.
I love everything you shared in your comment. A longtime instrumentalist since early childhood, I was beyond fortunate to have the teachers like be invested in cultivating & growing my sincere thirst to excel in whatever instrument I was learning. Teachers and people like you should be highly regarded and celebrated 😎. Thank you for your commitment to your student. I look forward to hearing her style of play 💕
The E1d should have got 10 for value. The Ibanez stood out tonally for me. Yamaha never fail to impress. A class act.The less said about epiphone the better!
At 59:02 Jeremy stated that the Yamaha doesn't have scallop bracing. According to the Yamaha spec sheet is does say scallop bracing. Also, the back and sides are Rosewood, not whatever you guys eluded to earlier in the video.
That was a great back to back comparison at the end. That Yamaha sounded good, but I would go for the Eastman E1D. Props to your editor and for the graphics. 10/10 for video build quality! 🔥👍
My Yamaha FG800 I put a K&K mini pickup and had it professionally setup and it is my goto guitar for busking. It sounds great with scalloped bracing and solid top and the laminate backing handles the weather and I don't have to worry about it getting stolen more than I would if I had an expensive guitar. Yamaha has a great history of quality musical instruments, and I bought this one for under $300, new!
That was probably the most subjective and honest evaluation of guitars I think could be made. Very good job gentleman. Keep on smiling. Oh, to me the winner was the Ibanez.
A little tip for watchers interested in the Ibanez aw54-the Mitchell t331 from guitar center or musician’s friend is just as good sounding of a guitar(if not better) for less money. The Yamaha fg830 is hard to beat under $400. The Eastman e1d is hard to beat under $600. You guys should try the Alvarez md60bg as it’s a great guitar for $659.
We've gotten the Alvarez suggested a couple of times, we must have missed it in our search. 😅 We'll look into grabbing one of those for maybe another comparison! Thanks for the suggestions!
I have both and I agree on tone the Mitchell is great The problem is their quality control is awful. If you pick up 10 Mitchell guitars at GC half of them fret out completely at the 12th fret. I had to throw out my 331 after less than a year. It was fine when I bought it. After a few months you couldn't play a bar chord at even the 5th fret.
I've got a Yamaha 830. Had the action raised on it after playing it for a few weeks. I've had it for a few years now. It seems to get better with time. I think your assessment was a little low but you gave it an overall great score. For the price, sound, playability and durability, I will keep it for years to come.
My daughter has a Taylor Big Baby. It was around $350 when we bought it, but I think they run around $500 now. But you get a solid spruce top, ebony bridge and fretboard, layered back and sides, Nubone nut, and nice gig bag. They are good starter guitars, but they have a short scale and a bolt on neck. It's a very plain jane guitar with no binding, but it's easy to play and it sounds very good. They come with Elixars, which help make them easy to play. I didn't know about Eastman at the time or I would probably bought an Eastman. Especially since they [the Big Baby] cost $500 now. For just a little more you can get an Eastman E1D which has solid back and sides.
Good job, guys! I'm a little surprised that Alvarez had no representation, as they make a number of well-received guitars at that price point. Eastman (solid wood), Breedlove, and Yamaha passed the ear test.
I have a few Alvarez guitars, everybody I know, tells me that for the money they produce, I agree. I wish I took care of them more. I have a few electrics too, but just can't make them sound the way i want. I know, this is an acoustic video. but my Peavey Predator I bought for $99 is the best buy I have ever made guitar-wise!
Awesome video - very objective and a great resource for new players! Just a couple of corrections on the Yamaha - the 830 does in fact have rosewood back and sides (the 800 is okoume/nato) and all the FG8xx series guitars have scalloped bracing, which definitely helps with the tone and overall value at that price point . But again, great video and amazing channel!
I just lucked out and found a Breedlove Discovery Concert MH for $150 & I snagged it up. I’ve only had it a week, but as a beginner I have to say it beats anything I’ve had so far & I’ve traded quite a few under $500 guitars. Likes are fairly subjective, but I find myself liking the warmth of mahogany.
I lucked out when I bought my first guitar. I got a Breedlove Signature Organic Concerto on sale for $399. It is an all solid wood guitar and it has a torrefied solid Spruce top. Looks and sounds beautiful at a beginner guitar price. It was regularly priced at $649.
I'm adding an Orangewood Morgan Natural Burst Live for 2023. $265 but sold out into 2024. A bit modern cutaway. It's got a Fishman pickup, solid mahogany top with layered sapele mahogany sides/bottom, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard/bridge, bone nut/saddle, scalloped x bracing and a well-padded gig bag. Name brand strings. Because you've only spent 265, you can add a Fishman Loudbox Mini combo for $350 and still be in 1st buy territory.
Im in Australia and was looking for a 3/4 or travel size guitar to carry around with me on the go. When I played the Ibanez AW54JR the tone is what won me over. I Couldn't find anything that could compete that wasnt double to tripple the price. The neck is thinner than the full size as well obviously making it easier to handel. Its a win for me and I absolutely would recommend for a kid or anyone looking for a cheaper travel size guitar.
Bought the same guitar, 15/16 size of a full size guitar... The tone has matured over 2 years of light playing... Surprisingly, it is one of my favourite too...
I got a CD-60 from a certain canadian retailer who always includes a free thorough setup. He had to level some of the frets but it came out playing AWESOME. If you can get that built into the purchase, it's a no-brainer.
The AW54 is a lot cheaper than the other models over here in Germany - seems the best value here for sure. Buying it for 230€ like right now. I also liked the tone of it most of the presented guitars. Win-win for me.
Love your channel!! Am 68, when i learned, i went the other way and decided if I was going in and commit, i would get a great acoustic electric that I could be proud of... But your way makes more sense! Thanks, Dan
I got a Yamaha fg830 myself earlier this year as a beater…after a a little adjustment and adding a k&k pure mini…I can’t call it a beater anymore..put some XS 12g strings on it..I love it…hard to beat at that price range.
First time buyer, I had all intentions of buying the Yamaha 830 it felt solid, very impressed with the build quality. While I was there I picked up about 10 to 15 guitars, a couple of them twice. I had never heard of Takamine and I really didn't want a red guitar, felt like friends or people who knew how to play would frown upon it but WOW!!! The Takamine GD30CE sounded and felt so comfortable to me. It was $599 they price matched an online price and I got it $499 after researching Takamine I guess it's been around awhile lol
I played a cedar topped Breedlove Discovery Conertina a while back, and was blown away by the sound for the money. They're fantastic, or at least the one I played was. Very warm and sweet sounding. It's probably my personal top guitar under $500. For under $600 though, I think the Eastman E1 or E2 series is the best. I'd probably spring for the E1SS. I haven't played one, but there is a great demo of one on TH-cam and it sounds amazing.
One thing that makes the Breedlove stand out from all other guitars I have tried in its price point is its electronics. The Breedlove sounds exactly the same plugged in as unplugged except louder.
Great Video guys...IMO the GS Mini deserves a better rating...maybe my smaller stature (5'7" small hands) is my personal bias :) Was very surprised with the Breedlove Discovery being near the top ..thankyou for the info.
Great review, really enjoyed that but can't believe there isn't an Alvarez in the line up. My top three would be Eastman E1OM, Alvarez MF60OM and Yamaha FG830
Hi great video for beginners like myself, who as a 100% Disabled Navy Veteran going through the Guitars for Vets program this is an invaluable tool for planning purchasing a guitar in the future. Upon completion of the Guitars for Vets program you receive a new Guitar, I'm sure this will spark a life long love of the guitar, so this information will help me understand what it is I should be looking for as a novice guitar customer. Thanks for great, informative, entertaining content as always !
Breedlove and the solid wood Eastman were the standouts of the pack, I think I like the Breedlove the best, I think it would record really well, but I fell the Eastman would do a fine job too.
Excellent review. I was pleasantly surprised to watch it, as I just ordered my first guitar this week, the Ibanez AW54OPN (lefty). Now I need to learn how to play it … 😅
This video popped up in my suggestions not even an hour after I arrived home with my newly acquired Academy 10. There weren't a lot of options and it just felt good in my hands.
I bought a couple of Alvarez guitars for a couple of young people just learning how to play. Out of all the guitars I played, those Alvarez OM's wiped the floor with all of the other guitars in that price range. Yamaha is awesome as well. To be fair, there were no Eastmans in that shop.
I love what yall are doing. I really like Eastman. I know alot of dealers don't like Orangewood because it's a direct to consumer but I would love to see what yalls thoughts were on them especially compared to Eastman.
Honestly, we actually haven’t come across any to play them & don’t have an opinion on them yet. Maybe we’ll see one in the wild & get a chance to check them out!
Have you guys reviewed the Yamaha Transacoustics? I believe they start at around this price range and I would be verrrrry interested in hearing your opinion on how they stack up to the ten guitars you've tested here. Thanks!
Beginning with a 1972 Red label Yamaha FG150 that I purchased in 1972, I have owned a lot of Yamahas and they were all well built. I came to expect the tone they delivered to be standard for any guitar with laminate sides and back. I have two Korean Breedlove jumbos (AJ250/SF Plus and AJ250/SF-12 Plus as well as a 1975 S. Yairi dreadnought and that is certainly the case with them as well. I owned eight solid wood guitars, Bourgeois, Martin, Eastman and Breedlove, so I have a solid foundation for comparison. Two days ago I picked up an Eastman PCH3 GACE-CLA. It has a gorgeous flame mahogany outer layer on the laminate sides and back and hand scalloped bracing with the fit and glossy finish of a top-of-the-line Eastman. The strings are a wee bit high so they'd be perfect for John's style of play. The first day I had it, I thought it sounded as good as a solid wood guitar, with volume, clear balanced tone that just chugs, with overtones and long sustain. I think that saying, "as good as solid wood," sells the guitar short because that implies it might not be quite as good. Last night I played the guitar for two hours and I swear that any blindfolded guitarist would believe the PCH3 GACE-CLA is made of solid woods. It blows me away what Eastman managed to accomplish with laminated back and sides. A new one typically goes for around $569 so it would fit on your Top 10 (should be Top 11?) list.
love this video. curious why you did not include an Alvarez in this group. would be very interested in your opinion. I learned a lot from you guys. thank you.
Basically we searched on Google list of the best beginner guitars, then took the most popular models we saw that popped up on multiple list. We totally agree that Alvarez makes some amazing guitars in this price range and we'll be making a lot more comparisons featuring Alvarez as we just recently became a dealer. Keep in mind this video is now a couple years old from when we actually filmed it, I'm sure this comparison would change if we filmed it today! 😅
I am a brand new learner of guitar, bought one years ago but injured hand twice and it sat. Ibanez AW200 pre China . Wished I had something like this back then . Dial up Internet when I purchased it.
Great comparison. Thanks. One thing I'd mention, availability for left handers. Not all the reviewed guitars are available in lh models. I've been playing about a year now. I have two of the reviewed guitars. The Fender and the Martin. The Fender is easy to play, but as mentioned, limited in tone. The Martin is much better sounding. Though as an old guy, 66, learning to play the narrower nut of the Fender fits me better. Arthritis and old injuries limit my dexterity. Makers like Martin who offer most all models in lefty models are appreciated. Again, great video overall. Considering a Yamaha, though the fg820, available in a left hand version. Want a better sounding dred than the Fender with a 1 11/16" nut width. Take care
@@richardharding9975 yea, but also at the end of day it’s 399 yamaha lh and 179 for fender lh. As a beginner ill pick fender, it looks better to me, easier on the right hand and this review gives a much worse rating than other ones out there, some even calling the fender having more of a classic sound. Hurts that I can’t get yamaha for same price of rh, I’ll just go with fender. Was really torn between these two. If yamaha didn’t exist id have been a happy fella lol
I skipped right to the end to watch a back to back first and one sound REALLY stood out to me. Turns out my fav was the Taylor Mini. No idea why but it has such a mellow smooth warm sound. Looks like I found my next guitar. Thanks fellas
First, AFIK, the Yamaha 800 series does have scalloped braces. Second the 800 series isn't necessarily a beginner's guitar. It's kind of designed for non-professional musicians who play for their own enjoyment and perhaps friends... maybe even non or low paid gigs. It's a guitar that someone could grow old with. If I had a dollar for everyone I know that has an old Yamaha in the closet, that they occasionally play, I'd be pretty well off. It's the kind of guitar you can trade up from, but not a guitar that you have to trade up from like some of the other's on your list. Think of it this way, if you were playing a professional gig and your guitar got broken and someone handed you that Yamaha 830, I'll bet you could finish the show without most of the audience noticing.
My favorite is the solid wood Eastman E1D. I love their Les Paul style guitars,. with a one piece solid maple cap. I don't believe that I'll ever buy a Gibson Les Paul again. Eastman has converted me! Gibson is over priced. Maybe it's because labor is not cheap in America, but they do have foreign built models that are still way up there in price. Good video.
Thank you that was great. My only suggestions is that you throw in a few grand auditorium cutaway models. It's a great shape for students and very popular. Alvarez, Eastman, Yamaha, and even Orangewood (if your willing to consider intternet only offerings) are good guitars.. I really appreciate that you were able to objectively rate guitars that you actually sell.
Thanks for watching and for the feedback! We agree, the grand auditorium shape is great for beginners, we just wanted to be as fair as possible & keep them all Dreads for the sake of comparing! (Minus the Taylor Mini)
Thank You for such a Great Video!! I had a Yamaha FA 125CE as my first guitar, it was an ok guitar but a few months later I got an all solid guitar (Alvarez MD60BG) and it really brought excitement in my guitar journey since it sounded much much better and really motivated me. I totally agree with your results! As a beginner from the guitars shown I would have gone for the Eastman E1D in a heartbeat.
You were right about the Breedlove and looks. The first time buyer is going to want a good looking guitar. When you walk into the music store to look at guitars unless that person is blind they will be drawn first to the eye candy.
This was a really informative and well-balanced review. I know that you got these off of Google reviews and comments, but I think the GS mini was just not in the league with these other "big bodied" guitars. I have a GS mini so I know what to expect out of it. The Epiphone was very unfortunate. I think they make a pretty good beginner guitar most of the time. I hope you let the on-line retailer know that this one should NEVER have been shipped like that. After watching this and thinking about sound, looks, fit and finish, I think I would be buying the Yamaha. Dollar for dollar seemed to be the best value.
Thanks for the feedback! In retrospect, we probably shouldn't have included the GS Mini, but hey Google did list it! The Yamaha was totally a winner in this comparison!
From a build quality and repair standpoint, what I see on my busy repair bench the most is Epiphone, however there's probably more Epis out there b/c GC pushes them. The 3 best on this list (seen on my bench anyways) are Martin, Taylor and Yamaha. Ibanez and Fenders are in the middle of this pack with more issues or questionable sound quality. Surprised not to see Seagull on this list. We've only seen enough Eastman's to say they are a decent quality instrument. The reason why so many guitars come through with high action is it covers up poor fretwork (un-level frets). The Plek machine, that all these guitars have their fretwork done on, is only as good as their programming and maintenance allow. Lately, fretwork from many major guitar manufacturers has been really atrocious, so be aware that high factory action hides this (and makes you not want to play it as much). On many of these guitars, once the action is lowered you quickly find out that you need a fret dressing and good pro set-up as well, so factor that in to your decision-making process. Also, it should be said that what you want to look for in a brand new acoustic that you are considering is excellent factory action (out of the box) with approximately 3/16" saddle height protruding from the bridge before anyone adjust the action for the first time. Since string height is primarily adjusted by removing material from the bottom of the saddle, having approximately 3/16" of saddle protruding from the bridge will allow a fare amount of action lowering adjustability over the years of the guitar's life as the string tension along with climactic conditions inevitably pull up on the top and neck to make the action higher. No one ever checks the truss rod to see if it works properly, as many of them are not very effective, but if you can check it before you purchase the guitar or have it checked by a luthier or tech within your return policy, that's a smart idea too. Can't tell you how many people I have to give bad news to because none of this was checked on a guitar they've now grown fond of.
I love the Eastman e1s’ and the Yamaha! Was very very impressed by the Ibanez and the Breedlove too! For years I have recommended Yamaha and Eastman to my beginner students. Quite literally I have about eight students currently Who own Eastman pch or e1 guitars in varying shapes and sizes. Truly hard to beat in my humble opinion. Up here in Canada there’s another brand called Segal who build some truly fantastic guitars around this price point as well. I echo the sentiments of another commentor who said that dreadnaughts May not be the Best option for all beginners. I’ve turned quite a few people towards The OM body shape for their first acoustic for comfort reasons, because I truly want them to enjoy picking up their guitar for long periods of time. Of course this depends on the persons size/stature and all that. This was a great great video guys!
By the way, it's "Seagull", (like the bird), and I've owned three over the years. Great guitar, but I have met more than a few who just couldn't get past the shape of the headstock! It takes a while but it does finally grow on you! Seagull was kind of the early evolution of the Eastman in my observations. I just ordered an Eastman to install a HyVibe system in it. We'll see how compatible the combination is.
I'm 6'1" and I still feel like a dread is big. And I've been that size and playing them since Jr high so 45 years.really digging the smaller bodies now.
I agree the Yamaha guitars are great guitars for the price. If you are a beginner they are just great. I bought a Harmony guitar out of a Sears catalog back in 1971 for $50. It was torture but my desire to play got me through it. My buddy had the top of the line Yamaha to learn on back then, his parents were loaded. I was so jealous but I play circles around him today. Its great to have something good to learn on, but guitars dont play themselves. Investing in the time is most important.
Loved this comparison and I have never seen something this in depth! Thank you. I was honestly very surprised by some of them. Never been a fan of Ibanez, but I really liked it for a beginner guitar. I would agree with your final results overall, I definitely thought Breedlove and the solid wood Eastman were the standouts of the pack, with the lament Eastman just behind. I was shocked the Epiphone was so poor, in the past, I have recommended Epiphone and Yamaha to people as nice beginner, inexpensive guitars. Would you consider doing a comparison of entry level solid wood guitars please? Maybe the $800 to $1250 range. I am considering a couple guitars, like the Guild 140, 150, 1512 series, both 6 and 12 string, and the new Breedlove Organic Pro series. I would really like to get a 12 string and 6 string, that sounds great, that I could keep tuned differently for specific songs, but keep my best guitars in standard tuning for the majority. Sorry for the long message. :)
Thanks so much for the feedback! Yeah that Epiphone surprised us as well, we might have to look into making a redemption video for it. We really like the idea for the all solid entry level comparison and we will add it to our list of videos to make! We were actually looking into making a 12 string comparison as well. Overall we actually recommend an Eastman 12-string. It's all solid, hard-shell case, gloss finish, for a little of $1k. We have also REALLY liked what we've seen from the organic pro collection, we know Tom & the team worked really hard on that collection and it's paying off for them! When you throw Guild in there, that can be a tough choice to make! We hope these recommendations help, we'll look into more of these types of multi-brand comparisons in the future! Sorry for our long message, but we love talking guitars! 😄
You cannot go wrong with a Yamaha FG8XX. I will agree that the factory setup is higher than it needs to be, definitely take it and get it professionally setup ASAP once you have it. Only regret I have had with my guitar journey is that I waited 6 months to get my FG professionally set up. It definitely made the first 6 months of playing harder than it needed to be.
For less that $400, the Yamaha is it. I had to sell my Martins a few years ago { D-28 and E.C. 0028} and kept my Taylor 114. Now a Yamaha FG3 fills the void. Thanks for reviews.
I've personally never owned an acoustic and have been in the market to buy one. Unfortunately I'm poor so what is known as the "cheap" range of acoustics is where I'm looking. (250 to 350 dollar range). As such, I've pretty much all but settled on purchasing the Yamaha FG830. I like how it looks and the slight upgrade from the 800 and 820 seems worth the investment. So, I'm saving my pennies as we speak then the 830 will be mine. :)
the yamahas are the best budget options in my opinion. i have the fs800 and it sounds amazing. no reason to buy a countertop guitar just because it says martin on it, dont believe the hype
I just played an FS800 at GC and was shocked at how good it sounded. Nice sustain and very pretty tone. Not sure how the 820 or 830 could be that much better for the extra $120.
The Breedlove and Eastman sound shockingly good.....But for the price of some Martin cases, I'll take the Yamaha. You guys get a 10/10 for guitar store TH-cam content.
It's hard to believe the Yamaha FG830 playability/setup was ranked almost as bad as the Fender. And FYI, the Yamaha FG830 DOES have scalloped bracing and Rosewood back and sides. 🤷♂ 🤨
I own a Ibanez AW54 12 string. I absolutely love it. I must agree with you, it has a very rich tone and because it has a natural finish it just feels amazing to the touch.
I owned an epiphone hummingbird pro...it was the most souless guitar that I have ever played. That being said, I've played the new inspired by Gibson series and it was one of the best guitars for the price.
I'm pretty sure that the bracing on the Yamaha FG830 is scalloped. Yamaha FG830 Dreadnought Features: A value-packed acoustic with pro looks and features The newest installment in the best-selling Yamaha FG series Comfortable dreadnought body with tapered waist fits all players Solid spruce top is full and balanced Scalloped bracing improves punch and projection Rosewood back and side deliver a richness and long-lasting sustain
The video was a great idea...scoring needs to be after discussion like you did but privately with the big reveal at the end, more suspense that way. Like to see Guild and Alvarez but understand format. Let's see a 12 string review. Thanks!
Gentlemen. Please know what you are talking about before you produce stuff. The Eastman E1D has a solid Sitka Spruce top and solid Sapele back and sides (NOT mahogany). I bought one in 2022 as my "travel" or "knock about" instrument (I am an amateur), and was amazed at the quality of the instrument's build. I did have to adjust the truss rod to get the neck right. Since then, I have been very pleased with it. I would definitely recommend to a beginner as a first guitar, but be sure to have the dealer set it up properly before you accept it.
Thanks for pointing out that mistake, we have added the correction in the description. It's great to hear about your experience with the E1D, they are awesome quality instruments!
What a great video! Thanks! I am always looking out for what guitars to recommend to beginners and students and this video is an incredible resource for that. To my ear, the Eastman E1D, Yamaha, and Breedlove are my top 3 in that order.
The reason the Yamaha sounds so good is because of the tone woods yamaha chose, solid spruce top and rosewood sides and back. After some youtubes, get educated on how to do proper setup, with bone nut, saddle, med strings? Then this makes this beginner $350 guitar a pretty amazing sounding guitar at this price level. It's not a D28 but perfect for those who want to learn their craft at a fraction of $3500 guitar for $350. Also real tone woods improve with time you can even sell for a profit in the future if you decide to later.
given the price range of the other guitars, I think you should've used fenders cd140 sce instead of the cd60. I got mine with a hard case for about $400.00 direct from fender. I think the difference in quality and tone is under estimated.
Gr8 video, and im not even looking for a beginner guitar! My picks, Yamaha, had more depth and tonal range, dropping the action may suck the life out of that tho. That Martin had alot of range too, it was next in line, with the Eastman third. Modern day geetars are really uping their game, they all sounded pretty good. Keep em comin!
Yamaha FG830 is the best value and sounds like a very expensive guitar. $349 with rose wood back and sides FG800 has nato akume. Adjust the neck. Almost all of the guitar shops would suggest this guitar. I own an Eastman PCH 2. Both great guitars
I'm still a relatively newbie when it comes to 6-strings. (I've been playing electric bass for about 15 years.) I got myself a CD-60 a couple years ago and I still like it! It's a good guitar for learning chords and just plunking around on! You are right about higher up on the neck, though... it does sound a little tinny lol 😅 I'll definitely be looking into an upgrade in the future!
Eastman E1D is pretty nice! Sound is very good. This is a great mid range guitar. A lot of the better sounding guitars are a little stiff....drives the top better. I was more impressed by the AW54 Ibanez. Great tone and pretty articulate. Yamaha has been nailing the sound on the low to mid range guitars.....well, chinese made....you better play it before you buy it! Anything goes with chinese made guitars. Can be major problems. I bought a 187.00+ tax new Yamaha FS800....neck was better then most 5k Martins. amazing! Can tune down a whole step and it doesn't buzz. Plays with zero relief. Moral of the story. Play many to find one....play it before you buy it or make sure you can get 100% of your money back for a dog...including shipping!
gs mini is my first guitar. been playing just under a month I bought it because to me it has an amazing tone I think like 8 or 9 I don't like the sound of any dreadnought I ever heard . and is very comfortable for me but I'm only 5 ft 9 I'm not a tall guy. to me it's perfect for the price
A very good and honest review i agree with all what you said thanks a lot. Have you made the same review with all the om shape or 00 or 000 i'd like to see it🙏😉👍
We have not but that would be awesome to do in a future video. Although I can say most of these models have an OM or smaller body size with the exact same specs as the dreads in this video. For example Yamaha has the FS size, Eastman, Martin, and Ibanez all should have an OM size in these same models as well.
The list was great and very helpful as someone just starting to get into guitars from keyboards. Though I would love to know your opinions on Epiphone J 45, some seagull guitars and some orangewood guitars as they also might come around this price range. Thank you very much.
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Awesome video! All 1st time buyers of acoustic guitars must watch🎸
Thanks so much!
You need to check your specs on the Yamaha FG 830. All FG800 series have scalloped braces and the back and sides are rosewood.
They didn’t read the specs, they probably didn’t read your comment either! 😂
Back and sides on FG830 are laminate.
@@cruddle3781we all know that
@@cruddle3781they’re rosewood.
I noticed many guitar comparisons do not include a washburne for some reason, they are beautifully built, mother of pearl inlays, solid tops, and within this price range and sound amazing, please look into adding a washburne for your next beginner guitar comparisons.🤠👍
Washburn makes great guitars but there expensive .
Thanks Just ordered a Yamaha FG830 so I was pleased to see that you like this one.Very interesting video,it's disappointing to think that retailers can ship out guitars so poorly setup like the Epiphone.
How'd that Yamaha work out for ya?
My first guitar at the age of 8 was ten dollars from a five and dime store near our farm in southwestern Pennsylvania. It was something akin to a cement block glued to a two by four with strings. The action was so high it made my fingers bleed for the better part of my first year playing but it did help me create some massive callouses on my left fretting hand fingers. I played this all the way to high school when my music teacher loaned me a nice “real” guitar to borrow for my junior and senior years in guitar classes there. If I had the chance to own any of these guitars when I first started to play I would have felt blessed by heaven with the least of this pack (except for the Epiphone)! That said, I remember my terrible first guitar with nostalgia. Now I own a bunch of great guitars. My two favorite go to guitars are my Collings 01-T and my twenty year old Tacoma C1C Chief. I have a guitar student who came to me playing/owning a poor quality guitar I shall not name sold to her parents who could afford nothing else by an unscrupulous big box store salesman. She is 11 years old and is currently my only student. She has obvious natural talent and a sweet nature so after teaching her for one year, with her parents permission, I gave her my Martin 00M-15 which I’ve owned for a year or so. It’s a great guitar and she’s tall for eleven years old with long strong fingers so I knew she could play it and oh my, she sure did. She’s had it for three months now and her learning has skyrocketed. I could have kept this guitar but at 69 years old with more guitars than I actually need it felt right to pass it on to her. Even at eleven she tells me she wants to become the best guitar player in the world. I think she has a shot at it with great encouraging parents and a strong and steady willingness and patience toward learning. We retired her crap guitar and she might just achieve her goal. Great channel you guys. My student and I watched this video together after our recent lesson.
Thanks so much for sharing and thanks for watching, we really appreciate it!
I love everything you shared in your comment. A longtime instrumentalist since early childhood, I was beyond fortunate to have the teachers like be invested in cultivating & growing my sincere thirst to excel in whatever instrument I was learning. Teachers and people like you should be highly regarded and celebrated 😎. Thank you for your commitment to your student. I look forward to hearing her style of play 💕
The E1d should have got 10 for value. The Ibanez stood out tonally for me. Yamaha never fail to impress. A class act.The less said about epiphone the better!
Yeah, the epi was a turd.
At 59:02 Jeremy stated that the Yamaha doesn't have scallop bracing. According to the Yamaha spec sheet is does say scallop bracing. Also, the back and sides are Rosewood, not whatever you guys eluded to earlier in the video.
Thanks, we corrected that in the description, we’re excited to learn more about Yamahas as we become a dealer!
That was a great back to back comparison at the end. That Yamaha sounded good, but I would go for the Eastman E1D. Props to your editor and for the graphics. 10/10 for video build quality! 🔥👍
Thank you so much! We worked really hard on this one! 😄
I like the Ibanez sound
My Yamaha FG800 I put a K&K mini pickup and had it professionally setup and it is my goto guitar for busking. It sounds great with scalloped bracing and solid top and the laminate backing handles the weather and I don't have to worry about it getting stolen more than I would if I had an expensive guitar. Yamaha has a great history of quality musical instruments, and I bought this one for under $300, new!
I have Taylor Academy 12e and love it…..it’s definitely not a starter guitar…..I’ve been playing now for 48 years and it’s perfect for me.
That was probably the most subjective and honest evaluation of guitars I think could be made. Very good job gentleman. Keep on smiling. Oh, to me the winner was the Ibanez.
Thank you for the feedback, this video took a while to make & were happy people are enjoying it!
@@AcousticShoppetoo few things life hg 2:40
@@AcousticShoppe😊
Objective, non biased. But we knew what you meant 😅
Uh… objective is what I hope you meant!
Once again Yamaha showed they deliver exceptional quality and tone for your money.
A little tip for watchers interested in the Ibanez aw54-the Mitchell t331 from guitar center or musician’s friend is just as good sounding of a guitar(if not better) for less money. The Yamaha fg830 is hard to beat under $400. The Eastman e1d is hard to beat under $600. You guys should try the Alvarez md60bg as it’s a great guitar for $659.
We've gotten the Alvarez suggested a couple of times, we must have missed it in our search. 😅 We'll look into grabbing one of those for maybe another comparison! Thanks for the suggestions!
I have both and I agree on tone the Mitchell is great The problem is their quality control is awful. If you pick up 10 Mitchell guitars at GC half of them fret out completely at the 12th fret. I had to throw out my 331 after less than a year. It was fine when I bought it. After a few months you couldn't play a bar chord at even the 5th fret.
I've got a Yamaha 830. Had the action raised on it after playing it for a few weeks. I've had it for a few years now. It seems to get better with time. I think your assessment was a little low but you gave it an overall great score. For the price, sound, playability and durability, I will keep it for years to come.
I've had my Alvarez acoustic for 18 years. It's my favorite of my 2 acoustics.
Gotta luv those I have owned 3.. still own 2 of them
My daughter has a Taylor Big Baby. It was around $350 when we bought it, but I think they run around $500 now. But you get a solid spruce top, ebony bridge and fretboard, layered back and sides, Nubone nut, and nice gig bag. They are good starter guitars, but they have a short scale and a bolt on neck. It's a very plain jane guitar with no binding, but it's easy to play and it sounds very good. They come with Elixars, which help make them easy to play. I didn't know about Eastman at the time or I would probably bought an Eastman. Especially since they [the Big Baby] cost $500 now. For just a little more you can get an Eastman E1D which has solid back and sides.
Good job, guys! I'm a little surprised that Alvarez had no representation, as they make a number of well-received guitars at that price point. Eastman (solid wood), Breedlove, and Yamaha passed the ear test.
I have a few Alvarez guitars, everybody I know, tells me that for the money they produce, I agree. I wish I took care of them more. I have a few electrics too, but just can't make them sound the way i want. I know, this is an acoustic video. but my Peavey Predator I bought for $99 is the best buy I have ever made guitar-wise!
Awesome video - very objective and a great resource for new players! Just a couple of corrections on the Yamaha - the 830 does in fact have rosewood back and sides (the 800 is okoume/nato) and all the FG8xx series guitars have scalloped bracing, which definitely helps with the tone and overall value at that price point . But again, great video and amazing channel!
That makes sense, thanks for informing us!
Yes, scalloped bracing and rosewood on the 830. 820 is mahogany.
I would have rated the Yamaha a little bit higher.
And mine did come with a case. So +1 for value :)
I just lucked out and found a Breedlove Discovery Concert MH for $150 & I snagged it up. I’ve only had it a week, but as a beginner I have to say it beats anything I’ve had so far & I’ve traded quite a few under $500 guitars. Likes are fairly subjective, but I find myself liking the warmth of mahogany.
I lucked out when I bought my first guitar. I got a Breedlove Signature Organic Concerto on sale for $399. It is an all solid wood guitar and it has a torrefied solid Spruce top. Looks and sounds beautiful at a beginner guitar price. It was regularly priced at $649.
And l just got the breed 12 in myrtlewood because of the Oregon roots
I'm adding an Orangewood Morgan Natural Burst Live for 2023. $265 but sold out into 2024. A bit modern cutaway. It's got a Fishman pickup, solid mahogany top with layered sapele mahogany sides/bottom, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard/bridge, bone nut/saddle, scalloped x bracing and a well-padded gig bag. Name brand strings. Because you've only spent 265, you can add a Fishman Loudbox Mini combo for $350 and still be in 1st buy territory.
The spruce and mahogany top versions are available for 1/24 delivery.
Im in Australia and was looking for a 3/4 or travel size guitar to carry around with me on the go. When I played the Ibanez AW54JR the tone is what won me over. I Couldn't find anything that could compete that wasnt double to tripple the price. The neck is thinner than the full size as well obviously making it easier to handel. Its a win for me and I absolutely would recommend for a kid or anyone looking for a cheaper travel size guitar.
Bought the same guitar, 15/16 size of a full size guitar... The tone has matured over 2 years of light playing... Surprisingly, it is one of my favourite too...
I did lower the string height myself... One of my passions... Setting up the acoustic guitar
Being a solid Mahagony top with laminated Mahagony back and sides helps with producing a sweet mellow and yet clear tone
I got a CD-60 from a certain canadian retailer who always includes a free thorough setup. He had to level some of the frets but it came out playing AWESOME. If you can get that built into the purchase, it's a no-brainer.
The AW54 is a lot cheaper than the other models over here in Germany - seems the best value here for sure.
Buying it for 230€ like right now. I also liked the tone of it most of the presented guitars. Win-win for me.
Love your channel!! Am 68, when i learned, i went the other way and decided if I was going in and commit, i would get a great acoustic electric that I could be proud of... But your way makes more sense!
Thanks,
Dan
I got a Yamaha fg830 myself earlier this year as a beater…after a a little adjustment and adding a k&k pure mini…I can’t call it a beater anymore..put some XS 12g strings on it..I love it…hard to beat at that price range.
Nice upgrades! That guitar certainly surprised us!
First time buyer, I had all intentions of buying the Yamaha 830 it felt solid, very impressed with the build quality. While I was there I picked up about 10 to 15 guitars, a couple of them twice. I had never heard of Takamine and I really didn't want a red guitar, felt like friends or people who knew how to play would frown upon it but WOW!!! The Takamine GD30CE sounded and felt so comfortable to me. It was $599 they price matched an online price and I got it $499 after researching Takamine I guess it's been around awhile lol
I played a cedar topped Breedlove Discovery Conertina a while back, and was blown away by the sound for the money. They're fantastic, or at least the one I played was. Very warm and sweet sounding. It's probably my personal top guitar under $500. For under $600 though, I think the Eastman E1 or E2 series is the best. I'd probably spring for the E1SS. I haven't played one, but there is a great demo of one on TH-cam and it sounds amazing.
The cuts on the review of all brands/models with one melody at this video was well done
Thank you so much! - The Editor
One thing that makes the Breedlove stand out from all other guitars I have tried in its price point is its electronics. The Breedlove sounds exactly the same plugged in as unplugged except louder.
That's a good point!
Thanks for this you’ve convinced me to get a Eastman
You can't go wrong with one!
Great Video guys...IMO the GS Mini deserves a better rating...maybe my smaller stature (5'7" small hands) is my personal bias :) Was very surprised with the Breedlove Discovery being near the top ..thankyou for the info.
They really dropped the ball on the GS MINI. How you compare the tone of a travel guitar to dreadknought is plain silly.
Same here, as a beginner retiree, 5’4” female the mini is “the one” for me. I can’t put it down. It keeps me coming back daily almost 2 years now.
Great review, really enjoyed that but can't believe there isn't an Alvarez in the line up. My top three would be Eastman E1OM, Alvarez MF60OM and Yamaha FG830
Hi great video for beginners like myself, who as a 100% Disabled Navy Veteran going through the Guitars for Vets program this is an invaluable tool for planning purchasing a guitar in the future. Upon completion of the Guitars for Vets program you receive a new Guitar, I'm sure this will spark a life long love of the guitar, so this information will help me understand what it is I should be looking for as a novice guitar customer.
Thanks for great, informative, entertaining content as always !
That sounds like an awesome program, thanks for watching and for the feedback, we're glad we could help inform your decision - Happy Pickin'!
Breedlove and the solid wood Eastman were the standouts of the pack, I think I like the Breedlove the best, I think it would record really well, but I fell the Eastman would do a fine job too.
Excellent review. I was pleasantly surprised to watch it, as I just ordered my first guitar this week, the Ibanez AW54OPN (lefty). Now I need to learn how to play it … 😅
This video popped up in my suggestions not even an hour after I arrived home with my newly acquired Academy 10. There weren't a lot of options and it just felt good in my hands.
Great video and excellent evaluation of fine guitars, but the spreadsheet at the end was off focus ,thanks
For your money's worth with rich warm sound ,the Ibanez wins it for me. Otherwise, the Eastman solid wood top is my favorite.
I bought a couple of Alvarez guitars for a couple of young people just learning how to play. Out of all the guitars I played, those Alvarez OM's wiped the floor with all of the other guitars in that price range. Yamaha is awesome as well. To be fair, there were no Eastmans in that shop.
It retrospect, we probably should've put in an Alvarez, but we were putting our trust into the internet with this lists.
I wondered where the Alvarez were. Where the heck I managed music store for 18 years and they were always a great value
Corrections on the the Yamaha: rosewood laminate back and sides, DOES have scalloped bracing.
I love what yall are doing. I really like Eastman. I know alot of dealers don't like Orangewood because it's a direct to consumer but I would love to see what yalls thoughts were on them especially compared to Eastman.
Honestly, we actually haven’t come across any to play them & don’t have an opinion on them yet. Maybe we’ll see one in the wild & get a chance to check them out!
I’ve got the Ibanez AW and absolutely love it!
Have it's brother the Ibanez AW AC-340 concert size. Best bang for the buck imo at $300.
My first guitar was a Gibson LG1. A 1966, I still play it today with bridge replacement. I still play it today!
Have you guys reviewed the Yamaha Transacoustics? I believe they start at around this price range and I would be verrrrry interested in hearing your opinion on how they stack up to the ten guitars you've tested here. Thanks!
We have not yet but we will most likely soon, we actually just became Yamaha dealers!
Beginning with a 1972 Red label Yamaha FG150 that I purchased in 1972, I have owned a lot of Yamahas and they were all well built. I came to expect the tone they delivered to be standard for any guitar with laminate sides and back. I have two Korean Breedlove jumbos (AJ250/SF Plus and AJ250/SF-12 Plus as well as a 1975 S. Yairi dreadnought and that is certainly the case with them as well. I owned eight solid wood guitars, Bourgeois, Martin, Eastman and Breedlove, so I have a solid foundation for comparison. Two days ago I picked up an Eastman PCH3 GACE-CLA. It has a gorgeous flame mahogany outer layer on the laminate sides and back and hand scalloped bracing with the fit and glossy finish of a top-of-the-line Eastman. The strings are a wee bit high so they'd be perfect for John's style of play. The first day I had it, I thought it sounded as good as a solid wood guitar, with volume, clear balanced tone that just chugs, with overtones and long sustain. I think that saying, "as good as solid wood," sells the guitar short because that implies it might not be quite as good. Last night I played the guitar for two hours and I swear that any blindfolded guitarist would believe the PCH3 GACE-CLA is made of solid woods. It blows me away what Eastman managed to accomplish with laminated back and sides. A new one typically goes for around $569 so it would fit on your Top 10 (should be Top 11?) list.
It most certainly does! Let's just say the PCH Dread in this video is representing the whole PCH series, they are incredible.
I have an Fg830, I did a set up and replaced the nut and saddle to bone, sounds amazing
Nice!
If you don’t mind th dreadnaught size the 830 is very hard to beat.
love this video. curious why you did not include an Alvarez in this group. would be very interested in your opinion. I learned a lot from you guys. thank you.
Basically we searched on Google list of the best beginner guitars, then took the most popular models we saw that popped up on multiple list. We totally agree that Alvarez makes some amazing guitars in this price range and we'll be making a lot more comparisons featuring Alvarez as we just recently became a dealer. Keep in mind this video is now a couple years old from when we actually filmed it, I'm sure this comparison would change if we filmed it today! 😅
I am a brand new learner of guitar, bought one years ago but injured hand twice and it sat. Ibanez AW200 pre China . Wished I had something like this back then . Dial up Internet when I purchased it.
Great comparison. Thanks. One thing I'd mention, availability for left handers. Not all the reviewed guitars are available in lh models. I've been playing about a year now. I have two of the reviewed guitars. The Fender and the Martin. The Fender is easy to play, but as mentioned, limited in tone. The Martin is much better sounding. Though as an old guy, 66, learning to play the narrower nut of the Fender fits me better. Arthritis and old injuries limit my dexterity. Makers like Martin who offer most all models in lefty models are appreciated. Again, great video overall. Considering a Yamaha, though the fg820, available in a left hand version. Want a better sounding dred than the Fender with a 1 11/16" nut width. Take care
yamaha left hand version is more expensive
@@simprodigy yes they are, about $90. Moves it up to close to $400 range. Is an fg worth that?
@@richardharding9975 yea, but also at the end of day it’s 399 yamaha lh and 179 for fender lh. As a beginner ill pick fender, it looks better to me, easier on the right hand and this review gives a much worse rating than other ones out there, some even calling the fender having more of a classic sound. Hurts that I can’t get yamaha for same price of rh, I’ll just go with fender. Was really torn between these two. If yamaha didn’t exist id have been a happy fella lol
I skipped right to the end to watch a back to back first and one sound REALLY stood out to me. Turns out my fav was the Taylor Mini. No idea why but it has such a mellow smooth warm sound. Looks like I found my next guitar. Thanks fellas
I have had my Fender DC-60 since last August when I started learning the guitar. It’s the world’s greatest guitar!
First, AFIK, the Yamaha 800 series does have scalloped braces. Second the 800 series isn't necessarily a beginner's guitar. It's kind of designed for non-professional musicians who play for their own enjoyment and perhaps friends... maybe even non or low paid gigs. It's a guitar that someone could grow old with.
If I had a dollar for everyone I know that has an old Yamaha in the closet, that they occasionally play, I'd be pretty well off. It's the kind of guitar you can trade up from, but not a guitar that you have to trade up from like some of the other's on your list. Think of it this way, if you were playing a professional gig and your guitar got broken and someone handed you that Yamaha 830, I'll bet you could finish the show without most of the audience noticing.
My favorite is the solid wood Eastman E1D. I love their Les Paul style guitars,. with a one piece solid maple cap. I don't believe that I'll ever buy a Gibson Les Paul again. Eastman has converted me! Gibson is over priced. Maybe it's because labor is not cheap in America, but they do have foreign built models that are still way up there in price. Good video.
Thank you that was great. My only suggestions is that you throw in a few grand auditorium cutaway models. It's a great shape for students and very popular. Alvarez, Eastman, Yamaha, and even Orangewood (if your willing to consider intternet only offerings) are good guitars.. I really appreciate that you were able to objectively rate guitars that you actually sell.
Thanks for watching and for the feedback! We agree, the grand auditorium shape is great for beginners, we just wanted to be as fair as possible & keep them all Dreads for the sake of comparing! (Minus the Taylor Mini)
Thank You for such a Great Video!! I had a Yamaha FA 125CE as my first guitar, it was an ok guitar but a few months later I got an all solid guitar (Alvarez MD60BG) and it really brought excitement in my guitar journey since it sounded much much better and really motivated me. I totally agree with your results! As a beginner from the guitars shown I would have gone for the Eastman E1D in a heartbeat.
Thanks for the feedback! We've heard great things about the MD60!
According to the Yamaha spec sheet, the FG 830 does have scalloped bracing.
I'd be curious to hear your reviews on the same guitars after pro set-ups, assuming a seasoned veteran's perspective.
You were right about the Breedlove and looks. The first time buyer is going to want a good looking guitar. When you walk into the music store to look at guitars unless that person is blind they will be drawn first to the eye candy.
This was a really informative and well-balanced review. I know that you got these off of Google reviews and comments, but I think the GS mini was just not in the league with these other "big bodied" guitars. I have a GS mini so I know what to expect out of it. The Epiphone was very unfortunate. I think they make a pretty good beginner guitar most of the time. I hope you let the on-line retailer know that this one should NEVER have been shipped like that. After watching this and thinking about sound, looks, fit and finish, I think I would be buying the Yamaha. Dollar for dollar seemed to be the best value.
Thanks for the feedback! In retrospect, we probably shouldn't have included the GS Mini, but hey Google did list it! The Yamaha was totally a winner in this comparison!
From a build quality and repair standpoint, what I see on my busy repair bench the most is Epiphone, however there's probably more Epis out there b/c GC pushes them. The 3 best on this list (seen on my bench anyways) are Martin, Taylor and Yamaha. Ibanez and Fenders are in the middle of this pack with more issues or questionable sound quality. Surprised not to see Seagull on this list. We've only seen enough Eastman's to say they are a decent quality instrument.
The reason why so many guitars come through with high action is it covers up poor fretwork (un-level frets). The Plek machine, that all these guitars have their fretwork done on, is only as good as their programming and maintenance allow. Lately, fretwork from many major guitar manufacturers has been really atrocious, so be aware that high factory action hides this (and makes you not want to play it as much). On many of these guitars, once the action is lowered you quickly find out that you need a fret dressing and good pro set-up as well, so factor that in to your decision-making process.
Also, it should be said that what you want to look for in a brand new acoustic that you are considering is excellent factory action (out of the box) with approximately 3/16" saddle height protruding from the bridge before anyone adjust the action for the first time. Since string height is primarily adjusted by removing material from the bottom of the saddle, having approximately 3/16" of saddle protruding from the bridge will allow a fare amount of action lowering adjustability over the years of the guitar's life as the string tension along with climactic conditions inevitably pull up on the top and neck to make the action higher. No one ever checks the truss rod to see if it works properly, as many of them are not very effective, but if you can check it before you purchase the guitar or have it checked by a luthier or tech within your return policy, that's a smart idea too. Can't tell you how many people I have to give bad news to because none of this was checked on a guitar they've now grown fond of.
I am trying to decide between a Eastman PCH 2 OM or a Yamaha FS830. Which one would you recommend?
I decided to buy the FS830. The best selling beginner guitars are Yamaha. Almost everyone I talked to in the music industry agreed.
I love the Eastman e1s’ and the Yamaha! Was very very impressed by the Ibanez and the Breedlove too! For years I have recommended Yamaha and Eastman to my beginner students. Quite literally I have about eight students currently Who own Eastman pch or e1 guitars in varying shapes and sizes. Truly hard to beat in my humble opinion. Up here in Canada there’s another brand called Segal who build some truly fantastic guitars around this price point as well. I echo the sentiments of another commentor who said that dreadnaughts May not be the Best option for all beginners. I’ve turned quite a few people towards The OM body shape for their first acoustic for comfort reasons, because I truly want them to enjoy picking up their guitar for long periods of time. Of course this depends on the persons size/stature and all that. This was a great great video guys!
Thanks for sharing, we totally agree with a lot that you said! We also recommend Eastman's to most of our students, they're just so hard to beat!
By the way, it's "Seagull", (like the bird), and I've owned three over the years. Great guitar, but I have met more than a few who just couldn't get past the shape of the headstock! It takes a while but it does finally grow on you! Seagull was kind of the early evolution of the Eastman in my observations. I just ordered an Eastman to install a HyVibe system in it. We'll see how compatible the combination is.
I'm 6'1" and I still feel like a dread is big. And I've been that size and playing them since Jr high so 45 years.really digging the smaller bodies now.
The yamaha fg830 is ROSEWOOD laminate back and sides and the top IS scalopped braced
I agree the Yamaha guitars are great guitars for the price. If you are a beginner they are just great. I bought a Harmony guitar out of a Sears catalog back in 1971 for $50. It was torture but my desire to play got me through it. My buddy had the top of the line Yamaha to learn on back then, his parents were loaded. I was so jealous but I play circles around him today. Its great to have something good to learn on, but guitars dont play themselves. Investing in the time is most important.
Loved this comparison and I have never seen something this in depth! Thank you. I was honestly very surprised by some of them. Never been a fan of Ibanez, but I really liked it for a beginner guitar. I would agree with your final results overall, I definitely thought Breedlove and the solid wood Eastman were the standouts of the pack, with the lament Eastman just behind. I was shocked the Epiphone was so poor, in the past, I have recommended Epiphone and Yamaha to people as nice beginner, inexpensive guitars.
Would you consider doing a comparison of entry level solid wood guitars please? Maybe the $800 to $1250 range. I am considering a couple guitars, like the Guild 140, 150, 1512 series, both 6 and 12 string, and the new Breedlove Organic Pro series. I would really like to get a 12 string and 6 string, that sounds great, that I could keep tuned differently for specific songs, but keep my best guitars in standard tuning for the majority. Sorry for the long message. :)
Thanks so much for the feedback! Yeah that Epiphone surprised us as well, we might have to look into making a redemption video for it. We really like the idea for the all solid entry level comparison and we will add it to our list of videos to make!
We were actually looking into making a 12 string comparison as well. Overall we actually recommend an Eastman 12-string. It's all solid, hard-shell case, gloss finish, for a little of $1k. We have also REALLY liked what we've seen from the organic pro collection, we know Tom & the team worked really hard on that collection and it's paying off for them! When you throw Guild in there, that can be a tough choice to make! We hope these recommendations help, we'll look into more of these types of multi-brand comparisons in the future!
Sorry for our long message, but we love talking guitars! 😄
@@AcousticShoppe ❤ Thanks! Love your channel!
You cannot go wrong with a Yamaha FG8XX. I will agree that the factory setup is higher than it needs to be, definitely take it and get it professionally setup ASAP once you have it. Only regret I have had with my guitar journey is that I waited 6 months to get my FG professionally set up. It definitely made the first 6 months of playing harder than it needed to be.
For less that $400, the Yamaha is it. I had to sell my Martins a few years ago { D-28 and E.C. 0028} and kept my Taylor 114. Now a Yamaha FG3 fills the void. Thanks for reviews.
I've personally never owned an acoustic and have been in the market to buy one. Unfortunately I'm poor so what is known as the "cheap" range of acoustics is where I'm looking. (250 to 350 dollar range). As such, I've pretty much all but settled on purchasing the Yamaha FG830. I like how it looks and the slight upgrade from the 800 and 820 seems worth the investment. So, I'm saving my pennies as we speak then the 830 will be mine. :)
The FG830 is an awesome option in that range!
the yamahas are the best budget options in my opinion. i have the fs800 and it sounds amazing. no reason to buy a countertop guitar just because it says martin on it, dont believe the hype
I just played an FS800 at GC and was shocked at how good it sounded. Nice sustain and very pretty tone. Not sure how the 820 or 830 could be that much better for the extra $120.
Excellent show guys, just one thing, why no Tetons? they make great beginner guitars in my opinion.
Yamaha fg830
Laminated Rosewood back and sides
Scalloped bracing.
Your description was so far off.
Might as well say it was an all cardboard guitar..
The Breedlove and Eastman sound shockingly good.....But for the price of some Martin cases, I'll take the Yamaha. You guys get a 10/10 for guitar store TH-cam content.
Thanks so much, this is a 10/10 comment!
It's hard to believe the Yamaha FG830 playability/setup was ranked almost as bad as the Fender. And FYI, the Yamaha FG830 DOES have scalloped bracing and Rosewood back and sides. 🤷♂ 🤨
I own a Ibanez AW54 12 string. I absolutely love it. I must agree with you, it has a very rich tone and because it has a natural finish it just feels amazing to the touch.
I bought a bear claw Eastman PCH1-D, replaced plastic bridge pins with ebony, literally can't put it down, awesome guitar.
Nice!
Hey, thank you for the information on the “Top 10” beginner guitars.
Take care!
so happy I just got a used Yamaha FG830--sounds great--now I feel like I didn't screw up
I owned an epiphone hummingbird pro...it was the most souless guitar that I have ever played. That being said, I've played the new inspired by Gibson series and it was one of the best guitars for the price.
The Yamaha FG830 is my pick and it is Rosewood sides and back.
I have the Yamaha FG830, I'd say that's the best in the group
I'm pretty sure that the bracing on the Yamaha FG830 is scalloped.
Yamaha FG830 Dreadnought Features:
A value-packed acoustic with pro looks and features
The newest installment in the best-selling Yamaha FG series
Comfortable dreadnought body with tapered waist fits all players
Solid spruce top is full and balanced
Scalloped bracing improves punch and projection
Rosewood back and side deliver a richness and long-lasting sustain
We have learned that since the review!
The video was a great idea...scoring needs to be after discussion like you did but privately with the big reveal at the end, more suspense that way.
Like to see Guild and Alvarez but understand format.
Let's see a 12 string review. Thanks!
My black Pearl pawnshop guitar (w/a after market bucker) in the hole - served me well for years. Fun rap
Gentlemen. Please know what you are talking about before you produce stuff. The Eastman E1D has a solid Sitka Spruce top and solid Sapele back and sides (NOT mahogany). I bought one in 2022 as my "travel" or "knock about" instrument (I am an amateur), and was amazed at the quality of the instrument's build. I did have to adjust the truss rod to get the neck right. Since then, I have been very pleased with it. I would definitely recommend to a beginner as a first guitar, but be sure to have the dealer set it up properly before you accept it.
Thanks for pointing out that mistake, we have added the correction in the description. It's great to hear about your experience with the E1D, they are awesome quality instruments!
What a great video! Thanks! I am always looking out for what guitars to recommend to beginners and students and this video is an incredible resource for that. To my ear, the Eastman E1D, Yamaha, and Breedlove are my top 3 in that order.
Thanks so much for watching!
I used to like Seagull S6 for beginners. Now that the price has gone up on those, I don't know.
Love to see y’all do this for the $1500-3k range.
First time watching you guys and couldn’t wait to finish the video to drop the like. Awesome video and skills. Congrats guy
Thanks so much!
The reason the Yamaha sounds so good is because of the tone woods yamaha chose, solid spruce top and rosewood sides and back. After some youtubes, get educated on how to do proper setup, with bone nut, saddle, med strings? Then this makes this beginner $350 guitar a pretty amazing sounding guitar at this price level. It's not a D28 but perfect for those who want to learn their craft at a fraction of $3500 guitar for $350. Also real tone woods improve with time you can even sell for a profit in the future if you decide to later.
given the price range of the other guitars, I think you should've used fenders cd140 sce instead of the cd60. I got mine with a hard case for about $400.00 direct from fender. I think the difference in quality and tone is under estimated.
We added it because it was recommended by many list all around the internet. We can definitely keep that one in mind for future comparisons!
@@AcousticShoppe
And the fender cc140 sce.
Gr8 video, and im not even looking for a beginner guitar! My picks, Yamaha, had more depth and tonal range, dropping the action may suck the life out of that tho. That Martin had alot of range too, it was next in line, with the Eastman third. Modern day geetars are really uping their game, they all sounded pretty good. Keep em comin!
Great show and video. Entertaining and inmormative.
this helps a lot, thanks guys.
Thanks so much!
Yamaha FG830 is the best value and sounds like a very expensive guitar. $349 with rose wood back and sides FG800 has nato akume. Adjust the neck. Almost all of the guitar shops would suggest this guitar. I own an Eastman PCH 2. Both great guitars
I'm still a relatively newbie when it comes to 6-strings. (I've been playing electric bass for about 15 years.) I got myself a CD-60 a couple years ago and I still like it! It's a good guitar for learning chords and just plunking around on!
You are right about higher up on the neck, though... it does sound a little tinny lol 😅 I'll definitely be looking into an upgrade in the future!
Love to hear a review of Orangewood guitars.
If we could get our hands on them, we totally would review!
Eastman E1D is pretty nice! Sound is very good. This is a great mid range guitar. A lot of the better sounding guitars are a little stiff....drives the top better. I was more impressed by the AW54 Ibanez. Great tone and pretty articulate.
Yamaha has been nailing the sound on the low to mid range guitars.....well, chinese made....you better play it before you buy it! Anything goes with chinese made guitars. Can be major problems. I bought a 187.00+ tax new Yamaha FS800....neck was better then most 5k Martins. amazing! Can tune down a whole step and it doesn't buzz. Plays with zero relief. Moral of the story. Play many to find one....play it before you buy it or make sure you can get 100% of your money back for a dog...including shipping!
gs mini is my first guitar. been playing just under a month I bought it because to me it has an amazing tone I think like 8 or 9 I don't like the sound of any dreadnought I ever heard . and is very comfortable for me but I'm only 5 ft 9 I'm not a tall guy. to me it's perfect for the price
to those with Smaller Hands or Kids, The Baby Taylor is The Ticket. the price is cool as well.
A very good and honest review i agree with all what you said thanks a lot. Have you made the same review with all the om shape or 00 or 000 i'd like to see it🙏😉👍
We have not but that would be awesome to do in a future video. Although I can say most of these models have an OM or smaller body size with the exact same specs as the dreads in this video. For example Yamaha has the FS size, Eastman, Martin, and Ibanez all should have an OM size in these same models as well.
The list was great and very helpful as someone just starting to get into guitars from keyboards. Though I would love to know your opinions on Epiphone J 45, some seagull guitars and some orangewood guitars as they also might come around this price range. Thank you very much.