Beginner Acoustic sugestions

For a variety of reasons I have a friend wanting a guitar to while away 6 months of being at home. She has quite small hands so queried a short scale, 3/4 type thing. Whilst I was thinking of suggesting an Electric with a slim neck etc she would prefer the pick up and go immediacy of an Acoustic. 
 Whats the view on sub £300/400 that have slim narrow necks and the easy going playability of a good electric? Does such a thing exist?

Used GS Mini.

Seconded. Within budget and great guitars.

thermionic said:

Used GS Mini.

Thats a good suggestion, given I have a Big Baby here you'd have thought I'd have started there (brain not working)
I shall go search

Vintage V300MH. Small OO size all-mahogany acoustic. Well built, excellent tone, 42.5mm nut, tremendous value, well inside her budget.

Vintage V300MH Folk Guitar- Solid Top- Mahogany Series | guitarguitar

Another gs mini user here. Playability is great. Go used and try it first.

DavidR said:

Vintage V300MH. Small OO size all-mahogany acoustic. Well built, excellent tone, 42.5mm nut, tremendous value, well inside her budget.

Vintage V300MH Folk Guitar- Solid Top- Mahogany Series | guitarguitar

Not 00 size, unless the mahogany version is smaller than the spruce version I had?

From my nerdy database:



I got a V300 for a small student (grown woman but diminutive), and she really struggled with it, partly the bulk of the body and partly (I think) the scale length). I have since loaned her a GS Mini and it's more or less perfect. She can manage the GTe, too - which is midway between the GS and the V300.

So another vote for the GS Mini here. Plenty to find, too.

@goldtop I do love a good nerd-database, i've sent GS Mini Details to her and i'm going to let her borrow my Big Baby to try out , see how she gets on with that

spev11 said:

For a variety of reasons I have a friend wanting a guitar to while away 6 months of being at home. She has quite small hands so queried a short scale, 3/4 type thing. Whilst I was thinking of suggesting an Electric with a slim neck etc she would prefer the pick up and go immediacy of an Acoustic. 
 Whats the view on sub £300/400 that have slim narrow necks and the easy going playability of a good electric? Does such a thing exist?

I was just this morning thinking about selling my Gretsch Jim Dandy, after a conversation with one of our local industry colleagues. (Dave M from Solutions, if you know him? He's just sold his for £140.) It's used but in decent condition, probably could do with new strings. A parlour sized, etc. I'd probably be looking for £100 if she's interested?

Pjon said:

spev11 said:

For a variety of reasons I have a friend wanting a guitar to while away 6 months of being at home. She has quite small hands so queried a short scale, 3/4 type thing. Whilst I was thinking of suggesting an Electric with a slim neck etc she would prefer the pick up and go immediacy of an Acoustic. 
 Whats the view on sub £300/400 that have slim narrow necks and the easy going playability of a good electric? Does such a thing exist?

I was just this morning thinking about selling my Gretsch Jim Dandy, after a conversation with one of our local industry colleagues. (Dave M from Solutions, if you know him? He's just sold his for £140.) It's used but in decent condition, probably could do with new strings. A parlour sized, etc. I'd probably be looking for £100 if she's interested?

Cheers guv
I'll pass the message on to Gar and see what they think. Don't hold on to it if you get another offer though

Cool!

I'd throw a secondhand Faith Nomad Mini Saturn or Faith Nomad Mini Neptune in to the ring.

I have the Mini Saturn and it is such an easy guitar to pick up and play the Mini Neptune looks even better...

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/faith-nomad-mini-neptune

And this could be a good buy (but no experience myself).

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/241003430512020--eastman-actg1-classic

Yamaha FS models appear to be popular among starter players. I had an APX 200,I think? That was pretty small.

Just bought a Vintage VE 330 for a nephews Christmas present, have to say great guitar for the price and should suit your friend nicely.

I would however point out that an acoustic is never going to have the easy going playability of an electric if the person is a beginner, it takes time to build up the pads at the end of your fingers and muscle memory. So be it electric or acoustic the first month is the hardest physically and mentally!

Ps also going to plug this https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/273621/takamine-gn75ce-tbk which I can do for her budget although neck is definitely not like an electric!

The Martin SC series has a more electric-ish neck profile. Not cheap, though.

Does one of those odd Yamaha series - APX or CPX - have an electric neck profile? Can't remember.

I did explain the whole electric has lighter strings thing. I’ve lent her the big baby , if she doesn’t get on with that then I’ve suggested a mustang or a jag cos of the shorter scale

Vintage Statesboro Whiskey Sour - unbelievable for less than £120. I have some very respectable Takamine and  various likewise but bought one of these after idly playing one in a music shop. I wanted one to leave in Ireland but now need to buy another so I can have one in the UK as well.

The nearest thing I’ve played to an electric neck is a Tak ef407 and I’d have one if they did a left-handed version.

Also consider an Ovation. The necks are great but playing them is like wrestling a greased pig, so maybe not.

shufflebeat said:

Vintage Statesboro Whiskey Sour - unbelievable for less than £120. I have some very respectable Takamine and  various likewise but bought one of these after idly playing one in a music shop. I wanted one to leave in Ireland but now need to buy another so I can have one in the UK as well.

The nearest thing I’ve played to an electric neck is a Tak ef407 and I’d have one if they did a left-handed version.

Also consider an Ovation. The necks are great but playing them is like wrestling a greased pig, so maybe not.

I've looked at those myself but the narrow nut is a concern for some.

We bought one of these for my (at the time) 12 year old son. Yes, the frets are a *little* scratchy and the tone is a little 'hollow', but I was genuinely surprised at the playability and sound from this. I have not played anything that comes close to this for the price. For context, my own acoustic guitars are a pair of Brooks and a Baileys build-your-own in macassar.

EastCoast G1 Satin Natural | guitarguitar