https://acousticguitar.com lessons, music to play, and how-tos for all guitarists Wed, 20 Dec 2023 19:37:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/acousticguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/AG_Favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://acousticguitar.com 32 32 103806923 https://acousticguitar.com/review-yamaha-fg9/ https://acousticguitar.com/review-yamaha-fg9/#comments Wed, 06 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=142497 This limited-edition beauty feels like a bespoke guitar, and it truly shines whether flatpicked or fingerpicked.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/review-yamaha-fg9/feed/ 4 142497 https://acousticguitar.com/review-martin-super-d-and-d-18-streetlegend/ https://acousticguitar.com/review-martin-super-d-and-d-18-streetlegend/#comments Fri, 06 Oct 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=141797 Two new guitars that stretch the parameters of the models they take after without abandoning their core sonic or build qualities.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/review-martin-super-d-and-d-18-streetlegend/feed/ 1 141797 https://acousticguitar.com/review-gibsons-j-45-50s-faded-and-keb-mo-3-0-12-fret-j-45/ Fri, 14 Jul 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=138644 Both models stick to the strengths and depart from the script in terms of our preconceived ideas about the J-45 shape.]]> 138644 https://acousticguitar.com/review-prs-se-a20e-angelus-cutaway-acoustic-electric/ https://acousticguitar.com/review-prs-se-a20e-angelus-cutaway-acoustic-electric/#respond Sun, 04 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=134116 In this review of the PRS Angelus SE A20E acoustic-electric guitar, we were impressed as much by its easy playability as its bright yet flexible tonal range.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/review-prs-se-a20e-angelus-cutaway-acoustic-electric/feed/ 0 134116 https://acousticguitar.com/review-takamine-crn-ts1-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/review-takamine-crn-ts1-guitar/#respond Wed, 26 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=133357 Our reviewer found that for a big guitar with a big sound, the Takamine CRN-TS1 also offers an intimate quality that rewards an uncluttered approach, where notes are given the time and space to linger.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/review-takamine-crn-ts1-guitar/feed/ 0 133357 https://acousticguitar.com/review-martin-modern-deluxe-d-45-and-012-28/ https://acousticguitar.com/review-martin-modern-deluxe-d-45-and-012-28/#respond Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=131960 With the top-shelf Martin Modern Deluxe D-45 and 012-28 acoustic guitars, there’s no arguing with the overwhelming quality and class of the materials and craftmanship—and depth of sound.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/review-martin-modern-deluxe-d-45-and-012-28/feed/ 0 131960 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-a40e-angelus-acoustic-electric-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-a40e-angelus-acoustic-electric-guitar/#respond Fri, 20 May 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=132147 Probably more than any instrument I’ve tested in years, the PRE SE A40E Angelus acoustic-electric guitar revealed its true potential gradually.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-a40e-angelus-acoustic-electric-guitar/feed/ 0 132147 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-preston-thompson-d-sma-dreadnought/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-preston-thompson-d-sma-dreadnought/#respond Sun, 27 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=129045 Handcrafted in the company's Sisters, Oregon, workshop, the Preston Thompson D-SMA has a poetic side you might not expect from an instrument of its size.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-preston-thompson-d-sma-dreadnought/feed/ 0 129045 https://acousticguitar.com/guild-a-20-marley-guitar-review/ https://acousticguitar.com/guild-a-20-marley-guitar-review/#respond Sun, 27 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=127779 For its new A-20 Marley acoustic guitar, Guild tracked down vintage Madeira models, seeking to copy most of the original details, while improving on certain aspects.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guild-a-20-marley-guitar-review/feed/ 0 127779 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-hummingbird/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-hummingbird/#respond Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:10:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=125736 The street price on Epiphone’s "Inspired By Gibson" Hummingbird acoustic guitar? Just $799—and you get much of the vibe of its costlier Gibson counterparts.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-hummingbird/feed/ 0 125736 https://acousticguitar.com/collings-cj-45-t-guitar-review/ https://acousticguitar.com/collings-cj-45-t-guitar-review/#respond Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=124627 With the new CJ-45 T, Collings has delivered a new guitar that shows how much can be achieved with a mix of CNC manufacturing, handcrafting, and vision. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/collings-cj-45-t-guitar-review/feed/ 0 124627 https://acousticguitar.com/cort-gold-edge-acoustic-electric-guitar-review/ https://acousticguitar.com/cort-gold-edge-acoustic-electric-guitar-review/#respond Sun, 25 Jul 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=124624 Cort's Gold-Edge acoustic guitar is a lovely grand auditorium that stands out as an instrument designed with vintage feel and sound.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/cort-gold-edge-acoustic-electric-guitar-review/feed/ 0 124624 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-furch-blue-mm-dreadnought-offers-warm-and-surprising-tonal-colors/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-furch-blue-mm-dreadnought-offers-warm-and-surprising-tonal-colors/#respond Wed, 26 May 2021 20:57:58 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=124158 If I had to pick two words to describe the Furch Blue MM, they would be “Play me!” Right out of the box, this mahogany acoustic-electric dreadnought felt ready to make music.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-furch-blue-mm-dreadnought-offers-warm-and-surprising-tonal-colors/feed/ 0 124158 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-yamahas-fgx3-is-a-modern-folk-workhorse-inspired-by-1960s-classics/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-yamahas-fgx3-is-a-modern-folk-workhorse-inspired-by-1960s-classics/#respond Sun, 14 Feb 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=121710 The guitar has a soft, warm tone that works great for fingerpicked chord patterns and breezy strumming. When strumming chords with a pick, I found it definitely sounds best to approach the FGX3 with a more delicate touch—a thinner pick and a soft strum can go a long way—while heavy-handed strumming and picking tend to get harsh. Approached with a light to medium touch, chords sound rich while maintaining a clarity that allows individual notes to shine.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-yamahas-fgx3-is-a-modern-folk-workhorse-inspired-by-1960s-classics/feed/ 0 121710 https://acousticguitar.com/review-taylors-american-dream-ad27-delivers-all-the-tone-without-the-frills/ https://acousticguitar.com/review-taylors-american-dream-ad27-delivers-all-the-tone-without-the-frills/#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2020 03:33:18 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=119947 The American Dream is alive, well, and living near San Diego, at least if you’ve been dreaming of an affordable American-made, all-solid-wood Taylor guitar. Launched in the midst of the pandemic, Taylor says its new American Dream series was “born from adversity”—an effort to make an affordable guitar available in a year that’s been a […]]]> https://acousticguitar.com/review-taylors-american-dream-ad27-delivers-all-the-tone-without-the-frills/feed/ 1 119947 https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-orangewood-sage-mahogany-live-acoustic-electric/ https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-orangewood-sage-mahogany-live-acoustic-electric/#respond Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:17:43 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=119594 When I played the Sage acoustically and dug in hard with a pick, the guitar’s sound compressed nicely, accentuating the guitar’s thick midrange projection, without leaving behind the high-end sparkle and low-end definition. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/guitar-review-orangewood-sage-mahogany-live-acoustic-electric/feed/ 0 119594 https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-review-epiphone-masterbilt-excellente-offers-a-modern-take-on-a-vintage-rarity/ https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-review-epiphone-masterbilt-excellente-offers-a-modern-take-on-a-vintage-rarity/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2020 23:14:54 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=118886 The Epiphone Masterbilt Excellente guitar is like a time machine—take a good look at it and you might think you’ve been transported back about 50 or so years.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-review-epiphone-masterbilt-excellente-offers-a-modern-take-on-a-vintage-rarity/feed/ 1 118886 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-eastman-ac622ce-acoustic-guitar/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-eastman-ac622ce-acoustic-guitar/#respond Fri, 26 Jun 2020 14:07:00 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=118364 The AC622CE is a beautifully made guitar with a big and bold sound. It manages to be both strong and clear at the same time, great for strumming and inviting of picking and fingerpicking, the latter especially offering firmly spoken tones.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-eastman-ac622ce-acoustic-guitar/feed/ 0 118364 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-taylor-builders-edition-324ce-and-816ce/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-taylor-builders-edition-324ce-and-816ce/#respond Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:13:47 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=117119 For the new Builder’s Edition collection, Taylor master guitar designer Andy Powers has selected various models—from the 300 series up to the 900 series—and outfitted them with a variety of pragmatic and experimental upgrades.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-taylor-builders-edition-324ce-and-816ce/feed/ 0 117119 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-gibson-g-45-studio/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-gibson-g-45-studio/#respond Fri, 17 Jan 2020 16:26:42 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=113905 Gibson's G-45 Studio acoustic guitar is a more affordable cousin of its beloved namesake, the J-45 acoustic guitar. See how it stacks up on our review.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-gibson-g-45-studio/feed/ 0 113905 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-t60e/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-t60e/#respond Wed, 20 Nov 2019 19:01:47 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=113521 The SE T60E was designed to have a full, rounded-out dynamic range that favors the low end and midrange.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-t60e/feed/ 0 113521 https://acousticguitar.com/new-gear-eastman-dt30d/ https://acousticguitar.com/new-gear-eastman-dt30d/#respond Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:05:37 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=112663 Eastman’s Double Top series is among the first to use the boutique-maker idea of a double top—a soundboard incorporating two outer wooden layers over a synthetic core, for enhanced sound and responsiveness—in a production steel-string guitar model.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/new-gear-eastman-dt30d/feed/ 0 112663 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-guild-memoir-series/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-guild-memoir-series/#respond Wed, 09 Oct 2019 15:52:51 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=112955 Guild's Memoir series, which includes the P-240 Memoir and DS-240 Memoir acoustic guitars reviewed here, are part of the company's Westerly Collection.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-guild-memoir-series/feed/ 0 112955 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-lag-tramontane-hyvibe-10/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-lag-tramontane-hyvibe-10/#respond Wed, 25 Sep 2019 18:49:57 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=112893 A collaboration between two French companies, the Lâg Tramontane HyVibe, turns the guitar’s body into a speaker that can add several different effects to your acoustic tone, loop, metronome, and interact with a smartphone app for even greater control of the preamp’s parameters. ]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-lag-tramontane-hyvibe-10/feed/ 0 112893 https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-angelus-a60e/ https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-angelus-a60e/#respond Wed, 17 Apr 2019 19:12:06 +0000 https://acousticguitar.com/?p=110907 No matter how I played the Angelus, it delivered a nicely proportioned sound, with a spanky top end layered over a controlled bass and midrange. The low end wasn’t cavernous or boomy, which helped it feel balanced across the frequency range, especially useful for fingerstyle parts on open tunings and easy to control through a loud amp.]]> https://acousticguitar.com/gear-review-prs-se-angelus-a60e/feed/ 0 110907