Acoustic guitar recommendations

[maize]

Can anyone point me in the direction of  a decent quality acoustic guitar? Something that would work well for folk music styles. For a beginner, but I want an instrument that will be pleasant to play and won't need an upgrade soon.

Edited November 12, 2021 by maize

[Alte Veste Academy]

We have about eleventy-billion guitars here, but a tried and true one is DH's Yamaha. They don't make his exact one anymore, but here is the newer version of it. It's solid but basic in appearance. If the player will care a lot about appearance, you can get lots of pretty ones. It mattered to my DD, lol, so she ended up with the ridiculously gorgeous butterfly model of the Luna Fauna Series. It probably a similar quality guitar, but you pay extra for pretty. ETA: It is acoustic-electric though, so more versatile. If you think your player will want to move into electric, look at acoustic-electric combos.

Edited November 12, 2021 by Alte Veste Academy

[Catwoman]

Another vote for a Yamaha. We are another family with LOTS of guitars, but my ds21 started with a Yamaha acoustic-electric, and it is still among his favorites. It didn't cost a fortune, yet it has held up beautifully. 

[regentrude]

I have an Alvarez

[kristin0713]

Especially if you’re interested in playing folk music styles, look into getting a classical guitar with nylon strings. It will be easier on your fingers to start out. 

[Resilient]

Go to a guitar store and sit down and try multiple models within your price range.  It's not always a matter of "brand."  I got a Martin as a gift a number of years ago--but the reason I selected THIS one is that the body shape, the shape of the neck worked with my goals.  Martin makes a fantastic selection of guitars, but only this one was PERFECT.

Yamaha makes a nice guitar...but the height of the strings from the fretboard made my fingers bleed.  And I already had callouses.  

I am not saying that you have to get a Martin--read past that brand name.  My point is that the shape of the neck interacting with the shape of the hand, the size of the guitar body in relation to the shape of the player's body makes a difference.  

I got a beautiful guitar at high school graduation.  I paid attention to these things, and that guitar is still my favorite--over the Martin.  I keep them both, now, so I can play in different tunings.  But the one I got first was 1/10 the price of the Martin, even adjusted for inflation, and it is every bit the same quality--rosewood, silver-nickel, maple...part by part, as good.  

 

[Resilient]

FWIW, if you want a gentle start, skip the nylon string classical guitar (the spacing of the strings is different from steel) and get a cheap electric.  I play the cheap electric as much as I play the Martin.  

[Emba]

Yamaha makes very decent guitars for the price.  If the strings of any guitar are too high, ask at the shop if they can lower the action. I’m not sure how much that would cost, but it can definitely be done.

[Clarita]

I love my Taylor, but I second going into the guitar store and actually trying them out. Just how it feels in your arms and hands, and also how it sounds. There are a lot of decent guitars and brands out there and a lot comes down to preference.