Guitar World Staff Picks: Paul Riario’s Top 5 Acoustic Guitars of 2011
Related Content
During this holiday season, I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve been asked to recommend a good acoustic.
Considering that there are so many great acoustics to check out, it would be difficult for me to use this space to cover each one because they are available at just about every price point, so the question actually becomes, “Well, how much are you willing to spend?”
Additionally, acoustics come in so many different body styles (dreadnought, jumbo, concert, parlor, etc.,) that you’ll have to try them all out to see which of those is most comfortable for you and, not to mention, whether you want that with a cutaway or with electronics!
I always say, money shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to finding that perfect guitar because you always want to be inspired to pick it up. With that in mind, what I will do is reveal the top five acoustics I’ve come across this past year. So fret not: Some of the ones below are affordable while others you’ll have to stretch that wallet a bit.
Paul Riario on Paul Riario: I try very hard to remain under the radar, despite being on camera as gear editor at Guitar World, but in this age of social media, it was only a matter of time before it had to come to this. So with that, I will make my blog painless and a quick and easy read so you can get on to more important things like practicing guitar and sweep picking, or if you’re like me, getting tiger blood transfusions and figuring out how to be Olivia Wilde’s boy toy. I will use this blog to inform you of things I find cool; like new gear I’m playing through and what I’m watching, reading or listening to at any given moment. So feel free to ask me anything that’s gear related — or if you have a problem with your girlfriend, ya know, life lesson stuff, I’m pretty good at that too — and I’ll do my best to answer or address it here.
Guitar World Staff Picks: Paul Riario’s Top 5 Acoustic Guitars of 2011
Related
priario
January 04, 2012 at 3:57pm
Hi Guys,
Let me quickly comment here..
Fenderman09: There are plenty of great acoustic basses available at that price range. I won't give you model numbers but I highly recommend that you check out acoustic basses from Ibanez, Takamine, Dean and Epiphone. You'll find a number of them between $200-$500. The key is to try the one that has the most comfortable neck shape for your hand and which of those sounds the best acoustically to your ears. I'm confident you'll find a great acoustic bass from one of those four manufacturers.
57 Stratman: I would love to be able to pull that off, but truthfully that is a monumental task. We just don't have the bandwith nor the opportunity to play everything in all the available price ranges. We are lucky to get a cross section of what's available and sometimes in our travels we'll see things that are just worth remembering even if we don't get to review them. I applaud your choices; all of those instruments are excellent acoustics in that price range, but when you get up to the 2K+ numbers you open yourself up to mentioning all the other fine acoustic guitar companies who make superb instruments as well. Someday, I hope, we'll be able to cover a lot more than we can but for now maybe I'll have to extend my list to a Top Ten!
fenderman09
December 28, 2011 at 7:44pm
Hey Paul
Can you please recommend some good acoustic electric basses for me? In the $500 range. I want to find something versitlie that sounds good unplugged and plugged.
Thanks
57 Stratman
December 22, 2011 at 9:35pm
I would like to make a suggestion reguarding your list of top 5 acoustic guitars; why not make a list of top 5 acoustic guitars in different price ranges? You know, a list of the top 5 in the $100.00-$350.00 price range; another in the $350-$700 price range; maybe another in the $700-$1500 price range, and so on, as high in price as you want to go. I have done a comparison of $2,000.00 (give or take a few hundred) rosewood bodied guitars, comparing the Martin HD-28, The Gibson Songwriter, The Taylor 710, and the Guild D-50 standard. The first three are definitely well known brands, and very pretty guitars, but for pure volume, projection and lush musicality of tone, take a listen to the Guild D-50 standard. The woods are top of the line, as is the workmanship; Solid Indian rosewoodback and sides, Solid Sitka bearclaw spruce top, one piece Mahogany neck and headstock with a beautiful rosewwod fretboard and headstock overlay, Gotoh tuners, Bone nut, bridge, and bridge pins are stock. Beautiful looking and sounding guitar, I highly reccomend it, because of the four comparison models, this is the one I chose to buy. Seriously, check it out.
Latest News
-
8 hours 35 min ago
-
8 hours 38 min ago
-
9 hours 2 min ago
-
9 hours 33 min ago
-
12 hours 6 min ago
-
14 hours 12 min ago
-
14 hours 13 min ago
Connect with Guitar World
Featured Content
In the Magazine
