How bad are cheap guitars? // I tested 4 affordable models
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- Опубліковано 20 тра 2024
- We're testing 4 budget & affordable acoustic guitars. How is the tone, how do they play? Does having a solid top matter? How good are budget guitars in 2020?
▶GUITARS◀
Fender CD-60 V3
Yamaha F310NT
Harley Benton HB Custom Line CLD-10S NS
Orangewood Rey
0:00 - A quick comparison
1:53 - The 4 contenders & sounds
4:19 - Thoughts on cheaper guitars
4:39 - Playability
5:27 - Setup
7:06 - Tone Test
7:53 - Workmanship, hardware & woods
8:31 - Epic beginner guitar course (learnpracticeplay.com)
9:30 - Looks & bling
10:57 - Opinion on tone & conclusion
14:17 - Giving away the guitars
MY INTERMEDIATE COURSE: nextlevelplaying.com
MY BEGINNER GUITAR COURSE: learnpracticeplay.com
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Hi, my name is Paul Davids! I am a guitar player, teacher, producer, and overall music enthusiast from the Netherlands! I try to inspire people from all over the world with my videos, here on UA-cam.
If you want to know more about me, check out PaulDavidsGuitar.com or check out my guitar courses at: learnpracticeplay.com and nextlevelplaying.com
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Which one is your favorite? Also, feel free to drop any recommendations in the comments!
Paul Davids what about a cheap electric guitar amp and electric guitar showdown of four models? For beginners.
I thought they all sounded better than most budget models in guitar center. However, the difference between a $150 guitar and a $350 guitar is massively worth it
That HB and orangewood sound so different but both are my favorite
I like the Fender and the Harley Benton
Recommendation!
Colab with Guitar Pilgrim, you both are super awesome
Remember kids: a good guitar player with a cheap guitar sounds better than a bad player with an expensive guitar
Thanks I needed this.
Put me in my place
I counter with the fact that you will want to practice more, if the guitar in your hands is "nice." I practiced as much as my hands and fingers would tolerate with my beginner Yamaha FG830. After some months I upgraded to a Martin D16E. My practice increased 3x simply because I liked what I was doing and liked the result more.
@@danr5105 i agree
what about a bad player and a cheap guitar?
Every guitar sounds like an expensive guitar in this guy's hands.
No , because he got some very high quality sound setup , ive play these guitar , they really sound not that good
@@STEVENV0 I was complementing his guitar playing. Don't be so literal.
Editing goes a long way.
Anything in tune should sound good right?
agree. they sounds all same to me ...... im very new begginer
The first guitar I got was a $89 Epiphone classical guitar from Sam Ash. No matter how cheap it is I'll keep it as long as I survive cause my mom bought it for me.
🙏🏾
Every time I see that name it feels so bizarre
@@sameash3153 true this and Ibanez both sounds so cheap.
I feel this. I had a silvercreek that was handed down 13 years ago from my older brother. Was stolen on the dc metro yesterday:(
@@jonathanharris6232 Sorry to hear that man, hope you find it back someday 🙏🏻
None of these sounded “bad” or “cheap”. They are what they should be for a beginner guitar. I have a Yamaha FG model a couple of steps up in price and quality from the one here and it has an impressive bright, full and detailed sound. It looks great too. I was so taken with how well it competed with other brands above its price range that I bought it as my first serious acoustic when I had no intention of getting a Yamaha. They make quality instruments for all skill levels.
Remember kids: a cheap guitar from a good brand sounds better than an expensive guitar from a bad brand.
had one back in the day …. great sound… wish Zi had kept it
My first acoustic was an Alvarez … not too of the line btw…. but wow… what a great first guitar !
Should have kept it.
What is a good upper middle price acoustic that you would recommend
For the price, I believe Seagull builds some of the best guitars out there. A lot of them have solid wood construction and very good playabilty... imho
My father brought me the Yamaha 310 as a birthday present a little while before he past away. So this is clearly my favourite! (Thanks dad x)
I hope you're having fun with it😊
That's tough. Good luck buddy. And have fun with the guitar :)
Enjoy that guitar. Praying for u 🙏🏽
I learned on a f310 as well , my son has it now and I still love and can play comfortably on it ! A fantastic guitar
have fun with it!!
If it stays in-tune and doesn't rattle, it's good enough.
but also needs to be loud enough
i got a fifty dollar rouge as my first guitar and damn man it didn’t help at all think hardly stays in tune by the time i’m done playing a song and is quiet. oh well you get what you pay for but i didn’t know that when i bought it i was just like “cool, it’s red and it’s a guitar i’ll buy it” lmao
@@ezralee4370 my brother got a 60€ guitar and it is pretty good for the money, stays in tune, sounds nice and is overall a fine acustic
Amen. Every guitar I've ever owned was second hand. My current baby is a second hand guitar and does everything a $1000 dollar guitar would do. I play for myself and I'm at peace with it.
There is your 300th like my good sir
Beginner guitars definitely have to be playable out of the box. You can’t assume they’ll have an experienced player on standby to adjust this and that to make them play well. My first guitar was a strat-copy around 20 years ago and it was terrible. I thought it was purely down to my lack of skill but then I played an Epiphone that maybe cost twice as much and those chords that I struggled with immediately sounded clean. There’s comments saying about how a good guitar player can make them sound good, but that’s not who is buying cheap guitars so the comments are misguided. Learning guitar is hard enough and I’ll bet that bad guitars have been the reason for many beginners giving up learning to play. Playability is definitely more important than nuances of tone in a beginner guitar. It’s good to see that things have improved a lot
I agree that good players aren't typically the ones buying them. But as a professional myself, I endorse budget instruments and encourage other professional players to try cheap ones they otherwise would ignore. I think beginners shouldn't watch these videos, but I think intermediate and above players see these videos as sort of a "I need a new guitar, I don't want to spend too much money, but I want to know if these things can sound decent". And when you hear somebody like that playing on it, it's reassuring.
100% this. The playability of a more expensive guitar can take a weaker player and instantly improve upon that. A beginner will have a difficult time to find a "cheap" guitar that is playable, because they don' know any different. Solution - go with a guitar player to purchase that first guitar and use a team approach.
Trying to figure out rn if it's me or the guitar. My dad bought me a guitar when I was a kid that was $30 from target. I couldn't figure out how to tune it and couldn't play well so I kind of gave up. I've been wanting to get into guitar again so I picked it back up (10 years old) after learning all the guitar chords and hand placements to make sure I would not give up. Still sounds awful. Not sure if it's me
On that note, I remember as a kid I also wanted to learn how to skateboard so he bought me a board from Walmart. I spent years thinking I was just really shit at skateboarding. Brought it into a skate shop to get it fixed one day and the guy at the counter was horrified. Now I'm a great skateboarder 😂
I'm still a beginner by most standards just because I'm self teaching and just enjoy messaging around. But I realized the neck is way too big for my hand. I am a piano player, but am a woman so my hands are a bit smaller. I've quit so many times because it feels so much harder than it should be. Then I played on a smaller one and I was immediately able to play things I struggled with even after tons of practice on my regular one. The guitar makes so much of a difference for beginner players.
The Fender CD-60 was my first guitar, pretty decent for its price. I still play it today and I'm not disappointed at all by its playability and sound.
How Long have you been playing for?
Would you recommend it?
I have a cd 60 cutaway for 13 years now and still playable🤩
I just got the cd60 for my first guitar
I picked up a CD60 used a few months ago. It’s about 2 years old but rarely played by previous owner. Put some elixir bronze coated light gauge strings on it,adjusted the neck and action and it just sings and plays beautifully now. I am finding the nut is not cut deep enough so I’ll be taking care of that on the next restring.
When Paul plays them they don't sound cheap at all
That's because a guitar is merely a tool.
I think they still do - which is definetly not Pauls fault!
Tone is in the fingers.
You could definitely tell that some of them were hard to play.
Yeah they do lmao
How are these "Cheap" Guitars. My first guitar is literally like 40$
Mine also...
Mine was 21 dollar man
@@darkiet1181 Oh, Girl/Man...🤣🤣🤣
New? If so where and what?
I start with 5$ guitar
I've played the same entry-level Fender acoustic since 2007 -- over half my life. It's traveled around the world with me; three countries, five states, and countless random basements in high school. I just bought a Yamaha A series, and though I'm sad to retire the only possession I still have from my childhood, it's going to be a much needed step up. That "cheap" guitar from the 2000s ended up giving me so much over the years.
Dude, as an "older guy" hang on to that fender! You'll be glad you did in the future. I really liked your comment
Just keep it. I bought an Harley Benton (with cut away, otherwise comparable) as second acoustic just for alternate tunings. Currently in CGCGGE for some soundgarden
End of the day it’s the player. I’ve seen seasoned players absolutely shred a hello kitty guitar.
Zac Wilde for one, right here on UA-cam! Check it out
I mean, we have all seen the arguments that "it is the player, not the guitar" but how much does that really matter to us as players specifically? I remember watching a video that was making the rounds (specifically in this type of discussion) some years back where Joe Satriani was playing one of his songs through a fan's really cheap Ibanez and a cheap amp. He played well (obviously) and while the sound wasn't the same as he would get with his usual setup, the most important part was when he finished and said "That was a little painful on this guitar". Did he play it well? Yes. Did he enjoy it? Likely not.
We have to remember that in any enthusiast art/hobby, there is a point where the artist's own comfort and pleasure when using a particular instrument/tool comes into play. That it is important to like what you are using so it doesn't act as a point of unwanted creative resistance.
the dooo in a nutshell
Yeah, but that doesn't mean everybody should start on a 3 string cigar box made by themselves, ease of play is important, I started learning bass a couple of months ago and while I'm having fun one of my troubles is, because it's a p bass with a long honkin' neck it's a bit difficult to practice in my small crowded room, also the action is very high and I can't really adjust lower it without getting a lot more fret buzz. I'm persisting, but annoying things like that can be very discouraging to someone just starting.
I wish I had a Hello Kitty.
You know what, I'm gonna like this video straight from the start because of the great editing. Just epic guitar changes
Yamaha has always been my first choice in a budget-priced guitar that I would not be afraid to play on stage and gig with. It is a brand that is known and respected everywhere, and for the price it really delivers.
Great video editing paul. Really kept me engaged from start to finish.
One of my early acoustic guitars was a Yamaha FG140. I still have it almost 50 years later, and still play it occasionally.
The worst part of cheap guitars are cheap tuning heads and bad intonation. You can always play an acoustic guitar through a mic and run it through an E.Q., but with bad tuning heads you can never tune the guitar properly!
Tuning issues usually lie more within the bridge. I realized this because I have 2 guitars with total shit tuning pegs but they keep tune very well.. It's the good bridge.
You cant save the plasticy muffled sound of cheap acoustics
beef nacos it’s easier to upgrade a set of tuners for most folks though. You can do it yourself with pretty much no technical expertise.
A slightly more $$$ expensive guitar is worth it alone for the fact that the strings are less likely to blow up in your face. Playing string roulette is terrifying 😨
@@beefnacos6258 Agree completely. Intonation is through the placement of the bridge.
When I was young my parents wouldn’t buy me a guitar, they said I’d give up on it. I ended up getting an old Samick classical acoustic for 25 bucks that was laying in the back of my friends sisters closest. I played it daily for 2 yrs before getting a Mexican strat and small 15 watt practice amp. I honestly think the only thing that kept me playing that pos closet find was the need to prove my parents wrong. That was 26yrs ago. I have a replaced shoulder now from 10 yrs ago and may never play like I could before but after the surgery I decided to actually learn how to play instead of being totally self taught. My only regret was waiting so long to learn the theory. I was one of those kids that thought theory would take away “my sound” but now that I’m in my 40s I know how wrong I was. Keep the great videos coming!
I am 65 years old and studied last year with a young man who is senior in college studying music theory great experience I can now read music. It's never too late. Corona virus interrupted my study.
You gave me something to think about. I better stop thinking in keeping my sound self taught and start learning theory. Thanks for that!
I agree. You dont need to get your Doctorates in music theory, but knowing the basics, like knowing how to play in key, is a good foundation for creating music. I always used to play covers, and really hard covers I might add, but that doesnt mean Im good at creating, only good at copying. Once you know your keys, you can listen to music with guitars and know what key they're playing in and thats why it sounds good and makes sense.
@@sc12100 Being able to read music really helpful understand in each different key has different sharps and flats. Understand what a natural I'd or sustain , pull of or hammer on. Than you get to the hardest for me is rythum.
@@charlesputnam9370 Reading music is becoming a lost skill set in the guitar world.
I started playing guitar 56 years ago when I was 8 and my first acoustic guitar was a made in Japan Yamaha FG-180. A few years ago I developed Arthritis and Trigger Finger in my left hand and had to quit playing. I sold all of my guitars.Later, my Physical Therapist encouraged me to start playing again to exercise my hand. Not wanting to spend too much money on something that I’d never be able to play in public, I bought an Orangewood Rey Mahogany like the one in the video. It’s the perfect guitar for a beginner which is what my ailing hand has turned me into.
Thanks for your story. Now in my 40s, it's one I'm going to remember about how to grow older gracefully.
As a novice guitarist, who just spent £15 on his first 2nd hand Martin Smith acoustic, I have to say I really love the look and sound of that Orangewood.
You sure got bargain, enjoy it.
So your opinion means nothing
@@oh-not-the-bees7872 isn't that the point of opinions... that it's just an opinion??
Nash - I’d buy that Orangewood! I have some very expensive guitars, and some very inexpensive guitars! My Danelectro U2 is a favourite electric, and cost just a few hundred dollars, and I play it as much as my White Falcon! !$! But the Orangewood takes it, in this show down. They make extremely well built guitars at the $300 - $400 range!
1:55 : hmmm, sounds familiar. Where have I heard that before 🤔
The Travis picking tutorial!
Sounds actually like Street Spirit from Radiohead
and Rollercoaster by Danny Vera
is it an actual song?
Give me a 2000 pound Acoustic Id make it sound like a two bob guitar
@Romanes eunt domus lmao
@Romanes eunt domus Some guitars you should pound with a baseball bat 2000 times
I call B.S. !!!
You couldn't even pick up a 1 ton guitar.
I own and love my Orangewood. I don’t own the Rey but love my guitar all the same. It’s great to just pick up and play. Good for ideas to create. I love the aesthetics. The tuners, I find are excellent for a “budget” guitar.
I bought a Rogue RD -80 For around $100 . It sounds good, stays in tune and the neck has a nice fingerboard action. I have two other guitars more expensive and it seems the Rogue is easy to play. Good for a beginner etc
The Harley Benton stands out from the rest. The solid spruce top does make the difference. In my opinion.
i totally agree
YUP !
IMO - someone who wants to learn how to play should start out with a model with a solid top - new or used.
@@sc12100 In some ways I would agree, but I couldn't even afford a set of strings and made them out of fishing line. Solid top would never have happened. Even the back of mine was stuck on with tape.
Yea it’s surprising how much better it is then the other. I always assumed orange wood guitars was the best value guitar but it looks like I’m going to have to start recommending the HB to beginners
I own a Harley Benton ST62 (Stratocaster) and it truly is a surprisingly good guitar. Thinking of buying an acoustic from them too.
i still remember the horror of my first attempt to play a guitar, bleeding fingers on a half an inch high action..
Yikes!
Jesus loves you!! Were in the last days Jesus is coming he's the way the truth and the life. Dont trust the covid vaccine it's got 666 written allll over it, litterally
@@justchilling704 Jesus loves you!! Were in the last days Jesus is coming he's the way the truth and the life. Dont trust the covid vaccine it's got 666 written allll over it, litterally
God bless you
@@psalm3496 It’s people like you that make Christians seem like cultists.
No kidding. It was fingers in da cheese grader sessions. LOL. Bad or worn out guitars can make or break a beginner...
I dig the orangewood, it has a nice look at what I find to be a decent tone for a budget guitar.
video editing is unmatched, great stuff everything about this video was spot on
Dude....your voice is so relaxing and your playing style is even more relaxing. Love watching your playing. thanks
Cheaper end Yamahas always gave me a diverse and easy feel, and if you take good care of them, they'll last a loooong time. Just slap a good pair of strings on them. Also, First Act had a 20 dollar mini guitar (wasn't a toy), and it honestly sounded and felt great. Definitely an option for practice if your a homely poor boy like I use to be.
I actually started out on a first act mini guitar. It wasn't to shabby. 6 years later I'm still playing guitar, so I guess it did its job and worked out well.
bro i agree. i started on a f310. and over the years my guitar collection grew but i still prefer the f310 above all my fancy guitars. theres just something about it. i slapped some EB 11s on there. sings like an angel. love the mat finish on the neck. and the neck is really thin and comfortable. just something abour it.
Yeah just put good string on them every week! Lol!
I own a Yamaha FG-365S that I've played for nearly 40 years, and it's held up great. My experience is that Yamaha guitars are like Honda Accords: not the flashiest or sexiest machines out there, but they are well-made, reliable, dependable, suitable to the task, and yes, if you take care of them they will last a long, long time. BTW I also own Martin D-35 that is about the same age, and while there is really no comparison on tone, the Yamaha has required way less maintenance than the Martin.
My cousin has a Fender Pacifica electric. Super cheap cost but I really like the playability! Very smooth!
I have the Harley Benton and after 5 years it got better. The sound matured and can rival sound of guitars 3 times it's price. Only for the playability could be space for improvement.
Yes Harley Bentons do tend to mature a lot as they age, my youngest Harley Benton is a pain in the butt right now I give her a few years and she'll hopefully behave better.
Sorry, guitars/wood stringed instruments don't sound better with age. This is a myth that has been proven time and again.
@@fartpooboxohyeah8611 They also proved artificial sweenteners are harmful, and they also proved it's not. Proving has become a myth itself. Everybody knows solid wood resonates and develops overtime
You meant to say that you got better. 😊
@@fartpooboxohyeah8611Its a basic understanding of wood. When a guitar is newly manufactured, its humidity content falls above the ideal range, and over time it dries out, going from a dull-waterlog to a full resonance.
I love how passionately you talk about guitars, that’s super cool, and I can tell that you love what you do.
I just purchased an Orangewood, Oliver M (Mahogany). Solid Mahogany top, layered Mahogany sides and back. Set up perfectly, right out of the box. Full, well balanced tone, and pretty loud for being a Concert size. I have yet, to be disappointed, no matter what genre I am playing. Playability is excellent. Price point, is hard to beat, considering the workmanship, and quality.
Where did u buy it I’m looking for that one
@@huntertharp3112 same here.
Converting my country's currency to dollars, my first guitar costed probably 20$ or less. It had nylon strings and made by a national company.
The second one was an Epiphone, it costed about 222$, and according to everyone that played it, the guitar sounds amazingly well
Thank you for this video. I am a musician of over 25 years (main instrument piano). I've always wanted to learn the guitar (which ironically I started with but now that I know, being a bad one, used to cut my fingers and I soon played it like a bass guitar which I play well now). This has given me some sort of direction to finding a cheap great sounding guitar to my fine ears for now until I learn and invest in a more expensive one in the future.
I have settled on buying the Harley Benton for now to learn again as an adult musician learning a 4th instrument even though I've not played it yet (Thanks to Covid and no stores open to go find it).
Thanks once again.
I was not surprised that the Harley Benton had a solid top I even could seemingly hear it over the internet's audio. Having taken up building instruments in my retirement fixing playability issues by leveling and crowing frets and setting action with saddle and nut adjustments along with a new bone nut and saddle will turn them all into very playable.
The setup is so important on these guitars . If you would've aquired these guitars
off a music store's wall , you'd get a more honest representation than
contacting the companies and saying " I'm a very popular youtube personality
and I'd like a guitar right off your line . This review will be viewed by
thousands . Do you think the companies are going to grab the next guitar
off the line and send it to you ? Or do you think the boss will ask his top
setup man to choose a lively one and do a great setup ?
That's actually a good point that I never thought of.
Exactly. I bought a Yamaha F310 about a year ago and the setup was horrible. I had to get it fixed because it was almost unplayable. The worst part was the very high action that caused a lot of finger pain. That being said, after it was set up right, I've been having a real good time with the guitar and have made a lot of progress.
A good musician can setup their own instrument themselves. Also you dont think a reviewer should review something at its peak? To show how good it can really sound? You think someone should review something untuned too? Since most guitars come out of tune out of the box/off the walls.
@@joyboyblues5808 The guy explicitly made the point in the video, and he was damn right to do so: most beginners are not supposed to know how to set up a guitar by themselves... Let alone have the right tools and experience to do that job. I can do a reasonably good setup today, but when I started playing forty years ago, the cheap unplayable crap I had in my hands almost made me give up.
But I think you're right in saying it's a good thing to show how good cheap guitars can be if you work on them a bit!
Although I can't understand how you can stay in business if you need to do a total setup on each guitar that you have to sell for 100 or 150 dollars/euros...
@Steven Mortensen: I was thinking exactly the same thing ;-)
But, I must add to this: I have a cheap Les Paul and a cheap six string bass from two distinct German webshops and certainly from Asian factories (both bought second hand from the first owners, I'd never buy a guitar online) and I must say the bass is pretty reasonable, and the set neck Les Paul is close to fantastic for it's price point. I bought it for the price of the Seymour Duncans the first owner put in it, and it's a great guitar!
I'm not a big fan of "modern technology ", I'm more into traditional craftsmanship, but the technological progress in the Far East coupled to exploitation of cheap labor have made cheap beginner guitars much better than they used to be, say forty or even thirty years ago. Most of them will demand a decent setup though.
Good work Paul. I've been playing 4 years and started at a time when I could afford top quality. Now I'm dabbling with the cheap dreadnought sized acoustics and it's kind of a mess out there.
Very useful review. As for the solid top vs laminated top ABSOLUTELY this is going to make a difference. I'm a professional studio designer, and we use the behavior of laminated materials in order to absorb sound, (using the principle of sheer to convert movement of membranes into heat as one layer works to move against another e.g. laminated 'studio' glass). The advantage of lamination is greater resistance to flexing, this is contrary to what we want from a sound diffusing membrane like an acoustic guitar top.
That's crazy. That's by far the best explanation I've read about the differences between solid and laminated tops.
@@silkysmoof5697 it is the same for drum skin, or speaker cone, acoustic guitar top, or a studio wall: a membrane must flex. The center of the membrane moves while the edges stay still. For a speaker cone to function and reproduce a range of frequencies simultaneously the flexing is a very complex set of waveforms superimposed on each other.
@@silkysmoof5697 It's not so much a belief system as my day job, and is not the glue that makes the sheets more rigid as much as the fact that the layers are cross-bonded. You can buy plywood that is not cross-bonded, (which is called Bender Board in the States), and is used to achieve a controllably curved surface. I believe that x-bracing of a guitar top is designed to prevent the top belly-ing under string pressure. it is a design compromise, but not one that completely damps the top. When carpenters use plywood it is often for its rigidity, when studio builders use it to construct bass traps it is a design compromise because trees don't come big enough to give us an 8' x 4' sheet of stable solid wood, and ply is cheap enough that we can work around its failings as an acoustic material.The subject of materials and their acoustic properties is yet more complex than this, but I am going to leave it here. If you want to know more there is a book called 'Sound Materials' by Tyler Adams
I can't help but add my opinion on tone when it comes to acoustic guitars and solid vs.laminate tops ! To me it's simple if your looking for a guitar save your money and when you have enough to play as many as you possibly can and you should find one that you like ! I've been playing guitar and music for over 40 years and have owned everything at one point or another from Custom shop USA Jackson's and Fenders and High end Yamaha acoustics and many many other brands . When I was young it mattered to me the name on the headstock. Now it means absolutely nothing ! If I want a guitar now I only buy what would be considered low to mid range instruments simply because of the sound and feel of the guitar . I thinned my acoustic herd by taking a chance on a $140 Harley Benton acoustic/electric. It played better than my much more expensive Yamaha but didn't match the sound ........but after a couple years of playing it ......it's sound is getting better with age and I don't care what anyone thinks about the name ! To me the tone and sound you hear comes more from your hands and soul than what the wood is made of . Don't believe me ? Put your guitar in a master's hands and see how it's sounds with someone else playing it ! Everything else is just politics !
The Hb solid top guitar wasn't my pick of the best sound, I think the orangewood sounded better.
I got a Yamaha F-310 when I was 14 or 15 and I still have it to this day (I’m 32). It’s still going strong.
It is a souvenir of life.
Even if it's only veneers, the Orangewood looks cooler. And the shape is more attractive too.
Binod
@Joe Binod
Ive got an ovation from the 80s and the sound is very similar. Which, given the price point is very nice for the orangewood. I want to get something slim like that, having learned on the roundback ovation. They're all very nice looking guitars >.
Mm no.
The orange wood appears to be a grand auditorium shape, tend to be nice and loud in the middle, but the bass notes wont ring as deep compared to the dreadnoughts.
The Harley Benton's bridge design is actually something you'd want to look for in an acoustic guitar. That scoop where the pin holes are attached is going to help with the break angle of the strings once you start adjusting the saddle - something you'll inevitably do when you own a guitar.
Awesome channel. Just stumbled across it.
And I really enjoy your videos.
Thanks for making these vids and posting!
😁
I started with a Harley Benton D120CEBK (at the moment: 77€ online) and its still fine after being used for like 13 years. Of course some srachtes and signs of use but I'm impressed everytime I pick it up. For your first guitar it doesn't matter, you don't need a guitar worth more than hundres of dollars. And a beginner would not be able to hear any sound differences.
The guitar's worth comes with the years you played on it. It's your root to music - and that's invaluable.
Thanks for the great video. I enjoyed watching it and liked your effort you put into it, Paul.
P.S. my favorite is of course the HB :D
Greez from germany.
I think that over the years the expected quality of entry level instruments has gone up quite a lot compaired to when I started playing in the mid 1990's. Add to the fact that manufacturing and transportation techniques have improved and new players are able to get far better equipment for a much lower cost than in my day.
I used to have the Fender, but it definitely wasn't my guitar. I've played the same Yamaha years ago, even before the Fender, but it felt even more uncomfortable in my hands. Now I have the perfect cheap guitar by LAG - Tramontane T70. The best (affordable) acoustic I've had!
Nice review, Paul,
thank you!
Keep up the best work! ;)
Great video. I bought my grandson an orangewood Rey last year and I was very impressed that I could get that good of a guitar for that price range.
Cheaper guitars in Brazil go for around 50$, so you'd imagine how many kids will give up before even getting a chance of learning, the necks are usually unplayable.
The solid top makes a huge difference, when I got my second guitar, my step up was the solid top (though to be fair I didn't know it at the time, it just felt better).
Cheers
Mano, eu comecei com um Del Vecchio antigasso que tava perdido na casa da minha vó, o violão devia ter uns 30 anos e já tava com as cordas apodrecendo, mas eu troquei, dei uma limpada e passei uns 3 anos com ele antes de poder fazer um upgrade pra um Di Giorgio. Infelizmente a gente sofre aqui tendo que se virar com o que aparece.
@@joaopedro.marinho6503 eu comecei com um Gianini com o tampo colado com durepoxi kkkk depois fui pra um Tagima Juninho afram (que é o de tampo maciço).
O custo benefício dele é top, mas ano passado fui pra londres e trouxe um faith classic burst... Não faz nem sentido comparar, mas instrumento bom ou faz com luthier ou compra fora, a importação aqui mata o cara...
Quando comprei minha guita, paguei 2000 reais (+- 850us$ na época), e ela estava pra venda no US por 450us$, é um absurdo
Hi Paul. I purchased an Orangewood and after putting on Elixir strings - I was very happy with the sound, and it looks great. Wonderful for traveling or outdoors.
Having a guitar that fits comfortably is so important. If the thing is hard to play, you'll stop a song or two sooner than you otherwise would. That adds up over time. If there is one element of a guitar that is worth paying a bit for, it's the comfort in your hands and playability.
Thank you for sharing the information. Much appreciated, Paul!!! Craig
I've had an F310 for the last 7 years and its served me faithfully. Finally in the market for an upgrade but I've never had any real problems with the Yamaha, stick some new strings on it and it sounds like a new guitar every time
Bought mine a year ago that was pre-owned and it has done wonders for me.
Buy a martin then
@@HykaFT Just today gone and bought a Faith actually. I'm self taught and just play for fun so still don't feel I can justify a quality Martin or similar
Get an L series they’re amazing Yamaha’s. So much bang for your buck
@@thewindow6 or you could buy yamaha transcoustic
Dear Mr Davids, Thank you for one of the most informative and interesting guitar channels on the planet. Every time I tune in I learn something new. Paul, I think one thing needs to be said and that is that no one is even questioning how little money we are talking about here. The workmanship, the materials, and the time! My god, the time spent on making an instrument like any of the 4 you are showcasing is a lot of time. In today’s world, where you can go out with your girlfriend to dinner and drop 100 or 130 Euros for a half-decent meal, or a pair of bluejeans for 150 plus euros or other perishable things that are outrageously expensive puts things in perspective. I have seen parents come into a guitar shop of a friend of mine and actually ask for the cheapest, and when he shows the cheapest, for them it's too expensive. When I pipe in to say it’s better to get a quality axe when someone is starting out, the parents of course think I am trying to get a better deal for my friend. My point is that the guitars you are showing play pretty good and look fantastic when you think how cheap they are. Paul, they are the price of a dinner in a restaurant and there is quality work on display. It’s an opinion. But those instruments were made by professionals with good material and we're not talking about 2 hours of work.
Nice comment. Cheers dude.
I’m not reading this, but man that sucks, or good for you, hey man keep doin u 😀
@@elleon9895
😆🤣😜
My first acoustic my parents got for me for Christmas when I was 12. It was an art and Lutherie dreadnought. I can still remember the excitement I had. Taught myself and now I’m 32 with my dream guitar, the Martin ceo-7! Play whatever brings you joy, no matter the price tag
The action looks right on these and they do seem fairly playable which is surprising. A set-up on any guitar will make a difference, and there might be some gain to suffer a little for some months, then upgrade as a reward & practice even more. I recently bought a Seagull s6 and am pretty happy with it, but it still needs a little adjustment even at that higher price point. All the Martins I have seen have been exquisite but pricey. I also had a Yamaha SJ-180, had a little customization done to it and it played fantastic, about the $250 range in the 80's.... These days I really like the Taylor guitars, very smooth playing, great tone, looks very professional out of the store, but also a bit pricier starting around 400. Worth saving up a bit.
Loved the video David! Could you also make a video with guitars in the $300 range. I think thats a good price point for beginners that are serious into playing guitar and a price that provides many good options.
For 3 or 4 years as a beginner I've been playing a cheap 80€ western guitar which was sooo incredibly hard to play, by the time I upgraded to an ibanez I was used to applying so much pressure on the fretboard, my worldview collided when I was able to execute a clean barre chord with almost no stress on the fingers.
You are correct, playability should be prioritized over sophisticated sound. You're not going to gig anytime soon anyways
3 or 4 years would probably make you at least an intermediate player.
@@braidenr4 not the way I played back then :^)
@@braidenr4 also with every complex chord hurting my fingers my motivation was way down in that period
@FabienPath its cheap for a guitar. Extremely cheap
@FabienPath 80€ is objectively cheap for a guitar, and I don't know why you feel like we're playing a game of "who had it worse" rn, I was just telling a little anecdote
Love that intro. Very professional looking production
A bit late to the review of the review, but on my mixing/mastering setup the Harley Benton exhibits a width in image more than any of the other three, not just a volume increase. Quite impressed with its sound. I'm assuming that your mic setup and treatment was left the same for all. A very helpful video for those starting out, your videos are always good and your electric guitar playing is very inspiring! Keep it up!! ;-)
I own a Yamaha FG413 that I bought 20 years ago as my first ‘beginner’ acoustic guitar. I am now fortunate enough to also own a Taylor 610ce, but still play the Yamaha frequently and will never get rid of it. Paul manages to make all those ‘cheap’ guitars sound amazing through ability, and I think I may have fallen foul of thinking that an expensive guitar would make my playing sound better, but it’s certainly not the case, and I’d probably give up the expensive guitar to be a better player. I can tell the Taylor is of far superior quality, and it sounds louder and more crisp, but I struggle with what I should be hearing, and what the differences in sound are between cheap and expensive models. When you hear terms like ‘the guitar has better mids’ etc., that’s lost on me a bit. Maybe Paul will explain it in a video some day. Excellent content as always.
Depends on the sound you’re going for. Certain guitars sound good for certain styles of music. Even the expensive ones. A warmer tone sounds better for a 2 to 3 piece acoustic jam. For a professional band sound, you need a bright sound in order to sit in the mix.
Great review! My first guitar when I started at 14 years old cost $12 and was a cheap no name nylon string guitar. It was easy to play but the intonation past the 5th fret was way off. I have a lot of guitars now but my "professional" models are a Taylor 814ce and an Ovation Custom Legend. They are great guitars. A few years ago I wanted to find a good "beater" guitar for camping and after looking at a bunch of models I choose an Orangewood Rey. It is an "ok" guitar. It is well made, easy to play but sounds a bit dull but you get what you pay for. If I play it side by side to the Taylor I can really tell the difference. The Taylor is worth the money. One thing about the Orangewood was that when my first one was shipped the top was cracked. I contacted Orangewood and they paid for the shipping back to them and sent me a new one within a week. I was pretty impressed with this.
It constantly amazes me how good budget guitars aimed at beginners are these days. I've been playing for over 40 years now and find the quality of sub-£200 guitars to be consistently good. You should check out some of the Tanglewood range: they're fantastic for the money and punch well above their weight in terms of playability.
True. I just saw on Amazon a 74€ guitar, +bag, +tuner, +6strings, +etc etc, all one needs for 74€. 🤔
Comments are enthusiastic about the sound, the quality, the playability, even from several guitar teachers who highly recommand it !
Plus, it is cool to have a guitar you don't worry about because it costs nothing.
Honestly, the sort of guitar you can get for that kind of money these days is better than some of the upper mid tier instruments when I started out. I would have done some very morally dubious things to get my hands on any of these for a starter guitar 30 years ago. It's getting increasingly hard to buy a 'bad' guitar, the worst thing you generally encounter is a bad factory setup.
I think you can still get bad guitars if you pat less than 150ish squid.
My dad started dropping hints that he wished he had been able to learn guitar, so this year I bought him his first guitar, I went with the Orangewood Oliver, I've never played one (and still havent since my dad and I dont live near each other) but by going off youtube reviews, they seemed to be decent enough for a beginner. If I could have found him a used Taylor GS for that price point I probably would have done it-I have one for just playing around on the couch or traveling. While the GS's tone really doesnt hold a candle to a nice high end model acoustic, I would say that they're pretty decent sounding for the $$.
I have the Fender and it's my first guitar. I've been playing for over a month now and I'm really enjoying it. I will continue to play on my beginner guitar until I improve and am ready to move onto a better guitar :-)
Still working on chord changes and the F chord......
I love the Orangewood's aestetics and sound. Wish I could get something like that beauty here...
I’ve played some cheap guitars, but fender acoustics that are on a budget are the hardest things to play. I wasn’t expecting anything but I could fit a bottle cap under the strings that’s how bad the action was
Paul, what I appreciate so much about you is that I’ve seen other guitar you tubers (don’t have to name anyone ) and it feels like all they do is just want to show you how much more money they have than everyone else with the insane ridiculous amount of guitars that they own and honestly do not even need (Not even that great at guitar) But Paul you are so humble and chill that it’s not even funny. That’s why I mainly go to you for guitar advice , there’s no “clout” showing off here , you just show the best way to make the best sounds using the best chords. I literally took my playing to the next level just watching your videos. Thank you.
This vidéo has decided me to choose the Harley Benton cld 10s ... and I'm very satisfied by the sound she produces and the pleasure I get playing it... so thanks a lot. 👍
I have a couple of Chinese-built guitars here (not necessarily from HB, though ;-) and I have to say that the tuners are a pretty consistent issue with all of them. Good thing, though, that tuners are also the easiest part to change in any of these guitars, even for a beginner with no or little wood-working experience, and with the money saved in these you can easily get some very high-quality tuners and still save a good bit of cash.
I would recommend the takamine affordable line which is jasmine guitar and they're the best in that price range👌👍
When Iwas down and out, I was given a Yamaha FG700. It was a $199 instrument. That was 10 years ago and I still lay it.I went to a treatment centeer and another fellow had an all mahogany Martin. When we jammed, he remarked that my Yamaha sounded surrprisingly good and asked to swap over so he pkayed it all night and at the end was impressed at just how well my cheepie hung with his Martin. Was the Martin better? Of course. IFt was a little warm for me but it had a mahogany top . The thing is though, we were playing guitars over $1000 apart but it was not a blowout, they sounded just fine together. I was also given an inexpensive Dean Markley drop in pickup. Currently I enjoy plugging through my HX Effects through my Blackstar Fly 3 or whatever the 3 watt battery powered mighty might. I now have a collection of guitars including a custom shop Les Paul, but I would busk with my Yammy Backstar and effects and it would sound fantastic.
As a 90s kid I've must've seen every Unplugged MTV ever made and honestly a little string buzz actually sounds kinda cool and it certainly exists (listen to Alice in Chains unplugged for example). Just a little buzz ain't bad when playin' acoustic... Take it as the equivalent of the crispy fizzy sound when playing an an electric thru a tube amp. I'd take a comfy action over clean pristine sound any day.
Mmm no excuses unplugged. Made me immediately want an acoustic.
Came across your channel and was amazed. Have an insane interest in guitars but unfortunately my talent doesn't match my enthusiasm. Made me want to start lessons again. Thoroughly enjoy your content and your varied topics, keep up the great work and eagerly await the next vid,
Loving all your content, sending luv from PH🇵🇭
People calling 150 dollar guitars cheap.
Me playing a 70dollars guitar: Interesting.
Yup, double standards are always a thing.
Me playing a 45dollars guitar seeing people comment how their guitars are only 70dollars: oh
Mines $100, lol
😐16$
@@kenz2756 how is it a double standard?
My first bang around player acoustic is my old Fender GD-60 that was given to me by my best friend's mother a year or so before she passed away.
It's honestly pretty dinged up now, but it still sounds decent, projects extremely well as I am rather heavy handed, and it holds a personal sentimental value to me that is priceless.
Sometimes? It's really not the overall price point of a guitar that's going to determine whether you personally "vibe" with it on some magical higher level or not, and since my old beat up GD-60 was gifted to me out of pure kindness during a time of great personal struggle and hardship by someone whom I cherished that is no longer with us?
It'll always possess a bit of that "magic", and absolutely never leave my side. No matter what.
Whew! That just got me right in the feels. Ha!
Anyway,
This is some really great content as always Paul.
Thanks for inspiring me to open up and overshare that story.
Cheers!
My first acoustic guitar was this Yamaha, in 1994. My second was a fancy Martin D28, in 2020. It took me that long to be able to afford a guitar that really sounded better. It’s so good. I put about a million finger-miles on that thing and still love it.
Just got a yahama it was a good buy?
@@slugnation1699 Excellent
That Harley Benton is on a whole other level from the other three on sound quality
The first guitar I had was a guitar cheap guitar my older got for Christmas and abandoned shortly afterwards. About 10 years later I decided to pick it up. The neck was completely bowed away from the strings and at the middle frets, the string was a good 15-20mm of the fret board. A capo wouldn't work on the first two frets, when playing it my fingers would bleed, I never got the hand of bar chords.
After six months I decided to up grade, the first guitar I picked up that wasn't that one allowed me to play bar chords instantly, if anything I was over squeezing. My mum asked me to give that guitar to my younger cousin after I got my new one, I refused because it would of put him of playing the instrument.
Latter I tried converting that guitar into a slide guitar, I couldn't get in in tune as all the tuning pegs were broke, I never bothered to replace them as I was just trying the conversion as a novelty.
Excellent review! Thanks for posting. 👍
Im a lefty and I havent played in like over a decade but you talked me into the Harley Benton. Thanks man. I was a lead metal head and I want to learn how to be a good acoustic player so Im going to have to skip the habit to immediately play sweep arpeggios but Im excited to ay some tunes.
I think I need music back in my life. The world is too much right now and music erases everything but the here and now.
Thanks for the push man!!
I have an $80 dreadnought by Rogue that I received as a gift one year. By all means it's not amazing, currently the D-string tuning machine is slowly being ripped out of the headstock but it gets the job done for practice. It has been fun playing it and for $80 it doesn't sound half bad, I'm saving up for a better acoustic though.
If you're just starting out on the guitar, there are a few fairly affordable things that you can do to make your playing experience more enjoyable. For some of these steps you may want to take your guitar to a shop. First, remove the strings and throw them away. Trust me. A good set of new strings is an investment. Then remove the tuners and replace them with higher quality brand. Schaller and Gotoh are very reputable. Grover is also a decent. Next, replace the bridge pins, nut, and saddle w/ Tusq or bone. Anything that touches the strings should be the best material and not cheap plastic. Finally, ask your shop to dress the frets. This is a process where the sharp edges are sanded down and made smooth. Finally check the intonation and action (which if you are a new player, you should definitely take your guitar to a shop and let them do it for you). If you do these basic items, you can make a $150 guitar play and feel like you paid a lot more. Of course nothing can replace a solid wood body but as long as the guitar is in good shape (which it looks like these are), these steps will get you in the right direction. One final note, if you're just starting out, try installing light or custom light gauge strings (ask for .010 or .011). I've done this several times for family and friends over the years and it's worked out and they really enjoyed it. There is so much more I could cover but do these things. If you're not comfortable doing these things, have your shop do it for you. Good luck and have fun!
How do you adjust the intonation on an acoustic guitar?
@@MrCoffeekelly Adjusting intonation usually involves filing the saddle. Acoustic guitars can be fussy. I personally don't mess around with adjusting intonation. I let the pros do it. Sometimes on more inexpensive guitars, the saddle is not placed in the proper position at all and no amount of filing and sanding will fix that. Sometimes a luthier can reposition the saddle. If you have concerns about intonation, you should take your guitar to a shop. But you can do a quick check yourself by first tuning your guitar to pitch (E-A-D-G-B-E). Use a good quality tuner. Then check the harmonics at the 12th fret and write down any discrepancies. If the guitar is in tune but the harmonics are different, take your guitar to a shop and have someone look at it. The key word is "set-up". Tell them you want a set-up done on your guitar. Good luck!
how much do you think it would cost to get all that done at a shop? thanks!
@@gia6978 75-90 bucks.
@@gia6978 It depends on what needs to be done and how long it will take to do it. I don’t know where you live but in my area, a normal setup costs about $60-80 USD. To add tuners it might run a little more but it shouldn’t be a whole lot more. I just had a full setup done on my mom’s guitar and I paid $140 USD. But nothing is too good for my mom so, you know. Anyhow, plan on spending around $100 or just under that number.
Interesting Video! I was looking forward to hearing your opinion on the cheaper guitars, knowing you play a Martin and a Collings regularly. And you teach beginners and know what would hinder their progress. I’m not much of an acoustic player, although your videos may change that. The best playing guitar I’ve played is a Taylor, and one of their mid range model is on my wish list. A Collings is on the list too, but I’ll have to sell body parts to afford that one.
The sound of your guitar makes me crazy .. .I really like the sound of the guitar is very loud .. .Perfect Bro🙆🙆🙆
My first guitar was (is- I still have it, although it’s sadly unplayable now) an Alvarez RD30. I love that guitar.
Since then, I have owned an Epiphone Dot hollow body electric in cherry, and an odd find- a green through neck Arbor Explorer electric bass. I greatly regret selling those two guitars.
My current guitars are some random Ibanez dreadnought acoustic I got for free from an acquaintance (I don’t know any of the specs other than its an Ibanez and it’s all black), and I have a Yamaha Guitalele, which is a hoot.
It’s interesting how price, and the perception we therefore have of quality has such an impact. I’ve just bought a cheap strat copy for £119 - I only picked it up because I liked the look and honestly if I’d seen the price tag before trying it I would have dismissed it straight away as tat. Good for me I didn’t as I have a new love in my life 😍
For me nothing beats Harley Benton in acoustic guitars! Had CLA-16S, CLD-41S, CLD-15M and these were just superb. I also had the Traveler and the cheapest D as well as the roundback but these HB guitars were bad, lots of issues but they are also the cheapest HB acousitcs. The Custom Line is the real deal. Just fantastic! Sold all mine as I was buying other gear but now just bought the CLA-15M which is to arrive tomorrow I hope :D solid mahogani top mmmm :D
My grandma bought me the Yamaha back in 2006 and I learned Jack Johnson songs on it. It's still my only guitar and I love it.
I would recommend the Epiphone FT-100CE, mine is in vintage sunburst and I'd say it's beautiful, cost around £160
Paul makes all of these guitars sound good, but I will say I am partial to the Orangewood. I have an Oliver Jr. Mahogany Live and it's a great little guitar. I bought it for it's small size and portability. My first acoustic was a Fender similar to the one that Paul is playing in this video, but that's been 20 years ago. It sounded good, but really needed some work to make it playable for a beginner. I think Orangewood is offering some great guitars for the price, but in their upper end range, I'd probably go with a similarly priced Taylor or Martin.
I like that you don't say anything that would prevent anybody from trying any of these. I see fender and yahmaha have options with a solid top for just a little more. I'd like to try them but my local shop is always sold out.
orangewood sounds awesome , i like the deep tone from mahogany.
A laminate is not nessesarily worse, solid tops tend to squeeze and absorb more moisture over the years which means you cant take this guitar to the beach. Some of the best instruments are made from laminates, depends on the quality of veneers you put
I listened to them all early in the video, and thought that the only one of the four I would want is the Harley Benton, with its fuller sound. Interesting to see it's the only one with the solid top.
Not having played or heard any in person, the Orangewood's got to be my favourite on sheer looks alone. I'm a sucker for a matte mahogany top, like on my Taylor 320
I have the martin d 15s
I've had my Yamaha with me forever. There are others I've acquired since that play better, sound better, but that old Yamaha saw quite a few drastic weather changes, a few nights left out on the porch🤣, dings, trips to the beach park, campgrounds, and it still plays well, the fretboard feels great. I won't be recording with it, but i still might grab it to take it with me on a quick trip, I have to have something 🤣🤣🤣
I'm impressed with the sound of the Harley Benton. My next acoustic buy will be that very guitar. I bought a HB TE 70 RW and love it. My # 2 choice would be the Yamaha. #3 Orangewood Guitar. I have never been impressed with Fender acoustic guitars. They look good and are heavy tanks that will last, but lack the bottom end I like. Perhaps a solid top one would be ok.