Musical Preferences
To begin your search, some exploratory questions offer a good starting point. Will this be your very first guitar, or are you looking to upgrade? Do you want 6, or as many as 12 strings? Your musical preference and playing style will also greatly influence your choice of acoustic guitar.
Does the guitar go with you on stage? Or do you prefer strumming at home on the couch? Whether you like strumming, fingerstyle or a combination of the two, it is essential to choose a guitar that suits it.
Use the following articles to find out what kind of guitar you are looking for:
1. Player Level
2. Playing Style
Body Shapes
It may sound strange, but a guitar should also fit you. This is not a problem, as acoustic guitars come in lots of shapes and sizes, so there is always one that fits. But it's helpful if you know more about these models and their unique sound characteristics.
For example, you can opt for the popular dreadnought, but these are also a bit large for many people. Slightly smaller is a 000 or OM model and even smaller are the Orchestra or Concert guitars.
Read more about the different formats and find out what suits you best!
Specifications
Okay, now you know which model you want and have a general idea of what you are looking for. Then we're almost there right? Not quite. There are still many important things that deserve your attention. Specifications, from woods to bracing to neck, have a huge impact on the playing experience and sound.
Why does one guitar play just that little bit better than the others? Or why does the sound of a specific guitar excite you so much? Chances are it's in the specs!
To help you with this, we have already gathered much of our knowledge about wood types, the body, neck, and finish for you.
1. Tonewoods
- Overview Of Tonewoods
- Laminated vs. Solid Wood
- Adirondack vs. Sitka Spruce
- Mahogany vs. Rosewood
- Classical Guitars: Cedar vs. Spruce
- Blogs About Specific Tonewoods
2. Body
3. Neck
- Everything you need to know about nut width
- Everything you need to know about fretboard radius
- Everything you need to know about the scale length
- Everything you need to know about the truss rod
- To dovetail or to bolt on, which is better?
Finish & Looks
Budget
At The Fellowship of Acoustics, we love guitars. So much that we sometimes forget about the bank account, but of course budget is important. We sell new, vintage and second-hand guitars for every budget.
We would like everyone, from young to old, to have a beautiful guitar that you will enjoy playing for years. Our motto is not for nothing: Life is too short to play a shitty guitar!
And no: it doesn't have to cost thousands of euros.
1. Price Ranges
< €1500,-
For less than 500 euros, you can buy a genuine baby Taylor. It's a top guitar for beginners or to have with you for holidays or a campfire session. Eastman makes with their PCH series perhaps the best budget guitars available and as far as we are concerned, that label ‘budget’ is actually a bit misplaced. Just top-notch guitars. Remember our motto, because if it wasn't good, we wouldn't sell it.
- See Our Most Affordable Acoustic Guitars
- The best guitar for a beginner or student
- Best acoustic guitars under €2000,-
- Battle Of The Affordable 12 Strings: Eastman vs Taylor
€1500 - €3500
Do you have a wider budget? Then many European luthiers come into the picture, and then shopping at The Fellowship of Acoustics becomes even more interesting. Furch and BSG (Czech Republic) make unimaginably beautiful guitars that make you wonder how it is possible for those prices.
> €3500,-
Have you been saving even longer? Then we also sell that one dream guitar from the very exclusive guitar brands such as Collings, Kevin Ryan, Santa Cruz. In this category, you will also come across the word ‘boutique’. Boutique guitars are not produced in large numbers, but usually made to order. These are guitars made, often entirely by hand, by 1 luthier or a small team.
2. New, Used, Vintage Or Custom?
Do you prefer to save up for a brand new guitar, or is a used or vintage guitar more suited to your needs? New does not necessarily mean better. A used guitar may already be well played, giving it a nice ‘open’ sound. Besides, a used one is obviously cheaper than a brand new one.
The big advantage of a new guitar is that it visually looks as it did when it left the factory. You are also less likely to have to worry about any repairs. We always have a wide range of new guitars in stock. We even offer the possibility to buy through our Custom Guitar Program.
- Conditions & Definitions
- What is B-Stock?
- Our Vintage Guitars
- Alternatives for vintage acoustic guitars
- Do acoustic guitars hold their value?
- Our Custom Guitar Program
3. Which Brand?
If you know which guitar model you want, and what specs it should have anyway, you can still choose from several brands. Some guitarists opt for the reputation and reliability of the big, traditional brands such as Martin and Gibson. These brands certainly set the benchmark, but today there are many brands that make the beloved models with just as much craftsmanship. So you can also leave the name on the headstock for what it is, and above all, listen and feel what inspires you most.
Do you swear allegiance to one brand, or are you open to something completely new? In our shop, we are happy to give you the opportunity to compare different brands.
Setup
For some guitarists, this is one of the most important factors, while for others it is still uncharted territory. For us, tuning makes the difference between a good guitar and the perfect guitar.
At The Fellowship of Acoustics, we therefore tune all guitars so that the guitar is optimally tuned to your preferences. Do you buy a guitar from us? Then it comes with our free ‘Gold Standard’ setup.
1 Which setup is best for my guitar?
The perfect setup, it is slightly different for every guitarist. For example, it can make a lot of difference which strings you put on a guitar: some like them a bit thicker than others. In addition, one often looks at the ‘action’ (the distance between the string and the fret), the angle of the neck, and the condition of the frets, the saddle and the nut. Our advice: if you're not sure, don't go tinkering with your guitar yourself, have it done by a professional!
Want to know more about tuning your guitar? Then read our informative blogs!
- Your guitar at its best thanks to a setup
- Replacing strings: when and how?
- How to make your guitar stay in tune better!
- Why you don't have to be afraid of a neck reset
- Why humidity is so important for your guitar
2. Our Setups
It's safe to say that our luthiers have tuned thousands of guitars. Still not sure what your ideal tuning is? With their years of experience and knowledge, our luthiers are there for you! Already have a guitar that no longer plays so well? Feel free to contact our workshop, where our Fellows will also be happy to help you step by step towards your ideal acoustic guitar.
3. PLEK Service
We are one of the few shops in Europe with a PLEK machine. This ultra-precision technology is often used by top guitar manufacturers to achieve the flawless playability of their instruments. Our PLEK service ensures that your dream guitar fits you down to a thousandth of a millimetre!
Accessories
Congratulations! You've found your dream guitar! This is the time to ask yourself one last important question: do I need any accessories?
Want to take your guitar on stage? Then a guitar strap is no crazy luxury. Do you prefer a case to a guitar bag (gig bag), or the other way around?
In addition, a capo, tuner and plectrum are also always handy to have in your arsenal.
Acoustic Pickups
For gigs or recording, it may be wise to have an acoustic pickup installed. How could it be otherwise, pickups, like guitars, come in different shapes and sizes. Don't worry, our Fellows are here to help you choose.
Effect Pedals
When you think of effects pedals, you might think of electric guitars in particular, but pedals can also colour your acoustic guitar tone or make it sound more natural. Check out Billy Strings! Most pedals focus on 1 effect, such as a chorus, reverb, or delay. But there are also multi-effect pedals. These offer you a lot of effects for less money.
In-store or buying online?
We recommend every guitarist to test and play as many guitars as possible. Whether you are just starting out or have been playing for years: get hold of as many as you can. This is possible with us, as we are one of the largest guitar shops in Europe. We warmly invite you to come and play with us!
In most cases, we offer a generous 14-day return policy, a 30-day exchange guarantee and a minimum 1-year warranty. For new instruments it is even 5 years!
1. In The Store
Most guitars are not under lock and key, we offer plenty of space, in many different rooms as well as practice lofts. Simply: to give everyone the chance to buy their dream guitar. That's why The Fellowships of Acoustics gives you free, honest advice every step of the way towards your acoustic guitar, and that advice is completely free of obligation.
2. Buying Online
Don't have the opportunity to come to our shop? You can also order guitars online from us. We understand that making a big purchase online can feel risky. We strive to provide the same personal service online as in-store.
Our Fellows are available daily via chat, email and phone. Want a close-up of a repair or playwear? Or hear a demo? We will provide additional visual and audio material for you! So you can buy your ideal acoustic guitar safely and securely.
