Well, this guide is practically all about paying for quality.

So what is quality in an acoustic guitar? A spruce top, mahogany or rosewood back and sides and a very playable action. The sound is everything and the more you can pay the better it is.

But I don't have a lot of money. Should I just give up now? No. There are many acoustic guitars out there which give more than acceptable sound at bargain basement prices.

So what is the quality sound? Simply put, superb resonance and tone that comes from best materials.

Oh dear, |I'd better give up on my dream of being a folk musician now! No, a great many of the cheaper acoustic guitars will give you good sound and a great start in guitar playing.

So what do I look for? Linden top and real wood back and sides , probably mahogany. Linden is cheaper than spruce but doesn't give such good tone. It is more than acceptable for a beginner or intermediate player.

What do I avoid? Anything brightly coloured. They are all plywood and sound tinny with no real bass. Go for a natural dreadnought or classical guitar.

The guitar I want to buy is from Asia? Most guitars are nowadays.

I'm hoping to learn guitar. Should I spend more? Not until you can play well.

Surely those cheaper guitars are no good? Actually they are very good, most of them, they just don't have the tone.

Should I buy classical or dreadnought style steel string guitar? My honest advice would be steel string dreadnought or electric. Thank Muddy Waters for discovering electricity. However I have played along with a classical guitar with acoustic pickup and it sounded GREAT!

So I've decided to learn guitar. How much should I play for my first one? No more than you can afford. Decide how much and look around for one that fits the bill.

What acoustic guitar should I buy? To be honest they are all pretty good. Just avoid the really brightly coloured ones. Try and buy from someone with 100% feedback or check the feedback respons, some people are just spoilers, you can't go wrong. Some people might say pay as much as you can, but you can always do that later when you really can play!

So what will I get? Probably a classic guitar with nylon strings or a dreadnought with steel strings. It will most likely have a linden top and spruce, maple ot mahogany sides. These are important for the sound.

What about playability? Is the quality any good? See below.

Ok I'm going for it? Where do I go? Ebay of course, within your price range. Or retail on the net if you want something much better.

Case study: My wife and I own a Yamaha FG 140 guitar, over 35 years old. I bought this at Uni and it is superb, the sound rings and is crystal clear, unfortunately, due to neck misalignment it cannot be played past the fifth fret. So a year ago I bought her a Stagg dreadnought steel string for £49.

Plus points: Playable straight out of the box. Acoustic guitars are less adjustable than electrics in this respect. Great loud sound played hard.

Minus points: Well made, some imperfections on finish. Sounds loud and heavy played hard but lacks high end ringing played soft.

Disclaimer: I have only mentioned ebay sellers or products where I have had a good experience. This may not be the same for you. davebegood

Final verdict: Go for an acoustic or electro acoustic that can be played through an amp off of someone with at least 95% feedback. You can't go wrong. davebegood