The guitars found in this guide have been compiled by Michael Melbourne - acoustic specialist at Regent Guitars.

(Latest update October 2003)

The VEC500 has been a long standing favourite at Regent Guitars. Now available in red, blue and natural but all share one thing in common - a solid spruce top. The solid spruce top helps improve the tone and adds a touch of class. Our quality control and "auto replace" policy ensures that you never see one of the "Friday afternoon" models which inevitably crop up at this price point. Once setup, these guitars represent staggeringly good value for money for our customers on a tighter budget. Looking for an electro on a budget? Give on of these a try and you won't be dissapointed. Read a review by a Regent Guitars customer This guitar is available in a package, complete with accessories. Find out more here. Further content written previously about the VEC500 can be found here.

This is our favourite (and best selling) entry level solid topped acoustic guitar from Tanglewood - but with an additional EQ for plugging in too. In its traditional dreadnought style, you are guaranteed planty of tone and volume even when you are not plugged in. This would be an ideal guitar for someone who is looking for the authentic tradional acoustic look who puts tone before "glam"! The TW28ST comes equipped with excellent quality machine heads which ensures tuning stability will not be an issue. An excellent all round electro acoustic.

Crafter is a hugely popular brand in the UK - At Regent Guitars we were almost bullied into stocking these by our long term customers who kept on asking us why they weren't in the catalogue! Although many of the models produced by Crafter offer similar specs. to that of our best selling brand (Tanglewood) - we like to pick the models for recommendation that offer something new and fresh to our customers. The FX550EQ features a composite back and is ideally suited to "plugged in" and live performance. It's laminated top and composite back eliminate a lot of the feedback normally associated with plugged in playing. Many people will opt for the "composite back" simply as it is more comfortable to play when seated. This guitar would also suit an electric guitar player looking to find an acoustic that won't feel too disimilar to that of what he/she is already used to playing. The FX550 is a fantastic buy, available in a range of colours including thru blue, thru purple, black (shown), violin sunburst & mahogany. The black model shown in the picture is extremely popular. Read a Regent Guitars "Forumite" opinion on his recent Crafter purchase here. The Tanglewood TMO7 is similar and also highly recommended at this price point. View this guitar here.

The highly acclaimed TMO7 which is without doubt an amazing guitar for the money. If you need proof, check out the October 2000 issue of Total Guitar magazine (under the other 40 or so copies you have now collected in your loung/bedroom!) which says it better than its Ovation couterpart (which is twice the price!). 3 years on and this guitar is still awesome value due to its great looks and quality build. With its slightly rounded plastic back this guitar is so comfortable to play and is ideal for an electric guitar player who wants an acoustic but without the bulk. Stunning colours are available with real flame maple tops. Check out the catalogue link below for more details.

What can I say.........Shadow equipped EQ, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, abolone detailing around the body and soundhole, snowflake fretboard inlays - for just £289! This is a gorgeous guitar designed with the gigging musician in mind - Its narrower body depth helps elimate that nasty acoustic feedback and encourages electric guitarists to try their hand on the acoustic. An electro worthy of one of our top recommendations.

The FE12 by Crafter is beatiful in every way. From its solid spruce top to the almost trademark deluxe tuners with button mushroom buttons. With its Takamine like curves, this guitar will seduce you from the moment you look at it...and yes, that is a real wood inlay around the soundhole! Extra details such as the small, abolone dot inlays and superbly applied satin finish give this guitar a look of 3 times what you will actually pay for it. Have you noticed? I love this guitar!.

Back to the Dreadnoughts! OK - You have seen our best selling entry level solid top model (the TW28ST-E) - Now meet its big brother. The TW15NS-E offers more than enough extra features to warrant the £100 upgrade. It has a solid top and back for superb tonallity when unplugged. I have already written my own review on this guitar in its standard acoustic format which you can find here. Click on the link and the benefits of this model should become clear - Add a Shadow P7 eq system and "hey presto" - you've got yourself a fantastic, highly recommended acoustic/electro acoustic all rounder. Be warned though - If you are looking for an acoustic whose primary function is live/performance (plugged) work, the dreadnought body styling and vibrant solid top and back may give you more feedback problems than a slimmer, smaller, stiffer bodied guitar.

This is an extremely new kid on the block (as of July 2003) and has already impressed Mike Melbourne enough to warrant inclusion in his best buys list. Here is why... The TW12CEF is based upon the "no frills" TW12 (just below our best selling TW15NS). However, it is such a "clean" looking instrument and the quality of build is apparent on first inspection. Snowflake inlays are included which gives enough "flash" without being too glitzy. The cutaway is cosmetically appealling whilst also giving greater access to notes higher up the fretboard. The solid top ensures you are graced with wide open, spacey tones and when plugged in you have the luxury of a Fishman Classic 4 EQ system. This is quite fantastic at the price point in which it sits. All in all. This is a beautifully understated, classy instrument at a price that will not break the bank. Needless to say, highly recommended! And if that hasn't swayed you, all TW12 models now come fitted with the groundbreaking new ELIXIR strings as standard. Worth £15.

Similar body styling to the Faith model shown above but £50 more expensive. Both these guitars have solid top and back - both guitars share the Shadow EQ system. So why mention 2 similarly priced and shaped models on this page? Well, first of all - they are both lovely instruments and it would be a huge shame if one of them couldn't be mentioned - secondly, once you sit down with both these guitars you will see and feel that they are very different animals indeed. Which is better? It's the good ol' swings and roundabouts again! Take home either of these guitars and you won't be dissapointed at this price. Either will spoil you rotten!! My own personal reasons for liking this model so much is partly down to the aged lacquer - a great touch. Grover machine heads are first class and the gold hardware also looks superb against the darker wood stain. Mike loves to show this model to people who like to finger pick. In terms of tone, expect less "airy, softer, lighter" tones and more "punch" and "stronger, "tighter" tones due to the smaller body style.

Exquisite - That was my first thought when I played this guitar for the first time. It is the finger pickers dream guitar. Specification wise it has a wide neck (also great news for you guys with big fat fingers!!!) which lends itself beautifully for those arpegiated lines and general fingerstyle techniques. This is the first guitar in the Yamaha range that makes use of the B-Band system (a personal favourite of mine) and offers you a dual system that can blend the sound captured not only from the piezo pickup but also from a microphone found under the sound hole. This guitar illustrates so clearly why so many guitarists "need" more than one guitar - anyone who tries this model cannot fail to be seduced by it and all of a sudden - you've got to have one!

Reviewed in March 2003 "What Guitar?" Magazine with 7 other electros in similar price points. This model won hands down and that is certainly no surprise to us. As with the Yamaha model, the Crafter uses the highly acclaimed B-Band system (read more about this fantastic eq system here) but if you want to shave £30 off the price, it can also come fitted with the Shadow P7. What strikes me when I look at this guitar is how beautiful it looks yet still remaining slightly understated. Crafter do produce a few models that are in my opinion, a little OTT in the asthetics area - many parralels are often drawn between acoustic guitars and the "fairer sex". If that is the case, the TGAE-06 is fefinately more your Halle Berry than your Jordan!! Real wood inlays around the soundhole and lovely pearloid button machine heads compliment the fully bound body. Possibly my favourite Crafter model in the range.

The £350 - £450 price range really does offer some magnificant choices of electro acoustic guitar. This price point is both affordable to many yet can deliver outstanding performance and style. The Cort NTL20F is another fine example of what you can find. Cort have been producing guitars for the likes of Fender, Tanglewood and other leading brands for 30 years! Cort have now decided to bring their branding to the UK and we are so pleased they did. When you get used to trying acoustic guitars, quality instruments almost leap out from the crowd and you can immediately tell where your money goes in the production. Look, pickup or listen to this Cort and you will not need anyone to "explain" why this guitar is so good. Believe me - it genuinely is that nice! Tonally, you will be rewarded with rich mids and trebles, complimented by bass galore!

The TW1000 is a stunning instrument. All of the normal Tanglewood quality is found in what is Tanglewoods flagship acoustic model. However, the back and sides of this model ensure the airy lighter tonality of the solid spruce top is given a warmth and richness that can only be found in solid rosewood. Add to this the industry leading Fishman 4 band EQ system and you have a beautiful tone guaranteed when playing acoustically or plugged. A true Regent Guitars favourite.

Here’s another affordable, great sounding guitar. The Garrison G-20 features all-solid Western Red Cedar top and all-solid Canadian Birch back and sides. Combined with the Griffiths Active Bracing System™, that maximizes the vibration and sustain of the guitars top... you’ve got a quality guitar with all-solid wood that will surprise your ears and please your wallet. You really do have to hear these guitars to understand where your money is going - pure acoustic heaven. This EQ model comes fitted with Fishman Classic 4 system.

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