Taylor Academy 12 Grand Concert Acoustic Guitar Natural

This a great guitar for beginners or anyone currently playing who wants a grab and go great sounding instrument.

I love this guitar for what it is. If you're a beginner, this would make an AMAZING first guitar. And unlike most first guitars, you probably wouldn't ever want to get rid of this, even if you upgrade later. If you've been playing for decades like me, you'll love adding this to your guitarsenal as a great living room or bedroom guitar that you don't have to be too precious about. It's SUPER comfortable with its satin finish and forearm cut. It plays easy like most Taylors do. And it sounds just fine for home use. Of course its a Taylor and its a laminate guitar, so its not going to sound like US made Martins, Gibsons, Guilds, or all those lovely boutique brands like Larrivee, Lowden, etc. But it's probably one of the best guitars I've heard under $1,000. I also am not afraid to take this to the beach, or a campfire, or a vacation (assuming I'm not flying). I keep this above my bed on the wall and I grab it to just mindlessly noodle or learn something new while watching tv. Because of that it's actually my most played guitar. I would definitely get this over the GS Mini, which has an annoyingly smaller neck and doesn't sound anywhere near as good as this guitar. I'd also probably pick this over most guitars under $1,000. But you might want to try out some comparable Breedlove's and Guilds in this price range, which would get you an all solid wood guitar that will definitely sound better, albeit at the cost of comfort and playability. Also, unlike solid wood guitars, you really don't need to play this before you buy it. They're pretty much all going to sound the same with this model, and Taylor's QC is second to none. I don't usually recommend ordering a guitar before hearing and playing it, but I think you're good with this one.

First guitar I've owned that actually smelled like wood (in a good way). Excellent tone and playability. Smooth fretboard. After playing this guitar, it's hard to go back to my old guitars. It also comes with an excellent case. Costs a little more, but you get what you pay for. Verdict: Exceptional guitar.

Use in tv room while watching.