Acoustic guitArs

Our pick of sweetly sonorous unplugged companions

tAylor AcAdemy SerieS 12e £599

It’s very Taylor to decide beginner’s guitars needed improvement – and then design one from the ground up. The company’s Academy Series aims to provide ‘proper’ instruments at a tolerable price point for newbie and comfortloving players – and so they came up with a greatsounding guitar with a plug-in-and-go pickup system, an arm rest for added comfort and huge playability. Aesthetically spartan, the 12e’s voice and features are deceptively mature and capable. www.taylorguitars.com

MArtin d-16e £2,299

Nobody does ‘dreadnought’ quite like the company whose body shape has accompanied a million songs – and Martin’s D-16E proved to be no exception. All solid woods, including conservation-friendly sycamore back and sides, with a contemporary feel and bristling with new features this dread is a certified crowd-pleaser. Great build quality with Fishman’s Matrix VT system and a comfortable reduced body depth combine to make the D-16 a real winner. www.martinguitar.com

Fender Pm-1 StAndArd dreAdnought All-mAhogAny £509

Mahogany acoustics tend to have a unique sound. Warm and lush with a lively presence, this addition to the fabulous Paramount range proved full of character and charm, providing everything we expected and more. Dubbed a ‘must-try’ for anyone exploring the £500 end of the market, we found the PM-1 excellent for flatpickers and fingerstylists alike with all the earthiness that was promised by this most famous brand. http:shop.fender.com