If you're an acoustic-guitar player who feels a bit left out by the ever-exploding advancements in music technology, fear not. The acoustic-guitar world has hardly been strumming idly and watching the techno types claim a monopoly on innovation. In their quiet way, acoustic makers have steadily raised the bar and lowered the price on that indispensable performing instrument we know as the acoustic-electric guitar. • When Onstage set out to do a roundup of recently released midpriced acoustic-electrics (we limited the scope of the roundup to newer models with list prices of between $800 and $1,300), we were delightfully surprised to see that quality, features, and affordability have improved dramatically, offering today what would have been available only as a high-end purchase five years ago. Solid tops, quality hardwoods and tonewoods, sophisticated electronics, and almost flawless construction were common to all our review models, from the top of the price range to the bottom. • The six guitars tested were the Alvarez MF80C, the Carvin C850, the Ibanez AEF37-TCS, the Simon & Patrick Pro CW Rosewood, the Takamine EG45 SC, and the Yamaha CP8X-SY. I lived with these instruments for several weeks, subjecting them to my particular musical abuses on gigs, in jam sessions, and in solitary practice sessions. Each guitar has its own personality and will hold differing amounts of appeal, depending on the needs of the potential owner. • Although these instruments share the key elements of quality and affordability, they differ from each other dramatically with regard to timbral qualities, electronics, and aesthetics. Given the dual functions of acoustic-electric guitars, electronic sound and acoustic sound, bear in mind that an acoustic guitar — which sounds full, responsive, warm, and resonant by itself — might create a problem onstage, where all that resonance can cause feedback, especially in the lower registers. • The Alvarez and Carvin models acknowledged the feedback issue and dealt with it by providing a notch filter — a cut-only EQ function that has a user-selectable frequency range. Yamaha included a rubber sound-hole disk that fits snugly into the guitar's top and helps significantly for cutting low-end feedback. All the guitars have EQ systems, naturally. Some, like the Simon & Patrick Pro CW Rosewood have bare-bones setups (2-band EQ, called “Edge” and “Bottom”), while the others have three or more bands. The Alvarez, Carvin, Ibanez, and Yamaha include a sweepable mid. The Carvin's Fishman Prefix Plus takes the EQ prize, with four bands and a sweepable-mid slider. • Many guitarists like the sound of a hybrid-miked acoustic, in which a mic and a pickup are combined or two pickups are placed on different parts of the guitar and then blended. Three guitars in our roundup handle hybrid miking in three different ways.

The Alvarez provides an auxiliary jack in its housing that allows you to hook up a second pickup or mic and control its volume from the front panel. The S&P has a sound-hole pickup and an under-the-saddle pickup installed, and you adjust the blend with dedicated controls.

The Yamaha comes with a pickup as well as an in-body mic mounted on a gooseneck. Four of the six guitars (the Alvarez, the Carvin, the Ibanez, and the Yamaha) include a phase switch, which comes in handy when you're problem-solving a guitar that is both miked and running a pickup. Two sources can be out of phase, which will adversely affect the sound quality. When this happens, flipping the phase switch alleviates the problem.

For those of you old enough to remember when all but the most expensive of guitars had a neck like a tree trunk (and fretting was like hammering a railroad spike with your fingers), it should come as some comfort that those days are long gone. These six newly released guitars provide a bright outlook for acoustic guitarists looking to go electric or vice versa. Now let's examine each of the six guitars individually.

The Alvarez MF80C

Pros: Has classic aesthetics, full-featured electronics, and a great neck feel.
Cons: Acoustic tone is midrange-heavy. Notch Filter frequency range is too wide.
Ideal for: Gentler passages, players who prefer a lighter touch.

ALVAREZ MF80C Overview

The Alvarez MF80C ($999) will have an immediate appeal for the traditional acoustic player because of its classically elegant good looks and subtle appointments. This cutaway folk-style guitar is roughly the same size as an OM or a grand concert guitar, sporting a spruce top that looks slightly aged and mahogany back and sides. Adding to its aesthetic appeal is a distinctively carved bridge, an abalone rosette, and a tasteful abalone neck inlay at the 12th fret. Its matte-finished neck has a narrow width and shallow depth, which gives it a somewhat nontraditional feel (for an acoustic), but it plays nicely.

Tone

Acoustically, the MF80C sounds somewhat heavy in the midrange. But when plugged in it provides an even response, making it a good choice for singer-songwriters or electric players who occasionally invoke the acoustic guitar for fingerstyle passages and ballads. It retains a balanced tone across the strings, from bass to treble; the sound, although not particularly sparkly, is warm. For a small guitar, the MF80C stands up well to big strumming.

Electronics: Alvarez System 600T

The 3-band EQ has center-detented sliders with a sweepable Mid Freq rotary control that goes from 600 Hz to 1.2 kHz. The master volume is a rotary pot as well. The guitar's chromatic tuner is available whether or not the instrument is plugged in, and when it is plugged in and the tuner is turned on, the tuner mutes the output — a nice touch. The 600T system has a notch-filter switch with adjustable frequency (50 Hz to 2 kHz with a rotary pot), a -20 or +20 pad switch for the auxiliary input, two gain controls (one for the aux input, the other for the piezo pickup), and a phase switch that reverses the polarity between the aux and piezo inputs. On the chassis you have access to the battery compartment and the aux input. Using this minijack (mono), you could mount an interior mic of your choice (the system does not provide phantom power, so if it's a condenser mic, it will need to have its own inline battery supply) or another pickup (such as a sound-hole pickup), and then effect a blend using the panel's two volume knobs. In addition, the guitar has trim pots on the side of its pickup housing for adjusting the gain of the front-panel bass and treble sliders.

On the gig

Although the MF80C has decked-out electronics, I rarely had to invoke the notch filter because there wasn't any pronounced, feedback-producing resonance coming from the guitar body. The EQ was smooth sounding, and I used it to emphasize coloration rather than as a corrective measure (the guitar sounded fine as is). The frequency range of the notch filter goes from 50 Hz to 2 kHz, which is too wide given that stage feedback rarely occurs above 800 Hz. I would have preferred to see the notch filter re-calibrated to go from 50 to 500 Hz, for finer control of the real problem frequencies. The MF80C's smallish body and the gentle feel of its neck make this a great gigging guitar for someone who wants to transfer from an electric to an acoustic for selected songs without going into culture shock.

CARVIN C850 Overview

From Carvin's popular Cobalt line comes the C850 ($1,269: please note that Carvin's list price is only theoretical, because the company sells all its merchandise directly to the customer. Its currently advertised “direct” price for the C850 is $688, plus $19.95 shipping). The back and sides of this dreadnought guitar are made of rosewood. The C850 strikes you as a big guitar for big music. The action and feel are low and fast and provide a good natural-feel for the electric player. This guitar has a very clean, bright look, with its light-yellow spruce top, tortoisoid pick guard, mahogany neck and headstock, and abalone rosette.

Tone

Unplugged, the C850's tone is bright and jangly, although the bass response is not particularly strong for a dreadnought. As a result, the guitar sounds fairly neutral from top to bottom rather than sounding full, mellow, or otherwise skewed to the low end. When plugged in and banged on, the C850 has a pronounced and compressed feel, but in a good, rock-rhythm way (think Gibson J-200). The guitar's preamp is excellently voiced, both in neutral mode (all controls flat) and when tweaked out for corrective or coloristic purposes.

Electronics: Fishman Prefix Plus

The full-featured Fishman electronics system on the C850 has two rotary knobs for the notch filter (40 to 500 Hz, fixed gain at -15 dB cut) and volume. There's also a chrome-colored DPDT phase switch and a horizontally oriented mid-sweep slider (250 Hz to 10 kHz). The unique thing about this system is that, instead of the normal complement of EQ sliders, the Prefix Plus has Bass, Contour, Treble, and Brilliance (all ±12 dB). Once you learn how Treble, Brilliance, Contour, and Frequency interrelate, it's a great system for sculpting your plugged-in sound. The system also wins the Goldilocks Award for the smoothest-feeling sliders — not too resistant, not too wobbly, and with a detent that clicks nicely.

On the gig

The C850 holds up well for those rowdy bar-music gigs (think Irish drinking songs) and is particularly good for lead work. Its jangly sound and propensity to avoid boominess struck a good balance between a big guitar's feel and a small guitar's more facile sound. The notch filter, which is always turned on, saved me a step when I felt feedback threatening: I didn't have to turn the filter on and then select the frequency.

The Carvin C850

Pros: Has versatile electronics, a clean look, and a jangly sound.
Cons: Acoustic tone is lacking in bass response.
Ideal for: Bangers who want a big rhythm sound but who don't want to worry about feedback from an overly temperamental guitar.

IBANEZ AEF37-TCS Overview

This OM-size guitar, which is exquisitely finished in a dark reddish purple, would look quite at home in a royal court. It features a quilt-patterned top and a carved back, an abalone rosette, a bound neck, gold tuners, and big block abalone inlays in the fingerboard. The AEF37-TCS ($800) has a bright responsive tone, resulting from its thin body of maple construction. On the model that I reviewed, the bracing pattern showed through the top, suggesting that some shrinkage had occurred.

Tone

When played acoustically, the AEF37's bright, clear, loud tone holds up well through the five top strings, until, at the bottom string, the bass response disappears somewhat. While this creates an acoustic anomaly, I found that it made for a good electric-only guitar, especially when corrected with EQ. When I boosted the bass slightly in electric mode, the guitar sounded balanced, natural, and focused.

Electronics: Fishman AEQ SS

The AEQ SS has four sliders: Bass, Middle, Treble, and Shape (whose range goes from flat, through a center detent, to Max). The Shape control acts similarly to a home-stereo system's loudness control by intensifying the EQ curve. At the Shape's detent position, the dialed-in EQ on the sliders works normally; at Flat, the curve disappears; and at Max exaggerates the curve. The volume is a rotary pot, and there's a push-button phase switch. The AEQ SS isn't a fancy system, but its Shape feature is quick and intuitive and quite useful. This is the only guitar that included not just a 1¼4-inch input jack but also a balanced XLR output — something FOH engineers at venues will love you for.

On the gig

Between this guitar and the Yamaha CPX8-SY, I got the most audience compliments regarding the aesthetics of the guitar, although the AEF37 has the more traditional appeal. From the other side of the soundboard, the AEF37 felt the most manageable as a strap-on because of its thinner body, highly playable neck, and low action. The thinner body provided excellent feedback rejection. Ibanez's vast experience in the electric-guitar arena is not lost here, and this guitar felt especially good when I was in my “electric-guitar player head” using the AEF37 to add acoustic color.

The Ibanez AEF37-TCS

Pros: Has outstanding aesthetics, great playability, a smooth and consistent electronic sound, and an electric-guitarlike feel.
Cons: When played acoustically, its low-E-string response is lacking.
Ideal for: Players who like a thinline or electric-guitar feel.

SIMON & PATRICK
PRO CW ROSEWOOD

Overview: The Simon & Patrick Pro CW Rosewood ($1,267), similar in look and feel to American-made dreadnoughts that cost four times as much, immediately strikes you as a quality guitar. Its almost-white spruce top is highlighted by an exquisite lacquer finish, which the manufacturer asserts is what helps the top resonate so freely, thus producing all that wonderful sound. The S&P Pro has a fetching wood-inlay rosette, and its neck has a terrific feel — fast and light but with an action that's not so low that you can't play dynamically.

Specs at a Glance

GUITAR	List Price	Body Style	Top	Back/Sides	Neck	Fingerboard	Bridge/Saddle	Electronics
Alvarez MF80C	$999	Cutaway Folk	Spruce	Mahogany	Mahogany	Rosewood	Rosewood/compensated	Saddle pickup/aux input
Carvin C850	$1,269	Dreadnought	Spruce	Rosewood	Mahogany	Rosewood	Rosewood/compensated	Saddle pickup
Ibanez AEF7-TCS	$800	AE Body	Maple	Maple	Mahogany	Rosewood	Rosewood/compensated	Saddle pickup
Simon & Patrick Pro CW Rosewood	$1,267	Dreadnought	Spruce	Rosewood	Mahogany	Rosewood	Rosewood/compensated	Saddle pickup/sound-hole pickup
Takamine EG45 SC	$999	NEX minijumbo	Cedar	Sepele mahogany	Mahogany	Rosewood	Rosewood/two-piece compensated	Saddle pickup
Yamaha CPX8-SY	$1,199	Compass	Spruce	Sycamore	Mahogany	Ebony	Ebony/non-compensated	Saddle pickup/built-in mic

Tone

In the acoustic-only department, the Pro clearly stood out among our six test models, with its big, full sound and its booming bass, smooth midrange, and sparkling treble. This guitar is great for unenhanced flatpicking or fingerpicking. When plugged in, it retained the clearest tone of the six guitars tested when hit hard, exhibiting very little compression and holding its balance. Special mention must be made of its dual pickup system and blender controls, which can mix the bright, sharp sound of the sound-hole pickup with the mellower under-the-saddle transducer.

Electronics: B-Band

The S&P B-Band system is the most unusual of the configurations I tested, having no sliders, no phase switch, and no notch filter. Its tone-shaping controls are limited to Edge and Bottom, which are more universally known as treble and bass. But the B-Band does have two pickups, which was unique to our roundup (though the Yamaha included a mic as well as a pickup). The system also has a blender control that allows you to combine the sound-hole and the under-the-saddle pickups. The blender has a center detent for producing an equal balance of sound-hole and saddle pickups.

On the gig

The S&P never loses its identity as a high-quality guitar, whether you play it acoustically or plug it in. I appreciated the subtle differences between the sound-hole pickup and the under-the-saddle one, and found that I preferred to alter my timbre by mixing in the brighter-sounding sound-hole pickup at varying degrees, rather than resorting to the Edge and Bottom controls. Because the S&P Pro is so lively, though, the guitar could benefit from a notch filter.

The Simon & Patrick
Pro CW Rosewood

Pros: Has superlative acoustic tone and excellent playability.
Cons: Has nonstandard control-panel configuration; no phase switch or notch filter.
Ideal for: Banging out bass runs and hitting full, six-string chords. Equally good for fingerpicking; acoustic-guitar purists who must plug in.

TAKAMINE EG45 SC Overview

Takamine's EG45 SC ($999) has what's called its NEX or minijumbo body shape — larger than either the Ibanez or Alvarez and slightly smaller than the Yamaha CPX8-SY (the three other nondreadnoughts in our test group). The Takamine has a solid cedar top and sepele mahogany back and sides, which have a nice reddish color. The cedar top is stained a golden brown and has a beautiful reddish hue. The tuning machines are distinctive, with a swirly, caramel-colored pattern on the pegs. Tastefully complementing the top are an abalone rosette and a tortoisoid pick guard. If in the past you found natural-finish spruce tops to be a bit too bright or yellow, this top provides a soothing antidote.

Tone

The EG45 SC, despite having a fairly large body size, has a relatively quiet voice when played acoustically. The solid top appears to be fairly thick at the sound hole, which could account for the relative lack of soundboard response. The less the top moves, however, the more balanced the electronic sound, and this is certainly true of the EG45 (see “On the gig” in this section). When plugged in, it exhibits an even balance from top to bottom that is musical and intimate. With a little boost in the treble, the EG45 shows some teeth, which is good for when you want to dig in on an acoustic-rock lead sound.

Electronics: Takamine Equalizer

The configuration here is minimal: four sliders, with one for Treble, one for Middle, one for Bass, and one for Gain. The EG45 has no phase switch and no notch filter. Its EQ sliders go from +5 to -5 with a center detent, and the gain slider goes from 0 to 10. The direction of travel of the sliders is reversed, however, so that the down position produces the maximum setting. I found that a bit disconcerting, but not a fatal flaw.

On the gig

Because of its relatively small acoustic sound, the EG45 performed without feedback problems on the gig, even with its bare-bones electronics. The guitar's smooth acoustic sound transferred well to the electronic sound, and I was pleasantly surprised at how natural it sounded when plugged in. The neck depth is fairly shallow but has a nice feel nonetheless. For small hands or for those who wield a lighter touch, this neck is ideal.

The Takamine EG45 SC

Pros: Has a gorgeous classic look, evenly balanced sound.
Cons: Has minimal electronics.
Ideal for: Gigs for which a more modern-looking instrument would be out of place (playing folk-based or ethnic music) but for which simple electronic enhancement of an acoustic timbre is essential.

YAMAHA CPX8-SY Overview

Yamaha has introduced two new additions to their established Compass line: the Tropical Marine Blue and the Morning Sea Violet CPX8-SY (both $1,199). Our review unit, a Marine Blue, elicited oohs and ahhs whenever I took it out of the case and onto the stage. The rosette is an attractive inlay of dark and light woods, which offsets the brilliant blue nicely. The transparent pick guard allows the maximum visibility of the finish while offering protection from flatpick scratches.

But the CPX8-SY is not just a pretty face. With a dual-source sound system (mic plus pickup), ebony fingerboard and bridge, bound neck and headstock, and sophisticated electronics, the CPX8-SY is perhaps the most well-appointed, full-featured guitar in our review collection. To boot, Yamaha included a black-rubber sound-hole cover to help squelch feedback. The neck had an excellent feel, one that I thought struck an almost perfect balance between the ease of an electric and the response of an acoustic.

Tone

Acoustically, the sound of the CPX8-SY has a well-balanced, if not particularly loud, response. The tone has a somewhat sweetened or processed flavor to it, but not in an artificial way. In fact, for ensemble passages in which the guitar could use a tad more sparkle to stand out, the CPX8-SY's natural sound can provide just the needed lift. Plugged in, the CPX8-SY's preamp responded equally well to fingerpicking as it did to flatpicking, and it sounded great for rock strumming and hammering out power-ballad chords. The guitar's sweet acoustic tone can be turned into a luscious sparkle when plugged in.

Electronics: Yamaha

The CPX8-SY is the only guitar of the group that came with a built-in gooseneck-mounted mic as well as a pickup. Each element has its own rotary level control. The system has a phase switch but no notch filter. Three vertical sliders are used for the Bass, Middle, and Treble controls, and a horizontal mid-sweep frequency selector ranges from 80 Hz to 10 kHz. The guitar's electronics do a fine job of capturing the acoustic sound, and being able to blend the mic and pickup is a joy.

Electronics at a Glance

GUITAR	System	Bass Control	Mid Control	Sweep Control	Treble Control	Volume: Slider/Rotary	Notch Frequency	Phase Switch	Battery Indicator	Aux Input/Control
Alvarez MF80C	Alvarez System 600T	yes	yes	yes	yes	Rotary	50 Hz-2 kHz	yes	On	Mini aux in jack/pad switch, rotary level
Carvin C850	Fishman Prefix Plus	yes Contour1	yes	yes Brilliance2	yes	Rotary	40 Hz-500 Hz	yes	Low	no
Ibanez AEF37-TCS	Fishman AEQ SS	yes	yes	yes Shape3	yes	Rotary	no	yes	Low	no
Simon & Patrick Pro CW Rosewood	B-Band	yes	no	no	yes	Rotary	no	no	Low	Saddle + sound-hole pickup/rotary blender
Takamine EG45 SC	Takamine Equalizer	yes	yes	no	yes	Slider	no	no	B-check	no
Yamaha CPX8-SY	Yamaha	yes	yes	yes	yes	Rotary	no	yes	On	Built-in mic/rotary level
1Contour: ±12 dB, 250 Hz-10 kHz, Q = 0.5. 2Brilliance: ±9 dB @ 10 kHz; ±3 dB @ Bandwidth 7 kHz. 3Shape determines the level of the contour formed by the bass, mid, and treble.

On the gig

The CPX8-SY is versatile and a real looker. It's sparkly and balanced for fingerstyle passages but able to withstand vigorous strumming while not buzzing out or overcompressing. Having an onboard mic proved especially useful, because it captured and brought to the stage some of the desirable sweetened sound I had liked so much acoustically. The mic would have been even more useful if there was a dedicated notch filter.

The Yamaha CPX8-SY

Pros: Has very good acoustic tone, excellent sweet and sparkly electric tone, and unique aesthetics.
Cons: Has low volume when played acoustically.
Ideal for: Someone looking to make a bold visual statement but who needs the versatility of a good-sounding miked guitar and an instrument that will work well for flatpicking and for fingerpicking.

THE FINAL CHORD

Because the quality of all six of these guitars is so high, I wouldn't disqualify any of them because of poor sound, shoddy workmanship, or inferior materials. Ranking them is difficult, however, because each guitar has its own particular strengths upon which you might base a purchasing decision. One person, for example, might consider sound quality more important than, say, aesthetics, while another might consider those qualities equally important.

If you're looking for a pure acoustic tone, because you'll be using a mic or the electronics aren't as critical to you, then the Simon & Patrick clearly stands out. The Yamaha and the Carvin also yield exceptional results acoustically but sound slightly more processed when plugged in. From the electronics-only standpoint, the Ibanez works particularly well in transferring its acoustic sound uncolored to the electronic world. Certainly, that guitar's shallow body cavity helps that, but so does the long history of Ibanez's expertise at making electric guitars. The Takamine looks the most like a traditional acoustic guitar, with its reddish brown top and root-beer-colored tuners — and it has a nice even tone. But its electronics are minimal: it has no notch filter, no phase switch, and no sweepable mid. The Alvarez looks almost as good as the Takamine and has the most full-featured electronics of all of the guitars tested.

When choosing a guitar to buy, make sure you honestly assess the things that are important to you and weigh carefully the many facets of an acoustic-electric guitar: its acoustic-only sound, its plugged-in sound, the configuration and versatility of its onboard electronics system, its playability, and its aesthetics. Then, of course, consider the list price, being sure to factor in the actual, or street price, in your calculations.

If you make clear choices about your specific needs regarding your own music, any model you select here will prove a worthy instrument to help you realize those goals.

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Jon Chappell is the author of Rock Guitar for Dummies (Hungry Minds) and is one of only six people in the world who knows how to pronounce “piezo” correctly.

Manufacturer Contacts

Alvarez/St. Louis Music Inc. (distributor)
tel. (314) 727-4512
e-mail info@alvarezgtr.com
Web www.alvarezgtr.com

Carvin Guitars
tel. (800) 854-2235
e-mail info@carvin.com
Web www.carvin.com

Ibanez/Hoshino USA Inc. (distributor)
tel. (215) 638-8670
Web www.ibanez.com

Simon & Patrick Luthier/Godin Guitar Company (distributor)
tel. (514) 457-7977
e-mail sales@lasido.com
Web www.lasido.com

Takamine/Kaman Music Corp. (distributor)
tel. (860) 509-8888
e-mail info-kmc@kaman.com
Web www.kamanmusic.com

Yamaha Corp. of America
tel. (714) 522-9011
e-mail infostation@yamaha.com
Web www.yamaha.com

onstage•hotlinks

www.fishman.com
Fishman electronics are used in the Ibanez and Carvin guitars in this review.

www.b-band.com
The Simon and Patrick CW Rosewood features B-Band electronics.