3 of the best 6 strings according to Artcell’s Faisal

We all have a friend, a sibling or a cousin who once set out on their merry way to master an instrument, for whatever reason that may be, only to call it quits five months into their journey, while some others didn't stop. And chances are, most of them chose the guitar.

An acoustic guitar is arguably the most readily and easily accessible instrument anywhere on the planet. It's sold everywhere and some might claim that guitars are the coolest musical instruments out there.

Choosing your first acoustic guitar requires careful consideration. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate player, beyond investing time, energy, and discipline, prioritising the quality of your initial "learning" instrument is crucial.

The sheer popularity and abundance of acoustic guitars can make the process of selection even more daunting. It's about finding not just a good one, but the "right" one for you. The factors of playability, affordability, sound quality, and aesthetics all come into play.

There are quite a few common mistakes inexperienced enthusiasts or rookie students make when it comes to buying acoustic guitars in Bangladesh.

To create a simple guide to selecting the best acoustic guitars available in the market and for some expert opinion on the subject, The Business Standard consulted with Kazi Faisal Ahmed. Faisal has been teaching guitar for around two decades. 

He has been playing six strings all his life and has owned a fair share of guitars himself. And one other thing about him, he plays lead guitar for one certain band called Artcell. 

We focus on three specific brands Enya, Tanglewood and Yamaha- all of which are currently available in Bangladesh. These guitars are also great value for your money. 

The first and foremost reason for selecting these brands is the authenticity of the products. All three of them have licensed dealers and distributors in the country. There are many guitars being sold all across Dhaka city under the name of several brands, most of which are counterfeit products and quite inexpensive. 

"Most people focus on the price when buying their first instrument because they are unsure whether they will still continue learning and playing after the first few months. Lower-priced and bootleg instruments have poor playability, they are not even carved from high-quality wood and thus neither sound nor feel right to the player," said Faisal.

"One should not compromise on the quality of an authentic guitar for saving a few thousand bucks," advised Faisal.

Climate and weather also exert significant impacts on stringed instruments, and these effects might be more influential than you realise. Temperature, for instance, directly influences the tension between the strings and the bridge on a guitar, yielding notable consequences.

Interestingly, guitars originating from the West, particularly American ones, are notorious for struggling in the Bangladesh climate. During the hotter seasons, issues, like cracked and bent fretboards or broken joints, become common. As winter arrives, guitars can exhibit distinct behaviours and sounds.

It's worth noting that even though Tanglewood is a British brand, the guitars discussed in this article are crafted in China. Similarly, both Enya and Yamaha, Asian brands, manufacture their guitars in China. Asian manufacturers consider the climatic conditions of their regions during the manufacturing process, resulting in instruments that are notably more resilient and suitable for countries like Bangladesh.

Tanglewood Blackbird TWBB SFCE

This new Blackbird model, which takes design cues from US instruments from the 1940s and 1950s, is meticulously braced to deliver a tight bottom-end bass note and clear, rich high-spectrum resonance. It also comes complete with the new Tanglewood Premium Plus Eq system.

The guitar has a Super Folk Cutaway shape and the top is made from hand-selected mahogany. The back and the sides are also mahogany and the fingerboard is of tech wood. With its Smokestack Black Satin finish, the guitar is a delight to look at!

The guitar is priced at Taka 20,500 and available at 'guitarsngears (GG),' the official distributor of Tanglewood guitars in Bangladesh.

https://www.guitarsngears.com.bd/product/tanglewood-twbb-sfc-e-36035d91-...

Price: Tk20,500

Enya EA-X1C ( all-koa finish)

'Guitar Shop Bd' are the official distributors of Enya guitars in Bangladesh and these guitars have been selling like hotcakes. Their first two shipments where they brought over fifty guitars were sold out in a jiffy and now they are planning to bring in their third.

"These Enya guitars are modern guitars, and more modern looking. They have fantastic playability, they look really, really cool and have great finishing on them. Their equalizers are also great," remarked Faisal.

Priced at Tk18,500, the Enya X1 boasts features found in far more expensive guitars at a surprisingly affordable price. This guitar is made of newly updated HPL (High-Pressure Laminate) KOA and features a scratch-resistant surface that can withstand temperature variations. 

It is therefore ideal for playing everywhere, from snow to surf. Other features include an adjustable neck with BT Technology that lets you adjust the height between the strings and the frets.

The good fellas at Guitar Shop Bd provide a gig bag, tuner, pick, strap, strings, polishing cloth, adjust wrench and capo along with the guitar itself.

https://guitarshopbd.com/product/enya-ea-x1c-acoustic-guitar-all-koa-fin...

Price: Tk18,500

Yamaha Fx310aii

The Fx310aii  acoustic-electric guitar is ideal for budding musicians. This model offers excellent Yamaha quality, together with the natural plugged-in sound that produces body resonance.

It comes in a traditional Western body, in a spruce top. It does not have a cutaway but with its ART pickups, you can create dynamic natural tones.

These guitars have passed a lot of quality checking and strict quality tests - leading to high durability and stability.

"You really can't go wrong with Yamaha. Newer musicians as well as musicians of the past still opt to play Yamaha. Bon Jovi still plays Yamaha Acoustics! With Dhaka now having an official Yamaha showroom, you can rest assured that you will be buying the highest-grade product and the entire buying experience is seamless. The price point is a bit high due to the duties and the recent inflation, but it's worth it," exclaimed Faisal.

https://www.yamahamusicbd.com/guitars/acoustic-guitars?product_id=84&fbc...

Price: Tk28,000