In that price range, I always say get a Yamaha and be done with it.

 

wow....I didn't know takamine made entry level guitars. Granted it has been a few years since i've really looked into it.

The only Takamine I ever had was a 3000 dollar beauty. I loved it.

 

Weird I found this.

I just picked up an acoustic Fender for my girlfriend for 200$ on the way home from work tonight.

 

if you like the alvarez better, you must have a tailor, not a taylor

 

Nope. It's the real deal. I like it. It sounds better than the alvarez. But it doesn't play better and it doesn't feel as good to me for whatever reason. The cheap alvarez sounds good (although not as good as the taylor) and it feels better to me so I play it more than any guitar I have (I have 5, two strats, and 3 acoustics).

 

interesting. what model? i think you are the only person i've run across or read about who would prefer something over a taylor once they played one

 

214. And I like the guitar or I wouldn't have it. I just like the way the alvarez feels and plays better.

 

that explains it. i have a 510E from back in the good ol' days that is incomparable. i'd still take a new taylor over a new just about anything else, but the earlier ones are top notch. i've played a lot of really nice martins, alvarez-yairis, etc and they all feel like a step down to me. to each his/her own

 

Not sure in that price range. Generally Yamahas are known to have a brighter tone, and Takamines (but not sure about Jasmines) a deeper voice. From what i remember, if you spend about $100 more you should be able to get a much higher quality guitar. If things haven't changed, $300 is the floor for a solid entry level guitar - but things might have changed. GL!