This Fender Acoustic Guitar Model GN-45SCE features nylon strings and a dreadnought body, combining the classical guitar sound with a narrower neck profile for faster playing. The guitar has been discontinued so you won't find much info at the Fender site.
Original retail was over $650; it was sold on Ebay for $255 plus $65 shipping/handling and came with a Gator hard case and custom work to make the action lower. A whopping 50% off the retail cost of the guitar by itself, making the other items practically FREE!
This guitar is pretty indicative of the kind of good deals one can find when successfully navigating the used market.
Many times, guitars that are discontinued offer fantastic opportunities for savings and just as much--if not more--capabilities, tone and looks than new counterparts.
The guitar on this page features a Grand Auditorium body style, similar to a dreadnought, with a cutaway to allow for reach of the higher frets. The top is made from grade-AA solid cedar while the back and sides are rosewood.
A Fender/Fishman Classic 4 ACLR pickup with active on-board preamp came installed from the factory making this guitar the perfect gigging instrument. This pickup system features volume, bass, mid and treble controls.
A "Body" funtion wheel allows the player to blend the under-saddle pickup with the installed mini-mic that's under the soundboard, for optimal sound recreation and feedback reduction in live situations.
Click the player above to hear this Fender acoustic guitar in action. The riff you'll hear is based on Eric Clapton's "Tears In Heaven" but starts out with a classical guitar tone to show off the sound that's possible with the GN-45SCE.
The rest of the guitar's components are equally impressive: gold hardware, tortoise shell tuners, mahogany neck with truss rod and more. Try finding an electro-acoustic of this caliber at a store anywhere --don't forget to add in all the extras like the case. You're just not going to find it.
But by using the ever-increasing techniques, tips and strategies on this site, you'll be playing the guitar of your dreams for minimal outlay of cash.
Summary: This particular acoustic instrument is just a small sample of available offerings that exist out there, both on Ebay and on classified listings. See our pages devoted to buying tips in those arenas for strategies on getting a guitar that suits your playing style and your budget.