Ibanez PF Performance Acoustic Guitars

Pick up an Ibanez PF Performance acoustic and the appeal is immediate: an approachable, comfortable instrument that invites you to keep playing. The spruce top and mahogany back and sides give a lively attack with some warmth underneath, which is what you want from a guitar that lives on the couch, at open mics, or in a case by the door. LV Guitars carries these as a low-risk way to get a real acoustic into your hands.

Choose the body to match how you play. The PF15 and PF28ECE dreadnoughts have the bigger voice for strumming and backing singers. The PC15 grand concert is slimmer and friendlier for fingerpicking or long sessions, and the PN parlor is smaller still, handy for travel and tight spaces. Natural gloss and the sunburst finishes in the lineup give you some choice of look.

For stage use, look at the ECE models. The cutaway makes upper-fret access easier, and the Ibanez AEQ-2T preamp with built-in tuner lets you tune up and plug into a PA or acoustic amp without adding a pickup. It makes a sensible backup or small-gig guitar. The lineup runs from about $119 to $264.