A £10 un branded Southern jumbo in 1984 from an Oxfam shop. No rod in the neck which had developed a very high action and coupled with the heavy weight strings it came with did not make for a comfortable inital playing exerpience. I did replace the tuners (which had lost all traction), replaced the original bridge which was so soft the strings had cut into it, and must have replaced the strings in a moment of extravagance.

It was a good transition from nylon strings to steel - and when I got a second hand ovation copy 5 years later (not so cheap - £50 including soft case) I could not believe how easy/comfortable the latter was to play. The Southern jumbo went to another Oxfam shop a few years later where it sold for £25. I like to think it has been recycled several times since raising a little more for charity each time!