acoustic recommendation

[Surgeon]

Re: acoustic recommendation

I'll second that I don't know it you don't want a Martin or Taylor or not, but the truth is, imho, that you cannot beat the 100 and 200 series Taylor guitars in the 1000$ price range. Period.

I have to disagree. I love taylors but their lower-line never impressed me.

Honestly, the Yamaha L series are killer for the price they command new. Used they're a steal. Handmade and all solid woods starting at the 16 for 750$ with a tone that hasn't anything to envy of my 414...

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: acoustic recommendation

On smaller body instruments the tops are generally thinner & the braces are a touch lighter. When you play very hard it can cause some distorting to happen. Now this does depend on the guitar. I have a Santa Cruz OM & hands down it is one of the best acoustics I have ever owned. It responds to my fingerpicking very very well yet if I play hard it holds up well. Some smaller body guitars are basically one trick ponies. If you fingerpick exclusively then a small body, lightly built guitar may suit your needs more effectively, but if you play soft with your fingers yet still like to strum hard you need to be somewhat concerned about how the guitar responds to your touch. Fortunately for me I have several acoustics & can pick the appropriate guitar for the job at hand.

Cedar is such a beautiful wood for the tops of classical guitars but on steel strings I don't find it to be as rewarding as spruce is. It works well for fingerpicking but it is a very soft wood so the top gets beat up pretty easily. I have also played some cedar tops the distort with just a very moderate strumming attack. Now this doesn't mean that all cedar tops are bad, but some that I have played were obviously setup for fingerstyle playing. I usually look for versatility in a flattop!

Thanx for the great info Bludave !

Very helpfull - much appreciated.

[ehdwuld]

Re: acoustic recommendation

I played a lot of cheapo acoustics
I now have a Martin 000CE
I dont play the cheapos anymore
Martins entire X-series Acoustic/Electrics can be had under $700

heck this one is in the Main acoustic line at $1,049


the image is the link

[Hoss]

Re: acoustic recommendation

i have a nephew who has a 200 or 300 series Taylor and he was saying he was wanting a new guitar and blah, blah, blah...anyways he picked up my Takamine and was like..."WoW man this thing sounds incredible...i bet this cost a fortune though right?!" I said yeah...i bought it new for $375.

Takamine guitars are really tough to beat for their price point.

All that being said, acoustics have sooooo many different flavors, it would be hard to recommend something without knowing exactly what tones you are wanting.

Do you want something crisp and clean? Do you want something deep and mellow? And then there's everything in between.

[ImmortalSix]

Re: acoustic recommendation

MARTIN D15M

. . . and that's it !

Your "and that's it!" reminded me of this and I LOL'd.

[ericmeyer4]

Re: acoustic recommendation

For a $1000 if you look hard enough you should be able to pickup a used 400 series Taylor.

[ImmortalSix]

Re: acoustic recommendation

Click here and you will get all the advice you need.

Love,
I6

[ItsaBass]

Re: acoustic recommendation

Used Guilds are a very good value. My favorite is the F50, but that might be out of your price range. Still a good value for a high trim level jumbo, though. I have a '70's F50, and it is second only to my Thomas Norwood D-35 copy in the greatness category.

I just did a bit of research, and it turns out that my F50 is actually a 1968. Based on the serial number range, it appears as if they were made in relatively low numbers. The range for 1968 F50's goes from AD292 to AD 355. Mine is in the 320's. I think it was about $900 when I got it about 10 years ago. Great, great guitar for a very reasonable price.

Edit: A new JF30 would be right on budget: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...RWXGB&ZYXSEM=0

[ImmortalSix]

Re: acoustic recommendation

Early to mid 90s Guilds are incredible. Any Westerly, RI Guild is good.

They moved production to Tacoma, WA in the late 90s, and the quality changed. I won't say it got worse, but it changed.

My '9X D30 was $1100 new (new old stock, had sat new in the music shop for a few years) I think - not bad for a lifetime guitar.

[ImmortalSix]

Re: acoustic recommendation

I'll second that I don't know it you don't want a Martin or Taylor or not, but the truth is, imho, that you cannot beat the 100 and 200 series Taylor guitars in the 1000$ price range. Period.

Yeah, Taylor is like the PRS of acoustics - purists say they don't have the "vibe" or "mojo" of a Martin or Guild, but everyone agrees that they are consistent as fawk, and they are all good.

Also, people who say that are idiots.

[ItsaBass]

Re: acoustic recommendation

Early to mid 90s Guilds are incredible. Any Westerly, RI Guild is good.

They moved production to Tacoma, WA in the late 90s, and the quality changed. I won't say it got worse, but it changed.

My '9X D30 was $1100 new (new old stock, had sat new in the music shop for a few years) I think - not bad for a lifetime guitar.

I agree that Guilds were very good in that period. I had a dreadnought (cannot remember the model exactly, but I think it might have been a D25). Anyhow, it was a very good guitar for very little money ($400 used, but like new) when I got it. I like the new ones too, but as you say, they are "different" than they used to be. I will say not as good...though still good. And for the used-market prices they sell for, one of the greatest values out there in a quality acoustic.

[Bludave]

Re: acoustic recommendation

I have a Guild D55 from around 1980 & its a great guitar.... again Dreads are not my favorite body size but it has a nice balance to it. Many big Rosewood guitars tend to get boomy, this one isn't and it's loud as hell!

[voggin]

Re: acoustic recommendation

I played a lot of cheapo acoustics
I now have a Martin 000CE
I dont play the cheapos anymore
Martins entire X-series Acoustic/Electrics can be had under $700

heck this one is in the Main acoustic line at $1,049


the image is the link

I've got that very guitar. A Martin D16. It is really great. consistent volume and tone all the way up the neck. The neck, by the way, is incredibly comfortable, and feels great for someone used to electrics. The tuning machines are amazing, and mine was set up beautifully, great nut, awesome intonation. It's a very "middish" guitar, very bluegrassy sound (think "Wish You Were Here").

It has a non-wood fretboard (micarta, I think) which is actually very warm feeling but not too hard. Somewhere between rosewood and ebony. The fretwork is killer. I have the action quite low with light strings, not a buzz to be had anywhere, and tons of volume.

As you can see, I love it. And you can get them used for around $800 bucks often. Plus, THE SMELL! Man, that spruce top and mahogany body smells wonderful.

[gilaltom3]

Taylor 114 CE.

/thread