Steel string acoustic opinions

[solspirit]

I really want a Taylor big baby but I'm on a serious Ovation kick right now.
I've never played a martin and the only other model/brand I've tried that I liked is the Ibanez, I think it's the art core series.

What are your favorite steel strings?

[JB_From_Hell]

Eastman makes some excellent stuff for a great value.

I had one of their most inexpensive dreads, solid spruce top, lam sides and back, and in retrospect, I think it was better than my 60’s Gibson SJ. Had a clearer, punchier tone, and I liked the neck shape better.

[Mincer]

I think Godin just came out with a nice acoustic line, also. I am an Ovation fan, too. But you have to spend a little money to get the better sounding ones.

[ehdwuld]

I currently have a Martin and an Epiphone

Yamaha makes some awesome acoustics for tight budgets

I had an Applause years ago

Seagull makes some nice ones
Takimine, I think I spelled that right
Guild.

Never plays a bad Taylor

[jeremy]

i really like older guilds but i mostly play martin and taylors. for a very long time i played a 60's hofner j45 copy which was great, probably wasnt worth much but it was really nice guitar. gibsons, martins, talyors, ovations, guilds, takamine... they all sound different. i had an ovation for a decade and it was a good live guitar

[beaubrummels]

Taylor for solo voice/acoustic
Martin for lead acoustic or primary rhythm with an acoustic band
Gibson for primary rhythm to mix with electric guitars in a band
Guild for background/secondary rhythm in either electric or acoustic bands

[ItsaBass]

Guilds from the '80s and '90s will give you the best bang for your buck in a "professional level" acoustic guitar. They are as well made as the best big factories made 'em, and cheaper.

I've never fallen in love with a Taylor, for some reason. They just have never had "it" when I've tried them – body, volume, balance, cut-through, shimmer, personality – whatever that intangible "it" is. It's almost like they're too mild mannered and well behaved, or something like that. They've always bored me with their tone, and I've given them a lot of chances. Then again, I am very spoiled by how stunningly great my three acoustics sound. The youngest one is older than the Taylor company itself (though I'm not really a believer in the "older is better" philosophy for acoustics).

[Mincer]

A completely opposite direction- my Variax Acoustic has no acoustic sound whatsoever, But it sounds great through an acoustic amp or PA, which is how I use it. My Godin Multiac sounds sort of like a banjo acoustically, but sounds great through amplification. They are thin, very easy-to-play guitars built for that purpose only...not really to sound great in a room. That's why I bought them.

[Lewguitar]

I have two Taylors, a Seagull and two Blueridge acoustics.

I prefer the OM body style with spruce top and rosewood back and sides.

Value wise, I think the Blueridge and Eastman guitars are the nicest sounding guitars for the money.

I've owned some nice Martins but my Blueridge guitar sounded better than the Martins in the showroom costing $2000 - 3000!

[GuitarStv]

I really like Martin D-28s. To me, they sound exactly like an acoustic guitar should sound. But they're also crushingly expensive. There are plenty of knock-off versions of this guitar, if you try a bunch you can probably find a great sounding one.

Taylor's x14 bodies with the cutaway are probably the most comfortable guitars I've played. There's certainly some variety between the bracing and wood types, but on the whole they tend to sound a little brighter/less bassy and a be a little better for fingerpicking than the regular dreadnought shape. It's weird (but very nice) to have an acoustic where you can fret up high with no problems and where your fingers are free to navigate to anywhere they want to go.

Other than that there are plenty of nice acoustics out there at cheaper price points. L'Arrive, Guild, Yamaha, Takamine, Seagull . . . you really just need to try a bunch and see what works.

[solspirit]

I do like playing a cutaway but I wonder sometimes if it takes away from the volume or tone of the guitar.

[beaubrummels]

I've never fallen in love with a Taylor, for some reason. They just have never had "it" when I've tried them – body, volume, balance, cut-through, shimmer, personality – whatever that intangible "it" is. It's almost like they're too mild mannered and well behaved, or something like that. They've always bored me with their tone, and I've given them a lot of chances.

This is precisely why I can only stand Taylor’s for solo voice/acoustic. They just don’t mix well with other instruments.

[Securb]

I am not a big acoustic guy. I paid $499 for my Steve Vai Ibanez and it is one of the best sounding acoustics I have heard acoustic or plugged in.

The EP5 is an incredibly thin acoustic guitar. It boasts a very shallow body and an electric style thin neck. My biggest concern about this guitar before hearing it was would this guitar have enough projection unplugged. Outfitted with a spruce top and a larger sound hole the EP5 is a not only loud but also beautiful sounding guitar.

The neck is made from solid mahogany adding stability to the instrument and plenty of sustain. The neck meets the body at the 14th, not the 12th fret giving comfortable access to higher notes. The classic Florentine cutaway takes over at the 14th fret giving you access to the entire two-octave neck.

[ehdwuld]

I am not a big acoustic guy. I paid $499 for my Steve Vai Ibanez and it is one of the best sounding acoustics I have heard acoustic or plugged in.

Now I want one

[GuitarStv]

I do like playing a cutaway but I wonder sometimes if it takes away from the volume or tone of the guitar.

There's a difference. If I never played up above the 12th fret, I wouldn't get a cutaway.