Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

blakejcan

blakejcan

Well-known member
Title kind of says it all. I have a $100 Johnson super cheapy acoustic that has been my "hey I'm sitting on the couch and don't care if this gets messed up so I'll play it and throw it wherever without worrying about it" guitar. It's been great to learn on and was my first guitar and after a setup has pretty decent action. But really, it's basically just a polished turd.

Now that I own an HD-28 and I've been playing a while the Johnson in comparison sounds like it's not even a guitar. It's hard to listen to cause apparently I'm a snob now. Thanks a lot Martin! Now, I know nothing will sound as gnarly as an HD-28 but I think I could at least do a lot better than the Johnson for a throwaround geeeeeeetar.

So my idea is to take some gift cards I've accumulated and get a new guitar to replace it. I'm eyeing the Martin X series guitars cause they seem like they can take a lot of abuse, sound pretty sweet and I just love Martins now.

I don't have a 12 string and was thinking maybe the DX12? Or just a DX 6er? I also like Seagulls and all of their variants (Norman,etc.)

Anyone got one of these and have an opinion? I'm looking for a good sound, durability & playability. Like a real nice

Looking to spend between $400-$600 ish.

Thank you dear internet friends.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Seagulls are excellent. I would have bought one for 300, but bought a Yamaha instead. I have been very happy with the Yamaha, as it has a solid spruce top (not sides or back), MOP inlay, purfling, binding, and a nice headstock. The seagull would have had less of the bling for the same price.
The Yamaha maintains brightness and a very even sustain, even with dead strings. Its not Ovation bright, but its noticeable over the cedar topped Seagull.
The Yamaha came with Elixir-like strings, by the way. That shouldn't really color your opinion; in fact be wary of playing both as the Yamaha may have coated strings that give it a leg up.
If you're looking for resale, forget Yamaha obviously. It sounds great, however.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Check the deals on Alvarez Artist series and Guild GAD series. A lot of guitar for the money.
 
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Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

My son has a Seagull S6. It's a lot of guitar for the money. It's priced like a semi-beater, but it doesn't sound or play like one.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Alvarez and Yamaha

great sounding acoustics for just a bit of money

back last summer MF had the 000 parlor/folk size on sale for $99 with case and free shipping

link to NGD with pics


edit
looking over the post, I guess there was shipping or tax or something
I dont remember
 
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Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

ehdwuld said:
Alvarez and Yamaha

great sounding acoustics for just a bit of money

back last summer MF had the 000 parlor/folk size on sale for $99 with case and free shipping

link to NGD with pics


edit
looking over the post, I guess there was shipping or tax or something
I dont remember
Click to expand...

I remember that thread, because it's how I learned of those inexpensive Alvarez acoustics. A guy I give lessons to bought the acoustic/electric version for $150 after I sent him that link. The guitar arrived playing pretty good right out of the box, and came with a decent case. It kind of reminds me of a Taylor 110.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

alvarez or takamine would be my take.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

I am not a fan of Martin's lower end HPL acoustics, just not in the same league as their higher end stuff.

I'd check out the Taylor GS mini and 110 in addition to the above mentioned Yamahas, Seagulls and Alvarez. The irony is that you paid a lot of money for an all solid wood acoustic, but now you must care for it as such. A solid top, laminate side and back acoustic will be much more forgiving.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Honestly, some of those entry level Taylors are really nice guitar. They deserve a good look.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

PFDarkside said:
I am not a fan of Martin's lower end HPL acoustics, just not in the same league as their higher end stuff.

I'd check out the Taylor GS mini and 110 in addition to the above mentioned Yamahas, Seagulls and Alvarez. The irony is that you paid a lot of money for an all solid wood acoustic, but now you must care for it as such. A solid top, laminate side and back acoustic will be much more forgiving.
Click to expand...

Exactly! I laugh about that a lot but now that I got a baby in the house a grab n go whenever I have a free moment is more useful than unloading the D-28 from its case, being real careful to not bang it....ah crap, baby woke up on the first booming chord...
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Old stuff with "Japan" written on it... <$200 if you dont spend the time (and <100 if you look). The $600 new indochina/mexico stuff cant touch em. Cool bonuses like BRAZILIAN rosewood, ebony, etc, too, are found quite often on em.

If your gift cards are GC, you should be able to find one or more options

New stuff of matching or higher quality takes you to 4-digit Martins and Gibsons... Which hurt your pocketbook. And also likely wont ever get treated as "grab & play anywhere", unless/until you accidentally put some major damage on em - kinda a depressing path to liberating results
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Adieu said:
Old stuff with "Japan" written on it... <$200 if you dont spend the time (and <100 if you look)
Click to expand...

+1

Some of the older Yamaki and Daion guitars sound fantastic . . .
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Having had to work on a couple Martin HPL guitars this past year I beg you to please not buy one! I could write a page about why not to, but I don't wanna. I'll just say that, in my humble opinion, these guitars should not be on the market.

Play a Seagull Entourage or Entourage Rustic and see how you like them. I think they are great sounding, very well built, guitars. Get a TRIC case with it and you can throw it around as much as you want.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

I'd like I hear more about why you people dislike the HPL martins?

Everything I can find sounds good!?!
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

The Taylor 110 is really nice for the cash you have. It's a different flavor than a Martin though. GC usually have these in stock so you can play one.
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Now that Xmas is over I'll be heading to my local shop to see all the stuff they need to clear out. Thanks everyone!
 
Re: Want new grab & play anywhere, anytime acoustic semi-beater recommendation

Re: Martin HPL: I played a new one in the store and it sounded pretty good, but the two I've worked on this year sounded really dull to me.

They are really hard to work on. Now that I think about it, the first one had an HPL top and that was a real nightmare, but they may not make those anymore. The other had a solid spruce top. The side had been damaged and then "repaired" once by an authorized Martin repair shop. That repair was not good & I had to think outside the box on how to re-repair it. Ended up gluing in some carbon fiber fabric to stabilize the large crack. It worked but was very difficult and messy to do.

So I guess I'd say steer totally clear of an all HPL Martin. The ones with solid spruce tops are okay, but difficult to work on & I think you can get a much better guitar for less in the Seagull line.

Have fun shopping!
 
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