Members Chictown Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 I am looking for a Christmas present for my wife. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ACOUSTIC GUITARS. I want to upgrade her present generic guitar to one of higher quality. She plays primarily folk and religious tunes for fun at home, at church, etc. In reading the threads, it looks like a solid wood guitar offers the highest quality. I've looked at the Martin D-15 and the Taylor 110....the former sounds like it has more bass; the latter a lot brighter. I'd be willing to go up to $750 for a new guitar and would like your input, based on what she plays and the fact that we're only filling a family room, not a concert hall. Thanks in advance for your help! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aaaaabb Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 The 15 series by Martin, The new 200 (?) series by Taylor, 03 series by Larrivee, and a number of guitars by Tacoma can all be had for 750 or less with HSC. They are all solid wood. EXP line by Legend is not much more if you can find one of those. Does she want a Drednaught? It might be good to consider a smaller body size if she plays mostly folky fingerpicking stuff. Any of those brands give you great value. Legend has a line that can be had for a not much more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aaaaabb Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 Oh yea, try and find a good little shop in your area where the salesman is also the owner. They will listen to you and help you pick a good guitar that works for your wife, instead of just getting you out the door with the guitar they have been trying to sell for a year. Ask the salesman to play the guitars your looking at so you can compare them Also i dont know if you want to suprise her but this might be the kind of decision you let her help with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SurrealMcCoy Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 Hey Mike, I would try to arrange a time when you can visit a guitar store with your wife and let her play some different instruments. That way you can let her find the right body, neck size, playability, sound, and features that are most important to her. Guitars are extremely personal........and you should definitely find something in your price range (Martin, Tacoma, Seagull etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deevee Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 If you don't know snot about guitars but are a good judge of character, maybe choose the store by the manner in which they help you look at possible guitars, then get a gift certificate in the range of what guitars were appealing ... she ought to choose where it comes to upgrading ... dv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members redman Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 Buying a guitar for someone else is tricky. Although $750 may not be much money to some it is still a nice chunk of change in my neighborhood. You have already mentioned one problem. You compared 2 guitars from different manufactures and noticed that there is a difference in sound between the 2. The question is, between the 2 which one will your wife like the best. Also there is difference in feel and playability between guitars. You may not want to do this but my suggestion is to tell her what you are planning and take her with you so that she can compare the different models in your price range and make the choice. True it will spoil the surprise but I think she will enjoy it much more if she gets the one that sounds and feels right to her. Another option is to buy one from a shop that has a good return policy so that she will be surprised Christmas morning but has the option of going back and looking at her other options. No matter what you decide I imagine you will be earning "Browny Points" this Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seven7 Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 i agree with the above. let her pick out the guitar. it'll still be a surprise when you say something like "honey, i'm getting you a guitar for Christmas!" right? just the particular guitar won't be a surprise which is a good thing. finding the right instrument is a VERY personal thing. let her pick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 Great advice ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deevee Posted November 14, 2003 Members Share Posted November 14, 2003 Originally posted by redman Buying a guitar for someone else is tricky. ... Another option is to buy one from a shop that has a good return policy so that she will be surprised Christmas morning but has the option of going back and looking at her other options. This is better than a gift certificate because it would be nice to have a surprise under the tree--altho that depends to a certain extent on how you wrap it too. So let's get real specific: You still need to determine what is a reliable store with a good choice of guitars. It doesn't have to be a huge variety, because most of us in this forum are not overwhelmed by the chain stores and do not recommend them generally and especially for acoustics. Look for these brands: Seagull Tacoma Martin Gibson Taylor Larrivee Guild Any three or four of these will provide a pretty good range of choices--and that's not to say there might be other brands: Cort Garrison Jay Turser Ovation Alvarez Dean Look for a smaller bodied "folk" style guitar -- if the salesperson gives you an odd look at this request, be polite and prepare to go elsewhere. And confide to the salesperson what the plan is: something for under the tree that can be returned. Perhaps already used ... What you don't want is to be "trading it in." dv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members labjr Posted November 15, 2003 Members Share Posted November 15, 2003 Put $750 down on a Froggy Bottom. Give her the payment book for Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orsino Posted November 15, 2003 Members Share Posted November 15, 2003 Originally posted by labjr Put $750 down on a Froggy Bottom. Give her the payment book for Christmas. or a Goodall. Seriously, I think the gift cert. is a great idea too. Get her a little toy guitar and put it in a box with the cert. You'll receive points and affection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carle Posted November 15, 2003 Members Share Posted November 15, 2003 I second the vote for Froggy Bottom. Very good, Very expensive, but Very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chictown Posted November 22, 2003 Author Members Share Posted November 22, 2003 Thanks for all your suggestions and how I can get around the element of surprise. What would constitute a "small bodied"guitar? Thanks! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cortfan Posted November 22, 2003 Members Share Posted November 22, 2003 Jumbo>Drednaught(like a D-15)>Parlor(like a 000-1 Martin). For a woman, or people with normal and smaller hands, check out the parlor, or auditorium size guitars. I have small hands and love my 000-1. About 700-800 USD. They will fill a room with sound. Good for strummimg and fingerpicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayotik Posted November 22, 2003 Members Share Posted November 22, 2003 A belated idea, since all the others are good, but heres a thought if you really want the element of surprise tell her YOU miight want a guitar and ask her to help you look for one for yourself. Watch and see what she herself likes best. Then tell her tell her you might just get a "generic" guitar but some other time. IF she feels disappointed that you didn't want a guitar for yourself after the Christmans surprise, learn to play her old one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Greg Bogoshian Posted November 22, 2003 Members Share Posted November 22, 2003 If you want somewhere in between the tone of the Taylor and the Martin, I would highly recommend one of the mahogany acoustics from Carvin. All the feel of Taylor with phenomenal playability. If you prefer slightly more articulate string definition and punch, then go for one of the rosewood models. www.carvin.com/cobalt . You can hear my C980 at www.angelfire.com/ny5/boggs.com/boggspage9.html on tracks 1,3,4,& 5. Clips are at the bottom. They do have a 10 day money-back guarantee, but if you call up and ask for Sean or Marco or James and tell them I referred you, I am sure they could work out something to extend it seeing as it is to be a Christmas gift. Buying direct from the factory is what keeps the price down. No middle-men. Just great guitars! Boggs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chictown Posted November 23, 2003 Author Members Share Posted November 23, 2003 Greg, Your Carvin sounds great! Wonderful music! Thanks for vtaking the time to respond. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members riffdaddy Posted November 23, 2003 Members Share Posted November 23, 2003 Originally posted by SurrealMcCoy Hey Mike, I would try to arrange a time when you can visit a guitar store with your wife and let her play some different instruments. That way you can let her find the right body, neck size, playability, sound, and features that are most important to her. Guitars are extremely personal........and you should definitely find something in your price range (Martin, Tacoma, Seagull etc.). Excellent point. Getting a guitar with the right body size can make all the difference. Women tend to be a bit pickier with body size because a larger guitar can be cumbersome for them to get their arms around, especially if they are on the short side. I don't think you can go wrong with the Martin 15 Series. The Larrivee 03 Series is great also. It's refreshing to see somebody willing to put enough money towards a present to get a guitar of good quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Greg Bogoshian Posted November 23, 2003 Members Share Posted November 23, 2003 Originally posted by Chictown Greg, Your Carvin sounds great! Wonderful music! Thanks for vtaking the time to respond.Mike Thank YOU for taking the time to check it out! I visited the factory store last January and they ALL play that great. Boggs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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