Getting my first acoustic guitar, suggestions?

[mparsons]

Hey everyone,

 

I've been playing electric for around 6 years now, and I've finally decided that its time to get an acoustic. I've been doing a pretty good bit of research so far, but I'm still not really sure what exactly I want.

 

The guitar will solely be for recording with a microphone, and I'd prefer not to have a cutaway or any electronics built in (no compromise on tone+saving on 'features' I don't want=win). I do want to do fingerstyle a bit more than strumming/picking, but I will want to do both (otherwise I'd get a nylon and call it a day!)

 

From what I've read so far, an auditorium style guitar is more what I want than a dreadnought or jumbo size. I tend to prefer a brighter sound to a darker sound with acoustics. And I'd also like to spend around or under $500. Used would be great but I don't want to buy used on eBay or online.

 

Of the research I've done, these appear to fit what I want:

 

Recording King RO-27: http://www.recordingking.com/guitars_ro27.html

Price: $525 (does not include case?)

Pros: All solid wood, no pickguard, 1 3/4" width

Cons: Rosewood fretboard, doesn't include case, made in China

 

Yamaha LS6: http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail.html?CNTID=5050011&CTID=5065100

Price: $500, includes case

Pros: Ebony fretboard, all solid wood(?), made in Japan(?), 1 3/4" width

Cons: Pickguard

 

Alvarez PF411: http://www.alvarezgtr.com/prod_page.php?SeriesID=3&ItemID=254

Price: $369 on clearance

Pros: Price! Solid top and back. I've played many Alvarez guitars and liked what I've played.

Cons: Unknown nut width.

 

Any suggestions/ideas/opinions on these? Or others in a similar range?

 

Thanks!

[mgproudfit]

Find one you REALLY like (i.e., that Yamaha) and take the 20% off from Guitar Center I posted a few posts down and snag yourself a great deal. That LS6 is an outstanding guitar.

 

-Matt

[mparsons]

Find one you REALLY like (i.e., that Yamaha) and take the 20% off from Guitar Center I posted a few posts down and snag yourself a great deal. That LS6 is an outstanding guitar. -Matt

 

That's the idea, but none of the local Guitar Centers have that Yamaha in stock. I may see if I can special order it.

[Queequeg]

Just a couple of thoughts...

(I have to admit I haven't played any of the three.)

All have solid tops. The RK & Alvarez have solid B&S, but not the Yamaha.

All are rosewood, and some people think that mahogany B&S is a preferred wood for recording. But hey- 1000s of great recordings have been done on rose so take that with a grain of you-know-what. Still, you might include a mahogany in your consideration.

I don't think that any of the three would be a "bad" choice. Personally I don't care for Alvarez bridges but that's a cosmetic judgement on my part and actually there may well be a functional advantage to it.

[mgproudfit]

Not to toot my own horn here, but you may want to look into the Parkwood lineup. I think they have 4-5 models, and I just received my PW320M in the mail yesterday and Im floored by the out-of-the-box quality and setup from it. They are on sale for 299.00 right now, plus the 20% off would bring it down to ~240.00, which is a sick deal for solid mahogany B&S and solid spruce top. Just a thought...

 

-Matt

[Phil Jacques]

personally I enjoy Ovation and Takamine check them out!

[guitarcapo]

 

Not to toot my own horn here, but you may want to look into the Parkwood lineup. I think they have 4-5 models, and I just received my PW320M in the mail yesterday and Im floored by the out-of-the-box quality and setup from it. They are on sale for 299.00 right now, plus the 20% off would bring it down to ~240.00, which is a sick deal for solid mahogany B&S and solid spruce top. Just a thought... -Matt

 

 

 

Yea I was going to mention that deal if it's still going on. Very sick deal.

And smaller guitars are better balanced for fingerpicking and recording.

[StringJunky]

 

Not to toot my own horn here, but you may want to look into the Parkwood lineup. I think they have 4-5 models, and I just received my PW320M in the mail yesterday and Im floored by the out-of-the-box quality and setup from it. They are on sale for 299.00 right now, plus the 20% off would bring it down to ~240.00, which is a sick deal for solid mahogany B&S and solid spruce top. Just a thought... -Matt

 

 

I ordered one of those as well. It won't show up for a couple of weeks. Any thoughts on yours so far?

 

Edit: Disregard. I just saw your goat thread.

[mgproudfit]

Yea, I like it a lot. Well worth the wait, IMO. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine!

 

-Matt

[mparsons]

 

personally I enjoy Ovation and Takamine check them out!

 

 

I don't like Ovation, but I've heard a lot of great things about takamine. I will give them a look.

[mgproudfit]

Oh dang, for real? Must have been last weekend only then. Wow, that sucks.

 

If you're good at bargain hunting/talking people down on their prices, you could call and say, "listen, I know these were just 299.00, if you can honor that price, I will give you my CC info immediately." Youd be surprised at what some people are willing to do to make a sale.

 

-Matt

[sixgunner455]

Takamine or LS6.

[LiFeStArTs@40]

Yes... that deal is still out there. Don't ask me how I know.

[bigald18]

I own a Parkwood PW320M and find it to be a well made excellently set up guitar. The only problem I have with it is that it seems like the string spacing is tight. Maybe it's just my guitar or maybe it's all of them, but they are well made and have a great sound. It could also be my chubby fingers. I also own a Yammie LJ6 which is a mini jumbo. It has laminated rosewood b & s and a 1 3/4 nut with ample string spacing. The LS6, while not a jumbo, has the same neck and nut width. The Yamaha has a great sound.

 

BigAl

[mparsons]

Upon further research, the Alvarez has 1 21/32" nut width, which is thinner than 1 3/4" of the other two. From what I have read, this is not conducive to finger picking, right?

[gitnoob]

The RO-27 is nearly identical to the Silver Creek T-170. There's a bunch of info in my sig about them, including sound clips, and they sometimes go on sale for crazy cheap.

 

The main difference between the RO-27 and the Parkwood mentioned is the nut width and spacing at the bridge. The RO-27 is one of the few wide-nut wide-spacing-at-the-bridge 000-sized gits on the market in that price range.

 

Excellent for fingerpicking on the cheap.

[mparsons]

The RO-27 is nearly identical to the Silver Creek T-170. There's a bunch of info in my sig about them, including sound clips, and they sometimes go on sale for crazy cheap. The main difference between the RO-27 and the Parkwood mentioned is the nut width and spacing at the bridge. The RO-27 is one of the few wide-nut wide-spacing-at-the-bridge 000-sized gits on the market in that price range. Excellent for fingerpicking on the cheap.

 

Wow! The Silver Creek you mentioned is on sale for $300 on MF -- that is a really excellent deal considering the specifications mentioned. I'll listen to your sound clips, thanks

 

In your thread it says the manufacturer of these is Recording King -- are these a lower quality version of that brand, or just a rebranding, as is very common with Asian made stuff?

 

EDIT: The Silver Creek is on order until April... nevermind

[mgproudfit]

Wow! The Silver Creek you mentioned is on sale for $300 on MF -- that is a really excellent deal considering the specifications mentioned. I'll listen to your sound clips, thanks

 

Also a good deal, but they were being sold for 99.00 last fall. If I were you, Id wait out a bit, and keep your eye on the Musicians Friend Stupid Deal of the Day. Something good is liable to pop up right after you buy your guitar. Seems that's the way it always works...

 

-Matt

[gitnoob]

If you end up going for the Silver Creek, keep in mind that it *will* require a setup. Read the reviews. All of them require a setup. (Which is pretty trivial to do yourself, IMO).

 

Silver Creek is a house brand for Musician's Friend. They appear to be made by Recording King. Different headstock. Different fret markers. And maybe different tuners. Otherwise, I can't tell the difference vs the RO-27.

[Pine Apple Slim]

I have an RO 7 now for 2-3 months. Its the RK 000 with solid top and lam rosewood B&S. Its proving to be very reponsive, sounding better every day, very versatle & fun to play.

The RO27 is basically the same guitar w/solid B&S.

Excellent guitar for what you want to do.

[mparsons]

Also a good deal, but they were being sold for 99.00 last fall. If I were you, Id wait out a bit, and keep your eye on the Musicians Friend Stupid Deal of the Day. Something good is liable to pop up right after you buy your guitar. Seems that's the way it always works... -Matt

 

That's been my experience!

 

I'm going to make the trek to Guitar Center and see if anything there catches my eye. There's apparently a Recording King dealer a few hours away, as well.. we shall see!

 

Thanks again for the advice everyone.

[LiFeStArTs@40]

If GC has the Parkwoods in the store, they'll sell them as clearence. You just have to let them know that you've seen them online at clearence prices. GREAT guitars for that price point.

[mparsons]

Went to Guitar Center today... They didn't have any of the Yamaha's that I wanted to try (LS6 or 16). They DID have a really nice Tanglewood that was right in my price range, but it was really broken (two big cracks in the wood from the bridge to the bottom of the body!!), and they were only willing to drop the price $80... so I passed. It was the best sounding guitar in the store, interestingly enough.

[DeepEnd]

. . . They DID have a really nice Tanglewood that was right in my price range, but it was really broken (two big cracks in the wood from the bridge to the bottom of the body!!), . . . It was the best sounding guitar in the store, interestingly enough.

Here's a Tanglewood dealer that should be near you:

 

Chick Piano

240 West Clayton St.,

Athens, GA 30643

706-543-4348

www.chickpiano.com

 

Another in Savannah just in case:

 

AMR Music

5205 A Waters Ave.

Savannah, GA 31404

912-352-1333

www.amrmusic.net

 

And here's the Tanglewood US web site in case you want to use the dealer locator for yourself: http://www.tanglewoodguitars.com/.

[sixgunner455]

 

Went to Guitar Center today... They didn't have any of the Yamaha's that I wanted to try (LS6 or 16). They DID have a really nice Tanglewood that was right in my price range, but it was really broken (two big cracks in the wood from the bridge to the bottom of the body!!), and they were only willing to drop the price $80... so I passed. It was the best sounding guitar in the store, interestingly enough.

 

 

The Yamaha L-series is only carried in stores by Yamaha's "Rosewood" dealers. GC isn't on the list. The official list shows two in Georgia, one in Gainsville, and the other in Marietta. If there was one that close to me, I'd be calling to find out what they have in stock, and make the trip out to see them.

 

Whatever you do, good luck!