Members Westsailor Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Although a bass player by nature, I'm in the mood to pick up a decent acoustic guitar at a reasonable price ( Problem is, I'm in Guatemala and there just aren't many decent music shops down here to try out different guitars and I just can't bring myself to buy an acoustic without at least playing it a bit. Unless there is a general consensus about a particular guitar that seems to be consistent in quality (build, good looking), nicely playable (slim profile neck) and has a nice rich tone without being dreadnaught sized (I live on a boat). i.e. something that is not so much a risk when buying it sight unseen. Is there such an thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kimona Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Yamaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhythmguitar28 Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 You mentioned slim neck profile. Blueridge makes some great sounding guitars in the sub $1K range. In fact a laminate guitar might be a good idea if it's potentially exposed to the elements and a lot of humidity changes, living on a boat. I love the tone of my BR-70! Do you have a list of brands that are available where you live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarVlog Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Yamaha, Takamine, Martin or Taylor have my confidence. But the value-for-money vote goes to Yamaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Too many good choices for that price range. Go play a bunch. Takes about a month to find the "correct" one for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Without being able to put your hands on too many guitars, if you have to buy online, you can't go too wrong with a Yamaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gitnoob Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 You live on a boat? Get a CA Cargo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 Taylor probably has the best consistency of any guitar maker. Their necks are also thin and fast. I do not like the sound as well as some others, but that is just personal preference. I would feel pretty comfy ordering a Taylor without playing it first... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guildfire Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 For buying online and expecting consistent quality I would go with Yamaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crashclc Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 There's no such thing as "best". If you're playing them before you buy them then you should pick the one that speaks to you. If you're buying sight unseen over the internet... shop by name brand and spend enough to get into the range where you're unlikely to be disappointed. Martins (my personal choice), Taylors, Takamines, Yamahas are all good if you spend enough but their cheap models are crap more often that not (IMO). Spend under five hundred and you will quite likely be disappointed. Between five hundred and a grand you will be happier but with a solid chance of getting something you aren't overly happy with. North of a grand you are likely to be happy with the result. To be perfectly clear, I am NOT saying there aren't good guitars for less than five hundred or even a thousand dollars. There are LOADS of them, but since you're not holding them and playing them yourself, you're at the mercy of what the supplier sends you. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not. In the end, if you don't like what you get, send it back pronto. Poor Jimmy Chaos has had a succession of bad buys and he actually spent big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cada7 Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 I would heartily recommend looking at Wechter too. Very happy with my Grand Auditorium Elite - 5712, with Triphonic pickup/mic system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knockwood Posted August 30, 2009 Members Share Posted August 30, 2009 In your situation, my inclination would be toward Taylor (for reasons pointed out by Totamus) or the Yamaha L series. Both have excellent consistency of quality. If you're living on a boat and in a situation where temperature/humidity are not controlled (?), I would lean towards the Yamaha L series because they have reinforced (lam) necks, which are extremely stable and will resist warping in fluctuating conditions better than a single-piece neck. A lot of people will automatically associate the word "laminate" with cheapness, but where necks are concerned this is definitely not the case. Consider that builders like Olson, Lowden, Avalon, Guild's higher end gits, etc., use laminate necks. I also own an LL6, and while it is the least expensive guitar in my current stable, it also has by far the best neck - for my hands, as "best neck" is pretty subjective - and is a frickin' blast to play. I really love the thing and at the moment probably reach for it more than any other git in my home. If you want something smaller than a dread, there is the LS6/LS16 and LJ6/LJ16. While the "J" is billed as a jumbo, it's really more like a mini-jumbo, with overall dimensions a bit smaller than the LL (dread size). All of them have solid Engelmann Spruce tops. The "16"s have solid back and sides as well, while the "6"s have laminate back and sides - This is the only difference between the two. Again, if you're in fluctuating weather/humidity conditions, you may be a little better off with laminate back/sides, but if you decide to go all solid, you're only looking at about $750, case included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WashburnGuy Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm primarily a bass player myself but have branched off into different instruments....... Don't overlook Washburn. Definitely underrated instruments....they've got a pretty good selection across a WIDE range of prices and most, if not all, have solid tops. You'll see from my sig I own several of them and they're all great guitars! Even their mandos are a good bargain. A new D10S with HSC and lifetime warranty can be delivered to your door for around $300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PaintByNumbers Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm going to second a Composite Acoustic Guitar. Guitars and being out on water don't really mix too well from my prospective. Get something that will sound good and be able to hand the abuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Florida_Gator Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'll 2nd what knockwood said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 It would seem to me that a Composite Acoustic, an Ovation, or a Rainsong would be best suited for you. As other folks have already pointed out, having a solid wood guitar and living on a boat doesn't make a good combination. Rainsongs are made of carbon fiber and Ovations have plastic backs, so they'd both be good choices IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members martinipm Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'd try to find a used Rainsong. You can get them for under $1K and you don't have to worry about the elements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SteinbergerHack Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 You didn't say what style you play. Flatpick or fingerstyle? Bluegrass? Folk? Taylors are a really good fingerstyle instrument for the money, while Martins seem to respond to heavy picking. Without knowing what you intend to do with the guitar, it's tough to know which ones will be most suited to your approach... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CountGrishnackh Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 Aside from the boat issue, i'd say Seagulls are the superior off the shelf instrument if you can find one, and they are not expensive considering the quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarist21 Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 I agree with Knock and Totamus. The most consistent guitars I've ever played are from Taylor. I can play one 314 and then go play another and feel like I've played the same guitar. That said, this living on a boat thing intrigues me. Guitars from Taylor that are worth buying have solid tops (at least) and fluctuating humidity is generally not good news for solid wood. Depending on the boat we're talking about here (canoe vs. ocean liner), this might be a difficult factor for you to control. You might want to look into guitars made of alternate building materials that are less susceptible to changes in humidity. Stuff from companies like Rainsong and CA, as I think have been mentioned. You could also go with something from Ovation that doesn't have a solid top, but generally the unplugged tone of those guitars is not to my liking. Of course, you could always use it as a paddle if your engine ever goes out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knockwood Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 Aside from the boat issue, i'd say Seagulls are the superior off the shelf instrument if you can find one, and they are not expensive considering the quality. The danger with a Seagull on a boat is that teh pointy headstock might punch a hole in the hull and sink your whole {censored}. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Florida_Gator Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 We call 'em flying rats down here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 31, 2009 Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 Yamaha is a safe bet for consistency. I'd go even cheaper than 1 K and buy a thin laminated top as there are less risk of huge changes in the guitar's set-up. A solid top is not at risk of cracking in humidity (that's a dryness problem) but would soak humidity and "dome" a little making the action higher and less playable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Westsailor Posted August 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 Yamaha. Interesting you should say recommend Yamaha. A while back I needed a new bass and asked the same question. The answer everyone gave was 'Can't go wrong with Yamaha'. So, I bought a BB414 sight unseen online and have never regretted the decision. It's a sweet playing/sounding Bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Westsailor Posted August 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 31, 2009 Having a guitar on a boat is not as much a problem as one might think. Well, assuming it's a 'liveaboard' sized boat. Just have to make sure you have a decent case and pay attention/take care of it. More's the problem transporting it to/from shore (especially in salt water re: any electronics). The biggest 'problem' for me is one of stowage. I already have 2 bass guitars, amp, mics/stands/bags 'o cables, etc.. Finding a place to tuck a hardshell case is a challenge. So I don't think a Dreadnaught/Jumbo is in my future I've played/considered Ovations but the dame things keep sliding off my lap I guess right now I'm more a strummer (rhythm) but I do pick some fingerstyle as well. I'm not looking so much for a 'fast' neck as one that would accommodate my average sized (but smaller) hands for barred chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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