Try, Try Again

[SkippyX]

I've been GASin' for an acoustic for a little while now, and after my experiences picking up an electric when I first got back into playing after a long layoff, I've been a bit more stand-offish about making a purchase.

 

Gotten' alot of good advice on the HCEG side of the house - and I've read good stuff and gotten some great advice in here as well.

 

Tried out a Washburn D-10N the other day. It was advertised on Craigslist and only 15 minutes from the house, so I took a drive and had a go at it. I know that the D-10S gets recommended often around here. I thought "Eh, 10S, 10N - how different could they be?"

 

I liked the neck, liked the highs.....but man....when it comes to bass, the D-10N was a gutless dog.

 

When I was a kid I had an old "Epi" acoustic. It was an Epiphone knock-off, made by Norlin. It must have been a laminate, because that thing was damned near indestructible. It had a big, boomy sound to it. I used to love tuning DADGAD...or tuning the low E down to D and using the D as a drone note ("Love The One You're With" sounds great that way). Consequently, when I look at an acoustic, I'm thinking "OK - let's see how bassy it gets...."

 

I dunno. A rant to nowhere.

 

Anyways - Seein' as the Washburn lineup is sort of a PITA to find around here, has anyone else played the D-10S? Same thing as a D-10N (w/ regard to the bass)?

 

As an aside, I moved from my shanty deep in the national forest to the boomin' city of Houston. At a social function I met a fellow that's a slide guitar player and seems to know quite a few of the musical crowd in this town. He's got an acoustic he wants to sell me.

 

According to him it's an old 70's epiphone body w/ an '82 epiphone neck. I've forgotten what model it was. He told me it was one that Epiphone put out in the 70's as a 12 string, but then offered the body as a 6 string as well. Spruce/mahongany. Full dreadnaught body. tusque nut & saddle. Martin bridge. He claims he had to make the holes in the top a bit bigger to accomodate the martin pins. He wants $250 for it - which seems like a reasonable deal on anything that plays well and sounds good. I'm supposed to go look at it some time this week, if I ever get the time. (Work sooo much interfers w/ life, doesn't it?)

 

Just in case I decide not to go w/ the epiphone, any recommendations of something to look at for that boomy full-bodied sound? Mostly it'll be a strummin' gitfiddle, but it will likely do double-duty w/ some finger pickin'.

 

OK - I'd better get back to work before the guy in the bearskin notices I'm not rowing as hard as the others.........that lash hurts.

[moctzal]

Budget?

[SkippyX]

 

Budget?

 

 

One of the hazards of being a night shift worker is sleep deprivation. Another is posting while nodding off.......

 

I dunno. Up to $500. Any higher than that and my nose starts bleeding.

[kwakatak]

Epiphone Masterbilt might start around that range. I've never played a "regular" Epi acoustic, but these are all-solid wood and LOUD. Even the small EF-500R had lots of bass.

[OldGuitarPlayer]

Well..I can't resist putting in a plug for the Taylor 114 or even the 110 model.

I just got a Taylor 114 Grand Auditorium model and for $599 USD it's a pretty decent guitar. Very loud and responisve to dynamics. It has a slightly narrower fingerboard width of than other Taylors and if you come from playing electric you will really like the neck. I find mine to be the perfect width and with the very flat fingerboard it's very easy to get a nice comfortable buzz free action. Trust me...I tried all kinds of guitars in the $600 price range ...Martins, Seagulls, Simon & Patrick, Epi 500 series, Takamines...and the Taylor 114 won out. I use the Elixir Nano meduims on mine and they sound amazing with this guitar. In the summer I kill strings in one gig ( I sweat a lot). These have lasted almost a week of steady playing and still sound almost new. Seriously man...check out the Taylor 110 or 114. For $100 more than your budget I feel you can't go wrong.

 

OGP

[dhoenisch]

If you can chew the guitar stores down, you can probably get a Martin DX series guitar for around $500. Martins are known for their bass, and the DX definately has bass. It has a solid spruce top too. The Epiphone Masterbuilts I tried are also a bit bassy too. I felt that the Martin DX I tried had just a little bit more though, but just a little bit.

 

Dan

[bsman]

...Martins are known for their bass...

 

I hear they also "go to 11"

 

 

[OldGuitarPlayer]

If you can chew the guitar stores down, you can probably get a Martin DX series guitar for around $500. Martins are known for their bass, and the DX definately has bass. It has a solid spruce top too. The Epiphone Masterbuilts I tried are also a bit bassy too. I felt that the Martin DX I tried had just a little bit more though, but just a little bit. Dan

 

+1 on the Martin DX series

 

OGP

[guitarist21]

 

One of the hazards of being a night shift worker is sleep deprivation. Another is posting while nodding off....... I dunno. Up to $500. Any higher than that and my nose starts bleeding.

 

 

Another vote for Epiphone Masterbilt. I'm sure you could find a used one that fits comfortably into your price range. IMO, they're one of the best values on the market today.

 

And in regard to Kwak's never playing a "real" Epiphone acoustic, I've found that other Epiphone acoustics pale in comparison to the Masterbilts in almost all respects including volume.

 

Ellen

[OldGuitarPlayer]

 

And in regard to Kwak's never playing a "real" Epiphone acoustic, I've found that other Epiphone acoustics pale in comparison to the Masterbilts in almost all respects including volume. Ellen

 

 

 

Ellen is correct. The other Epi acoustics are definately not as well made or sound as good as the Epi Masterbilt Series. It's not that they are "bad". They just aren't the same standard. Most are either all laminate or solid top and laminate backs and sides. I did find a AJ-200S that was ok but still not as good as a Masterbilt. Like Ellen says you could probably pick up a used one in your price range.

[moctzal]

You could get a mahogany Epi Masterbilt (Slope or square shouldered dread) for $450-$500 from MF or Sweetwater.

[Samilyn]

+1 on the Martin DX series OGP

 

+2 on the Martin DX series. I love my DX12. Can't define exactly what it is, but it does indeed have that little something extra. For easygoing folk music, I can honestly say it handles mellow silk 'n steel strings nicely - something many guitars can't do without losing something, and it perks right up when strung with 80/20's or PB's. Lots of versatility on a skinny budget like mine.