Entry level, solid wood, USA made

[afiaowo]

What are my options for brands and models if you wouldn't mind being specific for a starter who is looking for a non-plywood USA made guitar?

 

Something that will accommodate strumming and finger picking. An OM size?

[Bernie P.]

Larrivee,Martin,etc.You're looking around 800+ for US made/solid woods.The general consensus around here is the Larri's are the best in this price range.As price goes up its any body's game.

[Howie22]

I'd say your best bet will be the Martin 15 series. They do make a smaller size, I believe. They usually fall in the $800-1000 range.

 

The Taylor DN3 is a dread, but has 1.75" string spacing, so it may accomodate finger picking a little easier. You could find that in the $800-900 range.

 

Most of the other entry level all wood guitars are made elsewhere. If you are open to Canada as the place of manufacture, you might look at the Larrivee 03 series. They make a slope shouldered dread and an OM size that could work for you. They can be had for around $800

[bbarkow]

"Entry level" and "solid wood, made in the USA" are not really compatible, IMHO.

 

I think that you're going to have to make a choice.

[drnihili]

 

If you are open to Canada as the place of manufacture, you might look at the Larrivee 03 series. They make a slope shouldered dread and an OM size that could work for you. They can be had for around $800

 

 

If Canada is an option, then you also have the whole Godin line: Art & Lutherie, Seagull, Norman, Simon and Patrick...

[afiaowo]

Is the 1.75 nut width the widest common width? It is for allowing better plucking of the strings with the fingers?

Does one not use a dreadjumbo sized instrument for finger style because you can't excite the body enough for a respectable amount of volume?

And if you go any smaller than the OM size does the bass and volume decrease allot?

 

Thank you.

[drnihili]

 

Is the 1.75 nut width the widest common width? It is for allowing better plucking of the strings with the fingers?

 

 

It's the standard wide nut size for steel strung guitars. However, some are a bit wider (Seagulls for instance), and of course classical guitars are around 2 inches I believe.

 

The main advantage cited for a wider nut is that it allows for a wider spacing of the strings near the soundholes and thus makes it easier to fingerpick. As a beginner, I find that the main advantage is actually that certain chords are easier to form. It's important to note, however, that some mighty fine fingerpicking has been done on narrow necked dreads. In the end skill and dedication may matter more than dimensions (where have we heard that before?)

 

 

Does one not use a dreadjumbo sized instrument for finger style because you can't excite the body enough for a respectable amount of volume?

 

 

Generally, the reason given is the tonal balance. Large bodied guitars tend to be boomier in the bass and that can overwhelm the detail in the treble. However, see my comment above regarding dimensions.

[Freeman Keller]

 

Is the 1.75 nut width the widest common width? It is for allowing better plucking of the strings with the fingers? Does one not use a dreadjumbo sized instrument for finger style because you can't excite the body enough for a respectable amount of volume? And if you go any smaller than the OM size does the bass and volume decrease allot? Thank you.

 

 

 

Actually the most common is 1-11/16, which is only 1/16 less but usually has a saddle spacing 1/8 less. Flat pickers tend to like the narrower spacing so they can move their little picks around faster, us fingerpickers tend to like the wider spacing so we can get our chubby little fingers between the strings. However I play equally poorly on everything from 1-11/16 to 1-7/8. I would not let that be the determining factor.

 

Bigger guitars tend to be biased more towards the bass (another reason bluegrass flatpickers and strummer tend to like them) while smaller bodied guitars tend to be more balanced. Volume depends as much on construction (how is it braced and scalloped) and strings (mediums tend to be a little louder) and the way it is played (a fat pick will be louder than my fingernails). A small guitar can be remarkably loud.

 

Since the top is most of what produces the sound I believe that you can compromise on the back and side - laminates there don't have as much effect on the tone or volume. In fact many good brands have solid tops and laminated b/s in their price point models - Taylors 2xx series, some of Martins and many other good gits. If you are willing to make that concession you will have many more to choose from.

 

I'll also add that my first guitar, and old Yamaha that I bought in 1969 is a small bodied well balanced loud good sounding guitar (with a 1-11/16 neck). I always knew the b/s were laminated mahogany, but about a year ago I confirmed that the top in "plywood" too. Still sounds damn good!

[EvilTwin]

Martin's -15 Series is well worth a look, given your criteria.

 

Guild just introduced these:

http://elderly.com//fmic/items/DV4.htm

http://www.elderly.com/fmic/items/DV6.htm

 

Not OM's, but all-solid, satin-finished, under a grand, made in USA. They'll cost you more than the Martins.

 

If you're willing to check out some guitars with laminate back/sides, I highly recommend the Canadian Seagull acoustics. They honestly sound better than some all-solid guitars I've played.

[phil_harmonic]

The Taylor Big Baby is worth a look if you want something low cost but decent. It's 7/8 scale so not really my cup of tea.

[conway]

Look to buy a nice used American made guitar,a higher quality for the same money. Chances are it will have opened up so you will know up front what it will sound like. I have bought and sold many. I learned the expensive way. Take my advise. Buy a better quality American made guitar, not new lower priced fair quality guitar.

[Hudman]

Larrivee makes nice solid wood guitars in the $700 - $900 new. They are equal to Taylor and Martin guitars that cost much more. They are hand made in Canada. They make their more expensive series in California. I guess you could consider them to be a hybrid Canada / USA company.

[guitarist21]

 

What are my options for brands and models if you wouldn't mind being specific for a starter who is looking for a non-plywood USA made guitar? Something that will accommodate strumming and finger picking. An OM size?

 

 

Are you open to guitars that have lam back/sides and solid tops? Because that would open up your options a little bit. Whether you are or aren't open to that, you're probably going to have to look at Canadian-made guitars as most folks have suggested.

 

Ellen

[kwakatak]

 

What are my options for brands and models if you wouldn't mind being specific for a starter who is looking for a non-plywood USA made guitar? Something that will accommodate strumming and finger picking. An OM size?

 

 

Without a doubt look at Larrivee's 03 series, particularly the L-03 or L-03R models.

[Broadus]

Another plug for Canada, especially if you are open to lam back and sides. The Godin line is very good. I agree with the point that entry level and all solid American-made are not exactly compatible. To me, entry level would be solid top and lam back and sides.

 

BTW, I don't consider the word "plywood" to adequately describe the way well-made laminated back and sides are made. "Plywood" makes it sound "Home Depot-ist." Not a knock against Home Depot; just a knock at the image the word evokes for guitars. Technically, the word is correct, but it is often used in a derogatory fashion. I've heard some mighty fine sounds coming from guitars with solid tops and lam back and sides. Don't take it personally, but it's becoming a pet peeve of mine.

 

Bill

[afiaowo]

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

Having made a trip to the store yesterday I went away liking the Larrivee L-03R the most. I really do like the 1

[EvilTwin]

 

Thanks for the help everyone.   Having made a trip to the store yesterday I went away liking the Larrivee L-03R the most. I really do like the 1

[Freeman Keller]

ET is right - we generally talk about scale length using the Martin conventions - "long" is 25.4 or 25.5, "short" is 24.9 or so. However there is nothing sacred about those measurements - standard guitar scales can range from aound 26 inches to less than 24.

 

Basically to be tuned to the same note a longer scale guitar will have more string tension. That means it will be slightly harder to fret, should have more volume and may drive the top a little harder all other things held the same. A shorter scale guitar will be slightly easier to fret and bend strings, probably a little softer. Many short scale guitars have the bridge (and maybe soundhole and bracing) moved up towards the upper bout - this will change the way it sounds. A longer scale may have the bridge more centered in the lower bout. Think of the difference here like striking a drum head in the center and more towards the rim. In addition longer scale gits may have a longer or bigger upper bout - that will change the sound too.

 

It is also intersting to note that the difference in tension between 24.9 and 25.4 is only 4 percent - frankly I doubt that many of us could really feel that. Of course the frets are a little closer together which may make long reaches easier. There is a strong arguement that if you are going to down tune a longer scale helps maintain the tension, and thus volume and feel. However I think you can do more for the feel of a git by experimenting with strings - gauges and construction - than the 4 percent in length (switching from mediums to lights reduces it by 12 percent).

 

FWIW - my D-18 and 000-28 are both long scale, my two twelve strings are both short, I think my two resos are right in the middle and I have no idea what the Taylor or Yamie are. As I said about nut width, none of this has made me play any better either.

[guitarist21]

 

Is there something I could look at with a 1 3/4 nut width or a company that uses 1 11/16 with the wider string spacing with the shorter scale?

 

 

There's got to be a Seagull like this, right?

 

Ellen

[kwakatak]

 

Thanks for the help everyone.   Having made a trip to the store yesterday I went away liking the Larrivee L-03R the most. I really do like the 1

[TheTool]

Where are johnson guitars made?

 

JC-26 and JC-27 are ones too look at (Y).

[DeepEnd]

 

There's got to be a Seagull like this, right? Ellen

 

The Entourage series, S6 Cedar Slim, and Coastline Cedar Grand all have 1.72" nut widths. The specs page gives scale length as 24.84" for all models http://www.seagullguitars.com/specs.htm. All Simon & Patricks except 12-strings have 1.72" nut widths. The scale is 24.84", same as Seagull http://www.simonandpatrick.com/specs.htm, which isn't surprising since they're both divisions of Godin.

[happy-man]

BTW, I don't consider the word "plywood" to adequately describe the way well-made laminated back and sides are made. "Plywood" makes it sound "Home Depot-ist." Not a knock against Home Depot; just a knock at the image the word evokes for guitars. Technically, the word is correct, but it is often used in a derogatory fashion. I've heard some mighty fine sounds coming from guitars with solid tops and lam back and sides. Don't take it personally, but it's becoming a pet peeve of mine. Bill

 

This reply doesn't really belong in a discusion on all wood US made guitars, but I have two guitars in my household for which "plywood" is a perfect description. One is my daughter's Jay Jr (won as a prize), the second being my MF SDOTD $56 Aria "AW-20". If you can imagine buying the thinnest plywood Home Depot has and making a guitar out of it, you are imagining the sound of these guitars.

[Freeman Keller]

BTW, I don't consider the word "plywood" to adequately describe the way well-made laminated back and sides are made. "Plywood" makes it sound "Home Depot-ist." Not a knock against Home Depot; just a knock at the image the word evokes for guitars. Technically, the word is correct, but it is often used in a derogatory fashion. I've heard some mighty fine sounds coming from guitars with solid tops and lam back and sides. Don't take it personally, but it's becoming a pet peeve of mine. Bill

 

Bill, please note my tongue firmly in my cheek. A year or so ago there was an awesome thread, complete with music, called something like "I Love My Plywood Cheapie". Some of us use the term as an endearing way of refering to guitars that maybe don't have a pedigree but put out some incredible sound. If my house were on fire I would go past my Martins and Taylor (and even my home made guitars) and grab an old $27 Dobro and a $100 Yamie - my prized Plywood Cheapies.

[Hudman]

 

Where are johnson guitars made? JC-26 and JC-27 are ones too look at (Y).

 

 

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