How do you know what is a good acoustic and what's not?

[bball_1523]

I don't understand why those expensive guitars are better sounding than cheap ones. What really makes the more expensive acoustics better? I just can't tell a big difference. Do you develop an ear for it over time?

[therichardsgang]

Isn't a good acoustic the one that you love? I am not very skilled at this stuff, but I understand that a solid top is the least you should look for. but what is really important is - do you like it - the way it looks, the way it plays, the way it sounds. If the answer to these three parameters is yes, then it is a good guitar.

[athomas]

There is a difference in sound beween the expensive guitars (1000+) and the cheap ones(-500). And I specifically talking about unplugged sound. Plugged-in there are some cheap ones that sound just as good.

 

For me personally here are the reasons i bought my Taylor

1. The sound had a nice sparkle and seemed to pop out of the guitar.

2. All soild wood construction

3. The sound gets better with age.

4. Ease of play - comfortable in my arms & the action is always very low.

5. The ES pickup

6. The looks

 

If you can't hear the difference then you are very lucky. Don't need to worry about wasting money.

[LaXu]

Play enough acoustics and you'll start to notice the differences.

[babablowfish]

 

I don't understand why those expensive guitars are better sounding than cheap ones. What really makes the more expensive acoustics better? I just can't tell a big difference. Do you develop an ear for it over time?

 

 

More expensive guitars are definitely more expensive. However, IMHO more expensive does not necessarily translate into "better." Modern precision production techniques have created an era of low-cost, great-sounding guitars. My Parkwood Jumbo, for instance, which I bought for $550.00 (and it was a bargain at that price) and is now reportedly selling for under $400.00, produces a sound that used to cost well over twice as much to approach. Cheap labor, precision machinery, mass production have all brought the cost down while improving the quality. These days, again IMHO, the safest bet is to shop around until you find the guitar that you love and don't worry if it doesn't cost you a bundle.

[Cripes]

Cheap, intermediate, high end and GTFOOH.

 

The difference is really a moving target, mostly due to your own increasing exposure and accumulating knowledge and playing skills, and it certainly can be as exasperating as it is fun when trying to make a buy decision. I don't think that will ever become easy. It hasn't for me.

 

Boiled down, it will be decided by your ears, hands and wallet.

[AK47]

After years of playing you will find that different guitars will sound better for different songs/styles. Price is not always the deciding factor. Sound and setup is different for fingerpicking, flatpicking, slide, and bluegrass style strumming. So even in great guitars there is no real all porpose guitar. Lower end and intermediate guitars have gotten much better for reasons Mr Blowfish pointed out. If there was a "perfect guitar" we wouldn't keep having GAS attacks and adding to an all ready over grown collection. The question always boils down to. Do you like how it looks, sounds, and plays for your application? Is the price acceptable to you? If you answered these questions yes then you've satisfied your first GAS attack.

[Attila]

Isn't a good acoustic the one that you love?

+1 -- exactly. If YOU are happy with it, then it's a good acoustic for you

[AndrewGG]

Experience definitely counts for a lot when it comes to deciding what sounds good TO YOU or otherwise.

The trouble is that experience becomes a double-edged sword; the more guitars you play, the more subtle all the nuances of tone and playability become.

That's when choosing a guitar which really stands head and shoulders above the average becomes really tricky! I guess it also depends on just how picky you are; I'm real picky and sometimes I yearn for the days when all I had was my humble Yamaha FG180 and no prospect of anything else. I just got on with it...

[guit30]

30 years ago, it didn't really matter, know, because of my years of reviewing music and poor neck health, finding a good guitar is hard, ergonomics are more important than sound,though sound is a big 2nd, my favorite guitar by far is the Alvarez RD20S, neck is perfect, great solid top, just not durable, more expensive Alvarezs have thick necks. I may try an Alvarez RD8, laminate top, may stop the tops going bad

Jim

[basschick22]

I hope someday you have the same experience that I did. That one guitar that you pick up and play and you just don't want to put it down. You get inspired just by holding it. It makes you want to spend the rest of the day just playing, old songs you know...new songs. That riff you found difficult suddenly becomes easy, because you're inspired...every time. THAT is a good guitar. Happy strumming.

[JasmineTea]

Ultimately it's up to your ears. But, there is good reason for those high-end guitars having their high-end prices.

 

1-workmanship

2-tone, the product of workmanship.

 

If you can't hear the difference between cheap and expensive guitars, don't worry, you will.

[Tony Burns]

The fact is most people buy what they perceive to be a better guitar - if it sparkles or has a cute shape ( alot like girl watching ) - what stars are playing it - wether its in the right price range - either very inexspensive or way over exspensive - does it have a nice case -- they look at the name - Taylor , Martin etc, etc. they order them threw the net without ever playing one and brag about how they now have the perfect guitar - Maybe not as much on various forums because your mostly here to hear what other people thank about this or that guitar - kinda like going to college to learn the hard knocks - I commend most of you for doing this ( Ive gotten some insight myself before ive spent my hard earned dollars )

 

This is my weight list

 

1.) Ive been to many stores like elderly GC's etc- which guitars stood out in my mind. what qualities did the guitars I liked have - ex- fingerboard length or width - wood type etc.

 

2.) Do i have a limit on financial outlay - how much do i really have to spend.

 

3.) sometimes what they dont have interests me more than what they do have - try to find a collings or a Larrivee in most music stores - or a GC for that matter- They sometimes only sell brands they can easily become a dealer for- or that are popular - i know Martin has to have a certain number of dollars instruments in a store as well as buy so much a year to be in a sellers location. Which brings me to the question - why are they selling this or that brand ?

 

4.) Visit other forums - Taylor , Larrivee , unofficial Martin Forum - see what their saying in their non- brand section - ( dont go for the hype )

 

5.) My wife and I make our living selling things we make - so I return the favor by buying things other americans - as well as Canadians make so they can work and support their families - Im not an Orient guitar kind of guy - I try to keep the currency floating around here to keep some of you guys paying your bills. and in all honesty theirs alot of great guitars at fair prices that are made here - Larrivee is one that comes to mind as well as others ---

 

yeeah theirs alot more - but i gotta go !

[bball_1523]

I strummed around to a taylor the other day and it sounded fine. it was a 1500 dollar taylor I think, and it had a nice crisp tone, but it didn't stand out to me compared to my Kona K2 Thinline guitar. The thing that was better was being able to bend the strings easily, and I think it may be the action and strings. My current Kona doesn't bend well and it may be the high action and strings on it.

[Etienne Rambert]

"How do you know what is a good acoustic and what's not?"

___________

 

How's it sound? Strum a full "G" chord & listen. See what you think.

 

Lots of cheap guitars sound better than expensive guitars. My $370 Maple dread will shut down the $3000+ Taylor 814ce I've used to record with many times. Turn on the mic, you don't even want to listen to the Taylor after hearing the Maple Dragon.