Garrison Acoustics

[Edward]

Hey.... so I'm a cheapskate, so sue me. I'm a bedroom acoustic player for the most part, and I've finally decided i can't justify the big bucks on an expensive ac for all i play that way..... I have an all-solid Tanglewood Dreanaught (a TW15NS) which I adore and which sounds sweeter by the day, but I'malso considering into the new year looking at buying a smaller-bodied acoustic as well. Not a travel-sized guitar, a full scale a/c, but with a smaller body - like a shallow parlour type. I'm also left handed, which is an issue.....

 

I like the look of some of the Blueridge stuff, but i think they might be more than I'd like to spend on an acoustic just for a while.... I've been intruged though by the Garrison range and what they have to offer in terms of their interesting bracing structure etc - in particular, the parlour / folks sized guitars from their cheaper range caught my eye. Anyone got any experience of those? I'm inclined towards a non-cutaway, pure acoustic version - a pup would be nice, but as I don't play acoustic out anywhere, it's largely surplus to requirements - I'd rather leave it out for now and fit something like a Fishman rare earth in future should I have need of it.

 

Anyone got any experience of these budget Garrisons? How would they compare to - say - a decent Tanglewood, or a Taylor Big Baby?

[fats]

Okay, so I've never played one of the 'budget' models. I can, however, say that my G-25 is one of the best acoustics I've ever played, bar none. I can only imagine that their lower-end stuff would be amazing for the price, as well - do you have an opportunity to play one before you commit to buying it?

[guitwanabe]

I have the Garrison G40E. Incredible guitar for any money. I have looked at the AG series. Good bang for the buck.

[Edward]

Thanks, guys.... yes, I should have the opportunity to try before parting with cash (I'm fussier that way with acoustics)... just curious as to what the vibe is, whether they're worth looking at. The thing that intrigues me is i gather they initially made the budget range with the graphite bracing only on the top - and now they've changed production of the more expensive guitars over to that as well...... guess it must have proven a good idea?

[AK47]

No offense meant to the people who like Garrisn guitars but judging from the one guitar I played it was absolutely horrid. I had heard many good things about Garrison so when I finally saw one in a store in Ohio I jumped at the chance. It played nice but was the deadest sounding solid wood acoustic I've played. It my have somethig to do with the molded plastic frame all the solid wood is glued to.

It may just have been this particalur guitar.

Either way it left a lasting impression.

IMHO I think your money would be better spent on Seagull, Epi Masterbuilt, Parkwood, Or any number of more conventional solid top alternatives. I chose these brand names because I have played them and have never owned one. Just my attempt to be nuetral. Bottom line being, If you play a guitar for awhile and you like the way it plays and sounds compared to others you've tried don't let us influence you. You may have just found the best of brand. Also if you'e not sure continue to shop. You always loose money on trade ins.

If you're asking us I don't think that sure yet. Do you?

[fats]

Originally posted by AK47 No offense meant to the people who like Garrisn guitars but judging from the one guitar I played it was absolutely horrid. I had heard many good things about Garrison so when I finally saw one in a store in Ohio I jumped at the chance. It played nice but was the deadest sounding solid wood acoustic I've played. It my have somethig to do with the molded plastic frame all the solid wood is glued to. It may just have been this particalur guitar. Either way it left a lasting impression. IMHO I think your money would be better spent on Seagull, Epi Masterbuilt, Parkwood, Or any number of more conventional solid top alternatives. I chose these brand names because I have played them and have never owned one. Just my attempt to be nuetral. Bottom line being, If you play a guitar for awhile and you like the way it plays and sounds compared to others you've tried don't let us influence you. You may have just found the best of brand. Also if you'e not sure continue to shop. You always loose money on trade ins. If you're asking us I don't think that sure yet. Do you?

 

I think that the active bracing system might have a big effect on how it sounds with dead strings - which is absolutely terrible. Ask to get a new set put on and try it out again!

[AK47]

With coventional guitars as they age the plastic binding can shrink get brittle and break. My other concern is what happens to a Garrison guitar after it gets 20 or so years old? Does it implode?

I only ask because many of my guitars are 40 or more years old.

[Treborklow]

I don't care for the Garrison AG series but the G series is very consistant and I've never heard one I didn't like. I actually like the cheaper Birch ones better than the more expensive ones. They have a great tone and a great price. I recently played one of the new Grand Auditorium models and it was pretty nice as well.

[fats]

Mine has a cedar top and birch back and sides, with an ebony fretboard and bridge - it sounds *amazing*, and plays really well. I played some of the higher models but couldn't justify spending more...besides which, I was looking for a cedar top anyhow. The fact that I worked at the shop at the time and got a killer deal definitely helped, too

 

Try out everything, though - even the cheapest guitars can really surprise you! All of the low-end Yamahas we had in the shop were excellent, and even Walden is making nice sounding guitars coming out of China. Takamine, as always, has some good low end models as well, and you definitely get what you pay for as you move up the scale.

[EvilTwin]

I've played the dreads, and have been VERY impressed. If your ears tell you it sounds good, then it is good. I thought they have sounded very lively, actually.

 

The bracing scheme is some type of carbon/fiberglass thing, isn't it? I don't think you have to worry about it any more than any other guitar.

 

Does anyone know if they use bolt neck construction or not?

[fats]

Not a bolt - http://www.garrisonguitars.com/gseries.asp?r=g25 check out the pic top-left.

[Edward]

Originally posted by AK47 If you're asking us I don't think that sure yet. Do you?

 

No, it's still an idea I'm kicking around, really. Just curious as to what folks' experience with them is. So far it seems to be mostly positive, though anyone can turn out a dud, I guess! Definitely will be trying a bunch of the rest of what's available when the time comes, though I should imagine I'm gonig to be fairly limited in choice, needing a lefty - I'm pretty certain based on past research that Epi Masterbuilt don't do any lefties - at least not here in the UK - and given too that this time I fancy something with a smaller folk or parlour sized body, that cuts it down too (a lot of ranges, I've noticed in the past, do some good options for lefties in dreadnought bodies, but don't bother with anything else).

[babablowfish]

Check out Blueridge. They make some 000 models that sound great. They offer their guitars in lefty.

[Edward]

Definitely gonig to be looking into Blueridge. They're a jump up in price here, but they do seem good...

[bigtony]

ive got a g40 and its a gem, no problems with the bracing system at all, the company are great for customer service as i had a few niggling questions before i bought mine.

[bdegrande]

My G30 is great, but the G series are the larger bodied models, Garrison only made that dreadnaught size when they first came out Love the sound. It is a bit heavier than most acoustics, though, and I find smaller bodied acoustics more comfortable.

[Edward]

Yeah, the attraction really of going for one of these is to find something small bodied - already have a really nice dreadnaught - that I can take out and about a bit more. Kind of a beater, but something that will still sound decent.... Garrison are definitely on my list to try, along with Blueridge (though I suspect they'll be a bit over the price bracket i have in mind just for this one).... I'm also intrigued by the new Tokai acoustics. Not seen one anywhere, but they were supposed to arrive here any time soon - Japanese built, IIRC, and presumably to some degree based on the acoustics that Tokai put out in the 70s / early 80s under the Cat's Eye (?) brand.....

 

Thanks for the feedback ,guys. Funny that a Garrison was heavy.... I'd assumed a carbon fibre structure would be lighter, if anything.