Members slodge Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Okay, here's my situation: I'm 41 and have been playing on and off since I was 10. I have an Alvarez Regent I bought in 1983 and an Ovation Celebrity I bought in 1987. I would consider myself a low level intermediate player, but I'm really starting to get into it heavy again. I would really like to get a good acoustic guitar. I have the Ovation if I ever need to plug in, so I really don't need an A/E. Let's say I had a budget of $1000 (I could spend a little more, my wife would let me back into bed sooner if I spent a little less.) Any recommendations or advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hudman Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Originally posted by slodge Okay, here's my situation: I'm 41 and have been playing on and off since I was 10. I have an Alvarez Regent I bought in 1983 and an Ovation Celebrity I bought in 1987. I would consider myself a low level intermediate player, but I'm really starting to get into it heavy again. I would really like to get a good acoustic guitar. I have the Ovation if I ever need to plug in, so I really don't need an A/E. Let's say I had a budget of $1000 (I could spend a little more, my wife would let me back into bed sooner if I spent a little less.) Any recommendations or advice? Get out there and start playing everything in your price range. Larrivee, Martin, Taylor, Guild GAD Series and Epiphone Masterbilt Series are all great guitars for under $1000. I paid $779.00 (retail $1198) for my Larrivee L-03 and I couldn't be happier with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Burns Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 I whole heartedly agree, i think you get a whole lot more guitar in a used Larry- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old_Joe_Clark Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 stay away from bling and electronics. Spend the money on acoustic tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackwr Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Originally posted by Tony Burns I whole heartedly agree, i think you get a whole lot more guitar in a used Larry- +1:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Not just used Larry's, though I've seen used L-03s go for around $500. Here's a used Martin 000-15 up for sale for $575: http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=11978.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MyM.O. Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Originally posted by Hudman Get out there and start playing everything in your price range.Larrivee, Martin, Taylor, Guild GAD Series and Epiphone Masterbilt Series are all great guitars for under $1000.B] Agreed. You need to find that special one that BEGS you to take it home, that you just don't want to stop playing, that you're fearful someone else might come in and buy as soon as you leave the store. For me, it was a Taylor (under $1000 new). I've recently tried some others- a Taylor 214, a Larri, a Martin, and even an Alvarez (cheaper) that all had something very special going on and I would love to own. I've not liked many lower Martins or even higher priced Larris, but these were that ONE example that showed me how good these brands can be. Each guitar is an individual, so don't go by brand name and higher price alone. Let your ears be the judge. You can get good deals online, but for the best sound I'd recommend you pick out your guitar in person. Oh, yeah, you can bargain with shops, or find good deals. I found a new Taylor 410 for under $1000, a nice Larrivee D03 for under $700, a Tacoma DM14 for $800. A great guitar can be had for under $1000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockfan Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 You need to play the acoustics out there that you can get your hands on. Don't buy online. I played every guitar I could get my hands on, and I settled on the Takamine EG334RC ($556.00). I get nothing but compliments on it. A friend uses it to record, so that tells you something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slodge Posted June 9, 2006 Author Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Originally posted by Old_Joe_Clark stay away from bling and electronics. Spend the money on acoustic tone. That's exactly my thinking. On the rare occasion that I may need to plug in I have my Ovation, (Not to mention my solidbody electrics,) and how much "bling" to I need to play in my living room alone or with kids and/or a couple of friends?I'm looking to maximize tone and minimize frills (and cost) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slodge Posted June 9, 2006 Author Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Originally posted by Hudman Get out there and start playing everything in your price range. Thanks to everyone for variations of this. You're all 100% right. There are so many options out there and I have a little bit of a Martin/Taylor mind lock, so I'm curious about other good options to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hudman Posted June 9, 2006 Members Share Posted June 9, 2006 Originally posted by slodge Originally posted by Hudman Get out there and start playing everything in your price range. Thanks to everyone for variations of this. You're all 100% right. There are so many options out there and I have a little bit of a Martin/Taylor mind lock, so I'm curious about other good options to try. I think Larrivee is tough to beat in the under $1000 range. Just to clarify, I paid $779 for a brand new L-03 in a hardshell case with free shipping. Sam Ash sells them for $899.I bought mine from http://www.notableguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2006 Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 Originally posted by slodge Okay, here's my situation: I'm 41 Don't feel bad, I'm 42. Larrivee 03 series and Martin 15 and 16 series. But get out there and play them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catdaddy Posted June 10, 2006 Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 Good suggestions all!Also try any of the guitars made by Godin, ie Seagull, Simon & Patrick, Norman and A & L. Terrific Canadian made guitars and most of them are less than $1000 new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W.Kyle.C Posted June 10, 2006 Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 If you are willing to spend a little the gibson song writer is an awesome guitar. Honestly gibson guitars have a better aacounstic tone than do taylors. Taylors sound better plugged in because of the expression system but gibson's sound better(too me) acousticly. Deffinately checkout Breedlove. I've played some of their $500 range guitars and(i didn't look at the price before i played, i just had never heard of them so i played it) i thought it was over $1000. I was so suprised when i looked at the tag. I can only imagine what there $1000 guitars sound like. One more is carvin. Unfortunately you can't play them but the ones i have played from people who had them were very nice. I would deffinately look into ginbson and and breedlove though:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAZGUITARMAN Posted June 10, 2006 Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 This is my vote since you just want a straight up acoustic that will deliver the goods for less than $1,000.Alvarez MD90 (all solid wood)* Solid Engleman spruce top* Solid EI rosewood back and sides* Mahogany neck w/rosewood fretboard* Single inlay at 12th fret* Single abalone inlay around soundholeA Very nice guitar for the money. Later next year I will be buying the A/E cutaway version. $923.00 w/HSC for the A/E cutaway, so the nonelectronics version should be cheaper.Here`s a link...http://www.alvarezgtr.com/productpage.htm?CatID=41&ItemID=40Here`s a pic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members naterudy Posted June 10, 2006 Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 If you can, get another good guitar player to go with you and play the guitar to you from five feet away and across the room, so you can hear what it sounds like on the other side. And don't be afraid of non-marquee brand names so long as they are solid wood all around, sound good all the way up the neck (play in the 5-7th fret zone, 10-12th fret zone, as well as open notes to see if the tone is pinched or still blooms up the neck) and have a neck that feels good to you. I would check out a Blueridge, used Larrivees and Taylors, and the Martin 15 series before I bought anything. +1 for whoever said go with great acoustic tone over electronics. You can always add pickups or transducers later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zipote123 Posted June 10, 2006 Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 i think you should get a taylor, breedlove or a martin in your price range. musiciansfriend.com can help. But youshould go to the store to try some guitars and se which you like best but in your price range. You can get alot of decent stuff for $1000 bucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slodge Posted June 10, 2006 Author Members Share Posted June 10, 2006 Originally posted by naterudy If you can, get another good guitar player to go with you and play the guitar to you from five feet away and across the room, so you can hear what it sounds like on the other side. Great suggestion! I'll have to do that. If a friend wasn't available, any thoughts on getting a salesperson to play it? I mean, how can you "Fix" the tone to make a sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MyM.O. Posted June 11, 2006 Members Share Posted June 11, 2006 Having the salesman play works fine, that what I always do. Make sure he plays the same song/riff/whatever on both guitars, so you can hear the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.