Who needs expensive guitars?

[Hudman]

Kwak,
Some of those guys on the APM forum consider the Larivve 03 series to be cheap guitars. Heck, one of them use an L-03 as his camping / beach guitar.

Some of them were shocked that I bought a $200 Alvarez. They act like there is no way a $200 guitar can stay in tune and sound good.

It's pretty wild when you can consider a guitar near the $1000 mark as "cheap".


I like the APM forum - don't get me wrong. They are very nice people. I learn a lot there. However, I constantly have to remind myself that many of those guys live in the champagne and caviar world. I live in the beer and pizza world.

[JasmineTea]

Some will say, as I've read on this forum in other places, that if you hav'nt got something at least along the lines of a D-28, then you're just an amature player who plays infurior guitars.

I think that's a load of {censored}.

Ry Cooder. The guy plays a lot of cheap guitars. But they sound fine to me.

[t60 fan]

Got to reading this thread last night and it guilted me into changing strings on my old Starfield. Didn't have anything new so I put the year-and-a-half old nano's I had previously taken off the Taylor onto it. I have to admit the sound did make me smile. She'll get a little more attention (at least for a while).

[kwakatak]

*snickers*

Just to play devil's advocate I wouldn't mind having one built for me, or even doing it myself. If I go with option A it won't be until the little kwakkers (here and yet to be) are out of college. If I do option B, then I've got a lot of cleaning up to do. I have a workbench, but it's buried under a lot of junk.

[Queequeg]

Originally posted by JasmineTea Some will say, as I've read on this forum in other places, that if you hav'nt got something at least along the lines of a D-28, then you're just an amature player who plays infurior guitars.

 

Please enter your D28 (or better) serial number now, to continue your HC Acoustic Guitar Forum member status.

Owners of Chinese & other Restricted Asian Products (CRAP) need not register with Moderator, as you have already been identified, and deportation papers are being prepared now.

[t60 fan]

Originally posted by Queequeg Please enter your D28 (or better) serial number now, to continue your HC Acoustic Guitar Forum member status. Owners of Chinese & other Restricted Asian Products (CRAP) need not register with Moderator, as you have already been identified, and deportation papers are being prepared now.

 

 

I'm guessing the "(or better)" portion of your post is where it could get fun...

[leftync]

kwak, loved Water is Wide. ever listen to the Eva Cassidy version? Great acoustic playing, and that voice .....

[Ole Man Blues]

Good stuff.........

OMB

[Queequeg]

Originally posted by t60 fan I'm guessing the "(or better)" portion of your post is where it could get fun...

 

must be time for a new thread.

everybody knows that a D28 is not as good as___________(fill in the blank) and watch the fireworks.

[kwakatak]

Meh - D-28s are overrated. I'm perfectly happy with my pre-Sigma clone.

*dons the big silver suit expecting the flames to come*

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by leftync kwak, loved Water is Wide. ever listen to the Eva Cassidy version? Great acoustic playing, and that voice .....

 

 

I'm gonna have to re-record that one sometime. The original is much slower and longer.

 

I didn't even have a decent microphone at the time and used one of those little desktop omni-directional jobs. Once I get a condensor mic maybe... :-/

[sdelsolray]

Originally posted by Hudman Kwak, Some of those guys on the APM forum consider the Larivve 03 series to be cheap guitars. Heck, one of them use an L-03 as his camping / beach guitar. Some of them were shocked that I bought a $200 Alvarez. They act like there is no way a $200 guitar can stay in tune and sound good. It's pretty wild when you can consider a guitar near the $1000 mark as "cheap". I like the APM forum - don't get me wrong. They are very nice people. I learn a lot there. However, I constantly have to remind myself that many of those guys live in the champagne and caviar world. I live in the beer and pizza world.

As a fellow APM'er, there's perhaps another perspective. Say you purchase a $2,000 acoustic guitar (e.g., stock David Webber, OM-60 Larrivee, etc.). Now, say you keep the guitar 5 years, play it alot, keep it maintained and don't bang it up. That guitar will sell from perhaps $1,500. You sell it. It cost you $500 for 5 years, which is $100 a year or about $8 per month.

If you keep the guitar for 10 years and don't sell it, it cost about $17 a month to own it, and now it's probably worth what you paid for it.

Sure, you can fool with the numbers and even look at it this way with $500 guitars or $5,000 guitars. The point is that over the long term, guitars don't cost much.

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by sdelsolray As a fellow APM'er, there's perhaps another perspective. Say you purchase a $2,000 acoustic guitar (e.g., stock David Webber, OM-60 Larrivee, etc.). Now, say you keep the guitar 5 years, play it alot, keep it maintained and don't bang it up. That guitar will sell from perhaps $1,500. You sell it. It cost you $500 for 5 years, which is $100 a year or about $8 per month. If you keep the guitar for 10 years and don't sell it, it cost about $17 a month to own it, and now it's probably worth what you paid for it. Sure, you can fool with the numbers and even look at it this way with $500 guitars or $5,000 guitars. The point is that over the long term, guitars don't cost much.

I understand your logic perfectly, but why oh why doesn't my wife?

(Of course, it could be because I have a collection of cheap guitars [4] which are taking up space that could be better occupied by kid's toys and women's shoes!)

[theGOOCH]

I always laugh when I see inexpensive guitars listed as "beginner" guitars. I think they just want to guilt you into spending more if you are an experienced guitarist.

I used to play as a kid and now in my early 30's I decided it would be fun to get a cheap (but not total garbage) acoustic guitar to play around the house.

I paid $100 bucks for a Squier Dreadnought. A lot of people might think it would be terrible, but it sounds suprisingly good. it has a (laminated) spruce top and stays in tune remarkably well. Does it sound like a Martin? Of course not, but it sounds pretty good for my purposes and I like it. I don't think I will ever spend a couple G's on a guitar

I'm starting to knock the rust off my playing a little bit and sounding pretty good. I may decide at some point to upgrade to a $300-400 guitar and since I'm so happy with mine I will seriously consider a Fender acoustic although they don't get much respect either

[riffmeister]

'Need'? Not sure aobut that one, but I certainly 'like' expensive guitars (if they sound good). My two Collings are really doing it for me.

Now, I have a friend who prefers cigarbox guitars. He made one for about $20. It sounds wicked good when he plays slide on it.

[Hudman]

Originally posted by theGOOCH I always laugh when I see inexpensive guitars listed as "beginner" guitars. I think they just want to guilt you into spending more if you are an experienced guitarist. I used to play as a kid and now in my early 30's I decided it would be fun to get a cheap (but not total garbage) acoustic guitar to play around the house. I paid $100 bucks for a Squier Dreadnought. A lot of people might think it would be terrible, but it sounds suprisingly good. it has a (laminated) spruce top and stays in tune remarkably well. Does it sound like a Martin? Of course not, but it sounds pretty good for my purposes and I like it. I don't think I will ever spend a couple G's on a guitar I'm starting to knock the rust off my playing a little bit and sounding pretty good. I may decide at some point to upgrade to a $300-400 guitar and since I'm so happy with mine I will seriously consider a Fender acoustic although they don't get much respect either

 

 

Welcome to the H-C Acoustic Forum.

 

Your opinion about what sounds good will evolve as you continue to play. There is a natural progression that occurs as you play longer.

 

 

[butterknucket]

Didn't Tommy Tedesco record the theme from Mash with a $10 classical?

[tamolina]

In the hands of a Les Paul, a Chet Atkins, a Johnny Winters or any other talented and skilled player a $150 axe from WalMart IS a professional guitar. On the other hand, the most expensive Martin in the hands of some of us is just a noise maker. Sad but true, dammit...

[sherwood]

My thoughts on expensive guitars.

I bought three guitars in the last three years. the first for $500, the second for $ 800 ( plus another $ 400 to change out the pickup ) and the third for $ 3000. If I had been smart I'd have purchased the high - end Martin in the first place, saved $ 1700 and been less frustrated trying to make a frog into a prince.

Sherwood

[Queequeg]

my guess is that you have lots of comapny, Sherwood. I know I've done that. A few times.

[AndrewGG]

I need expensive guitars and I love them!


Martin D28
Martin CEO5
Bourgeois Slope D
Gibson J185
Gibson SJ200
Capek F4 Mandolin
Pavlu F5 Mandolin

[Sweb]

Who needs expensive guitars?

I do, but not out of choice.

[kwakatak]

I take it all back. I do need expensive guitars! I've always seen myself getting another $800 guitar but now these $1500+ guitar somehow seem more attainable as well, though they really aren't.

The problem is that I don't want to get rid of my cheapies either, no matter how little space we have! Either one of mine would make a good travel guitar!

[Sweb]

Originally posted by kwakatak I take it all back. I do The problem is that I don't want to get rid of my cheapies either, no matter how little space we have!

I'm not seeing the problem in this. And, they look great hanging on the wall if you need space. I know it gets my heart thumping a couple extra beats when I see the guitars hanging on the store's wall. It's almost like a piece of surrealistic artwork but says so much more.

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by Sweb I'm not seeing the problem in this. And, they look great hanging on the wall if you need space. I know it gets my heart thumping a couple extra beats when I see the guitars hanging on the store's wall. It's almost like a piece of surrealistic artwork but says so much more.

Already ahead of you,Sweb. My Larrivee is currently mounted on a String Swing that's securely affixed to a wall stud on an interior wall. I have room for two more wall hangers on that particular wall!

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=5/14421134236.jpg&s=f5