Taylor,Martin or Takamine?

[frocco]

Hello,

 

I have around 1300 dollars to spend.

 

I ahve been looking at a Taylor 414CE and a Takamine Cool-Tube or a Takamine LTD 2005

 

I also looked at a Martin DM

 

What is the best Acoustic/Electric for the money I have?

 

Thanks

Frank

[egordon99]

I'd also add Larrivee to your list. Should be able to get an all solid wood Acoustic/Electric for about that much. Look at the -03 series.

[slider]

a few years ago I went looking for my acoustic/electric. it was going to be my major purchase.

I lined up the usual brands in the quiet room. I played them all. Martin, Larrive, Taylor, Gibson, etc.

 

I didnt want to buy a Martin espeically; I had thought the sound was thin.

much to my surprise I kept retuning to the Martin.

then I bought it.

the determining factor was the neck fit my hand perfectly. I nailed every note and run and chord I played.

the other guitars were good, but the Martin was just so perfect for my playing style.

 

Martin GTE16. maghogany back and sides, spruce top, herrinbone inlay around the sound hole,Fishman Blender system.

 

1197$

[frocco]

>>GTE16

 

Thanks, I'll check that out.

 

Do you think the cool-tube is a gimick?

The takamine is 1650.00

The Takamine LTD2005 is 1399.00

 

Regards,

 

Frank

[slider]

what is a cool tube???

[frocco]

It is Takamine's pre-amp used in some of their guitars.

It uses a tube instead of solid state.

 

Regards,

 

Frank

[Andrewrg]

frocco,the tube may indeed be a gimmick.Marshall put a tube in their SS Valvestate amps and honestly I dont believe one little ECC83 makes much difference.

Your ears will tell you.

[solitaire]

Originally posted by Andrewrg frocco,the tube may indeed be a gimmick.Marshall put a tube in their SS Valvestate amps and honestly I dont believe one little ECC83 makes much difference. Your ears will tell you.

Depend quite a bit on where in the chain the valve is located, doesn't it? In the case of the Marshall, the valve is an active pre-amp valve, not simply a tone-shaper.

 

Not having played one, I think the valve in the Taka whould basically turn the mic/ p'up of that guitar into a valve mic/ p'up. Why does a valve condenser sound better than a condenser and a valve pre-amp?

[I'm A Coal Man]

YARI, YARI, YARI oh did I mention YARI

[geek_usa]

Originally posted by I'm A Coal Man YARI, YARI, YARI oh did I mention YARI

 

I don't think you did.

 

let me say it.

 

Yari.

 

 

oops, I've never even played one. Okay...bananas are really cool.

[35fingerpicker]

In your price range, you might want to check out a Martin JC-16RGTE Premium. It lists @ $2099 so it can be bought for 40% off at any number of dealers for +/- $1260. It's an aweful lot of guitar for the money.

[min7b5]

Taylor

[Jere Mealer]

I played at Save Mart Center in Fresno on Easter Sunday. The Randy Travis Band was also there. One of his guitarists was playing a Takamine dreadnaught cutaway with stock Takamine electronics. It sounded fantastic.

 

Saw the Eagles last year....with the exception of a Gibson J-185 12 string (Joe Walsh), every acoustic guitar on stage was Takamine.

 

They are the real deal, especially for live amplification.

 

Personally I would be leery of the limited editions, as the price is high and you're paying for some cosmetic stuff with money that might be better spent on more guitar.

 

I hear the Cool Tube works great, especially for recording.

 

All that being said....the best guitar for you is the one you like the best.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Out of curiosity, I tried a Cool-Tube Takamine dread...like most things from Takamine, it was "underwhelming"...a tube works best when it's pretty hot (lay your hand on a tube amp, right over the "brain" sometime)...

 

The reason why professional musicians use Taks is because if they get broken from the gentle treatment of the airlines, you can get another one right off the rack that'll sound exactly the same...overbuilt bodies with little natural resonance and excellent electronics (which is why so many pros buy a Tak, put the electronics into a Martin, Gibson, Guild, Larrivee, etc., and throw the Tak's body away).

 

OTOH, you rarely see a Tak in a recording studio...there, you see great-sounding, quality acoustic guitars.

 

Just my $.02 worth.

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by egordon99 I'd also add Larrivee to your list. Should be able to get an all solid wood Acoustic/Electric for about that much. Look at the -03 series.

I believe he could get more Larrivee than that for $1300.Larrivee ..minus 35-40%

[Jerry NT]

Said it before in other posts. If you don't have to have a picture perfect guitar, buy a used one. You can get a $2700 guitar for around $1300. But there is no warranty, you have to be able to live with that. If it's a few years old, it probably has better tone than a new one.

I bought a Martin D-18 and a Martin 000C16 together for $1500 total. The D-18 by itself would bring more than that new. (Lists for about $2200 last time I checked.)

[Andrewrg]

 

Originally posted by Jerry NT Said it before in other posts. If you don't have to have a picture perfect guitar, buy a used one. You can get a $2700 guitar for around $1300. But there is no warranty, you have to be able to live with that. If it's a few years old, it probably has better tone than a new one. I bought a Martin D-18 and a Martin 000C16 together for $1500 total. The D-18 by itself would bring more than that new. (Lists for about $2200 last time I checked.)

 

Agreed,I bought a cosmetically challenged but structurally sound`84 D28;not one of the better years but its had 21 years of playing and opportunity to open up and sounds way better than either a previous 28 I had and an HD,both bought new.

Saved some money too!

[Jere Mealer]

I just sold a gorgeous lefty Larrivee DV-09 with all kinds of upgrades for $1200...easily a $3000 guitar.

 

By the way, I personally am not aware of any pros using Larrivee guitars....maybe Justin King. I think Larrivee's home market is on acoustic guitar internet forums. (I can feel the flame coming)

[Cldplytkmn]

Ric Molina? Brad Paisley? guess they're not pros

[Cldplytkmn]

 

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Out of curiosity, I tried a Cool-Tube Takamine dread...like most things from Takamine, it was "underwhelming"...a tube works best when it's pretty hot (lay your hand on a tube amp, right over the "brain" sometime)... The reason why professional musicians use Taks is because if they get broken from the gentle treatment of the airlines, you can get another one right off the rack that'll sound exactly the same...overbuilt bodies with little natural resonance and excellent electronics (which is why so many pros buy a Tak, put the electronics into a Martin, Gibson, Guild, Larrivee, etc., and throw the Tak's body away). OTOH, you rarely see a Tak in a recording studio...there, you see great-sounding, quality acoustic guitars. Just my $.02 worth.

 

 

I have to respectfully disagree. I don't think that guys like Bruce Springstein, Pat McGee, Steve Wariner, and John Scofield use Takamines because they are easier to replace than other guitars. If I were a Taylor guy I doubt I'd have much trouble finding a replacement in any decent sized town. There are plenty of people who remove Tak electronics and put them in american made guitars, and that is a testament to the quality of their pre's and pups, I do not think it is a knock against the guitars themselves. I have not found the upper end of the takamine line to be 'overbuilt' in the least. It is my opinion (it is just that, an opinion) that the natural, supernatural, and nashville series guitars have plenty of natural resonance and i think they are very very consistent.

[Sordid1]

Well i'm a Taylor man but in that price range your not getting their best stuff and I think the same goes for Martin. I have played a couple Takamine's and Lavirre's in that range that were outstanding. Of the two the Lavirre (spelling?) was the best. I have a friend that just bought one in the $500 range and it is really nice axe.

[Jere Mealer]

 

Originally posted by Tioga_Man why did you sell it?

 

 

All my guitar playing life (maybe 35 years) I've wanted a Martin, but every time I was in a position to purchase a guitar, I ended up buying something more fashionable.

 

Well I just bought a D-35, and now I know why I wanted one all these years. I wish I had bought a Martin years ago. It's a cannon, a dreadnaught with an attitude.

 

I also have a Gibson J-185 12 string, and just couldn't afford to keep the Larrivee (which, by the way, was a wonderful instrument).

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Jere Mealer I just sold a gorgeous lefty Larrivee DV-09 with all kinds of upgrades for $1200...easily a $3000 guitar. By the way, I personally am not aware of any pros using Larrivee guitars....maybe Justin King. I think Larrivee's home market is on acoustic guitar internet forums. (I can feel the flame coming)

 

A few Larrivee performers: Marge Smith, Tom Chapin, Brad Paisley, Gordon Browne, Yodelin' Susy Thompson, one of the guys in Bare Naked Ladies, Sarah McLaughlin, (lot's of Canadians!), Becky Darymple...more, but their names escape me on this Saturday afternoon! ()

[PFB]

 

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall OTOH, you rarely see a Tak in a recording studio...there, you see great-sounding, quality acoustic guitars. Just my $.02 worth.

 

 

Absolutely. Springsteen always has Takamine's on stage. When you see him recording, he has a vintage Gibson J-45 or something like it.

[kaden]

Originally posted by PFB Absolutely. Springsteen always has Takamine's on stage. When you see him recording, he has a vintage Gibson J-45 or something like it.

 

Speaking of Springsteen! One of his favorite songwriters, Peter Case, will be in town (Houston) in the next few weeks doing a workshop and performing a private show.

 

As for acoustic guitars... I've had my Taylor 714 going on 9 years and will never part with it. I love the neck action and wide string spacing for finger picking. Not know what these are going for now days. You might check out some Breedloves. They have a very affordable series called Atlas.