Members The Unknown Posted February 23, 2014 Members Share Posted February 23, 2014 Any ideas what I should look into. In the best of all worlds, it would be a cutaway model, with electronics, but still a good unplugged sound. Up to now I've been playing with a classical guitar (I'm primarly a bass player, guitar is a 2nd instrument to me), but I'm thinking of moving on towards a brighter tone and something that fits more my playing style guitar-wise, so an acoustc rather then a classical. Anything interesting in my price range, considering I'd be playing with my fingers quite a bit (wider neck maybe)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted February 23, 2014 Members Share Posted February 23, 2014 The Unknown wrote: Any ideas what I should look into. In the best of all worlds, it would be a cutaway model, with electronics, but still a good unplugged sound. Up to now I've been playing with a classical guitar (I'm primarly a bass player, guitar is a 2nd instrument to me), but I'm thinking of moving on towards a brighter tone and something that fits more my playing style guitar-wise, so an acoustc rather then a classical. Anything interesting in my price range, considering I'd be playing with my fingers quite a bit (wider neck maybe)? Remember that you can play finger style on any guitar - Doc Watson did a pretty good job on a big old dread, Buster Jones played a Godin nylon string, and people play everything in between. However, many of us who play finger style will list these atributesSmall body - typically an OM, 000, GA, GC or smaller. The smaller bodies tend to be better balanced across the strings and areoften much more responsive. They sit nicely in your lap since you will be mostly playing sitting down.Wider fretboard - typically 1-3/4 at the nut and maybe 2-1/4 at the saddle. The space at the nut lets you fret a little more cleanly, at the saddle it lets you rest your thumb and fingers between the strings. As a classical player you know this.Bracing designed for lighter gauge strings - you don't need the volume of heavier strings and you aren't trying to drive them with a pick. Have your store set it up with low relief, moderately low actions and nut slots - most new guitars will be a little on the high side expecting you to strum/flat pick.Of less importance, some folks like longer scales (25.4) since it lets you tune down and maintain reasonable string tension. Lots of finger style playing is done in altered tunings.Wood choices can vary - if you tend towards blues you might like mahogany guitars with their woodier tone, if you play "modern" fingerstyle you might be drawn to the complexity of rosewood. Cedar is a reasonable top wood for fingerstyle play. With luck you can get a solid top in that price range, back and sides will be laminated.If you plan to play that subculture of fingerstyle with a slide on your pinkie consider a flatter fingerboard. Most steel strings have 16 inch radius, I like 20 for playing bottleneck. (your classical would be flat unless it was one of the so called "hybrids", in which case probably 20.Why do you need a cutaway? It adds expense to the guitar and very few players ever go above the 12th fret (which you can reach just fine with 14 clear). In fact most of my fingerstyle guitars are only 12 frets clear like your classical)Same question about electronics - but I realize that you play in a band. Insisting on factory installed really limits your options and doesn't get you very good p/u - consider buy a guitar without and installing something later. I've had good luck with the K&K Pure Mini (about $130) - others here can suggest some cheaper options.Yamaha has some smaller bodied guitars that are worth looking at as well as BlueRidge, Recording King, and other PacRim imports. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 24, 2014 Members Share Posted February 24, 2014 The Unknown wrote: . . . Anything interesting in my price range, considering I'd be playing with my fingers quite a bit (wider neck maybe)? It would be helpful to know what your price range is. You haven't told us. That said, a Martin or Blueridge OM should work, Larrivée if you can find one. I'm in agreement with Freeman regarding built-in electronics and cutaways. If you must have built-in electronics, etc., Takamine recently discontinued their "G Series" and replaced them with new but similar models so there are bargains to be had if you look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Unknown Posted February 24, 2014 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2014 I wrote my price range in the title of the thread, but the title is long... Under 400$ would be my budget. I know it's not much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VK1NF Posted February 24, 2014 Members Share Posted February 24, 2014 A couple of suggestions...The Godin family of acoustics - Seagull, Art&Lutherie, Simon&Patrick and Norman - are all quality Canadian-built instruments. I have an older S6 that's a real boomer, and an Art&Lutherie AMI Wild Cherry that's amazing for a laminate parlour guitar. Most of the entry level Godins have a solid cedar or spruce top and wild cherry laminate back and sides, and retail for about your budgeted figure - and can often be found used for 1/2 retail. They are, dollar for dollar, great guitars. They are nicely made, with good quality materials, playability and attention to detail. Most of the Seagulls have a 1.8" neck, which is great for fingerpicking and those used to the 2" classical neck.I've also recently gotten a Recording King RO 10 - a OOO body, solid spruce top with solid mahonany back and sides. The neck is 1.75", short scale, 14 frets, and is the most comfortable I've played - and I absolutely love the sound. They are available for a little over your $400 budget - on the 'net for about $425-450 new, which is an amazing price for a solid wood guitar. Mine needed work when I got it - the bridge had lifted and had to be reglued, and a couple of frets required levelling - the price I paid for it used reflected that, and let me have a good luthier do the reglue and a full setup. He was impressed with the RO 10's design and construction, the quality of the woods and its sound and playability. If you can get to play a Recording King, they're well worth a good looksee, despite some early quality control issues - amazing bang for the buck.A final thought - every guitar that comes into my hands gets a setup... I keep my guitars, and the ease of playing a well-setup instrument is well worth the $60-75 cost over the years. Local music stores will often do a setup on a new instrument as part of the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Oldguy64 Posted February 24, 2014 Members Share Posted February 24, 2014 I have an Ovation 1861lx. I bought it used at GC. it was hanging on the "used" wall. I paid $401 for it with the 18 month "we'll take it back or repair it if it breaks" warranty. Hit the shops and look at pre owned guitars. You never know what you might find. And if you buy a used guitar, you're likely to get more guitar for your money. And it widens your choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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