Acoustic Guitars

[Sinker]

So, who plays, and what are you playing?

 

I'm in the market for a new acoustic. Really like the Taylors, and really, that is what I want, but I picked up a Tanglewood, and I tell ya, its a sweet playing/sounding guitar.....anyone have one?? I don't think the new Martins hold a candle to the new Taylors, but if I could find an old Martin D28 it would be a hard decision. I've been playing everything I can find the last couple weeks, just to see, but its so hard to decide on just one.

 

Anyways, just wondering what you all play and like??

 

S.

[Headhunter]

I play bass and have almost as many as I have fishing rods!!!!! I run them through a Marshall VBA400 bass amp into a Bergantino NV 6x10 cab for gigs. I have a couple other back up amps as well.

RE acoustics - a friend of mine, a very good guitar player was looking for a new acoustic for his studio. He was intent on trying everything within his pretty significant budget. He tried a Martin that he liked the action on, but was somewhat blah one the tone. He found a Taylor that he loved the sound of, that he player for a good hour in the store. He then tried a Larrivve that he liked.

He went back to the Martin and played it again and this time for half an hour. He owns the Martin.

The Taylor he said has a sound that you appreciated immediately, but after some time was a one trick pony.

The Larrivve was a good well made (Canadian) guitar and he would have bought it, but the Martin's tone was just more usable and good, that he had to buy it.

Yamaha make a lot of guitar for the money as well.

Good luck with your search.

HH

[Sinker]

Yep, I really like the Martins too. Grew up with one in the house, and learned my first chord on one, but the newer ones just don't seem to have it like the older ones. I hear you on the Taylors, they are sweet sounding right off the get go, and play awesome too....I've been playing a couple of them the last few times we've jammed, and honestly, that is what I was looking to buy, but there are just so many options....hard to choose. Best way is to play them all.

 

S.

[solopaddler]

Cheap Walmart guitars sound pretty good.

 

 

Walmart Rockstars - Pride and Joy cover using... by MisterBuzz

[jimmer]

I have had my Yamaha since the seventies and always like it. There are better ones out there, but this does me fine.

[Sinker]

I played a few yamaha's last night. Almost bought one actually. Pick up a Taylor or martin though, and you know right away what you want. I'm not knocking yammies.....I just want a guitar that is going to keep me happy for a loooong time. I have a few others, its time to blow the dust off the wallet and get the one I really want.

 

The Tanglewood I played was real nice though. I'd never even heard of them, and really know nothing about them. It had great action, awesome sound, and the price was right too. Too many to choose from is the biggest problem!

 

S.

[irishfield]

Only one I've ever played and learned on as a kid. The Dubro my mother bought from Sears in 1943.

Edited November 27, 2015 by irishfield

[Fang]

Own 2 Martins myself but I'm just a campfire strummer. Plan a trip into the city and go to Twelfth Fret. All the acoustics you can ever dream of are on the wall there. I played a Tanglewood a while back. Very nice guitar. Martin and Taylor's are top sellers in the mid to high end for a reason

[chris.brock]

Just like my 3 outboards, my acoustic guitar is also a Yamaha.

 

It's about 12 years old, paid about $800 originally, brand new. I really like it but I don't know enough on the topic to give you any advice.

[ccmtcanada]

I've played guitar for over 30 years now. I have two acoustics at the moment....a cheap $300 Yamaha I bought about 25 years ago and a Fender semi acoustic.

 

The Yamaha has survived university years, where I found it once filled with beer...and then someone knocked it and it has a hole in the back. I still play it today and love it!

 

When I record, I use my fender semi....has very rich tones and the action is incredible.

[KLINKER]

When you try them out, try different guitars of the same make and model, you can sometimes find a difference in them.

 

 

EKO Ranger

Yamaki deluxe

2 songbirds not the Gibson but a mid level Korean, one I really like the other not so much

Royal dobro

gitane anybody play gypsy jazz, neither do I but the thing is just gorgeous

70's sigma 12 string that I use a lot

Sigma D42 that's sort of nice Sigma's were sanctioned copies of Martin

vester 12 string, like the sigma more

Martin D1

Blueridge, $30 brand new had a crack in the sound board. Patched it and got a nice blueridge for under $100

I think there's one more

 

My BIL had a Yamaki custom set up and it turned out real nice he figures it compares to his D28

Edited November 28, 2015 by KLINKER

[Andy]

I have a Yamaha that I bought in '75 when I was 13, and it's a solid guitar. But a few years ago I bought a Taylor 214 that I love as much now as then. Easy playing and sounds great. I'm really into fingerstyle now. I know it's a low end Taylor with a composite back, but to me it sounds great and I can take it anywhere. Guitars are a very personal thing. I tried Martins and Larivees, but none of them seemed just right for me.

[DaveRoach]

Couple of quilted ash Ibanez (12 and 6). My favorite is my 2007 Hummingbird True Vintage, very mellow buttery tones.

Edited November 28, 2015 by DaveRoach

[fish_fishburn]

What about Seagull guitars. Apparently very well made and sound great. Also Made In Canada.

[Sinker]

We need to do an ofc jam night!

 

I went and played a few more, but there is something about the taylors that I really like.

 

Having a jam tonight and playing a buddies taylor, but have a few others coming to mess around with too.

 

I played almost every guitar in the guitar boutique and long and mcquades, and have it narrowed diwn to the taylor or the tanglewood.

 

Seagull does have some nice ones, but the ones found played best and sounded best had no pick ups in them. I need to plug in....part of the reason im getting a new one.

 

S.

[singingdog]

Buy for sound, not for action. Action can be fixed easily, sound can't. The quality of $500 guitars is amazing these days....on par with what would have cost you $1500 a few years ago. If you are buying new, then there is a certain unknown. It is tough to know how an instrument will age. Buying used, you get some assurance that an instrument is going to hold it's sound.

[Jigger]

if it were up to me and I was going to spend the money anyways, I'd probably be searching craigslist or kijijii for a good quality vintage. you can't reproduce the sound of wood thats aged 40-50 years. That being said, singingdog is absolutely right. My daughter plays an Epiphone Hummingbird, which doesn't sound as good as the Gibson model, but nice tones at the same time at a fraction of the price. But the real surprise was the Yamaha 12string that she has. Was around 600 and the sound is out of this world! My wife has an Ovation 12string that probably cost more than twice that and it doesn't sound as good as the Yamaha. That being said, she also has a Larrivee that gets way more attention and sounds amazing. I've got an Epiphone Masterbuilt that's seen better days, but I just make noise.

[Headhunter]

Buy for sound, not for action. Action can be fixed easily, sound can't. The quality of $500 guitars is amazing these days....on par with what would have cost you $1500 a few years ago. If you are buying new, then there is a certain unknown. It is tough to know how an instrument will age. Buying used, you get some assurance that an instrument is going to hold it's sound.

 

if it were up to me and I was going to spend the money anyways, I'd probably be searching craigslist or kijijii for a good quality vintage. you can't reproduce the sound of wood thats aged 40-50 years. That being said, singingdog is absolutely right. My daughter plays an Epiphone Hummingbird, which doesn't sound as good as the Gibson model, but nice tones at the same time at a fraction of the price. But the real surprise was the Yamaha 12string that she has. Was around 600 and the sound is out of this world! My wife has an Ovation 12string that probably cost more than twice that and it doesn't sound as good as the Yamaha. That being said, she also has a Larrivee that gets way more attention and sounds amazing. I've got an Epiphone Masterbuilt that's seen better days, but I just make noise.

 

if it were up to me and I was going to spend the money anyways, I'd probably be searching craigslist or kijijii for a good quality vintage. you can't reproduce the sound of wood thats aged 40-50 years. That being said, singingdog is absolutely right. My daughter plays an Epiphone Hummingbird, which doesn't sound as good as the Gibson model, but nice tones at the same time at a fraction of the price. But the real surprise was the Yamaha 12string that she has. Was around 600 and the sound is out of this world! My wife has an Ovation 12string that probably cost more than twice that and it doesn't sound as good as the Yamaha. That being said, she also has a Larrivee that gets way more attention and sounds amazing. I've got an Epiphone Masterbuilt that's seen better days, but I just make noise.

X3

HH

[Sinker]

The problem with using kijiji is I have to drive all over and make arrangements with people just to play them. Its a pain in the butt.

 

I think I have it narrowed down to a taylor anyways. Ive never touched one I didnt fall in love with. I was playing a 500 series last night that was about 20 yrs old.....killer!!

 

Also, a lot of the old vintage guitars are worth more now than they were new! I agree the aged guitars are great, but getting one has been a pain in the arse!

 

S.

[DaveRoach]

The problem with using kijiji is I have to drive all over and make arrangements with people just to play them. Its a pain in the butt.

 

I think I have it narrowed down to a taylor anyways. Ive never touched one I didnt fall in love with. I was playing a 500 series last night that was about 20 yrs old.....killer!!

 

Also, a lot of the old vintage guitars are worth more now than they were new! I agree the aged guitars are great, but getting one has been a pain in the arse!

 

S.

So true Sinker...

[SuperDave]

What about Fender? I have a Fender F-35 I bought in the 70's. Still sounds awesome.

[singingdog]

Yep, Kijiji is only as good as your desire to drive around and sit in other peoples houses trying their guitars.

 

The other thing I will throw in the mix is this: buy the instrument that makes you want to play. Owning a vintage instrument that lives in the case all the time is a great way to not play very much. Owning a decent instrument that you don't mind leaving out on the stand is a great way to get better. Being able to walk by and pick it up for a quick practice session is one of the best ways to get better.

[Parnelly]

I also have an F35. Many of my friends that have played it seem to really enjoy the sound. Also have a 6 and 12 custom built acoustics. Fender seems to be the better sounding guitar as far as the 6's go.

[colin519]

I've got an Ibanez Electric Acoustic (cheap, good sound, pretty), a Yammy Pacifica electric (cheap, sounds like a guitar, that is all).

 

I really recommend looking at Godin and the other affiliated brands. Quality, Canadian work. This is where I'm headed next.

 

http://www.godinguitars.com/

[NAW]

I have 3 acoustic guitars, One for the living room (1979 Ovation Matrix), one for the bedroom (Norman B20 Cutaway) and one for travelling (Marin Backpacker).

 

They all get their fair share of time being played. I actually like the Ovation the best for playing. The action is extra low. It plays like an electric. Aluminum fret board is kind of unique.

 

I can't really comment on any new guitars, because I don't know much about them. But my old neighbor used to buy high end guitars and his last one that he really really liked was a Larrivee. I've played it a few times, and it's a solid guitar. Way over my price range though.

 

Edit.. If I where to buy a new guitar, it would be this one.

http://www.seagullguitars.com/seagull_perf_cwflame_mj.html

Edited November 30, 2015 by N.A.W