| The Acoustic Guitar Buyer's Guide |
More information than you ever needed is all here. There are hundreds of options when it comes to purchasing a guitar and they can often seem overwhelming. Each of you is going to be in a different position when it comes to your purchase, however all of you will have a certain set common factor, this factor is:
"I've got BLAH amount of money, how do I buy the best guitar with it?"
Well, that question is not so easily answered, even by very solid recommendations from experienced users on a forum such as this. The only real way to figure it out is to do your research and really understand what you are getting yourself into. Once you understand all of the availble options and most of the subject territory, only then will you be able to begin to comprehend what the best choice for you will be. With that said, and without further ado... I present my Ultimate Acoustic Guitar Buyer's Guide:
RULE #1: Try it before you buy it. Two different guitars of the same model by the same manufacturer of the same price will sound different. If they are separate physical objects, they each came from a different piece of wood and thus they are different guitars. The only way to find this out is by playing them.
RULE #2: Begin with a base price range that you are willing to spend, and then double it. If you can afford $300 for something you really want, then you sure as hell can afford $600 for the best of the best of what you really want. If you can afford $1000 you sure as hell can afford $2000 be it on credit or even with cash. If you've got the financial power to be in either of those price ranges, then all you need is the patience to wait long enough to have that cash saved up. Realistically speaking you shouldn’t ever put a price limit on your guitar. That would be ludicrous. I've played $300 guitars that beat $1500 guitars any day. And I've played a $2999 guitar that blew me away so far, that my original estimate of $1000 price range went' straight out the window and my ideas of price and how much I thought I would/could/should spend altered radically.
So, with those two issues in mind, there are now some other aspects to consider.
The Woods
I am by no means an expert on all the varieties of wood out of which you can make a guitar. One this is for certain, there are many many varieties. There are, however, a few basic staples that you find over and over and which are staples for a good reason. I will run over just one or three of the basic woods I'm familiar with that you will run into every day.
Before starting into this discussion, it would be worthwhile to mention that some woods just aren't suited for guitar making. Woods like oak and elm would not be very good because they are hard, heavy and thick. They do not resonate well. There is a special breed and variety of wood known as Tonewood and it includes many species. Tonewood is wood which is sympathetic with resonant pitches, thusly it vibrates more actively in response to sound. These types of Tonewoods are the most ideal to make guitars out of.
Spruce
The classic defacto standard guitar wood. Often times guitar manufacturers try to advertise with big headlines such as "Solid Sitka Spruce Top!" when the reality is that basically every guitar these days is made with spruce, even if it's just the bracing on the top. Spruce is a hard wood. This means it is tougher tenser and more rigid. It resists nicks and scrapes more than some other woods. There are many varieties of spruce and often only expensive guitars will advertise the variety. There is German or European spruce which is thought to be the superior variety but is now in short supply. Adirondack or Apalaichan spruce is an American alternative often used by C.F. Martin & Co.. Stika spruce is perhaps one of the most popular varieties and it is very strong and bright. Spruce is the defacto standard really, and there's a reason. Spruce is very strong, resonant and penetrating with a bright crisp sound. It has beautiful bright overtones and often makes guitars with great volume due to it's stiff but vibrant nature. It's the standard white colored top you see on many guitars these days. Don't be fooled by it's conventionality. Sound is what matters and a well made spruce top guitar is nothing to be scoffed at. Spruce has a high strength to weight ratio and a good amount of tension which supposedly makes it act like a speaker cone, providing a bright wide sound. When a spruce top guitar ages, the sap inside the wood eventually dries and crystallizes making it that much more resonant and responsive.
Rosewood
The most sought after variety of wood is usually Rosewood, in particular Brazilian Rosewood. Due to it's rarity and current limited availability it is usually prohibitively expensive and probably not the most environmentally friendly of purchases if you care about that sort of thing considering how much of a short supply there is. Rosewood is guitar gold: bright, resonant, deep, rich and beautiful. Rosewood is also very heavy and thus is most often used in the neck. Sometimes it gets used in backs and sides.
Mahogany
This is perhaps one of the all time classic woods for use in making guitars. Often considered the replacement for Rosewood due to it's prohibitive cost. It is particularly popular in use on the backs and sides of guitars but it sees it's fair share of use on tops as well. Mahogany lends more of a "parlor" kind of tone to the guitar. In other words, it's twangier but not as brilliant. It's not as "big" sounding either, but possesses a distinct character. This character graced most of the acoustic guitar sounds on early Beatles recordings since they used Gibsons of mahogany construction.
Cedar
This fragrant wood reminds me of hamsters
and northern California. Cedar is a soft wood, meaning it's more pliable and will nick and dent more easily. This is really not a bad thing as it is still a sturdy variety. It also has a correspondingly softer tone, being often warmer and thicker with richer bass response yet maintaining a cool high end. It's got a characteristic smell which anyone will recognize immediately. It's color is a rusty ruddy reddish brown which I find particularly attractive. Cedar has distinctly different tonal qualities compared to spruce. I like it for its variety and deviation from the norm.
Maple
Maple is a beautiful and has, like spruce and rosewood, a high strength to weight ratio making it ideal for necks and fret boards. Maple is heavy and often doesn't get used for the bodies of guitars due to its weight and extremely bright tone, however, you can certainly find flamed maple top guitars which are gorgeous.
"I've got BLAH amount of money, how do I buy the best guitar with it?"
Well, that question is not so easily answered, even by very solid recommendations from experienced users on a forum such as this. The only real way to figure it out is to do your research and really understand what you are getting yourself into. Once you understand all of the availble options and most of the subject territory, only then will you be able to begin to comprehend what the best choice for you will be. With that said, and without further ado... I present my Ultimate Acoustic Guitar Buyer's Guide:
RULE #1: Try it before you buy it. Two different guitars of the same model by the same manufacturer of the same price will sound different. If they are separate physical objects, they each came from a different piece of wood and thus they are different guitars. The only way to find this out is by playing them.
RULE #2: Begin with a base price range that you are willing to spend, and then double it. If you can afford $300 for something you really want, then you sure as hell can afford $600 for the best of the best of what you really want. If you can afford $1000 you sure as hell can afford $2000 be it on credit or even with cash. If you've got the financial power to be in either of those price ranges, then all you need is the patience to wait long enough to have that cash saved up. Realistically speaking you shouldn’t ever put a price limit on your guitar. That would be ludicrous. I've played $300 guitars that beat $1500 guitars any day. And I've played a $2999 guitar that blew me away so far, that my original estimate of $1000 price range went' straight out the window and my ideas of price and how much I thought I would/could/should spend altered radically.
So, with those two issues in mind, there are now some other aspects to consider.
The Woods
I am by no means an expert on all the varieties of wood out of which you can make a guitar. One this is for certain, there are many many varieties. There are, however, a few basic staples that you find over and over and which are staples for a good reason. I will run over just one or three of the basic woods I'm familiar with that you will run into every day.
Before starting into this discussion, it would be worthwhile to mention that some woods just aren't suited for guitar making. Woods like oak and elm would not be very good because they are hard, heavy and thick. They do not resonate well. There is a special breed and variety of wood known as Tonewood and it includes many species. Tonewood is wood which is sympathetic with resonant pitches, thusly it vibrates more actively in response to sound. These types of Tonewoods are the most ideal to make guitars out of.
Spruce
The classic defacto standard guitar wood. Often times guitar manufacturers try to advertise with big headlines such as "Solid Sitka Spruce Top!" when the reality is that basically every guitar these days is made with spruce, even if it's just the bracing on the top. Spruce is a hard wood. This means it is tougher tenser and more rigid. It resists nicks and scrapes more than some other woods. There are many varieties of spruce and often only expensive guitars will advertise the variety. There is German or European spruce which is thought to be the superior variety but is now in short supply. Adirondack or Apalaichan spruce is an American alternative often used by C.F. Martin & Co.. Stika spruce is perhaps one of the most popular varieties and it is very strong and bright. Spruce is the defacto standard really, and there's a reason. Spruce is very strong, resonant and penetrating with a bright crisp sound. It has beautiful bright overtones and often makes guitars with great volume due to it's stiff but vibrant nature. It's the standard white colored top you see on many guitars these days. Don't be fooled by it's conventionality. Sound is what matters and a well made spruce top guitar is nothing to be scoffed at. Spruce has a high strength to weight ratio and a good amount of tension which supposedly makes it act like a speaker cone, providing a bright wide sound. When a spruce top guitar ages, the sap inside the wood eventually dries and crystallizes making it that much more resonant and responsive.
Rosewood
The most sought after variety of wood is usually Rosewood, in particular Brazilian Rosewood. Due to it's rarity and current limited availability it is usually prohibitively expensive and probably not the most environmentally friendly of purchases if you care about that sort of thing considering how much of a short supply there is. Rosewood is guitar gold: bright, resonant, deep, rich and beautiful. Rosewood is also very heavy and thus is most often used in the neck. Sometimes it gets used in backs and sides.
Mahogany
This is perhaps one of the all time classic woods for use in making guitars. Often considered the replacement for Rosewood due to it's prohibitive cost. It is particularly popular in use on the backs and sides of guitars but it sees it's fair share of use on tops as well. Mahogany lends more of a "parlor" kind of tone to the guitar. In other words, it's twangier but not as brilliant. It's not as "big" sounding either, but possesses a distinct character. This character graced most of the acoustic guitar sounds on early Beatles recordings since they used Gibsons of mahogany construction.
Cedar
This fragrant wood reminds me of hamsters
and northern California. Cedar is a soft wood, meaning it's more pliable and will nick and dent more easily. This is really not a bad thing as it is still a sturdy variety. It also has a correspondingly softer tone, being often warmer and thicker with richer bass response yet maintaining a cool high end. It's got a characteristic smell which anyone will recognize immediately. It's color is a rusty ruddy reddish brown which I find particularly attractive. Cedar has distinctly different tonal qualities compared to spruce. I like it for its variety and deviation from the norm.Maple
Maple is a beautiful and has, like spruce and rosewood, a high strength to weight ratio making it ideal for necks and fret boards. Maple is heavy and often doesn't get used for the bodies of guitars due to its weight and extremely bright tone, however, you can certainly find flamed maple top guitars which are gorgeous.
A note about acoustic-electric hybrids: There are two types of acoustic guitars. Real acoustic guitars and acoustic electric guitars – yes, yes, there are classical varieties too but that is not my main focus here. An acoustic-electric guitar is great because you can gig with it much more easily, you can also plug it into an acoustic amp and plug in a microphone and voila, you have a one man band. There is, however, one major drawback with acoustic-electrics: they don't sound like the real thing. Countless methods have been tried, numerous techniques have been invented, all to accurately recreate the real sound of an acoustic. The unfortunate reality is that your acoustic-electric will sound different when plugged in and there's really no getting around it. This is due to a much lengthier topic of discussion which I will not endeavor to explain at the moment. Suffice it to say that the current technology is limited and the main problem is that it often picks up mostly high end sound and very little bass. Another thing to take into account is that when a pickup is added to an acoustic guitar, this requires cutting a hole in one of the sides, which ultimately does compromise the tone quality – plastic just doesn’t resonate like wood does.
Action:
The “Action” on your guitar usually refers to how high off the neck the strings are. In other words it is how far down you have to press the strings to play the guitar, and also, generally dictates how hard you have to press down in order to play. A higher action usually means brighter tone, but more difficult playability. A lower action means very easy playability, but it might sacrifice tone. Those rules on tone are not hard and fast. The good thing to know about action, is that despite whatever action you get on the guitar when you buy it, you can always send it in to the shop and have that action adjusted higher or lower. Also, things like body size and neck size will have a bearing on how easily you’re able to play your guitar. A wider neck will be easier for people with fat fingers, but it will be more difficult to stretch far enough to play some chords. Most acoustic-electric hybrids have a cutaway neck which allows you to reach much higher notes on your acoustic than would normally be allowed by the standard 12 to 14 fret range. This is often an added bonus regardless of whether you play mostly plugged in or mostly acoustic.
Body styles:
There are a few general body styles for a guitar which you may or may not be aware of. There are pretty much three basic ones. There is the Dreadnaught style which is the absolute classic defacto standard body style for a guitar. It’s the shape everyone thinks of when they think of an acoustic guitar. Then there are the “Concert” and “Jumbo” style guitars. These guitars are generally more rounded and have a much more figure eight teardrop style shape. The Jumbo style guitar as it’s name implies, is rather large, and the Concert, sometimes called “Auditorium” or some such other random nonsense marketing word, is essentially a small sized Jumbo style guitar. I’m sure there are slight differences between the two but for practical purposes this is how they look. Often times you can find “Baby” guitars which are just miniature dreadnaughts, good for travel and often cheap. Taylor makes one called the Baby Taylor as does Martin.
Brand Personality:
Every individual guitar will, obviously be different than every other individual guitar. I’d like to give randomdave credit for being the first (though by no means the only one) to point out that, if it’s a separate physical object, then it came from a different piece of wood, and thus it’s a different guitar. This is true. However, brands themselves often have personalities all their own which stay consistent even within the range of their own models and even with all the variance of wood types and body styles. For instance, Martins have an undeniably classic “Martin Sound” that you just can’t coax out of any other brand of guitar.
Action:
The “Action” on your guitar usually refers to how high off the neck the strings are. In other words it is how far down you have to press the strings to play the guitar, and also, generally dictates how hard you have to press down in order to play. A higher action usually means brighter tone, but more difficult playability. A lower action means very easy playability, but it might sacrifice tone. Those rules on tone are not hard and fast. The good thing to know about action, is that despite whatever action you get on the guitar when you buy it, you can always send it in to the shop and have that action adjusted higher or lower. Also, things like body size and neck size will have a bearing on how easily you’re able to play your guitar. A wider neck will be easier for people with fat fingers, but it will be more difficult to stretch far enough to play some chords. Most acoustic-electric hybrids have a cutaway neck which allows you to reach much higher notes on your acoustic than would normally be allowed by the standard 12 to 14 fret range. This is often an added bonus regardless of whether you play mostly plugged in or mostly acoustic.
Body styles:
There are a few general body styles for a guitar which you may or may not be aware of. There are pretty much three basic ones. There is the Dreadnaught style which is the absolute classic defacto standard body style for a guitar. It’s the shape everyone thinks of when they think of an acoustic guitar. Then there are the “Concert” and “Jumbo” style guitars. These guitars are generally more rounded and have a much more figure eight teardrop style shape. The Jumbo style guitar as it’s name implies, is rather large, and the Concert, sometimes called “Auditorium” or some such other random nonsense marketing word, is essentially a small sized Jumbo style guitar. I’m sure there are slight differences between the two but for practical purposes this is how they look. Often times you can find “Baby” guitars which are just miniature dreadnaughts, good for travel and often cheap. Taylor makes one called the Baby Taylor as does Martin.
Brand Personality:
Every individual guitar will, obviously be different than every other individual guitar. I’d like to give randomdave credit for being the first (though by no means the only one) to point out that, if it’s a separate physical object, then it came from a different piece of wood, and thus it’s a different guitar. This is true. However, brands themselves often have personalities all their own which stay consistent even within the range of their own models and even with all the variance of wood types and body styles. For instance, Martins have an undeniably classic “Martin Sound” that you just can’t coax out of any other brand of guitar.
The Contenders:
Please don't flame me for not mentioning your favorite X-Brand of guitar, there are many brands I know about but have left out, including but not limited to Alvarez, Guild, Fender, Epiphone, Seagul, Godin, Goya and others
Taylor
Taylor is one of my personal favorites. Obviously we are all biased. And this is my bias. Taylor guitars have a perfect clarity of tone that just seems to jump off the strings. It really projects on stage and cuts through the mix very well while playing with other instruments without being overbearing. The great thing about Taylors, is not only do they usually sound great, but Taylor has invented a new variety of acoustic-electric pickup. It’s called the Expression System and I’m sure that’s probably trademarked but I don’t know where the trademark symbol is. Anyway, evidently Taylor decided to do a bunch of computer research on sound and acoustics and guitars. So they did whatever they did, plugged a bunch of guitars into the computer and had it analyze the sound waves. Their data and their findings actually contradicted the commonly held notions regarding how acoustic sound is transmitted. They used this data to construct a new breed of acoustic pickup which really truly gets about as close to the real sound of the guitar as possible. The proof is in the product itself, go check one out sometime. Also, no I am not paid by Taylor, though I wish I was!
Martin
Martins are perhaps some of the most classic guitars and probably the most well known brand name in the world of guitars aside from Gibson. C.F. Martin & Co. is a superb quality guitar manufacturer and their guitars have a distinct sound quality about them. Each manufacturer ends up having it’s own particular personalities when it comes to the tonal varieties found in their products. Martin’s signature tone is a much bassy but not boomy with a much more even and rounded overall response with a good thick low-mid range and good clarity in the high range. Martin models range from the bottom to the top and they make many styles with many varieties of wood. The general rule of thumb is that you really can’t go wrong with a Martin, though my rule of thumb is that if you do your looking, there are by now other brands with equally comparable quality in their products, and the Martin sound may or may not be for everybody.
Takamine
Takamine is an acoustic manufacturer that seems to have been around for quite some time yet seems like a new player on the scene compared to Gibson and Martin. Takamines are known for their bright tinny high end and crackly sparkling response. Not a lot of bass here. In my opinion you don’t start getting into the good Takamines until you start paying over $1000. I could be wrong, but this has been my experience. Takamine does however have an ace up it’s sleeve. A lot of the new Takamine acoustic-electrics are now coming with a tube pickup built in and all I have to say is “Tubes Rule!” I’ve played one of these new beasts and boy do they kick butt. Unfortunately the un-amplified response is rather paltry compared to the amplified response. The upper end Takamines do have great sound quality and clarity even un-amplified, but after you plug in and hear that soft screaming tube warmth, the regular unplugged variety seems to pale in comparison. Certainly great guitars, you have to play them to understand what I’m talking about. I see the tube pickups as more of a novelty right now than anything else. Though I have to admit, it’s one impressive f8ckin novelty!
Gibson
Gibsons are hard to pin down and qualify, and I must admit my own lack of first hand knowledge when it comes to playing them and understanding their qualitative tonal differences compared to other brands. However, from what I know I can say that Gibson feels to me to have the standard western cowboy sound. This is not to be confused with the country twang you hear, but more of a rustic rich dusty earthy sound. The Beatles played Mahogany based Gibson acoustics from what I understand. Gibsons are also known for their incredible price tags. Part of what you pay for is the name Gibson emblazoned in the headstock. Part of what you pay for is the Gibson sound. As I’ve said, each guitar manufacturer has a distinct tonal personality and Gibson, like the rest has it’s unique characteristic signature sound. Play them. Decide for yourself.
Ibanez
Ibanez are the Asian economy cars of the guitar market. They are cheap, well manufactured, reliable and they work. I personally haven’t found an acoustic Ibanez which I enjoy listening to, they all seem to be rather mid range punchy and lacking in tonal quality, though I have to admit I have not played any of their high end models. Their website is worth checking out because they have a gazillion different models. Their Art Wood series looks particularly promising and I’m sure if you found a good retailer with some higher end Ibanez you’d probably find something you like. Again, as with Takamine, I don’t personally feel you start to get anything good from Ibanez until you hit the $1000 range.
Ovation
Life is plastic, it’s fantastic. Well. I personally have a distaste for plastic guitars, but Dave Matthews plays one of these and I have certainly tried a few in the shop which didn’t sound bad to my ears. The lower end Ovations sound like smacking an empty soda bottle against the walls of a swimming pool filled with Jell-O. I’m just not a fan. However, these guitars do seem to be radically popular and, as with all manufacturers, they have their own characteristic sound which obviously some people like. Go try them.
Yamaha
Despite the fact that Yamaha might seem to fall into the Asian economy sector of the market, they make some surprisingly good guitars. My guitar is a Yamaha F-310, which by all standards is a rather uninteresting model to say the least, however, I must say a few words about it. One, the tonal quality I get from it is actually amazing. If the action were still good and not as buzzy it would be an excellent guitar. I’ve been in the shops and played my exact model in numerous places on numerous occasions and just nothing quite stacks up to the one I’ve got. “Here here!” and a testament to the fact that there’s nothing quite like an aged guitar. Not only does the wood become more hollow, crystalline and resonant, but I feel that all the emotions, energies, vibrations and tribulations which a guitar has gone through show up in the tone. Two, this guitar is sturdy as all hell. It was given to me by a good friend, and it took both he and I all the way across the country and back, on the road, in the heat and in the snow and it still plays like a charm. It’s been beaten, smacked, dropped, scratched, mauled and otherwise maltreated so often I’m amazed it’s still alive, but it is. It’s the little guitar that could and the little guitar that would. Also, in my local shop there is a $299 Yamaha, model of something or other, which would appear at first, also, to be absolutely nothing special: standard spruce top acoustic electric hybrid. I played it however and immediately changed my mind. It had an amazing amount of volume, resonance, clarity and brightness which I just could not find anywhere in that price range amongst the other guitars. So, the lesson is: plain is not bad, in fact, the best guitar might be right under your nose and you won’t realize it.
Please don't flame me for not mentioning your favorite X-Brand of guitar, there are many brands I know about but have left out, including but not limited to Alvarez, Guild, Fender, Epiphone, Seagul, Godin, Goya and others
Taylor
Taylor is one of my personal favorites. Obviously we are all biased. And this is my bias. Taylor guitars have a perfect clarity of tone that just seems to jump off the strings. It really projects on stage and cuts through the mix very well while playing with other instruments without being overbearing. The great thing about Taylors, is not only do they usually sound great, but Taylor has invented a new variety of acoustic-electric pickup. It’s called the Expression System and I’m sure that’s probably trademarked but I don’t know where the trademark symbol is. Anyway, evidently Taylor decided to do a bunch of computer research on sound and acoustics and guitars. So they did whatever they did, plugged a bunch of guitars into the computer and had it analyze the sound waves. Their data and their findings actually contradicted the commonly held notions regarding how acoustic sound is transmitted. They used this data to construct a new breed of acoustic pickup which really truly gets about as close to the real sound of the guitar as possible. The proof is in the product itself, go check one out sometime. Also, no I am not paid by Taylor, though I wish I was!
Martin
Martins are perhaps some of the most classic guitars and probably the most well known brand name in the world of guitars aside from Gibson. C.F. Martin & Co. is a superb quality guitar manufacturer and their guitars have a distinct sound quality about them. Each manufacturer ends up having it’s own particular personalities when it comes to the tonal varieties found in their products. Martin’s signature tone is a much bassy but not boomy with a much more even and rounded overall response with a good thick low-mid range and good clarity in the high range. Martin models range from the bottom to the top and they make many styles with many varieties of wood. The general rule of thumb is that you really can’t go wrong with a Martin, though my rule of thumb is that if you do your looking, there are by now other brands with equally comparable quality in their products, and the Martin sound may or may not be for everybody.
Takamine
Takamine is an acoustic manufacturer that seems to have been around for quite some time yet seems like a new player on the scene compared to Gibson and Martin. Takamines are known for their bright tinny high end and crackly sparkling response. Not a lot of bass here. In my opinion you don’t start getting into the good Takamines until you start paying over $1000. I could be wrong, but this has been my experience. Takamine does however have an ace up it’s sleeve. A lot of the new Takamine acoustic-electrics are now coming with a tube pickup built in and all I have to say is “Tubes Rule!” I’ve played one of these new beasts and boy do they kick butt. Unfortunately the un-amplified response is rather paltry compared to the amplified response. The upper end Takamines do have great sound quality and clarity even un-amplified, but after you plug in and hear that soft screaming tube warmth, the regular unplugged variety seems to pale in comparison. Certainly great guitars, you have to play them to understand what I’m talking about. I see the tube pickups as more of a novelty right now than anything else. Though I have to admit, it’s one impressive f8ckin novelty!
Gibson
Gibsons are hard to pin down and qualify, and I must admit my own lack of first hand knowledge when it comes to playing them and understanding their qualitative tonal differences compared to other brands. However, from what I know I can say that Gibson feels to me to have the standard western cowboy sound. This is not to be confused with the country twang you hear, but more of a rustic rich dusty earthy sound. The Beatles played Mahogany based Gibson acoustics from what I understand. Gibsons are also known for their incredible price tags. Part of what you pay for is the name Gibson emblazoned in the headstock. Part of what you pay for is the Gibson sound. As I’ve said, each guitar manufacturer has a distinct tonal personality and Gibson, like the rest has it’s unique characteristic signature sound. Play them. Decide for yourself.
Ibanez
Ibanez are the Asian economy cars of the guitar market. They are cheap, well manufactured, reliable and they work. I personally haven’t found an acoustic Ibanez which I enjoy listening to, they all seem to be rather mid range punchy and lacking in tonal quality, though I have to admit I have not played any of their high end models. Their website is worth checking out because they have a gazillion different models. Their Art Wood series looks particularly promising and I’m sure if you found a good retailer with some higher end Ibanez you’d probably find something you like. Again, as with Takamine, I don’t personally feel you start to get anything good from Ibanez until you hit the $1000 range.
Ovation
Life is plastic, it’s fantastic. Well. I personally have a distaste for plastic guitars, but Dave Matthews plays one of these and I have certainly tried a few in the shop which didn’t sound bad to my ears. The lower end Ovations sound like smacking an empty soda bottle against the walls of a swimming pool filled with Jell-O. I’m just not a fan. However, these guitars do seem to be radically popular and, as with all manufacturers, they have their own characteristic sound which obviously some people like. Go try them.
Yamaha
Despite the fact that Yamaha might seem to fall into the Asian economy sector of the market, they make some surprisingly good guitars. My guitar is a Yamaha F-310, which by all standards is a rather uninteresting model to say the least, however, I must say a few words about it. One, the tonal quality I get from it is actually amazing. If the action were still good and not as buzzy it would be an excellent guitar. I’ve been in the shops and played my exact model in numerous places on numerous occasions and just nothing quite stacks up to the one I’ve got. “Here here!” and a testament to the fact that there’s nothing quite like an aged guitar. Not only does the wood become more hollow, crystalline and resonant, but I feel that all the emotions, energies, vibrations and tribulations which a guitar has gone through show up in the tone. Two, this guitar is sturdy as all hell. It was given to me by a good friend, and it took both he and I all the way across the country and back, on the road, in the heat and in the snow and it still plays like a charm. It’s been beaten, smacked, dropped, scratched, mauled and otherwise maltreated so often I’m amazed it’s still alive, but it is. It’s the little guitar that could and the little guitar that would. Also, in my local shop there is a $299 Yamaha, model of something or other, which would appear at first, also, to be absolutely nothing special: standard spruce top acoustic electric hybrid. I played it however and immediately changed my mind. It had an amazing amount of volume, resonance, clarity and brightness which I just could not find anywhere in that price range amongst the other guitars. So, the lesson is: plain is not bad, in fact, the best guitar might be right under your nose and you won’t realize it.
Basically, you're right, as far as that goes, about acoustic/electrics, but here's a bit more: A lot of us profesionals DON'T have a pre-amp cut into the sides of our guitars, we use an external unit (I personally use the Baggs "Para-Coustic" DI) because if your preamp dies (and they all do, eventually!), you may not be able to find a replacement that'll fit into that sized hole!
As for the Taylor Expression System, the bugs are still not out of that one, yet...
As for the Taylor Expression System, the bugs are still not out of that one, yet...
| re Terry Allan Hall/entheon |
I agree with both of you. I think Taylor makes some of the best sounding guitars out there
but like alot of guitar makers to get to the good ones you gotta spend some money.
I don't like acoustic electrics much . I've used them but I prefer something like the baggs di or just a really good mic.
I was looking into the rainsong guitars but haven't tried one does anybody know how they sound or has anybody tried one(they're composite guitars of supposedly high quality).
but like alot of guitar makers to get to the good ones you gotta spend some money.
I don't like acoustic electrics much . I've used them but I prefer something like the baggs di or just a really good mic.
I was looking into the rainsong guitars but haven't tried one does anybody know how they sound or has anybody tried one(they're composite guitars of supposedly high quality).
My totally biased and subjective opinions:
Taylor: Kick ass bright tone. Awsome volume. Amazing range. My favorite.
Martin: Much deeper, more mellow. To me you can actually FEEL the difference as your playing on a Martin.
Gibson I don't like them. I've played on ones up to a thousand bucks and frankly their tone is lame. They feel laminated regardless of how highend they are.
Ibanez Good for a poor, absolute beginner.
Yamaha The classic standard. These things are built extremely well. I own a 45 year one and it sounds amazing still. They will last you forever if you take care of them. If you are buying a nylon, buy a vintage Yamaha. The only real choice for nylons are Yamahas.
Alvarez Half way between Yamahas and Taylors, they aren't built very well, and I never have liked them. I hear most people buy a Yamaha for starting, go to a Alvarez then go to a Martin or a Taylor, but I suggest either saving up or borrowing a few extra hundred for a Taylor or Martin (Taylor/Martins are a million times better than a Alvarez of the same price)
I like Martins when I'm just playing and chilling (jamming, noodling, whatever
and I love Taylors when I'm performing or I just finished writing a song and I want to play it!
I have to say though, the pickups for Taylors under $1500 list SUCK if you are playing them through a non-acoustic amp, but sound GREAT if you are playing it though a good acoustic amp.
Taylor: Kick ass bright tone. Awsome volume. Amazing range. My favorite.
Martin: Much deeper, more mellow. To me you can actually FEEL the difference as your playing on a Martin.
Gibson I don't like them. I've played on ones up to a thousand bucks and frankly their tone is lame. They feel laminated regardless of how highend they are.
Ibanez Good for a poor, absolute beginner.
Yamaha The classic standard. These things are built extremely well. I own a 45 year one and it sounds amazing still. They will last you forever if you take care of them. If you are buying a nylon, buy a vintage Yamaha. The only real choice for nylons are Yamahas.
Alvarez Half way between Yamahas and Taylors, they aren't built very well, and I never have liked them. I hear most people buy a Yamaha for starting, go to a Alvarez then go to a Martin or a Taylor, but I suggest either saving up or borrowing a few extra hundred for a Taylor or Martin (Taylor/Martins are a million times better than a Alvarez of the same price)
I like Martins when I'm just playing and chilling (jamming, noodling, whatever
and I love Taylors when I'm performing or I just finished writing a song and I want to play it!I have to say though, the pickups for Taylors under $1500 list SUCK if you are playing them through a non-acoustic amp, but sound GREAT if you are playing it though a good acoustic amp.
| re: re Terry Allan Hall/entheon |
toastedgoat wrote…
I agree with both of you. I think Taylor makes some of the best sounding guitars out there
but like alot of guitar makers to get to the good ones you gotta spend some money.
I don't like acoustic electrics much . I've used them but I prefer something like the baggs di or just a really good mic.
I was looking into the rainsong guitars but haven't tried one does anybody know how they sound or has anybody tried one(they're composite guitars of supposedly high quality).
I've played a real Hawaiian Rainsong guitar that one of my friends had and it was sweet. That's all i know
Rainsong guitars are really cool. (This is my, possibly incorrect understanding: ) They were invented by a guy from Hawaii because he wanted a waterproof guitar. So he started trying to build guitars out of fiberglass or some other such materials. Not sure what he actually settled on as a material. Anyway, long story short, Rainsong guitars sound freaking amazing, esp for being a "plastic guitar" They're really loud and richly resonant and so they're perfect for outside performance, e.g. street performance, taking to the beach or on a hiking trip. I think the guy has moved the company to California, since. And they're waterproof!
| Hey... |
Might I add that there are quite a few Extremely well built easy to play and amazing sounding guitars with seemingly unknown brand names like Rogue as well as some good Washburn, Epiphone and others..
You don't HAVE to have a Taylor or Martin to have a good axe... Just has to be playable man...
JimK
You don't HAVE to have a Taylor or Martin to have a good axe... Just has to be playable man...
JimK
| Canadian brands |
For those of you who have had the chance to try Seagulls or A&L (actually, pretty well anything from the Godin lines) I have to say that I was impressed with them. I found that the A&L Wild Cherry lines played nicely, a good deep sound. Although, if you do take the cut-away model, I found it to be a tad higher pitched, which wasn't at all what I wanted. As for the Seagulls, I love those guitars. The S6+ lines reminded me alot of a richer sounding A&L, but I'm hesitant, due to a couple of stories I've heard related to them. Apparently, one of the employees at the guitar shop I was looking at the S6 knew somebody who's Seagull had a large Wille Nelson style whole in it, after only two years...
But as for the Yamaha F-310, I own one, and I agree! Mine's been beaten up, played like there's no tomorrow, and travelled halfway across the country, and still plays beautifully. I quite don't care what people say about Yamaha guitars being cheap, their acoustics are solid, and have a great sound.
But as for the Yamaha F-310, I own one, and I agree! Mine's been beaten up, played like there's no tomorrow, and travelled halfway across the country, and still plays beautifully. I quite don't care what people say about Yamaha guitars being cheap, their acoustics are solid, and have a great sound.
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