advice wanted on......

PaperPlatesPaperPlates Posts: 1,745
edited October 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
buying an acoustic. I had owned two electric guitars up until a few weeks ago, one for standard and one designated for open D. I usually left the open d at my friends house. Well, his house got robbed, most likely by a really really far removed "not his friend for a long time" friend. Anyways, the point is I want to replace the 2nd guitar mostly for my open D tunings. I figure most of the songs I can play in this tuning are clean guitars anyways, so why not go acoustic? I dont really feel like spending a ton of cash (just spent most of my xtra dough on a Nikon D2hs) I'm hoping to get something half decent or at least not "shitty sounding". What do you guys reccomend? Whats the best acoustic to buy when you're not looking to spend more than 250?




thanks in advance
Why go home

www.myspace.com/jensvad
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    buying an acoustic. I had owned two electric guitars up until a few weeks ago, one for standard and one designated for open D. I usually left the open d at my friends house. Well, his house got robbed, most likely by a really really far removed "not his friend for a long time" friend. Anyways, the point is I want to replace the 2nd guitar mostly for my open D tunings. I figure most of the songs I can play in this tuning are clean guitars anyways, so why not go acoustic? I dont really feel like spending a ton of cash (just spent most of my xtra dough on a Nikon D2hs) I'm hoping to get something half decent or at least not "shitty sounding". What do you guys reccomend? Whats the best acoustic to buy when you're not looking to spend more than 250?




    thanks in advance
    takamine- http://www.takamine.com
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    http://www.music123.com/Search/Default.aspx?Ne=4294909553&N=64+4294907285&Ns=p_Price%7c0

    of those (second page)... have a look at the fenders and the washburns.

    i had a yamaha in that price range and hated it. i had a washburn that was ok.

    just go in and play everything under $250. that's your best bet. sometimes you find something that stands out.
  • PaperPlatesPaperPlates Posts: 1,745
    exhausted wrote:
    http://www.music123.com/Search/Default.aspx?Ne=4294909553&N=64+4294907285&Ns=p_Price%7c0

    of those (second page)... have a look at the fenders and the washburns.

    i had a yamaha in that price range and hated it. i had a washburn that was ok.

    just go in and play everything under $250. that's your best bet. sometimes you find something that stands out.

    so ya just gotta get lucky and find a gem eh?
    Why go home

    www.myspace.com/jensvad
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Art and Lutherie!
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • I suggest getting an Ovation.
    7/16/06 7/18/06
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    so ya just gotta get lucky and find a gem eh?


    it's pretty much that way in all price ranges though.

    the A&L suggestion is a good one too if they have them in your area.
  • ianvomsaalianvomsaal Posts: 1,224
    $250 - man I'm sorry to say this, but don't bother, just save up a little longer and get something semi-decent - you really can't get anything decent for $250 (unless it's used and the seller doesn't know what he has). I'd say don't buy anything new under $450 or you'll really be getting crap. Ovation, Takamine, Carl Robelli, Mitchell, Etc, Ect, and all those cheap store brand guitars make the music stores tons of $$ (profit), so don't do it, just wait a little longer and make it worth while - cheers . . .

    - Ian C.T. vom Saal
    ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
    <b><font color="red">CONTACT ME HERE</font>: www.myspace.com/ianvomsaal</b>
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  • senninsennin Posts: 2,146
    Love my Art and Luthrie! Amazing sound for the price!

    I take it everywhere I go.

    I have 2 other guitars that hardly get played because the A&L is so nice to play.
  • ianvomsaal wrote:
    $250 - man I'm sorry to say this, but don't bother, just save up a little longer and get something semi-decent - you really can't get anything decent for $250 (unless it's used and the seller doesn't know what he has). I'd say don't buy anything new under $450 or you'll really be getting crap. Ovation, Takamine, Carl Robelli, Mitchell, Etc, Ect, and all those cheap store brand guitars make the music stores tons of $$ (profit), so don't do it, just wait a little longer and make it worth while - cheers . . .

    - Ian C.T. vom Saal


    Ovation is seriously a crappy guitar? I've herd nothing but good things about them!
  • PaperPlatesPaperPlates Posts: 1,745
    Thanks for all the advice. Its not that I cant buy a more expensive one, I simply dont have it way up in my priorities. I already have a strat, a peavy, and a marshall cab, I don't really wanna invest too much more into a hobby I don't make money from. With photography being a hobby I make money with, any "real" money I set aside goes towards that. Im not playing out, Im not in a band, I just jam with a few buddies once a week. Thus my self imposed 250 dollar limit. I will shop around a bit, check out a few you guys mentioned, and see what I can see. Thanks again.
    Why go home

    www.myspace.com/jensvad
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    exhausted wrote:
    i had a yamaha in that price range and hated it.

    I just bought a solid-top Yamaha a couple days ago... for $200, it actually sounds very nice. I played around with a bunch of acoustics in the same price range, and none even came close to that one. A really fast neck, too.

    I wanted to check out some Art & Lutheries, but they didn't have any at that store. I hear they're great though, so you should check them out.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    DOSW wrote:
    I just bought a solid-top Yamaha a couple days ago... for $200, it actually sounds very nice. I played around with a bunch of acoustics in the same price range, and none even came close to that one. A really fast neck, too.

    perhaps they've gotten better. i had, i think, an FG411. solid top anyway.

    it cracked within a few months. it was humidity controlled. and the neck joint had lacquer cracking all around it.
  • senninsennin Posts: 2,146
    I have a FG410 solid top.....got it 22 years ago.....It's decent for a low price guitar. But my Art & Luthrie blows it away.
  • i know yer not gonna wanna hear this, but pawn shops can sometimes be a good place to find an acoustic. last year i got a takamine acoustic and an alvarez acoustic at a local pawn shop, both were under 250. both have solid tops, and the takamine came with an under saddle pickup.

    but, if you are going this route, you need to know what to look for. basically, make sure the guitar is in good shape.


    That same Pawn Shop may actually have your guitar! At least that would be the first place I would go to find my stolen stuff. So in a sense you could go looking for both items, your old and your new guitar all in the same trip.
    Let's Go Red Sox!
  • PaperPlatesPaperPlates Posts: 1,745
    momofglynn wrote:
    That same Pawn Shop may actually have your guitar! At least that would be the first place I would go to find my stolen stuff. So in a sense you could go looking for both items, your old and your new guitar all in the same trip.

    Cops already did that. First place they checked was pawn shops. I figure the guy sold em off or traded em for drugs. I dont know the guy myself, but I do know he's an addict. But who knows, maybe I could find mine!

    He got away with
    Sweet black Explorer bass
    Fender Pbass
    2 ephiphone les paul's
    a korg tuner
    some pedals and tuners
    jewelery
    and my friends wife's feeling of security. :(
    Why go home

    www.myspace.com/jensvad
  • ianvomsaalianvomsaal Posts: 1,224
    Ovation is seriously a crappy guitar? I've herd nothing but good things about them!

    Well, yeah truthfully any ovation under $550 really isn't worth the money you pay - There's much better options out there for $550 (and on top of it, music stores make a real killing on Ovation - profit margin is super high, so if you're looking to buy an Ovation that costs over $550, and you can't talk the salesman down $100, walk, go somewhere else, it's not worth it).

    I use to own a decent Balladeer with a solid quilted top, nice electronics, and really superb action (I set it up), but after playing my Taylor it was just such a tired sounding and playing instrument - after a couple years of not playing it I finally wound up selling it to one of the local pubs for like $300 (because of the composite back drunks could spill beer all over it and not hurt it very much).
    Ovation's have a really distinct sound, so if that's what you're looking for great (not many people love that sound - what pro's actually play these nowadays, yeah Melissa Etheridge, give me a break). Granted, I've played a few Ovation 12-strings that played okay, and I might eventually consider getting another one if I ever want that ovation sound again (but that's very doubtful - they're so produced and un-natural sounding). But to answer your question again, yes, most Ovation Guitars are crap.
    Cheers . . .

    - Ian
    ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
    <b><font color="red">CONTACT ME HERE</font>: www.myspace.com/ianvomsaal</b>
    ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    exhausted wrote:
    perhaps they've gotten better. i had, i think, an FG411. solid top anyway.

    it cracked within a few months. it was humidity controlled. and the neck joint had lacquer cracking all around it.

    Mine's an FG700S. Like I said, it sounds great for the price. Not sure about long-term durability, though, because I only got it a few days ago.

    Too bad I can't find any A&L's around here.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    ianvomsaal wrote:
    $250 - man I'm sorry to say this, but don't bother, just save up a little longer and get something semi-decent - you really can't get anything decent for $250 (unless it's used and the seller doesn't know what he has). I'd say don't buy anything new under $450 or you'll really be getting crap. Ovation, Takamine, Carl Robelli, Mitchell, Etc, Ect, and all those cheap store brand guitars make the music stores tons of $$ (profit), so don't do it, just wait a little longer and make it worth while - cheers . . .

    - Ian C.T. vom Saal
    takamine-crap- wtf???????????????
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    don't take it personally. some taks are crap. some of pretty much any make are crap.

    he didn't say yours specifically was crap.

    and consider, the original poster asked for under $250. there isn't one tak in that price range. so don't worry.

    edit: ok, there are a couple in that range. but still.
  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    exhausted wrote:
    don't take it personally. some taks are crap. some of pretty much any make are crap.

    he didn't say yours specifically was crap.

    and consider, the original poster asked for under $250. there isn't one tak in that price range. so don't worry.

    edit: ok, there are a couple in that range. but still.
    only jamsines, adn they do suck
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    there are 3 G340 models under 250 according to music123.com's catalogue. just as information.

    and i've heard jasmines that sounded better than the somewhat pricey tak i used to own. and perhaps it's only because my hands are lead.

    and this is my point, acoustics are a crap shoot, no matter what the price range.
  • I recommend Art and Lutherie, too.

    It is pretty amazing how good they sound!

    This one is $239 right now, but you ought to try to find a store to try them out.
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Art-and-Lutherie-Dreadnought-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=512090

    They're cutaways are nice, too.

    They're a great well built guitars that sound and play nicely, and you don't have to worry too much about knocking it around.
    Everyone should have a low priced guitar to play with and not stress out about someone getting fingerprints on it, or spilling beer on it at a party.
    Or getting just a bit too close to the campfire with it. You wouldn't want to do that with a Taylor 810! :D
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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