Advice on buying new guitar

[dougeast]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if some of you might be able to give me some tips on what to look for when buying a new guitar.

I want to get an American made, hollow body, semi-accoustic...something like a Gretsch or an Epiphone with the two F-holes (is that what they're called?). I have a budget of approx 1000 euros or 700 British pounds. I could feasibly stretch a little more if it was really gonna be a worthwhile investment.

I live in Barcelona but would travel to UK to buy a decent guitar if necessary. (They are insanely expensive here).

What I wanna know is: first have I got enough money to get something really high quality? I've seen Epiphone guitars for about 800 euros that look really nice but which seem too a bit cheap for a top quality American guitar. Are they made in Mexico or something? What's the difference between an Epiphone you see priced at 2000 euros & one at 800? Is the one vintage or something?

If it's really gonna make a huge difference I'll pick up a mid range guitar & then take another year to save up another 1000 euros & get a really decent, fuck off guitar...but if I can get something now...

Also how do I check out the guitar prior to purchase? Play it sure...but what things to look for? How do I know all the parts are original if I buy second hand for example? How do I know the set-up is good?

Also if I find a guitar here that I want but it's too expensive & then I find it on the Net for Mail Order do you know of reliable, trustworthy companies who ship abroad? What should I watch out for to make sure I don't get stung? I'm not prepared to risk auctions, I don't want to take any chance on losing my money.

Thanks a lot for your help.

ciao. dougeast

[gbondo9]

you might also want to check ou the gibson lines. The 135, 175 and 335. The 135 is the lest expensive (about $900 I think...). Hollowbody electric remakes of thier vintage stuff.
For some more perspectives on these, check out www.harmonycentral.com

heres the direct link for gibson: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Gibson/

As for what to look for....
Tone (make sure you like it), Intonation, action (which can be adjusted, so its not AS important), and overall feel. Do you like thin necks, thick necks, do you want humbuckers, or single coil, pickup switch location, color, etc.... These are all things that you have to decide. Gibson makes good guitars, gretch makes good guitars, epiphone makes some good guitars, but with each guitar, you stand to get one thats better or worse than whats expected (especailly if they are mass produced). I would also say check out G&L guitar, but I think they only make semi hollow bodies.
Ive played some of the gibson hollow bodies and I loved the tone on those. Never played a gretch or a epiphone HB though. Epiphones are generally cheaper versions of gibson guitars though.

I dont know if any of this helps, but good luck. Let us know what you get and how you like it.
Todd

[Treeline]

Check this baby out - it is the Holy Grail of accessible guitars, only they'll only realize it long after we're gone. When Gibson left Kalamazoo and moved to Nashville, most of their luthiers stayed in Kalamazoo. They bought the factory and started production of the guitars Gibson could have been making if they hadn't been bought and "product / managed" by an outfit like Norlin. The company's story is almost as frightening as Harley Davidson's, and its recovery was nearly as spectacular. But lost in the shuffle were the real craftspeople who had been building the guitars for forty years or so right there.

Well, they haven't been idle. What can you get for about fifteen hundred bucks American? How about something like this...

http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/H575Custom.htm

And once you're hooked, there's the creme de la creme...

http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/Sweet16.htm

I've had excellent experiences doing business long distance with Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan. It's a solid outfit.

www.elderly.com

[jimistone]

if you want to get an american made guitar.....700 bucks (american) isn't enough for a new semi hollow body with f holes. you gona have to go with a korean or japanease made guitar. Even though epiphone is an american company...a child of gibson so to speak...their guitars are made in asia. The good news is that you can get a decent asian made es335 style guitar for a price thats within your budget.

I don't know whats available in your area but if your gonna buy an asian made guitar you might as well look for a samick (they make 90% of the asian guitars)...im pretty sure they make the epiphone line.

the benifit of going with an epiphone is that they make exact replicas of the gibson line without having to worry about getting sued by gibson (unless gibson decides to sue itself)

the benifit of going with a guitar that has "samick" on the headstock is that you cut out the middleman, so they don't have the markup that the epiphones have..thus...more guitar for the money.

i have played some samick les paul copies (make that aproximations...slight difference in the body cut-away) that were really fine guitars. I was at a music store that had the gibson/epiphone line and I was playing gibson les pauls and epiphone les pauls (epi's arn't in the same league in my opinion)..then i played some cheap $200 les paul copies (way, WAY out of the real thing league). there were 3 samick les pauls and i played all of them.....I was REALLY impressed, they were close to the gibsons in feel and tone. One had a beautiful flame top and gold hardware....we're talking drop dead gorgeous...and it was cheaper than an epiphone standard.

One thing i would suggest you do is go to www.harmonycentral.com
and read some user reviews on some hollow body guitars like you're in the market for and you'll get ALL the pros and cons of a paticular model. i would suggest taking a look at samick, tokia (spelling?), and used gibsons in your price range (if there is such a thing in your area)
peace

[foo]

Let's take it one step at a time:

1. A semi-acoustic can refer to an acoustic guitar with a pick up on it - the 'f holes' makes me think that you may want an electric thinline like a Gibson 335 (the style of guitar that BB King plays). This guitar isn't hollow - it has a solid block running through the middle of it where the pick ups are mounted.

2. Or you may be talking about an archtop, which is hollow and has f holes.

IF that's the case:

1. If you don't *have* to have an American made guitar, there are several options available - Ibanez and Yamaha both make a great line of this style of guitar which are in your price range.

If it must be American, I absolutely agree with Tree - in your price range every Heritage guitar I've ever picked up (and it's probably over 100 - Jeez, I gotta get a life!) has been an exceptional guitar. They're beautifully made, play great and most important sound great. One particular 'Sweet 16' was unbelievably fine, but the 335 style is also a killer.

If you have to have the perceived 'best' however, then you should save up and buy a Gibson 335 Dot Neck re-issue. It's probably going to run you about 1200 - 1400 British pounds (if you buy one in the US). THey've been making them for 20 years or so, so you can find one with a lot of mojo already built in.

2. There are many archtops, but not too many really good ones in your price range. That's going to be a littel more difficult, but I would highly recommend a Heritage Sweet 16. Great acoustic tone and a breeze to play.

What style of music do you want to use this for?

Let's try and get a little better information so we can really confuse you!






foo

[tdukex]

Some new and used Heritage:

http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/heritage.htm

[JR#97]

I'll throw in another plug for Heritage. I played one of their Les Pauls and tried to take out a 4th mortgage on my house to buy it

I'm not sure if they're available in Europe, but I used to play a Washburn Semi Hollow jazz box. Awesome instrument. About $1,000 US.

[dougeast]

Hi guys,

Well 1st off big thanks to everyone who wrote in offering advice & tips. I have just spent the last two hours on the Net checking out the links you all sent in. So much easier to navegate with a bit of helpful guidance!! Def v much appreciated.

Have learnt a lot in the process...can you believe that I didn't even know what an archtop was until I hit the Gibson site after reading Foo's response! And that after 20 years of playing (VERY off and on but even so...).

Well now I know what a lot more and hey it was fun too!

So let's go through your replies:

First up, yes indeed gbondo9 the Gibson ES-335 was EXACTLY the guitar I had in mind and clearly the original of the Epiphone copy I've seen in the shops here at a very affordable price...thought that couldn't be American made, glad I didn't just leap in & buy it...now one of those original Gibsons sure would do the trick...

But having paid careful attention to the commentaries here & elsewhere it seems that it's very hit & miss on the reissues as to quality so I popped on over to Heritage as recommended...Certainly look & sound (description that is) great but still could be a bit out of my price range, still point taken about a top range American guitar for less money...

So Foo & Jimistone, taking your advice decided to look at the Asian lines...but didn't get any further than Yamaha a) cos I'm knackered & wanna go to sleep and b) more importantly cos I saw the Yamaha AES1500B with the Bigsby Tremelo & just was like "I WANT THAT ONE!!!!!!" It's the Gretsch I want but half the price! And all the Harmony Central guys say it kicks ass & is better (in certain respects granted) than the Gretsch...and for a 1000 $....I could just about make that price....Or at least I can realistically aim at that...

And now I know what to look for in the shops here...I don't expect to buy here, more likely I'll go to England in August & buy there but it'll be nice t try a few out first.

I will check the Samick range out as well Jimistone but if the sound & feel matches the look I'm def very interested in the Yamaha.

As to your question re which kinda guitar I wanted I guess you know now Foo. And re the music we play, very classic sounding British pop in the line of bands like The Stone Roses (John Squire played a Gretsch on the eponymous first LP), Teenage Fanclub, The Smiths. Also a big fan of George Harrison & The Beatles (Gretsch again along with Epiphone and dozens more) & all time favourite The Velvet Underground - yes I know they were American but - (Lou with customized Gretsch - you can kinda see why I like the Gretsch, no? :-) )

I play the second guitar parts, a mixture of arpeggio patterns, picking, licks & straight strumming that is dying a death on my crappy old (if well worn) Fender Squier. It's high time I shelled out for a decent guitar but I figured that having waited this long I could afford to take my time & do it properly.

OK this is ridiculously long so I'll say thank you once more & sign off. Will write in when I finally buy... :-)

Ciao. dougeast

[jimistone]

good luck on your purchase....you're already light years ahead of the typical guitar buyer....cause you have done some homework

[dougeast]

He-he, yeah it's a little like that I guess :-) But hey that's the way we all learn, you get skanked and next time you think a little harder...I haven't finished with the homework yet either!

Ciao. dougeast

[Clive Hugh]

Reading your comments that you will go to the UK to get a good price, I went to the UK last year and the first thing I did was hit the guitar shops in London. I nearly shit myself when I saw the prices of American guitars, I saved myself a bundle and came back to Australia with more money than I had intended.
Funny enough I got the best price, apart from the US, in New Zealand, they no longer have import duty, just GST and with the favourable exchange rate and the fact that I was going out of the country I got the GST off, so if you do buy in Britain try to get the VAT (same as GST) off. You need to produce your passport and tickets, plus you need a form from British Customs which you pick up when you enter the country.
Good luck with it.

[dougeast]

Hi Clive,

Yeah I gotta think about all the import duty shit...I understand you don't have to pay anything on second hand goods & my intention is to buy second hand not new (second hand price in England is like new price here in Spain) but I have to get that confirmed. I know about having to have documentation when you travel with instruments but I think it could be worth the risk cos it's so rare you get checked between Spain & England...but having said that...I'd rather be legit if humanely possible (=affordable).

What did you buy in the end then?

I saw a Washburn HB30 archtop hollow body today with a shop price of 810 euros which is kinda wierd cos the List price on the Washburn web site is $829.90 which should make about 1000 euros, no? It's made in Korea but gets good reviews at Harmony...

Think I'd still prefer the Yamaha but money has to be considered...

So how much are guitars in Australia? I destroyed two accoustics out there hitching round in the heat, fuck but that's not good for guitars!

ciao. dougeast.

[Fangar]

Originally posted by jimistone
if you want to get an american made guitar.....700 bucks (american) isn't enough for a new semi hollow body with f holes. you gona have to go with a korean or japanease made guitar. Even though epiphone is an american company...a child of gibson so to speak...their guitars are made in asia....

Actually, There are several Epiphones that are still made in the USA.

Fangar

[dougeast]

Hi Fangar,

That would explain the price difference then...I saw Epiphones here between 550-900 Euros and then one at 2000+. Looked like the Lennon Revolution in the jpg you posted.

Having looked around a bit more now & paid attention to the replies here & other commentaries at Harmony Central etc I think I was being naive both in my desire for an American built guitar & in the belief that I could afford one! Maybe if I lived in the States & could spend a few months tracking down a decent well priced second hand one or if I was willing to risk buying at an Internet auction...but at import prices here in Europe? Uh-uh.

Still, I saw and tried out an incredible Ibanez yesterday, AS200. Beautiful guitar, pissed all over the Washburn I played in the morning...although that may in part have been string gauge. Saw a lot of people criticising the Ibanez at Harmony for coming with .9s when factory specs are for .10s but I play British pop so .9s are perfect for me. I couldn't bend the strings on the Washburn to save my life! The Ibanez was only 960 Euros new here in Barcelona...so if i could just find a second hand one somewhere...Just don't know what the availablity is like for second hand models of these guitars...Anyway, 960 is in my price range...

Glad I came here & realised there are Korean built guitars worth buying :-)

Are they built in sweatshops though? Enslaved children building our "cheap" guitars? (I'm only joking...I hope!)

Ciao. dougeast.

[Axis]

take a look at the alvarez guitars, I've seen plenty of alvarez guitars like you are looking for, if you want to check out the spects. they should have them all on the alvarez site.

[jimistone]

yeah i think the john lennon model is made in the usa.....and they are getting a "gibson" price for it. I was talking about the low priced epiphone gibson copies when i said epiphones wer made in asia