Buy a $1000 Guitar, yea right.....

[LocusLarsen]

You know... I saw Paul Simon playing a Martin last night at the grammy's... and I thought... man what an idiot... he could be playing a $200 no-name guitar and it would play and more importantly sound just as good......

LOL

Ya, but he has an image to uphold. What would all those people think if were to play a noname.....wait.....most of them probably don't play guitar and have no idea about the difference, or lack there of....maybe there is a reason.....hmm?

 

[Slackmaster2K]

I have played Acoustic and Regular guitars for 15 years now.

Acoustic guitars are regular guitars.

There are a number of off name brands of guitars that are just as good as a “Taylor” or “Martin” but at a fraction of the cost, Like LESS THEN $200 dollars USD,
and they sound and play, JUST AS GOOD.

That's simply not true at all, unless you luck out at a garage sale. Don't kid yourself.

No name on the guitar anywhere, but it sounds and records just as good as any of my Martins.

Then how do you know it isn't a Martin? If you're so dead set against expensive guitars, then why do you own Martins at all? My guess is maybe you have a sigma or two, or know somebody who does. Otherwise, you could sell just one of your Martins for about 10 "regular acoustic" guitars that were just as good.

the same sound and durability.

The problem with a lot of guitar players is that they concentrate too much on the notes their playing and not enough on the sounds their making. There is a bad tone epidemic in the world today. Durability is simply the result of a well-built guitar, not necessarily a design issue or something to think about when buying a guitar, unless you're buying one for $200.

Maybe some of you feel better with less money in your pockets, or maybe it’s just a big ego stroke type of thing.

Hey, you're the one with multiple Martins...what's up with that crap?

But as my Late Uncle use to say “it’s not the guitar but the person behind it that makes the music….”

Everybody and their uncle has said that a million times over. It's partly true. However, all those great players that you respect so much are *extremely* finicky about their sound. "So and so" might play on some beat up old guitar, but there's a damn good reason that's the guitar they play on...over and over and over again. It has nothing to do with being cheap.

Slackmaster 2000

 

[kjam22]

Ya, but he has an image to uphold. What would all those people think if were to play a noname.....wait.....most of them probably don't play guitar and have no idea about the difference, or lack there of....maybe there is a reason.....hmm?

yep..... you know... seriously... I have played a lot of no-name guitars over the years. (I don't now, but I used to) Affording a high dollar instrument wasn't possible when I was younger. Nothing wrong with that. But I never convinced myself that my $150 dollar Yamaki was as good of an instrument as a high end martin. (Taylor wasn't around back then). That's the part I don't get. There is no crime in playing an "inexpensive" guitar. Let's just not be stupid or delusional about it.

 

[Christine K]

Oh Eyes!!!!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!! Thanks for the laugh for the day!

Now ya gotta excuse me please, I have to change my Depends...


Then I'm going to sell my Martin and my Lowden, take the money and go out and buy an Esteban special. And spend the rest of the $$$$ on chocolate ice cream!

You guys are too much!! hehe!

 

[Aaron Cheney]

Here's how I see it:

Anybody 25 years of age or younger has lived their entire life in a world where every year things are better and cheaper than they were the year before - especially when you're speaking of computers and home electronics. In the music world you could site mixers and large diaphram microphones and two similar examples. I know my son expects that in another couple years he can replace his game cube with something twice as cool and no more expensive.
But the other day I was in a high-end furniture store with him and he was surprised at how much more expensive things were there than at IKEA. I had to explain to him that though the stuff at IKEA is just fine for certain things, it won't be around in 20 years still looking beautiful - it will be worn out and trashed from being moved around and used.
I pulled out a dresser drawer and showed him how it was dove-tailed at the joints - not just nailed or put together with those funky assemble-it-yourself lug things. I pointed out the beauty of the woods and the fact that they were real and not just formica or some laminate.
It was kind of any eye-opener for him to discover that unlike most of our disposable world, certain things can have real, enduring value.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[esun127]

While I'm sure that there is a sub $200 guitar out there that plays and sounds as good as a taylor,

Yup... stolen ones

By the way, your guitars look sweet, John. Unfornately I can't afford any of them.

 

[Lopp]

It was kind of any eye-opener for him to discover that unlike most of our disposable world, certain things can have real, enduring value.

Dammit Aaron. We need bedroom furniture and I just convinced myself it's ok to get some inexpensive MDF stuff until we are ready to get good stuff. Now I'm having second thoughts.


The analogy works well because there's no way I'll say the MDF stuff even compares to the real stuff.


That reminds me. We've been looking for a $200 guitar as a beginner for my wife. I'm having problems finding one that sounds half as good as my $400 Yamaha. Like hell if I'll find one that sounds as good as a $1k Taylor or Martin.

 

[bullyhill]

A Leroy Van Dyke Sears Roebuck Silvertone guitar was probably less than 200, way back when.

 

[LocusLarsen]

That reminds me. We've been looking for a $200 guitar as a beginner for my wife. I'm having problems finding one that sounds half as good as my $400 Yamaha. Like hell if I'll find one that sounds as good as a $1k Taylor or Martin.

.........................................?
........... ... ........ ... ............... ...so.......umm....... ..you don't want your wife to play your baby?

 

[Aaron Cheney]

Dammit Aaron. We need bedroom furniture and I just convinced myself it's ok to get some inexpensive MDF stuff until we are ready to get good stuff. Now I'm having second thoughts.

Well, we ended up getting the IKEA dresser for his bedroom. I figure it only has to last until we can kick his butt out of the house in 5 more years....

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[Lopp]

LocusLarson:
My Yammie is too big for her.


Aaron:
Thanks, now I feel better about the MDF.

 

[philboyd studge]

Come to think of it, I have a $200 guitar. In 1987 I picked up a '52 Martin 00-18 from a jazzer friend. Sounds great, no complaints.

Wait, there's another one, a 1938 Gibson L-50 I got around 1995 also for $200.

 

[TexRoadkill]

What's the deal on the Esteban guitar? He lives here and I used to tech for a keyboard player and we played a lot of the same festivals. Esteban was sort of our nemesis. Although he does have a hot daughter who is a pretty good violinist. Is he doing some infomercials or something? I haven't caught those.

 

[esun127]

What's the deal on the Esteban guitar? He lives here and I used to tech for a keyboard player and we played a lot of the same festivals. Esteban was sort of our nemesis. Although he does have a hot daughter who is a pretty good violinist. Is he doing some infomercials or something? I haven't caught those.

He's doing infomercials for a $100 package that includes a dreadnought acoustic, gig bag, picks, etc. He plays a bunch of stuff and tries to convince you that the sound coming out of your tv speakers is the best in the world. He also compares the rosette of the $100 pos to that of a $3000 ax and says that 0his is "a little bit better". I guess this is what happens to guitarists who are really broke and have no dignity.

 

[therage!]

Well, call me a snob but in my 35+ years of playing guitar, I've NEVER seen a $200 acoustic guitar that could compare to a quality instrument of any make, Martin, Taylor or whatever. Just a personal observation.

And you NEVER will. Hell lets raise that to $500!

 

[Brad]

Normally, I think I would buy one of Esteban's guitars - but you know what? - IT IS A SCAM!

Here is how I can tell:

The man's name is Esteban.

He dresses like Zorro.

BUT HE HAS NO MEXICAN/SPANISH ACCENT!!

AHAAAAHH!!! Gotcha ESTABAN, or should I say STEVE!!

You gotta get up might early in the morning to pull the wool over these eyes!

HA!

If he sounded like Antonio Banderas, I would buy three of his guitars.

 

[JR#97]

I can understand the argument over electric guitars to a point. (and whoever compared strats to les pauls has no clue. that's like comparing trucks to cars.) but in the acoustic world, no $200 guitar can compare. so if someone says it can, let's hear it! solo guitar.. no vocals, no other tracks to hide behind... just a solo sub $500 guitar.

I spent $1500 on my acoustic and it isn't even a Taylor or a Martin, nor is it any fancy boutique guitar. It's a run of the mill Washburn.. but it fits me like a glove. Martin didnt', Taylor didn't, Larrivee didn't, blah blah blah.... $1500 well spent. And I am willing to put my over priced Washburn up against any $200 guitar.

I"m not saying a $200 guitar can not sound good. Hell, I'll even post samples of my Korean $200 jobber that I think sounds prettty decent up for comparison.

 

[sheppard]

Time to get real people.

I been coming around here for a while now,
even though maybe not posting as much as I should.

I keep reading that a majority of you swear by these "wonder guitars" that are not really
less then say $900 dollars USD. I have played Acoustic and Regular guitars for 15 years now.

There are a number of off name brands of guitars that are just as good as a “Taylor” or “Martin” but at a fraction of the cost, Like LESS THEN $200 dollars USD,
and they sound and play, JUST AS GOOD.

Here is a great example.
I just received from a friend of mine, a nice sunburst color acoustic,
No name on the guitar anywhere, but it sounds and records just as good as any of my Martins. Seems like the majority of you guys only go for “top shelve” stuff, when the real deal is that you could get a whole bunch more for your money by buying a less inexpensive guitar, and get the same sound and durability.

Maybe some of you feel better with less money in your pockets, or maybe it’s just a big ego stroke type of thing. But as my Late Uncle use to say “it’s not the guitar but the person behind it that makes the music….”

Be Happy,
Shinobi.

i would be more than happy to give you $200 apiece for yer
martins.after all,you dont need them now that you are the proud owner of a no name yimiyoshi.
yer statement about it being the player rather than the guitar is utter bullshit.its both.would b.b. king sound the same if he played a$200 series ten he bought in some pawn shop?hell no.
sheppard

 

[Earlds]

Cheap regular & non regular guitars?

Shinobi I am suspecting that your kidding about the {less than $200.00] guitars .Am I right.....Peace

 

[Lopp]

And you NEVER will. Hell lets raise that to $500!

Uhh. You can't. Taylor makes a $300 acoustic.