Axe4Yahweh
New member
I'm far from an Acoustic Xspirt but I second the Taylor Big Baby with LR Baggs!!! I'd heard about them so, I got curious and checked one out. It blew my mind man. I finally put it down about an hour and a half later.
CR ><>
I could use a little help from you kind guitar gurus
- Thread starter Jagular
- Start date
I'm far from an Acoustic Xspirt but I second the Taylor Big Baby with LR Baggs!!! I'd heard about them so, I got curious and checked one out. It blew my mind man. I finally put it down about an hour and a half later.
CR ><>
therage!
Wicked Machine
willovercome said:
What kills me is putting those cheap shit finishes on nice guitars. Taylor comes to mind. A friend was looking at -3- series Taylors and was going to buy one but was really distured over the satin finish, did not like it at all and was still going to buy it when I pulled a -5- series Larrivee off the wall and asked the sales guy for their absolute best price and it came in only $150 more than the Taylor. Nice finish too! My buddy was short so I loaned him the extra $$ to get the Larrivee and he's very happy. One of the most balanced and best recording acoustics I've played. Check them out!
joro
The Pie Guy
John Mayes
New member
The only real difference between a Gloss and Satin finish is the satin finish has a chemical in it that gives it a "rough" feeling and apperance (compared to a gloss that is)..the finish is really the asme the big difference is that a satin finish does not have to be sanded and then resprayed and then sanded and then respreayed and then sa....you get the picture...same material cost ..considerably less labor..
mrface2112
Well-known member
do you like teles or strats?
in my experience, martins play more like teles and taylors more like strats, if that makes any sense. so you might feel more at home with one than the other. i've played some taylors that had actions better than a lot of electrics i've played (not really my cup of tea for an acoustic--i feel a lot of the tone comes from the action) as well as some washburns/alvarez guitars i've liked ok, but in that case i prefer solid wood and american hand-made craftsmanship. unlike with mic stands, i'd FAR rather have my guitar made by american craftsfolk who do their job with loving care. some things you just don't screw around with--the tone of your guitar is one of those things.
that said, i play teles.....and martins just felt "right" to me. i bought a (new) martin d15 about 2 years ago and absolutely LOVE it. it's got a much more mellow sound than a d28, and i find it actually cuts through pretty nice due to the mahogany top. this thing is *loud*. excellent bass response, too, due to the d-size. got it for right around $700 with case. and it records real well, too.
didn't get any electronics in it, though, but the d15ce will run you another ~$150 or so, and is even better if you're looking for one with a cutaway (i wasn't.....although part of me wishes i had).
that said, i'm really thinking about getting a passive lrbaggs ibeam and a paracoustic DI for mine. the combo's about $200 and is a pretty simple install (and the folks on the UMGF seem to far prefer them to the fishmans for after-market pickup installs). i like the passive better than the active b/c the idea of a 9v battery inside my acoustic frightens me (we've all had one leak inside a pedal, haven't we?).
i too like the idea of a used d18 or d28, or even maybe a d17. i'm still waiting for a good deal on a pre-69 d28 to come my way.....don't really want one if it's not brazillian. doubt you'll be able to get an hd-28v for under a grand, but i think the extra cash would be worth the wait--a buddy of mine has one and it's a freaking hand cannon. such a stark contrast to my smoother/mellower d15. i can't wait to get that thing in front of the mics and whomp out some neil young.
the d15 has the "satin" finish. it's one of those "love it or hate it" things. i love it--it's understated and humble, just like the guitar. certainly a satin finish would look out of place on a pearly d45, but works well with the simple mahogany. over the last couple years the neck has become much more "glossy" as my fretting hand has effectively buffed it. i've got an "arm spot" on the top part of the lower bout where it's a tad "shinier" than the rest of the guitar for the same reason. they're really love spots.
i went new with the d15 b/c i loved the sound of this particular d15 (and it's gotten better over the couple years i've had it) and i got the lifetime warranty from martin. that helps me sleep better at night--there's very little work i can't do on my tele.....but my martin.....i'd rather have them do it. and the warranty's not transferrable, so while used is oftentimes a great deal, make sure you have it checked out first.
good luck! aside from coming home with whatever you pick, this is the funnest part--trying em all out and seeing what you like best. enjoy!
wade
in my experience, martins play more like teles and taylors more like strats, if that makes any sense. so you might feel more at home with one than the other. i've played some taylors that had actions better than a lot of electrics i've played (not really my cup of tea for an acoustic--i feel a lot of the tone comes from the action) as well as some washburns/alvarez guitars i've liked ok, but in that case i prefer solid wood and american hand-made craftsmanship. unlike with mic stands, i'd FAR rather have my guitar made by american craftsfolk who do their job with loving care. some things you just don't screw around with--the tone of your guitar is one of those things.
that said, i play teles.....and martins just felt "right" to me. i bought a (new) martin d15 about 2 years ago and absolutely LOVE it. it's got a much more mellow sound than a d28, and i find it actually cuts through pretty nice due to the mahogany top. this thing is *loud*. excellent bass response, too, due to the d-size. got it for right around $700 with case. and it records real well, too.
didn't get any electronics in it, though, but the d15ce will run you another ~$150 or so, and is even better if you're looking for one with a cutaway (i wasn't.....although part of me wishes i had).
that said, i'm really thinking about getting a passive lrbaggs ibeam and a paracoustic DI for mine. the combo's about $200 and is a pretty simple install (and the folks on the UMGF seem to far prefer them to the fishmans for after-market pickup installs). i like the passive better than the active b/c the idea of a 9v battery inside my acoustic frightens me (we've all had one leak inside a pedal, haven't we?).
i too like the idea of a used d18 or d28, or even maybe a d17. i'm still waiting for a good deal on a pre-69 d28 to come my way.....don't really want one if it's not brazillian. doubt you'll be able to get an hd-28v for under a grand, but i think the extra cash would be worth the wait--a buddy of mine has one and it's a freaking hand cannon. such a stark contrast to my smoother/mellower d15. i can't wait to get that thing in front of the mics and whomp out some neil young.
the d15 has the "satin" finish. it's one of those "love it or hate it" things. i love it--it's understated and humble, just like the guitar. certainly a satin finish would look out of place on a pearly d45, but works well with the simple mahogany. over the last couple years the neck has become much more "glossy" as my fretting hand has effectively buffed it. i've got an "arm spot" on the top part of the lower bout where it's a tad "shinier" than the rest of the guitar for the same reason. they're really love spots.
i went new with the d15 b/c i loved the sound of this particular d15 (and it's gotten better over the couple years i've had it) and i got the lifetime warranty from martin. that helps me sleep better at night--there's very little work i can't do on my tele.....but my martin.....i'd rather have them do it. and the warranty's not transferrable, so while used is oftentimes a great deal, make sure you have it checked out first.
good luck! aside from coming home with whatever you pick, this is the funnest part--trying em all out and seeing what you like best. enjoy!
wade
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
I have heard that satin finishes allow the would to resonate more, as well. Gloss finishes tend to be harder, and thicker, thus dampening the top wood particularly and giving it a thinner sound. Satin finishes are typically thinner (more of a sealant) and allow for more resonation. I am not 100% sure about this but I have had people tell that to me. I have also noticed the difference myself. My advice would be to go with a satin finish. It may not look quite as nice, but In my opinion it sounds a little more full and it's cheaper.
I also HIGHLY recommend the Larrivee's. They sound beautifully well balanced. You said you are a finger picking/flat picking artist. Larrivee's are great guitars for that application. I bought a used LV-03e on eBay for $550 with the hardshell case. It has a built in fishman system with a cutaway.
Justin ><>
I also HIGHLY recommend the Larrivee's. They sound beautifully well balanced. You said you are a finger picking/flat picking artist. Larrivee's are great guitars for that application. I bought a used LV-03e on eBay for $550 with the hardshell case. It has a built in fishman system with a cutaway.
Justin ><>
Treeline
New member
Nice suggestions here. You can do really well for $1,000 if you are looking used, but you should have someone knowledgeable with you.
If you need to get into something that is utilitarian, sounds good, is versatile, under a grand and has a warranty, look at Tacomas and Guilds (new, not used).
But take a moment and check out the Carvin Cobalt acoustics. These are Korean built factory guitars, using really nice specs. Carvin is a stickler for detail on its instruments. You'll be unlikely to find the Holy Grail here, but you are really likely to find a cranking good instrument for under a thousand bucks, shipped to your door in a hardshell case. www.carvin.com/cobalt
Look at the C780 - under $700 with a hardshell case and Fishman matrix pickup.
If you need to get into something that is utilitarian, sounds good, is versatile, under a grand and has a warranty, look at Tacomas and Guilds (new, not used).
But take a moment and check out the Carvin Cobalt acoustics. These are Korean built factory guitars, using really nice specs. Carvin is a stickler for detail on its instruments. You'll be unlikely to find the Holy Grail here, but you are really likely to find a cranking good instrument for under a thousand bucks, shipped to your door in a hardshell case. www.carvin.com/cobalt
Look at the C780 - under $700 with a hardshell case and Fishman matrix pickup.
StevenLindsey
New member
See if you can find an old Alvarez Yairi signed by Kazuo Yairo that was made in the very early 80s. Some of those guitars were astounding. I saw one in a music store not long ago that had a crack in the soundboard. Sounded and tuned better than anything hanging on the wall. Beautiful woody sound. There are still some to be had out there.
John Mayes
New member
satrne said:
Not totally correct. It really depends on who does the finish. My finishes are .005 thick. that is 5 thousandths of a inch thick...about 2 peices of paper thick...that is really thin and I use a high gloss. And a gloss finish is not any harder than a Satin, they are both the same material and have the same hardness...at least in my experience. Satin finishes are by no means better sounding....there are way too many variables to pin the sound of a guitar on one thing. Satin finishes are much more than just a sealant. There is a sealant under the finish...usually something like vynl sealer. Anyway all that to say that it really depends on who's satin and gloss finish your talking about....take Gibson for example...they put on the finish THICK, and you can tell. But people like Taylor, Martin and what not the difference between Satin and Gloss finish is probably about .002
bdbdbuck
New member
Jag,
I been snoopin around too. I'm kinda leaning toward the Larravee. I will say Treeline has it pegged on Carvin though. The only problem I have with Carvin is I think they're ugly guitars, not that the quality isn't there. This is something you're going to hand down through the generations. I want my grandchildren to say "Damn, that's a pretty guitar!" Oh well, good luck.
bd
I been snoopin around too. I'm kinda leaning toward the Larravee. I will say Treeline has it pegged on Carvin though. The only problem I have with Carvin is I think they're ugly guitars, not that the quality isn't there. This is something you're going to hand down through the generations. I want my grandchildren to say "Damn, that's a pretty guitar!" Oh well, good luck.
bd
Jagular
Active member
Hey guys. Thanks even more for all the input. There are a few more that I didn't even think of (especially the Carvin). A friend of mine had a Carvin Bass & amp back in the early 80's. That was actually a pretty sweet little setup he had.
I played a few guits yesterday (new ones). My current favorite in my price range is the Larrivee D03R (they didn't have the E. That is one sweet sounding guitar to my ear. In talking to the guy at the guitar store (not GC
), he also recommended the LR Baggs Dual Source. He said he's had a lot of folks get that combo and rave about it. He mentioned the Ibeam would sound excellent with it as well.
The Martin HD28 sounded damn sweet too. He said he could discount it a lot ($1,699 which seems like a pretty good deal) because they had 4 of them hanging on the wall. Still out of my price range by a pretty good chunk though and I won't be ready to buy for a couple of months yet anyway.
I played an Alvarez that sounded damn good too. Can't remember the model, but it was smaller looking w/ onboard elect and in my price range....still the D03R & HD28 stuck out to me.
He Lt. Bob...I didn't even pick up the D41. I was afraid to break it with tha price tag LOL. Maybe next time. I really want to see if it can play itself. Where do you stick that guitar roll again?
Still have many many many guitars yet to play yet, so I'm not rushing into this.
I played a few guits yesterday (new ones). My current favorite in my price range is the Larrivee D03R (they didn't have the E. That is one sweet sounding guitar to my ear. In talking to the guy at the guitar store (not GC
), he also recommended the LR Baggs Dual Source. He said he's had a lot of folks get that combo and rave about it. He mentioned the Ibeam would sound excellent with it as well. The Martin HD28 sounded damn sweet too. He said he could discount it a lot ($1,699 which seems like a pretty good deal) because they had 4 of them hanging on the wall. Still out of my price range by a pretty good chunk though and I won't be ready to buy for a couple of months yet anyway.
I played an Alvarez that sounded damn good too. Can't remember the model, but it was smaller looking w/ onboard elect and in my price range....still the D03R & HD28 stuck out to me.
He Lt. Bob...I didn't even pick up the D41
. I was afraid to break it with tha price tag LOL. Maybe next time. I really want to see if it can play itself. Where do you stick that guitar roll again? Still have many many many guitars yet to play yet, so I'm not rushing into this.
Outlaws
New member
I get that feeling you are make the typical beginer mistake. A $1600 guitar is not out of your range. Look for a used one if you like it. It will be VERY CLOSE to what you want to spend. That said....I will stop promo-ing for Martin a sec and tell you this. Play an even more expensive Larrivee, then look for a used one.
Ebay isn't that sketchy if you find something in your area you can drive too and try it out. It will be so much nicer in the long run. Besides, the wood on a quality guitar gets better with age.
Jagular
Active member
Outlaws said:
I get that feeling you are make the typical beginer mistake. A $1600 guitar is not out of your range. Look for a used one if you like it. It will be VERY CLOSE to what you want to spend. That said....I will stop promo-ing for Martin a sec and tell you this. Play an even more expensive Larrivee, then look for a used one.
Ebay isn't that sketchy if you find something in your area you can drive too and try it out. It will be so much nicer in the long run. Besides, the wood on a quality guitar gets better with age.
Never fear...
I already said in my first post that I would be looking at used guitars as well (I just have to find a place where I can look at them). That's why even bothered to pick up the HD28 with a tag of $2000. I wanted to feel it. And yeah I liked it. I will however need to have someone who knows about guitars check over a used one for me because I don't know that much about them. I will be playing tha D41 yet...just in case I find a steal on one somewhere
.Don't worry. I'm patient. I can't even buy one for a couple months, so I have plenty of time to look. I have played a quality instrument (trumpet) back in my musical glory
days after playing a cheapo for a while. So I know there are differences . Thanks for looking out for me though All kidding aside - I appreciate the advice.
Now does anyone know of a used guitar dealer in the Nashville area that may be shady enough to have some really nice guitars CHEAP!!!!
Treeline
New member
Eye candy, and no, it's not a thousand bucks
Nashville Guitar Co.
Nashville, Eh??
If you want to learn about guitars in a hurry, you have the most knowledgeable guy in the world right in your backyard. Go pay 'em a visit.
Gruhn Guitars
Nashville Guitar Co.
Nashville, Eh??
If you want to learn about guitars in a hurry, you have the most knowledgeable guy in the world right in your backyard. Go pay 'em a visit.
Gruhn Guitars