What is the largest and bet acoustic guitar in the $1,500 price range?

[lesterpaul]

well let me say .........

i'm a gibson man first and foremost and if i had dispoasble income i would have a tricked out SJ200 also woth one of those guady big a$$pickguards and all you know way more than you'll ever need BUT since i ain't rich and i've fondled them all gibson martin (not much to do with guild as of yet ) i would say the best one in th 1500 range would have to be Taylor ...and man those big baby taylors are th shiznit ,no more acoustic than i play that lil 300$ guitar is just awesome ........peace out acoustic dudes

 

[rogga_bogga]

There is a Czech company that makes really great guitars. The founder is friends with the Taylor guy, so you might get the point. I was amazed over how good it was. I think it blew all martins and taylors and whatnot away, but that's just my subjective opinion. Check them out.

http://www.furch.cz/furch/index_an.htm

 

[pisces7378]

What are the prices like on these Furch babies?

I am living in Germany and am only a stones throw away from the Czech Republic. I am SURE that these things are cheaper in the Cz. Rep. than in the States. And I mean by A LOT!!!

I have even been to Brno where these buys are based. It is a small but lovely little Czech town.

Jesus I highly recomend the Cz. Rep. for holidays and vacations guys. They literally have the most beautiful women in the entire world. I don't mean to sound shovanistic or overly male or whatever... but these girls are breath taking.

Anyway, where can I see a price list for these things? Their website is slower than Christmas and very hard to understand. I see the dealer link, but it doesn't seem to work worth a flip. i think the Cz. Rep is still pretty much all on 56Kbs modems, so it is sometimes difficult to view their websites. I dunno?

 

[esun127]

1x MOTU 24I/O: $1,300
1x Marshall TSL122 amo: $1,500
1x Focusrite ISA 428 Pre-amps: $1,640
2x Mackie HR824's: $1,200
1x Logic Control: $940
1x Guild F50R w/ Fishman pickup and hardshell case: $1,800
1x Installation fee for turnkey system: $120


I thought the 24I/O was an expansion unit for the MK08 or something? How does that work?

And out of curiosity, what other guitars do you play? I'm assuming you have a bunch of other guitars already, otherwise you wouldn't spend $1200 for studio monitors and such.

If you like the Gibson so much, why not get less expensive monitors/guitar amp and use the money toward getting the gibson?

 

[LocusLarsen]

Thats what I told him. Get a used 800 or 900 combo, and have a grand left toward the Jumbo. That would only leave maybe $2-300 left to make up. 1200 for monitors is a LOT of money. Mine are about 600 for the pair, I can't even imagine wjat those must sound like. Maybe they are overkill, I doubt it, but they could wait. I acually prefer headphones until I am almost finished with a project anyways.

 

[LocusLarsen]

By the way, pisces, do you even have any qulity mics to go with all of this? I know there is a lot of crap to buy for the whole process of recording, but I consider myself a guitarist first, and a recording guy (a close) second. My money goes to guitars, then homerecording. Just ask my buddy Martin Dee. He is 41 right now

 

[Buck62]

I still say Lowden is the BEST acoustic guitar you can get in the $1,500 to $3,000 range.
($1,500 for a near perfect used Lowden... they're $2,000 to $3,000 brand new)

It doesn't surprise me that you're seeing the same manufacturers being reccomended over and over again.... (Taylor, Gibson, Guild, etc.) ... because they are the "well-known" brands. I'm not saying they're not excellent guitars, because they are.

They're just not as good as a hand-made Lowden.

http://www.musiciansbuy.com/lowden_guitars_idx.htm

 

[LocusLarsen]

It might be......

But he says the nicest guitar he has played is the SJ200. So that is probably the nicest guitar in the world, to him. If you go play a bunch of guitars, and one stands out, that is the best. He might not have played a Lowden, but thats not the issue.

Besides, Gibson, Martin and Taylor are the big boys for a reason.

 

[LocusLarsen]

If I ever get another acoustic, the SJ200 is the guitar on the top of my list. I played one a few months back. Very, very, nice. Never did like Gibson acoustics, until then.

 

[pisces7378]

Yeah my list of "to get" items might seem a bit mis weighted to some. But that all boils down to priorities.

I already have two acoustic guitar and access to several through friends. I have two Fender Strats, a Fender Tele, a Gibson ES-335, and a Paul Reed Smith electric.

I am recording a record with some country-esque asspects to it, but it is not a country record. I am confident that the Guild will give me the jumbo guitar sound. And I am also confident that with a $3,000 Gibson acoustic I am paying at least $1,000 for their clever logo, name, and marketing budget that let me know it existed in the first place. Sure they sound great. I personally find them a little bass heavy and not as clean and distinct as teh Guild (which is what I need), but I cannot believe that they sound $1,200 better than a Guild.

The Monitors are a must. I have been using SONY MDR-7509 headphones for over a year. I have also used BeyerDynamic DT 990 headphones for years. Lets face it. They are some DAMN expensive, and DAMN fine headphones... but they are still fucking cans.

I need the ruler flat frequency extension (especially the extra bass flatness) of the Mackie HR824s. I am sinking too much money in tracking my drums in a pro studio, and buying heavenly Focusrite pre-amps to have me make the record sound like shit, just because my monitors were shite.

I have recorded things that sounded GREAT in the headphones and then after buring it to CD they sounded like a thunder storm of too much bass. Because I boosted the bass TOO much be cause the headphones were not showing me what was really there.

 

[LocusLarsen]

I know what you mean about the bass issue.


I understood that the SJ200 was your dream guitar. Dream guitars are priceless. If it feels right then it is worth every penny. Even if some of it is for the name.

 

[Buck62]

Besides, Gibson, Martin and Taylor are the big boys for a reason.

That's because the bulk of their guitars are machine-made, they've been in business longer, and they are all about making $$$$.

The luthiers that make Lowden guitars are trained for over THREE YEARS before they become masters at their craft and are allowed to build Lowden hand-made acoustic guitars. Up until the past couple of years, Lowden was only making 600 guitars per year! George Lowden has trained a few more guitar-makers since then and production is now close to 1,200 guitars a year. For an extra $1,000 George Lowden himself will hand-make your guitar. He makes them in his own home... in his livingroom, for the most part.

I've played Lowdens.

Once you pick one up and play, it's nearly impossible to let it go.
The tone is phenomenal.... sweet, warm, distinctive and thoroughly pleasing to the ear. The neck is simply superb, from it's perfect frets to it's steller ebony fingerboard. I even prefer Lowdens over Breedlove acoustics.

It's rare that you ever see a used Lowden for sale.
That's because those who own them know what they've got and will only give them up under duress.
I know a guy who sold one once because he was going through a nasty (read: "costly") divorce and needed the money really bad. He cried like a baby when the buyer walked out of his house with his Lowden.

When I give my present acoustic guitars to my sons in the future, I plan on buying a Lowden.

I know it will be the last acoustic guitar I ever own.

 

[trebles]

choosing any guitar at the best of times is not easy at all with as many brands that are available where does one start?

what you can afford may at the best of times limit you down to what you can own as aposed to what you want to own.

There have been many fine guitars mentioned in this thread

Im not here to to say what one should or must own only your pocket and your ears can dictate this choice to you in the end.

take a long hard look at this luthier from Australia

Gerad Gilet ....................... Gilet guitars

If you can buy a better quality guitar for the price as compared to what Gerad can sell you then you are doing well indeed.

im not really intrested in justifying my opionions on the above as debate is not where its at for me.

Ive done my research now

http://www.giletguitars.com.au/

and as for the frieght charges and duties thats not hard to get around if you are willing to give it some thought before hand

I personally own a Gilet mj or mini jumbo bookmatched Brazillian rosewood back and sides AAAgrade solidspruce top Brazillian Mahogany neck Brazillian rosewood fret board Brazillian rosewood bridge snowflake inlays abalone inlaid top and purfling
etc etc and for the price well i know which guitar i ended up buying

Happy hunting

Wayne
Melbourne Australia

 

[rogga_bogga]

What are the prices like on these Furch babies?

I am living in Germany and am only a stones throw away from the Czech Republic. I am SURE that these things are cheaper in the Cz. Rep. than in the States. And I mean by A LOT!!!

I have even been to Brno where these buys are based. It is a small but lovely little Czech town.

Jesus I highly recomend the Cz. Rep. for holidays and vacations guys. They literally have the most beautiful women in the entire world. I don't mean to sound shovanistic or overly male or whatever... but these girls are breath taking.

Anyway, where can I see a price list for these things? Their website is slower than Christmas and very hard to understand. I see the dealer link, but it doesn't seem to work worth a flip. i think the Cz. Rep is still pretty much all on 56Kbs modems, so it is sometimes difficult to view their websites. I dunno?

They don't have any price list on their website but the prices in Sweden is from about $650 up to $3000. Have in mind that prices are not very low here.

You could always drop them an email and ask. info@furch.cz

The model that I liked the most was from the 24 series, but I haven't tried anyone more expensive than that.

 

[LI_Slim]

These Martin Dreadnoughts are pretty nice:

MARTIN D-16GT GLOSS TOP GUITAR & HSC 13 photos
Dreadnought size, built of all solid woods. Mahogany back & sides, solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped braces ("A-frame X" type), black body binding, herringbone rosette, fast "low oval" profile neck, black micarta fretboard & bridge, pearl dot position markers, chrome enclosed gears, satin finish with high gloss top. Martin #345 wooden case. Great value!
D16GT.....list $1279.00.....our price Inquire for Price
get an email price quote...

MARTIN D-16RGT ROSEWOOD GLOSS TOP & HSC 10 photos
Dreadnought size, built of all solid woods. Rosewood back & sides, solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped braces ("A-frame X" type), white body binding, herringbone rosette, fast "low oval" profile neck (standard 1 11/16" nut width), black micarta fretboard & bridge, pearl dot position markers, chrome enclosed gears, satin finish with high gloss top. Martin #345 wooden case. Great value!
D16RGT.....list $1479.00.....our price Inquire for Price
get an email price quote...

MARTIN D-17 & CASE 14 photos
Dreadnought size, solid mahogany back sides & top, gloss finish, tortoise binding with multilayered black/white purfling, multilayered rosette ring, hybrid scalloped braces with 1/4" tone bars, modified low oval neck, 1 11/16" nut, 25.4" scale, black micarta fretboard with pearl dot inlays, black micarta bridge, gold enclosed tuning gears. Martin #345 wooden hardshell case.
D17.....list $1650.00.....our price Inquire for Price


These descriptions are from the www.elderly.com site. The actual price should be several hundred less than list. I prefer these Martins to the Taylors that sell new below $1500.


I, too, swore, I would never buy a guitar without playing it first. But I checked out some Breedloves in the 2-2.5k range and then found a barely used one at Elderly, for $600 or so less than a new one would cost. You can trust them, and if you don't like it you can send it back. Play a Breedlove somewhere and then check out this one:


BREEDLOVE FOCUS LIMITED W/HSC, SHOPWORN
NEW, but shopworn (minor showroom wear), 6 string grand concert with a soft (Venetian) cutaway, solid myrtlewood back and sides, solid spruce top, black binding, ebony fingerboard and bridge, abalone soundhole rosette, chrome tuning machines, Fishman Pro Blender pickup system, only ten of these Breedlove special edition "S" series guitars are being made
FOCUSMYRSW.....Inquire for Price


(at Elderly) which I bet is in or very close to your price range.

 

[trebles]

Only your hip pocket and ears can truly determine what guitar is right for you.

just deal with the above and forget all the details as if one wants to get into details then this whole topic becomes a very different situation again

To start explaining it all only starts debates and arguments from some who are set on a brand names or the one or two instruments they picked up and strummed a few times then came to a conclusion that these instruments were the bees knees


there is never an absolute decision on any instrument or piece of equipment as once you feel you have found your holy grail along comes something else to prove your find to be something else again.

Ive posted what i know is in a class of its own those who are intrested will find the likes of Gilet guitars and Ayres guitars those who dont will try and disprove what i say with so called legend and argument only to try and make themselves look more credable in the eyes of those who read all this.

I have no intrest in such debates a wise person would look at what is being said here and feel lucky because it took me many years of trial and error to come to the conclusions i have at this stage so take it as you will.

so the url for those who missed my last post and if so go back and read it.


http://www.giletguitars.com.au/


enjoy if you will ?

Wayne

Melbourne Australia

 

[hrn]

I'm looking for a complement to my Hagström J45.

Last evening I went to Stockholm to check a used Gibson Gospel and hopefully buy it. Happy in mind, I thought, now I will get some real quality and sound....What did I find: A piece of crap instrument, and it had been overlooked by a guitar shop. My J45 was superior....

Well,

Today I went downtown to try some new instruments.....

At the first store I tried the Tanglewood TW 15 NS and the TW 115 AS CE. What a joy this was!! Fantastic instruments. But Hey, I thought.... they are made in China and Korea....

I went to the other store to try some other more heavy stuff....Martin, Guild, Takamine, Ovation, Yamaha, Fender, Ibanez, Furch, Tacoma, Taylor, Gretsch....

Think I tried about 20 instruments today ( I don't remember the model numbers....but the price tags were up to over $4000 ).

The best guitars from my test in my opinion:

The Tanglewood's
Furch OM21CR
Takamine EF444STBS

Hans

 

[VesuviusJay]

I am a fan of Gibson Accoustic. You can probably get a nice J-45 for 1500 if you look arround.

 

[Marlmanch]

For what its worth, i have a J200 sunburst with the factory fitted transducer that i bought from the US and had shipped back to me in the UK. A bit of a risk, but it saved me alot of money!

It depends exactly what tone youre looking for in an acoustic but for me, its priceless and id be tempted to stretch for it all you can.

This may sound a bit of a basic way of describing acoustic tones but here goes... If you really like to hear the wood in your sound, dont get a J200. If you like a grand, deep, open, resonant sound buy one now! I love mine, but thats just me. But it doesnt work for everything!

 

[philboy]

Yesterday i spent 2 hours in a musical store here in Montreal trying several acoustic guitars in this price range. Tried 3-4 Taylors, Martin D16/HD28/D35, Boucher guitars (Canadian Luthier), some Guilds and Takamines.

If i had enough cash and could get out of the store with three guitars these would be my choices:

1 - Boucher Native Goose (1599$ CDN): Spruce/Solid Mahogany back/Solid Mahogany sides; AWESOME neck with rich, full and complex detailled sound. Hand made, VERY serious guitar.

2 - Martin D16 (1899$ CDN): warm sound and with lots of bottom and what can i say... i want one!!! Lovely Martin sound as usual...

3 - Takamine TAN15C (1400$)CDN : Cedar top/rosewood back/sides: truely amazing tone. Lots of low-end, loud and detailled. I have always hated Takamines guitars, but this one was a real ah-Ha...High end (1000$ +)Takamines are truely another league and definitely worth tryng. This one also have a marvellous tube preamp included.


Now the most difficult part...i have to choose only one....


Regards

Phil