'bout to go lookin for a new one...reco...(UPDATE)

fenster1977 · Unread post by **fenster1977** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:53 am

i've got some x-mas money and i want to go find a new guitar today. i've been playing my Tak G-240 for a couple of years now, and I'm ready for something else. only i can't really spend more than ~350-400. i had planned on really saving up and eventually getting a d-28, but i now realize that it'll be awhile before i have that kind of cash, not to mention i don't think my skill level warrants such a fine instrument yet, and most importantly, the type of lifestyle i'm living right now isn't the best environment to be in the possession of one that expensive (i travel alot and live out of my car, doing non-profit work)

i like that i can bang my tak around w/o too much worry, but I'm sick of the performace. wayyy too tinny.

so i would like to find something better. i'm not too big on the strummy-strummy Taylor sound (not that i would spend that little $$ on a taylor, or martin for that matter), but just to give you an idea of the sound i like. i want something that has a nice percussive sound, for playing Dave and J. Johnson-type stuff. and no more laminate guitars for me if possible.

from what i've read, an alvarez is the best bang for the buck. any more suggestions? D-28 and D-35 players, what would you buy in that price range if you wanted the same sound?

thanks!!!

filmdude100cms · Unread post by **filmdude100cms** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:59 am

i want a d-35 myself, itll be a few years though, ummm low end breedloves, sound good, not the high dollar american stuff made in oregon, but theyre still good stuff, and like everyone else will say alvarez, but play it.

hcole · Unread post by **hcole** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 7:28 pm

My first advice is too always look used, you can find great guitars that are in good shape much cheaper that way.

If you can manage to put together 200-250$ more you could get a Larrivee. All solid wood, great guitars IMO. I don't know if you're going to be able to find much in the all solid wood category in that price range, but I might be wrong. I've heard good things about Seagull so you might want to give them a look.

jeffro · Unread post by **jeffro** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 7:57 pm

I can vouch for alvarez. I now play an hd-28 but before that I almost always played my $150 Alvarez regent series. But like Filmdude said, PLAY IT FIRST, some Alvarez's can be a little off so be careful. However I do think you will find the sound you are looking for in an Alvarez dreadnought.

About the Larivee's, an all solid wood guitar might be a little too nice for hauling around in your car all the time, but Larivees are great guitars. If you do get a guitar made of solid wood, make sure to get a humidifier, hygryometer, and thermometer so you can make sure that your guitar isn't getting too cold, dry, hot, or wet wherever your travelling.

mangold · Unread post by **mangold** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:08 pm

mk. or go used

fenster1977 · Unread post by **fenster1977** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:08 pm

thanks for all the input so far...

i went to the shop earlier and played a few alvarezes....there was one $250 model (a regent i think)...it was a laminate. it was pretty, nice sunburst color, but it sounded just like my tak. i guess it's just the laminate sound.

then i picked up an artist series...can't remember the model, but i loved it. but then again, any non-laminate guitar is gonna sound good to me after what i've been playing. they wanted about $570 or something like that, and it didn't come with a case. what do you guys think...was it overpriced? he said the retail was around $750. i'm pretty sure it mahoghany but not a real dark color, like a d-15.

how much am i gonna have to spend to get out of the laminates? and how do you know you're looking at a laminate when you're looking online? how do they usually specify that? is that what they mean when they say "gloss finish"?

is a non-laminate gonna be harder to take care of? when you guys say all-wood...as opposed to what? where on the cheaper guitars is wood substituted?

filmdude100cms · Unread post by **filmdude100cms** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:17 pm

gloss finish doesnt mean laminant, taylors and martins use gloss to make it shine, and they arent laminate. ummm as for that alvarez, check musiciansfriend, and music123 for the guitar for price, see how that goes, i dont know if its worth 570, havent played it... well martin has some cheap guitars made of plastic, for like $650, but ehhhhh... solid wood means no like cheap stuff. but check more alvarez's, and some breedloves, and think about it somemore.

jeffro · Unread post by **jeffro** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:21 pm

If your shopping online if it doesn't say solid then its probably laminate. Ex:

Top: Solid Spruce
Back/sides: Rosewood

That means that the spruce is solid, but the rosewood is laminate.

To get out of laminates your going to pay at least $500 in my experience. And yes, solid wood guitars do need a bit more love and attention compared to laminates.

jeffro wrote:If you do get a guitar made of solid wood, make sure to get a humidifier, hygryometer, and thermometer so you can make sure that your guitar isn't getting too cold, dry, hot, or wet wherever your travelling.

EDIT: And listen to filmdude!

fenster1977 · Unread post by **fenster1977** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:43 pm

thanks!!!! 8)

filmdude100cms · Unread post by **filmdude100cms** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:15 pm

jeffro wrote:
EDIT: And listen to filmdude!

and dont forget it :wink:

jeffro · Unread post by **jeffro** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:26 pm

filmdude100cms wrote:
jeffro wrote:
EDIT: And listen to filmdude!
and dont forget it

Haha, you know what you're talking about mostly. You just need to let up on Fender! :roll:

filmdude100cms · Unread post by **filmdude100cms** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:33 pm

jeffro wrote:
filmdude100cms wrote:
jeffro wrote:
EDIT: And listen to filmdude!
and dont forget it
Haha, you know what you're talking about mostly. You just need to let up on Fender!

for the price range than myself and many are in they are not the best product!

jeffro · Unread post by **jeffro** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:36 pm

filmdude100cms wrote:
jeffro wrote:
filmdude100cms wrote:
jeffro wrote:
EDIT: And listen to filmdude!
and dont forget it
Haha, you know what you're talking about mostly. You just need to let up on Fender!
for the price range than myself and many are in they are not the best product!

Lets not start a filmdude vs. fender thread here. Sorry I ever mentioned it.

filmdude100cms · Unread post by **filmdude100cms** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:42 pm

jeffro wrote:
filmdude100cms wrote:
jeffro wrote:
filmdude100cms wrote:
jeffro wrote:
EDIT: And listen to filmdude!
and dont forget it
Haha, you know what you're talking about mostly. You just need to let up on Fender!
for the price range than myself and many are in they are not the best product!
Lets not start a filmdude vs. fender thread here. Sorry I ever mentioned it.

yeah i was doing that in a "damnit! i have to say it again" tone

fenster1977 · Unread post by **fenster1977** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:35 pm

upon further research and recollection...i've determined that the guitar i picked up today and like so much is the MD65

loved the way this thing sounded, although i didn't get to play that long before a salesman started bothering me.

i don't recall being hindered by the fact that there aren't any inlayed fret markers. anyone here have opinions on this...do you ever find yourself using them, or are the ones on the top sufficient?

i don't have my guitar with me and i honestly don't know if i use them or not. i'm sure i did at first, but now, i dunno, hard to say

DMBTabs.com

'bout to go lookin for a new one...reco...(UPDATE)

'bout to go lookin for a new one...reco...(UPDATE)

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