Looking to buy a new guitar...

Grachi · Unread post by **Grachi** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:05 pm

So I just graduated yesterday and my parents are willing to buy me a guitar as a graduation present. Basically the limit is $400 to $450 dollars. Well I thought of no better place then to come here and ask you guys, since I've been on these on these boards for almost a year now and I know you guys know what your talking about.

Basically I'm just looking for a quality acoustic guitar in that price range, maybe a little over or a little under, so any names/models could be particularly useful. Or just like general good acoustic name brands to go for.

The guitar I have now is a Jasmine by Takamine, which isnt a bad guitar for its price (it was like 150 dollars), but the sound isn't anything compared to a lot of the better guitars I've played around with in music stores and such.

Thanks guys.

mlb1399 · Unread post by **mlb1399** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:09 pm

Normally you would want to post this in the musicians gear forum. :-)

I am sure Brock will move it soon.

As far as the guitar goes, go into a couple local guitar stores and play as many guitars as you can that are in that price range. Don't let anyone sell you on a specific guitar. Play them until you find one that sounds good, feels good to play, and is in your price range.

If someone asks if they can help, just say you are looking and no thanks. When you go to buy the guitar, low ball them a little bit or ask for some extra strings or a tuner or something along those lines. It doesn't work every time but sometimes it does.

Once you figure out what model you like, then go online and compare prices. Find the lowest possible price online and ask them to match that price.

Good luck!

Grachi · Unread post by **Grachi** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:14 pm

sorry about the mis-threading

and thanks for the input!

mlb1399 · Unread post by **mlb1399** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:20 pm

This is a website that I usually match prices against.

http://www.elderly.com/

Teego Time · Unread post by **Teego Time** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:25 pm

I say combine the money from your relatives with the money your parents are willing to spend, and get a $1000 guitar. You'll thank yourself in the end.

mattinbeloit · Unread post by **mattinbeloit** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:13 pm

Here are a few i can think or right off hand. I was at a guitar store yesterday and played with a Breedlove Atlas series guitar and it sounded great and was under $500, maybe $450 i cant remember. Breedloves are great quality and beautiful guitars and you can't go wrong there, that would be my #1 suggestion to you. Also i don't know much about Washburns accept that most of them seem to be in that price range and they sound great for the price. Another option would be to look at the lower end martins, i dont' know right off hand any models but at the same store I saw a full Koa martin and it was around $500, i didnt play it but it has to sound good. Anyway, those are some options, go to http://www.musiciansfriend.com and you can look at acoustic guitars and specify certain price ranges. Good luck, it's great to upgrade, i was in ur boat about 2 years ago with a $200 guitar and found a Taylor 714-CE for $700 dollars and upgraded, boy was that a good day. Have fun shopping.

:EDIT: I did some quick research and would not go with the cheeper Martins. The are laminated (i didnt know that) and don't seem to last very long. On the other hand as i said before i would highly recomend the breedlove. There are 2 choices in your price range, the AD200SM or the AC200SM. The AD is is a dread and the AC is a grand concert, depends what you want, look at those man, i think that's your best choice.

Teego Time · Unread post by **Teego Time** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:36 pm

mattinbeloit wrote:Here are a few i can think or right off hand. I was at a guitar store yesterday and played with a Breedlove Atlas series guitar and it sounded great and was under $500, maybe $450 i cant remember. Breedloves are great quality and beautiful guitars and you can't go wrong there, that would be my #1 suggestion to you. Also i don't know much about Washburns accept that most of them seem to be in that price range and they sound great for the price. Another option would be to look at the lower end martins, i dont' know right off hand any models but at the same store I saw a full Koa martin and it was around $500, i didnt play it but it has to sound good. Anyway, those are some options, go to http://www.musiciansfriend.com and you can look at acoustic guitars and specify certain price ranges. Good luck, it's great to upgrade, i was in ur boat about 2 years ago with a $200 guitar and found a Taylor 714-CE for $700 dollars and upgraded, boy was that a good day. Have fun shopping.

HOW the fuck did you manage that!?

mattinbeloit · Unread post by **mattinbeloit** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:55 pm

i was lucky...

mattinbeloit · Unread post by **mattinbeloit** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:56 pm

mattinbeloit wrote:HOW the fuck did you manage that!?

that's the story of a lifetime. I was comming home and stopped at the guitar center. Like i said i had a $200 dollar guitar and was saving up for a better one. I tended to like the Taylors sound better and was playing around with all of them. After looking at all of them i decided that i liked the 714-CE the best. I got to talking to the guy about the price and if they had any deals. He told me they had one in the back with a ding on it and it was going to go on same the next day in the memorial day sale for $700. I was imagining a HUGE dent in the guitar but saw it and there was only a little ding about half the size of a penny up by the cut away on the frot, hardly nicked the finish. They bought it brand new about a week previously and an amp had fallen off a shelf above it (in storage) and broke through the case and the case nicked it so i was not going to get the case, all broken to shreds. Anyway, i woke up at 3am and sat in front of the store until 8am because i wanted to make sure i got it. I ran inside when they opened at 8am and heard a few people behind me go shit... lol snooze you lose you suckers, it was a buy of a lifetime, good story too..

mangold · Unread post by **mangold** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:17 pm

well done mr belloit

for 450 i would check out alvarez but more takamine. go with a solid wood top. its all opinion brotha

mattinbeloit · Unread post by **mattinbeloit** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:02 pm

ya that breedlove might be the best deal in my opinion but it's up to you, try everything and go with what you think sounds good. Just make sure that you look at some reviews online to make sure they are good quality. I assumed the martins where good and apparently i was wrong, they sound good but are not solid wood and don't last long...

Grachi · Unread post by **Grachi** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 12:13 pm

thanks guys, much appreciated. I was playing around with a takamine the other day in guitar center that sounded nice. It was one of their G-series ones, acoustic electric. I liked it and it was in my price range, but... well... I know I will sound like a girl for this but I didn't like the color. It came in red and blue and I didn't like that too much. I guess I'm just a more conservative wood-toned kinda guy.

But thanks for the suggestions definately. It helps me narrow down my search a lot. Like I said I was already taken a look at takamines and I'll be sure to let u guys know what ones I'm considering just if your curious or have any tips.

Thanks again

mattinbeloit · Unread post by **mattinbeloit** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 4:41 pm

there is nothing wrong with not liking it because it was red/blue. i can't stand the stained wood (with the exception of the sunburst) and you are spending alot of money. nothing wrong with that, get what look's and sounds good. That's like buying a car that had a really good engine but looks like shit... you have to consider both. Check out the breedlove atlas's, i can't say it enough, you will be plesantly surprised.

ButlerGSU · Unread post by **ButlerGSU** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:28 pm

I just bought another Takamine http://www.takamine.com/?fa=detail&mid=889&sid=69

It has awesome action and sounds great. Hang out in Guitar Center long enough and they will give you a good deal. Don't pay tag price though because it's nearly 700 dollars. I paid $360

Then again, it's all what feels right to you.

Grachi · Unread post by **Grachi** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:31 pm

Here it is. After spending a few days at Pianos n' stuff, my local music place, I got a nice deal on an Alvarez AD60CK with the Dreadnaught body. They had a smaller body version but it didn't pack the bass that the Dreadnaught did. Listed at 700, I got it for 440! It's an acoustic/electric with great action and sound (comes with elixirs on it) and well... You can see it in the picture down there.

After playing around with some takamines/ibanez/alvarez and a few others I just liked this one a lot. Plus I got it for a pretty good price I think

Hope you guys agree!

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