Recommendations Please!

davidclayton

I bought a second-hand Taylor 12-String while I was in San Diego last Summer.
Lovely guitar, I just find that I'm not playing it at all.
It just seems like too much hassle. dunno.
I'd rather pick up my [much cheaper] Crafter semi-acoustic,
and mess about for an hour or 2.

I'm thinking about selling the both of them [or maybe just the Taylor]
to get a decent 6 string acoustic.
Probably pick one up second-hand... ?
Do you have any recommendations for an acoustic [with pickup]?
budget will be about €800-1000.... i think.

dave
[help appreciated]

davidclayton

...come on,
someone must have an opinion?

even recommendations for acoustic brands???
-taylor
-martain
-fender
-ovation
-takamine
-gibson
-guild
-yamaha

etc...etc...

fitz

For the budget, you can get a 6 string taylor.
Can't go wrong there.
You should also try out Stanford, Guild, and Yamaha, they all have offerings around that price, look out for a second-hand Lowden, and stay away from Takamine.

davidclayton

Stanford, never heard of them...
where are they made/sold?

p.s.
i was thinking of trading in the 2 guitars into musik maker [or similar]

fitz

Generally, you'll only be able to trade one item in against the cost of something else.
Stanford are hand-made in the Czech Republic, and are sold in Perfect Pitch.

Sell one of the guitars, trade the other on, depending on what you can sell/trade in each for, you should be close enough to your budget...

davidclayton

thanks for the advice,
i'll let you know how i get on

Eoin Madsen

Bear in mind that if you do a trade-in in a shop like Music Maker you'll get less than it's worth since they'll be intending to mark up the item for resale.

Slaanesh

Originally posted by fitz
look out for a second-hand Lowden [/B]

I played a lowden at the fleadh in Clonmel, was the most amazing acoustic guitar I've ever played and the strings hadn't been changed in months.

A lovely acoustic guitar test song is Paul Brady's - Arthur McBride. It just sounded spectacular.

Slaan.

fitz

I'd be lost without mine.
Lowden guitars make Baby Jebus smile...:D

davidclayton

i take it that i could not afford a new lowden for €800-1000???

fitz

New Lowden will cost you €3000 with a pickup.

davidclayton

right then,
i'll get 2

davidclayton

i've decided to try and sell them here on boards first.
if ye are interested, check out the for sale - general forum.

dave

davidclayton

ps fitz...
i heard that lowden crashed and burned 2 years ago,
some of it is still around in the form of "avalon guitars".

dave

fitz

You heard wrong.
Avalon is a range of guitars made in Korea by Lowden.
The Lowden luthiers spent about 6 months out there getting the luthiers out there trained up to standard.
They're also well worth looking at, forgot to mention them
I think they start at around €800 in Musicians Inc.
Check them out too.

davidclayton

there seems to be all sorts of new brands popping up...
i was in musician inc. and there was these new ones;
GARRISSON
anyone know anything about them?

they have fibreglass struts inside them instead of wooden.
yer man said they're meant to give it more resonance, and cut down production costs. they're from canada. price is very good. good solid feel, onboard fishman. €850

i'm leaning towards a taylor 214 in music maker, but its very expensive and there's no pickup
[no big deal really]. its €1100.

the guy in music maker advised against the garrisson, and he seems to be a knowlegable guy, but he is after all, a SALESMAN.

they're offering me a **** deal on my 12 string in music maker, but a great one in musicians inc.

:dunno:

dave

fitz

Musicians Inc also supply Avalons, which, with a good deal on the trade in, could work out at great value.

Bottom line: if it ain't wood, it won't mature.
Get a solid wood acoustic.

ogy

ive got a martin dx-1 was around that price new with a pick up for about 50 quid dearer i think lovely tone off it but the action can be a little stiff, i like it due to playing ****e guitars for years with terrible action but alot of my friends who play electric mostly or started with loose action guitars hate playing it. really nice sound off it full and folky for fingerstyle and strumming but a nice bite too if moving beyond the 4th fret:) cant go wrong with martin or takamine i think just personally think takamines are too bright or something. ideal acoustic for me would be one of those yamahas that they dont make anymore fg something i think like the top end version of the f310 loads of people start out with. Has a cool white outline on the body and neck i think and is just the perfect blues acoustic guitar i think, good balance of tone and a tiny bit of buzz with great action. if you found one of them second hand id snap it up

fitz

Originally posted by ogy
takamine i think just personally think takamines are too bright or something.

You've got to be kidding! Takamines in general are duller and more plastic sounding than any of the other brands in the higher price brackets

ogy

i mean the sharp biting ear piercing tone like a strat on the bridge pick up, ok for some solos but makes chords sound like an ironed static wooly jumper or something, and if theres one thing i hate its guitars that sound like items of clothing:)

davidclayton

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dave