Looking for Guitar Purchasing advice.

“Any pickers here that know a thing or two about Guitars? I want to buy my brother a Guitar for his Birthday but I don't know a thing about them. Basically I'm looking for somethign affordable but nice. Any brands, models, suggestions, etc would be appreciated. I'd like to keep it under $300 if I can. the only brand I know of is Seagull and I think I may be able to get one around that price. but, if there are any better/cheaper suggestions I'm all ears. Only thing I know I want is 6 string and steel strings.”

“electric or acoustic?”

“Something you may haven't considered. Buying a guitar for me was like buying clothes...I tried several to see which one felt right. Guitar body sizes vary which made me feel really contorted or unnatural when holding it. I'm assuming this is a surprise but how it feels to the person playing is important..or at least it was for me.

As for brand you may want to check out Ibanez.

My 2 cent..half price til noon.”

“Can I have your Guitar 'lette?”

“I second Carlette's advice. Ibanez makes very nice guitars for the price.”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/Alvarez-AD-65-Bluesman-Acoustic-Guitar_W0QQitemZ7361427940QQcategoryZ33022QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Alvarez makes decent instruments and this one is kinda unique these days.

Most have the round sound hole these days.

I like JUMBO guitars, they are big and fat with lotsa volume and tone.

I bought a used Samick Jumbo(made in Indonesia) 1.5 years ago for $155 with a case and it plays and sounds great.

We liked it so much that I got another, new and on clearance, some months later for $140 without a case.

After a minor truss rod tightening it plays almost as well as out favorite.”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Tacoma-Olympia-Jumbo-Acoustic-Guitar-GREAT-SOUND_W0QQitemZ7361654893QQcategoryZ33025QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Now dat one got a big back yard on it!!

Olympia is Tacoma's imported brand and probably made by Samick.

Samick is the largest maker of guitars in the world.
They have factories in Korea and Indonesia and they make many other brands as wll as their own.

Some of the world's best are made in Japan, as might be expected, but can be pricey.”

“I think that's a cool looking Guitar. Not sure my brother would want the different style. How are the necks on the Ibanez? My bro is a small Jap so at 5'7" and 155 lbs he doesn't have large hands. I was worried the Seagull neck was too big around.”

“Seagull makes an EXCELLENT guitar. The cedar body guitars sound very nice. The wood is a bit soft but if you take care of the instrument you will be fine. These aren’t “beater” guitars.

I prefer used instruments. I have found I can get a better instrument at a better price. I only have purchased one instrument new, my Martin SP 16-series jumbo (yeah baby)... solid rosewood. It's a boomer. So yes, I am a Martin type of player.

I HIGHLY recommend considering Elderly Instruments (http://www.elderly.com/). I have purchased ALL of my guitars from them, on-line even. You can easily find a good guitar for a reasonable price. Their rating system is totally accurate and they are a totally honest vendor in my experience. If you have questions call and ask them. They will NOT steer you wrong. If you are ever in Grand Rapids, MI look them up. Best guitar shop I have ever visited in my life. Their shipping rates are totally fair and every guitar I have gotten from them was packed carefully and arrived in perfect condition. Their return policy is “common sense” and would please any musician. OK, enough of the endorsement for my favorite music store!

Oh, their prices are highly competitive as well. Sometimes I will pay a little more but in general the price is fair to better. It's way better if you consider the service and selection of new and USED instruments. I get their catalog in the mail on a regular basis and read it cover to cover. OK, really, enough now. Sorry.

Anyway, look over their web site and post a few instruments. I am sure players on the board will tell you what they think. You can always buy somewhere else. They don’t carry all brands (no store I know does) but it would be a great place to start.
last edited: 11/03/05 9:05:37 AM”

“but you ain't gonna find one for $300.

My uncle has a Martin D-3 I hope to inherit one day...”

“http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-9771.htm <- Ovation, $250 bucks, excellent condition

(Just teasing, LiRM35. It does say it needs work.)”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/SEAGULL-MJM6-MINI-JUMBO-ACOUSTIC-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ7361414851QQcategoryZ2385QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Mini jumbos and folk size are nice if one wants something a bit smaller.

For me I like the look and feel of jumbos and mini jumbos and folk-size.

It's the cut-in waist that I prefer to the broad-waisted dreadnaughts.”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/SEAGULL-S6-FOLK-SOLID-CEDAR-TOP-ACOUSTIC-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ7361508355QQcategoryZ2385QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/SIMON-PATRICK-FOLK-SB-HIGH-GLOSS-ACOUSTIC-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ7361518754QQcategoryZ2385QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

These are made in the same factory in Quebec.

A lot of their bodies are made of cherry, which is native to that part of the world.

As they state in the description, the tone of cherry is somewhere between the brightness of maple and the mellow tone of mahogany.”

“I like that first one, MarkO. I would love to hear it's tone.”

“I have an Ibanez (haven't played it in a while). As others said above, it fits your price range. Mine sounds great, as long as someone else is playing it!”

“carlette, what kind of music do you play?

marko, pick one for me. make it a winner.

the blueridge series by saga can't be beat for the dollar. the only one's that are close are the johnson guitars by the music link. check them both out before you make a decision.”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/Tacoma-JF21SB-Jumbo-Folk-Guitar-New_W0QQitemZ7361908264QQcategoryZ2385QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


I played one of these, in plain mahogany with solid back and sides, boom-boom-boom-boom!!!”

“http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/SPJC16RE.htm

This is my Martin, but it's almost 4 years old now. It's a rocking boomer. It was born to play acoustic Neil Young.”

“we all live in a yellow submarine

”

“Sweet!”

“deoredx, you could buy him a real instrument, like a banjo...”

“LOL
Good one, baume!

Bluegrass Lives!”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/Alvarez-RF20SM-Folk-Guitar-Solid-Mahogany-Top_W0QQitemZ7361250701QQcategoryZ33022QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

All mahogany body, top, back and sides.
This is a nice smaller body and the tone should be interesting.”

“I am scared of anything that is solid rosewood or mahogony at a price like that. That said, my favorite beater is a jumbo I got for about that much and it's solid rosewood. I play it at the campfire and it has only gotten better over time. It's not my Martin but I still love to play it.”

“The main thing I wanted when I got ours was a solid top.

I went with a Fender Acoustic for about $300.”

“pitts, that Alvarez is said to have a solid top, the back and sides are undoubtedly plywood.

My Samick jumbos are great beach guitars.
I have had luck with those cheap bastards.”

“http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7362243146&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

....and yet another that looks good to me”

“See, I would look at one of these at Elderly before I would buy one on Ebay. The guys at Elderly will tell you what needs to be done with the used guitars. These are all very nice for the price and they will tell you if you call what it will cost to do the work (they can do it for you as well).

http://elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-10046.htm

http://elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-9862.htm

http://elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-9466.htm”

“Perhaps a gift certificate or shopping trip might work better.....”

“Are Fender Acoustics any good?”

“I got me one of these in grey.

http://www.cort.com/guitars/stat/index.html”

“I have an old Yamaha acoustic guitar that I've had for 20+ years and it sounds as sweet today as they day I got it. This week I'll be buying a new Samick electric geeetar and I'm real excited. Rock-n-roll, baby.”

“As long as you don't get the absolute cheapest.

Those Asian factories turn out some pretty good stuff.

Everything is machine-made and pretty accurate.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with a hand-made guitar right now.
A friend wants me to see if I can do something with the setup.
The intonation is wrong.
This thing is almost too beautiful to the point of absurdity.
The peg head is overlaid front and back with Spanish olive burl.....the pickguard is the same stuff.
The back and sides are figured "something" and the neck is two pieces of mahogany sandwiching seven layers of different colored woods with a fingerboard of cocobolo that looks like fudge with a bit of vanilla swirl.
Of course it's hand-polished, etc.

This thing belongs in a museum.

My $155 beater, made in Indonesia, plays and sounds way better.”

“Almost any guitar can be made playable with some setup work.”

“I'm happy with ours for the price we paid.

Check the other thread out for pictures.”

“Here's the model we have:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0952500021

For that price range I would stay clear of any cutaway models or any with electronics.. you make up for that in the quality of the guitar.
last edited: 11/03/05 2:12:26 PM”

“Local dealer had this on "Clearance" from "Regular $285" for $99.

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0951100006”

“http://myrareguitars.com/earachemyeastwood.html

Go to the picture at the bottom, Adventurist, and please heed Tommy's advice.”

“DeoreDX

I wouldn't go with that model because it's a laminated top.

Go to a local music shop and ask to play some guitars... that might give you a better idea in what the quality is in the ones you have in mind.

The thing is.. the better the sound of the guitar the more it gets picked up!”

“Adventurist, have you switched to high altitude strings??”

“Nope... but I did get a set of heavy gauge D'Addario strings and I love them!

I tried Elixirs but didn't like the initial tone one bit.”

“That's nice.

Alvarez is a pretty good company.”

“I play a Carvin electric and acoustic. I do not think you could get a better instrument for the $$$. Over $300 though, but not much. Check out carvin.com”

“I play a Carvin electric and acoustic. I do not think you could get a better instrument for the $$$. Over $300 though, but not much. Check out carvin.com”

“If you plan on smashing your guitar into an amp or the drums or the floor during the final set of a gig, I'd stick with a cheaper model.”