I have a question. I've been playing for about ten years and it's time for me to invest in a solid acoustic guitar. I don't want to spend more than $500. I'm thinking of trying to find a pre-fender Tacoma DR-20 or DM-9 because i feel that 500 isn't enough for a decent martin or taylor. Plus i think i prefer Tacomas over any other acoustic guitar. Any suggestions?
There was a 12 string of theirs that I had my eye on...
also, if you want to 'invest' in a good acoustic, $500 is a low number. I would see what you could get for a little more than that (if you can afford it) and go from there. If you love playing, the extra $$$ (if you can afford it) will be worth it
i second that comment - don't skimp on the sound - that means you will be looking at solid tops, not ply/veneer gits - they are gonna run from 5 and up
i would recommend you check out Seagull if you are dead set on that budget (-500)...
they have solid, guitars and all the wood is sustainably harvested - Canadian-made, but they don't have (in my experience) the bottom end that a more expensive guitar will have...
i'd agree with toroid and mdler. and seagulls are nice, but they have always seemed to lack much in the way of heft, weight...balls if you will.
depends what you'll be playing. indigo girls? robert fripp? lester flatts? cake?
either way, what are you playing now? will $500 buy you a worthy successor? or should you put it off another year and save another $500 and buy a real sweet axe.
ugh, i hate spending money. i guess an investment is the wrong way to look at this... it's more like, i have the extra cash right now and if i don't spend it now i'm going to lose it eventually to stupid things like food and rent.
then a seagull might be fine. it's your ears though, not ours. go and play one, see what you think.
myself, i play an ibanez f-hole acoustic. nothing too fancy, but nice and smooth, good sound and i've had it for a decade. still waiting for the right moment to plunk down on a martin.
you know, a $500 guitar might be just the thing to tide you over another couple of years until you can afford the taylor/martin/custom.
You should check out the X-series Martins. They'll run you $700-800, but it's worth it. They're not as nice sounding as a $1500 guitar, but for your price, they're about the best you'll get.
i have an old, old ovation which belonged to my mother... she tells me she got it in a pawn shop in the mid 70's.
its definetly a folk guitar, but it sounds fantastic... very full, very mellow... i find it super versatile as well... as i do lots of both picking and strumming. ive played some newer ovations and they feel less versatile to me but i still think they are beautiful... they look wonderful and sound it as well.
id check out some ovations as well, even though they can get really expensive, they have some that could be in your 500 range
Dude. Get a Seagul or a Washburn. My dad bought me a Washburn for graduation and I know it was probably around 500 and it plays beautifully.
Also, I'm from Nashville-i've been in a lot of guitar shops and played a lot of guitars. That is really only one of the good things about being from country music's city.
Also,
used is a good way to go. Well taken care of guitars are fine to buy. I mean-they are made to play forever, so why not get one cheaper
get a used one. i just bought a last-year's takamine eg561c (acoustic electric) that retails over 500 for 200 from guitar center in seattle. you pay a few hundred less for someone elses scrapes. it's a GREAT guitar. smaller body, but awesome. and it's all black..
almost $1k, which is still not that expensive as guitars go (paid much more for my strat). it has lasted last 10 years without any problems.
sound is nice, but the thing that really sold me was the action. it played and still plays like butter. so fine to slide through a beautiful tune and not be stumbling around cuz the guitar is so cheap. great for confidence too when sound and playing gets better just cuz of the quality of the instrument...
For the guitarists out there...
I have a question. I've been playing for about ten years and it's time for me to invest in a solid acoustic guitar. I don't want to spend more than $500. I'm thinking of trying to find a pre-fender Tacoma DR-20 or DM-9 because i feel that 500 isn't enough for a decent martin or taylor. Plus i think i prefer Tacomas over any other acoustic guitar. Any suggestions?
what kind of sound are you trying to get?
like a vintage cabernet... rich, full bodied, meaty
I would look at
http://www.simonandpatrick.com/
There was a 12 string of theirs that I had my eye on...
also, if you want to 'invest' in a good acoustic, $500 is a low number. I would see what you could get for a little more than that (if you can afford it) and go from there. If you love playing, the extra $$$ (if you can afford it) will be worth it
i second that comment - don't skimp on the sound - that means you will be looking at solid tops, not ply/veneer gits - they are gonna run from 5 and up
i would recommend you check out Seagull if you are dead set on that budget (-500)...
they have solid, guitars and all the wood is sustainably harvested - Canadian-made, but they don't have (in my experience) the bottom end that a more expensive guitar will have...
t...
i'd agree with toroid and mdler. and seagulls are nice, but they have always seemed to lack much in the way of heft, weight...balls if you will.
depends what you'll be playing. indigo girls? robert fripp? lester flatts? cake?
either way, what are you playing now? will $500 buy you a worthy successor? or should you put it off another year and save another $500 and buy a real sweet axe.
ugh, i hate spending money. i guess an investment is the wrong way to look at this... it's more like, i have the extra cash right now and if i don't spend it now i'm going to lose it eventually to stupid things like food and rent.
i mostly fingerpick elliott smith style.
open an ing savings account, but it in there, and wait...
then a seagull might be fine. it's your ears though, not ours. go and play one, see what you think.
myself, i play an ibanez f-hole acoustic. nothing too fancy, but nice and smooth, good sound and i've had it for a decade. still waiting for the right moment to plunk down on a martin.
you know, a $500 guitar might be just the thing to tide you over another couple of years until you can afford the taylor/martin/custom.
never played a tacoma.
what i want, is another fender rhodes mark1 73 key electric piano.
i sold mine back east before coming out to calif, and have regretted it ever since. oh well...soon enough.
like i have the time for more shit like that in my life right now.
You should check out the X-series Martins. They'll run you $700-800, but it's worth it. They're not as nice sounding as a $1500 guitar, but for your price, they're about the best you'll get.
http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing/price.php?c=9
But if you're going to play for another 10 years, save for a couple of months and buy a nice Martin or a Taylor( that's what I play -- $1500.)
i have an old, old ovation which belonged to my mother... she tells me she got it in a pawn shop in the mid 70's.
its definetly a folk guitar, but it sounds fantastic... very full, very mellow... i find it super versatile as well... as i do lots of both picking and strumming. ive played some newer ovations and they feel less versatile to me but i still think they are beautiful... they look wonderful and sound it as well.
id check out some ovations as well, even though they can get really expensive, they have some that could be in your 500 range
Dude. Get a Seagul or a Washburn. My dad bought me a Washburn for graduation and I know it was probably around 500 and it plays beautifully.
Also, I'm from Nashville-i've been in a lot of guitar shops and played a lot of guitars. That is really only one of the good things about being from country music's city.
Also,
used is a good way to go. Well taken care of guitars are fine to buy. I mean-they are made to play forever, so why not get one cheaper
get a used one. i just bought a last-year's takamine eg561c (acoustic electric) that retails over 500 for 200 from guitar center in seattle. you pay a few hundred less for someone elses scrapes. it's a GREAT guitar. smaller body, but awesome. and it's all black..
i play a tak as well, fringerstyle blues.
almost $1k, which is still not that expensive as guitars go (paid much more for my strat). it has lasted last 10 years without any problems.
sound is nice, but the thing that really sold me was the action. it played and still plays like butter. so fine to slide through a beautiful tune and not be stumbling around cuz the guitar is so cheap. great for confidence too when sound and playing gets better just cuz of the quality of the instrument...
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