Guitars... Another expensive hobby - Page 3

This thread makes me want to buy a new guitar. Or at least play my old one.

I'm more in the market for an electric--have a takamine acoustic I'm pretty OK with. Who, since you seem to be the busiest guitar importer/exporter here, would you recommend ebay for a used gibson SG, or MF-type stores? I dread visiting a guitar store again--I hate those places. I don't want friggin steve vai's pro model, dammit!

Used SG? That really depends. If you're willing to wait and see, Saved Search on ebay can really be your friend. I've Saved Searched guitars for over 6 months at times before I finally found the price on the model I wanted; for an SG that'll be far less time. The advantage ebay has is obviously selection of colors and age-ranges. I think a new SG goes for around $1100 or so? Used would be anywhere from $600-1000 with a few BIN's in the $800s+ (usually). So either you say you're fine with a black SG '02 BIN $799 or play the waiting game and see if you can't win an auction that started low and unnoticed or for someone in need cash quick and post one with a low BIN. Just make sure that whatever price you've got in mind, add about $40+ for shipping. I openly hate places like Guitar Center for all the same reasons everyone else does but like I recommended to Brian, it might just be worth a trip (briefly) to ask about the used stock at their store and others nearby. Their prices might be similar to ebay's but you have the advantage of being able to haggle. The price is NEVER fixed no matter what they say so if you're up for the battle you could save some $$$. I figure tax would add another $50 or so, so keep that in mind for the total price when comparing to ebay.

+1 on the haggling at guitar center and for the OP, I have a Washburn acoustic that I have had for over ten years and it has been great. I would definitely recommend it and they should be well within your price range.

Hello, I worked for ten years in a guitar store. I have experience with everything from 1959 Gibson Flying V's ($100, 000 guitars) to the cheapest plywood acoustic. These days, performing music and getting sharp threads is more what I am up to, but I'd be glad to give my $.02 on your guitar purchase. PLYWOOD vs. SOLID WOOD The more solid wood a guitar has, the more it's going to cost and better it will sound (theoretically, at least) FINISH If a guitar has a polyester or polyurethane finish then it is tougher. The poly finish resists scratching and cracking. It's like a smooth plastic coating. The big problem with poly finishes is they choke the sound of the guitar. It will not resonate as well. At the guitar store, for mad scientist experiments we would strip the plastic finish off of cheap guitars, and be amazed at how much better sounding they got (don't try this at home!) The other basic kind of finish is nitrocellulose lacquer. This is almost always the type of finish on high end electrics and acoustics. On the plus side, the nitro finish sounds good, it damps the wood just enough. It also does not have a cheap plastic shine. Most people think it feels better to the touch. Unfortunately, nitro finishes are very fragile. They scratch easily and very often will have small cracks. They are the "old school" way. BIG GUITARS vs. LITTLE GUITARS Are you a strummer or a finger picker? Do you play more lead or rhythm? A.) Most guitars are the Dreadnaught size, named after a class of battleships. A Martin D28 would be an iconic example. These are good for strumming chords and accompanying singers. A big person can handle these better because of their size. The Dreadnaught guitar is louder with an emphasis on the mid range. There are also Jumbo guitars (think Elvis) that are even more mid rangy and great for strumming. B.) There also exist smaller guitars. like the Martin ooo18 or Gibson LG series. All the major brands have made various sizes at one time or another. Smaller guitars are usually easier to play. They have a more balanced sound and work well for fingerpicking and lead playing. A lot of people use smaller guitars in the recording studio. Most cheaper guitars are not made in smaller sizes, because they sound cruddy. You really need quality for a smaller guitar. My favorite guitar is a 1941 Gibson LG. It sounds great, but it is incredibly rare and it would be hard to find one for $650. 1. Are you going to be traveling a lot with the guitar, maybe playing it on the beach, storing it in the trunk of your car etc.? Get a plywood guitar with a polyester finish. These are the toughest guitars. It will be unlikely to crack, and you won't have to worry about it too much. Don't expect a lot of sound, though it might be adequate for your purposes. You could spend $200-500 for a fun "kick around" guitar. Popular sturdy brands include Yamaha and Ibanez 2. Do you want a professional sounding instrument that is good enough to play in a recording studio, that you are willing to baby, and be prepared for the usual cracks, and maintenance issues? Try to get a solid wood American made (US or Canada) guitar. The tricky thing is your price range ($650) is in that area between a fun cheap guitar and most fine professional grade ones. The good brands are (and have been for many decades) Martin Gibson Guild Other good brands include Larivee Taylor Most top quality American guitars are in the $1000 and up price range... even for used ones, unless you get very lucky. I'm always inclined to go for the best, so at least investigate the higher quality guitars. Actually, the Seagull S6 guitar (made in Canada) pictured early in the thread is a good suggestion. Those guitars sound quite good for their price (under $500 still, I think) The sound board is solid, and they feature a resonant oil finish. The fit and finish is nice for the money. A slight drawback is that the Seagull Guitars can be a bit fragile, and require more care than a plywood top poly finish guitar. Hope this is of help! TL

^ Good post. But to the OP, if you're looking for "deep and jangly" I would advise against the Seagull. I have one; it sounds lovely fingerpicked or played at low volume, but it has absolutely no headroom, so strumming doesn't work as well as I'd like. The strummed sound is more in the mid and higher ranges, and a lot thinner than I'd prefer. No question that it's a decent guitar for a certain purpose. But like you, I'd rather have a deep percussive sound, so I'll probably replace my Seagull when it's feasible.

Glad you like your Seagull. Yes, it is a delicate sounding guitar, probably better for playing at home. Still the sound is very good for the cost.

Alas, I cannot think of any guitars under $650 retail that truly sound "deep and jangly". For that, you need something like a Martin D35 or Gibson J200 ($1500-$4000)

Maybe one could get lucky and find an old Guild Drednaught or a used Martin with Plywood Back and sides (their entry level line) Those guitars are pretty meaty sounding and maybe available for $650.

That's exactly why I don't have one yet. What I'd like is a guitar I can sing with. But I'm a bass. Which means that I'd preferably need something balanced towards the low end to make it easier to match pitch or harmonize with the instrument, as well as enough volume to match my voice. I like the Seagull, but it doesn't really have the power to keep up.

Brian, if you don't feel like driving up to LA, I recommend the Guitar Shoppe in Laguna. They carry Martins, Taylors, Guilds, Grestch, et al. They make custom guitars, too. Bespoke!

More like MTM.

i haven't read the entire thread, but here are my 2 cents:

the most versatile guitar is a flamenco. you can play anything on it. playing classical on a steel string guitar is blasphemous.

if you were a beginner, i'd say get the cheapest guitar that plays in tune, but since you know how to play, you want a guitar with solid wood top, back, and sides. this will cost you a minimum of $800 or so, new. along with solid wood construction, you want a saddle and nut that are made of real bone, not plastic.

So, what did you finally buy?

^^ That's exactly my best friend's model. Definitely a classic chunky sound. Under $500 shipped for that is a good deal. I think he paid a little over that.