Blind Test of Classical Guitars
- Thread starter smitty_p
- Start date
Didn’t watch the video…. But I know there are some very nice inexpensive acoustics out there. My youngest has one.
I’ve also in the past played around in guitar store with various guitars. Was at a store years ago where they’d just had a Martin Guitar Show the previous weekend. Messing around with a $1000 Martin. Sounded great. Salesman ask “you like Martin’s?” Yep, I do. Brings me a loaner from Martin from the show. This thing was gorgeous. He let me play it. Frankly. Didn’t sound any different from the one I’d just played. Difference was the bling….. and a 10k price tag.
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
Admittedly, I am not much of an acoustic player (mine is just a 20-year old cheapo Yamaha that is currently in my attic) but I honestly have never detected any kind of big differences in playability and tone between expensive and modest ones. The bling factor does go up dramatically but not so much the experience of playing them IME.
Can't say the same for electrics. There you really do get what you pay for.
Having played acoustic only from 1973-2009. I have messed around with a few acoustics over the years. I can vouch that a $1500+ Martin sounds and plays better than one of their entry level ones…. Which still sell for 500-750. Same with Taylor. Where there is debate on how much difference the wood makes with an electric….. it’s an absolute on an acoustic. Wood and construction does matter.
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
I do believe it, I just don't notice it. I have really never had a reason to even own an acoustic - I bought one to keep in my office many years ago and gave up on it quick as I have never been able to bond with them in any way.
Session 5
Ambassador of Strings & Wings
Same goes with electric guitars...You can buy an electric guitar for under $2,000 that sounds and looks as good and is made as good as a $4,000 one..
Or you can buy a used one like my G400 for under $200. Spend a few bucks on upgrades and have it play and sound as good as a genuine SG for several times the bucks. And that assessment doesn’t come from me since I’m basically clueless. That came from a guy who’s played electric guitars for decades and has owned and played a bazillion different guitars.
Fully recognizing it will never be a Gibson SG. Will never have the resale of an SG. Will probably never get back the money spent on it…. But since I have no plans of selling…. Who cares??
Clockworkmike
Ambassador of STACKS in WV SHACKS
Before I got my hands on a Gibson SG Standard, the first guitar I ever bought with my own money was a 96 Epiphone G400. I think it was about $350 new, if I remember correctly. The pickups were absolutely terrible ( back of them said Sam Sung, not Samsung lol). I had them swapped out for a Gibson 498T/490R set and copper shielded the cavities.
Due to trying and failing to do this myself ( I WAS 13 after all lol), the bridge wires ended up being almost too short to do anything with, so the guy who did it for me inverted the layout: bottom Volume and Tone operates the neck, top volume and tone operates the bridge lol
Still own the guitar actually and have debated making it another Frankenstein project just for the fun of it. I have never sold a guitar I have ever owned ( did sell a few amps regrettably), so being that it probably won't go anywhere? Might as well mod and rebuild it. Considered making a discount version of Tony Iommi's Monkey SG or maybe even repainting it black and dressing out the electronics.
I did this once before on a cheap hollow body called a Kansas ( allegedly made by Cort sometime in the late 90s) that my dad bought from a pawnshop for about $200. Body was mahogany with a maple sunburst top, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard. Seemed like a great structure overall but with just awful components. So I asked dad if I could upgrade it and he said sure. Ended up spending nearly 3x it's original cost lol. All Gibson hardware replacements from the stopbar, bridge, pots, pickguard, switch and knobs. Put some Grover Mini Tuners and a Gibson 57 Classic Plus in the neck with a Gibson Burstbucker 2 in the bridge. Crazy cost over run but it absolutely roars and plays insanely easy. So, fun experiment!