I need a new acoustic...

gball

gball

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Been thinking and have decided I need a new acoustic as I have been making a concerted effort to become better at the discipline, having been a 99% electric player my whole life.

I don't want to break the bank, so I have leaning toward a Gibson J-15. I tried one and it feels and plays great, and the tone has a nice immediacy to it. As a plus for me the guitar is not too loud - I want something with full tone but not super loud acoustically.

So, my question: anyone have any recommendation of other guitars to try out in the same price range (around $1500)? Like I said, I don't know as much as I should about acoustics, but the Gibsons and Martins I played in that price range are all very nice, made in USA, come with a case, etc. I just preferred the Gibson to the Martin but any others I should try before I buy?
 
I have a Takamine that I like alot. Go hang out in the acoustic room at GC and take a few for a test drive
 
THIS!
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Try a Taylor before you buy. Acoustics are more personal than electrics and most brands have a distinct sound. I shopped for almost a year but kept coming back to Taylor because I liked the sound and playability. There is no changing pickups or trying a new amp to change your tone with acoustics.
 
I have a Tanglewood that works great on some songs, but I'm going to make a recommendation that you may find a bit left field. Go for a Martin, but instead of spending $1500, have a look at the DX1R at less than half that price. It has probably the best neck on any guitar ever made - it is laminated and doesn't budge, winter to summer. It also has a great sounding spruce top, which sounds brilliant, and pressed composite sides and back, which don't matter (half the time when you play you have the back pressed against your stomach).

I bought one a few years ago because it was the best sounding guitar in the shop, then a month later I went and got the 12-string version as well. Anyway, give them a try - you might be pleasantly surprised.
 
Kerry Brown said:
Try a Taylor before you buy. Acoustics are more personal than electrics and most brands have a distinct sound. I shopped for almost a year but kept coming back to Taylor because I liked the sound and playability. There is no changing pickups or trying a new amp to change your tone with acoustics.
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Also tried a couple of Taylors while I was there. Very nice too and I will try them again...It was the Gibson and Martin that I liked the sound of the best but you are right that I need to go back a couple times and also try another shop or two.
 
DonP said:
I have a Tanglewood that works great on some songs, but I'm going to make a recommendation that you may find a bit left field. Go for a Martin, but instead of spending $1500, have a look at the DX1R at less than half that price. It has probably the best neck on any guitar ever made - it is laminated and doesn't budge, winter to summer. It also has a great sounding spruce top, which sounds brilliant, and pressed composite sides and back, which don't matter (half the time when you play you have the back pressed against your stomach).

I bought one a few years ago because it was the best sounding guitar in the shop, then a month later I went and got the 12-string version as well. Anyway, give them a try - you might be pleasantly surprised.
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Not against saving money. I was just looking at guitars in the top end of my budget, but will check out a few lower-cost ones as well.
 
DonP said:
How does a 12-string AND a six-string within your total budget sound?
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Truthfully, and this may border on sacrilege talking to a group of guitar players, I have no interest in 12-string guitars at all. Nothing against them and of course I love many a recording made with them, but when I play them they don't do a thing for me. If I save money on whatever I end up buying that will likely go toward my next electric or amp purchase.
 
gball said:
I picked up a couple while I was there, will try them again
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Actually I didn't mean to put those two sentinces together like that I should have phrased it like
Go hang out in the acoustic room at GC and take a few for a test drive. I have a Takamine that I like alot.
 
gball said:
Truthfully, and this may border on sacrilege talking to a group of guitar players, I have no interest in 12-string guitars at all
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Preach it brother.......I cant fooking work six strings ---- 12 makes me want to kill people ....but they do sound nice---- played by others :)
 
eSGEe said:
DID you look in our Members Sales area????
http://www.thetonerooms.com/threads/wechter-yep-its-sweet.293/#post-3772

I know the guy--- I know the guitar---- I know its nice for the $$$
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That is very nice. It'd be tough for me to buy an acoustic without playing it first and having some sort of return option - what little I have learned from playing the dozen or so that I checked out is that they are much more personal than an electric. Each guitar really seems to have a vibe of its own, and I outright disliked several of the ones I tried.
 
WavMixer said:
Actually I didn't mean to put those two sentinces together like that I should have phrased it like
Go hang out in the acoustic room at GC and take a few for a test drive. I have a Takamine that I like alot.
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I was doing the deed at the local Sam Ash (very dangerous having one of those places in walking distance to your office, BTW) so pretty much the same Idea. I think I am going to check out one of the bigger GC's too - probably the one in West LA. Will also take a trip to True Tone, and maybe some of the smaller places.
 
Same boat here........I have bought and sold many --- I play with them in the acoustic room at GC ---- I THINK I love one....then......er ....no.

THis is why I pointed out the Dano ......it really sounds DECENT (not like a big Gibson Dreadnaught) but DECENT for its size --- more "Parlor Guitar" ish.....but man that top VIBRATES when you strum a chord .................

O.H ...new shipment of crayolas! gotta go.................
 
gball said:
Also tried a couple of Taylors while I was there. Very nice too and I will try them again...It was the Gibson and Martin that I liked the sound of the best but you are right that I need to go back a couple times and also try another shop or two.
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I have a Taylor. See below!

Let me give a pointer about them. I have found mine to be very string sensitive. To me, they really do sound best with the Elixer Polywebs or Nanowebs. They come stock with Elixers. I don't recall if they come with the Polywebs or Nanowebs, though.

Anyway, when it was time for the first string change on the guitar, I tried saving some money and put some regular phosphor-bronze acoustic strings on it. They sounded so brittle and harsh on the guitar that I went back to the store within 15 minutes to get some Elixers. This was playing entirely acoustically...not plugged in at all.

Taylors are great. But, don't go cheap when it's time to change strings.

full
 
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hmmm, I have a couple of acoustics that are real good, a Takamine ef-340 and a Dean Performer QSE. Last year, my missus was insistent that I buy an Epiphone ej-200sce. I'm glad she was. Great guitar!
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As an acoustic, it has very even, loud tone and great action. Electronically, it shines. The nanoflex and nanomag pickups work well together, blended or in stereo and separately. I like this way more than I expected to and play it more than the other two. I especially like it for sing-alongs around the fire pit, on a nice fall eve.
(post edit: insist ant? Friggin' predictive text. Think it's predicting what I'm doin' right now?)
 
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