Guitar Guys! - I need your advice on my next guitar.

I definitely agree with the guys who are saying play it before you buy it. The guitar doesn't make the guitarist tho. I have a friend who tears the shit out of a $50 guitar he got at toys r us. Go to a local shop, play on a bunch, find one that has a sound you like and feels good in your hands. After you buy it, play the hell out of it.
 
I prefer Takamine acoustics over Ibanez, easily.
But you really do need to play the guitars yourself to know for sure. No youtube video will give you the true tone or the playability and feel.
 
I have a decent Takamine acoustic. I love it. cost me around 500 iirc.
 
osudude said:
An expensive guitar isn't going to make you play any better. You already have a nicer acoustic than I've ever had and I've been playing 15 years.

But if you want a nicer guitar just so you can have a nicer guitar, then go with the Takamine.
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This guy is right. Also don't listen to the electric crowd. Get really good on the acoustic first, then when you want to learn on electric, it'll be so much easier.

Also, since you already have a decent acoustic steel string, maybe consider getting a nylon string classical. You can get some beautiful tone with one, and really work to develop your finger picking style.
 
I know you don't have the budget for it, but I would get a big fat hollow body before getting one of those cross over guitars. I just really like the gibson es 333.

PRS and yamaha have some really nice guitars at the lower ends
 
You guys are really coming' thru for me. I appreciate it.

If you ask 20 people about a purchase and they ALL say play before you buy, there HAS to be something to that. I'm going to heed ya'lls advise and try to play before I buy. There are a couple decent guitar/music shops in the malls here, I'm just not too big on mall buying, even tho I guess it doesn't technically make a difference.

I would say my budget is between $700- $1000. I could stretch to maybe $1200, but that would take a bit more away from the new bed money. The ol' lady wouldn't like that very much..
 
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Are_Ohbi said:
You guys are really coming' thru for me. I appreciate it.

If you ask 20 people about a purchase and they ALL say play before you buy, there HAS to be something to that. I'm going to heed ya'lls advise and try to play before I buy. There are a couple decent guitar/music shops in the malls here, I'm just not too big on mall buying, even tho I guess it doesn't technically make a difference.

I would say my budget is between $600 - $900. I could stretch to a grand, but... we'll see..
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I need you to trust me here.:redface:

IF you believe that you are really interested in playing guitar for a lifetime -skip the 500 dollar acoustic guitars entirely -they are approximations of the real experience. They are made with cheaper laminates, less desirable woods, plastics, and composites. For electrics -this is not as important -but for acoustics....it is everything.

Go to a music store -sit in their acoustics area and play the 1000 to 3000 dollar Martins, Guild, Taylor, Larrivee, Gibson Jumbo, etc etc So you will start to understand what the great guitars feel like.

Those Guitars make sounds that will make your ears cream. You will get excited everytime you pick up the guitar.

For 800-1000 dollars you can get a Taylor 3 series new -This is your best value for a higher end guitar because they are made with premium materials -BUT are cut on a CNC machine, and the neck setting is a special patented method which also revoltionizes cost. What this means is Taylor is able to bring a really high value guitar experience for a lower cost.

If you want even better look at a slightly used Larrivee, Guild, or Martin for a grand. There is nothing wrong with a used high end acoustic -and you will get so much more guitar. Takamine and Ibanez both make great high end guitars -but not at the 400 dollar level.

Go to a music store -play a 400 dollar guitar -then play a 1500 guitar and pay attention to the tone of the same chords and single notes on each -focus on the feel of the fret board and neck -focus on the experience.

Then report back!
 
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Taylor makes a good acoustic if that's what you're going for.
 
Gibson sg future tribute is my next guitar... god willing
 
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SevenSamurai said:
If you now kow you enjoy guitar enough to keep playing for a lifetime -I would skip those lower end guitars and go with a guitar with a tone so sweet you'll look forward to playing it everytime.

maybe a Taylor 3 series at the bottom of the high end or step up to a Larrivee.
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I agree and, also, keep in mind that cheaper guitars typically have poor fretwork and can have badly placed/adjusted nuts/bridges so that the action has to be jacked up really high to avoid buzzing and, thus, requires the attention of a luthier.

Now if you're just a cowboy chords kinda guy then you pretty much just stick to the 1st position (frets 1-4) and an even action across the neck is not as much of a concern, but later on you may want to do more, so just as everyone has been saying make sure you try out many guitars IN PERSON; never buy blind ESPECIALLY for acoustics (unless the seller accepts returns no questions asked, like musiciansfriend for example).

Also, keep this in mind: with just about every acoustic (steel string) guitar I've ever seen (even the expensive ones) the tension of the strings over the course of time will pull the part of the body around the bridge up creating a hump, thereby, making the action really high (so that even sanding the bridge down doesn't get it low enough) and making the playability really bad. On cheap guitars (with poor bracing and cheap woods) this will happen A LOT sooner. Then a neck reset is required by a professional luthier and that is not cheap (usually not even worth it for a cheap guitar).

If it's a bruiser you're going to buy then who cares if this happens in a few years, but if it's a more expensive model you must make sure to take very good care of it (humidifier, slackening the strings when not playing for long periods of time to relieve string tension, etc.) to offset the aforementioned effect as much as possible.

If at all possible take an experienced/knowledgable guitar player with you to try out various guitars and consult with him before making a final decision. Good luck.
 
I'd seriously go to a few of your nicest music/guitar shops and check them out. I'm sure both of these guitars are fairly nice, but you can probably find one quite nice closer to the Ibanez's price range. I just cannot see a reason for buying a $850 guitar unless you are just dead set on that guitar.

I've played guitars that are priced in the $300 range that sound as nice as guitars priced in the $1000 range. It really all depends, and this is why so many people are recommending you go to a store to try one out instead of just purchasing either of these online.
 
SevenSamurai said:
I need you to trust me here.:redface:

IF you believe that you are really interested in playing guitar for a lifetime -skip the 500 dollar acoustic guitars entirely -they are approximations of the real experience. They are made with cheaper laminates, less desirable woods, plastics, and composites. For electrics -this is not as important -but for acoustics....it is everything.

Go to a music store -sit in their acoustics area and play the 1000 to 3000 dollar Martins, Guild, Taylor, Larrivee, Gibson Jumbo, etc etc So you will start to understand what the great guitars feel like.

Those Guitars make sounds that will make your ears cream. You will get excited everytime you pick up the guitar.

For 800-1000 dollars you can get a Taylor 3 series new -This is your best value for a higher end guitar because they are made with premium materials -BUT are cut on a CNC machine, and the neck setting is a special patented method which also revoltionizes cost. What this means is Taylor is able to bring a really high value guitar experience for a lower cost.

If you want even better look at a slightly used Larrivee, Guild, or Martin for a grand. There is nothing wrong with a used high end acoustic -and you will get so much more guitar. Takamine and Ibanez both make great high end guitars -but not at the 400 dollar level.

Go to a music store -play a 400 dollar guitar -then play a 1500 guitar and pay attention to the tone of the same chords and single notes on each -focus on the feel of the fret board and neck -focus on the experience.

Then report back!
Click to expand...

Took the words right out of my mouth.

After a year you'll know if you really want to continue guitar or not. If you do, you're better off saving up for something high end that suits you perfectly. Once you play a high end guitar, especially acoustic, it's hard to play anything else.

Electrics you can go with a cheaper model and do some upgrading to make it feel and sound much better, with acoustics the sonic difference is much more noticable.

I made my 400 dollar Ibanez play and sound like a 1200 dollar model, for example. Can't really do that with an acoustic guitar because it's so reliant on wood species and build quality.
 
shotintheface2 said:
Took the words right out of my mouth.

After a year you'll know if you really want to continue guitar or not. If you do, you're better off saving up for something high end that suits you perfectly. Once you play a high end guitar, especially acoustic, it's hard to play anything else.

Electrics you can go with a cheaper model and do some upgrading to make it feel and sound much better, with acoustics the sonic difference is much more noticable.

I made my 400 dollar Ibanez play and sound like a 1200 dollar model, for example. Can't really do that with an acoustic guitar because it's so reliant on wood species and build quality.
Click to expand...

Yep for an electric guitar you can change out the pickups to some Duncans, add a bone nut, get better metal on the saddles pretty cheaply and get a way better sounding guitar easily.

for Acoustics.....it pretty much is what it is without great costs associated.
 
Prokofievian said:
I should've edited my post, but you definitely got my meaning. If I haven't played it, I'm not buying it. Most guitars that I would fantasize over would turn out to be either nothing special, merely good, or just plain bad when I actually played them, and often this variation did not correlate with price range. My first guitar was a squire stagemaster. I could have afforded a Fender American Strat, but I simply didn't like it.
Click to expand...

Been in that boat as well. After seeing them in magazines and watching a couple guys play them I had it in my head that I just had to get a Jazzmaster. But when I got to the store and played it, I hated it. Ended up with an AlleyKat instead.
 
Johnny_Mo said:
I agree and, also, keep in mind that cheaper guitars typically have poor fretwork and can have badly placed/adjusted nuts/bridges so that the action has to be jacked up really high to avoid buzzing and, thus, requires the attention of a luthier.

Now if you're just a cowboy chords kinda guy then you pretty much just stick to the 1st position (frets 1-4) and an even action across the neck is not as much of a concern, but later on you may want to do more, so just as everyone has been saying make sure you try out many guitars IN PERSON; never buy blind ESPECIALLY for acoustics (unless the seller accepts returns no questions asked, like musiciansfriend for example).

Also, keep this in mind: with just about every acoustic (steel string) guitar I've ever seen (even the expensive ones) the tension of the strings over the course of time will pull the part of the body around the bridge up creating a hump, thereby, making the action really high (so that even sanding the bridge down doesn't get it low enough) and making the playability really bad. On cheap guitars (with poor bracing and cheap woods) this will happen A LOT sooner. Then a neck reset is required by a professional luthier and that is not cheap (usually not even worth it for a cheap guitar).

If it's a bruiser you're going to buy then who cares if this happens in a few years, but if it's a more expensive model you must make sure to take very good care of it (humidifier, slackening the strings when not playing for long periods of time to relieve string tension, etc.) to offset the aforementioned effect as much as possible.

If at all possible take an experienced/knowledgable guitar player with you to try out various guitars and consult with him before making a final decision. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Also -good to see you Johnny, were you on sabatical?

Someone had a thread before Xmas about where certain accounts had gone -I mentioned i you thought were MIA
 
SevenSamurai said:
Also -good to see you Johnny, were you on sabatical?

Someone had a thread before Xmas about where certain accounts had gone -I mentioned i you thought were MIA
Click to expand...

Haha, good to see too Sammy. Yeah, I was really caught up at work and in addition to that I started doing a few gigs here and there at some small coffee houses (just me and a strat... and a Princeton). So I've spent just about all my free time trying to build a bigger repertoire of solo guitar stuff, which is good for me as it really keeps the skills up and forced me to improve in some areas. Other than UFC 155 I haven't watch any mma in months and I feel really out of the loop, lol, which is partly to blame for why I haven't been on sherdog in so long. But I'm very glad to see that you're still around. Cheers.
 
I think you guys are right; on several points..

I DO need to play before I buy and I think it's a good idea to fork over a little extra dough and get a higher quality instrument I can grow with. At first I was excited and wanted to purchase asap; as soon as I got my tax refund. But I think I'll save a bit more over the refund.

Now I'm not shopping online, but as I browse the net (musicians friend), I see a couple guitars that, at least, catch the eye...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guit...uce-grand-auditorium-acoustic-electric-guitar

And

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/takamine-ef440scgn-nex-antique-acoustic-electric-guitar - I like the cedar top on this one as I have read that the cedar tone is more warm and mellow. As you can see, I LOVE the sun-burst/burnt look. I definitely want to stick with that.

But like you all have said, I'm just window shopping now. I won't know till I sit down with one at the store.
 
Let us know when you've bought one TS, or even if you've just gone to the shop and tried both. I'm curious to hear which one you preferred. And who knows, maybe one will feel better to play, while the other sounds better to you.
 
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