Anybody play guitar?

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FightinIrish said:
Wow, thanks everyone for the replies! The cheapo that I have right now is a no name laminate top guitar that I got from some dude for $10. It plays well enough for me to start on but I don't think it's decent enough to put $100 into. I will definitely go get my hands on as many guitars as possible before picking my new baby! Thanks for the help!
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Good idea, Irish. Use the $10 guitar to learn chords and get better.

The problem I had was that I didn't know enough about good guitars until I actually bought one and played it for a while. At that point, I felt confident enough to buy a used high-end guitar for $1000.

The previous poster's advice is good - play guitars at the local shop, do research, ask questions. When you can feel and hear the difference between a $500 guitar and a $2000 guitar, you're ready to buy.
 
Trash the ten dollar box and go the the bank and borrow enough money to get a good guitar. Martin would be number one choice they been building them in the USA handmade for over 180 years. EVERY other acoustic tries to get the Martin sound and that is why they are simply the very best made. You can get one for 500 but would be a lot better off saving 1700 or so to get a new D 18.
 
You don't need to spend a ton of cash to get a great axe. Be patient, keep an eye on craigslist and ebay. You will be able to find something in the $4-500 range.

I just bought this vintage Harmony archtop for $200.

thumb2_harmony1-60242.jpg
 
oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
Trash the ten dollar box and go the the bank and borrow enough money to get a good guitar. Martin would be number one choice they been building them in the USA handmade for over 180 years. EVERY other acoustic tries to get the Martin sound and that is why they are simply the very best made. You can get one for 500 but would be a lot better off saving 1700 or so to get a new D 18.
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I would completely disagree with this. Not that I don't love martins, I do. I have 2 of them and I agree about their quality. A complete newb to playing guitars will need to crawl before running. A $500 guitar will be more than adequate for feeling it out, learning to play chords, and getting some technique down.

Is easy to tell the difference between my high end Martin and my $100 Alvarez on my demos. In my living room? Not so much...
 
You get what you pay for. It is hard for a good picker to make a piece of junk sound good. It is not hard for a beginner to make a quality instrument sound good. This is the difference you either have a wood box with strings or an instrument. Get the Martin play it take care of it and resell for just about what you paid for it. They hold their value really well, can't say the same for Taylor.
 
I bought a $500 Martin 6 years ago, and the sound keeps improving with age. After playing 6 different guitars in the $400-$500 price range, I kept going back to the one I eventually bought. At the time I couldn't afford an all wood Martin. The X series had just been introduced, and it sounded good to me. I still can't believe that Martin gets such a good sound from the HPL body. I like Martins because they have a full sound. Within your price range, get the guitar that plays and sounds the best to you.
 
oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
It is hard for a good picker to make a piece of junk sound good. It is not hard for a beginner to make a quality instrument sound good.
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With respect, this, and the suggestion that the OP spend $1,700 is bad advice. Unless you're strictly speaking about the quality of the tone from plucking an open string rather than something actually musical, a newb is not going to easily make a $1,700 Martin sound good - because they're a newb.

Conversely, there's an endless list of guitarists making better music with their 'piece of junk' guitars than most of us with our fancy guitars. If not for his celebrity, I doubt EVH could sell his frankenstrat on CL for more than $500. Same with Robert Johnson's crappy guitar. And Willie Nelson's. And SRV's. And Frank Zappa's. And....

OP, find the most comfortable-feeling guitar that's within your budget. Chances are, that's also the one you're going to make sound the best. You can always upgrade later. We've all done it.
 
Here's the first song I learned to play on pop's dinky (Kay they think). I & my bro new Joe when he was in the James Gang & partied with him. I played the slide part on the nuts with the silver bic lighter cover I had.
 
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Ibanez acoustics are like a family tradition for me, myself and my brothers swear by them and, and for 500 you can't go wrong. Ibanez is a Spanish name, the Spanish are the original guitarists, think on that.
 
Buy a new guitar like Willy plays it is a MARTIN an new it cost around 3500 dollars. Anyhow go on out and buy yourself a cat killer with strings a half inch off the fret board be sure it is made in China and be happy. I still say they will make it sound much better simply because of play ability and the fact that Martin just has the sound most folks seek in a acoustic instrument. This too will make the beginner want to pick it up and actually play it because they can make the guitar sound good.
 
Here's another one I played on my stratknockoffbastardizedfrankenstein...Rush,workin Man!

They still sounded a bit like Sabbath in those days.
 
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recorded on a soybean farm in Catlett, VA

just a three-man, two chord jam

did I mention that I can't play a lick of lead?

 
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someone posted on here, earlier, not to buy a guitar online and I STRONGLY second that, especially if you're looking for an acoustic guitar. I play a Martin D-16 and I looked around A LOT before finally deciding on that guitar. While looking around I came to find out that every guitar sounds different, even the same model. Play different ones and see what sounds and feels right to you and what you want to play. Plus, shops will usually have few used axes that you can pick up at a very reasonable price.

as for what kind to get, I say you can't go wrong with Martin and they are now making some more budget friendly guitars that still sound good. At the same time, though, a friend went with me when I bought my Martin and he decided he wanted to learn to play, too. He ended up buying a Hohner at the same shop for around $150 and it sounded really good.

so, again, it all depends on the guitar. Know what you're able to spend and go look around.
 
I keep thinking about selling my Martin to get a keg setup. I don't think I can get rid of it though. They're like children.
 
williamsdm1111 said:
I keep thinking about selling my Martin to get a keg setup. I don't think I can get rid of it though. They're like children.
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Wow, that's quite the dilemma! Guitar or keg setup. Hmmm.…
 
jwalker1140 said:
With respect, this, and the suggestion that the OP spend $1,700 is bad advice. Unless you're strictly speaking about the quality of the tone from plucking an open string rather than something actually musical, a newb is not going to easily make a $1,700 Martin sound good - because they're a newb.

Conversely, there's an endless list of guitarists making better music with their 'piece of junk' guitars than most of us with our fancy guitars. If not for his celebrity, I doubt EVH could sell his frankenstrat on CL for more than $500. Same with Robert Johnson's crappy guitar. And Willie Nelson's. And SRV's. And Frank Zappa's. And....

OP, find the most comfortable-feeling guitar that's within your budget. Chances are, that's also the one you're going to make sound the best. You can always upgrade later. We've all done it.
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Yup. Not to mention what happens if you don't want to stick with the hobby? I know people who played guitar for a decade and dropped it. If you drop an insane amount of money on that hobby you'll be upset if you drop it.
 
I imagine that after ten years with a junky box I would quit too. Buy a Martin play it take care of it keep it ten years sell it and make a profit. Most all of the good old 60's and 70's acoustic guitar songs were made with Martin's. Ever wonder why?? Play one and you will know.
 
arturo7 said:
Dig those Flying Vs! Is the tan one an original Gibson? I love the tone of those things.
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Thanks! No, Actually it is one of the 1st gen Epiphone '58 Korina Vs from the mid 90s. The electronics were pretty much poo and I had it all stripped out. A luthier friend of mine custom cut a pearloid guard for it, bone nut, has locking Klusons, Tone Pros bridge and a DiMarzio X2N... balls out rock and roll guitar. The black one is a Dean Black Gold V. It has PRS HFS/VBASS pups (the old Custom 24 standards) and a PRS 5 way rotor switch in the middle pot position. It was a pro to type ( which neither I or the dealer knew when I bought it! ) and has a Korina body with a mahogany neck and a flamed veneer on the body. I discovered this when I swapped the stock pups out and saw "sample" hand written in the neck pocket over what was obviously a Korina/Mahogany joint. The stock spec is supposed to be mahogany/mahogany/maple top. Very cool guitar, lots of different tones with the rotor switch and light as a feather.
 
oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
I imagine that after ten years with a junky box I would quit too. Buy a Martin play it take care of it keep it ten years sell it and make a profit. Most all of the good old 60's and 70's acoustic guitar songs were made with Martin's. Ever wonder why?? Play one and you will know.
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I know more people personally who quit guitar and had really nice guitars, like American Strats or Martin acoustics than I know guys who started out with cruddy guitars and quit. The 2 best guitar players I personally know are myself and my friend pat. I started out with a 150 dollar used Squire and he had a 100 dollar Ibanez starting out.
 
Martin makes some laminate-side guitars with spruce soundboards (the X-series) that are quite affordable. So does Taylor, probably others. I play a Martin at a large-ish church every other weekend, and the instrument is always better than the player. :eek: I also have a Taylor 12, a couple of Strats, a Silver Creek (China), and a Guitar Shaped Object (GSO) that hangs on the wall so I can grab it whenever I need something that sounds and plays like a guitar. Don't count China out - the workers get $5/day, but they do good work. If the neck and frets are straight, and it fits your hand, it will play true.

At the risk of igniting a religious war, you can't go wrong with Martin or Taylor (or really, any of the other vendors) at the $500 level. Just be aware the vendor used their trainees to build them. There was likely a master builder watching over them. So sight down the fretboard - it should look like a set of railroad tracks. No roller coasters, no corkscrews.
 
oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
Wow think how good you would be if you had a decent guitar.
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I have an American Strat and American SG. Fantastic guitars. But I cut my chops on the lesser guitars. learning what I liked and didn't like that allowed me to get the perfect guitar.

I also have taken my time with lesser guitars learning advanced maintenance skills, tghat's let me build my own guitar (needs some touch up work still) which is really awesome sounding.
 
Haven't played in about 10 yrs. Still have my Austin acustic that I bought some 13-14 years ago. Looking to get back into playing.
 
I play guitar a bit.
Used to play a lot when I made a living at it.
Had to stop playing for a living per doctors orders. He said I was slowly starving to death.
I've probably owned @ 50-60 guitars over the years and played hundreds more.
Had 2 Lesters. Loved the play and the sound, Hated the weight. Mine were heavy and were a work out 5 hrs a nite.
Had 4 SGs and would get another one if my wife would let me. ;-)
Had a pre war Martin that played awful but sounded just like those old blues records.
Had a Mosrite Ventures model that I traded for some pot. I give myself a mental kick in the butt every time I think of this. It was probably the coolest guitar eveh.
And don't get me started on amps.
The best advice has already been given. Go to a store. Play em all. If they aint cutting it, Go to another store.
Don't turn down a lesser name that plays and sounds right for a known name that isn't as good.
The best SG I ever played was an Epiphone.
I have only one box guitar and have had it a long while. 65 Fender Palomino.
It is my go to of all my guitars. I take it camping, Hunting, fishing, Stap it to the bike.
My buddy bought a Taylor. Had to keep it in the case, just so, with a lot of rules. It broke anyway.
I offered to use my Pal to dig its grave. :)
 
Waiter: Are you ready to order?
Diner: Yes, I'd like the Caesar salad.
Waiter: I'll order you the bone-in ribeye. That's the best thing on the menu.
Diner: I'm really not that hungry. Just the Caesar salad, please.
Waiter: The ribeye is my favorite. How would you like it cooked?
Diner: I don't want the ribeye. I want the salad.
Waiter: But you can take the leftovers home and have ribeye again tomorrow.
Diner: Why can't I just have the salad?
Waiter: Because I'm sure you would regret it. Nothing beats the ribeye. I'll have the chef put mushrooms on top. That's the best.

But I kid. Seriously though, I wonder what the OP decided to buy. Or maybe we drove him to take up tennis instead....
 
I went with a Yamaha FG730S in tobacco sunburst. It sounds great and plays really easily! Love it! Thanks everyone for your insight.
 
Very cool! I just bought a Yamaha 7/8 size nylon string for my 6-year old son. They seem to be making nice guitars for the money.
 

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