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Old 03-23-2014, 06:16 PM   #1
jellotree
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Default Acoustic Guitar Recommendations

I am mainly an electric guitar guy, but I would like to buy an acoustic guitar. Mostly for recording and living room jamming, but also maybe live down the road.

I realize that the best way is to just go out and play them, but there are a lot of acoustic guitars out there, and would appreciate some insights into some of the gems out there.

Ideally I think I would like to keep the price in the 500-600 dollar range, but am certainly open to anything over that amount as well - if it could be justified. (of course, if there's an amazing guitar below 500 - I'd like to hear about that too...)

In the guitar I am looking for:
-ease of playing (I currently have an entry level mid-1970s Yamaha which is a bit tough to play actionwise - I'd prefer more like an electric),
-reliability (the above mentioned Yamaha has fallen down a flight of stairs and has been banged around and abused, but still is in good shape - I have a heard of some guitars that initially start out fine, but glue/wood issues take over...)
-tone
-quality (nuts that are cut right, tuning that is stable...)

I'd be mostly strumming/flatpicking with lead work as well.

If anyone has any opinions - positive and negative about acoustic guitars, I would love to hear them.

Many thanks
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Old 03-23-2014, 06:57 PM   #2
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If you like the sound of your Yamaha it could be worth investing some $ in getting a luthier to do repairs and dial the setup to your liking.

I did this on a couple of guitars I was on the verge of selling and the difference was like night and day.

Cheaper than a new one to (but also not quite as much fun).

Good luck with the search.
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:01 PM   #3
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Whatever you get..just make sure it has a solid wooden top.
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:16 PM   #4
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I went thru a lengthy process last year. I ended up with a Yamaha A3M. All solid woods, plays great, etc.

Check 'em out.
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:34 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by AJMcHardy View Post
If you like the sound of your Yamaha it could be worth investing some $ in getting a luthier to do repairs and dial the setup to your liking.

I did this on a couple of guitars I was on the verge of selling and the difference was like night and day.

Cheaper than a new one to (but also not quite as much fun).

Good luck with the search.
Thx. I'm not sure if the Yamaha has enough bottom end - the body's a bit on the smallish side, I think - as far as acoustics go. Definitely keep the luthier in mind though _ I may need some help if I end up buying a used guitar that needs some work.
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:36 PM   #6
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Whatever you get..just make sure it has a solid wooden top.
The one I have right now has a hole in the middle of it...
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:41 PM   #7
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I went thru a lengthy process last year. I ended up with a Yamaha A3M. All solid woods, plays great, etc.

Check 'em out.
I'll do that. I like the cut away - I may go that high. Do you use the electronics? How much did you pay for it?
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:42 PM   #8
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I have had great luck with a small bodies Guild. Super easy to play (almost like an electric).
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:51 PM   #9
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Whatever you get..just make sure it has a solid wooden top.
ok...a bit of research reveals that there are solid top and laminate top acoustic guitars...what exactly makes the solid top better? Does it sound better?. Or is it more for longevity?
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Old 03-23-2014, 08:05 PM   #10
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I realize that the best way is to just go out and play them,
I think that you already know what to do...... Your question is like asking what the best color is... Or what OS is better for audio.... You are likely to get every possible angle and will still need to just find a guitar that feels good to you, that sounds good to you, and begs for you to play it.
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Old 03-23-2014, 08:07 PM   #11
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Solid top, yes, as has been said.

Info about makes and models can steer you in the right direction but every acoustic guitar is unique, with its own personality.
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Old 03-23-2014, 08:57 PM   #12
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one word

Taylor
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Old 03-23-2014, 09:52 PM   #13
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.

I second Hopi's opinion.

I would up your cost target to $1000 and get a Taylor in that range.

A good recording Guitar should be in the greater than $3K range these days but the Taylors manage to sound good at a much lower price point.

I have several Taylors in the $1K to $2.5 K range and am happy with the sound of all of them.

I also have some guitars in the $3K to $8K range but the Taylors actually sound better!

P.S. - If you look at the videos of acoustic guitars on stage by your favorite performers you will probably see that most of them are using Taylors. 20 years ago, most of them were Martins, which are fine guitars, but Taylor seems to be dominating the Pro market now. Almost all of my Guitar Teachers play Taylors as their main instruments (even some who endorse other brands in their promo materials).

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Old 03-23-2014, 10:22 PM   #14
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one word

Taylor
Yep. A bigger investment but you'll be glad you did.
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Old 03-23-2014, 11:59 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richie43 View Post
I have had great luck with a small bodies Guild. Super easy to play (almost like an electric).
Thanks. I'll look into the Guild.

Quote:
Originally Posted by richie43 View Post
I think that you already know what to do...... Your question is like asking what the best color is... Or what OS is better for audio.... You are likely to get every possible angle and will still need to just find a guitar that feels good to you, that sounds good to you, and begs for you to play it.
Yep, I agree. However, I don't know that much about acoustic guitars, so anybody's insights are greatly appreciated before I make a final decision - on what for me is a boatload of money. And already Bob mentioned a guitar that I haven't even heard of and haven't seen in a couple of music stores.
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Old 03-24-2014, 12:08 AM   #16
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one word

Taylor
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kihoalu View Post
I would up your cost target to $1000 and get a Taylor in that range.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DBMusic View Post
Yep. A bigger investment but you'll be glad you did.
So what makes a Taylor (even entry level) so much better than everything else out there?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Kihoalu View Post
I would up your cost target to $1000 and get a Taylor in that range.

A good recording Guitar should be in the greater than $3K range these days but the Taylors manage to sound good at a much lower price point.

I have several Taylors in the $1K to $2.5 K range and am happy with the sound of all of them.
Looks like all I could afford would be the 110 series or maybe the 210/214 series. Any insights into any of these?
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Old 03-24-2014, 01:58 AM   #17
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Whatever you try out, also get the sales kid to play it and stand in front of him, about ten feet away.
What you hear when playing it and out front listening to it is chalk and cheese. What you hear out front is what your mic will hear.
Cheers
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Old 03-24-2014, 02:32 AM   #18
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My guess is your Yamaha needs it's neck re-set. I have one from the 70s too, sounds good imo (old wood and all that), but it's tough to play hand has weird intonation from the high action and neck angle. The cost of getting it fixed up is probably more than I bought it for, but probably less than the price of a new acoustic.

Might be worth seeing a luthier about.
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Old 03-24-2014, 02:47 AM   #19
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Takamine
A super guitar in various price ranges
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Old 03-24-2014, 04:03 AM   #20
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Hi

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Originally Posted by somebodyelseuk View Post
Whatever you try out, also get the sales kid to play it and stand in front of him, about ten feet away.
What you hear when playing it and out front listening to it is chalk and cheese. What you hear out front is what your mic will hear.
Cheers
This is great advice often overlooked. Takamines are an obvious choice, Taylor too of course (but in this price range?). I would also suggest the Canadian built Seagull and SimonANDPatrick range. See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOplE_PVrKY for their interesting minijumbo.

And then maybe check out more Acoustic Guitar reviews such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDrTZgBb3f4. They tested various models in different price ranges.

Personally I would also look at more vintage models for this money - my vintage Levin I got for near this money.

BTW Bill Frisell said he never played a guitar that wasn't great for something. Problem is finding them I guess.
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Old 03-24-2014, 06:04 AM   #21
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I'll do that. I like the cut away - I may go that high. Do you use the electronics? How much did you pay for it?
Yes, I use the electronics. As good as or better than any others. I paid less than the advertised price for a new one from a reputable online retailer.

I spent hours with Taylors and Martins and just about every other brand/model out there.

I like the feel and sound of this better than the others. The street price on the A3M was $800 ...

I'm not saying go buy one of these. I'm suggesting it be added to your short list along with other recommendations. IMO, it is even more critical that acoustic instruments be played prior to purchase.

Make a list and go play them. This is one acquisition that patience will reward you in. While you're playing, forget what the headstock says. Close your eyes and let your ears lead the way.
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Old 03-24-2014, 06:18 AM   #22
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If you are used to play an e-guitar, you might prefer guitars with cutaway. If you take a guitar with pick-up a built in tuner is nice.
The neck of a Nylon string guitar is thicker/wider, but there are also different necks (mostly 52mm),but now you can also get so called thinline guitars with necks around 48mm and maybe a guitar where the neck meets the body at 14th fret - that´s a guitar very similar to an e-guitar and much easier to play than normal sized ones; but when you burn a guitar on a cold winter day, better do not take a guitar with Nylon strings, smells just awful...
Thin bodys have not as much problems with feedback as normal sized guitars.

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Old 03-24-2014, 07:45 AM   #23
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First there is no such thing as a good guitar. I have a friend with a $4500 guitar that sits around his house all day doing NOTHING. He can't play four chords.

I do play guitar and regularly, I have a bog standard Epiphone Les Paul, a 40 year old amp and a $200 acoustic. Guess which guitars sound BETTER?
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Old 03-24-2014, 07:54 AM   #24
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First there is no such thing as a good guitar. I have a friend with a $4500 guitar that sits around his house all day doing NOTHING. He can't play four chords.

I do play guitar and regularly, I have a bog standard Epiphone Les Paul, a 40 year old amp and a $200 acoustic. Guess which guitars sound BETTER?
+3.47!!
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Old 03-24-2014, 08:27 AM   #25
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From my own experiene with hundreds of accoustics played live, Martin wins hands down and Taylor gets an honorable mention.

There are an awful lot of luthier made ones that are better than either of these, but they are also way more expensive.

Ive put a mic on a few Martins that were older than me, so they last a long time which makes them worth the investment.
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Old 03-24-2014, 08:36 AM   #26
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Make sure you try it for yourself before the purchase. I'm always stunned at how good a friend's 100€ "Cort" (endorsement) sounds (and how mediocre another friend's Guild).
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Old 03-24-2014, 09:35 AM   #27
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OP If you are reasonably proficient already, certainly buy a Taylor or a Tak. If you are David Gilmour go for the Martin. If you are just embarking on a lifetime musical journey, buy an El-Cheapo and play the bejesus out of it. Speaking of which...Cue the wobbly fade...

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Old 03-24-2014, 09:37 AM   #28
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exactly what makes Taylors good is a very long story...

but they have an extensive web site it you want to learn about them.

now if we are talking about a recording gtr, I'll tell you this.

few years ago I wanted to get a Taylor T5 for recording. Not strictly an acoustic but IMO great for recording. They are in the 3K and up range. But I got a perfect one by spending some time on Ebay and then on the phone with the sell... for 1500 total cost. It can be done.

I'd suggest you go to a local store that sells them and play as many as you can... hopefully they have a practice room to let you compare.

then after you learn the models and wood types, etc., look around on craigslist and ebay... AND do speak with the sellers.
there are some excellent buys out there.
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Old 03-24-2014, 10:19 AM   #29
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A friend of mine has had a Martin for several years. The action is still great, the sound nicely balanced. If I was a big time folkie I'd probably go with that.

Before buying a new guitar, though, did you know that with many guitars you can adjust the action with an Allen key? Also, you might want to file down (the bottom of) the nut and/or bridge. Careful though, if you go too far you gotta get a new one! And tightening the neck might throw the intonation out--assuming it's correct now.
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Old 03-24-2014, 01:54 PM   #30
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A friend of mine has had a Martin for several years. The action is still great, the sound nicely balanced. If I was a big time folkie I'd probably go with that.

Before buying a new guitar, though, did you know that with many guitars you can adjust the action with an Allen key? Also, you might want to file down (the bottom of) the nut and/or bridge. Careful though, if you go too far you gotta get a new one! And tightening the neck might throw the intonation out--assuming it's correct now.

sorry but those are very bad ideas UNLESS you really know wtf you are doing...

there are people who do and the good ones stay very busy doing 'setups' for all kinds of guitars...

one reason not previously explained in detail that I suggest Taylor gtr's IS the way they make their necks... almost no other has the correct intonation right from the factory. But if you really want to learn about that go to their site, and better yet go play some.

Martin made some nice gtr's before their wood barn burned down... long ago... I've had a few... nowadays... have all Taylor 'cept for the gibson 335, but that's another story.
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Old 03-24-2014, 02:55 PM   #31
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My recommendation-- the Martin X series (the HPL series). I have an 000x1ae that I love to pieces... after playing a Yamaha for about 12 years (one from the early 90s) I realized how much better any Martin sounds, even the lower end stuff. The action's great, too. Definitely worth a look!
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Old 03-24-2014, 04:13 PM   #32
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Default Lots of good advice here

You can't beat playing it and seeing what feels good. I have three really nice acoustics - a Martin HD28v, a L'Arrivee OM01 and a Lowden O10. I think there's a lot to be said for a smaller body acoustic like a Martin O18. They're much better balanced and less boomy than say a dreadnought. I love my HD 28 for finger picking but for robust strumming it's just too busy and boomy - whereas an O18 is much tighter and focused. Depends on what you need.
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Old 03-24-2014, 06:01 PM   #33
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Whatever you get..just make sure it has a solid wooden top.
I'm going to disagree with a lot of posts in this thread, and with a lot of established guitarology, and say that laminate tops are not automatically inferior to solid tops, especially in this price range.

To unpack the differences a little bit, "laminate" means "plywood", basically. They take thin planks of wood and layer them with perpendicular grain, and glue them together. Solid tops are just what they say, a single plank of one piece of wood (actually, it's often two planks glued together down the middle, but the point is there are no "plys", and the grain is all from a single piece of wood, running lengthwise).

Structurally, a laminate top of the same type and thickness of wood is going to tend to be more rigid, with a more uniform resonance, and usually a somewhat brighter and quieter sound. A solid-top is going to have more flex and "resonance", usually with more lower-mid volume and "personality".

The very *best* guitars, the heirloom-quality, handcrafted tonal masterpieces are all invariably solid-top. A skilled luthier selects and carves the wood to maximize the intrinsic tonal and resonant characteristics of the top, and to bring out the "personality" of the wood.

But especially with factory-made guitars at the lower end of the price-spectrum, laminate tops will tend to be more consistent and frankly sometimes better-made. Moreover, the "personality" of solid wood is not always automatically a desirable one, especially if you're just getting stock lumber cut and glued together by machine. And the brighter, "blander" tonal characteristics of a laminate top can make them more versatile and easier to mic and record, compared to some of the quirks and woofy notes you can find on cheaper solid-tops, especially if you are mostly using the acoustic for strummy rhythm/background work.

Having said all that, if you "get lucky" and find a real gem at a low price (and they certainly exist), it will almost certainly be a solid-top. And there is also a certain subtle type of sound that is almost impossible to get from a laminate top, most especially with soft, spacious, solo single-note stuff or small sustained chords: there is a kind of depth of resonance and rich decay that sounds like "real wood".

In any case, I am firmly in the "go to a guitar store on a slow day and try all the guitars, including ones above and below your price-range" camp. You never know what you are gonna learn when you start putting your hands on things...
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Old 03-24-2014, 06:23 PM   #34
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As said before, it's all going to be personal preference. Keeping that in mind, my personal preference is most Martins. But I don't like the V necks, and most Martins are going to be out of your price range. I used to have one of the lower end ones with the HPL back and sides, and I have to disagree with the above post. It sounded like it was stuffed with a blanket. Never opened up for me.

But this is all trivial, I don't play much electric and actually prefer wide necks and smaller bodies, so my opinion may not relate to your situation at all. At least give a D-28 a try at the guitar shop.

On the "cheaper" side, I used to have an Epiphone Masterbilt. Really nice tone and playability for the money. The neck was pretty thin, so may be similar to some electrics. It was around $500.
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Old 03-24-2014, 06:47 PM   #35
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sorry but those are very bad ideas UNLESS you really know wtf you are doing...

there are people who do and the good ones stay very busy doing 'setups' for all kinds of guitars...
I agree, that's why I put in a cautionary note.

In my case, I just wanted to try for myself. So I played around with an old Yamaki. After I'd spent some years in a warm climate it got all messed up anyhow, so I had nothing to lose. Today it's playable, thanks to my working on it. But I'm mostly Telecaster or Midi now... so it doesn't matter so much.

I was thinking maybe the OP wouldn't care too much if he messed up the Yamaha, considering he doesn't seem too happy with it now. And maybe he'd come out pleasantly surprised!
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Old 03-24-2014, 06:55 PM   #36
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Do what the majority suggest and go play a bunch of guitars. Don't buy something online sight unseen. You can get away with this a bit more with electrics but acoustics have far far fewer adjustments that you can make, so play them and get the feel.

Also, Taylors are NOT the beginning and end of acoustic guitars! I get so sick of that. There are many guitars that are better suited to what you're looking for than a Taylor. As you said yourself, your budget would allow for a low end Taylor, which could easily translate into a higher end from another builder. A lot of people recommend Taylors no matter what, and for gods sake don't go the acoustic guitar forum. They'll make you feel like an ass if you play anything else and it's bullshit.

I play a Japanese made Takamine, but I play live a good bit, and the pickup/preamp system is really good. I played many Taylors and Martins when I was shopping. I couldn't find a Taylor that had enough low end, including a 914. Martins sound awesome when they're about 20 years old, but I don't have that kind of time.

The problem with questions like this is that everyone will basically recommend what they have. I'm not necessarily recommending you get a Takamine, but be aware that there are other guitars out there, and you don't have to play a damn Taylor to be in the club.

If I sound bitter toward Taylor it's because I know a few local guys here who think their shit doesn't stink because they have Taylors. I was telling one of them that my Tak had a little bit of fret buzz on the D string and I was gonna have it checked out. His response was " trade it in on a Taylor". I wanted to kick him in the nuts. Bottom line is I like what I like and you will too.

Take your time, play a lot of guitars and base your decision on what you feel, what you hear, and what you want to spend, as opposed to what's on the headstock.
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Old 03-24-2014, 09:15 PM   #37
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... have all Taylor 'cept for the gibson 335, but that's another story.
Stick 'em up! Hand over the 335 and nobody gets hurt!
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Old 03-25-2014, 08:06 AM   #38
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Originally Posted by jellotree View Post
So what makes a Taylor (even entry level) so much better than everything else out there?
I've owned my current Taylor for 22 years and in my opinion the number one thing that sets Taylor apart from other companies is their relationship with the customer. When you purchase one they take care of you. Here's my story:

In early 1992 I purchased a Taylor 410 (right when the 410s first came out.) A few months later I had an issue with the top bulging behind the bridge. My dealer sent the guitar in and they fixed it and returned it to me. A couple months later the top did the exact same thing. My dealer called them up and explained that I'd already had the guitar fixed once and the problem remains. The person on the other end said, "hold on," and a minute later Bob Taylor himself was on the phone.

After hearing what had happened, he said he understood that I would be frustrated and that the guitar probably had a bad piece of wood and would need a brand new top. He offered me four options:
1. I could return the guitar and he would refund all of my money.
2. I could keep the guitar and they would put a brand new top on it, no charge.
3. I could swap the guitar for a different 410, no charge.
4. If I still trusted them as a company they would credit everything I paid for my guitar towards a nicer model which he would in his words, "give me a whale of a deal on."

I chose option 4 and selected a 1992 710 LTD which came with Bob's personal signature inside of it in two places. It is a phenomenal guitar and all said and done I maybe paid 1/2 of what the guitar would have normally cost.

Years later after I had put this instrument through the wringer it was pretty worn. I'd had an incident after a gig where I'd forgotten to bring it inside during the night in 20 below weather. As a result, the lacquer top had spiderweb cracks all over it and the pickguard started to come loose. Brain dead move on my part. When Taylor brought their "road show" to my local music store I showed the company rep my guitar and admitted my mistake. He asked if he could take it with him to have the repair department give me an estimate on what it would cost to fix the damage, and I agreed.

A month later I got a phone call that my guitar was being shipped back completely repaired; no charge. They stripped and refinished it and put on a new pickguard. In addition while they had it in the shop they did a partial refret, reset the neck and gave me new fancier bridge pins.

Because of this, I am now extremely loyal to Taylor. It is the rare company I've found that has shown that level of customer service. Because of their efforts, when I'm ready to purchase another acoustic guitar I'll start my search with Taylor. Anyway, I'm planning on keeping my 710 LTD until I die, so I don't know if/when that will ever happen. lol

However I don't consider myself a Taylor snob. There are lots of guitars out there that sound great. Nobody is settling for less if they try a bunch and prefer the sound of a different brand. Bob Taylor himself often says the same thing.

If you do wind up with a Taylor, though, you can be confident that you'll be taken care of should you need anything down the road and to answer your original question, in my opinion that's what makes Taylor better.
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Old 03-25-2014, 04:02 PM   #39
jellotree
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Thanks so much for your input - you guys rock!

I figured that 600 dollars should get me a pretty good guitar - maybe that will be the case as I check them out this year. I'm not particularly fussy about what name is on the headstock. Truth be told, I don't think I've ever peeked a look when I see a performer play an acoustic.
Didn't even know that Taylor Swift played Taylor guitars - seems kind of obvious now, heh...

But I'm pretty sure she's not paying for her Taylors. And I have to wonder what kind of tone differences there are between a 600, even 1000 dollar guitar made by a number of reputable companies - and a top of the line several thousand dollar Taylor. Or Martin.

I am hoping for a decent recording guitar mainly, and a nice playing guitar that will inspire me to practice and play more acoustic music. I'm hoping for the kind of jump in quality from my first really crappy electric with action 2 feet from the fretboard to that effortless playing of my first Strat. (ok, it was a copy, but a damn good copy...)

The Yamaha that I own, is entry level. It sounds ok. And plays reasonably well, but it is a bit of a chore. And I have filed down the bridge a bit for better action, and for being a 40 year guitar, is in pretty darn good shape (it doesn't need a neck reset).

I wonder about scale length and strings to use. Anyone have any insights for that? And for strings I think I heard that stock Taylors come with Elixir strings, and that Martin come with their own brand. Elixirs (from what I have read) are a brighter tone string, so Taylors are tradiotionally a brighter sounding guitar than the Martin (which - from what I have read - have duller strings tone wise).

A lot of posts came up over the past couple of days on this thread and I thank you all for your help. I'll try to respond to a couple as time permits.

Cheers.
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Old 03-25-2014, 04:10 PM   #40
Naji
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Default Taylor, Martin...

in this thread you pretty often hear, read or see the brands Taylor and Martin, it is similar to Fender and Gibson as for electric guitars, but there are a lot more guitar makers. If a guitar is not "Made in Spain", it´s not a good guitar for me ... that´s my experience after having played many many many hours some guitars. I also have a Fender Strat, but that´s not really a guitar, just a kind of toy. Viva Espana ! ;-) Paco R.I.P.
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