Acoustic options

[davidd]

In another thread..

BorkFactor said:
Just back from a trip to Edinburgh to have a look at acoustic guitars... A Gibson Hummingbird or a Martin HD35 may be joining the fold in a few months...
I would love something like that, but could never justify that sort of cash. What acoustic would folks buy for £800?

I play all sorts of stuff in a dad band, from Radiohead to the Everly Bros. Currently using an old Fender Le Brea. Like the sound (big and jangly) but it is not the nicest thing to play.

I've had a go with a few taylors which are great to play but to me have a distinct sound which I'm not sure I get on with. However I do quite like the idea of a GS mini...

Thoughts, suggestions and options?

D

[singlecoil]

When you say great to play, do you mean that the actual playability was good. If so, have you considered choosing a guitar on the basis of its sound, image (if that's important), ability to be amplified etc, and having the playability looked at by a skilled guitar technician?

I used to do a lot of this stuff for other shops, back when I had a guitar shop and repair centre of my own. Just fettling the guitar to improve the action etc, it can make a big difference, although the more expensive the guitar the less necessary it should be.

[davidd]

singlecoil said:

When you say great to play, do you mean that the actual playability was good. If so, have you considered choosing a guitar on the basis of its sound, image (if that's important), ability to be amplified etc, and having the playability looked at by a skilled guitar technician?

I used to do a lot of this stuff for other shops, back when I had a guitar shop and repair centre of my own. Just fettling the guitar to improve the action etc, it can make a big difference, although the more expensive the guitar the less necessary it should be.

It is a very fair point, I am a firm believer in getting a guitar to play as well as it can and am very capable of the basics myself. As there is a lot about my old fender that I like I have just had it set up properly which did make a difference, however the fact is that it is still a budget guitar and there is only so much I can expect from it.

I won't part with it and I'm not in a massive hurry so my plan was to take my time in finding something I like better, then pass it down to my son.

Cheers

D

[br d]

Bought a Taylor 214e recently for a shade over 800 quid. I only play on my own so I'm no expert on tone but the guitar plays beautifully for that money, a great action and especially nice for finger picking.

[Tom_C76]

I made the same recommendation in the last "What Acoustic" thread, but I love my Guild GAD series acoustics. For that price you'd get something like a GAD-J40 and have enough money left for a decent pickup into the bargain.

[GetCarter]

Taylors do tend to have a bright, slightly thinner sound (I have one - good for recording). If you like a bigger chunkier sound you really should be trying out some Martins.

[davidd]

GetCarter said:

Taylors do tend to have a bright, slightly thinner sound (I have one - good for recording). If you like a bigger chunkier sound you really should be trying out some Martins.

Interesting, thanks for that.

[Prawnboy]

i had the same dilema a few years ago, ended up with a Takamine G series, still play it daily.