Guitars

[RedTail Wolf]

I saw a post about someone looking for an acoustic guitar here. I thought I'd let the Lounge know that I review guitars for a nationally distributed magazine. I have played, repaired, built, bought, sold, traded, and now write about guitars for 30 years.

I own about 35 and many others in various states of disrepair!
Point is if you ever want to talk guitars file my name away and contact me. I'd be happy to offer opinions and if I don't know something I'll tell you straight out. I learn new things everyday.

Anyway I know there are some players here so if you need me just write and I'll be happy to discuss my favorite subject and the thing that keeps me sane, guitars, with you at any time!


RedTail Wolf

[Abelman]

1. Bitchin'

I think we have a music forum - but do we have just a guitar forum? that would be kind of cool!

I have a blue acoustic/electric Indiana. Not a great guitar, but really good for the money. I also have an electric Epiphone cheapy model from a kit.

My dad has a vintage Gibson from when they were made in America, really nice acoustic sound. Also a Washburn 12-string and a classical style. I'm not aware of the brand. And a Peavey electric.

I'm looking into getting a Ukulele, but I want to keep it under a hundred bucks.

[RedTail Wolf]

2. some places to look

www.elderly.com
www.musiciansfriend.com
www.music123.com
Also local pawn shops
Not a uke player but this will give you an idea of what's out there. There are many more sites I just put up the first ones that popped in my head.

RedTail Wolf

[The Traveler]

3. I'm picking up guitar

again for the first time in 20 years. My kids bought me an Ibanez Destroyer II ... but this one has three pickups and a Floyd Rose bridge. But it is not the Collin model ... nor does it appear to be a modification. This guitar has great intonation and action. Even I can sound reasonably good. What is this thing? Do I care? It is so much fun ...

[LastKnight]

4. you sir, kick major ass. i envy you. by the way, quick question...

ive been playin awhile, ive worked in a music store sellin the things about just as long, and im in the market for a 12 string acoustic... im a broke college student... i dont need anything immaculate, im just lookin for a decent piece (new or used, im not picky) for around 700-1200. any suggestions? i know those are some vague paramaters to judge anything by, but any input would be apprecieated. thanks

-LK

[RedTail Wolf]

7. Yes I do

go to www.musiciansfreind.com , zzounds.com
to get some ideas on pricing

You will get much better sound for an all wood guitar, but in your price range, make sure you get a solid top guitar.

Dean makes about the prettiest one. Takamine sounds amazing. Ibanez is a good sounding model. All the instruments I am talking about are brand new and within your budget.
First try to make it to a large guitar store near you and play some of the models you look up and keep the prices in mind. Remember if the ad or salesman does not say solid rosewood back and sides or mahogany, or maple,or whatever wood is being used. It will be a sliver of a veneer to make it pretty, Solid top is a must. They must say solid rosewood, solid maple, solid mahogany, solid spruce top, solid cedar top. I prefer an ebony fretboard, but they come in many other materials. Bone nut and saddle but that's something you can have in mind for later. Good tuning keys like Gover, Schaller, or the brand of the guitar.


I have never bought a guitar on line because I feel you need to play a guitar before buying it. A nice fit with your hand is crucial, inspect the guitar for sloppy work inside ( excessive glue, wood shavings etc.)Run your hand down the sides of the fret board, any sharp frets, move on.

The right guitar will find you as long s you are out there playing lots of them. It's a great and wonderful thing!

After you play as many of the 12 strings they have in your price range then make a decision. Remember buying on line is ok if you have played the guitar before. Most sites offer a 90 day return policy. Also no tax but you have to pay S&H.

Get a good case. Acoustic guitars can be very temperamental in humid and dry weather. Keep the guitar cased when not playing. Spend a few bucks and get a sound hole humidifier to avoid bowing or flexing in the body of the instrument. Read about humidity and acoustic guitars...Google it. Ton s of info

If you want a used guitar, still solid top, solid back and sides as well if you can find one for 7 or less.

So again solid top, nice fit and finish like action ..(ease of play, distance strings are above the metal frets). Tone. Get someone to go with you and stand in front of you about 10ft and help you judge the voice of the guitar.

Hope this helps some.


Good luck and Happy Shopping!

RedTail Wolf

[MaineDem]

10. I've bought from Musician's Friend online

I was looking for an inexpensive acoustic. I really wanted a Martin (the inexpensive idea ruled that out) but I got a Sigma, made by Martin. It came packaged very well and had a liberal return policy, if I remember correctly.

I normally play an Italian classical guitar with a nice wide neck and nylons trings and I wanted to try something with steel strings besides my 12-string. This under $350 guitar seems pretty nice. The service from musiciansfriend.com has been really quite good. I order strings and things from them a lot.

[RedTail Wolf]

13. I buy lots from them too

just not a guitar ever. Tried it once and sent 6 back and gave up. It's the mass production guitars that are the problem, you get a lack of quality and tonal consistency,
That;s why I like to play a guitar be for I spend cash on it.


RedTail Wolf

[no name no slogan]

16. I've only bought one guitar from MuFr

...and it was a Yamaha Pacifica 12-string electric. IIRC it was under $400, and it plays better than my comparably-priced Mexi Strat. Not a bad deal for the price, at all.

BTW there's also a musician's group on DU, you may want to check that one out :)

[jdots]

5. I am keeping my Roland G.R. 77 synth bass for ever

sold the rest when i cut my finger off...bla bla tears.....the Roland is actually a fair bass even though it tracks as bad as all synth basses but boy is it funny looking in a bad 80s way
if you ever have speaker or p/a questions fire away i have built way too many

[tech3149]

6. Hi Red Tail

I hope you don't live to regret offering advice on guitars. Back in the early 70's my roomie was looking for a good guitar cheap and I got him a deal on a Guild Baby Navarre, JF whatever from the local shop. I was so impressed with the tone and feel I thought Guild could do no wrong. This box was just like a good woman, it just got better the more you played it. It was the best $300 he ever spent and still has it. The next year I got asked the same question and didn't think twice about offering the same advice. I was truly bummed to see the results. The same model with no measurable differences was the exact opposite. The tone was dead and the play was stiff. The only thing I could think of using it for was firewood. When it comes to acoustic these days, I would tell anyone to choose only based on playing the instrument you were planning to buy. To me, building an acoustic is more artistry and experience than science. I think most custom builders have the skill to make good instruments because they adjust the design for the material on each instrument. Commercial builders can never match the judgment and knowledge of these artists.

On the recommendation issue, my brother in law is trying to find something for his grandson. He's looking for a good versatile electric. Since budget is a consideration for us all these days, Kramer has come to the front. They were always a well built instrument from what I've seen. They have deals now for a nice looking Strat type for $60. That seems hard to beat, but I'm sure they are built off shore. Do you have any info on what's going on with them?

[RedTail Wolf]

8. That is a low price

I will guarantee that the guitar is all plywood. A better choice for a bit more money is a Squire Fender Strat or a low end Epiphone Les Paul Jr.These would be fine, Beware of cheap guitars S THAT IS WHAT YOU WILL GET !

New student, look for good nice entry level guitar and save the problems you'll get with a plywood bodied guitar.




RedTail Wolf

[ProfessorGAC]

23. EEEEEP!!!!

There is NO comparison between the Squire and the Epi Les Paul.

The Squire has a better neck, the wood density is higher, and the pickups are FAR less noisy than the Epiphone. While they are essentially the same price, one is a a great guitar for the money, the other is a cheap guitar. It's better than an old Kay, or Tiesco Del Ray, but that's not a ringing endorsement. It's certainly not the budget guitar that a Squire is.

I can't believe you recommended it, given your background.
The Professor

[emulatorloo]

9. You'll live to regret this thread! Epiphone Vs Gibson Les Paul?

I have a lot of confusion about this. . .it is my understanding that Epiphone builds them to Gibson's specifications. . .but others say they sound nothing alike. Is it a matter of the pickups or what? Thanks in advance.

[RedTail Wolf]

12. Epi's are built in Korea or China

Gibson's are made here. Epiphone was an American company then Gibson bought them out to create a cheaper version of their guitars and they make a few copies of the old USA Epi's. The difference is in the craftsmanship. While Gibson isn't perfect in quality control they tend to be better than Epiphone. I have played some good Epiphones and some bad Gibsons. When choosing a guitar that is made by any company that mass produces them the best idea is to play as many of the model you are interested in and pick the best out of the bunch. The last Gibson Les Paul I bought from A big Guitar store. I asked them to bring all the tobacco sunburst Les Paul Standards they had out. The guy said we only have 15 in stock! I played each one and got a gem! Some were really bad, finish problems, fret problems, etc. I was going to buy an Epiphone Sheraton last year, so I went to the same store this time they had 12 of these all were bad, real bad! The paint was over sprayed into the f holes on all of them the frets were sharp on 8 out of 10.
So the quality of Gibson is better and boy do you pay for it!


RedTail Wolf

[leftofthedial]

11. any advice on finding a $50 starter acoustic?

new, used, doesn't matter.

[RedTail Wolf]

14. 50 bucks wont get you much at all

Most guitars in that price range will be beat to death used or really poorly made new. I'd raise my sights to about 300.00 and get a solid topped acoustic.


RedTail Wolf

[leftofthedial]

19. my bottom end would probably be a Seagull

I know someone who desperately needs a starter guitar for a 14 year old who is extremely unlikely to take care of it for at least a while. (Long story. It's not his fault, and he'll improve, but giving him even a Seagull now could be like setting fire to a Seagull.) They only have about $50 to spend.

I'm at a loss under about $250 or so myself. Starter Yamahas are about $200. Even abused, used decent guitars are out of their range.

Thanks though. I'll keep your handle in mind for guitar questions. I've been playing guitar off and on for 30 years, but seriously only for the past 7 or 8. (I'm a professional musician, but formerly just a singer and keyboardist.)

[RedTail Wolf]

22. Agree the Yamaha Pacificas are great

starters, still need a practice amp, cable etc. Seagull are a good choice as well from La Si Do Music...Also make Godin guitars really nice electrics and A/E's from the great white north!

My daughter started on a Yamaha Pacifica and it's still a nice guitar 8 years later. I have a Seagull 12 string. I don't like the cherry wood used in the back and sides, not a good tone wood in my opinion. I am selling it and keeping an old Yamaha 12 string with a solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, she's a boomer!



RedTail wolf

[Beaverhausen]

15. we have a musicians groups here at DU

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=256

[salin]

17. still... mine gently weeps

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

18. Bookmarking this one

If you come to California for the NAMM show, PM me

[porkrind]

20. A fellow political lefty guitarist...

how cool is that? Playing is my therapy. I can't tell you how many times * and the GOPers have pissed me off to the point of depression. These last few years of * have been hard on me, but playing has always been like meditation and a healing creation for me. Guitars fill a special spot in my life. To me, nothing is better than to unwind from the stress of the day by just doing some scales or improvising and composing something that I will never play again. To me, even a shitty guitar deserves some love, but a real instrument is a thing of beauty.

Think how much better the world would be if we dropped guitars on Iraq instead of napalm? :) Now that I think about it, how many right-wingers can even appreciate a guitar? Not many. I think the ugliness that fills them leaves no room for music.

[Tsiyu]

21. What porkrind said

Thanks for all your advice, Red Tail.

Personally, I love Alvarez acoustics, but both Takamines I've owned were stellar.

Even with dead strings, the Tak I have now ( given to me by my Ranger boy home from the Mideast, because he remembered it as one I had to pawn when he was a little kid. He also gave me a white Strat to make up for the one I pawned. How cool of a kid is that? )

Nothing beats singing "Deja Vu All Over Again" strumming away, getting it out....