After 30 years, I'm buying a new acoustic, here's my shortlist

[jjbigfly]

I also have an Eastman. Very impressive regardless of price. I will look at another Eastman if things work out……😜

[CooloutAC]

Just received the fender po-220e Mahogany. and its literally cheap chinese trash. First thing I noticed was that it stunk like chemicals. Smells like glue and varnish or something but its not that nice wood smell my old martin dx1 smells like. Then I notice the low e is buzzing on the 2nd and 3rd frets pretty easily. Used a rocker and see that the frets need leveling everywhere out the box. wow.

Its also hard to get over the fact glue is exposed around the pickguard, the sides and purfling and are not sanded and the whole guitar has super sharp edges everywhere along the binding.

How does it sound? Well it doesn't sound like a warm and smooth mahogany sound. Sounds like spruce to me although who knows how it compares to the spruce model. Doesn't even play better than my old martin which also has a way way better tone. For example I was fingerpicking notes on the A string and couldn't even differentiate between them at times that I was double checking the tuning thinking i tuned the d string to a. but it was actually fine there is just not as much note separation on the bass strings I guess. The intonation is flat on some strings which I thought weird cause normally acoustics are always sharp.

But I requested a return to fender and they charge the cost to ship it to you and to ship it back plus possibly a restocking fee. I didn't see that written before hand until they emailed me. I don't know if they are just a dirtbag company or I'm just spoiled by amazon. but wow am I fkd that I dont' think I'll ever be buying another guitar again. I'm not even going to chance getting burned with a yamaha which is probably also garbage, i'm going to leave this hobby for the rich folk. It probably died years ago. When the Martin factory closes and everything but its custom shop moves to Mexico I'll be applauding and laughing.

[nostatic]

https://youtu.be/syV2LkGpQB0

[CooloutAC]

Originally Posted by nostatic

https://youtu.be/syV2LkGpQB0

I'm probably breathing in my lungs and rubbing into my skin toxic chemicals that are taking years off my lifespan, designed by the chinese government. Play one of these things with a short sleeve shirt on for 30 mins dude and you will know what I mean. po-220e mahogany. The guitar might actually draw blood from you. You will walk away from with with a burningfeeling on your skin. I'm going back to this video of the alamo music guy smelling one of them and saying it smells good. It smells like toxic glue and varnish wtf is he talking about!?! My 20 year old Martin DX1 with the HPL sides has a feel good wood smell. But This fender smells like poison. lol.

And Fender is going to charge me for the return when I'd probably have to pay $100 to have the frets dressed? disgusting industry. I will enjoy watching it continue to die.

[Fatfingers12]

Originally Posted by CooloutAC

I'm probably breathing in my lungs and rubbing into my skin toxic chemicals that are taking years off my lifespan, designed by the chinese government. Play one of these things with a short sleeve shirt on for 30 mins dude and you will know what I mean. po-220e mahogany. The guitar might actually draw blood from you. You will walk away from with with a burningfeeling on your skin. I'm going back to this video of the alamo music guy smelling one of them and saying it smells good. It smells like toxic glue and varnish wtf is he talking about!?! My 20 year old Martin DX1 with the HPL sides has a feel good wood smell. But This fender smells like poison. lol.

And Fender is going to charge me for the return when I'd probably have to pay $100 to have the frets dressed? disgusting industry. I will enjoy watching it continue to die.

Toxic response right there!

[Rickenbacker1]

To me a Yamaha Red Label and the Alvarez Masterworks . The Alvarez MW come up for sale often at GC . I got one of the blem. Models for 600.00 .

[CooloutAC]

Originally Posted by Fatfingers12

Toxic response right there!

Did you take my challenge and go play one? you can keep trolling me all over the forum bud. But I'm giving you the truth and warning others with my experience. This industry is going to continue to crash and burn because no matter how much social media gets censored and keeps up the facade and bubble, real life exists outside of it. I fell for the lies myself, but unlike most I'm here to call it out. These manufacturers and sellers have to realize we are all not dumb and thats why they are all going out of business for treating us as such.

[CooloutAC]

Originally Posted by Rickenbacker1

To me a Yamaha Red Label and the Alvarez Masterworks . The Alvarez MW come up for sale often at GC . I got one of the blem. Models for 600.00 .

I heard GC is going out of business. do they have a good return policy if ordering online? I've seen alot of youtube videos of the yamaha red label fg3. I wasnt impressed but I wouldn't mind trying out one in person because I'm learning youtube videos are pretty worthless. That fg800 does sound pretty amazing on videos though for the money.

[tsmith28]

Originally Posted by CooloutAC

I heard GC is going out of business. do they have a good return policy if ordering online? I've seen alot of youtube videos of the yamaha red label fg3. I wasnt impressed but I wouldn't mind trying out one in person because I'm learning youtube videos are pretty worthless. That fg800 does sound pretty amazing on videos though for the money.

Personally, after owning 3 different Yamaha FG800's and a couple.FG700S's, I find that these cheap Yamahas get a bit too much hype on the online forums. Yes, they're good guitars for the money...but they feel and sound (in person) very much like an entry level instrument. I have found that the sweet spot for value seekers on a tight budget is currently in the $400-600 price range. At this price, you can find a number of used guitars that are serious instruments and a step above a cheap Yamaha. Some examples include Guild GAD / Westerly models, Eastman E1D, Martin D10E, and a Yamaha LL6. These are all noticeably better than an FG800.

[CooloutAC]

Originally Posted by tsmith28

Personally, after owning 3 different Yamaha FG800's and a couple.FG700S's, I find that these cheap Yamahas get a bit too much hype on the online forums. Yes, they're good guitars for the money...but they feel and sound (in person) very much like an entry level instrument. I have found that the sweet spot for value seekers on a tight budget is currently in the $400-600 price range. At this price, you can find a number of used guitars that are serious instruments and a step above a cheap Yamaha. Some examples include Guild GAD / Westerly models, Eastman E1D, Martin D10E, and a Yamaha LL6. These are all noticeably better than an FG800.

thats always been the price point I've aimed for. I'd hate to buy anything without trying out in the store first though, which back in the days you cluld find guitars at that level of quality new for the same price. People cry inflation, but what does that have to do with peoples budgets not changing? Does everyone work in the industry? because thats just an excuse for these manufacturers imo Inflation is only part of the prob. I Just tried ordering a guitar online, thought I was getting a good deal. It was on sale from $850 to $650. So I pulled the trigger which had raving reviews online. It did sound and look good, but the playability and build quality was pretty terrible. I mean appallingly bad. I'm still in shock over it because it was so bad. I might need therapy for ptsd now. And I'm wondering if I live in the twilight zone. I think the problem is I haven't shopped for a guitar in 20 years and its a very different world now. hahah.

[DianeA]

I love my old Guild, but a friend who played in bands and was worship Pastor for 17 years & owns many expensive guitars (Martins, Gibsons) just bought the Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Hummingbird and cannot stop playing & praising it.
He says it came well set up out of the box.
Good luck with your search!

[DianeA]

Duplicate post

[GoPappy]

Originally Posted by CooloutAC

thats always been the price point I've aimed for. I'd hate to buy anything without trying out in the store first though, which back in the days you cluld find guitars at that level of quality new for the same price. People cry inflation, but what does that have to do with peoples budgets not changing? Does everyone work in the industry? because thats just an excuse for these manufacturers imo Inflation is only part of the prob. I Just tried ordering a guitar online, thought I was getting a good deal. It was on sale from $850 to $650. So I pulled the trigger which had raving reviews online. It did sound and look good, but the playability and build quality was pretty terrible. I mean appallingly bad. I'm still in shock over it because it was so bad. I might need therapy for ptsd now. And I'm wondering if I live in the twilight zone. I think the problem is I haven't shopped for a guitar in 20 years and its a very different world now. hahah.

Here's a tip: You live in NYC. There's no reason for you to have to buy a guitar sight unseen from across the country. You've got a lot of guitar shops available to you where you can go sit down and play the instrument.

I don't understand the venom. You bought a guitar mail order, and it didn't work out. It happens. Get over it. You're acting like a 6 year old throwing a temper tantrum. If you didn't understand the return policy for the guitar you bought, that's on you. Next time do your homework before you buy.

[tsmith28]

Originally Posted by CooloutAC

So I pulled the trigger which had raving reviews online. It did sound and look good, but the playability and build quality was pretty terrible. I mean appallingly bad.

I think there are two issues at play here:

1) Online guitar reviews are useless because nearly every model receives overwhelmingly positive reviews. That's largely because most reviewers haven only played a small number of guitars and fall prey to recency bias about their most recent purchase. We all like shiny new things.

2) What you describe sounds more like a QC & setup issue than a design flaw...and, in my experience, Fender has been plagued by QC issues outside their American-made guitars. Also, even $3000+ Martins need to be set up when they're new.

[CooloutAC]

Originally Posted by tsmith28

I think there are two issues at play here:

1) Online guitar reviews are useless because nearly every model receives overwhelmingly positive reviews. That's largely because most reviewers haven only played a small number of guitars and fall prey to recency bias about their most recent purchase. We all like shiny new things.

2) What you describe sounds more like a QC & setup issue than a design flaw...and, in my experience, Fender has been plagued by QC issues outside their American-made guitars. Also, even $3000+ Martins need to be set up when they're new.

I think fender just figures you are getting alot of money off the price you can pay or dress the frets yourself. I don't really consider it a qc issue, just something I did not realize because none of the fake reviewers mentioned it. The comfort thing was aware of going in though, just didn't realize how bad it actually was lol. but fender acoustics always get good reviews on the action out the box. mine was at a nice height, but it just felt awfully hard man. So ya partly my fault partyly the fake industry.