Which Guitar Brands Not Available in Your Area?

[TheIntermediate]

I've got pretty good access to Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, Huss and Daltons, and Breedloves in central VA.

Within a few hours I can get my hands on a limited number of Collings, Santa Cruz, and Eastman guitars.

I'd love to get my hands on some Larrivees. I've also never played a Goodall. And frankly, Collings and Santa Cruz are HARD to come by and don't have much experience with either. Would love to get my hands on more Collings OM's and a SCGC OM Grand. Not really in the cards though unless I'm traveling.

Any guitars you really want try but just don't have much access?

[Scholar]

None of the better acoustic names in my immediate area (at the moment, Arezzo in beautiful Tuscany), so far as I know.

[jaymarsch]

I am lucky in terms of being a few hours drive time of trying out most outstanding guitar brands. I had not played a Collings or Huss & Dalton until a recent trip to Gryphon's, just under two hours away.

But, Alvarez guitars are hard to come by in my area. Of the two I own, I eventually ordered both online and kept both of them.

Best,
Jayne

[fazool]

I've never seen a CF guitar in person.

[Mycroft]

I'd love to try out a Kinschriff, but apparently I'll have to travel to Texas.

TW

[djg]

Nobody seems to carry SCGC in Northern Virginia -- actually, nobody seems to carry SCGC anywhere in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, DC. Venemann's, in suburban Maryland, used to, but they are long, long gone.

Seems odd -- this is a big market for that sort of thing, and one can find H&D (Virginia built) and Collings, as well as Martin, Taylor, etc. But no SCGC dealers between North Carolina and Pennsylvania, as far as I can tell. Lots of players in the area and roots going way back, a big population -- the DC metro area is about 5.8 million people (and 5 of the 10 richest counties in the US) and if you push things out to the Washington-Baltimore area you're about 9.3 million. Toss in Richmond, etc., etc.

[Larry Pattis]

For the life of me, I can't seem to find a Chinese-made counterfeit Martin D-45 anywhere in my area...

[broken thumb]

Nothing is unavailable to me - I have internet.

Conveniently available (less than 1hr travel time to audition/not paying for shipping to audition)?

Unfortunately, everything nice is at least an hour travel away. I live in a rural area with only one decent sized town with a music store. Our local shop sometimes gets something nicer in, but the nicest guitars they carry regularly are Alvarez (some of which are really decent for what they are), but the rest are Stagg and Johnson-level guitars. Johnson actually came out with a solid-topped dread that several of my kids have shown up with recently. Not as nicely made as a Yamaha FG700 or FS720, but really a step up over their all laminate basswood offerings.

[RoosterX]

Originally Posted by fazool

I've never seen a CF guitar in person.

+1 It must be a WNY thing because I was just going to add carbon fiber guitars to this thread.

I'm now in the market for a CA or Emerald carbon fiber guitar and have been relying on reviews, videos, and product documentation to narrow down my choices. It's really the worst way to shop for a guitar that's so different than anything I've ever held in my hands. In cases like this, I'll buy from the dealer that offers the best return policy, which will most likely be GC if they can order the guitar I want.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

For the life of me, I can't seem to find a Chinese-made counterfeit Martin D-45 anywhere in my area...

........

[fazool]

Originally Posted by RoosterX

+1 It must be a WNY thing because I was just going to add carbon fiber guitars to this thread.

I'm now in the market for a CA or Emerald carbon fiber guitar and have been relying on reviews, videos, and product documentation to narrow down my choices. It's really the worst way to shop for a guitar that's so different than anything I've ever held in my hands. In cases like this, I'll buy from the dealer that offers the best return policy, which will most likely be GC if they can order the guitar I want.

Oh sorry I just remembered. I meant to post this and totally forgot!

(I feel sheepish forgetting this)

The new GC in Cheektowaga had a used CA Cargo series guitar. I even posted about trying it. I was impressed.

[Chedeng88]

Froggies. No dealer in my entire state.

[StrumFu]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

For the life of me, I can't seem to find a Chinese-made counterfeit Martin D-45 anywhere in my area...

LMAO! Larry....good one

[AmericanEagle]

I can never find Maton guitars

they are from Australia I believe

[dave42]

Here in Columbus Ohio we use to have a Collings dealer. I believe they also had SC, Lakewood, etc. They went out years ago. And now with Wildwood down to just being open 2 days a week, Ohio suffers.