Brand Advice

[ozarkmac]

Looking to purchase a new or used 6-string acoustic. Don't really need it to be amplified. I have an old Gibson sub-brand guitar (body is cracked) but I still play it, and my original Yamaha beginner guitar from 1968, but want to upgrade to a better tone.

I play mainly blues, light rock, and just whatever comes to mind. Don't do finger picking but enjoy playing both lead and rhythm. I don't play publicly or with a band, just by myself or with friends.

Want to stay at $1,000.00 or below. Would appreciate some recommended brands/models as well as those to avoid. I'm 60 now and don't want to upgrade down the road, so this will be my last purchase.

Am I safe to assume that I can get more bang for my buck by looking for a USED higher quality guitar versus a new guitar? I know some brands don't lose much value. Appreciate any advice.

[Tony Burns]

Epiphone Masterbuilt , Seagull , Upper end Yamaha ( and others )- and last but not least buy used -buying something a bit more high end used
is always a good idea -if you buy a guitar thats been taken care of without problems and you take good care of it -it
will always be worth what you paid for it -stay away from problem guitars ( abused -severly worn frets -etc )
But dont over pay for it -
Something which may not make sense but is true -luthier made guitars are harder to sell and are not well know as much as
brands like Martin , Taylor etc. Most people want a recognizable name when they buy used -becasue most guitarists want a nice
instrument but wont take a chance with a Luthier higher priced instrument . this is also an opportunity
to get a great guitar reasonable ( but a bit harder to resell )-ive bought a few unknown luthier guitars that were great instruments over the years very reasonably .

[Jim in TC]

Used can be good. For example, in the classifieds here, a couple of Martin 000-15M's have sold recently in the $800-850 range. I am sure there are many similar examples but these caught my eye since I sold one like it a year or so ago. But you can and perhaps should make a project out of this, too. Get thee to a guitar shop and try some different brands, tonewoods, sizes (as we age many of us choose a smaller bodied guitar), scale length (shorter can be more comfortable, again as we age). Since this may be your lifetime instrument, you owe yourself a bit of research and reflection. AND...Have fun with it!

[reeve21]

Welcome to the AGF!

For the kind of playing you describe I would choose an all solid wood dreadnaught, assuming you find the body shape and size comfortable.

Martin makes some good ones that can be had new in your price range. And many feel that imports like Blueridge and Eastman compare favorably for less money.

The only way to know is to play a whole bunch. That is how I chose my Martin MMV, and I had no idea what I was doing at the time. I just liked the sound of it compared to all the others I tried. As someone said, you don't chose the guitar, it chooses you. Since you are looking for "the one" and you have something to play in the meantime this should be a relaxed and enjoyable experience, no need to rush into it.

Best wishes!

[Herb Hunter]

In order to make an informed choice, you should try some of the Taylor guitars that are priced below $1,000. One you should definitely try is the Academy 10e which costs well below your limit.

[1Charlie]

Used Guilds under $1000 are exceptional values.

[Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by ozarkmac

Looking to purchase a new or used 6-string acoustic. Don't really need it to be amplified. I have an old Gibson sub-brand guitar (body is cracked) but I still play it, and my original Yamaha beginner guitar from 1968, but want to upgrade to a better tone.

I play mainly blues, light rock, and just whatever comes to mind. Don't do finger picking but enjoy playing both lead and rhythm. I don't play publicly or with a band, just by myself or with friends.

Want to stay at $1,000.00 or below. Would appreciate some recommended brands/models as well as those to avoid. I'm 60 now and don't want to upgrade down the road, so this will be my last purchase.

Am I safe to assume that I can get more bang for my buck by looking for a USED higher quality guitar versus a new guitar? I know some brands don't lose much value. Appreciate any advice.

You have offered yourself as a clean slate, a tabula rasa, as it were, upon which we can project our own desires...

Not as if that matters ... but yeah, if I was in your shoes and I could play a dread comfortably at 60 (which I cannot) I'd check out the Martin D custom - which is currently selling at something like $900 online for a brand new, American made, solid wood guitar.

[rokdog49]

Used Martin D15M Dreadnought on Reverb.com
or-
A new Eastman Dread can be had right at or slightly below your price point.

[markrj]

A new Eastman. Stretch the budget a hundred or three and a brand new Larrivee can be yours as well. I would save a little more money, and get the Larrivee.

[cmd612]

Originally Posted by markrj

Stretch the budget a hundred or three and a brand new Larrivee can be yours as well.

The OP could get a used Larrivee without stretching the budget. Or a 15- or 16-series or MMV Martin, or a Gibson J-15, or any number of other great guitars.

As a few have suggested above, take your time, get out and audition some guitars, and have fun.

For kicks, I did a search on GC's used acoustic listings for everything in the $750 - $1000 range, just for some ideas:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Aco...rrencyCode=USD

Enjoy the search, and welcome to the forum!

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by cmd612

The OP could get a used Larrivee without stretching the budget. Or a 15- or 16-series or MMV Martin, or a Gibson J-15, or any number of other great guitars.

As a few have suggested above, take your time, get out and audition some guitars, and have fun.

For kicks, I did a search on GC's used acoustic listings for everything in the $750 - $1000 range, just for some ideas:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Aco...rrencyCode=USD

Enjoy the search, and welcome to the forum!

Great link with a caveat. All those "Excellent" guitars?? Well, maybe.
Also, you can purchase some of those guitars new at those prices, like the used Eastman E 20 D they had listed for close to GC's price and get a full factory warranty.
My advice is if you find something on the list you like, do your homework.

[cmd612]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Great link with a caveat. All those "Excellent" guitars?? Well, maybe.
Also, you can purchase some of those guitars new at those prices, like the used Eastman E 20 D they had listed for close to GC's price and get a full factory warranty.
My advice is if you find something on the list you like, do your homework.

Excellent points and advice.

[ozarkmac]

Originally Posted by markrj

A new Eastman. Stretch the budget a hundred or three and a brand new Larrivee can be yours as well. I would save a little more money, and get the Larrivee.

Can you recommend a Larrivee model or two?

[ozarkmac]

Appreciate the link/homework!

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Aco...rrencyCode=USD

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by ozarkmac

Looking to purchase a new or used 6-string acoustic...Want to stay at $1,000.00 or below...Am I safe to assume that I can get more bang for my buck by looking for a USED higher quality guitar versus a new guitar? I know some brands don't lose much value. Appreciate any advice.

I hear what you're saying. I know that you'll get different advice from a lot of folks but this is my take on the situation...

1) You've got a $1000 budget and some brands have higher price points than others for what they are in terms of sound and playability. Some brands have great marketing and have drawn many customers through their marketing mastery. Taylor comes to mind. Taylor is a master at marketing so Taylors tend to sell for higher prices than an equal guitar of other lesser marketed brands especially at their entry and medium levels. If this is your "last" purchase then resale doesn't come into play at all, nor should it.

2) Used? YES! You can find used instruments in excellent condition for 50-60% of of new retail. Your $1000 will take you well beyond entry level guitars. But one of my cardinal rules of buying acoustics is that you must play the actual guitars that you're considering. Play a LOT of instruments of all price ranges, even ones much higher than your price point, so you begin to know what you and your hands like. You might be able to find a great guitar for much less than your budget. They're out there but you have to be patient, look at everything and enjoy the journey.

3) Brands. You'll get a lot of advice about brands. It's all about your ears and hands. There are a number of brands that I'm fond of and some that others cherish that I wouldn't pay 50¢ for. But you have to discover your likes for yourself. But if you want solid advice, I say keep an open mind. Often times your guitar will choose you-especially when you don't expect it.

Good luck.