That moment you realize “I need a dread!”

[MIGAS79]

So about six months back I bought my first acoustic - Takamine GN93. I still like it quite a bit. I think it was a good quality/cost compromise The other day I put new strings on this old laminated beater that was laying around. It buzzed so bad before that I didn’t touch it. Well the new strings fixed a lot of that. It’s a dreadnought size and I must say, it sounds pretty horrible still but I am loving the booming low end. Has me craving a dread now.

I settled on my Nex size Tak because I didn’t want too big of a guitar. But the size difference isn’t that big to me.

The one thing I would like is perhaps a slightly shorter scale. I hold my guitar on my left leg due to a rotator cuff injury. Shortening that reach would be fantastic. My shorter scale electric seems infinitely easier to fret as well.

I noticed the Taylor 310 can be had on the used market for a pretty darn good price. The current specs show this is a shorter scale dread. Has it always been so? I see a lot of them for sale between 1999-2002 at a very affordable price for me.

Also considering perhaps a Gibson J15. I have yet to play one though so I don’t know if it produces the low-end like a “normal“ dreadnought or not.

Overall budget not too much over $1,000 and prefer used really to improve bang for my buck. That and I am not in a situation where I can go play a ton of guitars. I’m legally blind and try to reserve favors for the “need“ category and not “hey can you help me out, I want to go play guitars all day.”

I would love to hear your thoughts on something of quality, ease of play but has some oomph. Scratches and dings matter less when you can barely see them!

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Sent you a PM.
Good luck with your search!

[Photojeep]

Mitch,
I own a Gibson J15 and can tell you with absolute certainty it has the Dread low-end you are looking for. In fact when I first got mine I was actually startled at the low end strength! I don’t know your budget but I’m sure by now they would be available on the used market and will be lower cost than the $1500 I paid for mine brand new.

Good luck,
PJ

[Rosewood99]

June 6, 2012, 6:30 pm.

[MIGAS79]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

June 6, 2012, 6:30 pm.

I’m not proud of how long that took me before laughing. Going to chalk it up to this nasty cold.

I am a big fan of the Gibson scale. I imagine the Taylor 310 and J-15 sound quite a bit different. I like the Taylor brightness provided there is still some good lows.