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  #61  
Old 01-07-2015, 12:46 PM
jeremyguitar jeremyguitar is offline
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Tips for Buying An Acoustic Guitar is a pretty in-depth and good article. Lot of the same advice as in this thread. Get the guitar in your hands and play and listen to it. Trust that as much as price or manufacturer.
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  #62  
Old 01-07-2015, 01:06 PM
rosborn rosborn is offline
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Originally Posted by jeremyguitar View Post
Tips for Buying An Acoustic Guitar is a pretty in-depth and good article. Lot of the same advice as in this thread. Get the guitar in your hands and play and listen to it. Trust that as much as price or manufacturer.
Great article and advise. However, not too useful for someone who can't yet play the guitar and a lot of people frequenting this forum fall into that category. For example, many beginners are steered towards dreads because they "seem" to be the friendliest overall guitar and there are a TON to choose from. It isn't until you start really researching guitars, and possibly demoing them, that you realize there are other body types out there that may better suit the beginner. I would venture to guess that it isn't so much the finger pain that comes from learning how to play, though I'm sure that is part of it, as it is struggling with a guitar body that may be too big for the beginner. Unfortunately, one size doesn't fit all.
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  #63  
Old 01-07-2015, 02:49 PM
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Aren't Yamahas Japanese? (Or are they made in China now?)
Yes, Yamaha is a Japanese company based in Japan, but much of their manufacturing is now done in China and other Asian countries. One of the things that sets them apart, though, is that they own the plant and train the employees, and the employees are all employed by Yamaha. In other words, they don't farm anything out to other suppliers. This allows them to maintain the legendary Yamaha quality they are so well known for.

Here's a really cool vid of a tour of one of their Chinese plants. I've posted it before and people have really enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. In this one plant they make over 500,000 guitars a year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuSJnHODLxQ
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  #64  
Old 01-07-2015, 02:53 PM
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I agree that there are some really nice guitars out there that are cheaper than, say, a good quality Martin. Seagulls always impress me. Eastmans an Blueridge can be pretty impressive. Some of the Yamahas are terrific.

But I assure you I didn't buy my Martin just to get that name on the headstock. Maybe some folks do that, but I think a lot of folks (maybe most Martin buyers?...I don't know) buy Martins simply because the good ones are really awesome guitars.

I know less about Taylors and Gibsons, but I suspect there is more than brand worship going on with these brands too.
I agree with this post. I recently bought my first Eastman (an E-10SS) that will be in my barn a long time and is a very fine guitar. I would not, however, put it in the same league as my HD-28. Just a different animal, but I'm very happy to have it.
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  #65  
Old 01-07-2015, 03:07 PM
Pualee Pualee is offline
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Don't forget that Big National Level Dealers require Big National Level suppliers.

I don't ever expect to see smaller producers in big shops, except the one off used item.

It would be like expecting a Wal-Mart to carry a small batch item that is only found in specialty shops. Wal-Mart only carries things that can be massed produced. GC is kind of like Wal-Mart.
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  #66  
Old 01-07-2015, 03:49 PM
Sesop Sesop is offline
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I'm a huge blueridge fan. Last summer I went through a fit of zen hysteria and sold most of my guitars so I could rebuild the herd. I sold a Guild F47M, Martin 000-17SM, and a Blueridge BR-163A. Long story short, I love, love, loved the Guild and the Martin, but the only one I couldn't live without was the Blueridge. I went to my local guitar store and auditioned higher end guitars with the same specs as my beloved Blueridge thinking if the Blueridge is so great, imagine a Martin OM-28 Marquis or a Guild F30R aragon, etc. Remarkably, the Blueridge beat the pants off everything else. I was fully prepared to fork over the cash for one of these "nicer" guitars but I bought another BR-163A.

As part of my rebuilding of the herd, I ended up with nothing but Gibsons - got an AJ-Elite, a Nick Lucas reissue (both Gibsons have Adirondack tops) and a J-15. To be totally honest, if my house was on fire and I could only save one guitar and there was no thought to whether any could be found again or how much I paid for them, it'd be a real serious toss up between the Blueridge and the Nick Lucas.

I ended up selling the J-15 like an idiot and sold the AJ because it's not anywhere near as loud as the Blueridge. Same woods, the AJ was wider and bigger and all that. Different tone - I'm not saying the BR makes the AJ sound bad. I'm just saying that for a an adirondack over rosewood slope dread to have its pants beat by an OM with the same wood says something.

My plan is to end up with two acoustics because I have so many other instruments and really, two will work for me. I want a big one and a small one which means I'm trying to decide between a J-45 and a J15 for the dread and I have to choose between the Nick Lucas and the Blueridge. It's insane when I think about this decision. The Nick is outstanding and certainly the most I've ever spent on an instrument. I love it, but do I love it for the same price as I would pay for 7 Blueridge BR-163As? Do I love it so much that I'd kick the Blueridge out of the house? When I'm really honest with myself, I think I already know the answer, which is why the Blueridge is still here. Wow!
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