Good Stage Guitar Recommendations

[Kojak]

Need a good middle of the road acoustic/electric for a line of shows next year. Shows will be a mix of an acoustic band outfit and also backing a vocalist. Styles of music will accommodate everything from John Butler (blues/rock) type material to softer finger picking material.

Have a beautiful D28 but have reservations of taking out on the road after a friends D35 got badly damaged recently at a gig by a drunken punter.


Gotten a few very good reviews from players who use a Takamine ef341sc. A good sounding, not too expensive and easily replaceable were the comments...although haven't had a chance to try one yet.

Anyone offer any suggestions.

Thanks

[SalFromChatham]

I have a Takamine P3NC. NEX shape. Cedar top. CTBII preamp. It’s about a grand... but a fantastic guitar. You can always get a good tone... it’s just easy. I play in an acoustic rock duo... I’ve done the Martin dread k&k route... the Gibson baggs element route...and so many others.

The Tak is a great performance guitar. And my cedar top one sounds great unplugged too.

[Chickee]

I jerk around with an Epiphone DR500mce. It takes a beating once or twice a week outside of the house. Plugged in sound with the onboard electrics is great for easy plug and play results. I am not, nor have been, advanced in acoustic guitar tone when plugged in. I’ve heard the biggest stars quack with their rigs, and I’m no star so it’s alright with me. The guitar is a lot smoother plugged in than it gets credit for.

It’s a great stage guitar you won’t mind if it got banged around. I’m sure there are plenty around for sale used. Just keep in mind to have about two hundred bucks extra to dial it in with a good set up, dress the fret ends, adjust the nut and saddle and then play the heck out of it. They play really well with D’Addario 80/20ph/br strings. Good luck in your search.

[JStotes]

After playing acoustic guitar on stage for the past 50 years and using pretty much every system, pickup, amp, mic, you name it, I've recently gotten a Godin Doyle Dykes model and have the most usable sound I've ever had.

Is it my Martin with a high end mic in front? NO. But it is a very convincing acoustic sound that keeps up with the electrics and doesn't feed back.
Very comfortable and well built instrument. I run it through the new Zoom AC3 and have had great success in every type of gig.

I can't imagine a situation where this setup wouldn't work.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Kojak

Need a good middle of the road acoustic/electric for a line of shows next year. Shows will be a mix of an acoustic band outfit and also backing a vocalist. Styles of music will accommodate everything from John Butler (blues/rock) type material to softer finger picking material.

Have a beautiful D28 but have reservations of taking out on the road after a friend's D35 got badly damaged recently at a gig by a drunken punter...

If you're willing to think a little outside the box and the kind of gigs you play require a bit more, um, durability, try an ESP TL-6 thinline acoustic/electric - under $600, no feedback issues at anything short of stadium volume, and the same Fishman electronics you'll find in most under-$1200 guitars...

[mrjop1975]

Another suggestion is that since you already have a Martin, maybe one of there X series with a solid spruce top, or a Road Series? Maybe not quite like the Martin you have, but keeping in with the fact you have a Martin and the Martin quality you already know.

[Oldguy64]

There are a number of options.
For my uses I count one mostly an old Alvarez Yairi, and a newer Takamine.
I imagine the Pro-series will yield a guitar that will do all you need.

I like that Garth Brooks, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Wariner and the Eagles play them.
I’m really impressed that the guys that play behind those guys choose to play Takamine.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by Kojak

Need a good middle of the road acoustic/electric for a line of shows next year. Shows will be a mix of an acoustic band outfit and also backing a vocalist. Styles of music will accommodate everything from John Butler (blues/rock) type material to softer finger picking material.

Have a beautiful D28 but have reservations of taking out on the road after a friends D35 got badly damaged recently at a gig by a drunken punter.


Gotten a few very good reviews from players who use a Takamine ef341sc. A good sounding, not too expensive and easily replaceable were the comments...although haven't had a chance to try one yet.

Anyone offer any suggestions.

Thanks

Have you consider carbon fiber? Being on the road and all that...resilience to temp and humidity and all that...being plugged in, etc...

[AZLiberty]

The ones that imediately come to mind:

One of the Chinese import Guilds
Martin X-Series
Martin Road Series.

In your case, I'd look at the Road Series. You can normally pick up a DRS1 on Craisglist for about $600.

[Kojak]

Thanks for all the replies.

Will be heading to a few stores over the weekend to try out a few different models.

[Red_Label]

Takamine, Yamaha, Breedlove, Taylor, etc all make great road instruments that hold-up well to the rigors of the road and sound good plugged-in.

[Sonics]

[Zandit75]

Australian brands, Maton or Cole Clark.
Reputed to have the best pickups on the market today.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by Kojak

Thanks for all the replies.

Will be heading to a few stores over the weekend to try out a few different models.

What’s your budget and what stores are you able to visit?
Have you looked at your local craigslist. Every once in a while I think you can find a decent guitar at a good price

[llew]

Try a new Yamaha Red Label FGX5 if you're looking for a dread. Around $1400 and a nice three way P/U consisting of a UST, Mic, and body sensor. You can dial it in pretty easily. An in between scale lenght at 25" makes it easy to fingerpick and stout enough to dig in with a flat pick. Sounds good unplugged and plugged in...if you can find one?