Your thoughts on the $500+ guitars

[WilliamTK1974]

I went to my lesson last night, and I'd done some ahh, doctoring, on my S6 Original, filing the nut to lower the first fret action because it was my only guitar that seemed to resist my efforts to barre at the first fret.

I asked the teacher to play it for a minute, explaining what I'd done. He obliged, and said it sounded OK to him with some buzz happening when he started strumming hard.

He went on to say that he understood why I wanted an S6, but given that I wasn't an absolute beginner, I should start saving money and planning to purchase something in the $500+ territory. He said the problem with my price point is that mass production limits the amount of personal attention given to the instrument during the manufacturing process, where more expensive instruments get more fine-tuning from the factory.

He let me play his Washburn cutaway, and I couldn't help but be impressed that my F barre chord worked on the first try. He said Washburn is like a poor man's Taylor.

While I'm not going to do anything rash, this does have me thinking about the next step. The shop near my home stocks Alvarez, Eastman, and maybe Cort. The nearby GC has Washburn, Taylor, Martin, Breedlove, and maybe Blueridge.

So, what was your step-up, especially if you made this move within the last few years?

[muscmp]

you have such a wide variety to choose from, i would recommend that you go to your big box store and play a bunch. don't pull out your wallet until you've gone back to that store or a few others so that you really know what you want.

don't rule out used.

play music!

[Jcamp]

I think a lot of it would depend on what you can afford and also what u picture being satisfied with. If $500 is a stretch then do the best u can. Buy used cause a $500 used guitar would b 8-900 new. Check on her or Craigslist and pawn shops. Larrivee is for the most part a guitar that’s equivalent to Martin and you’ll b able to find their more basic guitars for under $700. I’ve seen a lot of used Martin D15 guitars for under $800.
If $500 is gonna b ur max u can place a wanted add here on AGF and someone might hav a nice one around or u could shop for a used guitar like I already mentioned. I personally would limit my search to Alvarez, yairi, guild, Martin, Taylor, Gibson , Larrivee or Furch guitars. Of the ones I mentioned they all would b at least good players and hold their value as long as u bought them used to begin with which means u can sell them when/if u decide u want a +$1000 guitar

[WilliamTK1974]

Originally Posted by muscmp

you have such a wide variety to choose from, i would recommend that you go to your big box store and play a bunch. don't pull out your wallet until you've gone back to that store or a few others so that you really know what you want.

don't rule out used.

play music!

Oh yeah, no problem with used as long as it's not used up. Same goes for cars. Let someone else pay the original full price.

The GC has a used Martin DM15 that almost has me salivating. $800 used and well played in.

[mikealpine]

I don't know your skill set, so I don't want to offend, but perhaps spending a few dollars on a professional setup is all you need. That being said, if you can afford another guitar, the best thing to do is go to a store, pick up a bunch and play them. Pick the one that feels and sounds the best. That has led me to a cheaper GS Mini and an expensive 814CE. There are so many guitars like Takamine, Yamaha, and others that you might be more comfortable on.

[89bruin]

You might want to find a good luthier/tech in your area before giving up on your current instrument. I had my favorite tech do afull set up on my $150 Gretsch Jim Dandy and it plays beautifully. Granted, it doesn’t have the sound of my better instruments but it plays great as my knock-around guitar. Your S6 may seem like a different beast after a good professional set-up.

[WilliamTK1974]

I'm taking my lunch break to run the S6 over to the local shop to maybe undo my handiwork. That's why I ordered an extra nut and saddle, after all...

There's no rush to upgrade, it just planted the seed. Teacher said that he started me on barre chords because I showed more than typical beginner competence with open chords.

[Jcamp]

I’ve played multiple Martin d15 guitars and for the $800 I don’t think u can go wrong. I know some folks ain’t a fan of the hog top but to me they sound good. If your interested in that one go back and play it and point out a few flaws to the sales man and ask what his best out the door price is on it cause if it’s a good one you’ll buy it. Make sure a case comes with it

[Frogstar]

Originally Posted by WilliamTK1974

He let me play his Washburn cutaway, and I couldn't help but be impressed that my F barre chord worked on the first try. He said Washburn is like a poor man's Taylor.

While I'm not going to do anything rash, this does have me thinking about the next step. The shop near my home stocks Alvarez, Eastman, and maybe Cort. The nearby GC has Washburn, Taylor, Martin, Breedlove, and maybe Blueridge.

So, what was your step-up, especially if you made this move within the last few years?

That's a peculiar thing to hear, and I can't say I agree.

But for me, I stepped up from a Breedlove Atlas (one of their Korean-made models from ~13 years ago), to a Seagull Entourage Rustic CW QIT.
I've since stepped up again to a Taylor GS5 and a Seagull Artist Mosaic.

[fazool]

A used guitar for $500-$1000 will be "twice as good" as a new guitar in the same price point.

You said $500+ but I don't know if the plus means $501 or $15,001

What's your upper limit?

Frankly, you aren't going to make a huge step up at $500 without going used.


Around $800-1000 and you start getting into noticeable step-up territory.

Instead of buying a new Washburn and calling it a poor man's Taylor, I would have bought a used man's Taylor.

You could get a used Taylor 314 or GA3, or a Martin D-15M or 000-15M for $700 and have a very, very good guitar.

[jfitz81]

There are many advantages to "upgrading," and you may want to at some point. But I don't think playability or buzzing should be the reason, at least for this particular guitar. Your S6 is a good enough instrument that a good set-up should have it sounding and feeling good. Just my opinion.

[BFD]

Originally Posted by WilliamTK1974

Oh yeah, no problem with used as long as it's not used up. Same goes for cars. Let someone else pay the original full price.

The GC has a used Martin DM15 that almost has me salivating. $800 used and well played in.

Although lots of folks buy used guitars, myself included, realize that it's on you to assure that you're not getting a guitar with (potentially expensive) issues that may not be obvious to many people. If you feel you know how to evaluate used guitars go for it. It's not something I ever recommend to beginners.

[Johnny K]

Originally Posted by WilliamTK1974

I went to my lesson last night, and I'd done some ahh, doctoring, on my S6 Original, filing the nut to lower the first fret action because it was my only guitar that seemed to resist my efforts to barre at the first fret.

I asked the teacher to play it for a minute, explaining what I'd done. He obliged, and said it sounded OK to him with some buzz happening when he started strumming hard.

He went on to say that he understood why I wanted an S6, but given that I wasn't an absolute beginner, I should start saving money and planning to purchase something in the $500+ territory. He said the problem with my price point is that mass production limits the amount of personal attention given to the instrument during the manufacturing process, where more expensive instruments get more fine-tuning from the factory.

He let me play his Washburn cutaway, and I couldn't help but be impressed that my F barre chord worked on the first try. He said Washburn is like a poor man's Taylor.

While I'm not going to do anything rash, this does have me thinking about the next step. The shop near my home stocks Alvarez, Eastman, and maybe Cort. The nearby GC has Washburn, Taylor, Martin, Breedlove, and maybe Blueridge.

So, what was your step-up, especially if you made this move within the last few years?

A better Seagull. Just pure blind luck, one day I was haunting the local used musical equipment emporium to see what they had new that week (if you live in the DC area, you the store I'm talking about near the University of Maryland) and they had an '02 Artist Series mahogany/spruce cutaway for sale. I got em down to 250 and spend another 295 at the luthier where I bought my Martin HD28V to fix a dent on the top side, replace a mismatched tuner button and install an LR Baggs I-Beam pickup. I knew I struck gold when I took it my first Bluegrass jam and it sounded great. It's not a great as a D18, but it's very close. And new one is only about 600 bucks cheaper than a D-18. Point i'm making is start scouring the used sources, like Facebook Marketplace and local shops.

[troystory92]

Originally Posted by WilliamTK1974

So, what was your step-up, especially if you made this move within the last few years?

I started lessons at 10 years of age with some kind of Yamaha acoustic. About 1 year or so in, a lady at my church sold my parents her Aria acoustic, with a hard case, for $100. Research told me it was about a $300 guitar new. I played the crap out of it.

6 years later, my Grandmother passed away and left me $500. She was the only other musician in my family. Played organ in her church fro 30 years.

I had been playing open mics pretty heavily for about 2 years with my Aria and a sound hole pickup. I figured it was time for an upgrade.


I went to my local GC and told a salesman I had $500 cash and wanted the best guitar for the money. He put out 5 or so guitars. I don't remember all of them but a Breedlove Passport C250/CMe hit my hands and I fell for it. I didn't like the body shape but I didn't care.

It was a HUGE step up from my Aria. I ended up writing my first songs on it and played my first gigs with it. I loved that guitar.

The electronics ended up crapping out on me. No tech could figure out how to fix it without completely replacing the electronics, so I traded it in and upgraded to a 214ce-k dlx. Couldn't be happier now, but I still miss that Breedlove...


So go play some guitars!

[backdoc]

Originally Posted by 89bruin

You might want to find a good luthier/tech in your area before giving up on your current instrument. I had my favorite tech do afull set up on my $150 Gretsch Jim Dandy and it plays beautifully. Granted, it doesn’t have the sound of my better instruments but it plays great as my knock-around guitar. Your S6 may seem like a different beast after a good professional set-up.

I agree. Start with this.