#61
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You will hear this many times, but go to a shop and play what you like and let the guitar choose YOU.
Having said that, I too thought Dreadnoughts were the only "real" acoustic guitar worth owning. After trying many GAs, OMs, 000s, and others, I find that other guitars certainly have their places. I now have proven to myself that while I find Dreads to be the most versatile of guitars, it's best to choose the right tool for the job. Having come full circle, I just prefer dreads and bigger guitars. I like the chest rumbling, full bass, and volume of bigger guitars. Some prefer the response and delicateness of a smaller body. We all like something a little different. |
#62
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So here is a question - I am not interested in electronics on an acoustic but I've found a used guitar that I would like to check out which has electronics (the guitar will have to be brought in from another province). I have electronics in my LL6, but they are unobtrusive. This guitar, a Taylor 414, has the three control knobs on the upper shoulder. Having controls there kind of bugs me, but I am wondering if I should force myself to get over this if I like everything else about the guitar, particularly when it is in mint condition and is available for 2/3rds of the price new. Because of the electronics I can't decide whether to have the guitar brought in or not. If it didn't have those I would be all over it.
How much of an issue should I let this be, or should I ignore it if everything else about the guitar works for me?
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---------- "All of Chuck's children are out there playing his licks" |
#63
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#64
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I think the confusion is more consumer induced than anything else, and the market is engineering its products accordingly.
First off, you can play anything on any acoustic guitar so all those choices should be immediately homogenized to a personal preference for one guitar that fits your feel and ear. Second, of the legitimate choices there are 6 and 12 steel string guitars, and then there are nylon string guitars of the classical and cross-over variety. Once the consumer market got itself a forum the content somehow categorized which guitars are suited to which music, builders cropped up everywhere in response to it, prices went through the roof and all of it is built on forum discussions that have no factual credibility. It's 100% preference driven and of that preference I would venture a guess that most of it is just being parroted by people who have little real experience as accomplished players with developed hand and ear skills. A very few have set the tone for what music should be played on what guitar. I learned to play Classical Gas on a Yamaha FG230 12 string because I loved the piece and the guitar sounded good. Plus, I was very young, inexperienced and to my green hands and ears all guitars were the same, aside from the number and type of strings. So, the choices should not be confusing if you dismiss all the forum induced profiling of music and guitars. Just get what you like, learn to play it well and go from there. |
#65
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If at all possible, you should ignore the knobs, and have the guitar brought in to try. If you really like it, and you decide to buy it, you could at some point...if you can't get "over" the knobs being there...have the knobs removed and wooden plugs put into the holes. A good luthier/repair person can do that and match the grain of the wood of the "plugs" really well with the wood of the side the knobs were in, so you would see it very little if at all. duff Be A Player...Not A Polisher Last edited by mcduffnw; 05-20-2019 at 03:09 PM. Reason: add content |
#66
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Remember, anything you do to a guitar affects it's sound, that includes adding or removing electronics. |
#67
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Keep saving until you can afford a Martin '37 D-28A Authentic with VTS. You'll be glad you did!
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#68
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#69
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Yes, it is a used guitar. Today was a holiday here, so I will call the store tomorrow and speak to the manager who was helping me. He had told me that Taylors can be ordered without electronics so I will get him to check around and see what is availabe used but without electronics.
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---------- "All of Chuck's children are out there playing his licks" |
#70
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I didn't say it would be a complete match...I said it could be gotten close...which it can...I have seen it. It would be harder on Rosewood than say Mahogany or a fairly bland maple, but I have seen it done on Rosewood sided guitars where the match wasn't too far off. I have seen remarkably good matches on hole patches on vintage rosewood back and sided guitars...even spider webbed brazilian guitars. It all depends on the luthiers restoration skills...AND...the caliber and color and grain varieties of their wood stocks available to use for repair patches. Restoration patching is definitely an art form skill set in and of itself. Remember...my first choice was to just ignore the buttons...as really...you do not see them very much at all when you hold the guitar and play, either sitting or standing. This is especially true of Taylor's ES control buttons as they are very low profile. duff Be A Player...Not A Polisher |
#71
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Just an update............
I recently came across a listing for an NOS custom Gibson Songwriter model. Only 65 were made for Canada's largest guitar store chain, and one was still floating around but the price had been significantly reduced. The originating store refused to transfer it to my local store, so I contacted the company president who got the guitar into my local store in less than 72 hours. I played it earlier today for a brief time (was in a hurry to get home from work but made a detour to pop into the store). From what I could tell today, it is a beautiful guitar. It has a red spruce top, and the back and sides are a lighter wood than I had expected. I am not sure which wood they are, but it is a nice look. The information at the link provided below says that the back and sides are mahogany, but I don't know that I have ever seen mahogany of that particular colour before. I am not saying it doesn't exist in that colour, just that I've never seen it. There isn't as much grain showing on the back as I normally like, but I'm not about to let that dissuade me. The fretboard badly needs some lemon oil, but that is easy to deal with. It also needs new strings, which is also an easy fix. The guitar tech at that store is a good friend of mine so I will call him over the weekend to let him know it is there and he can take care of those things for me when he returns Tuesday. The neck felt very comfortable, and the sound was very well balanced. It never became bassy or boomy, which can be a problem with some acoustics (at least for me as I try to transition to picking with thumb and first finger and as that technique continues to develop). When playing with fingers I find that some acoustics can sound a bit muffled, but this one didn't. It was also loud as hell when played with a pick. Overall I was impressed, and it is a great deal (new, but for about $1800 less than normal after taxes). I just have to decide whether I am ready to drop $2500 (after taxes) on it. Right now, I am fairly certain that I am, but I want to play it a bit more before taking the final plunge. I will also put my Yamaha LL6 and its deluxe case up for sale to see if that will move because I do not need two acoustics. I managed to find a listing for one of this model on reverb.com, and have included the link below so that people can see the exact model that I am talking about. The one pictured here shows more grain on the back than mine does, but is otherwise identical (except that this one is used). Here is the link: https://reverb.com/item/18267490-gib...rondack-spruce
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---------- "All of Chuck's children are out there playing his licks" |
#72
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When Did Buying An Acoustic Become So Confusing???
Actually it's an inverse relationship based on what you know about something. Ignorance can be bliss, but as others have written, just play as many guitars as you can. Use your knowledge wisely. And keep learning. One or more guitars will choose you. Comfort, playability, and sound are your 3 boxes to check off. Don .
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*The Heard: 85 Gibson J-200 sitka/rosewood Jumbo 99 Taylor 355 sitka/sapele 12 string Jmbo 06 Alvarez AJ60S englmn/mpl lam med Jmbo 14 Taylor 818e sitka/rosewood Grand Orchestra 05 Taylor 512ce L10 all mahogany Grand Concert 09 Taylor all walnut Jmbo 16 Taylor 412e-R sitka/rw GC 16 Taylor 458e-R s/rw 12 string GO 21 Epiphone IBG J-200 sitka/maple Jmbo 22 Guild F-1512 s/rw 12 string Jmbo |
#73
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As stated your best bit of advice here is play as many as you can, you'll find it that way.
Then go buy a Larrivee ( yes they have gloss finishes, 05 series & up). Moving their business to California was business, & Jean's getting on in years and wanted a better climate. ( I'm a Canadian in the States, but STILL a Canadian)
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Herman |
#74
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Stop being confused in two easy steps.
1) Don't take any notice of what is posted on the forum 2) Buy whatever takes your fancy Problem solved |
#75
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---------- "All of Chuck's children are out there playing his licks" |