Recommendation for a "leave out on the stand" acoustic

[foxo]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Martin 000-15SM

I wouldn’t suggest this, it’s an all solid instrument. I have run into problems with my 00015m before I started humidifying it.

[JBCROTTY]

Yamaha FG800 - yes, it has a solid top but an excellent player, virtually indestructible, and $199 brand new.

[guitarxan]

A Taylor 110 or 114 perhaps?. My “leave it on the stand is a Taylor 114ce. A bit more money but a lot of guitar, or the Academy series as one other poster suggested. I live in AZ and the 114 has been stable all year round.

[llew]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I think one of the all HPL Martin's will give you just what you're looking for. They get surprising tone out of a guitar body with no wood. No it's not going to sound as good as your high end Martin, but it is going to sound like it's in the Maritn family.

Yeah...I've heard these are nice for all laminate Martins. Never tried one but would like to.

[Skip Ellis]

All mine are on stands or leaning against various pieces of furniture - if they were in cases, I wouldn't play them.

[sayheyjeff]

Decent at the low $ end can mean different things to different folks of course. I had an expensive gig bag I didn’t need anymore and was unable to sell. Traded it for an inexpensive Recording King dirty thirties guitar. It’s a 00 size with a pickup. Played ok and sounded a lot like a guitar. Took it to the luthier I always go to. He did an hour or so worth of tweeks. When he was done, the action was exactly the same as my other guitars. We put a new set of John Pearce phosphor bronze strings on it. The little guy now plays really nicely and sounds a million times better. It’s relatively indestructible, plays n sounds ok, and I don’t have a lot $$$ in it. It now sits on a guitar stand near the entertainment center full time. Had originally thought I would sell it on Craigslist and be done with it. However, I’ve had it over a year and pick it up all the time as it’s handy. I think these guitars retail new for around $200 +\- and can be found for less used. Served a need I didn’t even know I had.

Jeff

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by geewhiz

…I'm assuming that anything with a solid top is out of the running because even with lam back/sides it would still be susceptible to dryness.

Hi gw

Why would a solid top (or all solid) be out of the running. I have various all-solid guitars which hang on the wall when the humidity is adequate, and my Solid-top (laminate sides) year round.

I just keep a sound-hole humidifier (Kyser Lifeguard) loosely fitted in the sound hole to keep the body adequately humidified, and it's worked well for me with no negative results for 20+ years even in the driest winters (which we are famous for).

There is certainly no reason to play anything other than your favorite guitars year round.

Humidity is easy to deal with. More concerning/limiting factors for guitars either being hung or put on a stand 24/7 are pets or rowdy/curious children.







[/size]

[Lakewood_Lad]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

All mine are on stands or leaning against various pieces of furniture - if they were in cases, I wouldn't play them.

I have my guitars on the stand all the time too. A Larrivee, a Lakewood and a Martin. I never even thought about humidifying until I read this thread. Do I need to do that?

[FrankHudson]

I know folks have different spaces and different attitudes, I'm one that agrees with your premise: guitars in cases get played less for me.

The little room where I write this and work on audio pieces has 4 electric guitars, 3 electric basses and an acoustic guitar all out and ready to grab. This is in the dread Minnesota winter, and the humidity is not ideal. The acoustic is an old, non-descript Japanese Martin copy with a solid top (I don't know about the b&s). I dare say it has little resale value. I decided at my age and the guitars age I was willing to possibly cause a crack or other damage to it that would not be economically justifiable to repair.

I know that's a cold judgement (no pun intended) and what I did is not for everyone. The guitar's age says that the wood may have stabilized more than a freshly built low-cost guitar. In your case (or not in case, pun now intended) if you find the all HPL Martin acceptable on a price and sound basis you'd have a solution. I've never been able to play that HPL topped one (though I thought the HPL b&s model I played several years ago in a store sounded OK). If not, consider "they were expendable" as your motto.

[geewhiz]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi gw

Why would a solid top (or all solid) be out of the running. I have various all-solid guitars which hang on the wall when the humidity is adequate, and my Solid-top (laminate sides) year round.

I just keep a sound-hole humidifier (Kyser Lifeguard) loosely fitted in the sound hole to keep the body adequately humidified, and it's worked well for me with no negative results for 20+ years even in the driest winters (which we are famous for).

There is certainly no reason to play anything other than your favorite guitars year round.

Humidity is easy to deal with. More concerning/limiting factors for guitars either being hung or put on a stand 24/7 are pets or rowdy/curious children.







[/size]

I like the way you think! But that goes against everything every luthier (and new guitar warranty) has ever taught me about solid wood or even solid top guitars. Maybe it's like everything else - in the real world things aren't like you read about in forums...

[jswr450]

Another vote for a Yamaha FG 830 or similar. Amazing guitar for the money.

[personatech]

Originally Posted by geewhiz

I would think that anything all solid or with a solid top left unhumidified is just asking for problems. I live in the very dry northeast (US).

I'm looking for budget friendly laminate recommendations

A few days ago I played a 1978 Takamine F400 "lawsuit" 12-string that sounded superb considering it's all-laminated. Perhaps a similar used Tak 6-string or an old Yamaha red label FG180?

[wguitar]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi gw

Why would a solid top (or all solid) be out of the running. I have various all-solid guitars which hang on the wall when the humidity is adequate, and my Solid-top (laminate sides) year round.

I just keep a sound-hole humidifier (Kyser Lifeguard) loosely fitted in the sound hole to keep the body adequately humidified, and it's worked well for me with no negative results for 20+ years even in the driest winters (which we are famous for).

There is certainly no reason to play anything other than your favorite guitars year round.

Humidity is easy to deal with. More concerning/limiting factors for guitars either being hung or put on a stand 24/7 are pets or rowdy/curious children.







[/size]

I AGREE with LJ -- There is certainly no reason to play anything other than your favorite guitars year round.

IMHO, Kinda reminds me of grandma's fine china that was only used on holidays and other special occasions -- while daily meals were served on plastic plates. Cheers!

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by foxo

I wouldn’t suggest this, it’s an all solid instrument. I have run into problems with my 00015m before I started humidifying it.

I have one. I leave it out. It’s a tank.

[Birchtop]

Yamaha FG 800 series or higher. All come with a solid Sitka spruce tops, except the FG850, it’s all Mahogany

The FG800 is still at $199. Don’t let the low price fool ya. The 820 (mahogany) and 830 (rosewood) just had a $20 increase this year. I would grab one of those over the 800, but you would do well with any one of them.

I have an older FG700 series that I leave out all the time. It’s also the one I take outside the most as well.