Should I get a new guitar or wait?

[Neil K Walk]

+1

At the age of 34 I'd been playing for 20 years and had never even laid hands on a Taylor. When I picked up a 414CE it was instant GAS but by then nobody was going to put up the scratch to pay the $1400 price tag and I sure as heck didn't have it. At the time I was playing a $200 lawsuit Takamine and pretty much received the same advice that you've been given which I followed. Less than $100 and a week later I got my Tak back and it played so good that I've yet to get GAS for a Taylor. Of course, I've since upgraded but it wasn't until a few years later after I'd gone as far as I could with that old Tak.

[dcmey]

Take your guitar to a tech and have it set up. This will make your current guitar a lot easier to play. After that I would start saving up money and when the time is right to upgrade you could it.

[rburke]

I have a Washburn WD25s and played it about 6 months before getting a professional setup done. I never found it uncomfortable to play but after the setup it because noticeably easier especially playing barre chords. I would spend the $50 or so first.

[GibbyPrague]

Yes you should. When I was about your age my first guitar was a crummy Washburn and it put me off playing for the next 15 years.

Dont make the same mistake that I have.

[jdinco]

You have all the "set-up" info you need! LOL So here's my buying advice that I had a lot of trouble following for a while there....take your time while looking for your next guitar. Matter of fact....take a LONG time! If you find a guitar you think is the one, keep looking at and playing others then go back to the one you thought was it. Sometimes it's still the one, sometimes it's not. You get the idea. Keep an open mind, play ALL the brands at all the price points. Maybe you can't afford that Collings OM2 (or whatever) right now, but it will give you a really good reference point for comparison to other guitars. A set up is still a great idea, but I would start looking....it could take you a year or so, and you may decide to keep the Washburn. Good Luck.

[Kip Carter]

For what little it costs to have your current guitar setup professionally that is a no brainer. Do it... Sooner rather than later.

As for saving up for another guitar that is a great idea too. I think everyone here would agree that your investment in a better instrument almost always is going to result in you playing more and improving.

Based on your opening for this thread, you know what you like about these other guitars you've been exposed to so work towards that. But get the old one setup for you so it plays a best it can. It will help if and when you go to sell it down the road to be able to assure your buyer that you have had it done and can demonstrate the play-ability of the current guitar.

[AlexTrca]

Thank you so much for your guyses responses and feedbacks. It's so cool that I can get this type of advice for free but my situation is... I took my guitar into the shop and the tech guy said that you can't really change the playa pity any more... I think I might save and work up for a $800 plus range because I want something that I can pick up and play without trying. If you know that feeling.

[Kip Carter]

Originally Posted by AlexTrca

Thank you so much for your guyses responses and feedbacks. It's so cool that I can get this type of advice for free but my situation is... I took my guitar into the shop and the tech guy said that you can't really change the playa pity any more... I think I might save and work up for a $800 plus range because I want something that I can pick up and play without trying. If you know that feeling.

Find a different tech guy and when you do get a new guitar make sure THAT guy doesn't touch it. Unless there are some serious structural issues, a good setup shouldn't be an issue at all.

Me thinks you had an encounter with a tech by name only.

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by AlexTrca

Thank you so much for your guyses responses and feedbacks. It's so cool that I can get this type of advice for free but my situation is... I took my guitar into the shop and the tech guy said that you can't really change the playa pity any more... I think I might save and work up for a $800 plus range because I want something that I can pick up and play without trying. If you know that feeling.

Unless your guitar has structural problems this doesn't ring true. If nothing else, why not try lighter strings while you are saving up for the new one.

I use DR Rares on all my guitars (although they seem to agree more with my Eastmans than my RK).

I use .10-48 on my GA and .11-50 on my OM. Still lots of sound and super easy to play. Just a cheap alternative/short term fix.

[AlexTrca]

Ok thanks guys!!!

[grim83]

Great advice in here all I'd add is don't get caught up on the price of a guitar save up as much as your comfortable with spending and then play everything you can in that price range before you buy. Just because it's a 5000 dollar guitar doesn't automatically make it better than a 500 dollar guitar. Some of the best guitars I've laid my hands on were under 1500 dollars new. Some of the worst ran north of there. Not saying a (insert expensive brand name here) will be bad just that your not guaranteed it will be great, your chances are just higher the more you pay. Some great middle of the road brands that turn out some amazing players (and some dogs) are Yamaha recording king and Eastman. I personally don't care for the lower offerings from the "big boys". I'd also spend some time learning what I like, whit do your favorites play and what materials are used in them. I've played enough guitars to know I like spruce and cedar tops and I prefer mahogany or sapele for the back and sides to rosewood, but I've played some great rosewood guitars I'd have owned in a heart beat.

[AlexTrca]

thanks!! this helped a lot!!