"Beater" acoustic guitar?

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by merlin666

Life is too short to not have the best guitars that the wallet can handle. I only have one <2K guitar which was my first some 45 years ago and it does not get played anymore. As for the other four I take them out to play anywhere depending on the songs I intend to play and the level of string freshness. Potential financial value is no consideration at all. They are made to be played!

I agree with merlin666

I take whatever I want out...to the beach, to the mountains, the the city, county, or state parks, to the river, to picnics, to parties at other peoples places.

I have very nice, and...I reckon somewhat expensive guitars, rare guitars even, but I don't baby them, and only play them at home...safe in bed...so to speak.

This would include 3 guitars by luthier John Greven, and a very very rare vintage Guild F-512 12 string. Are they mint condition...no...well one of the Greven's was once...new in 2013, but not now...but, I own them to play them, and not to worry about every little nick or ding that comes their way, and not worry about the whole "resale value" kettle of fish.

What a killjoy that would be...to have to worry about everyone and everything and everywhere you and other folks might use...or want to use...your guitar, for fear of causing some issue with the guitars physical appearance/condition and thus adversely affecting it's resale value.

There is nothing better for me than taking my favorite guitar...or guitars...out on the beach at Cannon Beach as the sun sets, and sitting by a nice fire and playing and singing as day turns to night. You just put a towel down in the sand to rest the bottom of the guitar on as you lean it up against the old driftwood log you are sitting on when you are not playing.

Do I get a little sand on the guitar...sure...but it brushes off pretty easily. Does the guitar get an occasional scratch or nick or ding from doing stuff like that...sure sometimes...but the willingness to not worry about it, and instead, be able to enjoy your guitar wherever you want to is a wonderfully "freeing" feeling...and a whole lotta musical fun.

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[revellfa]

My Yamaha FG-180 is my beater and it shows. All laminate they tell me, so it should be ok.

I also keep a beaten up Seagull or two around for campfires, etc.

[Monsoon1]

I have a Fender Shenandoah with the bolt on neck that I pieced together from parts. It's a gloriously hideous looking guitar that I love playing, and I can take it anywhere.

[Condition1]

Originally Posted by mcduffnw

I agree with merlin666



I take whatever I want out...to the beach, to the mountains, the the city, county, or state parks, to the river, to picnics, to parties at other peoples places.



I have very nice, and...I reckon somewhat expensive guitars, rare guitars even, but I don't baby them, and only play them at home...safe in bed...so to speak.



This would include 3 guitars by luthier John Greven, and a very very rare vintage Guild F-512 12 string. Are they mint condition...no...well one of the Greven's was once...new in 2013, but not now...but, I own them to play them, and not to worry about every little nick or ding that comes their way, and not worry about the whole "resale value" kettle of fish.



What a killjoy that would be...to have to worry about everyone and everything and everywhere you and other folks might use...or want to use...your guitar, for fear of causing some issue with the guitars physical appearance/condition and thus adversely affecting it's resale value.



There is nothing better for me than taking my favorite guitar...or guitars...out on the beach at Cannon Beach as the sun sets, and sitting by a nice fire and playing and singing as day turns to night. You just put a towel down in the sand to rest the bottom of the guitar on as you lean it up against the old driftwood log you are sitting on when you are not playing.



Do I get a little sand on the guitar...sure...but it brushes off pretty easily. Does the guitar get an occasional scratch or nick or ding from doing stuff like that...sure sometimes...but the willingness to not worry about it, and instead, be able to enjoy your guitar wherever you want to is a wonderfully "freeing" feeling...and a whole lotta musical fun.



duff

Be A Player...Not A Polisher

Some people have more financial means and know they can easily replace their instrument if needed. There are professionals who need their best gear...there are some, like myself, who save or trade for a nice instrument...I am sure it hurts everyone when their instrument gets damaged, but for some the cost of replacement/fix weights more I guess.

[BT55]

Originally Posted by Goat Whiskey Picks

There is also the fact that as soon as you plug into a PA or amp the playing field gets level pretty quick. An inexpensive guitar with a good pickup will sound pretty dang awesome to your audience. Now put me in front of a mic for a radio or TV spot, I'm going to be playing my best sounding guitar. I think real world practicality should be considered also.

I think that Goat Wiskey Picks hits the nail directly on the head. In audience appreciation a properly amplified a 20k vs. a $500 makes no real difference. It’s the player not the guitar!

I bought a $169 Gretsch Jim Dandy for road trips, campfires, and general fooling around. Sounds raw and boxy, like a $169 guitar should. No regrets!

[619TF]

Originally Posted by Condition1

Some people have more financial means and know they can easily replace their instrument if needed. There are professionals who need their best gear...there are some, like myself, who save or trade for a nice instrument...I am sure it hurts everyone when their instrument gets damaged, but for some the cost of replacement/fix weights more I guess.

^^This. Some of us don't have money to burn and scrimped and saved to be able to afford that nice (over $2k guitar....or even an over $1k guitar). So yes, when I go out somewhere where people will be less than careful (a bar, camping, to my clumsy friend's house) I bring the cheap one that I played while I was in savings mode. Sure it's not as fun to play and it doesn't sound as nice but most listeners don't notice and I simply couldn't afford any repairs on the 614ce. When I'm at home it's the 614ce that gets the most play time BUT even then, if I need to move room to room I'll put it back in the case first so I don't ding it. YWMV (your wallet may vary).

[Tony Burns]

Ive got a couple of beaters - a '78 Guild D-25 and a old Dick Boak BR Dread -
not affraid of taking either out , letting others play them etc- but both have decent hardshell cases.
Actually both have decent tone and play decently -

[hotroad]

Now that I have a Bose S1 with the battery I can plug in anywhere. Therefore the beater guitar has to have a pickup of some sort, usually my M80 across the soundhole plugged into my S1. I like being plugged in even if the volume is down. I feel it adds the option of not beating on my beater too hard to be heard.

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by Condition1

Some people have more financial means and know they can easily replace their instrument if needed. There are professionals who need their best gear...there are some, like myself, who save or trade for a nice instrument...I am sure it hurts everyone when their instrument gets damaged, but for some the cost of replacement/fix weights more I guess.

I can assure you that I am a VERY long long way from being a person of "mean$"

I had a very short window in my life where I had a wee little bit of "mean$", and was also able to sell some instruments and other gear to acquire some of what I have, and also was the recipient of some truly staggering levels of generosity from John Greven on a couple of the guitars.

My cars...all 3...are 1992, 1992, 1995...and are far from the nicest...but get my wife and I down the road...and to the repair shop from time to time as well...sigh...

Mostly...I was very very lucky to have a brief window in time to be able to get what I have. That window is now very much closed.

I will never again...ever, realistically...have the ability to acquire what I now have...short of a lottery level miracle.

Thus it is not for a surplus of "mean$" that I use my guitars the way I do. It is because I want to be able to take them and play them anywhere and everywhere I choose and enjoy them for the music they let me make, and not have to worry about them, or be afraid to take them anywhere...lest I should somehow do something to them while using them that in some way diminishes their resale value.

Of course, I have never bought a guitar with resale value in mind whatsoever, nor do I buy with the notion of getting the very bestest, lowest price for me. I have always bought because I wanted the guitar a specific guitar to play, and as long as I thought the price was a reasonable one for all parties...not necessarily the best for me...then I was happy to pay it.

I have had...and have...good friends and acquaintances whom are resale value "priority" buyers, and they, to a person, have always been the ones who were, and are, afraid to use their guitars anywhere that there was a notion of risk to the guitars condition involved in playing in that "place".

Watching that happen with these folks over and over again, watching them fret and worry about scratches, and nicks, and swirls and haze in the finish, and self limit where and how they could use their very best guitars they owned, I have always felt sad for them, and glad for myself that I never felt the need, or compulsion, to limit my freedom of using my guitars how ever I wanted to.

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[JackB1]

How do you like that DC-18e? Been checking that one out.

Originally Posted by Condition1

Great points. I am new to guitars, currently own a Martin D Special and a DC-18e. In the process of saving for a Taylor 414R (I prefer how it sounds over the D28). I absolutely love how the Martin D Special sounds, always playing that guitar at home. I would hate sometime happening to the DC18 or to the 414R...so I would be taking a guitar I really enjoy playing as well but that would not bother as much if it received a few dings and scratches as much as the others

[Praxis]

I like having a beater -- a guitar around that I can leave on a stand in the corner of the living room, that I can that I don't care if it gets dinged up and such. But it has to sound good, otherwise what's the point?

My current beater is a Seagull S6 Cedar, scratched, dented, dinged. And it sounds and plays great.

[guitarxan]

I have 2. An 80’s vintage Ibanez AW40 that has been to hell and back through beach trips youth groups campfires, ski trips etc. it is indestructible and now hangs on my wall forever in Open G tuning. Big old spruce top maple back and sides.

The second is a Taylor 114CE. That is my pull of the wall and play guitar. Fun to play with a great travel gig bag and it seems sturdy. Oh yeah it sounds really good.

[llew]

I have a Voyage Air VAOM-02 all laminate that is pretty much my "go anywhere" guitar. And it isn't bad for what it is. But having just come back from a week long mission trip to Marsh Harbour in Abaco, Bahamas I took my Takamine. It was far better suited for leading the music at Sunday worship than the VA. Was it damaged? Nope...the case suffered some dings and bruises from gate checking and being in the cargo hold but the guitar was just fine.

[Dru Edwards]

I have a couple of Simon & Patrick guitars that could be considered beaters. Bought them at a pawn shop and they're great guitars. Guitars that I could take to a bonfire and pass around.