Luna Guitars?

[DissonantTimbre]

Is this a good brand? Do they make solid guitars? Some of their models look pretty cool, especially those acoustics with the desert scenes on them. I've never even seen any in a store I've only ever seen their ukes. Does anyone have any experience with Luna?

[fazool]

They are owned by Dean guitars. They are an economy brand. Apparently they have some OK beginner level guitars. Mostly decorated stuff.

[Rev Tim T]

Before I start let me share a story. Perhaps two.

I have been playing guitar for almost 50 years. Have been married for just over 40. Since I am a minister my wife and I have been singing together for those 40 years. During most of that time my wife never had any interest in going into a guitar store. About six years ago we walk into a guitar store and she walks around and then shows me a Luna guitar. It is a Luna Oasis Henna with cedar top with art work on the top and the back. She looks at me and says, "am I to old to learn t play guitar?" (Then mid 50's years old) I said, "No - Why?" She says, "that guitar is so pretty I am going to learn to play so I can buy it." I mistakenly said to her, "People don't usually buy a guitar for how it looks but for how it sounds."

Moving along . . . she learned to play and bought the guitar. Sounds and plays great.

Story two - Our son has a degree in music, an accomplished musician on a number of instruments and a worship leader in a church outside of Boston. His guitar had electrical problems and he borrowed wife's Luna Oasis Henna and used it for a number of months. The guitar's sound shined in his hands. When his personal guitar was finally repaired we went to visit and pick up my wife's guitar. While there we got to play in their service. A funny aside is he had been playing the guitar for months and no one ever noticed or said anything but when we were there and got to play with their worship team during the service a number of people went up to my wife and said, "What a beautiful guitar."

So, if a guitar looks good, and sounds good and plays comfortably - and gets someone to want to learn to play . . . isn't that what it's all about?

Now, that being said - are Luna's Martin's or Taylor's - no. But you have to compare apples to apples. So that means you have to compare similar guitars. So that means you have to look at Mexican made Martins and Taylors to be in the same league. That means you have to compare entry Martins and Taylors (and without starting a war - Mexican made Martin's and Taylor's in my mind are real Martin's or Taylor's) to like Luna's. That means you would be looking at Luna's all wood guitars - Art Deco, Art Recording or Signature models. Similar prices and fair comparisons - and they more than hold their own.

Luna Safari's more than hold their own against Little Martin's and Baby Taylor's and about 1/2 the price. Between wife and I we own all three so I can speak from experience but this is our opinion.

So, are Luna guitars o.k? Yes - and if they get people interested in music and playing - isn't that what it's all about?

Tim

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by fazool

They are an economy brand....

Right. Their tops and backs often have great grain, but I think that means they're likely laminate. You can occasionally get a good one, as Rev attests....

[GHS]

I will give you my two cents worth of advice. I would say that Yamaha has some of the best sounding/playing guitars on the market. My FG730s is a remarkable guitar. Beautiful finish, great fret work, excellent neck and most important and surprisingly, has the best spot on intonation of all of my acoustic guitars. Yes, some of the others are five to six times the price of the Yamaha. Do they sound different? Yes. do they sound better...well...no, just different. I think the 800 series has replaced the 700/730 series. Alvarez has some nice guitars but you have to go up the price ladder in their line to get ones as good as the lower priced Yamaha models. Its the kind of guitar you grow in to, not out of.

[AZLiberty]

Luna gets a lot of hate because they definitely give the impression of "looks first, sound second".

That having been said, their solid topped instruments are actually quite decent sounding instruments for the price. The all laminate ones...those sound like dead boxes.

The henna one the Rev references above is one of their solid topped models.

Apparently they now offer (Artist series) all solid wood guitars. I have never seen or played on in person though.
So as long as the one you are looking at has a solid top (check the specs online), I think it's fine.

Normally my go-to entry level instruments would be an Alvarez Artist Series, whatever Breedlove's entry level import is this week, or Seagull.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

Luna gets a lot of hate because they definitely give the impression of "looks first, sound second".

That having been said, their solid topped instruments are actually quite decent sounding instruments for the price.

The times I've been in music stores and picked up Luna guitars to play that has been my experience, as well. The ones that have solid spruce or cedar tops can be really nice-sounding. And some of them do look simply stunning.

Advances in computer-controlled manufacturing processes have made it possible to decorate guitars in a way that simply wasn't feasible in mass market guitars prior to this. And if that attracts someone who might not otherwise be drawn to playing guitar, it's a positive good, so far as I'm concerned.

More power to them.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Athens]

The solid top guitars are very good guitars in that price class. I had a Dragonfly as a kick around guitar for a while. It actually played and sounded very good for what it was.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one for a first or intermediate guitar.

[Oldguy64]

I bought a Luna Safari for the grands to “bang away on”.
It stays in tune. Doesn’t sound bad.
It is a bit thin when heard directly after playing one of the full size guitars.

Secondly, I have recently become a fan of the incomparable Vicki Genfan.
She plays a Luna to great effect.

I don’t own a full size one. But I would.

Originally Posted by DissonantTimbre

Is this a good brand? Do they make solid guitars? Some of their models look pretty cool, especially those acoustics with the desert scenes on them. I've never even seen any in a store I've only ever seen their ukes. Does anyone have any experience with Luna?

You've heard it from others: looks matter. Looks matter to me too. But so does sound. So make sure that pretty guitar you want to buy also sounds good. You may want to sample several and pick the one that sounds nicest to your ears. Good luck with your hunt.

[markrj]

A Luna Butterfly guitar was the catalyst that started my oldest daughter playing the guitar.

She saw it in a local guitar shop and wanted to learn how to play it.

I worked out a deal with the shop and bought it for her for Christmas many years ago now.

She still has it, still loves it, and plays it daily.

[Riakstonic]

I had a trinity 12 string for a while it’s was a good guitar , great for intermediate players or under .

Here’s a really bad video of me playing it , I feel like dork now that I watch it lmao . It was many years ago never made a vid and I guess after seeing it again I understand why I never should try again hahaha. But I did do some though not much better lol

https://youtu.be/-DhHxi1VYHc

[bluesfreek]

Originally Posted by markrj

A Luna Butterfly guitar was the catalyst that started my oldest daughter playing the guitar.

She saw it in a local guitar shop and wanted to learn how to play it.

I worked out a deal with the shop and bought it for her for Christmas many years ago now.

She still has it, still loves it, and plays it daily.

I believe Luna guitars are marketed to young ladies in an effort to interest them in acoustic guitar. In your case it seems to have worked and to me that's a good thing.

[boombox]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

...

Secondly, I have recently become a fan of the incomparable Vicki Genfan.
She plays a Luna to great effect.

Just what I was going to say but I saw your post. Doesn't hurt to share it again, so here's Vicki playing hers:

[muscmp]

a friend of mine had one. could never get it to intonate and eventually just gave it away. he spent $100 with two techs and they said it wouldn't ever be right. beware.

play music!