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  #1  
Old 02-10-2018, 10:24 AM
Big*Al Big*Al is offline
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Default Do you have Goldilocks guitars?

I’ve owned dozens of guitars over the last few decades. Some were cheap and a couple of them were expensive. Most were big, a couple were small. Some were bassy and others were bright. Some were plain and a couple were head turners. I kept trading them off looking for something better.

For the last few years though, I’ve been playing a couple of mid-range imported Guild GAD guitars. They are not so expensive that I’d have reason to worry about them and they have the Guild name on the headstock so nobody thinks they are cheapies. They are not so new that they sound tight or so old that they have structural issues. They have very pleasing, balanced tone, no odd sounding notes, and comfortable necks . . . right in the middle. They amplify and record well. Trim levels, fit and finish are not flashy . . . but nice enough.

My kids are grown and I’ve lived a modest lifestyle. Finances are OK right now. I could afford to buy a guitar I could only dream about a few years back . . . but I find that I don’t want to anymore. My guitars are good enough. They are in my personal “Goldilocks Zone”.

Anybody else?
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Last edited by Big*Al; 02-10-2018 at 10:37 AM.
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  #2  
Old 02-10-2018, 01:00 PM
tippy5 tippy5 is offline
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I had GAD Guild and sold it for what I had paid. It was as you described a real nice guitar. I just moved to a better zone, or a different stratosphere region in my tiny guitar galaxy. Keep Playing!

Also called the habitable zone or life zone, the Goldilocks region is an area of space in which a planet is just the right distance from its home star so that its surface is neither too hot nor too cold.
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Old 02-10-2018, 01:06 PM
HHP HHP is offline
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Goldilocks, of course, was engaged in breaking and entering, stealing food, messing up the beds and complaining about it the whole time.

I wouldn't have a guitar so immoral.
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Old 02-10-2018, 01:49 PM
jemartin jemartin is offline
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I think that I am there too. And it is a good thing because I am constantly reading and hearing about what the next greatest guitar mods are bringing. My temptation to pounce on one is hard to keep at bay, since I am still working full time and drawing full social security benefits at age 66. I am now financially able to get that new guitar that will send me over the sonic moon.

Coming back to reality.... I have an old warhorse Guild jumbo 12 string that is now in it's prime after refurbishing... a wonderful Taylor fingerstyle guitar.. and a terrific Taylor powerhouse jumbo strumming guitar. I love all 3, and the many kids (and several adults) that I play for on Sunday's... love them too. I think I will soon retire with my 3 guitar family.... and "then play on".
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6 string... Taylor GS7 Custom / GO 818e 1st Edition

12 string... Taylor GO 358e / Guild F512 (79)

Baritone…. Guild 258e (8 string)

Last edited by jemartin; 02-10-2018 at 03:16 PM.
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Old 02-10-2018, 02:10 PM
Goat Mick Goat Mick is offline
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I'm there with you too. I've got a couple of really nice guitars with my '94 Taylor 710 and my '59 Gibson J-45 but the guitars I reach for most are my Martin DM and my Ibanez AVC6. They just play, sound and fit me perfectly. Yeah I'll probably pick up more guitars in the future but they'll probably be sub-$1000 guitars.
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  #6  
Old 02-10-2018, 02:50 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Vancouver built Larrivee -03 series. Specifically OM or L size.

Under $1000 on the used market.
All solid woods.
Made in North America

Satin finish that doesn't show fingerprints.
UV cured finish that is safe for most materials unlike nitro.


OM or L is the "does everything" size.
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  #7  
Old 02-10-2018, 03:06 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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Yup, I'm there too.

After many years, I have a choice of superb dreads, two 12s, a couple of little'uns, my dobro, mando, and an archtop, I pretty much replete.

I still look, but I'm not really shopping, and the the old joke about the perfect number of guitars is what you've got plus one is probably true. .
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Old 02-10-2018, 03:10 PM
musicman1951 musicman1951 is offline
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Nope. Nothing is too good for me.

I "borrowed" the line from a Fine Woodworking story about a chest that took some now forgotten but huge number of hours to build. The character muses, "That's a lot of hours." But then remarks, "But nothings too good for me."

Whenever my wallet allows I adopt it as a life strategy.
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  #9  
Old 02-10-2018, 03:25 PM
Big*Al Big*Al is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiberty View Post
Vancouver built Larrivee -03 series. Specifically OM or L size.

Under $1000 on the used market.
All solid woods.
Made in North America

Satin finish that doesn't show fingerprints.
UV cured finish that is safe for most materials unlike nitro.


OM or L is the "does everything" size.
I owned a couple of Larrivee L-03s and a D-03. One of the L's was great, but the other two were kind of disappointing. Maybe I just got a couple of bad ones. I like my GADs better . . . but everybody's different. Larrivee guitars have some big time fans.

I'll be 60 this year. I'm never going to be a star. I play out about once a month at church and that's about it. I need a competent instrument for that job . . . but nothing more really. I'm a simple guy. I have simple needs. I can happily live without expensive things. In fact, having expensive things would stress me out. Everybody's different. I guess that's just who I am.
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Last edited by Big*Al; 02-10-2018 at 05:14 PM.
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  #10  
Old 02-10-2018, 03:45 PM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
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Nope. I have learned over the decades to recognize & appreciate the subtle differences that make a $5,000 + guitar what it is and why it costs that much. It doesn't mean I haven't appreciated a good, less-expensive guitar for what it is. But what it is not, and never will be, is a world-class instrument.
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  #11  
Old 02-10-2018, 04:44 PM
jweave69 jweave69 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big*Al View Post
I play out about once a month at church and that's about it. I need a competent instrument for that job . . . but nothing more really. I'm a simple guy. I have simple needs. I can happily live without expensive things. In fact, having expensive things would stress me out. Everybody's different. I guess that's just who I am.
This is me exactly! I definitely could afford more at this point in my life, but it's just not necessary! The only difference for me is that both Larrivee's I've owned have been phenomenal! Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate the beauty and artistry that goes into creating a high-end guitar; I just can't picture myself owning and playing it daily. I equate it to going to NYC the first time at 19 years old and seeing a Monet piece in person. I was in awe, but it was enough for me to appreciate it in a museum and go home.

Bottom line is this: I'm not a collector; plain and simple. And plain and simple is what I prefer in my guitar!
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  #12  
Old 02-10-2018, 05:04 PM
Mycroft Mycroft is offline
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Keep in mind that different people may have different ideas of what the "Goldilocks zone" is. One person may prefer the clime at 8000 feet up in the Montana backcountry, while another may prefer a beachside cabana in Aruba. Who is to say who is wrong.

This is the only life that I am certain that I have. Therefore, I am going to treat myself as well as I can.
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  #13  
Old 02-10-2018, 05:06 PM
Mycroft Mycroft is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jweave69 View Post
Bottom line is this: I'm not a collector; plain and simple. And plain and simple is what I prefer in my guitar!
So you are saying that only collectors have a high-performance instrument?
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  #14  
Old 02-10-2018, 05:30 PM
jweave69 jweave69 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mycroft View Post
So you are saying that only collectors have a high-performance instrument?
Oh definitely not! I feel my guitar IS high performance, just not ornate! I just can't relate to the collecting of large numbers of high-end and/or ornate guitars, but I certainly can enjoy watching others do it!
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2018 Larrivee D-40 SOLD
2020 Martin DJR-10 Sapele Gifted to son
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Last edited by jweave69; 02-10-2018 at 05:47 PM. Reason: apparently my point was not clear
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  #15  
Old 02-10-2018, 05:35 PM
Mycroft Mycroft is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jweave69 View Post
Oh definitely not! I feel my guitar IS high performance, just not ornate! I just can't relate to the collecting of large numbers of high-end/ornate guitars, but I certainly can enjoy watching others do it!
So a high-end guitar must be ornate?
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