Help finding right guitar

[Raydon]

I've been playing for about 1year now. I use a Seagull S6, but it is only acoustic. I am looking for a another guitar and want acoustic electric under $1,000.00. I will be playing in a praise band at my church and am looking for emphasis on warm tones rather than the higher frequencies. Suggestions appreciated.

[guit3090]

Nice Takemines in that range that are cutaways, Alvarez has some artist series Dread or Folk cutaway that sound nice, Yamaha has some real nice L series AE guitars that are popular, you would need a preamp like a LR Baggs DI to use for preamp or Fishman aura. Taylor 214ce just fits under your budget at 999. The Taylor 114ce with sapele rather than laminate rosewood isa good bit cheaper. Lots of good selections in your price range.

[slowesthand]

Nothing wrong with the Seagulls. If you like that guitar you could always think about adding a pickup to it.

[44Runner]

I managed to purchase a less than 1 year old 2013 Taylor 314ce within your budget. For the money I thought it was an amazing deal and I absolutely love the guitar. I would definitely look used. For a grand you can get wonderful guitars on the used market.

So to cap, I would say a nice used 314ce or 314e. 2010 or newer for the ES v3.

[scottishrogue]

I recommend you check out the Recording King 12-fret ROS-06 FE3. Under $500, solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany B&S, slothead style with no logo on headstock, butterbean tuner buttons, triangle bridge, Fishman Sonitone UST, with sound and volume controls inside the soundhole. Plenty of base response, warm & mellow. Very understated and not flashy, but puts out exceptional sound. On mine, I use D'Addario XL Chrome ECG24 Jazz Light flat wound strings which eliminates string squeak and puts out excellent tone with or without an amp.

Glen

[akafloyd]

If you like your Seagull put a pickup in it. You'll save yourself about $900....

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by akafloyd

If you like your Seagull put a pickup in it. You'll save yourself about $900....

+1.

Raydon, Welcome to the AGF. Are you looking for a second guitar or would a pickup in your Seagull do the trick?

[Gostwriter]

Check out this nice Larrivee on CL in Worcester, MA -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BovJMb1Rs4

[pjroberts]

I agree on the lots of choices, just step outside the big 3 more as you did with the Seagull. The various Canadian and Chinese brands especially .... RK, Blueridge, for sure try Eastman (loyal customer;-), the cheaper Guilds. The Chinese guitars are copies of the American classics with solid wood, so you usually have a good starting point, just find one that is built to your tone expectations by playing a lot of them. So get one of these in the $800-900 range and then add the pickup, or as someone said, maybe look at adding a pickup to your Seagull first. Amplification changes the game anyway, so that may be all you need for now.

[RGtheMusicGuy]

Tell you the truth, I like Takamines especially acoustically but I would probably avoid using them in churches. They usually have a bit of a mid honk to them, and most church sound guys either don't eq or they eq incorrectly.

Personally if you like your Seagull and don't know what you want to get I'd just spend the bit of money and have a pickup put in it.

Take the time to go and play a bunch of different guitars find one that plays good and sounds good.

[Oldguy64]

There are many choices in the $1000 range.

You can pick up a second Seagull, with a pickup already in it.
You can add a K&K and external preamp to the guitar you already have pretty cheaply.
I played praise and worship for many years with a Dean Markeley pop in sound hole pickup. Cost under $50 and came with two sets of strings. Is served me very well.

As has been said, you can choose a Taylor, Breedlove, Alvarez, etc within your price point.

Another thing, if you pick up a second guitar with a built in pickup and preamp, you'll have a fairly broad range of control over your sound. In some cases, that can be a good thing.

[Chicago Sandy]

Originally Posted by akafloyd

If you like your Seagull put a pickup in it. You'll save yourself about $900....

Wholeheartedly agree. Last night I played a songwriter showcase up in Woodstock, IL and the host, longtime professional performer & voice teacher Cassandra Vohs-Demann, absolutely rocked a Seagull with a K&K in it.