Purchasing a New Guitar

Noxniveus
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Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:52 pm

Hello everybody!! Well i have recently been considering buying a new acoustic guitar. I'm not a very experienced player, its been a relatively low priority hobby over the past 2 years. However, lately i have been playing more and more and am now enjoying it for once! I have currently a Yamaha f325 acoustic, but i find it difficult to play compared to others i have tried. Anyway, i have been thinking of trading it in for another guitar that works better for me. The trouble is, i don't know what to look for. I'm considering possibly an electric-acoustic. So if anyone has any recommendations for an acoustic or acoustic electric guitar between $100 and $200 (i'm in college what can i say) i would be extremely grateful!

Alex


rcsnydley
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Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:31 pm

I just bought my daughter an Alvarez RD8BR for $150.00 and it came with a great hard case. I really like Alvarez the play nice and have a nice crisp and clean sound. It isn't a Martin or a Taylor, but for the price it is a heckuva deal.

Keep Playing
Ric


Chasplaya
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Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:29 pm

There are some nice mid price range Takamines around. At the end of the day you really need to shop around try out lots of guitars to find something you are comfortable with.


hankintexas
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Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:13 am

Check your local guitar center. I just bought for my daughter a epiphone electric acoustic for 199.00 it came with an amp and soft carry case. I think is is as comfortable to play as my gibson and less than 1/4 the price.


BigBear
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Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:56 pm

Yamaha makes a decent, inexpensive guitar (I've owned a couple) and certainly fits in the $100-200 price range. Advice is worth what you pay for it (LOL!!) but my 2 cents is if you are having trouble playing your Yamaha take it to a good guitar shop and see if they can play with the action (lower the strings). If the neck is still straight, they may be able to set it up much better than you are used to and you get essentially a new guitar for around $35. I do this even with a brand new guitar because it is money very well spent IMHO. Even if you spend $200 you won't get much better (if at all) than what you have now.

If the neck is bowed, and I don't recall if the 325 has an adjustable rod in it, you may be out of luck and be forced to get a new guitar. I would lobby you to save your money just a little bit longer until you can afford a $300-400 guitar. It may not seem like much but it makes a world of difference in what you will get. whatever you end up with make sure it has an adjustable truss rod so that it can always have the neck straighted and be set up again. It's like an insurance policy.

Just a side comment but I bought my son, now a college senior, then a sohpomore, a new Seagull guitar. Canadian made, very high quality and less that $350. It sounds great and he loves it (although he still comes over and sneaks out my Larrivee or Taylor!! He thinks I'm going to leave them to him when I croak!! Not!! LMFAO)

Good luck and Happy Playin'


Dean O
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Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:45 am

A music store here in my small town had a very nice Fender for $125. The guy sorta hinted that he would be willing to come down on the price or upgrade on a case. I left fast before my will power gave out.

I bought a Takamine 12 string about 10 years ago. I think it was around $150. Plays great.

Also look in some pawn shops. I'll bet they have a higher than usual stock in this type of econamy.


Noxniveus
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Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:03 pm

Thank you for all your help! really, i appreciate it! I don't know yet what i am going to do, but i like the idea of just saving a while longer to get an even better guitar. Anyway, thanks again.:)


Chasplaya
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Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:23 pm

Noxniveus wrote:
Thank you for all your help! really, i appreciate it! I don't know yet what i am going to do, but i like the idea of just saving a while longer to get an even better guitar. Anyway, thanks again.:)
You won't regret waiting till you can afford a better quality guitar. I know from personal experience when I bought a top of the line acoustic (Alhambra $1700NZ) my playing just improved beyond belief.


Valleyguy
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Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:03 pm

You've already got a pretty decent $150 guitar. Don't go out and buy another till you can move into at least the $500 range for a decent guitar from the Orient or a used Guild, Martin, Taylor, etc.

I suggest you take your guitar to a good luthier, guitar repair guy, and have a good set up done to it, which should cost you $50 to $75. That will make it much easier to play.

Go to Guitar center and play some $1,000 guitars, Taylors, Martins and see what you like or dislike about the action on each. Tell that to the luthier and tell him what style of music you play, tell him what is hard to play. Ask his opinion of the guitar vs. other $200 guitars, though they usually work on more expensive ones.

You can find a luthier by going to Martins site & looking for approved repair guys, or aks around, phone book, etc.

Also, change your strings at least once a month, cheap way to make your guitar sound better.


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