Acoustic guitar opinions?

[Abrhm]

Hello,

I am finaly at a point where I am ready to dive into a new midrage acoustic guitar (1500-2000 usd). I feel that Hamer offers the best value in American electric guitars, this is why I pose this question here.....What company offers the best new acoustic guitar in this price range? I am very tempted by Gibson and that is the direction I am leaning at this point

Thanks for any input!

Abraham

[mkadowaki]

Got a Taylor in that price range. Pretty happy with it.

[elduave]

I gotta go with Martin, and we don't even sell 'em, so there you go!

[tomteriffic]

Martin or Taylor. Both are good choices. Just find out which particular individual guitar fits your hands and ears the best.

[marcnorth]

I like Ovation myself. I've never played a Martin that didn't feel stiff.

[BCR Greg]

Breedlove Roots series and Pro series are right there pricewise and the quality is unbeatable.

In that price range, there are TONS of great guitars from dozens of manufacturers, so you should have a plethora of choices.

[Ethan]

another vote for breedlove pro series!

[hepkat]

I'm mainly an acoustic player.

+1 for Breedlove (had an SC25)

I play Larrivee myself

Also like the new Guilds. But, like Greg said, in that price range lots of great options.

[bubbagomez]

Gibson makes this Koa Hummingbird that mesmerizes me. It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine. (cue Wayne's World flashback...)

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibs...gbird%20Custom/

[tombo]

In that price range, Larrivee.

I like Taylor, Ovation, and Martin too. Lots of good acoustic makers out there.

Handmade? I think you can get a Morgan for about $1,800 - $2,000. They are so nice and he (David Ianonne) doesn't make that many a year. Go to their homepage and check out his story.

http://www.morganguitars.com

[jwhitcomb3]

In that price range you can get a pristine used Huss & Dalton. Small shop (6 people in Virginia), hand made and unbelievable quality. Since I got my 00-SP I've sold my Takamine, given my Larrivee to a friend and my Lowden and Gurian sit in their cases.

They are in their 12th year and hit their stride in quality a few years back, but the name is still catching on. So there's still time to pick up a used one for a great value (think Hamer about 10 years ago).

They usually go used for over $2K, but sometimes they slip below:

Dreadnaught

I have a hankerin' for one of these, but this one's a little more money.

I think they are the best value in acoustic guitars today. I prefer the small ones, because a small H&D projects like nothing you've ever heard, and the big ones are CANNONS. And the tone is amazing.

I got my 00-SP because I was interested in parlor guitars as a novelty, and it just took over.

Have fun in your search!

-Jonathan

[NeilZ]

I own a Martin 000 ($800-$900)and a Gibson J30 Banner(bought used ten years ago for US$500) acoustic. I also picked up a Hohner 800 series acoustic. At about US$800 it is an amazing guitar. Solid wood construction and it booms.

[jerseydrew]

I vote for Taylor.

[Steve Haynie]

Abrhm, what kind of sound do you hear in your head? What style do you want to play? Stage or studio? Plugged or unplugged?

[JohnnyScarp]

Breedlove.

[marshal]

I vote for Taylor.

Well this may seem a bit out of the ordinary but, I am making a violin from scratch at a local luthier shop in PA (bluett Bros Violins) he also makes guitars,great guitars but to high for my pocket, but worth it. In his shop like myself there are apprentices who work directly under him each step of the way ans their finished product is absolutely beautiful. Those appentice guitars go for like 2k to 2.5 and are scratch built.

I currently have a metcalf guitar (scratch buillt) and iat is great, I played taylors etc and they sound good but a handmade scratch built from a good luthier is beautiful.

Look on the evil bay and you will see Metcalf guitars once in a while, or sometimes you can get them directly from him off ebay, great guy, great guitar and in that 1k to 2 k range and sometimes under 1k used.

Just a thought as I know a little about acoustics but am learning on electrics.

Hope this helps

Sal

[serial]

I'll buck the trend here and back you up on the Gibsons. I have a J-200 and a J-180 (the cool black Everly Bros. model). The Everly Bros one is my favorite acoustic and I scored it at a great price. I like the way the Gibson Jumbos sound and play.

[Abrhm]

Abrhm, what kind of sound do you hear in your head? What style do you want to play? Stage or studio? Plugged or unplugged?

I play blues, rock, folk and jazz. I will be using this guitar in the studio, I realy like the sound hole electronics that are around these days. I want a guitar with good clarity and depth....(reason im interested in the gibson songwriter).......also i like the martin d 16

Thanks so much for the help!

Abraham

[BadgerDave]

At the top end of your price range you can find a wide variety of used high-quality guitars.

IMO, with non-mass produced acoustics, you get much better quality, sound and playability as you move up the price scale, at least to a point.

If I was looking to spend $2K on an acoustic, I wouldn't even think of buying new. The $2K you spend today will most likely leave you with a guitar that you could have bought used, in near mint condition, for $1,200. Similarly, you can get a guitar that sells (street price) for $3K for under $2K pretty easily.

You can buy a used Breedlove master class guitar for $2,000.00. Or a high-end used Taylor. Martin, Larrivee, Lowden, etc. Greg has had a used Santa Cruz on his website for a while that looks like a great bargain.

Your price point is right at the break between "really good" and "exceptional". Based on the guitars that I've played, there is a significant difference in guitars that retail above $3,000.00 or so. Why not let someone else take the depreciation hit and get a much better instrument for the money?

[alpep]

I thought I posted on this thread but maybe it got deleted.

takamine ef 340sbg or 360 or the cool tube version tf 340 or 360 big bang for the bucks

or i can recoomend a bunch of ovations.

[lesterpaul]

I have gigged acoustically for years-can't go wrong with a Taylor...any brand listed so far ...if you are going to be in a lot of unplugged situations, not all acoustics cut the mustard-my taylor gets drowned out by the soup of others....the martin d 18, however, cuts thru!!I have a J200 which is deep and beautiful, but if I was playing a lot of lead, I would have to go with the martin...volume!!!!I also put a Dual source/LR Baggs..transducer/mic combo pup-it is the real deal-bottom line..have fun demo'ing all you can-it will be a tough choice,but enjoy

[tonyvieira]

You should certainly be able to find a good Martin in that price range. I would definately recommend playing a few, not buying sound unheard from the web.

A couple of years ago a purchaced a new Gibson J-45 (workinghorse). Two years ago it was in the middle of your price range, don't know about now. It has a great sound, loud and fairly even across the strings. It does not have the big bass boom of the Martins, which you may or may not like. Playability is excellent and I have had absolutely zero problems.

I did have a Taylor years ago and had problems with it, sold it. It was very finicky, had to be tweaked often. Could just have been the one I had, but was enough for me not to get another even though I like their sound and playability.

[Camstone]

Sound and tone can vary a lot from guitar to guitar even in the same model from the same manufacturer. I had my heart set on getting a herringbone Martin about fifteen years ago and saved up my dough. When I had the money together I went to every music store in a 20 mile radius of Seattle and played every high end acoustic I could get my hands on. The Taylor that I bought and still have is just a boomer, tons of low end, which I really love.

Because of variances in types and pieces of wood, scalloping of the bracing, overall construction and workmanship, if I were going to buy another high end acoustic guitar, I would let my ears do the shopping and not make a selection based on the name on the headstock.

Find one that gets you excited when you hear it. That's the one. Doesn't matter who made it.

[SirDouglas]

+1111111111 on the breedlove.... older ovations and certin gibshits as well... but breedlove has the nice large ringing tone..

like the kind i hear in my head all day

Randy

[alantigold]

+1 for Larrivee.

Alan