Recommend a guitar

A simple truss rod adjustment might make all the difference on the action on your current guitar, unless the neck is pulling up. Older Japanese made Yamahas can be quite nice.

Bang for buck you should check out Cort. You can get solid tops in a really reasonable price range and last I knew the electric ones used fishman. There's a good chance that they're the ones doing the contract work on a number of different more recognizable brand names (on their lower-mid line)... unless things have changed substantially since I was involved in the business 5+ years ago.
 
old_skul said:
Disagree. I have purchased several guitars over the internet (some new, some used) and have not been disappointed. If you can't make a guitar play correctly, you need to learn.

I purchased a Line6 Variax for $180. I filed off the fret ends, adjusted the saddles, restrung and reintonated, and it plays fine.

I purchased a new Agile PS900 from Rondomusic for $290. Did the same kind of work on it and eventually strung it with extra heavy strings and tuned it BEADGB. It plays great, sounds great.

I purchased a used 1983 Strat Elite off Ebay....no problems, classic guitar. New strings and intonation were all that were necessary.

I guess the message is that *any* guitar can be made to play properly given that there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it - bent neck, broken hardware etc. - even acoustics.

Core: I'm not a fan of Fender acoustics. Their, erm, core competency is the electric guitar :) I would stick to Epiphone, Takamine, Ovation (not Applause!), Ibanez. One of my bandmates just got one of the "rare-wood" Ibanezes and I am extremely impressed with the sound, workmanship and playability of the instrument, for $400 new, with a case. Go check 'em out.
Click to expand...


Who wants to buy a bunch of guitars that you are just "not disappointed in"?

I'm talking about going into a shop finding that guitar that jsut "fits" - that one that I can really dig into. I can find guitars are day long that I'm "not disappointed with" but those will sit in a corner.

Core if you can put the money out for an acoustic to find yourself a cheaper Martin or taylor. I have an epiphone and it plays like shit. I had a taylor a couple years ago it made all the difference.

Spend the money and get yourself something that you are really comfortable with. Dont buy a bunch of junk that you have to work on.
 
I'll admit I know nothing almost about making adjustments to guitars. Obviously o_s was just making a point, but my goal here is to optimize my limited dollars and end up with a decent gig rig when I walk out of the store. The funny part is as much good feedback as I've gotten here I still feel like I'm at square one. So many choices. I do appreciate you guys chiming in. <3 TW.
 
Last edited:
By all means go to a shop. When I was shopping online, I was looking for something specific each time - an old Strat, a Variax, and a cheapie Korean. Since you're looking for your "main squeeze", so to speak, maybe you should go test drive a few.

Don't feel like you're at square one. At least you have a budget, and a particular store in mind. But I can give you one bit of advice for that approach: Go to the store *without* your money/checkbook/debit/credit card. Force yourself into an evening of test drives and then sleep on it. If you're still stoked the next day about a particular axe, that's the one.

Since you know nothing about adjusting guitars, have a professional do it. It should cost no more than $30-40 to get a decent set of strings slapped on a new guitar along with a setup. Make sure you know what gauge strings you prefer. Anymore, I play bronze Elixirs. They're stupidly expensive ($12+ per set), but they also last forever.
 
Great choice. That's very similar to the rare wood model my bandmate got. Love the round shoulders on that guitar; I bet it booms.
 
Thanks. I was looking at the rare wood models too but this one fit best. Played for four hours last night through my Peavey and dear god does this thing sound good. I've been playing 10 gauge strings since I started back up and this has 12's on it and I can barely tell the difference it plays so nicely.
 
Back
Top