Acoustic guitars.

[Bushleague]

IIRC there are quite a few guys who play on the forum, so I thought I'd ask for some input. I'm thinking about upgrading my 18 year old Art&Luthrie acoustic. It will likely be the last guitar I ever buy, so I'm thinking of spending up to around 1-2 k and getting something nice... any suggestions on what I should be checking out?

I've always liked the Seagulls I've played, I think the value is impossible to beat. Having cherry picked the best sounding sub $1000 guitar in the greater Edmonton area 18 years ago however, I really dont know if Seagull would be enough of an upgrade to make it worthwhile. Despite its modest price, that Art Luthrie sounded great back then and has only gotten better with age.

A lower end Gibson? Having misspent a good deal of my youth with a Les Paul in my hands, playing a Gibson always feels like coming home. I think one of the reasons I like my current guitar as much as I do is that the neck has a very Gibson feel to it.

Taylor? Something else?

[abhunt]

I have had several gibsons and loved them all. Last one I bought was a Taylor and it is also very nice. The Taylor has really good tone and is comfortable to play.

[DisplacedCaper]

Getting into the higher end stuff it’s personal preference. Much like dodge vs Ford vs chev etc everybody will have differing opinions on which is better. I’m a Gibson guy with acoustics. My current is a J200. But I’ve owned a songwriter in both 6 and 12 strings. Great sounding guitars! I think around $2200 new. The only reason I moved up to the 200 is I always wanted one and my wife surprised me with one for Christmas. I then gave/traded the songwriter to a guy who lost his guitar in the flood in 2013.
Taylor’s are beauties too. A friend just purchased a used one for $1800. I can’t remember the model. It plays and sounds really nice, but I still prefer the feel of the Gibson. Again personal preference.
Good luck!


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[catnthehat]

I have played a few Taylors in the past, great guitars for sure!
Also a very big fan of Godin guitars.

Cat

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I have played a few Taylors in the past, great guitars for sure!
Also a very big fan of Godin guitars.

Cat

See, I guess this is the heart of my question right here. For around 2k or less, I'm trying to decide if it would be better to go with a high end guitar out of Quebec (Godin etc.), or a low end guitar out of the USA.

I just don't have the same time I did when I was younger, to hit every music store in central AB and play every guitar I can afford before making my choice. So trying to narrow down my options before I start burning fuel and time.

[HVA7mm]

Larrivee, Takamine (Pro series), Yamaha (L and A series)

I'm a hack on guitar at best, but there are a lot beautiful guitars out there in the price range that you listed. Considering how long you've been playing, I don't think the headstock logo will matter that much, you'll know the right one when you play it.

[M.C. Gusto]

I have a custom being built for me know. Check out Halcyon guitars.
Anyway the Godin family of guitars are very good and your on the right track looking at them.
The best value in a used guitar (American) is Guild. If you can find a used DV6 they are great guitars for the money.
Used Webber are excellent if you can find one.
If you have 2k come look at my Morgan.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by M.C. Gusto

I have a custom being built for me know. Check out Halcyon guitars.
Anyway the Godin family of guitars are very good and your on the right track looking at them.
The best value in a used guitar (American) is Guild. If you can find a used DV6 they are great guitars for the money.
Used Webber are excellent if you can find one.
If you have 2k come look at my Morgan.

One thing I always liked about the Godin Co. guitars, is that they tend to offer a wider range of wood combinations than anyone else in the price range. I'm not sure if I've even seen cedar/cherry guitar that wasn't a Godin.

That said, I've typically been a bit partial to plane-jane spruce tops anyways. It might be a bit of a moot point, but it is cool getting to try out the same guitar in a couple different wood combinations

[wildwoods]

I play a Martin. Just love the rich tones she sings

[Dweb]

Martin
Gibson
Taylor
Simon and Patrick
Godin

I own one of each and that’s how I rank them for their total respective package.

Sound
Playability
Cosmetics
Fit and finish
Etc

[Yukongold]

For the last 30 years my go to guitar has been a hand made L-9 Larivee out of the 70's. This is when they were still made in Victoria. It's a louder Larivee than normal and more like a Martin. They keep getting sweeter with age all you have to do is play them.

[Okotok]

Regardless of what you pick, make sure it's a solid top )spruce, cedar Koa, Mahogany). Solid back, sides etc. are less important by a fair amount. Plenty of OK assembly line guitars like /Gibson, Martin, Seagull etc. out there. The best are by a known luthier that builds from the bottom up. I do build guitars by the way and have quite a few assembly line guitars as well.

[Red Bullets]

I think several different Taylor guitars between $1200 and $2K are the best value for the buck and sound. Comfortable and easy to play. Taylors, like other names, are heirloom guitars if taken care of.

Doesn't matter which guitar you buy, keep it humidified and and only play with clean hands.
________
Nicoll Guitar in Edmonton has build your own guitar classes too. Would be a nice winter project.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Okotok

Regardless of what you pick, make sure it's a solid top )spruce, cedar Koa, Mahogany). Solid back, sides etc. are less important by a fair amount. Plenty of OK assembly line guitars like /Gibson, Martin, Seagull etc. out there. The best are by a known luthier that builds from the bottom up. I do build guitars by the way and have quite a few assembly line guitars as well.

My first guitar, a Yamaha was laminate, I would never again own a guitar with a laminate top... though I did play an acoustic archtop that was fully laminate that sounded pretty nice. I dont know much about archtops, maybe they are different in that regard.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

My first guitar, a Yamaha was laminate, I would never again own a guitar with a laminate top... though I did play an acoustic archtop that was fully laminate that sounded pretty nice. I dont know much about archtops, maybe they are different in that regard.

Nothing wrong with laminate tops per se other than they don't have the full sound of a solid top. They're very durable however and resist cracking a lot better so are a better, drag it around campfire guitar.

Archtops have generally been laminates other than high end ones for a long time as they usually have a magnetic pick-up and laminates help reduce feedback. High end archtops with a solid top are much better acoustically and are usually mic'ed through a PA if playing for a crowd.

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

My Dad bought my 2 boys guitars about a year before he passed away. He did a lot of research for youth guitars. He first bought a Martin for my older boy and then a couple months later a Taylor for my younger boy. My boys were maybe 8 and 6 at the time. Both were the youth versions of guitars.

In July of 2019 I bought a new Taylor guitar for my younger boy (11 then) as he really took to playing and singing. Spent about $1000 on the Taylor guitar. Bought him an acoustic amp and looping pedal and microphone tool as he was playing open mics for a few years already and his Baby Taylor did not have a pick-up plug.

My older boy now again has started playing his guitar more and this made me happy and I said I will buy him a new guitar to fit him now and he said he wants a Martin as that's what Grandpa got him.

My suggestion is play a few different guitars of the same model when looking to purchase as the difference in tone between individual guitars will vary. We had an issue with plug on the new Taylor, took it back and the store said we could send out to fix or pick a new one. My boy played a few new ones and then tried his again. His guitar had a tone that everyone liked considerably better so we got his fixed under warranty.

So I guess Taylor and Martin guitars get my vote. Some really nice Taylors between the $1500-2000 price range.

My younger boy is looking at the new Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster -Acoustic/Electric guitar. He prefers Acoustic guitars but this Fender model has some features he likes. Going to let him try one in the store first to see if he really likes it.

Enjoy the search and purchase of your new guitar there Bushleague!

[leeelmer]

Martin D28

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by leeelmer

Martin D28

That guitar is exactly twice my budget.

[leeelmer]

If you keep your eye out, I have bought 3 of them used, but look like new for 1800-2100

[liar]

We have half a dozen guitars hanging on the wall and on stands . I never have to dust off the two taylors , just sayin .

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by liar

We have half a dozen guitars hanging on the wall and on stands . I never have to dust off the two taylors , just sayin .

Allot of love for Taylors for sure, I just could never get comfortable with the idea of paying Taylor prices for a guitar with laminate sides and back. Especially when I can get a fully solid Godin for significantly less money, and a Gibson or Larrivee for not too much more.

That said, if my current guitar proves anything its that a guitar cant really be summed up by the addition of its parts, so maybe I need to get over that ideal and give them another try.

[Okotok]

I've built plenty of guitars. This one is my daily player and sounds fantastic. I made it for a 2" x 4" contest back in 2011. I found a very nice pine 2" x 4" stud at Rona with reasonably straight, close to vertical grain and very few knots. Had to move a lot of boards but they are there.

I used Ted Davis' plan that I bought from the GAL. It's for a 1918 Martin size 1 which would have originally had gut strings. I beefed up the bracing for steel strings. I epoxied 4 hacksaw blades on edge into the pine neck so it's plenty stiff. Made the fretboard, bridge etc. from African Blackwood chunks bought cheap in the bargain bin at LeeValley in Calgary. Tuners came off a garage sale donor.

I resawed slices and joined them up for the top, back and to make the sides deep enough. Sides were bent on a home made hot pipe. Pretty easy to build if you have a modicum of woodworking skill. Specialty tools are nice, but not necessary. I've got about $20 into this one. I say build one!

[Bolete]

The newer Gibson acoustics knock it out of the park, and there are several in that price range. I have a J-15 which is a fantastic playing guitar. Of course the J-45 is a classic and there are still a few J-35s around as well. The more budget G series are plainer but nice playing as well.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by M.C. Gusto

I have a custom being built for me know. Check out Halcyon guitars.
Anyway the Godin family of guitars are very good and your on the right track looking at them.
The best value in a used guitar (American) is Guild. If you can find a used DV6 they are great guitars for the money.
Used Webber are excellent if you can find one.
If you have 2k come look at my Morgan.

A custom like Halcyon will be a much better guitar than the current Gibson and Martins if you're going into that price range. They are actually handmade by a luthier and not off an assembly line where very few if any workers could actually build an entire guitar. IMHO of course. Both Martin and Gibson have gone through quite a few iterations and most often, not for the better. Every model is built identically (top thickness, bracing dimensions etc. which is why you have to play quite a few before you find the cannon. Taylors are very nice guitars and tend to have a bit more of a personal touch but are still assembly line. Bob hasn't built a guitar in a long time, ha.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Okotok

A custom like Halcyon will be a much better guitar than the current Gibson and Martins if you're going into that price range. They are actually handmade by a luthier and not off an assembly line where very few if any workers could actually build an entire guitar. IMHO of course. Both Martin and Gibson have gone through quite a few iterations and most often, not for the better. Every model is built identically (top thickness, bracing dimensions etc. which is why you have to play quite a few before you find the cannon. Taylors are very nice guitars and tend to have a bit more of a personal touch but are still assembly line. Bob hasn't built a guitar in a long time, ha.

Somehow missed that suggestion... the fact he named his guitar company after a Tea Party song pretty much had me sold right there. I'll be sending Halcyon a email, thanks for the advice.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Oh, what to choose, what to choose... I love Taylor, S&P and Art & Luthrie... Guild are nice, and so are Taks... Fell in love with a Larivee once...

Ice Fishing Maniac: That Acoustasonic Strat - That is a cool guitar. I had a chance to try one of its predecessors when I was working at a music shop, took it for a gig one night because my inner gear lust was hoping I would make it mine.

My reality is much cheaper, though - For live use I have been using my Yamaha APX-8. The preamps are starting to give me issues, lots of fun disassembling and replacing aging capacitors etc.

I had a pleasant surprise recently - I was in the market for a new guitar for my son (the old Harmony from the mid-70's was not cutting it anymore) and found this really nice Seagull S6 with the Godin QIT preamp. What a sweet guitar for the price. May be worth looking into.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Oh, what to choose, what to choose... I love Taylor, S&P and Art & Luthrie... Guild are nice, and so are Taks... Fell in love with a Larivee once...

Ice Fishing Maniac: That Acoustasonic Strat - That is a cool guitar. I had a chance to try one of its predecessors when I was working at a music shop, took it for a gig one night because my inner gear lust was hoping I would make it mine.

My reality is much cheaper, though - For live use I have been using my Yamaha APX-8. The preamps are starting to give me issues, lots of fun disassembling and replacing aging capacitors etc.

I had a pleasant surprise recently - I was in the market for a new guitar for my son (the old Harmony from the mid-70's was not cutting it anymore) and found this really nice Seagull S6 with the Godin QIT preamp. What a sweet guitar for the price. May be worth looking into.

I've had three or four Seagulls over the years. Great guitars and value. All built by the same Quebec company as Godin, Norman, Art Lutherie and Simon Patrick.