Recommend an acoustic for me - $1500 price range

[arwokc]

You can buy a brand new Taylor 314CE for about that. I bought mine used for $800 that looks absoluteyl flawless and sounds awesome. It has its own eq on the top side and is a single cut away. I wasn't in the market for an acoustic when I bought mine, but the tone was just so sweet, I couldn't let it go. I played every acoustic on the wall with it, and there was just no comparison. It'll be the last guitar to go if I ever get in a financial jam. That wife prefers it too.....imagine that!

Just my $.02

Andy

[skyboltone]

Larrivee. IMO some of the best new production acoustics in any reasonable price range. The R series guitars are AMAZING instruments for the money. Go somewhere and play a LOT of them until you find a good one.

+1

[mlp-mx6]

Well, my first foray told me that I need a bit more cash.

I liked a Larrivee LV-10 very much. I liked a Gibson Songwriter Deluxe very much. I tried to like the mahogany ones, but the rosewood ones won every time. I tried a Martin D16 that played nice, but the D-28C was MUCH nicer.

I'll look a few more places, but the overwhelming result so far is that I must save a while longer to get the tone that I really want. I do not want to live with buyer's remorse.

The Gibson Songwriter Deluxe was very nice, even though it needed new strings. I was impressed! Also - perhaps Taylor has changed their necks, the 814CE I played felt good.

[skyboltone]

Well, my first foray told me that I need a bit more cash.

I liked a Larrivee LV-10 very much. I liked a Gibson Songwriter Deluxe very much. I tried to like the mahogany ones, but the rosewood ones won every time. I tried a Martin D16 that played nice, but the D-28C was MUCH nicer.

I'll look a few more places, but the overwhelming result so far is that I must save a while longer to get the tone that I really want. I do not want to live with buyer's remorse.

The Gibson Songwriter Deluxe was very nice, even though it needed new strings. I was impressed! Also - perhaps Taylor has changed their necks, the 814CE I played felt good.

Just a little something to think about. <edit: Some say>Hog records much better with normal home studio techniques. It will have more detail and articulation than rosewood. I've never heard much buyer's remorse over any of the guitars you've named. Lotta Taylor bashing goes on at the HC Acoustic Forum, of which I'm a participant. Mostly about sharpness, or brittle tone. The Songwriter gets good reviews. They are waaaaay over on the Larrivee side over there. Dang near every regular on that forum has at least one.

I can't emphasis enough that you buy the guitar without electronics then put a K&K pure western mini in there. You'll never regret it.

"but the D-28C was MUCH nicer." Yeah, well. Whatever you do, DON'T play any of the GE models. Your budget will double in a hurry.


Dan

[malt]

here are some nice guitars for u in europe : sorry not in the us
but god guitars for the money: http://www.furch.cz/eng/furchmillennium/index.php

[sliberty]

I love my $599 Epiphone Masterbilt so much that none of the $1500 guitars I have played could touch it. Martins under $3000 sound dull to me, and the Taylors get really nice when you spend over $1800. The rest that I have played lack bottom, although the rest of their tone and playability is nice. but the Masterbilt has it all for my taste. And, at $599, it came with a pickup. built in (although no top mounted preamp - just a sound hole volume pot).

[rfgordon]

There are lots of options, but your choice is really driven by how you play. If you are a hard strummer, like me, and like a bold voice, then something like the Composite Acoustics would be great, as would a Baden maple or mahagonay body. A lot of the Taylors mush out under vigorous strumming, but they're great for fingerstyle work. The Baden (he used to work for Taylor) rosewoods are stellar for finger style.

Here's another trick to help you hear the guitar the way others hear it: When you test play a guitar, stand in front of, and about 4 feet way from, a glass door or sheetrock wall.

[kec]

I like my '93 Gibson J-45 'burst. Sweet tone!

[leaveitalone84]

I can't emphasis enough that you buy the guitar without electronics then put a K&K pure western mini in there. You'll never regret it.

"but the D-28C was MUCH nicer." Yeah, well. Whatever you do, DON'T play any of the GE models. Your budget will double in a hurry.


Dan

I can attest that K&K makes great products. I have the K&K Bass Master (pro?) on my Upright Bass. 4 Piezos for each string and 2 piezos back to back in one of the bridge wings with a great offboard preamp/mixer.

Great tone into any small tube amp!