Att. guitar players!

[incubus]

I'm contemplating getting a new western guitar. What I want is one which has a nice accoustic sound, pick-up for amplification and a nice smooth fretboard. My current amplifier is a small 15 watt Marshall, so it's important that the guitar sounds great without amplification. My price limit is $800/£500. Keep in mind that guitar prices in Denmark are significantly higher than in the U.S. but if you could list a few brands and models, that would be great.

Thanks in advance :)

[PyroSikTh]

I have a really old Eko (it's older than me), but it sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, I don't know how new ones would compare.

[The Infernal Penguin]

Blueridge are a nice brand, if you can get them where you are! The ones I've heard sound great.

[incubus]

Hmmm can't seem to find Blueridge in any Danish stores. Maybe I'll try find one, when I get to Birmingham in Feb.

[isthatmycow]

Well here in the States the two biggest brands Are Taylor Acoustics and Martin & Co. It all really depends on what you want. Taylor guitars are AMAZING sounding when you plug them into an amplifier, but a lot times their treble can be dull and they don't have much sustain (and you'll be paying a couple grand for one, too). I personally do not like Taylor, I think they are over priced, and you don't always get what you pay for (and you'
ll be paying a lot). Now Martin on the other hand: Quality guitars ,VERY bright tone, massive sustain, and unlike Taylor they have a higher wood quality, so their guitars are better sounding in general. Now while they are also pricey, They are well worth it, and will last you years upon years, and you will never stop playing them.

[incubus]

Well here in the States the two biggest brands Are Taylor Acoustics and Martin & Co. It all really depends on what you want. Taylor guitars are AMAZING sounding when you plug them into an amplifier, but a lot times their treble can be dull and they don't have much sustain (and you'll be paying a couple grand for one, too). I personally do not like Taylor, I think they are over priced, and you don't always get what you pay for (and you'
ll be paying a lot). Now Martin on the other hand: Quality guitars ,VERY bright tone, massive sustain, and unlike Taylor they have a higher wood quality, so their guitars are better sounding in general. Now while they are also pricey, They are well worth it, and will last you years upon years, and you will never stop playing them.

I've heard a lot of good things about Martin. When I finally pull myself together and visit the music store, I'll give a few Martins a whirl. Thanks, cow :)

[PyroSikTh]

To be honest, the makes of guitars really doesn't matter at all. It's all personally preference as to what feels and sounds good to you. Someone could rave to me all they like about Telecasters, but fact of the matter is I hate them. I consider them, and Les Pauls, to be sorely overrated. I'm sure it's a similar story for acoustic guitars. Everyone recommends the big brands because they're the big brands that everyone believes to be the best, but fact of the matter is that they're not always that. I've loved my lesser-brand guitars. My Hartke and Shine basses are my babies (although I sold the Hartke to get the Shine, and bought a Dean in it's place).

[isthatmycow]

To be honest, the makes of guitars really doesn't matter at all. It's all personally preference as to what feels and sounds good to you. Someone could rave to me all they like about Telecasters, but fact of the matter is I hate them. I consider them, and Les Pauls, to be sorely overrated. I'm sure it's a similar story for acoustic guitars. Everyone recommends the big brands because they're the big brands that everyone believes to be the best, but fact of the matter is that they're not always that. I've loved my lesser-brand guitars. My Hartke and Shine basses are my babies (although I sold the Hartke to get the Shine, and bought a Dean in it's place).

I recommended martin Not because thy are big, but because personally I found them to be very high quality and I love their playability. Now you said you hated Les Pauls? Well sir I now must kill you. being honest, I love them, i find they've a sweet tone and a sound most guitars don't have, and I've always been a fan of older, traditional guitars (Refuse to play Schecter or B.S. Rich, the latter in which I LOATHE with a passion.) So on the very rare occasion I playing electric, you'll find me with Les Pauls, Gibson ES-335s, Grestch Electromatics, and so forth :D

[PyroSikTh]

It wasn't a dig at you at all. I was just recommending that Inky tries out some lesser-brands as well.

As for Les Pauls, what you say is what everyone seems to say, but I just can't agree with it from my own experience of Les Pauls. I also have a hard time believing that certain guitars have a sound no other does. The tone guitars make is a combination of strings, pickups, amp, amp settings, and the microphone used to record them. The only thing that is inherently the guitar (talking electric here, obviously) is the wood, and the wood used makes such a small, almost unnoticeable difference. You could put the same pickups in the same place and the same strings as a Les Paul on another guitar, and I guarantee it'll sound pretty damn similar.

When it comes to acoustics though, that's when the tone of the guitar matters. The only interchangeable item that matters on acoustics is the strings, so most of it is down to the size and shape of the cavity of the guitar, so the same sort of pessimism doesn't apply :P

[_a__h_]

Takamine are a beautiful sounding guitar if you can find a good model!

[isthatmycow]

I just played on a brand of guitar called Alvarez. A $200 guitar, and played just like a $500 Martin. If I had the money at the time I would have walked out of guitar center with it the moment I played it. Try those if you cna find them :D

[Salag]

Another name is Ashton. For some reason I was never a fan of these guys, possibly thinking inferiour name/cheap. But I played one not too long ago and while a lot of their models are more geared for beginners there was a really nice couple of guitars there. I'm not sure about the prices for some of these but I'm fairly certain that these would be fairly cheap.

[Xarboth]

I'll second the vote for Takamine. I got mine 7 or so years ago for around £300, and I love it. It was by no means the top of the range Takamine back then either. Go check them out, have a play, and see how they feel - but I think the only way to really choose a guitar is to try a bunch of them out and see which you fall in love with as you play.

[Rachel]

If you're talking guitars in that manner, buy a nicer amp. Then think about your guitar. The best guitar in the world will still sound horrible through your 15 watt Marshall.

[daddy4count]

I'm a month late to this game... but I'm bored and the thread caught my eye...

What kind of music do you play?

I assume country/western based on how you described the guitar? For country you want a good warm sounding rig... with the ability to twang a good flat note... but I agree the brand isn't as important as the tone. Takamine and Martin are my fav's.

for smooth and comfortable I prefer rosewood fretboard, pretty popular actually... many acoustics come this way.

If you like various kinds of music, I like the sound you get through pickups in an Ovation.

[Salag]

I like the sound you get through pickups in an Ovation.

I really like these as well. The ones I've played have had a nice 'twang' to them.

My accoustic is a Westfield with a pickup and equalizer, it's got some nice tones coming out of it too but can be a bit of a monster to play sometimes.

Did you ever reach a decision Incubus?