| Author | Message | ||
     Hootowl |
Well, I haven't bought one yet. That's why I need some advice. My daughter is doing quite well with her guitar lessons, after doing quite well with piano, and I'd like to get her a guitar of her own. I'm not looking to spend $2000, which I know is pretty easy to do, I'm trying to keep it around $500. I'd go a little higher if the 'right' guitar was a bit more. It needs to be acoustic, but I do like the idea of acoustic/electric. Jacking in is easier than a mic stand. Lay it on me  I sincerely appreciate your opinions. Oh yeah, she's 18, so she'll need a full size guitar. | ||
| Doerman |
Size does not always matter. www.go-guitars.com American made, great sound, easy to tote around. | ||
| Fahren |
Those look really cool. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Look at Seagulls and Larvivees; both made in Canada. I own a Seagull and bought my daughter a Larivee for her 18th birthday. Both are nice, no excess ornamentation, solid built guitars and have held up well. | ||
| Lloydxt |
Ive got an Ibanez that I bought in 1990 that is still one of my favorites. Big fat tone like ringing a bell. We use it for most of our acoustic recordings. Pretty reasonable $250-$500. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez,Acoustic-Guitar -Guitar,New-Gear.gc | ||
| Ustorque |
I was recently in the market for a new acoustic after a mishap with my old faithful Washburn. Guitars are tough to say which will be good and which bad, because so many factors contribute to how a guitar will play and no 2 no matter how identical are ever the same. Anyways long story short, I stumbled across a brand I had never heard of "LUNA". Visually their guitars are quite amazing and a bit more on the feminine side. one of them caught my eye and I gave it a shot. Honestly I didn't want to like it, I really didn't. I spent 3 days playing everything from $200 beaters to $2500 Martins and Gibsons and I kept coming back to the Luna. The models I bought is the Oracle Dragonfly. It was about $370 out the door and after owning it now for 3 months Id buy it all over again without hesitation. Another nice feature for someone like your daughter just learning is that when you register your guitar with them your are automatically enrolled in their online guitar school. Thats my $.02 and here's my Luna (the guitar I oh so badly didn't want to love), I almost don't look too girly with it. Good luck in your search! ,}   (Message edited by ustorque on November 13, 2012) | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
hit up a local guitar center, they always have specials/deals running and a huge selection. I bought a Fender acoustic (not elec/acoustic though) for 150 bucks used, with a warranty. Im pleased with my ibanez electric, so I'd consider those too. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
For an acoustic electric, I'd look at an Ovation. If you want an inexpensive electric guitar, I recommend the Yahama Pacifica. I wish now I hadn't sold mine. I have three Eppiphones that I play. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
I've heard great things about the Epiphone Masterbilt series. If it's good enough for ALex Lifeson it's good enough for me. They can be had in the $500 range. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Doerman "Size does not always matter." So true.  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I'm just jealous that I don't have a musically creative gene in my body. My little sis got them all, she plays flute, piano, church organ & whatever, has perfect pitch too & studied at The Royal College of Music in London. She can't fix a car or a bike though so I guess we're even. | ||
| Timo31 |
I just picked up a Seagull S6. Played everything my local GC had in the $300-$500 range. Absolutely love it. | ||
| Hughlysses |
My Seagull is an (old) S6. The cool thing about Seagulls is they're built with native Canadian wood. According to what I've read, they're able to do limited harvesting of old growth spruce and cedar from a national forest which means they're able to use some prime timber in building these guitars. Mine has a cedar top which is sort of unusual for a steel-string acoustic. Several people have told me a new cedar top sounds much like a well broken-in old spruce top, and it just gets better from there. | ||
| Zane |
Grumpy, I'm with you on that one. My father played in dance bands during the depression and little honky tonks up into the late 50's. I have a sister and a brother that can turn their hand to anything creative. Music, art, photography, both are accomplished in several creative areas. I on the other hand, can program a computer but when it comes to music? Heck I can barely play the radio. | ||
| 86129squids |
A few days ago I saw a TV ad for Guitar Center, looks like they're having a massive sale... My sis plays guitar, piano, writes songs, and had a few songs recorded when she was in college... I've got a huge appetite for most any good music, but no developed talent. That deal with the Luna, plus free online lessons, sounds cool. Girly or no, those dragonflies are pretty neat! | ||
| Hootowl |
Thank you everyone. I've decided that I suck at this, and am going to let her pick out her own guitar, Christmas surprise be damned. She's going to be playing it, so she should be able to play it before the purchase. I think that makes sense. Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions. Jeff | ||
| Al_lighton |
Guitar Center is ALWAYS having a "massive sale". In fact, the sale each month is always better than the last, with prices that will never again be repeated. That is, until the next sale next week. Lots of places do this, but guitar center is the worst. But they do generally have good prices. Jeff, I think your decision is sound... a guitar is a very personal thing. Al | ||
| Hootowl |
Thanks Al, I do too, now that I think about it. I also get to duck out on a very difficult decision. Win-win. No remarks about my witty Pink Floyd reference? Come on people, I'm throwing out my best material here. | ||
| 86129squids |
Al, that's pretty funny! Reminds me of a furniture store that's perpetually been "going out of business", "Chapter 11 Closeout", etc, ad nauseaum, even got the poor kid they hired to stand with a big neon colored sign at the busiest intersection... they've been going out of business since I started working up the street. Back OT: May I offer a short list of my favorite guitarists, acoustic and electric... Strunz & Farah for some great Latin guitar. My mom always liked Acoustic Alchemy, also good Latin riffs- more of a fusion jazz bent, but "Red Dust and Spanish Lace" was her fave... Bill Frisell, "Gone, Just Like a Train". Absolutely gorgeous, he could teach Mark Knopfler a thing or 3... Ana Popovic. Hands down, one of the BEST guitarists I've EVER seen, male or female. She was born in Yugoslavia when it was still communist, now travels the world playing blues guitar. Several years ago, she played at the Shed, and BLEW ME AWAY. Another great lady guitarist, of course, would be Susan Tedeschi. Her hubby don't suck too bad, either. Going resophonic, try some Rob Ickes and some Tut Taylor. See about bookmarking WDVX.com and having the household take a listen. I learn about new, GOOD, music from them about every day. Good on ya for having musically talented young'uns! | ||
| Hughlysses |
I'm fortunate to have a local, small business music shop that will always meet and usually beat Guitar Center's prices. Give your local guy a shot before you buy from the Walmart of musical instruments. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
I also have a small music center in Kenosha that will let me test a guitar before I purchase it and aways beat the competition in price. The most important deciding factor in purchasing a guitar is how it feels and sounds when you play it. |
