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I'm in the market for a new acoustic, and I went out today to try some.

I've got a max of $1000 CDN to spend. I tried out a bunch of guitars including, Yamahas, Simon amp; Patrick, Epiphone Masterbilt, and Takamine. Of the ones in my range that I tried, my favourite was one of the Epiphone Masterbilts. I'm not sure of the model, but it had mahogany sides and spruce top, in a satin finish. It had slightly irregular inlays (snowlake, diamond-y). The sound was great when strumming with a pick or fingerpicking, and had good action. I'm probably going to get that one. It seems to be built solidly and is $700 CDN.

Before I do, I was wondering if anyone has any other reccomendations or models I could try. Or, if anyone has words of warning against the Epiphone Masterbilt series?

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My washburn has been the best buy for the money that I've ever seen. The d10 range come in at around £200 sterling (dunno how much that is in canadian dollars), and they are good. Not in the gibson / martin range, mind, but good. Takamines are guitars I've really enjoyed playing.


Originally Posted by JimbojsrMy washburn has been the best buy for the money that I've ever seen. The d10 range come in at around £200 sterling (dunno how much that is in canadian dollars), and they are good. Not in the gibson / martin range, mind, but good. Takamines are guitars I've really enjoyed playing.

Thanks, I'll check out some Washburns as well. I've tried out some Takamines in my range, but didn't really find one that stood out. They have great plug-ins, but I'm looking strictly for an acoustic.

In the price range you mentioned I would recommend looking for a used Martin D1 or OM1(I think thats the model). These are Martins lower end guitars, another good choice would be a Martin D15. The D15 is all Mahogony back, sides and top. These are real nice guitars and can be had for under $1000. MArtins are going to sound better than any of the oters (IMO) and they play like an Acoustic also.

Scott_F is selling his Martin for a good price:
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I just bought...er...financed...a Taylor 110E. Great sounding axe. Pics coming soon.

For that price range, you should be able to get a Simon amp; Patrick Showcase Series. I tried the spruce/rosewood one on the weekend, and it played beautifully. Which Samp;P's did you try?

try a canadian built seagull guitar. There solid as a rock and have a great sound. Mine has an L.R. Baggs preamp with an interal mic and undersaddle pickup. It has a great sound plugged or unplugged.

ovation celebrity isnt a bad guitar, but its a little too rich sounding for my music.

Walden's sound good as well.

get an Ibanez AW 80 CE NT if you can find one

2nd the seagull in that price range- You can get quite a deal and they sound good-
My main knock around the house is a Fender maple dreadnought that ran about $500 US- Doesn't have the bottom that you are probalby looking for with mahogany/spruce, but it's a perfect pick up and play accoustic.

But now I will do to you what a very wise salesman did to me when I was looking for a mahoganey spruce in this price range..I described the sound I wanted this way.. Artriculate bass, plenty of highs, good for finger or pick..

He told me he had the perfect instrument but I'd have to go out of my range- Just for kicks, I said go for it-

He brought me back a Lowden 0-32 and I've never looked back- It's the best accoustic I have ever heard in my life and at the time I only spent double what I had budgeted

Moral of the story, there are a lot of good guitars in the price range you are looking at, but you are smack in the middle of the range of accoustics- If you are serious, and know exactly what you like, at least consider doubling up and look at some of the handmade top of the lines- If you skip the ornamanetion and just go for the sound you may have a best buddy for life-

Good luck, interested in hearing what you do, and hope I haven't messed your planning up any more than the salesman messed up mine

Um, if he is going to quot;doublequot; his cost, why not a Taylor? These axes are VERY hard to beat. I really like the 314CE ($1400USD)

Carvin makes some absolutely superb acoustics, especially their jumbos. I've got a C780 with a cutaway and a Fishman and its huge tone and playability even with .013's is amazing -- all for only $600 American.

LesStrat-
I love Taylors and on the upper mid market I've recommend them or Laravees more than anything else- Considering the price range, you are probably right for this case, but I probably did a poor job of makign a different point-

Unlike electrics, I've always found a significant sonic differeence with the highend aacoutics- IMHO this is where great wood and luthier's ability just can't be mass replicated and I'm talking entirely about sound, not ornamentation. Lowdens, Everetts, and Olson's aren't simply better, they sound entirely different in not so subtle ways that I've really come to lean on in my olden years.

For example my Lowden replaced a cedar top Laravee for finger style and a spruce topped Taylor for strums and it's significantly better than either- It's almost got the tonal characteristics of a 12 string as it has tons of high end, but the bass in incredible, and when you back off it gets nice and intimate, almost like a concert size. It has the greatest dynamic range of anything I have ever played, and other than an old buddies Everett, it's got the best feel of any acoustic I have ever played. With 2 month old strings, friends go 'wow'...with new strings, sometimes they won't give it back

I guess what I was trying to say is that a really great acoustic brings out things that just don't happen on a regular basis in the mid range $- My fender is a slightly reduced bass end version of my old Taylor, and if I still had the Taylor I would use it exactly the same way- I would play it 75% of the time, around the house, in front of the TV, or on vacation.

On the other hand, the Lowden stays in it's case 90% of the time, but when I pull it out, whatever I was just practicing automatically gets 25% better than I could have ever made it before. I guess in a way it's magic, but what I was getting at is that moving up can make a great difference-

On the other hand, you are right, most of the time the Taylor would make more sense and they are a great investment-

Places around me had pretty weak inventory when it came to used guitars, I already checked around.

I've tried various Seagulls and Samp;Ps, and I think they're good guitars. The only thing I noticed on them was that their action was a bit high. That's what's pushing me into the direction of the Epiphone.

I've looked at a few Taylors and Martins, and the ones in my range weren't outstanding.

I can't really stretch my budget more than $950-$1000. I'm a student, and I simply don't have any more money. I might check out some Larrivees in my range.

definately check out the larivees it might make you go over budget by 200 but its worth it. Or try a taylor 214 i bought one recently over the larivees and it costed me only 1100 canadian and it came with a case, string and it simply rocks. At first i thought ti soudned funny and was hard to play but once i adjusted the string height on my own and played it for a week i fell in lvoe with it and won't even touch my cheaper acoustics because they sound so bad in comparison, where as a week prior iw as content with my old beater acoustic sound. So my votes goes with both taylor or larivee. Anything under a 1000 canadian might mkae it hard to find an all wood acoustic guitar, which is what i was perosnally looking for but that depends on your choice. Good Luck finding that acoustic gem! cheers!

-Jason

I would mention Garrison Guitars if they can be found where you are. I got a G40 a few years ago. Sapele back and sides with engleman spruce top that sounds good.

I agree with Bludave. The best sounding guitar I've ever had that was under $1000 is the Martin DR (Dreadnaught Rosewood). It's the same as a DM, but the back and sides are high quality laminated Rosewood. It's basically the 'poormans D-28' and sell for around $900 US. Before my D-28, I had a DR. It sounded equal to my D-28 and actually sounded a bit better than a Taylor 410 I also had.

Just fork out some bucks and settle with a Santa cruz F model.
It rings like a harp and feels like a Martin in a Gibson body
=)

Sometime the money cannot please all the guitar companies