any guitar buffs?

[Midnight Rider]

I want to get a better guitar and was wondering if anyone knew anything about these two guitars. I looked them up on the net and the only thing I can find out is that they cost 600 new. I am looking at some used ones.

Italia Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

 

or the third pic is a

 

Takamine G Series EG540SC-BF NEX Butterfly Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

 

Thanks,

Dale

[hipshot]

Dale, my personal preference would be the "acoustical electric", i've always felt that electric guitars were too heavy feeling.

i guess it's still a choice that only you can make as to what "fits" you.

got a question, why electric?

why not plain acoustical?

just jt

[Snarley Bill]

dale, not a guitar expert more into bluegrass banjo. what i do know about guitars is the martin is one of the best accousticals, and the les paul seems to be a favorite with alot of the guitar players. roy clark liked the gretch accoutical electric. i like a stelling 5 string banjo. bill

[Blackjack]

Dale, you didn't indicate the condition of either guitar, the asking price, or the source. All of those things would impact the value. Other than that, it's a personal preference as to which of those two to choose. The Takamine would be more versatile, since you could play it with or without amplification.

 

Terry

[Midnight Rider]

I never heard of the name brand and was just wondering if either name was better then the other or if I should leave them alone. I can get either one for about 200. They say the condition was excellent. I am just wanting a better quality guitar for now. I would LOVE to have a Gibson Les Paul but that is more then I have right now.

Dale

[Guest Brad25ca]

I've played a few Takamine guitars, and they are nice to play. They are mass produced, so they are faily easy to set up and have pretty good action. You might find it will go out of tune more often than a hand-made guitar, but that is easy to solve with a locking nut.

[pegscraper]

Takamine is said to be a really good quality instrument, but I have no experience with them. I've never heard of Italia.

 

I have a Washburn D200SWM with real wood top which I really, really like. I don't need anything more than that. I got it for about $160 used. My brother and another friend of mine have also had Washburns in the past and I was impressed with them all. I'd buy another one again in a second.

[Sooner Rider]

You might look into the Ovation Acoustic/Electric. Great sound and the fiberglass bowl really resonates beautifully. The only draw back is that the bowl shape can tend to slide around on your lap a little. A sister to the Ovation is the Applause which I played the heck out of for years. It is a very versatile and reasonably priced option. Good luck with the search and keep on strummin.

[Guest Brad25ca]

You might look into the Ovation Acoustic/Electric. Great sound and the fiberglass bowl really resonates beautifully. The only draw back is that the bowl shape can tend to slide around on your lap a little. A sister to the Ovation is the Applause which I played the heck out of for years. It is a very versatile and reasonably priced option. Good luck with the search and keep on strummin.

 

 

Takimine is a Japanese guitar distributed by Kaman Music. Thay make Ovation, quite similar in action, but I agree, can be hard to hold on to.

[Freebird]

I LOVE my Seagull. They are a Canadian made guitar but you can find them at any Guitar Center. You get a LOT better guitar than what you pay for in my opinion. Here is a link to the ad at Guitar Center.

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Seagull-25th-Anniversary-CW-Flame-Maple-EQ--Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-516403-i1392331.gc

 

That is the 25th anniversary model. Mine is a cedar top, wild cherry back and sides with the cutaway and Godin QII electronics. About the 100.00 cheaper. You simply can't go wrong with a Seagull.

[WilCruise]

Takamine is said to be a really good quality instrument, but I have no experience with them. I've never heard of Italia.

 

Same here. I had a Takamine 12 string about 20 years ago that I still regret selling. They do mass produce and sell things from low end to upper mid range. Usually pretty good build quality, but you'd have to know the specific model, and even try it to be sure.

[stardbog]

Hey Dale, Best Place to buy Acustic / Electric Guitars are Musician's Friend

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-electric-guitars/6-string

 

Or other Good source for Guitars are Sam Ash

http://www.samash.com/department/guitar/

 

Good Luck Dale

 

I Have Acustic / Electric Ovation Deep round Back And More than Happy with sound quality. On sale cost me just over $300

[Midnight Rider]

Thanks for all the info. thats what I was looking for.

Dale

[stardbog]

Hey Dale Check out this one. Keeler deal.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Applause-AA21-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=516723

[Guest Brad25ca]

Go custom from my friend George:

 

http://www.rizsanyiguitars.com/

[Stanman]

I LOVE my Seagull. They are a Canadian made guitar but you can find them at any Guitar Center. You get a LOT better guitar than what you pay for in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Seagull is a good guitar for your money; but, I heard a side by side comaprison of a Seagull and an Alvarez. The difference in sound and projection was amazing. Alvarez is twice the guitar; more money yes, but a superior instrument. The fingerboard is very well setup right from the factory. I bought a cedar top Alverez, but, it all comes down to a matter of personal choice.

 

Good Luck and happy playing!

[RSTDRIDER]

My Favorite is Taylor. Once I played one it was hard to put down...so hard in fact I took it home. Can't beat the action or sound and they just get better with age. Try one before you get anyting.

[gibvel]

Guitarists are like A$$holes, everyone... Wait, wait, that's another statement... Ummmm all guitarists have opinions on what guitar is best. The best guitar for you is the one you like and that you like to play.

 

While all the guitars mentioned are good (except the Ovation SorrySooner Rider but I have never, ever liked the sound of an Ovation with the stupid bowl back. Better plugged in but IMHO to twangy and cold unplugged. And that is my personal preference.) you need to find someone you know who plays guitar and take him to music stores and pawn shops and have him play guitars. The right guitar will be one that plays well, sounds good and is in your budget.

 

Some things to look for are a straight neck, not twisted slightly bowed around the 7th fret. Sight down the neck from the top and you'll see what I mean. Tune to pitch and play chords. Is there any buzzing? What you're looking for is a guitar that has a low action without the strings buzzing. You want something that you want to play.

 

Electrics are generally easier to play and have lower actions and mostly thinner necks than acoustics. Most have thinner strings to start which are easier to push down.

 

That being said, any steel string guitar, till you get used to it, will hurt your fingers like heck till you build callouses and get use to it. If you get one with a good action to start this will help because you won't have to push so hard and it shouldn't hurt quite as much and you won't suffer hand fatigue and possible carpal tunnel issues.

 

These are all things an experienced guitarist should know, that's why I suggest finding someone to take along.

 

I know I didn't help with the guitar selection but I hope this helped some. Just some things I've experienced in 38 or so years of fiddling around with them.

[Guest Yamahauler]

My personal preference is my Taylor 810. In your first entry, you talked about the Takamine. I found that that a $1300 Takamine sounded to tinny and had no sustain. That could have been the store having no humidity control, doing a job on the guitars. But I picked up a $300 Yamaha and it blew it away. But I've yet to find a guitar that has the depth and volume of my Taylor, along with ease of playing. Asked my guitar teacher why I could play stuff a lot easier on my Taylor than other guitars, he told me it was because the Taylor's made much better than other guitars. Ebay's got'em.

[Freebird]

I LOVE my Seagull. They are a Canadian made guitar but you can find them at any Guitar Center. You get a LOT better guitar than what you pay for in my opinion.

 

 

I think Seagull is a good guitar for your money; but, I heard a side by side comaprison of a Seagull and an Alvarez. The difference in sound and projection was amazing. Alvarez is twice the guitar; more money yes, but a superior instrument. The fingerboard is very well setup right from the factory. I bought a cedar top Alverez, but, it all comes down to a matter of personal choice.

 

Good Luck and happy playing!

 

Isn't it amazing. Kind of like motorcycles huh? Everybody sees and hears them differently. I've tried the Alverez also and didn't think it was even in the same class as the Seagull.

 

Here is a website that I like for acoustic/acoustic electric guitars. Do a search for different brands there and you'll find a lot of good opinions. Nice people for the most part.

 

http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

[stardbog]

I Dont know what is Dale's level of playing Guitar but for beginers, probably is best chiper kind of guitars. Sometime is good to change strings with ultralight electric guitar strings, just to go easy on fingertips during entry practice period. If Dale is beginer, I would sugest Rogue D100 with Electric Guitar strings.

[gibvel]

 

Isn't it amazing. Kind of like motorcycles huh? Everybody sees and hears them differently. I've tried the Alverez also and didn't think it was even in the same class as the Seagull.

 

You know, that's just it Don. You can go to the assembly line and play every single guitar that comes off and, for the most part, they all play and sound different. For my money my Larrivee slaughtered every Taylor I ever compared it to at a lot lower price but then, that's my opinion.

[StarFan]

Dale.

It is a little difficult to advice you since I have no idea of your skills, budget or what kind of music you are using these instruments for. I have owned many guitars in my short life and I have to agree with Don that the Seagulls are simply the best buy in the aucoustic upper middle class range. They have a neck that is a little wider than on other aucoustics and if your hands and/or fingers are big then they are much easier to play. The sound is usually rather deep but they sing outwards and have a very wide tone. I just love them. I have a twelve string and three six strings and they are all great instruments. I have had Yamahas, Takamine, Alvares, Ibanez, Simon and Patrick, Fender and the infamous Ovation (sold him after a week), and my Seagulls are simply much better in all ways. You can of cause get a better instrument than the Seagull if you have the money like top end Taylors and so forth but the difference in quality and sound does not justify the price difference in my opinion. I am more into saxophones than guitars even though I have a few guitars but it is the same with guitars, motorcycles, fly fishing and so forth - everyone has different opinions and different experiences.

Regarding electric guitars then it is the same story. Everybody has their own opinion. My favourite modern electric guitar is the Ibanez Steve Vai Gem 6 string. Have a white one with golden accents personally signed in my and my sons presence by mr. Vai. An awesome instrument that is practically self playing. No limits on what you can play on this guitar, Jazz, rock, heavy metal you just name it. Great fingerboard and all kind of extra patents.

My favourite oldtimer is a Gibson ESTD300 electric Jazz guitar that I got after my father. I plug it in to his 1955 Gibson tube Amplifier and it just makes me cry. Heavenly soft Jazz sound that can not be compared to anything. The Les Paul model is also great, specially the older ones.

The only advice I can actually give you is - buy the guitar that feels good to you and that you are happy with. Have somebody with experience and knowledge help you out when picking the instrument and try as many as you can get your hands over and compare them.