Your least favorite acoustics

[HoboKen]

OK....I'll bite on this one.......all said here so far are points well made by all.

I've heard & played badly built guitars , even factory seconds that sounded pretty good. I've heard & played well made guitars that sounded just "so-so." I would not spend serious money to buy either catagory of guitar, no matter what the headstock says it is! Gibson, Martin, Taylor & Guild have all built good guitars and even some great guitars.

Here is my selection criteria in order of approach.....
1. Are the woods selected of high quality - tight streight grain, etc.? If yes, I move to .....
2. Is the design of the guitar condusive to good play-ability and sound creation? (does it fit me! ) If so, I move to.....
3. Is this one guitar well built? If not, it's not going to hold up to what the design intended it to do.
4. Good wood, fits me (plays well & easy), well constructed (quality control), ....does it have a balance of sound I want for the specific music I wll use it to play? (what are my ears telling me!)
5. Is the price reasonable for the full quality of the product purchased?
6. If a new guitar, does the company really back its warantee?

If all fits, I may buy it!

Martins......I like Martins for Bluegrass with the high treble- lonesome sound. I've never seen a Martin that was not well constructed. Untill recently I've never seen a Martin with a poor quality of the wood selected. I've only found a few that had real ease of playing and great sound....I bought them! (an HD-28, a D-35, and a 0001R......I still have the 0001R)

Taylors......I've only seen a few under $3 to 4K that even got past the wood issue. Sorry! But it's true. I've only seen a very few that could get past the design and build issues regardless of price. I've never seen a one that was worth the money required to purchase it.

Gibsons.....I've owned and played four of 'em. Except for a few from the Custom Shop in Montana, I have never found a newer one to go up the scale to the issue of price. I've never found a newer one that made it past the price. (I still have my '65 Kalamazoo Gibson-Epiphone Texan.
My one firend who has Guild JF-55, also has his old "66 Kalamazoo Gibson-Epiphone Frontier)

Guilds......I've played an acoustic Westerly dreadnought Guild that was so heavy that I could not comfortably play it for even five minutes. It was well made and sounded good....but it "was" a tank! I've seen Guild factory seconds that I would not buy.....not as well constructed or finished to a lesser or greater degree. But! .....my Guilds are the only guitars I've found to get all the way up the 6-stage scale and get me to buy them. They are Hobokens & Westerlys. They replaced the Martins because they not only can do the high - lonseome sound, but can also provide great bass! They simply are better balanced tone-wise for a wider range of a variety of music.....and like Martin, the Westerly factory really cared about its warantee to the original owner.

The only issue I am concerned about is that for those of use who purchased a Hoboken or Westerly Guild, will Fender honor the guarantee to the original owner?? I have a letter from Fender saying yes. However, I've been waiting over 8 months now for the Fender-Guild custom shop to
even let me send a prised Guild back to them for warantee work verified as being needed by a Fender-Guild authorized field rep. I'm getting great lip service, but one has to ask.....if this was the only guitar you owned, and you have been waiting 8 months just to send it for warantee repair work, what would your attitude towards Fender's stewardship of the Guild name be? It goes down hill each day I wait.

 

[carson17912]

To my ear, to my hand...................It's GUILD.

My dad and uncle leo, bought matching Gibsons tobacco burst I think and they were acoustic F-holed things. My dad and uncle played and sang beautifully. They really had something there. I kinda like gibsons, but I'm sure now that it's mostly my childhood memories of those two troubadors that may cloud my judgement. I don't like the Martins. The sound is inferior to a Guild and it just feels good in my hands too. I have in acoustic Guilds: MKI classical which is great it is from 1967 according to Hans' book. Guild DV-52. This guitar has been requested by so many guys at AL PAUL's AA recording studio for it's deep "woody" sound, now these guys play Martins that they payed big bucks for and these guys say that this Guild puts 'em to shame, and they're recording this stuff onto CD. I have a JF-30, which I use for a thinner country sound, a JF-30-12 which I use for most of my acoustic work ie. Hide your love away, My sweet lord, and any electric 12 string song that i do acoustically. I have a G-212 which delivers the same warm woody tone to the 12 string as the DV-52 gives to six strings. I beat up an Alverez acoustic with F-holes as a practice beast. I have Sherwood acoustic with F-holes and it's an archtop. They called it the "King of the archtops!!!!! I don't play this any more so I hung it on the wall along with a Nirvana 1930's(?) archtop F-holed job and that's on the wall too. I think that Guilds' workmanship, tone, and rugged construction and beauty make it the BEST acoustic guitar in the good ole' US of A. CARSON

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Hoboken,


What model was that tank Guild?

I heard a cheap all-plywood dred with a screwed on bridge that actually sounded good in a way. It was so bad it was good. it had a distinctive funky tone with very rapid decay. I could see using it in a few applications. I've seen Tom Waits do that--use a chapo for a reason. For example, he had his banjo player use a tenor Silvertone.

Carson,

I too use that term "woody tone" to describe Guilds. I've heard some guitars that I thought had better highs, or better lows, or better sustain, but usually I prefer the Guild tone. Also, from my limited experience, I think there is actually a tone loss with shaved braces--Guild or otherwise. Maybe I should say it's a tone change. (I should say that I'm talking about rosewood. I rarely like the sound of maple acoustics, or the look of mahogany.)

 

[gretschbigsby]

I think every maker is capable of producing a fine instrument. I've never been able to warm up to Taylors, though. I've played a few that were nice guitars, but not so nice that I'd want to own it.

I think I've owned close to 60 acoustic guitars-- close to half of them would be Martins. My favorite guitars tend to be good Gibsons-- but they aren't always easy to find. Maybe my favorite guitar that I've owned was a 1942 LG-2. I was dumb to sell it. I own two Gibsons right now (J-45 Rosewood and a late 90's J-100) as well as a banjo and ES-125. Some of my other favorites have been a mid 70's D-28S, a 60's J-45, a Larrivee L-05, a mid 70's Mossman, a 30's Washburn... For newer model Martins, I've really liked the OM-18V and OM-28V, as well as the 000-28VS

I like Guilds a lot. They fall somewhere between Gibsons and Martins. I love their construction and their balance and not being afraid to bring it anywhere. I once read that Guilds play like a Volvo drives. I really like that analogy. The Guild rosewood tone finally got me to appreciate rosewood back and sides. The sound of the Guild Mahogany topped guitars is as fine as a Martin. I've found Guilds to be as consistent as Martins and more consistent than Gibsons.

Bob

 

[carson17912]

new hope guitar traders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great comments on the pluses and negatives on acoustic guitars. Just imagine, (I'll allude to the Beatles) Paul McCartney chose an Epiphone Texan which in the mid-'60's, Paul could have used a far more expensive guitar. It cost Paul $250.00, $1,500 in today's money. When I saw him in Philly in september I think he made a point to mention when he played his acoustic set that the texan was the one he use on the Ed Sullivan show in 1965, and used in the recording of: "Yesterday." I sold some radio time tonight to my music store K&S music in Paxinos Pa. They have an extensive Martin, and Taylor high end acoustic guitar room. I saw most of the high end Martins and taylors tonight and I'm still sold on my "tank" the DV-52. Hey Bob, try logging on to new hope guitar traders on the computor, they're out of Tennesse. They usually have quite a bit of Guilds and the owner is real great to deal with. K&S Music has a web site too, and you can get better prices on high end stuff there as well. Ask for Dave, or Drew and tell them carson sent you and they'll take good care of you. They also carry vintage pieces too, but inquire to the two I mentioned to what they have now and what they should look for if they don't have what you want at the time......................carson

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

New Hope Guitar Traders' url is http://www.guildguy.com
As you might gather from the address "guildguy" it's the place to go for buying Guilds.

 

[J45dale]

I hate to admit it but I must be a real odd piece of work, as I play A Gibson J45 mohogany, A Martin D18AG Mohogany, and a Guild D55 Rosewood. I find that each offers a different sound that I need for different songs and musical moods. The J45 is used for old time and blues, it has that thumping sound with less sustain that is needed. The D18 really rings forever and cuts thru a crowd, its perfect for blue grass. The Guild is loud with a great balanced tone, and a fast flat-pickers neck, its one of the best guitars ever for classical songs and picking up the neck. I like all 3 brands. they are just different. You can never have too many great guitars!
Dale.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

J45dale,

I'm beginning to look at guitars that way. I have different Guilds for different applications, so why not different brands?

 

[Guild/GibsonPicker]

I have been shopping for a new Guitar. The choices were down to the Gibson J-45R and a Guild F50R (I already have an older J-45 and an F50R but they have tons of miles). I was pretty set on the J-45R , it sounds great in Rosewood and it is less money than the Guild. I don't count cost as a prime factor but it can be a tie breaker! Just as I was ready to buy the dealer produced a new GS Taylor. I finally found a Taylor to like! It has the full sound that I have not heard from a Taylor till now. I am not too fussy about the factory set-up. Dialing in a new guitar is a pleasure. Any factory setup is a compromise at best.

J-45... You are right there on your assessment of the different music styles. The Gibson is wonderful on old gospel and blues numbers.

Why "hate" guitars? :?

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I have to swallow my pride and admit that hating a guitar is really a lame prospect. I don't think I ever have hated a guitar. I hope not.

A friend of mine hasa Taylor rosewood 12, and it has what I'd call a full sound, and I say that his 6-string Taylor koa grand concert doesn't. It sure is good looking though.

 

[SmithfieldFair]

Guild/Volvo comparison?????

Gretschbigsby -- I've never heard that expresssion - A Guild plays like a Volvo drives. How insane! How very coolly insane. I love it. An old girlfriend was once quoted in an article if she could describe me in three words - what would they me. Her answer? "Guild, Volvos, Earthshoes." I had to laugh, but she got me. I drive a 1977 Volvo wagon I've had since 94 and before that a 74 Volvo 244 and before that a 79 245....and so on. I started wearing Earthshoes in 1969 and still do. Even when the copany stopped making them - I had a stock that got me to the next manufacture.

As far as guitars - to me....for me...there's only Guild - Westerlys. I own a Hoboken, but it's the odd duck and I keep it only because it's this daft old F112 and I don't think I could sell it - but it has a great 'wide-open' American sound to it. The rest are rich, warm, woody and powerful. Playing exclusively in open D & C, they are the only guitars I found that consistently deliver what I am looking for. I've never cared for the sound of Martin, though I've played some nice ones and beautifully built - but not recently. I've played Collings, Santa Cruz, Gibson, and a raft of custom and commercial guitars. I've owned literally dozens and dozens, but I only keep what achieves that sound - that "Dudley" sound. (see the list below)

I don't 'hate' any guitars or makers - to 'hate' you have to have strong emotion and if they don't have that sound, I have no emotion toward them. (There are some music dealers I've been passionate enough to want to throttle from time to time, though.) I think a guitarist should be on a journey, working through the garden of guitars toward perfection of a personal style and looking for guitars that capture and deliver that. As for the rest - perhaps they will be perfect for someone else.

Best to all.....the Earthshoe clad Volvo of Guild players....dbs

Dudley-Brian Smith
Smithfield Fair

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

What's an earthshoe? I have the Volvo and Guilds, so I might as well complete the ensemble.

 

[Guild/GibsonPicker]

Could they be the hippie-cum-yuppie type shoes that are styled to match the old B-44 Volvo? (Or whatever the model of the Volvo that looked like a miniature 1947 Mercury and had the 4 cylinder engine that looked like an MGB engine,complete with sidedraft SU or Stromberg carbs).

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I don't know what the model number was, but they did indeed look like late 40s Fords and Mercs. I guess they were probably 4 cylinder, but what about those Saab 3 cylinders? Thirty miles to a gallon--of oil. Stromberg carbs? I haven't heard of those or Stromberg guitars for a while. My brother had 6 of them on a 50 Olds, which was surprisingly fast, and on a T- buclet, which was expectedly fast. Think of it! Six Stromberg guitars on one engine.

 

[Nancy]

Least liked accoustic

Like all of you I've played most of the brands out there from Washburn and Martins, Gibsons, to real cheapies like Framus but THE worst Ive ever touched were Fender flatops. You couldn't give me one. Big and heavy, poor action, lousey sustain and tone just a cruddy guitar. Anybody else agree? Maybe they are just too low down to mention eh
Nancy

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Nancy,
I played a Fender flat top that had more tump than tone, but you could use that in some unusual situations. But the action and neck were so bad it was like a square neck dobro. Or a fender with six Strombergs on it.

 

[Nancy]

Fender accoustics

Yes Daryl
:twisted: thats just about what I said but you said it far more eloquently
and accurately!!
Nancy

 

[SmithfieldFair]

Earthshoes

Darryl - Follow this link....http://www.earth.us/ ....that should tell you about the shoes. I've never thought of myself Gibson as "hippie-cum-yuppie" - born in '54, though I am on the tail end of both qualifiers, but then, I really don't have the money or the ambition for money that qualifies the 'yuppy' tag - but, again, I am on the tail end of the baby boom generation. As far as 'hippy' - I think that's a frame of mind...and in some ways - possibly all of us of the cultural epoch fit. I just feel that I know what I like, am unperturbed by fashion and fad - often ignorant of 'what's happening now'. But, I do know that on festival days I am on my feet for 12-14 hours and only about 3-4 on stage. At the end of those days - my feet and back don't hurt and that's after holding a Westerly Guild around my neck at the same time - plus the clinics and workshops I often give at those events. Something must be working.

As far as Volvos - while my wife drives a '92 245 wagon, I've never had one older than 1 '79. Why? Too much computer gadgetry under the bonnet to go wrong. Just good solid transportation - no frills - and plenty of room in the boot for guitars, guitars, guitars.

Now to Guilds - play what you will, love what you play (I hope you do, or are saving up for what you want), but I know what works for me, makes me dream from the first strum....Guild...Westerly Guilds. It was an era fraught with change and turmoil, but one we're not likely to see again. Judging from what I've seen thus far of Fender's handling and their putting people like Donnie Wade in charge....we're NEVER likely to see again. Leave it to a big money-hungry corporation to take something beautiful and destroy it by "trying to make it better".

But, I digress...I'm off in search of another dream guitar...a 1988, 89 or 90 Gruhn-designed GF25 - hopefully with a sunburst finish. Anyone seen it? I know it's elusive and playing the game well, but it wants to find me, too. Cheers! dbs

Dudley-Brian Smith
Smithfield Fair

 

[SmithfieldFair]

Earthshoes 2

Oops - pardon me - that was supposed to be "NEWER than a 1979". Lest I be misquoted or misunderstood. Brilliant! dbs

 

[West R Lee]

Smith,

It is uncanny how much you and I have in common. I might like to meet you one day. Did I hear you say that ya'll would be in Arlington in May or June?

West