Hey guys
To put it plain and simple; I'm looking for a new guitar.
Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to make this post a semi-introductory post, so you get an idea of who I am and what I'm looking for.
I'm a 21 years old guy living in Belgium, and I've been learning to play the guitar for about 9 months now. I'm taking private lessons, but have been enjoying the lessons on this wonderful site as well, especially those by David, but also the Irish Tunes by Doug (although these are still a bit out of my league right now).
Now, my current guitar is a real beginners guitar – an Epiphone Special II. It does what it needs to do, but obviously it isn't that great.
The reason why I started learning to play the guitar was –and still is– to play Irish Folk Music. Secondly comes music from artists like Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon,... (still somewhat folky) but also Pink Floyd, America, The Eagles,...
So, I'm looking for a decent guitar. What with my interest in Irish Folk, I've been reading a lot about Takamine guitars. They seem like a great choice, both in quality as in price.
To be more specific, their Supernatural Series attract me the most.
Now, take these fine guitars:
TAN 16C
TAN 45C
TAN 46C
The main difference between them is the shape of the body (NEX or Dreadnought) and the choice of Top Wood (Cedar or Spruce).
From what I've read, NEX is a better choice for singer/songwriter artists. Not that I can sing, but I like the idea of a mild (brighter?) sound, compared to a more 'bass-like' sound a Dreadnought guitar offers (I may be wrong in this interpretation, do feel free to correct me).
I've been looking around the internet, and this particular forum, and I realise I can't just expect an answer saying "go for this guitar". I'm betting there will be someone saying "don't ask us, play the different guitars you summed up, and pick the one that sounds best to you". While I *will* do this, I'd really appreciate some people sharing their experience in playing (Irish) Folk Music.
I'm not 100% sure if it matters, but the main thing I focus on right now is fingerpicking, instead of strumming chords. This is something I'd like to consider when buying a new guitar.
Thanks in Advance,
Bart
Fingerpicking sound is definitly something to consider. I do it alot with my acoustic, and play alot with out a pick in general. I've played some guitars that sounded great with strumming, and useless with fingerpicking, and of course, vice versa.
Wood choice, is the biggest factor in my opinion. Get a solid top. I like Cedar, but thats just me, I think it has a nice balanced sound.
As to a "Folk Guitar" I would think that it would be something like this
http://www.alvarezgtr.com/productcompare.htm?CatID=50
Now thats a ton of money to spend. I would look at lesser priced Alavrez, Seagull, or Washburn.
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
From my limited experiance a 000 or parlour style is prefered by most fingerpickers as they have a lighter sound and carry the upper frequencys better in most cases. however if you are going to get an electric acoustic you have a lot more leeway as to what can work for fingerpicking.
I own 2 Takamines so i'm a bit biased as to how they sound. For guitars in my price range the ones i have sound as nice and (more importantly) play as well as guitars i tried costing hundreds more.
Both of mine are E/A as well so the choice of bodystyle had more to do with a compromise between how they sounded unamplified versus amplified. my compromise was also dictated by cost.
The ones in your examples starting with the Tan15C ($1500+) were out of my price range so i did not try them. However i tried similar Martins and a few others that were in that range and could not justify the extra cost.
With electric guitars the amp is as important as the guitar and for electric acoustics i believe this is also true. i have a Fishman acoustic amp that brings out the sound of my acoustic guitars thru the piezo or mic'd better than i could ever get from my electric guitar amp reguardless of how i EQ'd it.
So i would try the ones you like thru a good acoustic amplifier like a Fishman , Ultrasound, or one of the upper level Fender acoustisonics, the new Crate acoustic amps are very nice as well.
#4491....
From what I've read, NEX is a better choice for singer/songwriter artists. Not that I can sing, but I like the idea of a mild (brighter?) sound, compared to a more 'bass-like' sound a Dreadnought guitar offers (I may be wrong in this interpretation, do feel free to correct me).
If your looking for a bright sound you probably wont be pleased with any of the four guitars you mentioned. They are all made with Rosewood back and sides. Rosewood tends to add a dark almost reverberation type sound to guitars. I would look more to guitars with Spruce tops and Mahogeny back and sides, they tend to have a brighter sound. I also wouldn't limit myself to one manufacturer, check out as many as you can.
Tim Madsen
Nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.
"What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away you keep forever." -Axel Munthe
That's a great point Tim.
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
I love the boomy sounds from dreads.
in your case the parlor or concert size guitar would be good.
also, Tim makes the best point.
I wanted rosewood badly for my expensive acoustic. I ended up with mahogany as the tone was clearer.
and spruce is the way to go for top woods.
western cedar is a darker sounding wood.
more mellower.
Taks are great guitars. the necks are a bit heavy tho....or is that Taylor. I forget. forgive me.
so go Tak in mahogany with a solid spruce top.
and get steel strings.
happy hunting.
I agree 100% with lefty regarding the 000 parlor size for finger picking. However, I am a big fan of Martin and I think the extra few $ (hundreds even) are absolutely dollars well spent on the Martin over ANY OTHER BRAND OF ACOUSTIC! The best advice is for you to play as many as you can because this is very subjective. Martins willl hold value better also!
PK
I don't have a lot of experience in this, but: I have a dreadnought guild, and I find that it is a bit too big for fingerpicking. What I mean is that I think I would find a smaller guitar more comfortable for my hand, shoulder etc (and I am little over 6ft tall).
Whenever I pick up the acoustic, it is mainly for fingerpicking, and I wish I had bought a smaller guitar. I bought it early in my current guitar journey, and I thought I should get a dreadnought because it will have
more volume.
--vink
"Life is either an adventure or nothing" -- Helen Keller
I have a Seagull S6+ folk with the solid cedar top and I think it's fingerpicked tone is amazing. Certainly better than the Martin or Fender. Not too expensive either. Seagull makes quality schtuff
Thanks for the grand information!
When you say 000-style, that doesn't necessarily imply it shouldn't be a body with a cut-out, right?
So for example, this Martin Guitar would fit better with what i'm looking for in a guitar compared to the Takamines I referenced to in my first post?
Guess I'll be playing lots of different guitars before actually buying one!
no the "cut-out" is usually an option designed into A/E models but not specific to a certain body style.
#4491....
Ansur:
i can't believe it! the Martin link you posted to is exactly the new guitar that i'm getting! I have a deposit on it. It's an amazing looking and sounding guitar. the one I'm getting is acoustic-electric with a cutaway. I hsave a seagull dreadnaught now but wanted something smaller. PM me and i'll tell you where to get in at a great price. You won't find a price as good as this on the web. I was checking around.
Ansur:
i can't believe it! the Martin link you posted to is exactly the new guitar that i'm getting! I have a deposit on it. It's an amazing looking and sounding guitar. the one I'm getting is acoustic-electric with a cutaway. I hsave a seagull dreadnaught now but wanted something smaller. PM me and i'll tell you where to get in at a great price. You won't find a price as good as this on the web. I was checking around.
Pearl - I PMed you for that info as well, if you don't mind...
Music is the universal language, love is the key.
excellent. you have made a great choice.
I have a Martin DC16 GTE. it looks like yours.
it is an excellent guitar. very playable and sounds fantastic.
the electronics are very nice.
I got this guitar after loking and playing a dozen. the neck fit my hand extremely well.
I could nail every passage I attempted.
the other guitars just didnt feel right. so I got the Martin.
I feel it's extravagant for me to buy a Martin but i'm buying it anyway!
