I'm 33 years old and I just started playing guitar again after about 10 years off. Like a lot of people, I played when I was young and gave it up cause I didn't think I'd ever be any good. Well, since then, I've grown and I have a family and a real job and all that, my goals are more realistic. I just want to play some songs that make my kids smile and I'd like to be able to strum some chords in front of the campfire or when the family gets together for the holidays.
I picked up the guitar again after I bought a mini Fender Strat for my 8 year old son. At first, I was thinking that I'd get my 1983 Ibanez out of the closet to help my son with his lessons, but I fell in love with it all over again. I never had an acoustic guitar before and I thought it would be fun to play one, so I went to Guitar Center and spent about $99 on a plywood model. This week I decided it was time to drop some more money so I picked up an Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500M. I can't believe the difference between the $99 special and this $499 solid wood guitar. It's a lot more fun playing a quality, well setup instrument.
Here's some pictures of my new axe:
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/DR500M.htm
ive played that one...or a similar model, not sure. it's a wonderful guitar. so wonderful that i was contemplating ways to fit it in my pants and sneak it out the door.
What a beautiful piece of craftmanship! You definitly have a quality instrument. Have fun strumming those chords man.
GN's resident learning sponge, show me a little and I will soak it up.
Welcome to GN and the world of guitar.
You'll like them both a lot.
Beautiful guitar!
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Haha cool, after 10 years is it like ridin a bike?
Well, I've had some requests, but I'm going to play anyway.
Thats a good sign that your serious. Cause if you wasn't you wouldn't spend $499.00.
Wow, that's a great guitar. I don't have one that expensive other than my electric, my acoustics are all in the 150 range. But I have played with 500 dollar acoustics before and I know what you mean.
Alot of it has to do with the wood. cheap guitars use cheap woods and expensive guitars use expensive woods. So does the new guitar feel heavier than the 99 dollar special? That's what I noticed about playing more expensive guitars they just seemed more solid. like you could drop them and they wouldn't splinter all over the floor. LOL
nice guitar, and welcome to gn. 8)
even god loves rock-n-roll
It's not like riding a bike! I couldn't even remember Stairway :shock:
I couldn't even impress my 8 year old. He was like, "Dad, can you play some Greenday?" And I was like, "How about 'Smoke on the Water' again?" Really though, it's coming back. I was not much of a guitarist before anyhow. I think that at 33 I'm much more focused and dedicated than I was when I was a teen and I think that's why I'll be much better this time around.
The new Epiphone is heavier than the plywood model. What I noticed in the store is that the Spruce/Mahogany is a ton more hevier than a ceder model. An interesting note though, the salesman said that the S/M model will improve with age and the ceder model won't much. I'm not sure if that's true or not but I can not imagine mine improving beyond how awsome it sounds now!!!
Which $99 guitar do you have. I am thinking about upgrading also (I have a post on the beginners Q&A) and this was one of the guitars I'm considering. I currently have the Yamaha F325 from the Gigmaker pak. Did you look at any other guitars in that price range? If so, what made you go with the Epi?
sure is nice being grown up and affording a guitar that makes you want to play more and more.
welcome back into the fold.
Congrats, man...and welcome back! I also took a ten year hiatus from playing and picked it up again about ten months ago.
The sound of an acoustic will improve with PLAYING, not necessarily just age. Ricochet will probably have a better scientific explanation, but it boils down to having the top and braces vibrate together as you play. The cedar is a much softer wood than the spruce, so it probably won't "open up" as dramatically as the spruce.
When you have to shoot, shoot; don't talk
That's a beaut! Enjoy it!
Jason
"Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
Congratulations and welcome to GN !
Congratulations! Welcome to Guitar Noise man. That's a beautiful guitar.
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
Welcome! Those masterbuilt guitars are very nice. I believe Alex Lifeson of Rush plays one.
-=- Steve
"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"