# What's your acoustic?



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I'm going to be looking around at sub-$1K acoustic-electric guitars soon, and so I thought I'd see what the forums are relying on. The guitar will be used for casual playing as well as (hopefully) some recording and live use. I will probably be looking for a cutaway model as I play the leads in my band.

My current (and only) acoustic is a Washburn SJ20S or something - solid top, just above entry-level acoustic. The neck is more like an electric, which I enjoy, and other then that I don't know a whole ton about it (except that it's hard to research!). A trip to the tech to fix some fretting out is what prompted this thread.

I know we have a builder from SW Ontario on here, though I forget his name .

Here's a list I fired off to Lance Romance earlier today

http://seagullguitars.com/seagull_perf_cwflame.html


http://seagullguitars.com/seagull_artist_studiocw.html


http://www.larrivee.com/instruments/acoustics/D03E.php


http://www.takamine.com/guitars/naturals/etn20c

A site owner recommended the Martin DC-1E to me as well, which I will have to read up on.

What are you guys using? Do you gig or record with it? Any great pieces I should look into?

Cheers!


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## Latiator (Jul 18, 2007)

This is a happy time for you, I always enjoy the quest for my next guitar (as I do quite a bit of research prior to purchasing). 
In a live setting I use a Seagull M6 Gloss w/ Fishman pup which has been an absolute beast in terms of dependability (all solid wood construction). While working in the studio, I use it as well (condenser mic, not built in pup) in conjunction with a Larrivee L-05 for my acoustic 6-string work, both sound great!
Good luck with your search.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Thanks! I always enjoy looking for new stuff, especially when it's more justifiable to non-players *L*


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## 10409 (Dec 11, 2011)

I pulled one of these off of kijiji last month and I'm absolutely in love with it. It's a martin D-45 clone.

http://sagamusic.com/catalog/details.aspx?ProductID=BR-180

If you get the opportunity to pick one up i'd 100% recommend it. I usually like new guitars for about a week then go back to my old ones...this one is still the only one I pick up and I don't see that changing.


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

mike_oxbig said:


> I pulled one of these off of kijiji last month and I'm absolutely in love with it. It's a martin D-45 clone.
> 
> http://sagamusic.com/catalog/details.aspx?ProductID=BR-180
> 
> If you get the opportunity to pick one up i'd 100% recommend it. I usually like new guitars for about a week then go back to my old ones...this one is still the only one I pick up and I don't see that changing.


I went a step down with the BR-160. D-28 clone with all solid woods. Sitka spruce top with rosewood sides and back. It's a cannon.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Budda said:


> I know we have a builder from SW Ontario on here, though I forget his name .


Joshua House? www.houseguitars.com

Peace, Mooh.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

If you like the "electric feeling neck", make sure you try out some Taylors. I had a nice Taylor 214, which is more an entry level guitar, but it was *so* easy to play - and that was with just the factory setup. Sounded great too.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

My daily player and giggers are Beneteau and House steel string guitars, and LaPatrie classical. I've played some high end Seagulls lately that impressed me, especially considering price.

My job subjects me to a huge variety of acoustics from dirt cheap crap to nice stuff indeed. The good ones: Gibson Songwriter, Seagull, Larrivee, Simon & Patrick, Taylor, and one old Yamaha.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

Just a nice ukelele my girlfriend brought me back from Hawaii. Forget the brand...


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## Beach Bob (Sep 12, 2009)

I have a cheap Seagull and Larivee D03 with a mahogany body. I don't think you could go wrong with either brand, although I prefer the Larivee over the Seagull.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Recording King are incredibly well made and well priced. Ignore the Made in China.....the build quality speaks for itself.


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## 10409 (Dec 11, 2011)

there are quite a few good MIC guitars. I had a couple epiphone masterbilts that, for the price, were amazing. What I found though was that they always needed a full setup right out of the gate, but thats not really something that bothers me.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

My acoustic of choice right now is my Seagull Coastline Cedar Grand. It's a parlor size with the Q-1 electronics (including built-in tuner). It was under $600 new with case, and if you like the mid-rangey (think finger-picking Blues) sound of a parlor guitar, you wouldn't be disappointed with this Canadian-made beauty. I use it with an unwound .17 for a G string to facilitate bending and to me, it plays like an electric. A fun little guitar!
-Mikey


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

There's a Seagull SWS on here right now that I'd like to check out. I think Larivee is the next step up from the higher end Seagulls, someone correct me if I'm wrong.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I've got this one: http://www.simonandpatrick.com/showcaseflamemaple.htm

Sounds great both acoustically _and_ plugged in, though I have to say that the electronics have not been "trouble free"; the battery box had a nasty resonance centred on G# (an easy fix, but took a while to locate where it was coming from) and the original undersaddle pick-up died prematurely (also an easy fix, but annoying). Mine has B-band electronics, which I don't think are factory issue anymore anyways.

It is available with a cutaway.


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## notjoeaverage (Oct 6, 2008)

I've got a Norman ST68CW w/ Fishman PrefixPro, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides and Sitka Spruce solid top. I've replaced the bridge pins with Ebony and the saddle with a compensated bone I made myself. Anytime I play it out somewhere other players ask about it, it's got a sound most others appreciate.

Just about any North American made $1000 acoustic will be a good player, but I would stay away from Martin and Taylor low enders (not as much bang or bling for your buck) usually laminate bodies. For that kind of money you want to make sure you get solid back and sides.


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## 5avenue (Dec 28, 2011)

Mine is a Simon & Patrick Cedar Mini-jumbo cutaway with B-Band electronics. It's a great guitar and a wonderful companion to my Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin. 

Godin just makes excellent instruments for the price!

Gary


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## fredellarby (Mar 14, 2012)

I bought a Tanglewood from Steve's a while ago.
I went to buy a Guild or Taylor. The Guild was out of the running early, but the other two took forever. I ended up having the sales guy play them from across the room so that I could just listen.
I couldn't feel or hear any diffence, other than an $800 difference in price.
No regrets.


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## noman (Jul 24, 2006)

I have a great little Larrivee Forum 12th fret acoustic which is an amazing guitar. In fact, every Larrivee that I have played is fantastic. Not cheap guitars but they sound and play as good as the big boys. I recently had a chance to play a vintage Martin and a newer Larrivee and the Larrivee sounded better and played better. Both guitars are the gigging guitars of a great player. His Martin is now back-up to his Larrivee!


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## Morkolo (Dec 9, 2010)

Yamaha FG750s, it's not bad but it sounds good enough and loud enough to play with friends that I'm not in any immediate rush to replace it.


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## gemor (Mar 29, 2012)

bobb said:


> I went a step down with the BR-160. D-28 clone with all solid woods. Sitka spruce top with rosewood sides and back. It's a cannon.


Gotta agree bobb,my BR160 is the best!


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