Fireball Posted April 18, 2002 Share Posted April 18, 2002 Hello all, I'm in the process of trying to find a nice acoustic guitar for recording purposes. Can anyone give me suggestions for which acoustic guitar to try out? I'd like to buy a nice one that I won't have to upgrade later on. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rim Posted April 18, 2002 Share Posted April 18, 2002 What's your price range? We'll be able to give you more realistic recommendations if you let us know your budget. In general, an acoustic guitar that sounds good to the ear (live) is the best for recording. It's up to the recording process to capture the good sound of the guitar, not the other way around. aka riffing Double Post music: Strip Down http://rimspeed.com http://loadedtheband.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Are you going to be miking, playing through a piezo or doing both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Just find an acoustic that has a good tone and that you love the feel of and get a good acoustic pickup or a good mic. Shure Beta 57s and 94s are great mics and LR Baggs makes the best acoustic pickups I've heard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireball Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 Hi, thanks for the replies. For the price range, I'm thinking of anywhere upwards to the price of the gibson J-150. I think that's around $3000 or so. I'm hoping to buy one that i'll keep for life, so I'm willing to spend a bit on it. I'll be using this just for recording, or playing at home, so I won't be needing a pickup. Any good ones you've tried in this price range? I liked the gibson, but would like to see what you all have recorded with and liked. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 My favorite acoustics for live or recording are both vintage Gibson dreadnoughts: '64 Country Western and '73 SJ Deluxe. I've met some new Gibsons that have lovely sounds, but I like the character and sweetness of the older ones. Of course, going vintage opens up several new cans of worms that you might not want to mess with. If you're considering that route, let me know. Otherwise, the best new acoustic is whichever one is left standing after you've played every guitar in town. Amanda all americana EdithGrove.com www.mp3.com/edithgrove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_denys Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Hi, your probably not gonna find one of these but the best accoustic guitar that I ever heard and played is a Larivee. I don't know exactly where they are made (I think in Canada maybe) but they make an awsome jumbo that has, to my taste, a bigger and greater sound than the Gibson J-200. So look around and if you cab get your hand on one of these, you won't be sorry... P.S. Try to save money for a good condenser mic, small diaphragm, like the AKG 451, aim at the 12 fret and if you can, ad large diaphragm with a good response in the mids (the AT 4033 or the cheaper AT 3035 work realy well) just two feet away in front of the guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Yo Fireball, There're two guitars I'd be looking at. The Gibson J series, all of them. The 150 is usually superb when you play one. I also like the Hummingbird along with some others. Yamaha has the LL series. The LL500 is flat ass sweet if you can find one. They are different in tone and playability for sure. The Gibs will do the bluegrass, folk & country with ease, flat picking & such. The Yamaha may, depending on how hard you hit it, have a bit more of a problem with that but will out do the Gibson's for finger picking & the action is so soft it's amazing. Tough call man, both of the above are on my have to have list & I do like every Carvin Cobalt I've played. Most of the Tacoma's and the Larrivee's are very good too. I've played a lot of the major manufacturers boxes, some in the way high dollar range & wouldn't swap them for what I have sound wise. Dollar wise, yes, well, maybe. Have fun, play everything you can get your hands on and pick the one that moves you when you play it. Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Martin D-41. Great guitar. Bloody amazing. Unbelievable tone, perfect neck and action. Just a really good guitar. That, or an OM-28. I prefer the auditorium/orchestra models. I like the tone a feel better. Taylor makes some good ones in that price range but I've never played a Taylor besides a Big Baby ($300) that I believed to have a justified price. They really just aren't that impressive. Gibson's J-150 and Hummingbird really impressed me. They're expensive, maybe a little overpriced but they're quite nice... Alverez Yairi's are also VERY nice. For about $1700 to $2000 you can get a guitar that will beat just about anything else for the price. Really good guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireball Posted April 19, 2002 Author Share Posted April 19, 2002 Hi, thanks for all the quick responses! I forgot to mention I live in Hong Kong (China), so I'm stuck with whatever our 1 big music store carries. They do have many of the big names like gibson, taylor, martin. d_denys, thanks for the Larivee recommendation, we actually have those here too. I used to live in Toronto Canada so I remember how awesome they sound. As to the Gibson J200, I thought it was slightly too much money for a guitar of that quality, it sounded nice, but wasn't overly impressive. so I think I'll try out some more, like the Martin that's recommended. Which martin would you all recommend I try out? Also, I'll be using this acoustic for strumming in rock and pop songs. I currently have a neumann U87 and a bunch of Apex (Canadian made) small and large diaphragm condenser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Say Fireball, You know, a lot of the Nashville cats used to take their fancy inlayed Martins on the road, but they'd record with Yamaha flat tops. I'd say it comes down to what sounds and feels the best. If I were gonna pick up a Martin in your price range, I'd check the HD-28. Lots of folks are very happy with D-18s too. I haven't tried the Tocoma acoustics but I did try a Tocoma acoustic bass and it was unbelieveable. Don't wanna sound cynical, but are those name brand guitars in China real? I've spent some time in Korea and seen the ten dollar Rolex watches etc as well as some funky guitars. We're all familiar with the copy mics they make over there, just wondering if it had moved into guitars. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Keelan Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Well since you're stuck with just 1 store I would just go play all of them and take home the one you like best. I love my J200 but I've played plenty of them that I thought were clunkers. No 2 guitars are alike. good luck (and let us know what you get), bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Originally posted by BKeelan: Well since you're stuck with just 1 store I would just go play all of them and take home the one you like best.Good point... As far as Martins in your price range go, D-28s are wonderful. Unless you REALLY like the binding on an HD-28, don't spend the extra money. The D-28 and HD-28 are the exact same guitar except for the harringbone-style binding. Both use X-bracing and both use the same wood and design. The OM-28 is also very nice. The orchestra design (in my opinion) gives a more balanced, mellow tone. D-41s are AMAZING but they usually go for about $2600 US which is pretty expensive. Lots of abalone binding, abalone rosette, beautiful abalone oblong hexagon inlays, scalloped bracing. It's a gorgeous guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireball Posted April 20, 2002 Author Share Posted April 20, 2002 yeah, i was also wondering if individual guitars of the same model can sound different because i remembered playing a J150 or J200 in toronto and it felt better than the one i tried here. DC, your concerns are legit because i've also seen fake lots of stuff in China too (including fake eggs made out of plastic molding trying to pass off as a food product). but Hong Kong is a special city in China that has different laws and stuff, so things are much more regulated here. To all, i will definitely try out the Yamaha's, and try to see if that store has another gibson j150 or 200. i'll post back later. thanks alot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 At $3100, I played a Taylor all Koa Grand Concert that was phenomenal in every way imaginable. It is Fishman Matris/Prefix Pro+ equipped as well (I have one of these in my Carvin Cobalt C980 Jumbo which I LOVE) and it would be an absolutely magnificent lifetime guitar. It is the only one so far that I would trade my Cobalt for. I do admit, however, that I like the neck feel of my Cobalt slightly better. It fits my hand better... YMMV. Boggs Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddyelmis Posted April 28, 2002 Share Posted April 28, 2002 LOWDEN. Any of them. Handmade in Northern Ireland (all handmade, split bracing, etc.). You play one of these and you'll never play anything else. Their "flagship" model was designed for finger picking, but they have models for everything. I've got an LSE-I which is their stage model, cutaway with Fishman piezo. Absolute fabulous acoustically, mic'd, through the pickup, or combination. Check them out if you get a chance. Price range is approx. $1,500 to $5,000 for "standard" models -- customs, anniversary and special models cost what a decent used car costs www.ruleradio.com "Fame is like death: We will never know what it looks like until we've reached the other side. Then it will be impossible to describe and no one will believe you if you try." - Sloane Crosley, Village Voice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted April 28, 2002 Share Posted April 28, 2002 Great thread with lots of cool guitar choices and opinions... I've had a number of nice acoustics, and my latest is my Taylor 714ce-ltd... http://www.hellsgateproject.com/DCP01402.JPG http://www.hellsgateproject.com/DCP01403.JPG For me, this guitar has all the attributes I would want in a high end guitar. It plays easily with excellent tone and clarity. It's not overly ornamented, but has amazing exotic wood...(cocobolo in this case). It's body type, neck shape and setup make it an easy guitar to play and it fits comfortably on my lap or with a strap. It's also a limited edition, which hopefully will help it retain and even gain in value... who knows? But part of the limited edition aspect was the beautiful cocobolo wood. Not only does it look cool, it has a rich sound much like rosewood. Also because of the limited edition design it has a spruce top vs the cedar tops normally on Taylor 700 series guitars. I like the tightness and clarity of this a bit more than the slightly warmer cedar top. Anyway, e-mail me if you would be interested in more pictures... or have questions. guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted April 28, 2002 Share Posted April 28, 2002 Ya gotta have something like this: http://home1.gte.net/res0cbjk/pics/fg150.jpg Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sysexguy Posted April 29, 2002 Share Posted April 29, 2002 Nice pics guys! A few comments.... Apex mics are not made in Canada, Larivee guitar on the other hand definitely are. A recording guitar should be a guitar that you love to play. After that, you may want to consider avoiding certain features that may not be necessary or applicable to studio use. For instance, if you primarily play chords or play more traditionally, a model without a cutaway will be richer in tone. Same goes for the pick-up, or anything else that gets in the way. I would agree about acquiring a small diaphragm condensor mic...there are some killer deals on GT Am-40's in cyberspace. The other models mentioned will also do a fine job. Try pointing the small diaphragm mic towards the 15th fret and use your U87 either just below the bridge or over the shoulder above the picking hand. The case of the Apex will make a good footstool (sorry cheap shot!, they're a good value for the price and lots of people do great things with them, not me!) .... and a good tuner (I vote for the new Peterson VS-1) and (controversy already starting), Elixer strings. Equally, a confortable and noise free chair is essential and fully closed headphones so that the over the shoulder mic isn't recording the guide tracks as well. All that to say, if the guitar is amazing to play and sounds great, chances are extremely good that it will also record well. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 29, 2002 Share Posted April 29, 2002 I've got an old beat up Yamaha just like that at home somewhere, Dak. So many guitars. So little time. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted April 29, 2002 Share Posted April 29, 2002 Here are pics of my Cobalt C980... I know of a guy who posts on Carvin's bulletin board that is, as we speak, recording his first CD with this guitar. http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/boggs.com/images/C980FRONT.jpghttp://www.angelfire.com/ny5/boggs.com/images/C980BODYBACK.jpg You can hear it on my Cobalt page of my website at www.angelfire.com/ny5/boggs.com/boggspage8.html Boggs Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 29, 2002 Share Posted April 29, 2002 Bogg's has got it right! His guitar looks and sounds awesome but with three grand you might be able to do better. No offence Boggs, that guitar ROCKS and I plan to get one but Fireball has a nice price cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted April 30, 2002 Share Posted April 30, 2002 Originally posted by Wickerman: Bogg's has got it right! His guitar looks and sounds awesome but with three grand you might be able to do better. No offence Boggs, that guitar ROCKS and I plan to get one but Fireball has a nice price cap.No offense taken. I previously posted that my all-time favorite so far is that Taylor all koa grand concert... $3100. This was more for those who haven't got that kind of $$ but still want something really, really good, and only $770 + $55 for a case and shipping. It is a remarkably good guitar, regardless of price. It's not that Taylor koa though. You really can't expect it to be. For that price, he can almost get the Taylor for recording and private sessions and get a really good Cobalt later for gigging and some recording where its voice might be more appropriate for a given song. Boggs Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted April 30, 2002 Share Posted April 30, 2002 Originally posted by Tedster: I've got an old beat up Yamaha just like that at home somewhere, Dak. So many guitars. So little time.Ted, I bought that old FG150 new in Japan in the early 70's. It's got killer tone, plays easy as butter & it's what I used on most, if not all, of the stuff I've recorded & posted. I replaced the plastic pegs with brass years ago and finally replaced the tuners last year. The originals were still functional but I just wanted a smoother tuner. I've nearly worn a hole, ala Willie, in the sound board from my fingers. I turned down a $750.00 offer for the guitar a couple of years ago & I'm not sorry. I've played a lot of boxes in my life, some in the $10K+ range & there's nothing to compare...yet... I got lucky with my FG411S too. It's outstanding & will hold it's own with nearly anything out there. The one 6 string flat top acoustic I would give up is the Guild. Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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