Nice acoustic for around $1500-$2000?

[jwhitcomb3]

As per jwiii's recommendation, 5 hours to go and still no bids @ $1500.

This is at least a $3,000 guitar. Jonathan sez his parlor-sized guitar by this maker is louder than most dreadnoughts. So if you want max volume in your price range...

Just to be clear, H&D plays a bunch of games with their 00s to make them extraordinarily loud/balanced that they don't do in their larger guitars: lighter bracing, thinner tops, cedar neck, so have to use light strings on them.

The larger H&Ds are great guitars and plenty loud, but I just don't want to set you up to think that a larger H&D is as much louder than other large guitars as their 00 is over other small guitars.

Had a jones on for a CM for a while...

-Jonathan

[sonic1974]

I played a carbon composite guitar this weekend, and I was very, very impressed.

I tried one of this manufacturer : CA guitars, their website seems to be down now, but here's the link to some HC reviews.

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...raditional/10/1

I am sure my next accoustic will be a carbon composite.

The carbon fiber stringed instruments are improving quickly and gaining acceptance. Notice that the reviews in that link mention the Rainsong graphite guitars a lot as well, some of which are also in the desired price range.

There is a widely acclaimed graphite classical stringed instrument maker, Luis & Clark. Co-founder Luis is a cellist with the Atlanta Symphony and his instruments have gained wide acceptance from classical musicians, and it's not easy to gain widespread acceptance of differently shaped instruments based on new technology among classical musicians.

Cello soloist Yo Yo Ma has a Luis & Clark and endorses it.

Also, check out the sound quality on the demonstration videos. These are beautiful sounding instruments by anyone's standard.

My brother is thinking of getting one of their cellos. I really hope he does.

As I said before, I'd love these guys to make an archtop guitar and an acoustic bass guitar.

Oh, btw as long as we're talking graphite, how about Kaman's own Adamas graphite-topped guitars? Isn't that one of the selling points of the Adamas over the Ovation--there is more volume and less dynamic compression with the graphite top?

Call me traditional, or maybe close minded, but I don't really want a graphite guitar at this point. Maybe if I had a couple of nice acoustics, I'd try it for something different. For me, anything over a certain price range, I have to love the sound, but I also have to be into the look. Obviously, it's not the most important thing, but I have to admit, it's a consideration.

[darc]

For me, anything over a certain price range, I have to love the sound, but I also have to be into the look.

I happen to dig the look of graphite anything (maybe from looking at too many race cars in my youth) but I can totally respect where you're coming from. The thing about the Rainsongs, though, was that they were actually so cheap relative to what they were delivering tonally. In fact, I actually liked the entry level model (at about $1K) better than the more upscale model (at ~$1600 IIRC). The only pro I could see w/ the more expensive model was that it was lighter. If I hadn't just gotten the Breedlove (as a gift from my wife, who was looking on while my jaw dropped over these Rainsongs, doh), I would have bought one for sure.

[rooster69f]

I got a smoking deal on a Taylor 815-CE in Tobacco burst about a month back. 2002 model, MINT except just a bit of fret wear under the B string. The kid who had it needed money to move and said he was always afraid he would damage it so he rarely played it. Picked it up for $1200. Used 400 series usually go for more than that! The sound of this box is absolutely superb. Very loud too, with its Medium strings.

I have a Rainsong AND a Composite Acoustics. They are wonderful guitars. The Rainsong needed a good setup but the CA was absolutely perfect right out of the box. Very beautiful guitars with great necks. And goodbye to my winter humidity problems! These things stay in tune like you can't believe through all kinds of weather changes. I laugh at most people who say "my guitar never goes out of tune." They usually have tin ears and don't have enough sense to use a quartz tuner. I check with a tuner every time I play and I only have to tweak 1 or 2 strings once a week - no exaggeration.

[velorush]

GC Memphis is bound to be sick of me playing their Taylor GS5. It is a bit over your stated range, but you can find used ones right in there. Worth a look I'd say. The 5 (cedar top / mahogany back & sides) is supposed to be a fingerpicker's guitar. I don't finger pick but I like it anyway because it sounds warmer to me (with a pick) than the spruce topped versions.