Guest galejt Posted December 4, 2005 Posted December 4, 2005 Which Taylor?I never cared for Ovations either, but (insert requisite damn you Peso here), I'd like to try one of these.
pesocaster Posted December 5, 2005 Author Posted December 5, 2005 Which Taylor?I never cared for Ovations either, but (insert requisite damn you Peso here), I'd like to try one of these. Taylors:310-CEand 312-CENice but didn't sound $700 better than the Ovation IMO... and the Ovation also played closer to what I need.... I REEEEEELLLLLYYY Liked the Taylor 710-CE and the 514-CE 's but I couldn't justify the $2500 price tag.... and Jim... I was "shocked" at how much I liked the Ovation..... and for the price Helava value... and I didn't even plug it in.... I was VERY sceptical about it.... Good suggestion JohnnyB... I really wanted to like the Breedlove Atlas... had all the right stuff on paper.. but didn't feel right in my hands... played well and sounded very good for the money... you might check one of these as well....
straightblues Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 I am on this same quest. I just started sitting in with my friends Irish band on a regular basis. I have been playing my Duotone which sounds really nice but the folks in the band want to see an acoustic guitar. I have played probably 100 guitars on my quest and still haven't found one that I have bonded with. I can seem to differentiate between a $500 and a $1,500. I want this to be my last acoustic so I am taking my time. I also would rather buy used. I have played an Ovation for a number of years and just sold it. I will admit that Ovations don't sound the best but they play nice. At this point, I think it will be a Martin but not yet sure which one. I also have liked several of the Takamine guitars and some of the Yamaha's. The new Master Built series from Ephiphone made in China are very nice as well.
tomteriffic Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Which Taylor?I never cared for Ovations either, but (insert requisite damn you Peso here), I'd like to try one of these. I REEEEEELLLLLYYY Liked the Taylor 710-CE and the 514-CE 's but I couldn't justify the $2500 price tag.... Took me two years to work up the nerve to pull the trigger on a 710CE but I finally did, on a cedar-topped one. I've never looked back. It's my main acoustic. It sees almost all of the acoustic action (and is starting to look it) except for around the house fingerpicking or recording. Then I grab my 812 parlor-sized custom. I couldn't be happier with those two.But dammit, now you have me interested in those 'stealth' Ovations!
JohnnyB Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Many ppl love Ovations and more power to them. But I had one of their top models, and was disappointed with its sound.I'm not an Ovation "fan" either, but the 1778T Elite T is a significant departure from what we're accustomed to from Ovation--in looks (bad ass), sound (big, airy, woody, organic), and value-per-dollar ($750 street for a USA model). It's a good value as an acoustic even if you never plugged it in.My #1 amp is a Mesa DC-10. I bought it at a time when I'd never played a Mesa that I liked. The DC-10 broke through all my prejudices. When a piece of gear so sabotages your expectations, it's probably very good indeed. That's what the 1778T Elite T is like.
hardheartedbill Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Johnny B is right on the mark AGAIN! I have no love for Ovations per se, they always sounded weird and dead, but my guitar sounds freaking huge, plays like a dream, was cheap as hell and is tough as nails, is made in the USA (hell right next to Hamers! ) I'm very satisfied.
pesocaster Posted December 5, 2005 Author Posted December 5, 2005 It's the "Microcube" for this season....
JohnnyB Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 I am on this same quest. I just started sitting in with my friends Irish band on a regular basis. ... I have played probably 100 guitars on my quest and still haven't found one that I have bonded with. I can seem to differentiate between a $500 and a $1,500. I want this to be my last acoustic so I am taking my time. Irish band, huh? There are some great semi-handbuilt guitars coming out of Ireland these days. The store close to me used to carry Lowden guitars from Ireland, and while not cheap, were lively, toneful, and superb. I think their grand auditorium-sized instruments (as opposed to dreadnought) would have the perfect punch and drive for an acoustic Celtic band. You can get them in anything from ultra-mellow mahogany/cedar to punchy rosewood/spruce. Lowdens aren't cheap (entry-level list price is $2500), but at the typical street 30% off, you could get a nice, punchy walnut/spruce model for an attainable $1750. Another Irish guitar maker is Avalon, though I have no direct experience with them, but it looks like the store near me that used to carry Lowden now carries Avalon. I'll check'em out when I have a chance. Prices are probably in a similar range, and their stuff also looks gorgeous:
DavidE Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 I had an Alvarez that I sold to David E for just over tree fitty that was a very good playing and sounding guitar, with very good electronics. You could add a transducer or other mic and blend it with the piezos, cool.Forget the model, but I paid under $500 new w/ case, a really good acoustic gigging guitar for not too much $...I was messing around recently with one of those black Ovations though, they are pretty nice too... That Alvarez is still my #1 acoustic gigging guitar. My Taylor 714 BCE (yes, that's freaking Brazilian rosewood back (2 piece) and sides) and Martin HD28 stay home. The Alvarez plays like buttah and sounds great plugged in. It's a jumbo with laminated maple back and sides and solid spruce top. I play this thing so much (lots of acoustic gigs this year, including many where I'm strumming hard much of the night to make up for the missing band) that I'm putting some good wear on the frets. The guitar also works great for fingerpicking James Taylor and other stuff too. Built in tuner is the shit for live acoustic gigs too.
SteveB Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 I was in an MGR the other day and saw a Taylor 110 dread on the wall. This is like the lowest end Taylor you can get ( besides the baby's) , but It sounded fricken great, I was shocked. And MGR only wanted HFC approved $350 for it. I didn't get it since I don't need a dread, but if anyone is looking for dreads these things are definately worth a look. A new they only run around $700 I think.
elduave Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Damn, I'm gonna have to go ahead and pop open that 1778T and see what all the fuss is about...
jwhitcomb3 Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Hey JohnnyB,I have a Lowden O-32 (jumbo, rosewood/spruce), just like the one in your picture. Huge sound. But the fingerboard is very wide and plays nothing like an electric. The F series has a slightly smaller body and a narrower fingerboard (though still wide by electric standards).Avalon guitars was started by former Lowden workers who bought him out (3 or 4 years ago, I think). I think George Lowden has since started making guitars again under his own name.Lowden seems to move his operation around a lot. They were even made in Japan for a while. Mine is Irish built, about 8 years old and is the fullest, most balanced sounding guitar I've ever played. It strums well, but really rewards fingerstyle playing. He uses a special bracing technique that I've never see before: it uses much less wood and lets the top just ring out. He also anchors the strings at the end of the bridge, rather than drilling through the top. Put it all together and you get a guitar that lets you hear each string distinctly, even when strummed. Killer guitars!-Jonathan
JohnnyB Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Hey JohnnyB,I have a Lowden O-32 (jumbo, rosewood/spruce), just like the one in your picture. Huge sound. But the fingerboard is very wide and plays nothing like an electric. Well, I was recommending Lowden to straightblues for his Irish band thing, not to Peso for an acoustic that plays like an electric. Also, the Lowden F, S, and LS series guitars have a narrower neck than their other ones. Also, the Avalons look like they may have (or are available with) a narrower neck as well.
DavidE Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 Dave. I'll give ya $350 for the BCE. I'll have to think about that one.....
Guest galejt Posted December 8, 2005 Posted December 8, 2005 Yo Peso.There is a year old 314ce on TGP for $900.JImhttp://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=116314
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.