Best Acoustic Between $500-$1000

[Big Dan]

Well, this and the "~$500" post could make a good little pair of threads.

Actually, I too am helping a friend look for an acoustic. He is a singer/songwriter and right now he is in a Bluegrass group, but loves to play rock/blues as well. He is currently playing a Takamine that is too quiet and a little too dull.

So, what should we try out? Any ideas welcome.

Thanks,
Dan

[utterhack]

Breedlove Atlas series? I like the AC-25 m'self, but there's a dreadnought if that's more your thing.

[edgarallanpoe]

Breedlove Atlas series? I like the AC-25 m'self, but there's a dreadnought if that's more your thing.

Huge +1. I played a bunch this weekend and they were all spectacular.

[royd]

I'm sticking with the Blueridge in this price range too. they make some very nice bluegrass style gutars.

[Scott Peterson]

Find a used Tacoma DR-38; or in that range of USA Tacoma guitars. You'll be stunned.

[omensixaxe]

+2. my AC25SR never ceases to amaze on a daily basis. :) i still remain shocked at what i paid for it. (600..ish)

[chipdog]

I'm sticking with the Blueridge in this price range too. they make some very nice bluegrass style gutars.

Agreed. They are an incredible value. Fantastic tone & playability for the money.

[Big Dan]

Fantastic.

Breedlove, Blueridge, and Tacoma are on the list.

Thanks,
Dan

[guitarlix]

Epiphone Masterbuilt

[blueguitar]

I also like the Breedlove and Blueridge but one that has been left out here is the Larrivee D03-R. Had several in the shop and every one has kicked the competition when comparing tone, volume and playability for the dough.

[GuitarsFromMars]

I recently bought a 1959 Martin 0-15 for 300 dollars,had a Fishman Matrix transducer/preamp and Nickle Grover Rotomatics installed got a Martin Case and am still at the 730 dollar mark...8.5-9/10 condition.

[johan]

2002 Tacoma DR-38. US made. All solid woods. Mahogany neck, spruce top and rosewood back and sides. Fishman Matrix pickup. $800 a couple of weeks ago.

http://web.telia.com/~u42237675/diverse/dr381.jpg

[billv]

Another option to look at is the Martin "15" series. The 12-fret versions (000-15S and D-15S) are wonderful guitars for the money.

Bill V.
http://www.billvencil.com

[utterhack]

...one that has been left out here is the Larrivee D03-R. Had several in the shop and every one has kicked the competition when comparing tone, volume and playability for the dough.

I'd really like to try an L-03. Haven't yet found one in the LA area, which seems unlikely...

Taylor 200 series is pretty sweet as well.

But I'd really prefer a jumbo. Sigh...

[Big Dan]

Here is an update...

Made a trip to fairly high end acoustic store the other night. We played all kinds of acoustics in every price range. A few thoughts...

1) Blueridge: Don't remember the model #'s we played, but I was not too impressed overall. I suppose inthe $500 range they were not bad, but in a high end acoustic shop, there were much better guitars hanging on the wall. Honestly, I like my Seagull SM-6 better.

2) Breedlove: They didn't have any Atlas series in stock. The owner (as well as another dealer I spoke with on the phone) told me that they were having a hard time getting them. It seems that GC has picked up Breedlove and they are sending them all they can make. Plus, for the $800 range I would have liked to see solid wood, not laminates on the back/sides.

3) Larrivee: VERY NICE! Although well out of the price range, me and my friend both fell inlove with a D-50. Almost all the Larrivee's sounded great though. I really wanted to try a D-03/D-03R, but he had just sold the one he stocked. For the $800-$900 range, I bet this guitar would be hard to beat, esp. if it sounded anything like the D-50. The "3" series guits he had were all impressive sounding for the money.

4) Other stuff. All the usual Martin's, Taylors, etc. We also played a few big $$$ Santa Cruz, Breedloves, Guilds, and Gibsons. The big surprise was a few year old Guild Jumbo. I can't recall the model, but it was a limited edition with koa back and sides. Beautiful axe and it sounded terriffic, but it was $2400.

I think he is leaning towards a Larivee and I agree. From what we played, they seemed to have the best sound in that range.

Thanks for all the input
Dan

[utterhack]

I tried out Larrivees yesterday too! Very comfortable, smooth players, but I found the tone a little extra-zingy. After everything folks here and elsewhere have said, I was surprised to find I preferred the Taylor 200 series models. But that's purely a matter of personal taste - the 03 series are unquestionably fine instruments.

Breedlove Atlas still very much in the running. Big sound from the dread, but still very nicely defined. Before we get any rumors started, the AC/AD 20 and 25 models do have a solid mahogany or rosewood backs, laminate sides. 200/250 models are laminate back and sides, and those fall well below the $800 mark. Sadly, the jumbo is only available as a 250...

Speaking of Guild, the buyer at McCabe's is pretty high on Guild's new MIC GAD line. One more to check out before I make any big decisions...

[shadco]

I tried out Larrivees yesterday too! Very comfortable, smooth players, but I found the tone a little extra-zingy. After everything folks here and elsewhere have said, I was surprised to find I preferred the Taylor 200 series models. But that's purely a matter of personal taste - the 03 series are unquestionably fine instruments.

...

Put a set of Phosphor Bronze string on it instead of the Elixers or Cleartones that come from the factory and you will find the tone to be much better. Taylors tend to come with elixers also

[Big Dan]

I tried out Larrivees yesterday too! Very comfortable, smooth players, but I found the tone a little extra-zingy. After everything folks here and elsewhere have said, I was surprised to find I preferred the Taylor 200 series models. But that's purely a matter of personal taste - the 03 series are unquestionably fine instruments.

Breedlove Atlas still very much in the running. Big sound from the dread, but still very nicely defined. Before we get any rumors started, the AC/AD 20 and 25 models do have a solid mahogany or rosewood backs, laminate sides. 200/250 models are laminate back and sides, and those fall well below the $800 mark. Sadly, the jumbo is only available as a 250...


Ok, thanks for clearing up the Breedlove Atlas thing. I would like to try one, but there are none in my area.

It's funny, I knew the Larrivee's and Taylors both have Elixers, but I thought the Taylors were the brighter and zingier of the two. What are you gonna do, every acoustic is different.

Dan

[utterhack]

It's funny, I knew the Larrivee's and Taylors both have Elixers, but I thought the Taylors were the brighter and zingier of the two. What are you gonna do, every acoustic is different.

I played the Taylor in a pretty big, open space. The Larrivee in a small, enclosed room. That may account for the perceived disparity in relative zing. Tried the Guilds today too - the GAD 30 was a sweet little player, but I'm looking for a jumbo or a dread. The GAD JF-30 sounded fantastic, but the action was astonishingly high. Nothing that couldn't be corrected, but it kept me from bonding with the instrument the way I would have liked to.

The search goes on...

[yryrky]

I picked up a Larrivee D03R two weeks ago at Buffalo Bros in San Diego. Eight Hundred Fifty bucks, and forty to my friend Paul to dress the neck and bridge (the bargain-basement Larrivees can be pretty rough in spots). I REALLY like it, although the midrange is bright and snappy as a Fox News broadcast. This particular model is all over LA at Sam Ash Stores, as opposed to the Bay Area, which seems to have the other 000-type guitars.

[Tim Bowen]

Larrivee D-03R is the only acoustic (-electric [Fishman Prefix]) guitar that I own. It's been gigged quite regularly over the past 6-7 years, and I cut tracks with it as well. In my opinion/experience, its inherent EQ leanings are more an asset than a liability, across a wide range of styles, in practical application. For my purposes, I've found the more "full-bodied" instruments to be somewhat problematic as mic'ed or otherwise amplified, and significantly less versatile. The Larrivee EQ is the ticket, for me. Just my opinion.

[Papajuice]

Find an old Sigma from the 80's it is Martan's Japanese line solid wood and sound great. Picked one up for $400 and it plays better than alot of new martins.

[utterhack]

FWIW, after narrowing it down to Taylor 210 vs. Breedlove AD25, I ended up with... the Guild GAD-40C.

Great, big sound, all solid wood, had the cutaway I wanted without the electronics I didn't, and came in under $600 new.

[texasdave]

Late in the game, but +1 for the Larrivee D-03s in that price range. I've had a few (chased down a few for friends) and they're certainly worth checking out in that price range.

[Big Dan]

After all was said and done, he wound up buying a Larrivee D-60. He found a NOS (2-3 years old) one for just over $1200.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

[pesocaster]

I can't belive I'm even typing this....

http://www.ovationguitars.com/index.cfm?fa=detail&mid=758

Picked one up and it is a breeze to play and sounds fantastic...... and I am NOT a fan of Ovation in general.... I a/b'd this with a TON of others in the price range ($800-ish)... NOTHING came close .... not even the other Ovations that were a notch or two up in price.... there is something about THIS model...

Go try one before you knock it ... believe me I wanted to hate it....

[bartmcartman]

I'm in the market for an acoustic also in this price range and played a few taylor's, martin's, and breedlove's all under $1500. Don't remember the model number but the breedlove was the most tonally pleasing to me. The taylor's seemed to have quite a bit of brilliance to them while the martin's seemed to have a nice flat reslponse. The breedlove that I played was nice and full with good lows, smooth midrange, and clear highs. I really liked it but would prefer a cutaway model for my needs. Here's a question for all you acoustic guys as I know nothing about them. What is the difference between a drednought, concert, jumbo? I need something that will take everything from hard strumming to some fingerpicking? Thanks.

[utterhack]

Conventional wisdom would hold that:

Auditorium/concert/grand whatever: very responsive, but volume constrained - best fingerpicker, weakest strummer (also best looking!)

Dreadnought: versatility champ - okay fingerpicker, good-to-great strummer (but ugly)

Jumbo: great strummer, fingerpickin' in a pinch, but less responsive to a gentle touch due to the large air volume you need to move (good lookin' too, but can be uncomfortable for smaller players)

I liked the Breedloves too. Ended up with a surprise finalist for the reasons listed upthread.

[wodka]

Martin 000-15S is a wonderful sounding guitar. I'd also recommend the GAD series Guilds.

[asv]

I just completed a very extensive run of acoustic guitar sampling that ultimately led to the purchase of a Taylor 414ce L10 for $1600. During that time I played multiple samples of pretty much everything on the market up to $3000.

Some lower-end guitars that really stood out to me are the Guild and Washburn guitars coming out of China. These guitars sound really, really good - better in fact than most of the more expensive guitars I played. I preferred them over the Breedlove Atlas guitars from Korea. Unfortunately for my wallet, I'm a Made In USA snob.

If you are spending in $600-$800 range, you owe it to yourself to check these out. Just make sure get one of the all solid wood models and sort through a few before making a purchase.

Up to about $1500, you gotta love the Taylor 314 and 414 CE models. Go around town and find 10 or more to play and I guarantee you will find a couple that simply KILL and have the best quality and looks in the biz to boot.

[asv]

I also wanted to mention that I think the "auditorium" bodies (such as the Taylor x14 guitars) are the all-around versatility champs. I really don't care for the Taylor dreads - they sound way too compressed under anything but the heaviest strumming. I assume it's heavy bracing that contributes to this effect.

Gibson makes the best sound dreads IMHO (very open and lively), but the fit and finish on most of those is simply dread-ful. :)

The Martin dreads are nice, but the bass can get very loose with a heavy attack and there is generally no treble brilliance to speak of.

My next acoustic will probably be a cedar top auditorium to use as my "sweet" acoustic. I'll be looking for a guitar that sounds very warm and alive under the gentlest picking - much like a nice classical guitar.

Good luck and enjoy the search!

[brlfq]

I travelled this route a couple of years ago. I played Taylors, Gibsons, takaminis, Martins and Larrivees. The best players were the Larrivees. The best sounding were the Larrivees. The best finish was on a Larrivee LO3R. I was ready to buy and this 1987 Martin D-28p appeared. I keep it within arms reach at all times. If I was going to spend < $1500 on a new guitar today, it'd be a Larrivee. They don't have the "reputation" of a Martin but they are FINE guitars.

[alpep]

I can't belive I'm even typing this....

http://www.ovationguitars.com/index.cfm?fa=detail&mid=758

Picked one up and it is a breeze to play and sounds fantastic...... and I am NOT a fan of Ovation in general.... I a/b'd this with a TON of others in the price range ($800-ish)... NOTHING came close .... not even the other Ovations that were a notch or two up in price.... there is something about THIS model...

Go try one before you knock it ... believe me I wanted to hate it....


real big bang for the buck in that guitar

[bluegrif]

Epiphone Masterbilt. I know most people think of the Korean Epis when they hear the name but these newer Masterbilts out of China are just great for the money. Especially the Rosewood models. All solid woods, nice wide V-necks (on the orchestra models, the AJs have a slimmer, more Gibson-like neck), bone nuts and saddles, open-gear Grovers, solid mahagony neck with no scarf joint, etc. Really hard to beat at the price point.

[Rfunn]

+1 on Martin 15 series. I picked up an 00-15 on eBay for about $540. They usually sell for around $799 new. I really like the small-body Martins, and this one is a great sounding guitar.

[Greggy]

FWIW, after narrowing it down to Taylor 210 vs. Breedlove AD25, I ended up with... the Guild GAD-40C.

Great, big sound, all solid wood, had the cutaway I wanted without the electronics I didn't, and came in under $600 new.

Is it heavy? I owned a Guild DCE1 a couple years back, and while it sounded fine, it was built like a tank. Didn't resonate and vibrate like a lighter axe. My cedar topped parlour is just the opposite, it resonates and decays for days and is feather light.