Paging Guitar Players - Guitar Question

[Backstop]

What's your recommendation for:

1. A high quality electric acoustic guitar

2. A medium quality electric acoustic guitar

Music will be a bit of everything: rock, country, folk, etc.

Me and my 2 long-term friends are thinking about putting the band back together.

It's been almost 20 years since we've played, we have no idea what's on the market.

I'm a keyboard/piano player, but in the past the electrics I've owned were a 74 (IIRC the year) Les Paul Custom, Strat, Music Man.

Acoustics I've owned were a Fender 12 string (sounded GREAT!) and an old Gibson something-or-other. Got it in a trade and the movers stole it.

Always wanted a Mossman Tennessee Flat Top...but I'm really just a guitar hack.

Prepost edit: Just went and looked, and guess they're not making that model any more. http://mossman-guitars.com/

Thanks.

[Ryan Ruck]

No musical experience whatsoever but I'd say get a Gibson to stick a finger in Obama's eye. Plus the company donates to Republicans.

[Backstop]

Man, that's a great idea - hadn't thought of that.

[American Patriot]

lol

I might have to learn to play now and buy a Gibson too.

[AGEUSAF]

Acoustic Taylor and Martin have nice models with great tonal qualities especially if they have koa back and sides. The action on those especially the Martins I have played was usually perfect.

Electric for the type of music you are looking at a Fender strat and or tele would definitely do the trick.


I don't know much about medium quality stuff. Fender is still affordable but American made models are very very nice especially older ones.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ good site to get an idea on what is out there.

What I am playing:

Acoustics I play a Canadian made Seagul that I bought from a friend in need and it has ok tone and is very cheap. I have one I made myself when I went to school to learn how build and work on stringed instruments and it is made of koa, great tone, which is why mentioned it above. I picked up an old Silvertone from the 60's that needed some tlc. To play and for hanging out it is fun but not great for band work.

Electric Fender strats 94, 87 with gilmour electronics, 95 black strat with 63 reissue neck with custom electronics to mimic the old gilmour tone. This instrument I pieced together myself and dreamed up the electronics. Gibson SG that never gets played <<
I work on guitars from time to time in spurts. I don't have a formal shop just a basement shop so I tend to work on cheap stuff. I am planning on building my first electric and too maybe make a run at building professionally in the future.

We have a baby on the way so some of the dream may take time to come to reality :-)


Oh yea...

Don't mind me I am not trying to hog up the question that was asked of Luke. Just something I do on the side and it was nice to type and think about something other than the stock market for a few minutes. Thanks.

[Backstop]

Good luck with baby. Seems like just yesterday my kids were in diapers. Now, they're both about 30 yrs old (OPSEC).

Don't mind me I am not trying to hog up the question that was asked of Luke.

Put that out of your mind.

I changed the thread title.

Thank you for the info.

The very first guitar lesson I took (group lesson at a Civic Center), the instr had a Martin. What a beauty.

Like I said, I'm just a guitar hack; my fingers just don't want to work that way. Then again, it's been almost 20 yrs since I've played the piano, so I'm rusty beyond words.

I bought a piano a while back, but life have gotten in the way lately.

And, I have a Sept 2011 musiciansfriend catalog right here.

AFWIW, I bought a Eurorack non-powered mixer to use at home. It serves my purpose just fine (solo practice and getting skills back), but man oh man is it noisy. I certainly wouldn't use it for performing or recording.

I read the reviews before buying it , and they were correct.

[Luke]

Hey Backstop, been out of the electronic world for a few days.

If you are looking for a high quality electric/acoustic guitar it is hard to beat a Gibson 335 series. The older the better. I was always partial to the Gretsch White Falcons. You will be looking at several thousand dineros.

As to a medium quality electric as much as it pains me to say this the Ibanez Articore series is a fairly well made instrument. It is getting harder to find "name" brand guitars that are not made in China.

Fender Strats that are made in USA, often have components that are imported, just as are most autos. But Stratocasters are not actually electric acoustics.

Acoustic/electrics are in the same boat.

[Backstop]

Thanks Luke.

I'll pass the Gibson info on. But honestly, they're than I want to spend. When I play (played) guitar, I'm just in the background playing rhythm.

I was looking at the Takamine site - some of their stuff is more in my price range.

Opinions?

Thought I changed the thread title yesterday - apparently I didn't.

[Luke]

Takamine makes some good geetars. One of the ole geezers I used to play with put it best, the best guitar is like the best girl, fits close to the body, is warm and can handle a little rough treatment and still stay with you.

The last actual band I played with mostly did biker bars. It seems it is getting harder and harder to find places to play.

No matter what the purest may tell you, with the current state of electronics even a "cheap" guitar can sound pretty damn good.

[Backstop]

It seems it is getting harder and harder to find places to play.

Deja audio.

Was just talking about this yesterday - wondering how things were - if the need for bands was really there.

In the past, we were all in the mil, and hit open mic nights in town every so often, played a few Squadron parties, both clubs every so often...We called ourselves The Disappearing Band because we'd disappear for a few months (TDY) then come back to base, and play maybe once or twice, etc.

What we did do a lot of on-base block parties.

It was kinda amazing how well it went over.

Damn...the good old days.

[Luke]

Just wondering if the guitar issue was ever settled on? Also wondering how the band was doing in general. Mostly just turning into old nosey old geezar.

[American Patriot]

Almost a year later....

Retiring.... one of the things I wanted to learn was guitar. I started it when I was a kid. Played sax for a few years, hated it. Can't really read music well any more.

But since I have the house done, we're taking a "break" from things for a few weeks I'll be picking up an acoustic and starting all over again.

Going with a Yamaha F325 - Looked it (and several others over) yesterday. The guy that was showing me has played with some pretty impressive bands in the past it appears (I did some research on the guy) and he showed me a few things. I was completely lost and couldn't remember a damned thing from when I was a kid.

So - maybe I'll do ok, maybe I won't.

[Ryan Ruck]

You know, you should pick up a Gibson to show some support for them against the Obama administration.

[vector7]

Been thinking about getting one of these....


Yamaha SLG130NW Classical Silent Acoustic Guitar

This silent acoustic guitar from Yamaha has two reverb, one chorus, and one echo effects.

Sound

The digital effects taken from the class-leading SPX studio effects and industry-standard digital mixing consoles developed by Yamaha Commercial Audio, audiophile quality and the ambience of a warm, small room or luxurious large hall are with you wherever you are. 4 effects are available: Reverb1, Reverb2, Chorus and Echo. zZounds is an authorized dealer of Yamaha products.

[American Patriot]

The Gibson I saw was too expensive and wasn't really what I wanted. I don't remember the model now. I just wanted something I could use that wouldn't be a liability (too much cash) while I'm learning.

[American Patriot]

So just thought I'd update this a bit.

I ended up picking up a new Yamaha acoustic - basically a similar model to the one I was looking at. Got a small electronic tuner with it, some junky picks (I already bought new ones) and I picked up a book recommended by the guy at the store.

He was a pretty nice guy and made me sit in a chair and handed me a guitar and said "play something". lol

I laughed and said "I haven't touched a guitar in years, since I was about 10, so 40 years ago".

He didn't laugh, he said, "Just play something".

So I plunked out twinkle twinkle little star on the high E string and shrugged. My wife giggled.

Anyway he said, "You've played music before then?"

"Harmonica I can play 'by ear'. I can listen to a song and keep up with the beat and 90% of the notes while hearing the song. Played a tenor sax and a recorder."

He said - ok. "Great!"


So he picked out a beginner's book for me to refresh music reading and learning the note names on the fretboard.

Fast Forward - Almost two months later.

I had the guitar two days and couldn't put it down. Still haven't mastered all the notes on the fretboard, but getting there. I can do about 8 chords out of the 12 open position chords, can "plunk out" some "songs" using more than one string (think "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" again, using multiple notes on multiple strings.) Of course I can do "the intro notes" to "Smoke on the Water" - not well, but I can).

I'm still struggling to make my hands do two different things at once, strumming and switching chords. I can't play any "songs" using chords yet. Of course, it's two months. On the BRIGHT side.... I have developed my finger callouses on my left hand and my fingers are tougher than they were!

I can NOT make an F major chord to save my ass (it's called a bar chord and requires you to 'bar' two or more strings, on F it's just two, but reaching over to two other strings) but oh well. I'll get there.

One other thing I did was went and picked up a 10 dollar guitar stand. The guy gave it and a cappo (another $10) both for $10. Thought that was a nice deal.

Anyway.... I spend 20-30 minutes in the evenings working on chords (memorizing them and practicing moving my fingers into the positions) - and I'm starting to practice changing some of the easy chords now.

I'm old... 56, so I'll probably take months before I can even do something simple but this isn't so I can make money or entertain other people. This is for ME to entertain myself

[Luke]

You might try using your thumb instead of your 1st finger to barre with. I have seen film of Hendrix playing that way. It seems Buddy Guy does it that way also. You will have to bend your elbow a little more, but your wrist won't be as sore.

[Luke]

Forgot to mention you only have to hold down the big E string with your thumb, not all the others. Start with an E chord, slide up a half step, slap your thumb on the F and away you go..

[American Patriot]

I'm no Hendrix. Never will be. lol


I'm barely a "Jimmy Buffett" (Only because I sing like him and can sing most of his stuff, I certainly don't even play like him) lol

As to the thumb thing - I am doing ok without having to do that.