Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

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robnobcorncob
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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by robnobcorncob »

null_pointer wrote:
KNNZ wrote:There’s a Gibby hummingbird on TM!! Wheeeeeeee
At $3900 it’s a little spendy for me, and I think I’d opt for a newer one for the better integrated electrics. Yeah could always add an Element or similar but I always feel reluctant to modify older acoustics of a certain pedigree.
Agreed, don't bother with an '80s one, especially at that price(!) hold out for something later, from when Ren Ferguson rebuilt the Acoustic side of Gibson in '90s onwards. The new stuff is great too.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by codedog »

So... my view when it comes to purchasing electric guitars is that, to different extents, they are upgradable/mod-able. Acoustics are different and, to my ears/mind, the "tonewood effect" is a lot more applicable. In light of this I am more inclined to spend more to begin with.

Yes, I'm talking myself into buying something way above my skill level...

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by Single coil »

codedog wrote: Yes, I'm talking myself into buying something way above my skill level...
I don’t see a problem here
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by NippleWrestler »

You're right but with that in mind there is far more to the equation than price tag.

I was looking to spend about $2k on an acoustic so I went to the rockshop on k road and tried maton, cole Clark, Taylor, Martin and even a Santa Cruz for fun.

The cole Clark was the worst by a mile and built like shit. Visible glue spots and sanding marks put me off and it was tremendously overbuilt like guitars used to be in the 60s.

Honestly the best guitar they had in the store was a $700 Chinese guild that just sang. It was a great guitar but already sold sadly. Nothing else seemed worth the money.

I went home and got in trademe and ended up buying a 1993 k yairi dy52 off a guy. I went to try it and it is probably the nicest acoustic I've ever heard even when compared to $5000 guitars. It cost me $400.

Anyway, suffice to say there's far more to acoustics than the price tag so go try a couple and see what speaks to you. You might be surprised.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by telefiend »

codedog wrote:So... my view when it comes to purchasing electric guitars is that, to different extents, they are upgradable/mod-able. Acoustics are different and, to my ears/mind, the "tonewood effect" is a lot more applicable. In light of this I am more inclined to spend more to begin with.

Yes, I'm talking myself into buying something way above my skill level...
Tonewood on electrics is mostly bollocks I reckon. Even on acoustics, construction methods may be more at play?

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by Single coil »

See: red MDF guitar I have for sale.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by codedog »

telefiend wrote:
codedog wrote:So... my view when it comes to purchasing electric guitars is that, to different extents, they are upgradable/mod-able. Acoustics are different and, to my ears/mind, the "tonewood effect" is a lot more applicable. In light of this I am more inclined to spend more to begin with.

Yes, I'm talking myself into buying something way above my skill level...
Tonewood on electrics is mostly bollocks I reckon. Even on acoustics, construction methods may be more at play?
Sure, but, in my mind, construction and material go very much hand in hand in this case. As Al Bundy may have said... love and marriage... horse and carriage... etc.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by rickenbackerkid »

NippleWrestler wrote: I went home and got in trademe and ended up buying a 1993 k yairi dy52 off a guy. I went to try it and it is probably the nicest acoustic I've ever heard even when compared to $5000 guitars. It cost me $400.

Anyway, suffice to say there's far more to acoustics than the price tag so go try a couple and see what speaks to you. You might be surprised.
K Yairi guitars are fantastic. You got a steal there.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by rickenbackerkid »

NippleWrestler wrote: The cole Clark was the worst by a mile and built like shit. Visible glue spots and sanding marks put me off and it was tremendously overbuilt like guitars used to be in the 60s.
This is interesting. I had a Fat Lady 2, back when they were just coming onto the scene, and it was far from overbuilt, in fact it was the lightest acoustic guitar I've ever played and finishing was perfect, just flawless. That thing really sang, but I grew out of that type of tone and moved onto darker acoustic tones.

I wonder if the quality has dropped as they are churning out more guitars?

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by NippleWrestler »

I hope you're right. I tried 2 and they were both pretty amateurish in terms of final fit and finish and just didn't open up when playing. It turned me off the brand basically, especially when guild are kicking out great guitars for a third of the price.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by robnobcorncob »

Cole Clark are great until they start to buzz...

http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?t=5528

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by olegmcnoleg »

robnobcorncob wrote:Cole Clark are great until they start to buzz...

http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?t=5528
Interesting. I have not played any of the recent ones. I do agree they could be finished better, but the ones I've tried sounded great, I don't really care about the finish if they sound good.

The Chinese Guild guitars (the GAD series) are really good in all respects, I happen to know CodeDog already has one, because I sold it to him ;-)

I guess it is all about personal taste too. I like the sound of some of the Yairis, but not their narrower string spacing.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by telefiend »

olegmcnoleg wrote:
robnobcorncob wrote:Cole Clark are great until they start to buzz...

http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?t=5528
Interesting. I have not played any of the recent ones. I do agree they could be finished better, but the ones I've tried sounded great, I don't really care about the finish if they sound good.

The Chinese Guild guitars (the GAD series) are really good in all respects, I happen to know CodeDog already has one, because I sold it to him ;-)

I guess it is all about personal taste too. I like the sound of some of the Yairis, but not their narrower string spacing.
The chinese Guilds are indeed very nice. Just wish they didn't all have abalone soundholes :sick:

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by codedog »

Aye, loving my ex-oleg Guild, it's a really lovely guitar for finger style... of which I have even more limited skills. It's not gelling with me for strumming though. The chief anticoagulant in this case is actually string spacing. With my petite paws I prefer narrower string spacing for all but finger style. TBH I can actually make 43 mm work for finger style too.
olegmcnoleg wrote: I guess it is all about personal taste too.
Personal taste... nothing could be more succinct.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by codedog »

telefiend wrote: The chinese Guilds are indeed very nice. Just wish they didn't all have abalone soundholes :sick:
Really? Can't recall mine having abalone rosette...

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