Electric Acoustic or Acoustic?? - Page 2

AeroHudson · April 23rd, 2007

I am a guitar newb. I just starting playing on an old stratocaster loaned to me by a good friend on Tuesday of last week. After playing for a week, learning the 8 primary "cowboy" chords and spending about an hour at guitar center being in awe over the weekend I officially have the bug.

I am researching a future guitar purchase and want to spend from $200 to $300 on a guitar. From what I have read getting a solid top of some type should be a priority and I definitely want an acoustic guitar of some type. The question is should I by an electric acoustic or take the additional money it would take to get one and just get a better quality standard acoustic?

Any other suggestions on the brand of guitar would be helpful as well. My friend has a nice Takimine that is just gorgeous and I have seen some Fender, Ibanez and Ovatiob models that looks and sound pretty darn good.

Thanks in advance for the assistance!!

TwistedLefty · #16 April 23rd, 2007

try this little trick to help you in your choices.
get several of the guitars in your price range and have your buddy play them for you with your back turned.

mix a few less expensive ones in and a few higher priced models.
you may be surprised.

Lcjones · #17 April 23rd, 2007

.... Yet another Kentucky quarters worth ....

Acoustic guitars were not meant to be "electrified". When an acoustic guitar is designed and built, it is the tonal qualities of the wood that creates the magnificent tones you hear. Each detraction from the wood causes the acoustics to change.

When a switch-block mounting hole is cut and a switch mounted into the body side of an acoustic guitar the sound is completely different from the original virgin wood tones generated. You now have electrical wiring, a battery retainer, if it is an active switch, a hole in the wood, plus the sonics of the plastic switch itself altering the tone of the guitar.

Nearly every acoustic/electro guitar I have encountered creates a "tinny" tone as opposed to the "rich" tone of a natural acoustic guitar.

You can easily mic up an acoustic to give you the "true" sound of an amplified acoustic guitar. As well, you can add active or passive pickups to an acoustic guitar for your amplification needs, yet still retain that wholesome acoustic sound for those intimate moments.

With that in mind, I highly recommend a straight acoustic guitar. In the future, when you are looking for additional tones to round out your guitar tone catalog, you can start looking at high-end acoustic/electro models. Emphasis on high end.

**
LC

AeroHudson · #18 April 23rd, 2007

Great feedback! Thanks! Some other quick thoughts...I thought I was sold on a cut away so the guitar will "grow" with me just in case I want to and have the skill to do solo stuff on the lower frets. Knowing that I am a newb and this is my first guitar should I not be that concerned with whether it is a cut away or not. I ask because I notice that the cut aways are a bit more expensive.

Thanks again everyone!

Lcjones · #19 April 23rd, 2007

I may raise the ire of others, however, I'd hedge away from cut-aways.

My premise is KISS. Keep it simple, ad infinitum. You can do a life times worth of solo work without a cut-away. I.E., Doc Watson to name one of the all time greatest non cut-away acoustic guitarists in the world.

A cut-away, while obviously having advantages in one degree, does not mean you can solo any better. It allows you to reach those upper frets, 14,15, 17.... but realistically, how often do you think you'll be there?

And that's just me ..... My opines are just that. Opinions. It's in your hands as you know what you want.

Eyes open. The money is in the first five frets.

**

Aunt Doty · #20 April 23rd, 2007

I have a Takamine E series auditorium style. I was planning on buying a Dean like my friend's but once I picked up and strummed the "T" nothing else sounded good!!!!!!!! It has a deep mellow sound, not brassy at all! It is electric acoustic and has an onboard tuner. List price was $499 but I got it for $299. My instructor took me and sends a lot of people there so we get good discounts. I did look at musicianfriends site tho and the prices looked good. Check out their prices even if you go play at the local store because you may get a much better deal!! Good luck!!!

AeroHudson · #21 April 24th, 2007

Great advice from everyone! I really appreciate all of the comments and thoughts. This has definitely expanded the guitars I will consider as I will now be selecting from standard dreadnoughts, cut aways, acoustics, electric acoustics and the whole shooting match.

I think what I have drawn from this thread is to not rule anything out. The perfect guitar for me could be any of the ones we discussed. I will just need to get out there and start playing them and bring my friend along to keep me honest.

Thanks again everyone!!

Stratrat · #22 April 24th, 2007

AeroHudson, I think you're on the right track. One can end up with a very good guitar by picking it from a catalog/website using specs and user reviews....but none of that will tell you what it actually feels like to hold it, or how it will sound to your ear ("tone" is a highly subjective concept!). Going out and playing as many guitars as possible is a much better way to find it - that way you'll end up going home not just with the one that looks good "on paper", but the one that feels and sounds best to you!

D-Dawn · #23 April 24th, 2007

Get what sounds the best to you..try them all! I have a Takamine
EG530SC that I rarely touch. I thought I liked it when I first bought it, lol but I hate to play it. Its a dust collector or I let the kids band on it.
I played a Taylor (never thought I'd do that) the other day and I am still drooling..OMG this thing felt like butta!
Anyway...as you grow in your playing, your ear will change. Don't spend a mint right away, but don't buy crap either! My .02

AeroHudson · #24 April 24th, 2007

Well, I got a chance to go back to guitar center today without the kids, hardly anyone in the store and no salesmen bugging me. I must have played at least 15 different guitars in my price range.

I played some electric acoustics from Epiphone, Takamine, Fender, Ibanez and others. I also played some straight acoustics from the same folks. The one that sounded the best and felt the best to me I thought was kind of odd...

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/pro...ku=10046 1893

There was a huge difference in the sound quality of this one compared to equitable brands. Heck, it sounded better than some $700 Takamine electric acoustics. This one wasn't fancy just solid. No intricate inlays, no fancy paterns on the body of the guitar, no cut aways, it just sounded like a superior instrument.

If I had to choose right now this one would be it hand down. I compared it with an equitable Ibanez acoustic and it murdered it hands down. The Ibanez just could not belt out the rich sound that the Takamine had.

Everyone was right...you just don't know until you go in and try them out. I plan on going back with my guitar playing friend tomorrow night to get his take.

Dewy · #25 April 24th, 2007

Not so much that anyone was right, but more of a "been there, done that" sorta thing.

TwistedLefty · #26 April 25th, 2007

ahh, a cedar top. those have a very distinctly different flavor to my ear.
good to hear that you were able to sample a number of guitars and found that one spoke to you.
now tell us about the "feel"

AeroHudson · #27 April 25th, 2007

The feel, from a beginner's perspective was great. Very easy to get solid chords with minimal pressure. Much different than the old stratocaster that I am learning on right now. Without getting into too much detail it just felt..."right".

I am saving up right now and plan on visiting the store again today with a friend. I should have enough greenbacks saved up here in a couple of weeks for a guitar and a hard case. It will be hell waiting for 3 to 4 weeks but oh well...that's how it goes.

AeroHudson · #28 April 25th, 2007

I've been doing some additional research on cedar topped guitars. I have some additional questions...

- This model does not have a pick guard. Is this a bad thing and if so should I / can I get one installed on the guitar without damaging the sound or structure of it?

- I have read that cedar topped guitars can make picking somewhat "muddy". In other words, these kind of guitars resonate longer and as a result sounds tend to blend together which can be a drawback depending on the type of playing someone partakes in. Any thoughts on this?

- Are cedar top guitars good for beginners based on the items above or any other experience folks have had.

Man, picking out the right guitar is turning into a complex process.

Dewy · #29 April 25th, 2007

Nope, trust your instincts and its easy.

The Cedar has a distinctive tone, not better or worse, just different.

Pickguards are optional in my opinion, unless you choose brass picks.

TwistedLefty · #30 April 25th, 2007

personally i would get a pickguard for a cedar topped guitar because i strum a lot and cedar is a bit softer than spruce.
i don't believe it will affect the sound much if at all.

i don't agree that finger picking a cedar top results in a muddier tone, in my experiance it's tended to be the opposite, maybe a slightly richer lower end but not muddy imo.