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noel-lele
Aloha
USA
13 Posts |
 Posted - 01/15/2005 : 06:15:17 AM
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Hi - I'm looking for advice in buying a guitar.I want to learn to play slack key. I'm really a uke player but love both types of music. Many years ago I played guitar so at least I'm familiar with it. I'd like a good quality instrument but would like to keep the cost reasonable - hopefully around $340, not over $500. Thanks!
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2005 : 07:05:54 AM
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Welcome to the slack key family, noel-lele!
Before anyone starts throwing out famous brand names and high price tags, let me add that virtually any six- or twelve-string acoustic guitar (that will stay in tune) works fine for playing slack key. Nylon strings are okay, too.
Visit guitar shops and find one that fits you and your price range. Most people play a steel string guitar with comfortable action and good bass response. What you want to spend is up to you. Remember to save some money to buy a good DVD or book/CD set to start you off.
Jesse Tinsley |
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Darin
Lokahi
USA
294 Posts |
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Gary A
Lokahi
USA
169 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2005 : 12:08:38 PM
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About a year and a half ago I helped a friend shop for a sub-$500 fingerstyle guitar. We ended up getting a Simon and Patrick S-6 Folk model with a solid cedar top. It sounded nice and was well constructed. The body size is slightly smaller than a dreadnaught so it felt more comfortable when played sitting down. The action was low which made it nice for fingerstyle. It's not as loud as a bigger bodied dreadnaught with higher action. The price was $440 including a TKL hardshell case. If it was the only fingerstyle guitar I owned I'd be perfectly happy with it.
Simon and Patrick lists it on their website, but there are no details. Maybe it's a discontinued model:
http://www.simonandpatrick.ca/satinseries.htm
It's made in the same factory in Canada as the Seagull guitars (I think). In my opinion, the Simon & Patrick and the Seagull brands are both good values.
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Gary |
Edited by - Gary A on 01/15/2005 12:31:34 PM |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2005 : 1:41:56 PM
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Welcome, noel-lele,
The Baby Taylor is in your price range check it out. |
Dusty |
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noel-lele
Aloha
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2005 : 11:19:44 AM
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I found 2 Taylor Baby guitars - one is larger than the other. WHich are you referring to?
Thanks |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2005 : 12:02:19 PM
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There is a Baby Taylor and a Big Baby Taylor. The Baby is pretty tiny and designed to fit in an overhead bin on an airplane. The Big Baby is bigger, about 3/4 size.
I enjoy my Baby Taylor. It's a very nice guitar for the money and fun to practice on. But my Baby Taylor doesn't have booming bass so I just use it for practice.
Jesse Tinsley |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2005 : 3:20:25 PM
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Aloha Noel,
For the price range you're looking at, I've been impressed with the Big Baby Taylor, also. Yamaha and Takamine also make some very good guitars in this range. I also agree with Jesse that there's a wide range of guitars out there and that if they're structurally sound they'll do the job. If I may recommend three suggestions, first, if you have a friend who knows guitars, take them along with you when you go shopping. Secondly, don't discount used instruments. You can find some real bargains out there. Thirdly, if you have any guitar trade/swap shows in your area, check them out. I went to one in Columbus, Ohio last week and there must have been 3,000 guitars in one room. Everything from real junk to absolutely beautiful instruments - and you often have the ability to barter in your favor. Happy hunting! |
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Auntie Nancy
`Olu`olu
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2005 : 4:12:56 PM
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Aloha Noel-lele. I just came from a slack-key workshop and this subject was discussed and many of the instruments had been picked up used. I've heard e-Bay suggested, but I don't have any idea how to go about getting one that feels and sounds good to you. Guitar Center or any other place that "trades up" will have a larg used inventory and have been told, just offer them what you're willing to pay and if they've had it awhile you might get an excellent bargain.
You don't say where you're from, but I hope you will so if you're close, maybe you can join some of us.
Welcome,
auntie nancy |
nancy cook |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2005 : 11:37:34 AM
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| I bought my first guitar from an add in the newspaper -- the guy selling it let me leave a deposit and take it to a guitar repair shop to have it check out. I ended up with about a grand worth of instrument for under $300. I still have it, play it almost daily, and love it. |
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2005 : 1:13:56 PM
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Noel, take Hapakid's advice...keep it simple. Just get a low priced, low end guitar. Sure its nice to buy a "quality" "name" guitar, as good starter, but why? My first was a crappy $50.00 Harmony parlor-type. Learn all your basics first, save your money, then move up to a quality guitar. Its as simple as that. The first Uke's we purchased were those Hilo brands, as starter's before moving up to Kamaka's...
Newspapers, Re-cycler ads, etc... are all good sources for GOOD, used, first timer guitars. Then, when your ready, get a Takamine 6-string cut-away.
-slkho |
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Auntie Nancy
`Olu`olu
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2005 : 3:29:06 PM
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Hi again Noel,
I would add to what slkho says, that if it doesn't sound good to you, you won't be happy, you won't learn as fast, and you won't practice.
Have fun!! You'll find one you love for under $100 would be my guess.
good luck -
auntie |
nancy cook |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2005 : 4:55:53 PM
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Don't know where in TX you live, but thee are lots of cheap and used guitars available in the Austin area. You may also want to check out some of the low price guitars coming out of Parecho, Mexico -- some are real junk, but I've seen and played a couple of really nice guitars in the 100 - 150 range - Can't give you a dealer name, but I saw them when I was visiting family in Chicago and I went to some music shops in the Mex neighborhoods. I also saw a few in a guitar shop in Albuquerque. I'm sure they're available in TX.
-- I also want to support what Nancy says -- while I think it's a good idea to spend less at first, if you get one that sounds lousy or that is too difficult to play, you'll not be as motivated.
Finally, you might want to check a local guitar shop or two -- sometimes they rent guitars for around 25 a month -- gives you a couple of months to "get your feet wet" before you shell out bigger bucks. |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1021 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2005 : 06:44:56 AM
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| A friend of mine bought a Seagull for around $300 with a case. They are made in Canada. For the money, I think it's a better starter than a low-end Takamine or Yamaha. I was very impressed with this guitar. If you can find a dealer close to you, try one out. Unless you're fairly experienced, you could burned buying used. |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2005 : 11:45:26 AM
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| I meant to say Big Baby Taylor. The regular (small) Baby is OK but it has a short scale and sounds small. |
Dusty |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2005 : 3:39:13 PM
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Again, to make sure the point is not lost --
if you're buying used -- and you can find great deals -- make sure you take it to a luthier for an opinion before the deal is final. Anyone who won't let you do that is suspect anyway. |
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