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Best under the radar brand?

What's Hot
birdobirdo Frets: 24
Is thre a sleeper acoustic brand out there. One that either doesn't get the recondition it deserves or just consistently produces quality instruments but does break into the big boys groups. For example in electric guitars I'd list yamaha .
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Comments

  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26451
    Does Faith count?
    <space for hire>
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127

    birdo said:
    Is thre a sleeper acoustic brand out there. One that either doesn't get the recondition it deserves or just consistently produces quality instruments but does break into the big boys groups. For example in electric guitars I'd list yamaha .
    Actually, I'd say Yamaha for acoustics too!  Low price, faultless quality, pretty much all of them sound good to great and are easy to play
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  • jaygtrjaygtr Frets: 218

    birdo said:
    Is thre a sleeper acoustic brand out there. One that either doesn't get the recondition it deserves or just consistently produces quality instruments but does break into the big boys groups. For example in electric guitars I'd list yamaha .
    Actually, I'd say Yamaha for acoustics too!  Low price, faultless quality, pretty much all of them sound good to great and are easy to play



    +1 to this
    ;)
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  • birdobirdo Frets: 24
    Not sure if faith count as they get nothing but praise and are fairly new in brand terms. How do high end yamahas compare ? I know their budget end stuff is great.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    Larivée.

    OK they're not "cheap", but they're as good or better than any of the really big names, and are cheaper new and *much* cheaper secondhand since they don't hold their value that well.


    I really don't get the love for Yamaha, sorry. Yes they're well-made, but I've never played one that sounded inspiring and most sound very ordinary.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    I'd go for the LAG Tramontane range .. cool guitars from about £299. Nice modern logo as well ...

    http://uk.lagguitars.com/TRAMONTANE-g510.html

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • IanSavageIanSavage Frets: 1319
    The three major Canadian brands (Simon & Patrick, Art et Lutherie and Norman, in decending order of personal preference) - all part of the Godin group, real quality at good prices (STUPIDLY low prices secondhand, quite often).
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  • blueskunkblueskunk Frets: 2866
    When i was looking for an acoustic i tried a few and for the price this was a belter, i love it.
    http://www.alvarezguitars.com/instrument/af60
    I want the parlour one next.
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  • barry2tonebarry2tone Frets: 212
    edited August 2013
    blueskunk said:
    "When i was looking for an acoustic i tried a few and for the price this was a belter, i love it.
    http://www.alvarezguitars.com/instrument/af60
    I want the parlour one next."

    From a bit of reading these sound great, something I'd like to try.

    But another manufacturers website that doesn't give scale length, nut width etc?
                                                                                                                                                ~X(
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15475
    I'd concur on the larry comment. Brands like Stonebridge, Lakewood seem to give the big names a run for their money as well.

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    The non-metal stuff from Dean is a well kept secret - acoustics, resonators ....
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    IanSavage said:
    The three major Canadian brands (Simon & Patrick, Art et Lutherie and Norman, in decending order of personal preference) - all part of the Godin group, real quality at good prices (STUPIDLY low prices secondhand, quite often).
    Unfortunately, although they sound great and are very good value for money when they're new, they don't last. They're not very well made and very often have structural problems, or just seem to 'wear out' and go dead-sounding rather than maturing. They also have the highest rate of broken headstocks I know of other than Gibsons. I wish it wasn't so, since when they first came out they seemed to have solved the problem of making good-sounding guitars cheaply by getting rid of all the fancy stuff you don't need.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BSG.

    I went to the shop thinking I was picking between Martin, Taylor, and Gibson.  I came out with a BSG which was hands down better than everything else in my price range.  I then had to google what I'd bought when I got home.
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15475
    I see blueridge now do a high end line (this is probably old news to most, but I am hopelessly behind the times). I was highly impressed with their low end range, had a very traditional sound, so would be interesting to see what the high end ones are like.

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • MattGMattG Frets: 170
    Auden guitars make some very nice stuff
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  • Recording King too, they really surprised me when I played them. I'll be picking up one of their 000's at some point.
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13564
    Actually, I'd say Yamaha for acoustics too!  Low price, faultless quality, pretty much all of them sound good to great and are easy to play
    not sure Id agree completely.  Used to have a Yam back in the 80s and it indeed was a great player and finished well.  HOWEVER I played a couple of their £500 ish models (a dread and a OM size) and they left me pretty cold TBH,  huge heavy neck on the OM made it very un-balanced.

    If we (as per ICBM) are going to get into Larry ££ country, there are 101 great small luthiers out their now that will easily out compete the big names with bang for buck - its just you wont have the resale value.
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • AuldReekieAuldReekie Frets: 196
    bertie said:
    Actually, I'd say Yamaha for acoustics too!  Low price, faultless quality, pretty much all of them sound good to great and are easy to play
    not sure Id agree completely.  Used to have a Yam back in the 80s and it indeed was a great player and finished well.  HOWEVER I played a couple of their £500 ish models (a dread and a OM size) and they left me pretty cold TBH,  huge heavy neck on the OM made it very un-balanced.

    If we (as per ICBM) are going to get into Larry ££ country, there are 101 great small luthiers out their now that will easily out compete the big names with bang for buck - its just you wont have the resale value.

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  • AuldReekieAuldReekie Frets: 196
    Larrivee owner here - have three OM9, SD50 TSB and C09 and totally agree with ICBM, would choose Larrivee over Martin or Taylor anyday and this is based on having owned both of these brands in the past, In fact sold my Santa Cruz D to finance the SD50 (12 fret dreadnought). I have had a tour of their factory in Vancouver and I have never come across such a happy working environment, which no doubt reflects the pride their employees go about their work.
    Whilst still a relative bargain, Larrys are beginning to climb in price, certainly compared with around 10 years ago when you could pick up a second hand Larry for a a ridiculously cheap price. 
    Re the above comment on small builders, in my experience, Larrys are consderably cheaper than most small builders guitars.  I also have a MciLroy and a Forster and both of these were considerably dearer than my Larrys
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