GAS'ing for a new acoustic in 2021 - With a happy ending!

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  • 2020 was my year for buying myself a really nice acoustic for my 60th. I was dead set on a Martin and tried about 6 different models without being as knocked out as I would have expected to be for £2k to £3k. Tried a Furch and was blown away, different class of tone, depth, build and I like the neck a lot. Also it was only £1.6k. I guess I am saying don’t get set in a brand or model until you can get your paws on a few and test drive them. 

    This is the truth from hillbilly guitars!
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  • Andy79Andy79 Frets: 888
    I have a feeling an Eastman E10ss would suit you. 
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  • 2020 was my year for buying myself a really nice acoustic for my 60th. I was dead set on a Martin and tried about 6 different models without being as knocked out as I would have expected to be for £2k to £3k. Tried a Furch and was blown away, different class of tone, depth, build and I like the neck a lot. Also it was only £1.6k. I guess I am saying don’t get set in a brand or model until you can get your paws on a few and test drive them. 

    Di the same thing in coda. Played Atkins, gibsons, taylors, santa cruz, collings etc.
    Left with a martin because it was nicest sounding and playing by some distance.

    Acoustics are such a personal thing. I really believe you have to go and try them. 

    As a side note I personally don't get the love for Eastman or Atkins. I found multiple examples of both very, very bland.
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • 2020 was my year for buying myself a really nice acoustic for my 60th. I was dead set on a Martin and tried about 6 different models without being as knocked out as I would have expected to be for £2k to £3k. Tried a Furch and was blown away, different class of tone, depth, build and I like the neck a lot. Also it was only £1.6k. I guess I am saying don’t get set in a brand or model until you can get your paws on a few and test drive them. 

    Do you know which Furch model it is?

    And I will try out a few just now isn't a great time to get down to guitar shops hence why I'm asking about on here!
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  • Andy79Andy79 Frets: 888
    2020 was my year for buying myself a really nice acoustic for my 60th. I was dead set on a Martin and tried about 6 different models without being as knocked out as I would have expected to be for £2k to £3k. Tried a Furch and was blown away, different class of tone, depth, build and I like the neck a lot. Also it was only £1.6k. I guess I am saying don’t get set in a brand or model until you can get your paws on a few and test drive them. 

    Di the same thing in coda. Played Atkins, gibsons, taylors, santa cruz, collings etc.
    Left with a martin because it was nicest sounding and playing by some distance.

    Acoustics are such a personal thing. I really believe you have to go and try them. 

    As a side note I personally don't get the love for Eastman or Atkins. I found multiple examples of both very, very bland.
    I like discussing taste on acoustic guitars, opinion is so varied. I think Eastman sound terrific. On the other hand I’ve had a couple of Faith guitars for eg,  and for me they are deader than dead. Funny old world 

    I don’t understand the acoustics are so personal thing. Only in as much as anything else is.  I could pick and choose candidate guitars from ten paces 
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  • BingManBingMan Frets: 35
    sub £2k i'd either be looking for a clean used guitar from one of the better guitar builders, or if you want a new instrument, something like an Eastman where your money goes much further than the budget lines martin and taylor put out. But I do always think going used is a better shout regardless. I've owned a fair few really great used Martins over the years in the £1,800 - £2k range that would have been close to £3k new... and when i've decided to move them on i've never taken a hit on resale.

    As far as type of guitar, body size, tone woods, bracing, that's a totally personal thing. The guys in the videos seem to have OM sized guitars.
    But to me, the recording of those guitars in the example clips don't exactly tell me much about the tone of those guitars... they sound kinda thin and clangy... and for my ear, not exactly what a desirable acoustic tone would be... Probably most likely due to how they were mic'd and eq'd. Ironically I think the second clip sounds truer to what the instruments actually sound like... but it's all personal taste! 

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    You are better off with a Furch than the lower end Martins.  To be honest, the higher end Furch guitars are up there with the some of the better Martins at a cheaper price.

    You could also look out for something from a small British maker second hand.  They might be very good value second hand.  I suspect that the better known brands like Atkin and Brook will hold their value better, but I've played very good guitars from lesser known brands like Northworthy and Moon.
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  • markjmarkj Frets: 910
    artiebear said:
    You have Kemper ( brilliant but not cheap ) a s/h D28 at the same price as a new Kemper - a classic acoustic for life at the price of a depreciating piece of kit ? Worth thinking about. That being said there are some wonderful acoustics out there without Martin or Taylor on the headstock. 
    The only way I could pick up a D28 is to get it on finance perhaps haha. Would be too scared to travel with the thing or leave it unattended though.

    But if I'm going to spend a decent amount I obviously wanna make sure its the right one for me and my playing style.
    I bought a HD28 reimagined in January last year. I had to sell a few guitars and lay down some cash but it was well worth it, It's an absolutely wonderful guitar. I had an Eastman mid price acoustic before that but there isn't any comparison in the two. I Would either save up or buy one on finance or buy a fine condition one used. If that's not an option you could look at a Martin 00015m. I had one a few years ago and it sounded super sweet.
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  • Somebody is or was selling a D-18 in the classifieds for £1500. If you can stretch to that, it represents far better value IMO than paying £600 for any of the budget Mexican Martin models. Something else to consider might be a red label Yamaha FG5 reissue.
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  • BingMan said:
    sub £2k i'd either be looking for a clean used guitar from one of the better guitar builders, or if you want a new instrument, something like an Eastman where your money goes much further than the budget lines martin and taylor put out. But I do always think going used is a better shout regardless. I've owned a fair few really great used Martins over the years in the £1,800 - £2k range that would have been close to £3k new... and when i've decided to move them on i've never taken a hit on resale.

    As far as type of guitar, body size, tone woods, bracing, that's a totally personal thing. The guys in the videos seem to have OM sized guitars.
    But to me, the recording of those guitars in the example clips don't exactly tell me much about the tone of those guitars... they sound kinda thin and clangy... and for my ear, not exactly what a desirable acoustic tone would be... Probably most likely due to how they were mic'd and eq'd. Ironically I think the second clip sounds truer to what the instruments actually sound like... but it's all personal taste! 

    I think I'm getting too fixed up on how it'll sound amplified where a truly good acoustic will sound good at its roots - unplugged. So the wood and other factors will be key instead of just electronics.

    I think one of the guys (the lead player) has a Martin OM which would explain your comment. Thing is when they play acoustically it changes setup, sometimes they're mic'd up, sometimes they're DI'd, some is a mix of both. But they seem to sound pretty good whatever they play through, to me anyway.
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  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    edited January 2021
    markj said:
    artiebear said:
    You have Kemper ( brilliant but not cheap ) a s/h D28 at the same price as a new Kemper - a classic acoustic for life at the price of a depreciating piece of kit ? Worth thinking about. That being said there are some wonderful acoustics out there without Martin or Taylor on the headstock. 
    The only way I could pick up a D28 is to get it on finance perhaps haha. Would be too scared to travel with the thing or leave it unattended though.

    But if I'm going to spend a decent amount I obviously wanna make sure its the right one for me and my playing style.
    I bought a HD28 reimagined in January last year. I had to sell a few guitars and lay down some cash but it was well worth it, It's an absolutely wonderful guitar. I had an Eastman mid price acoustic before that but there isn't any comparison in the two. I Would either save up or buy one on finance or buy a fine condition one used. If that's not an option you could look at a Martin 00015m. I had one a few years ago and it sounded super sweet.
    I have bought guitars on finance from Andertons before so could be a real option, 9 months interest free is the best option I think, and they have a D28 coming into the store in March! Will definitely be saving up whilst I research the best guitar for me, it took me years to save for my Kemper but well worth it when I finally had the money to get it! The 000 series ones get good reviews.
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  • Somebody is or was selling a D-18 in the classifieds for £1500. If you can stretch to that, it represents far better value IMO than paying £600 for any of the budget Mexican Martin models. Something else to consider might be a red label Yamaha FG5 reissue.
    Yeah I think you're right, would rather wait/save more and get a D series sub £1200 rather than scrimp and get a budget one. With the pandemic it buys more time to save before getting into a guitar store to have shoot out.
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  • mdfiremdfire Frets: 2
    Ive had a Furch OM, a Martin OM28 and an Eastman AC422CE in the past 18 months. The Eastman is hands down the best of the three in my opinion. It was also more than half the price of the Martin.
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  • markjmarkj Frets: 910
    markj said:
    artiebear said:
    You have Kemper ( brilliant but not cheap ) a s/h D28 at the same price as a new Kemper - a classic acoustic for life at the price of a depreciating piece of kit ? Worth thinking about. That being said there are some wonderful acoustics out there without Martin or Taylor on the headstock. 
    The only way I could pick up a D28 is to get it on finance perhaps haha. Would be too scared to travel with the thing or leave it unattended though.

    But if I'm going to spend a decent amount I obviously wanna make sure its the right one for me and my playing style.
    I bought a HD28 reimagined in January last year. I had to sell a few guitars and lay down some cash but it was well worth it, It's an absolutely wonderful guitar. I had an Eastman mid price acoustic before that but there isn't any comparison in the two. I Would either save up or buy one on finance or buy a fine condition one used. If that's not an option you could look at a Martin 00015m. I had one a few years ago and it sounded super sweet.
    I have bought guitars on finance from Andertons before so could be a real option, 9 months interest free is the best option I think, and they have a D28 coming into the store in March! Will definitely be saving up whilst I research the best guitar for me, it took me years to save for my Kemper but well worth it when I finally had the money to get it! The 000 series ones get good reviews.
    Look at Frailers at Runcorn they are excellent, that’s where I got my HD28.
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  • markj said:
    markj said:
    artiebear said:
    You have Kemper ( brilliant but not cheap ) a s/h D28 at the same price as a new Kemper - a classic acoustic for life at the price of a depreciating piece of kit ? Worth thinking about. That being said there are some wonderful acoustics out there without Martin or Taylor on the headstock. 
    The only way I could pick up a D28 is to get it on finance perhaps haha. Would be too scared to travel with the thing or leave it unattended though.

    But if I'm going to spend a decent amount I obviously wanna make sure its the right one for me and my playing style.
    I bought a HD28 reimagined in January last year. I had to sell a few guitars and lay down some cash but it was well worth it, It's an absolutely wonderful guitar. I had an Eastman mid price acoustic before that but there isn't any comparison in the two. I Would either save up or buy one on finance or buy a fine condition one used. If that's not an option you could look at a Martin 00015m. I had one a few years ago and it sounded super sweet.
    I have bought guitars on finance from Andertons before so could be a real option, 9 months interest free is the best option I think, and they have a D28 coming into the store in March! Will definitely be saving up whilst I research the best guitar for me, it took me years to save for my Kemper but well worth it when I finally had the money to get it! The 000 series ones get good reviews.
    Look at Frailers at Runcorn they are excellent, that’s where I got my HD28.
    I'm London based so a bit far to go and try it out! There is a used HD-28 on there for £2,300 though!
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  • DavidRDavidR Frets: 728
    You sound like you're on a bit of a budget. Don't forget good old Yamaha. FG's and LL's are dreadnoughts. Yamaha's are many people's go-to student guitars but then get forgotten as really good value mid range instruments too. Depends on what sound you want really. I bought an FG5 a year ago and it is my favourite guitar out of my little collection of 6. For lots of pieces (blues/ragtime/general fingerpicking with picks mainly) I prefer it to my Martin OM28 Reimagined because the FG5 base notes, being a dreadnought, are 'bigger'. After lots of fiddling about, the sound with brass bridge pins and Monel strings is just what my 1970's ear was looking for! Eastman seem on a roll at present too as mentioned. Iv'e never tried any though. Certainly don't dismiss Far East manufacturers. They've been making stringed instruments for a lot longer than anyone in the US/UK!

    Happy hunting (and happy New Year).
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  • Yep, but only cos I'm impatient haha. 

    My Tak was very cheap as I just wanted something to do the job back when I bought it, didn't really pay much attention to sounds.

    So if I'm going to get a new acoustic its got to be a significant upgrade and different sounding! (Who knows I may sell the Tak on anyway).

    I have seen a couple of shops round here have finance options for the D28 and HD28. So when they eventually are allowed to reopen I'll go and try a few out. Either that or I have to save for nearly a year. But I guess this gives me more time to research up.
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  • chromatunachromatuna Frets: 366
    edited January 2021
    2020 was my year for buying myself a really nice acoustic for my 60th. I was dead set on a Martin and tried about 6 different models without being as knocked out as I would have expected to be for £2k to £3k. Tried a Furch and was blown away, different class of tone, depth, build and I like the neck a lot. Also it was only £1.6k. I guess I am saying don’t get set in a brand or model until you can get your paws on a few and test drive them. 

    Do you know which Furch model it is?

    And I will try out a few just now isn't a great time to get down to guitar shops hence why I'm asking about on here!
    Rather embarrassingly I can’t remember and I am stuck 120 miles away from it caring for my parents at the moment. I did loads of online research on the Martin’s etc. but just picked the Furch cos I really like it.

    It’s struck me for its big deep but well controlled sound. I play acoustic just with fingers and every note makes itself beautifully heard without much effort. May You Never by John Martin that kind of thing. Richard Thompson too. I know the top wood was slightly unusual but again can’t check what it is at this point. Quite a wide board and meaty neck, more so than the Martin’s I tried and my friend’s D18. Having been playing a classical guitar and a National lately I have come to appreciate a bit more to get the paws around. My friends D18 in comparison sounds sweet but more compressed if that makes sense. All the Martin’s I tried sounded quieter and ‘smaller’ than this, the Furch really sings out. 

    I know it’s a difficult time but when you can I wholeheartedly recommend a couple of hours in a good store where you can try a fair few guitars for yourself. 
    This is the truth from hillbilly guitars!
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  • SnagsSnags Frets: 5326
    Another vote for checking out Furch, Eastman, maybe Dowina etc. (i.e. some of the Eastern European and Chinese/Far Eastern options) unless having it say "Taylor" or "Martin" on the headstock matters.

    Don't worry too much about getting an electro, you can always add a pre-amp or a K&K mini - unless the plugged in sound is the be all and end all, in which case that may change the game slightly.

    When I was overcome by lust for a decent acoustic I ended up with a Furch G32CRC (before they went to the slightly unhelpful colour-based naming scheme), despite expecting to have to significantly increase budget in order to get the appropriate Taylor etc.
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    The Larrivee OM models are lovely and significantly cheaper than the Martin equivalents.
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