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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | I getting GAS for a wood body 000 size guitar.
Must be decent player & decent on sound & $300 or less.
Looking for suggestions & recommendations.
M/F has these, anybody played one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQumnDoGADg
May have to visit the not so local GC
Wally |
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July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Semms too cheap for solid wood |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Call Al and ask about the new G506S Takamine.
Solid top, very nicely built and the price will floor you ...
 
There's more info about it over on the Tak forum. |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | although not as inexpensive as the silver creek models, i recently bought a blueridge BR-163 (000 sized), solid spruce top, solid and very straight-grained EIR back and sides. except for the pickguard and headstock, it resembles a martin 00028 clapton model. thing is, it blows the martin tonally and volume-wise TOTALLY away! i took the blueridge down to a local guitar store that a professional musician friend of mine owns. he has the clapton there. i asked him to play the blueridge. after a few strums and picking runs, he grinned from ear to ear and said, "man, this thing's got balls!". in comparing it with the martin, we both agreed the blueridge was the very obvious winner. although musicmike's thread, "never say never", was regarding mac computers, i can relate to that sentiment about inexpensive chinese guitars. thought i'd NEVER!
for economic reasons and my current status as a student, i reluctantly sold my collings cj. payed off some debt, banked enough funds for the upcoming timing belt/water pump replacement on my honda and had enough left over for the blueridge, which i am very pleased with. i'm planning on installing a k&k ultra-pure western pup on it soon.
that silver creek T-160 sounds very nice in the demo. it is probably well worth the price. i have not checked harmony central reviews for it yet, but the blueridge guitars rate very high there, especially the BR-163 model i have. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Ohhh Randy, you had to sell the CJ?
That is a shame but at least you got to have it for a while. I guess you sold it locally since I never saw anything listed about it.
I have been seriously thinning the herd not because I have to but because that time has come and it does allow me to do so without an air of desperation.
You definitely have the proper frame of mind and the priorities are intact.
Take care! |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | the cj went to connecticut to a member of the collings forum. he had contacted me through a pm after i bought it to tell me he would like it if i ever decided to sell. it was a magnificent guitar, however, i also found it was best strummed or flat-picked bluegrass style. for my style of slack key fingerpicking, that huge mahogany cavern produced too many overtones. my next collings, should i ever afford one, will be an sj or smaller bodied C-10. |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Hey Dave, is that Tak one of the new ones they released at NAMM? That's outrageously gorgeous for a lower-end guitar. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | Lanaki
I understand exactly what you are saying. What started this whole thing for me was checking out the Blue Ridge models. From the Br-43 up to the BR-361, in fact I past up a heck of a deal on a BR-361 only a few months old for $650 but just couldn't swing it.
(Yeah & I've spent more than a grand in the last month for unexpected repairs on 3 vehicles)
The Blue Ridge thing got me checking out chinese made guitars for quality. I really hate to believe it but there is some nice stuff out there.
As for the Silver Creeks, I found they are bacically rebranded "Johnson Carolinas" which are now "Recording King" & guess what, "Blue Ridge" which are all owned by "SAGA"
Now heres a quote from a guy on another board on the Silver Creek, can it be true ?
I too am the owner of a Silvercreek t-160 and having owned a Collings Om-2H, and a Martin 0m-28v, I have to honestly say, this guitar is well worth the $*** I paid. It looks to me to be made really good, but a Martin or Collings it is not, but close enough for the price. Time will tell, but this guitar plays really nice out of the box and the workmanship seems to be fine. The action and intonation are really close to perfect, but I plan to take it to the local luthier to get adjusted. I was as skeptical as anyone, but sitting back and playing this guitar, this $*** China made import, it is scary to know that you can get this quality for what I paid! I am really amazed at what came in the box, and the sound is not bad. I would not go out and sell my Charis quite yet, but for $*** this is a DEAL!!!
Thread link
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1390735
Wally |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Yes thatwas new at NAMM. For the money (I think 599. list) it was really one of the highlights of the show as far as I was concerned. Tak rep quoted me the sales projections and suffice it to say they expect to sell a LOT of these.
The problem I have is that my fun small bodied guitars are sorta high end (I know, tough problem to have) so aren't really take-along guitars. This G506 would be a great add. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | The Blueridge small bodied series are a good guitar for the $$$. The Tak would probably have better resale if you would decide to sell it.
Trader Jim has the Blueridge Gospel model in a sunburst. They are great little guitars.
Often overlooked is the Martin X series. I have a 000X1. they do have laminated sides and back but for the money they have a great sound. Besides they're almost a bullet proof as an Ovation. My "Beach Guitar". |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Yeah, I hear you. Not really the problem I have at the moment, but you know... ;)
On the other hand, I've been looking for a 000 or OM since I sold my 000-28, and I love the looks of that little Tak. I had a cedar/koa NEX at one point, I think a GS544, and it was a really nice playing guitar for the money. If cosmetics do tell, this one would be fabulous for that price. |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Try a Morgan Monroe. I have compared them with the Blueridge's and they are better, for an even lower price. If you can find a used "Bean Blossom Ghettysburg" made by Morgan Monroe (These guitars are yellow), you will have a guitar that can blow away any Martin made today. That is why they can't make these anymore. Martin sued because they use pre-war Martin bracing, they look just like a Martin, and they sound better. These guitars have that deep booming bass, but they also have a bell-like, liquid sounding treble. I own two and will NEVER part with them. If you are looking for a smaller body, check out the M-30-V/C. Solid spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, ebony fretboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, Grover keys. These guitars list for $450 and INCLUDE a hardshell case with a built-in hygrometer. |
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May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | This looks kinda nice, $265 w/hardshell case.
Specs
Style: OOO
Top: Solid Spruce,
Englemann
Back & Sides: Solid Mahogany
Neck: 1-Piece Mahogany
Finish: Glossy
Rosette: B/W Vintage
Fretboard: Rosewood
Fretboard Inlay: Snowflake
Frets: Nickel, 20
Tuners: Butterbean
Bridge: Rosewood
Pickguard: Tortoise
Truss Rod Yes
Strings: Martin
Nut, Width: Bone, 1-3/4"
Scale Length: 24.9"
Depth: 4"
Upper Bout: 11.75"
Lower Bout: 15.5"
Body Length: 20"
Total Length: 40.75"
Shouldn't everybody have a Johnson to play with ?
Wally |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | It's been my experience that Johnson guitars are poorly made, sound terrible, and within six months to a year, they warp and twist and become unplayable. This one has a lot of bling, but even at $265, you would be wasting your money. The only brand I have found to be worse is Esteban! |
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October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Birddog,
Absolutely nothing wrong with lusting for wood.........As long as it has lycracord under it! :D ;) :D |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i cannot imagine a guitar being built any better than this blueridge. the quality of materials and construction is amazing for the dollars invested. it is also very comfortable and fun to play. the note separation is much more distinct than with the collings cj. surprisingly, the bass response is much better than expected from a 000 size. dropped D is a tummy rumbler. if ya' like wood and dollars are tight, here's one remedy. |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Randy, what did you pay for your Blueridge anyway? |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | pm sent |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | BR-163, can't find them for much under $750
Thats out of my league.
You sure its not a BR-43 = $370 ish.
Really don't want to spend that much as I'm already making plans to build one from a LMI kit next winter.
The Blueridge, Recording King, Johnson guitars are probably built in the same factory.
Wally |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Hopefully you will get a chance to play these before you buy.
Along with the Silver Creek, BlueRidge, and Morgan Monroes, you may want to check out the Recording King guitars as well. you should check out the Unofficial BlueRidge Guitar Forum . They discuss many of these brands over there
Some excellent guitars are coming out of China lately -- seriously. I picked up a Stanford Performer Series OM recently, and no joke -- i put my Collings C10 back in it's case and it hasn't been in there for over a year.
_____
gh1 |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Boy a fellow OFCer makes a simple request and no one obliges. Here you go Wally:
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | First suggestion is add a 0 to the price range. Now you got lots of choices! |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | Originally posted by TAFKAR:
Boy a fellow OFCer makes a simple request and no one obliges. Here you go Wally:
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | Originally posted by gh1:
Hopefully you will get a chance to play these before you buy.
Along with the Silver Creek, BlueRidge, and Morgan Monroes, you may want to check out the Recording King guitars as well. you should check out the Unofficial BlueRidge Guitar Forum . They discuss many of these brands over there
Some excellent guitars are coming out of China lately -- seriously. I picked up a Stanford Performer Series OM recently, and no joke -- i put my Collings C10 back in it's case and it hasn't been in there for over a year.
_____
gh1
http://theunofficialblueridgeguitarforum18213.yuku.com/forum/viewto...
Quote
... which is the same as the Johnson Carolina II JO-26, except for the inside label ...
... which is the same as the Recording King RO-26, except for the RK headstock and the inside label, ...
... which is the same as the Silver Creek T-160, except for the SC headstock, the inside label, and the round fretboard inlays.
Looks like same guitar, different branding & cosmetics. Easy to do in the same place.
Probably whats going to happen to the auto industry.
And there are others to check out like the Epi EL-00, but I want a 1 3/4 nut, preferably bone so I don't have to replace it myself.
Wally |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | Oh, one other thing
The one thing these guitars have in common.
"Greg Rich" Product designer for Gibson for years joined TML (Recording King, Johnson, Loar in 2005.)
http://www.themusiclink.net/Greg_Rich.960.0.html |
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Lusting for wood,somebody slap me
