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View Full Version : Ok, i know you all hate this, but...need a vote



Eminence_Front
04-16-2009, 11:25 PM
I have a couple options right now.


I have an Ibanez AEG-20 acoustic.

It's got a nice slim neck, rosewood finger board, a flamed Sycamore top, solid maple back and sides and a fishman pickup and tuner. It really plays like an electric with a deep single cutaway and a super slim neck. Problem is it's a shallow guitar and tends to be tinny with little low end. Lots of Mids, just no bass.


I have been looking into other guitars in the same "used" price range, to either trade up for, or just buy as an addition. Now, I KNOW from osmosis on the board here, that there are a million $300 acoustic out there and huge delta between quality and sound.

Problem is, both of the cheapies I am looking at both have a love/hate type of review base.

1.) Takamine EG330s Solid Cedar top,
2.) Yamaha FG700 / FG730s Solid Sitka Top


I have played both of these extensively and LOVE the sound both produce.

While my ideal acoustic is somethins along the lines of a Guild DV52 like Marks, I find them hard to come by, and when someone IS willing to part with it, it's a $1200 - $1500 guitar. For that money, I could have my dream acoustic, an early 1970's Gibson Hummingbird.


Given the fact that the above have solid tops, and real wood back and sides, who has the better rep for longevity. Whatever I buy i'll prolly keep forever. Guitars are like guns to me, something else I am chronic GASser for. So when I buy em I find it hard to part with.


But wow, I tell ya that Takamine EG330S is about as good a $350 new guitar as you can prolly find.

Anyone have any feedback ?

Mark Wein
04-16-2009, 11:34 PM
Given the choice I would pick Yamaha over Takamine just because of personal preference...

Eminence_Front
04-17-2009, 12:19 AM
I have been kind of leaning that way myself.

I like the dread body and the smooth fingerboard, i guess it's either ebony or a simulated ebony.

The tak has either rosewood, or some other "wood" but no telling since it's a japanese brand probably manuf. in China. (well, both for that matter.)


Anyway, The Yamaha has a fingerboard close to what a Taylor has. I don't know what they make their higher end fretboards out of but it's almost a glassy texture. Not like a rosewood electric fretboard finish.

I am prolly not explaining that very well. Difference is between the texture of an elementary school ruler and a chalkboard. Very different

Mark Wein
04-17-2009, 12:20 AM
Hmmm....

I just hate Takamines :o




:p

Help!I'maRock!
04-17-2009, 01:14 AM
Yamaha. though that Tak could give it a run. definitely not Ibanez. which is a shame, as the name is originally Spanish.

Denverdave
04-17-2009, 04:21 AM
I like both guitar brands. They both make quality guitars in that price range. According to all that I can find both guitars use Rosewood on the fingerboards. You won't go wrong with either choice ( though I would lean more towards the FG730 in the Yamaha camp).

That being said - I will be useless to you here and say Takamine. They are great guitars and have high quality pickups in them. I've owned five Takamine acoustics and they have all been very nice (I have owned two Yamahas as well). My current acoustic is a Tak - but it is one of their Japanese made models (way more $$). I obviously like them as stage guitars since I keep using them live.

One other guitar to consider if you are looking at the used route - the Epiphone Masterbuilt guitars. I'm very impressed with them and used they are very close to that price range and are (IMHO) way better than the other Epi acoustic lines. Blueridge guitars are very nice as well, but I think they run about $100.00 more than you are talking about right now.

But either the Tak or the Yamaha will be very nice guitars. Get the one that feels better and sounds better to you. Two good choices...

Prages
04-17-2009, 02:00 PM
Have you looked at Seagulls? I think the S6 is in that price range, and they get great reviews.

I don't particularly care for the necks on them, but you might like them.


I just checked. The S6 goes for about $400. Sorry.

MattSkibaIsGOD
04-18-2009, 03:47 PM
I've owned 3 Yamaha FG730S's because I'm a fickle pickle and they did not disappoint.

Eminence_Front
04-20-2009, 10:07 PM
Hey P,

I played an S6+ and don't really care for their "cedar" sound. The other cedars I played sounded nice enough, but I thought the Seagull sounded kind of toy'ish. Maybe it was just setup horrible. (i played it at Squid music) and the best guitar they had in there was a Johnny Cash Gibson they wanted almost List for..