What is the best value right now in a good electric guitar? Acoustic? My wife wants to get me one for my birthday. I'm not playing R&R.

Thanks,

Tom

Tom talk to Capt. Russ he'll guide you in teh right direction for sure.

Tom....
Before you decide, you should check out the BAR and the post "Would you like to play the guitar".
Eddie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o3jeHrZbWs&feature=related

Skill level, favorite artists...?

Those two will help anyone make a recommendation.

Can't go wrong with a Strat, IMO, but maybe you would prefer an acoustic (and your neighbors )?

Hey, Tom. Man, it's hard for me to recommend ONE guitar...I got two new ones this week, and that brings my total to over 330 stringed instruments.


The one that came in today is a beautiful Cognac finished Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin. It's a 40's looking non-cutaway archtop with a mounted P-90 pick-up. Voicing is modern and it sounds and looks great

I'm having a double-neck made in Spain with nylon string and steel string necks. The steel string neck has a hybred humbucker and piezo set-up.

Godins are made in Canada. This one (my 4th Godin)came from George Kaye and was a little under $800.00 with a really unusual case.

Thing is, I'd be really hard-pressed to choose just one. Depends on what you're going to do with it.

One of my favorites from just a few months ago is a Parker acoustic. It is a hybred, with a piezo and a magnetic system, a blend control and two separate outs...one for the acoustic side and one for the electric.

I'm waiting on an Ibanez Montage...another hybred with added on-board effects. It's in the $600.00-700.00 range (depending on finish).I play outside on patios a lot and use "beaters"...some of which are pretty nice.

Thing is, we could talk more about an appropriate instrument if I had an idea about what you wanted to play, whether you were going to use it on a bandstand, miked or electric.

I suspect that you would be interested in jazz and big band, and the Godin is excellent (acoustic only version is $519.00).

Godin also makes a bunch of other lines...an excellent quality Seagull line, which is value priced and very good as a first instrument. It's the one I buy new players.


George Kaye is a Godin dealer and has all the other less expensive lines from that manufacturer. I'd give him a call. Or, email me with your number and I'll give you a buzz....LOVE to talk guitars!I've got instruments from $100 to $200,000.00, and couldn't part with a single one!


Be well,


Russ



[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 03-04-2009).]

Can I send you the adoption papers, Russ?

I'd LOVE to be in your family...

330 string instruments. Take January off, and that's one a day for the whole YEAR

I guess in January, you get to play a different Hammond every day?

I'm looking for one to use for praise band in church. I know most of my chords, open and bar. It would be rhythm guitar only. I'm leaning towards Diki's recommendation of a Strat. The problem with a Strat is there are so many of them at so many different prices.

A guy that plays trumpet with us and also doubles on guitar plays an Epiphone Dot I think. He says for 500 bucks you can't hardly beat it.

There is an oriental made Hagstrom Les Paul clone that seem quite nice also.

Just wondering..........

Tom

[This message has been edited by Tom Cavanaugh (edited 03-04-2009).]

Trust Russ - I've had the pleasure to see them first hand! Quite the authority, if you ask me

Russ, need to get down there again when you're playing one night.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tom Cavanaugh:
[B]I'm looking for one to use for praise band in church. I know most of my chords, open and bar. It would be rhythm guitar only. I'm leaning towards Diki's recommendation of a Strat. The problem with a Strat is there are so many of them at so many different prices.

A guy that plays trumpet with us and also doubles on guitar plays an Epiphone Dot I think. He says for 500 bucks you can't hardly beat it.

There is an oriental made Hagstrom Les Paul clone that seem quite nice also.

Just wondering..........

Tom

To play in church as a rhythm player I would not buy anything but a round hole acoustic guitar. That is the accepted sound and look.

John C.

Tom, if you're going to do praise music and you want maximum flexibility at a descent price, look at the Ibanez Montage. This is the hybred based on a very successful new acoustic body. It has a conventional piezo pick-up, with a handy on-board tuner. Plus, it has a magnetic pick-up, two outs (some put the piezo thru a separate acoustic amplifier) and pretty effective on-board effects, including some distortion, phase and others. They were introduced at the last NAMM and are on back-order at many stores and on-line places.

I'm waiting for mine. Do a Google search. A Strat is nice, but you'll never get anything but a single-coil sound out of it. If you're just wanting a "player", get the Mexican Strat at $449.00. Sounds as good as any of the pure single coil Strats.

I'd definately get the Montage for what you want to do. It's the most appropriate and versatile one at a reasonable price. Can't wait to get mine.

Good luck!


Russ

Jim, I was just thinking of trying to get to your part of the country. I just started a new house job last week. I'll move to the patio in early May, and may rotate between the patio and the lounge. I play about 5-6 jobs a week, but all but 2 are for horse farms, the state government, a university, etc. The new house job would be a good place to get together.

I'm looking at your card and will give you a call next week to visit.


Be well,


Russ

Tom, There are many round hole guitars on the market, you need to look for your price range and what appeals to you.

I place a value on what Russ posts but I tried the Montage and I found it gimmicky and with low quality. I have a 314 Taylor and love it – but I am coming from a Big Band and jazz background. For church music a humbucker or single coil pickup is being used mostly for lead. Churches are looking for an acoustic sound – check this out with the Christian stations on TV.

John C.

John, look at the Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin. Inexpensive, but really interesting for someone from your background. I'd have issues with the Montage, too, compared to a Taylor anything.

For the price and versatility, I like the Montage. For about double the price, I like my new Parker 10 as a good value hybred, but that's a different animal if your frame of reference is an import Strat or a $500.00 ($399.00 plus case) Epiphone Dot.

Lots of favorable Montage reviews. Different strokes, I guess. I'll let you guys know what I think when I get mine in a few weeks. Rob Woods, a friend and former drummer in a group I worked with now works for Ibanez. He has promised me one in March.

Man, I love guitars!

R.

Russ, I will take a look at the Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin, I hear their guitars are good, thanks. One day you and I will have to post the guitars that we have owned and played. Not as a contest but just to share.

John C.

John, we could do that via personal email. I have only traded or sold/given away 10 or so. The rest, including the first $14.95 Silvertone, I still have.

Tt's a sickness.

Be very glad to swap "war stories" anytime.


Russ