Itching for an new guitar

M

mwerner

Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
5,354
After finally selling my last guitar (an old Yamaha acoustic) which I hadn't played for some time, I seem to have got the bug again.

I built a cigar-box guitar, which was a fun project but ultimately unsatisfying. Limited to playing with a slide, my fingers wanted to do their old thing...

So I went looking on my limited budget. I was quite surprised at the quality of instruments one can get on the cheap.

Our local Guitar Center (a chain) has a wide variety of instruments for 200 bucks and under. I am torn between a Fender DG8S (acoustic dreadnaught) that comes in a package with essentially everything you need. Tuner, bag, picks, etc, etc., and a Mitchell MD100CE. I was not familiar with this brand, but research on the internet indicates a very high customer-review rating for this imported-from-Indonesia make. Very nicely finished, acoustic/electric cutaway, and a very balanced tone.
I'm leaning towards the Mitchell, the Fender got substantially lower user reviews.
Hehe- I once owned a very nice Martin D-18, but foolishly sold it when we quit playing regularly.
 
If one offers a real wood top (soundboard), not some kind of laminate, take that one. If the salesman can't tell you, look at the soundhole rim and see if there is cross section woodgrain or laminate. If there is wood grain, pick the one you find with the closet to quartersawn (looks like this in cross-section llllllll, not //////) you can find. Another thing to look for on a real wood top is uniformity in spacing of the grain and "silking". Silking is very fine lines that run counter to the grain, it shows that the wood was cut quartersawn to best effect. You can get a good $200.00 guitar these days, just inspect a bunch and pick the best one you find out of the lot. Bring and inspection mirror and look in the soundbox, you don't want to see any glue squeezeout, or at least minimal. Check the neck joint for tightness and make sure all the frets are seated well. See if the saddle is too high or too low, same for the nut. Ideally, you should be able to shape or take down either one if need be, rather than having to bring it up somehow. Get the store to set it up for you, most will do that free on a new purchase, some will do it for you again after the guitar "settles" a bit, you can use it as a negotiating chip most places. Good luck.
 
I love my Ibanez Salvador acoustic classical electric!!! :)

IbanezAcoustic.jpg
 
I've had good luck with the Ibanez electrics, but the acoustics just never sounded very good to me. I'm glad you got a good one!:D

All this talk of guitars makes me want to get out my Gretch acoustic and see how lousy I still am... :grumpy: ;)
 
I went ahead and bought the Mitchell, and after playing it till my fingers started to hurt (not long, no callouses!:D ) I'm pretty much impressed.
The action is well set-up from the factory, the fit and finish is excellent, intonation good, and it even came set up with my old favorite D'Addario strings.
Nice even tone, very balanced. (lots of Dreadnaught-sized guitars are a bit "boomy")
Havn't tried the built-in electrics yet, have to borrow the kid's amp sometime. I understand I can plug this right into my computer if I want, via an adaptor.
Now to get the 'ol fingers working again.
 
Congrats on the new guitar. Post a pic when you get the chance.

I know what you mean about fingers hurting. I'm having some pain in my index finger right now, mostly from the first knuckle to the tip, so I'm laying off the steel string for a while. Been fingerpicking my classical without only a little discomfort. Hoping it goes away soon.
 
I have an Ibanez electric. Replaced the plastic pick up rings with chromed steel rings. There's a flaw by design with some of them. The adjustment screws for the pickups go through the rings which are plastic. The screws have a spring on them to adjust the pickup heights but no support under the rings. The screw heads can crack the plastic rings if too tight or in my case from transporting. I had bought the guitar and it was cracked on one side of the ring with the pickup half fallen in by the time I got home from the store. All I did was lay it on the back seat. Went for the hardcase after that also. Just a heads up. The sound is great though. Small amp, cables, guitar, etc cost somewhere around $300. Good luck with the Mitchell.
 
Guyon said:
I know what you mean about fingers hurting. I'm having some pain in my index finger right now, mostly from the first knuckle to the tip, so I'm laying off the steel string for a while. Been fingerpicking my classical without only a little discomfort. Hoping it goes away soon.
Click to expand...

Give the mandolin a try if you want to know real pain. My first mandolin came with heavy guage strings. After an hour of playing I noticed a little blood on the fret board under the E strings. No more of that. It's been light guage Gs and Ds and medium As and Es ever since.

I play all mediums on my five string electric mandolin.

I'm kinda looking around for a new guitar too. I love my Strat with its Texas Special pickups... great blues guitar, but a little too muddy through distortion. I play a lot of blues, but more metal... so I'm looking for a dedicated metal guitar. I love Fenders. If you can get a good one, there's no better guitar for the money when it comes to electrics. So I'm kinda looking at Telecasters every time I'm near a music store.

I love the sound of a nice clean Strat, but I've always found Teles easier to play.

A new mandolin is also calling out to me... but $5k for a Gibson F5 is a little steep right now.
 
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