[HANASHIR:6063] Re: guitars

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

Dear Wendy,

You asked for advice, so here's mine.

Get a nice 6-string guitar.  They are more versatile, easier to keep in
tune, cheaper to restring, easier to play, and they have better resale value.

Later on, when you can afford it, you can buy a 12-string as your second
guitar.  I have a great baritone guitar which I love, but I would never
consider it as my "first-choice" guitar.  Unless you're Leadbelly or Leo
Kottke, a 12-string guitar is in the same category.

I always advocate buying used guitars rather than new, when
possible/practical.  A guitar which is several years old, if it has been
played, has a) developed its voice (yes, the voice of a guitar changes with
age), and b) settled physically.  Wood is organic, and it changes over
time.  I've made the mistake of buying a really nice new guitar, only to
find that it "changes shape" in the first few months.  With a guitar which
is several years old, anything which is going to go wrong generally already
has.  

Also, unless it's old enough to be considered vintage, you'll pay less for
a used guitar than for a new one, especially if it's not a top-name brand.

Also, when you can, buy good name brands, like Martin, Gibson, Taylor,
Guild, Yairi (there are more, of course).  You will sometimes find examples
of unknown or so-called second-tier brands which sound and play great, but
their resale value suffers just from their name.

Finally, I wouldn't buy any acoustic guitar with a bolt-on neck.  It's fine
for Stratocasters, but part of the sound of an acoustic guitar comes from
the attachment of the neck to the body.

As with any advice:  Your Mileage May Vary.  Good luck!

Andy

 07:49 PM 5/23/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi, everyone.  Could you help me out?  I'm looking for a new guitar.  I've 
>been songleading on a classical (yes, a classical) for years and I'm ready 
>to upgrade to a steel-string.  I've been thinking I want one that can plug 
>into an amp, but salespeople keep telling me that I can always add that 
>later.  Lately, I've been playing on 12 string guitars and i'm really 
>liking them, even better than the 6 string acoustics.
>
>any insight here in terms of what might be better?
>
>The 12 string guitars I'm looking at are
>
>1.  an Epiphone for about $150 (used)
>
>2.  A Seagull for about $295.  It is a cedar top, cherry laminate, bolt on 
>neck, laquer finish and I understand the wood is from free fallen trees in 
>Canada, subsidized by the governement.  I'm not sure what of that 
>information is relevant or helpful.
>
>Any opinions will be welcome.  I've convinced both places to let me have 
>the guitars for this week,  when I lead Kabbalat Shabbat at school and thru 
>Hava Nashira, but I'd like to get  some help with this decision ahead of 
>next week.  Thanks!
>
>Wendy Goldberg
>Minneapolis
>
>wendy(dot)goldberg (at) prodigy(dot)net
>] Re: choir placement >> 
>
>
>
>
*******************************
Andy Curry
CellNet Data Systems
11146 Thompson Ave
Lenexa KS 66219
Office: 913-312-4739
Facsimile: 913-312-4701
Home : 816-363-8381
E-Mail: acurry (at) cellnet(dot)com
*******************************

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+