An accident and an opportunity

[A5D5E5]

So my wife has just come downstairs from feeding the baby. Rather sheepishly she looked at me and said "a bad thing happened today". "Oh yes?" says I looking up from the prospective England squad for the autumn rugby internationals, "what sort of bad thing?".

"Well I went into the study earlier...". At this point, I knew where the conversation was going as I keep three guitars in the study. "Which one did you break?". "I don't know, they all look the same to me". So I open the study door with trepidation. Of the three guitars, two are unimportant, a battered accoustic that I just use to bash out a few tunes when I am passing or to play nursery rhymes for Ollie and a cheap 12 string (with a semi permanent capo at the 7th fret of course). The other potential victim however was my first guitar. A cheap classical guitar with an egg slicer action but which is full of sentimental value and now over 30 years old.

Door opens and I breathe a huge sigh of relief, it is the accoustic that has bitten the dust - headstock facing the wrong direction. Not a clean break and probably terminal.

Ho hum. Never mind.

So on to the opportunity, what should I replace it with. I already have another decent accoustic for my serious playing (D18), but I need something to leave lying around that is good enough that I won't mind playing it in comparison to the Martin, but which I won't mind getting a few knocks and scratches (because it will get them).

I would welcome your suggestions for guitars to put on my list to try. Budget is not a huge issue, happy to spend a few hundred, up to say £500 or so but obviously I would prefer to spend less if possible. I like the sound and feel of my Martin, but a contrast would be interesting too. It will be used 90%+ for chord stuff. Accoustic only, no need for an electro-accoustic.

[ICBM]

Eko Ranger.

As close to bomb/wife-proof as an acoustic guitar gets. Full of vintage character and about as different from a Martin as you can get, while not having that horrid thin modern tone .

I'm really not joking - although to be fair, you need to find a good one, they vary (a lot). My singer has one which I use at her place to write songs and practice on, to save lugging my Gibson over there. It's not as good as the Gibson, no... but I still like it and I do use it for gigs sometimes.

Or if that doesn't appeal and you do want something more modern, the Taylor Big Baby is quite nice.

[A5D5E5]

Thanks. Hadn't considered that at all.

I don't really know much about accoustics (I'm much more of an electric guitar nut), but have been told that laminate tops are to be avoided - is that just baloney would you say?

[thermionic]

The Eko Ranger has a laminated top, but I think it's part of the character and not cheap and nasty like many other laminated-top guitars.

You're spoilt for choice for a solid top/laminated back and sides guitar at that budget. I'd look at Sigma or Recording King for Martin vibes, maybe even an all-mahogany one; or maybe a The Loar small-bodied blues box (much better than Epi's EL-00 by all accounts).

[zenzeypher]

some laminates have fantastic tone, some sound like dogs..I had a fender laminate to the hills and back ~ only way to describe the sound is that the tone reminded me of eating wine gums - sweetest tone I even heard.

[ICBM]

Thanks. Hadn't considered that at all.

I don't really know much about accoustics (I'm much more of an electric guitar nut), but have been told that laminate tops are to be avoided - is that just baloney would you say?

It depends. If you want 'the best' acoustic tone, ply is definitely not the best choice. But if you want something with a bit of character, an old ply guitar might have more of that than a modern cheap solid-top.

The old Yamaha FG series (ply) are highly regarded too - they don't sound like Martins, but they're tough and they sound good in their own way. Some of those old Fenders are very good too.

You do want to avoid modern ply guitars though - I don't think its just an age thing, the new ones don't seem as well-made, because solid tops have come so far down the price range now that pretty much any ply guitar is going to be cheap junk.

At the complete opposite end of the scale, the Martin laminated-neck/synthetic back and sides/solid top guitars sound excellent for the money - almost excellent by any standards - and are strong guitars, although the matt finishes and lack of binding do mean they mark easily.

[stickyfiddle]

I'd definitely think about something a different shape to the D18. Maybe a 000 or 0M, or a Jumbo even? Something like a Recording King RO-127 would be under budget and they're getting very good reviews. I want to try one myself!

[Steelarts]

I just got myself a Taylor GS Mini. It's a great, fun, little guitar that seems to punch well above it's weight. I've had it a few weeks now and it's sounding better each day as it gets played in. Okay, it can't compete with my Gibson Songwriter but that's not what it's designed for. But for what it is and at the price point of around 400 quid it ain't half bad! I love it!

[bertie]

at the price point of around 400 quid

for that budget you can get all solid................Mariner Cutter is a fantastic little all solid parlor unbelievable projection- and a few sheckles more and you're in Faith Mercury land, I reckon a used one is £300 or less (paid less for mine )

depends what 'size/shape' youre after I guess..................

[Lustycourtier]

I recently got a Taylor 110E, with case for £250 as the seller thought pick up was dead. I took a punk, and it was a dead battery. These are wonderful guitars. USA made too.