Why Some Guitar Companies Fail To Make Great Acoustic and Electric Guitars
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 พ.ค. 2021
- Baxter and Jonathan talk about why it's so hard for guitar companies to make great electrics and acoustic guitars. Many have tried many have failed. What builders do you think make both at a high level?
Guild and Godin have made some great electric and acoustic guitars.
Godin is so extremely overlooked, underappreciated !
Exactly.
@@GaryKatz I just picked up a 5th Avenue a month ago. It has 2 p90’s on it and it’s amazing. $600can used.
@@amberwoodstudio Wow! Congratulations 🎊 I predict that you'll love that near-masterpiece. Also, great price. Mine was about $990… ..no regrets… worth every penny. Enjoy your Godin, bro.
B: “So what are we talking about today?”
J: “We’re talking about guitars.”
I've got my grandfathers red Nippon Yamaha, it will always be my favorite acoustic for reasons
Ha! Some people watch the news in the morning. My early AM news is Trogleys, followed by Casino Guitars.
That’s a truly disturbing thought:) but I like it!!!
Same here lol
Only difference is I hit Casino first then trog 😂😂😂
@@LeanBackMac that’s even better, more better:)!!
Every morning as well. Love the content!
Yamaha does both well because they do everything else well from grand pianos to snowmobiles.
Yeah, that’s about it!
I’m very excited for the Guild episode. I wish Guild would have a huge comeback
Agreed. My only experience with them is when i was in my early teens (im 33 now, so 20 yrs ago i was in a punk band, well 2 different punk bands but the one called no fate (awful name i agree) but the lead guitar player when we started to get shows and gain local support his father used to play in the 70s 80s band chicago, and when he left chicago he gradually just quit playing so he gave his son (my bandmate) a guild from the 70s or 80s in mint condition. Its the one thats like an odd sg shape, cant recall that model name. But it was a crazy great guitar. It had humbuckers but im sure they were low output but he used it for playing lead in our punk band lol. But i just remember the quality of that guitar and since then ive had major respect for guild. Not sure how their newer or modern guitars are but im guessing they still have some great guitars
The Love of My Life... Guild acoustic guitars are Made To Be Played. I have a 74 D-40, a 2000 JF65, a Mahogany 2000 F212Xl 12 string. I would never buy anything but a Guild for an acoustic.
My electrics are a 70s Fender Telecaster Deluxe and a Gibson 57 reissue Les Paul Jr with a P90, and an “83 Japanese Fender Stratocaster.
I have a AAA Bluesbird from 99 that says it agrees with you. Says Fender Shelved the company to avoid suits from Gibson. Seems that time has passed, so bring em' back.
Carlo Greco was THE man!
Collings. Not only do they make great acoustic and electric guitars, but both are among the best in the business. I am fortunate to own one of each, and both are beyond exceptional.
When you tour the Collings factory, the meticulous attention to detail is evident in every single employee.
I had a '83 Takamine G-100. It looks like a Jackson Warrior.
Neck through, DiMarzio pickup made by Larry. It was a GREAT guitar.
The guy that has it now is turned it into a project platform and it actually jump started him into doing full-blown repairs.
I'm really proud of the fact that I sold him the guitar that sparked that passion.
If one views Epiphone as an autonomous entity separate from Gibson, one could argue they’ve made great, original design acoustics and electrics. Texan, the Coronet... it’s a reach but all I got lol
You guys are great. Love the vibe. Equal balance of gear talk and life in a fun way. You guys are my version of morning television. Keep on keeping on fellas!
Steadily becoming one of my favourite channels. Always a pleasure to listen to your ramblings.
Even when Baxter sneezes.
Larrivee is trying electric guitars again. They are in the fender cs price range. Also Godin.✌️
I dont have tv - got rid of it years ago, so Baxter and Jonathan are my daily morning show with coffee on the back patio. I'm nearly 60 and remember learning my first song, Louie Louie, on a silvertone acoustic when I was 5 in 1966. And thus at that moment I reached the pinnacle of my skilz as a guitarist. And now, my band crippled hippie is about to embark on a world tour of retirement homes. Life is so sweet. If you'd like to sponsor the tour, send me a 2xl black t-shirt with "casino guitars" emblazoned in sparkly letters. That'll serve as the light show. Tour kicks off at happy valley senior living near red bay, Alabama, on June 1 right after the 4 o'clock steak dinner special. 😉
I too worship at the alter of Collings. I’m torn between the I-30 and I-35 but you’re right, Baxter, that SoCo is pretty amazing as well. Love having first world problems.
My friend had a Washburn acoustic, back in the 90s, with slits for a sound hole. It looked weird, but played and sounded amazing! It also had a cool figured top to boot!
Great vid! I’ll add Collings and Eastman to the bunch of makers who does a great job at making both electric and acoustic.
I normaly only watch metal themed channels on youtube, but idk i like these guys even though they are exact opposites of what im into. They are into vintage stuff and single coil guitars, and even though thats not my bag i still dig these dudes. They just have a good show
You get it man. Just because you have different taste to these fellas, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy their videos. Good guitar content is good guitar content!
Nice one on the Chris Buck call out. Never played a Revstar but have been curious.
good video baxter & jhon.
I think had Mr Lester William Polsfuss gone to Cali to work with those folks whom loved to name their guitars after satellites and space age stuff ,.the version of the Telecaster ( the Deluxe) which didnt appear until the 70s might been developed much earlier and perhaps maybe had a different scale length? Another thing i love about the Gibson Les Paul that we did get from history was that its essentially an evolution of the acoustic, arch top, carved top guitars they had been making for decades,.only done as s solid body electric.
20 years ago, when I was 18, I knew nothing about acoustic guitars but I wanted one. I bought a $700 Fender acoustic. At the time it was the most I had ever spent on a guitar. I had never played an acoustic prior to that but I thought, it's a Fender so it must be a great guitar. It was extremely difficult to play and didn't sound very good, but I thought that just must be the way that acoustics are. A year or so later I played a friend's $100 Washburn. I expected it to be awful compared to my $700 Fender. But that Washburn blew my Fender away. I learned that day to try out multiple guitars before buying one and that a Fender electric guitar is constructed in a completely different way than a good acoustic guitar.
Great story there, and awesome lesson to share. Thanks a ton!
I gotta say though, with Fender, it was never an acoustic thing. They failed early, and let's get real here, it was because the acoustics came along when CBS started messing with the formula. That's when we saw those borderline firewood acoustics, amd they seem to only wanna make a 500 dollar or less one, because after 500 bucks, the quality doesn't budge. Fender fails, they happen, much less than other makers imo and they fix failures if they'repointed out, but they happen.
I remember trying out a Fender acoustic in a store around the same time and had the same problem. I also tried Fender strings once on my electric and they sucked.
I have always been a fan of the Fender Paramount acoustics. Sadly they didn’t really catch on. But the deluxe models with the rosewood back and sides are very nice.
Taylor. I'm a lefty, so when I wanted to get a semi hollowbody, I asked Gibson, they said nope. So I kept looking and settled on a Taylor T3/B. Not only is this a great semi hollow body guitar with coil splitting, it has great tone and it was about 1/3 the price of a Gibson. Well made and sounds great.
In my younger, thinner days I loved my deep bowl Ovation acoustic. In my older, bigger belly days - not so much...
Still have mine and still play it. But yeah the dad bod does get in the way.
I've never been a fan of Fender acoustic guitars but I'm really interested in this acoustic/electric Telecaster. Jack White's using one with the Raconteurs and it sounds amazing.
I love your music business analysis.
Re:Taylor l just got an Academy 12N , amazing intermediate classical. I’m a Taylor fan now. Thinking of a 12 string.... must get more guitars....
Awesome guitar!
@@CasinoGuitars recommended affordable 12 string acoustic?
@@autistichead8137
I’m pretty sure Taylor has a 12 string in the Mexican made 200 series and maybe even in the 100 series.
@@charlesbolton8471 thank you Charles
That magician’s alliance nod was hilarious 🤣☝️
Oh Baxter you just shot me in the heart. I was waiting this whole video for you to say the ovation viper was the mythical beast that nobody appreciated. You have disappointed me good sir and I demand satisfaction!
I have a PRS SE Angelus Custom. Love it. Great guitar. Not necessarily in league with their Stateside acoustics, with that said, I did trade a Gibson EC 100 Acoustic for my PRS SE Acoustic. That will tell you about the quality.
Under the Many Worlds Theory, there is an Earth where Fender released the Les Paul.
It features a maple body with a mahogany cap with a bolted on long tenon rosewood neck and an alder fretboard. The pots are on the upper bout and the toggle is on the lower.
It has a Floyd Rose trem, never goes out of tune, and the headstock is totally impervious to damage.
If you podcast one of these you can get immediate response and interaction. This topic in particular would be a great podcast
I keep coming back for the extended close ups of Jonathan while Baxter is speaking. Side beard!
I have a USA made 1978 Applause with a aluminum neck that was my first guitar when I was 12, I’m 42. It was my pops guitar. I’m bound and determined to make them cool again.
I was there for the Sandhills show. Thanks for coming by. Now let's do a 99 Parker Fly Deluxe for PRS DGT swap... What? That would be unfairly to my advantage? I did not know that.
I love Huss and Dalton acoustics, going to be interesting to see how their Statesboro/Les Paul clone does.
I think Huss and Dalton are going be just as successful at both as Collings has been.
The Birth of Loud by Ian Port does a fantastic job of telling the Fender/Gibson/Les Paul story.
And Paul Bigsby, who was part of that group, as well.
Absolutely. Leo Fender liberally “borrowed” major design elements from both Bigsby and Rickenbacker.
Hey fellas, enjoying your channel. Here is an idea for an episode: “Vibrato, the signature of every player” You got the fast v slow, wide v narrow, finger v wrist. wobbly, the slow
That arrested dev reference at the beginning was exactly what I needed this morning
We aim to please!
Don't forget about Charlie Christian in the Gibson electric story prior to Les Paul.
Eastman is making some great acoustic and electric guitars!
Good one there!
that '59 makes me squirt man is that a great guitar
That LP style guitar of theirs is pure art
Their 335 style is about $1500 Canadian and is easily superior to a Gibson, well your mileage may vary but I was flabbergasted!
@@rideough Playin' my Eastman "345". Sold my Gibson 335.
Fender repaired radios before he made guitars. He adapted his modular approach from how he would have to replace parts on those old radios.
They're a great way to start the day lol 😅
If any company is going to make it happen on a larger scale outside of Gibson it would be PRS. It just seems when Paul himself is determined to do something he pushes hard...Silver Sky is a great example. Also, having played one of their mid level "parlor" acoustics in a shop, I believe they are very good. I also sincerely hope the new Guilds are as good as they look.
Baxter's hair pulls me up and Jonathan's beard brings me back down. Can the two combine to bring balance to the universe?
We’re kinda like the worst avengers you could hope for:)
@@CasinoGuitars Instead of assembling in the "all being in the same physical location" sense, y'all could assemble dope partscasters.
@@CasinoGuitars Casino Guitars assemble: Baxter trips over guitar Case and turns into a Kung Fu pose, Jonathan jumps into perfectly timed hero stance, but in the wrong room. Does this sound about right? (With much love).
@@71goaliemask I would say, perfect!
@@CasinoGuitars hahaha you guys are phenomenal
Chris Buck is one of the best contemporary guitarist in the world. Cheers.
My first acoustic was an Eko i bought it in 1972 it played like crap but I loved it . I now play a "faith mars" although worlds apart they are equally loved.
I have a really cool pre-war Gibson acoustic that I use for gigs. It's a real workhorse and while it's not great unplugged, it sounds killer through an Orange or a Fender Twin, cranked with a Sparkle Drive and an octave pedal. By pre-war, of course I mean WWIII.
Love Gibson electric and acoustic guitars. The best playing (and looking) acoustics I ever had were Everly Brothers models or J185s, black bodied small J200s with star inlays in the neck and headstock. Very percussive sounding too. I want Gibson to bring them back into production.
I think there are too many established must have guitars for anyone to have an easy time making a new acoustic guitar that is a must have. We all have our list of electric guitars that are must haves, but for me the list of acoustic guitars that are must haves is really short: couple of Martins, couple of Gibsons, and maybe a Taylor. I don’t play acoustic a lot though so I only have one of those.
Love the acoustasonic!
Gretsch Rancher Falcon Jumbo Acoustic $729 I paid for it in 2020 a brilliantly crafted Fishman electronics love it
In my opinion, Godin makes the best Nylon string guitars, like the Multiac, just as one example. And I’ve had one of their other open body nylon guitars, (I can’t remember the model) that had the exact same sound as Taylor’s high end nylon guitar. I know because I had both at the same time. And I had only paid 600 for the Godin, Used. That’s was when I realized you didn’t have to pay big bucks for great sound or playability.
Godin and D’angelico were the two brands that jumped out to me. Ovation was there 2, I absolutely love the Breadwinner Limited and their Magnum bass. So my heart kinda hurt when they were talking smack haha
I've been dealing with trying to get a CD-140SCE for a customer that's in working condition, but they all seem to come pre-fitted with twisted necks.
I saw a Dobro electric with humbuckers in a random store in the mountains of NC. Beautiful guitar but there's probably a reason they never caught on
Maton over here in Australia make both great acoustics and electrics. They’re probably more well known for acoustics, but their electrics are fantastic (played by George Harrison and Josh Homme to name a few)
If you guys haven't read the book The Birth of Loud which talks about that whole early competition between Fender and Gibson at the start, you should. Fantastic book.
Couple of Ovation electrics are pretty cool.
Larrivee tried making electrics twice. Once in the 80's and again about 10 years ago.
They have a line of electrics again now, the Baker T, but they cost a lot of money -- same price range as Lowden's electrics.
Thanks Casino. ⚓️. Johnson as Elliot in Be Cool 🤪.
Chris Buck is an amazing player.
He is tremendous. He just needs to pair up with a good songwriter.
@@autistichead8137 ,I’d like to see him front a really hard rocking three piece band
@@yankeepeters2270 me too!
@@autistichead8137 Er......Cardinal Black......
@@paulohalloran6715 like I said . A good songwriter. That stuff is terrible
Leo Fender and Les Paul had a great relationship. Leo actually listened to Les. Check it out.
Leo and les were long time friends. Leo also gifted Les early Teles and I believe some Strats as well. They were sold at the Les Paul estate auction. They meet when Les and Leo were neighbors in the mid 40s. They shared a lot with one another and at one point Les was going to go with Leo but in the end decided to do something on his own. Les had inventions already like the harmonica holder and the Log guitar. There's a youtube video about the log guitar and they discuss Leo and Les's friendship in detail and there's a old doc of Les were he talks about meeting Leo. EVH stated Les Paul told him something to the effect that nobody has innovated the electric guitar as the three of them had. Eddie said he was honored but felt he wasn't in they're league but he was for sure. Ted McCarty gets credit for the es335 but if you look at the es335 its essentially the basic idea of Les's log.
Australian Acoustic manufacturer Maton, also make some pretty nice high end electrics
You’ve gotta watch Chris Buck Baxter!! 🙌
I think Fender's newer California series acoustics electric are intriguing, especially the Classic, especially the Newporter Classic. Seems to be a very good guitar for $799.
A friend of mine has an old Fender Capistrano acoustic guitar from the eighties. The thing sounds and plays great. All solid woods. If you can find one, go for it. They’re pretty cheap because.... it’s a Fender acoustic.
@@mariodriessen9740
I had a Fender La Brea acoustic. I bought it used in the early 90s (probably 1992), but I’m not sure what year it was made. It was flame maple top, back, and sides with a transparent amber finish. It looked amazing, played pretty good, and sounded a lot better acoustic and plugged in than my cheap Ovation.
I went to buy one once, and there was a Yamaha APX500 next to them. I kept playing the Fenders and kept playing this Yamaha between each one of the Fenders. I played unplugged, plugged into a Fishman, strumming, finger picking, name it. I’ve owned that Yamaha for 4 years now.
Basically I wanted to like one of the Fenders but just couldn’t. Didn’t play well enough, didn’t sound particularly good, just disappointed me.
fender acoustasonic, for when you want an acoustic that doesn't sound that great and an electric that doesn't sound that great. For $2k you can get an acoustic and a separate electric that sound so much better.
Ibanez produces acoustics and electrics of many styles and different price points. Some are really great work horses. Recently I built a Danny Gatton powered Mexican Fender Tele just to see if it was all they say. They were correct. It's so cool I put it aside in da personal. Fourty five years of messing with guitars and body design showed me that it take lots of time, money and effort to really get a design right and ready for efficient low cost manufacturing. I have respect for the smart moves of the big boys because without them none of us poor joe shmoes could afford to go down to the local music store and belly up for a sweet axe off da wall. Good show yall.
Hey Guys, you left out Dean guitars. They had the Dave Mustaine Maco acoustic and the acoustic ML type.
Quality of parts being made en mass by other companies which many are used by other brands ... and the financial constraints some companies are willing to spend on they're ranges soley to maximise profits ..
On site training .. , wood working skills , Known how to use your tools ..
Seems more like a direct response to the Cordoba stage guitar that they showed on 2022 NAMM, for Ubanez to immediately put out TOD10N & FRH10N for 2023.
Also to compete with the ESP LTD TL6 guitar they've been selling since 2014?
Common for guitar brands to try to revitalize commerical failures using signature models. Fender Starcaster Tom delonge model.
I once played a Martin arch top. It felt wrong and within 5 seconds of playing it I felt dirty and questioned my life choices.
*Note: It felt wrong for a $3k guitar. I might have brought it home if it was a $599 Artcore.
It's a smaller company, but B&G Private Build makes great acoustics and electrics (made in Israel). Also, Great Channel!
BC Rich made high end acoustics such as the B-28 and electrics like the Iron Bird and Eagle. A friend in the 1980's traded a 1960's guild electric for a 1984 BC Rich Ironbird - we thought he was crazy at the time - today's prices suggest otherwise.
The problem is that you film a few of these vids in one day, then put one up per day. Audience thinks Jonathan never changes his t-shirt
Unfortunately our schedules don’t allow us that freedom, we could change shirts but unfortunately us being silly men doesn’t allow us that freedom:)
@@CasinoGuitars Wait....these aren’t fresh squeezed daily?
I know for a fact that he has at LEAST three t-shirts.
Would you count a Gretsch big body guitar as an 'acoustic'?
the Ovation Breadwinner; what a guitar!!!
Do you think that Danelectro will ever make an acoustic version made out of pressboard?
I've been impressed with the Fender Tim Armstrong acoustic. I just dont think I could pull off Black cat inlays (no pun intended)
Pitch Black was so dope. Chronicles of Riddick almost ruined my birthday it was so bad.
I think Gretsch Ranchers are decent acoustic guitars. There parlor models are also pretty good, and real cheap.
Damnit Baxter now I need a theremin
a theremin + a cow bell & then yer rockin
Baxter, you totally need to use every resource at your disposal to acquire a Languedoc. You’ll be the only person in NC that has one!
My guild D 46 is my favorite acoustic guitar and I have 25 guitars
Clubhouse would let you talk to people “right now.” Could be fun to try.
Yamaha !
Baxter is right about everything. Duane Johnson actually is great in everything now that I think about it...
That’s the happiest thing I have heard all day:) thank you!
I would say Guild and Gretsch make great guitars in both camps. Epiphone did well both back in the day and even now they make pretty good stuff now.
A recent BIZARRE experiment is D'Angelico selling very reasonably priced, but decent flat tops.
I expect PRS will be next in acoustic. The time is nearly right.
4:56 lol I'd like that change
Make a Q and A video bois
Say what you want about cheap Fender electric/acoustics, but I have toured the country the past three years doing solo acoustic gigs with a Fender FA-130 I bought for $100 on Facebook Marketplace and it is still going strong, literally my bread and butter.
Chris Buck directed Frozen! lol
It is really difficult to get a Languedoc even if you can afford it unless you are like.... Neil Young or someone like that. I have tried for years to even get a response through email..
Not sure which of Jonathan’s shirts I like the best, this Hendrix or the Tom Petty?
I know that Les actually worked for Epiphone for a while and I was always curious why he did not go to them. Maybe it was a situation that they just didn't believe in the vision
He didn't work FOR them. They let him use the factory at weekends, when they were closed, for some of his 'experiments'.
I own two Yamaha acoustics and one Yamaha electric. All three are great guitars!
Could it just be that they're different instruments? Very few companies have made a success of both; they will do one type of guitar and the other type will be a sideline, not their main business. The only real exception is Gibson which started out making acoustic instruments and the electrics evolved from those. Fender started out making amps, and then developed electric guitars from an electrician's standpoint. It's no wonder their acoustics (or even semi-acoustics) are mediocre.
Yamaha do a whole host of great instrument. Motorbikes too!
Eastman? Parker? History (FujiGen)? Eastmans are amazing across their whole range now. Whilst mostly known for their archtops and their amazing LP-type electric, their acoustics are really good too and getting broad acceptance. Parker is more about the lutherie of Ken Parker than the brand that the U.S. Music Corporation bought in 2003, so maybe that's not a great example. History is the in-house brand of Shimamura Music in Japan and has some really high-end instruments in a broad variety of styles. I have a strat of theirs that holds up against anything, and an acoustic that is on a par with something like a Lowden.