An Eko Ranger 6 given to me by John Ashton of the Psychedelic Furs in 1985, and then 21 years later I also got that very same Taylor! Still my main acoustic too. Would love an upgrade one day though…
Something worth mentioning about neck resets and Taylors. If you are the original owner of the guitar, it is under a lifetime warranty. The necks are bolt-on and use neck shims to get the right spacing. I literally got a neck reset done yesterday. Work was really simple, and it was free through the warranty service.
I believe warranty gets you one neck reset if you are the original owner. I got one on a 12 string. If you need another it is easier on Taylors so should cost you less.
@@stevenowilson The Taylor pre-NT neck is still bolt-on (prior to 1999/2000) so the neck reset is simpler and less invasive. The neck angle can often be adjusted without even removing the fingerboard section over the soundboard.
This is one of the reasons I have consolidated the majority of my acoustics to mostly Taylors. Taylor will now sell you a shim kit, and if you are slightly trained and mechanically inclined, you can reset your neck in like an hour. I still own my favorite Martins, but the Taylor system gives me a lot of peace of mind. Not to mention, the system allows me to dial my action without touching my saddle. Keeping the saddle at stock height retains the break angle of the strings over the saddle (which is required to move the top as designed).
In the late 60's - early 70's I was an apprentice at a guitar shop. The owner bought 18 Martins at a time. My job on Saturdays was to 'voice them' partially by cleaning all the glue squeeze out inside the box from braces, and everything else. The luthier would then further voice them by trimming braces. After that, they rated each one, and priced them by how they sounded. I learned a lot about wood, construction and tuning. 8) Peace --gary
It sounds like a lot of work. But to enrich the Martins by taking extra time to set them up and voice them is tedious, nerdy and for players just absolutely amazing. Would be cool if they did that on every guitar @@rainypath96
@@dominikprauseguitar Unfortunately, all the family got too old, couldn't compete with on-line sales and closed. It was a much more simple time then. They even included lifetime set ups, for labor anyway. I really miss all that terribly. I played in bar bands all over our area for 50 years. Now 80% of the old bars are gone. I wish I could find a nice small Republican town, where it didn't snow, to spend my senior days LOL I have a million stories to share over a bar, maybe with an old J45 too 8) Thanks for asking, Peace --gary
My very first guitar was a Christmas gift from my parents. It was cheap cheap chap and today I wouldn't even call it a real guitar. They got it at a department store and I swear, looking back on it, the action had to be 1/4 inch. I actually did learn to play a few chords and tunes on it, but it was bad and getting it in tune was a struggle, and as much my fault as the guitar! That was 1971. In 1974, I bought my 1st " real " guitar, it was a CF Mountain lawsuit copy of a Martin D-35 and actually is a halfway decent guitar. I put it on layaway at the music store and it took me a few months to pay off the 165.00 price that it cost me. Every couple of weeks when I would go to the store to make a payment, Mr Buzz wold let me play the guitar for a little while. I vividly remember paying off the layaway and finally getting to bring it home with a giant smile on my face. In 1974 I was 16 years old and 165.00 was the next thing to a fortune for me. I still have that guitar, it needs a new nut and saddle and who knows what else, but its my favorite for sentimental reasons. It's been hanging on the wall in m living room for almost 30 years. Im looking at it right now. I just might take it to my repairman and get the oil changed and the tire aired up... man the memories of a young me wild as hell, playing that guitar in danky bars, pool halls and back porches are flooding back on me..... wow.
easier said than done. the neck could possibly be jointed on with dowels. for some reason thats how they built some of the martin clones in japan in the 70's. your typical reset method will not work if there is no mortice tendon, you would have to do what we call in the luthiers business, a "kung fu"neck reset, and that involves cutting the neck off at the heel, correcting the angle at the joint, and bolting the neck back onto the body. it costs less than a traditional reset, it takes less time to do, but you have to damage the guitar in the process when you cut the neck from the guitar. but doing it that way will make future resets alot easier as well. just un bolt the neck from the body, make your corrections and bolt it back on.
If you like the guitar and it inspires you, the cost analysis means nothing. If you're a pro and you'd like it for touring because if it gets destroyed you won't care, then chalk the cost up to that. Surely you will get a grand's worth of use out of it on the road. But if it does nothing for you and you'd just like to do it to put it in shape, then that would be a nice DIY project.
I bought a high end dreadnought Takamine from a pawn shop about 35 years ago. It had huge projection and the sound would fill a room. Best $100 I ever spent! Four years ago we had a house fire and that guitar got heat, smoke and water damaged. Wound up with a small hairline crack from the sound hole down to the bottom, right in the center. Now that guitar sounds better than it ever had before and I wouldn't have thought that was possible. You never know.
I have a 1941 Martin D45. Thought it looked a little plain, so I glued alligator skin on it and replaced the headstock with a walrus tusk. Admittedly, the sound quality was reduced a tad, but it really looks cool.
Buying the wrong guitar is a killer for learning and then continuing to play. What many "think" they want or need, isn't really what is best for their actual use. I thought since I am a big guy, and a "cowboy", I needed a dreadnaught. And I thought I wanted and needed a Martin dreadnaught. I could not afford one, so went with a Fender dreadnaught. It worked fine, but since I am NOT a bluegrass player, or a "strummer" in general, it was just not really the "right" guitar for me. And then when I played a couple Martins, I just didn't like their neck profiles. Thus.. .Taylor. I don't like how Taylors sound when strummed hard (over driven), or for bluegrass type applications, but for finger style and modest flat picking... there you go! The body shape is amazing, and the neck is wonderful. And you will get that with almost all Taylors. But the sound and type of playing you TRULY want, and do, matters. There are others now that offer a similar experience, and if you glanced at them you would think they ARE a Taylor (but are not), so whether you actually get a Taylor or not isn't the point. What makes a Taylor what it is, is what matters. And like I said, depending on your body size, your intended use, and other factors, you may gravitate to some OTHER size, shape, or manufacturer of guitars. It's AWESOME that we get so many options though. But getting the right guitar is so important. Cheers!
Man it’s so cool seeing Chris popping up in other creators spaces I follow. This dude is good. His work is beyond amazing. We were band nerds in highschool together. And even back then his abilities in creating things, as well as music were well apparent. So cool watching a friends business go beyond their imagination.
I have about 10 sticks of quarter sawn aircraft quality Sitka Alaska Spruce from 1935. (Appx 2+ inches thick. 9-12 inches wide. 10 feet long). Super Tight and dead straight grain pattern. My question is, can this be milled for tops? Perhaps sides and back? (I sold a few sticks years ago for bracing, and they loved it). Going to put it to use in music somehow because of its great tonality. Thanks.
douglasscole, thanks for the info. Not gonna sell it. So far made gorgeous custom closet built in shelving, and drum sticks. Want to get it milled for drum kit, guitar tops, and or studio treatment.. ✌🏼
I noticed your experience as a luthier and had a question for you, did Mr Alvarado really say it would be $500 to $1,000 to fix a neck on an acoustic guitar that have not back bow but the most common neck problem which comes from the tension of the strings which I would assess is being just a quarter inch turn trustrod adjustment 🤔??? Or I could have been totally misunderstanding his premise but that threw me for a loop🤔
@@JeremyGray-jg4db Truss rods are only for adjusting neck relief, not for correcting neck bow. An acoustic guitar needing a neck reset is very time consuming and labor intensive. Unless you have a modern Taylor that's bolted to the body, steam has to be used to separate the neck. This requires a great deal of skill as other aspects of the repair come into play. Possibly a new bridge or refret. So that's where the $500 to $1,000 comet into the mix.
My first acoustic was a jumbo and it was a beast. I loved the booming bass strings with all my heart. After 20 years, the neck needed to be re-set and my luthier declined as it was set with epoxy. I now have two Collings, a dreadnought and an orchestra. The former has insanely rich, loud, balanced tone and it’s my everyday workhorse. I adore it and installed a pickup for stage use 😳. The orchestra, however, rings like a grand piano. It’s so sweet I swear it brings me to tears every time I play it. Everything this dude said is spot on except that shape and size do not dramatically affect tone. The dreadnaught size and shape happened for a reason. It sounds like an acoustic should. It’s the optimal compromise between all the ways a guitar can sound special but loose something in the trade off.
Before doing a neck reset you should look at a belly bulge reduction, it's way less invasive and fixes the main issue of the top being "pulled up" resulting in a bulge, which raises the bridge. With the top flat again there is no need for a neck reset. I've had it done on 2 of my 50+ year old Yamahas.
I should, but don't read the comments before posting... I made the same comment on belly bow. I have Yammy's I bought new mid 1970s. They both need a neck reset due to belly bow. Unfortunately many had epoxy glue in the dovetail and many luthiers won't touch them. Were yours epoxy glued? Ta.
I got a neck reset done on my old Martin 12 string. It's a mid 70s. It cost me around $400 - $500 a couple of years ago. It was a huge difference. The luthier had to replace the entire bridge too since it was filed way down. It plays way better now!
I picked up a 2004 Taylor 110 about a year ago. Did some minor maintenance on it and it’s been my #1 ever since. Granted I don’t have any other good acoustics but man, it has that “it” quality! Definitely see how they treat the craftsmanship the same as their higher end guitars. My uncle has a couple really nice…read expensive…Taylors. Everyone else I’ve let play it is amazed at how little I paid for it. Very solid build quality. I expect it to outlive me. Great video. Cheers Rhett!
After I decided to star t playing again, that was the first guitar I bought, which I thought sounded better than a Martin I was comparing it to. I still have it, maybe 12-14 years later. I can't mauyke myself sell it. It's such a good one to carry around, and it's travelled a bit with me.
@@dougww1ectebow that’s funny because I was looking at Martins as well when I stumbled upon the Taylor. I doubt I’ll ever get rid of mine. Might even add another Taylor down the road
@@kingbryn1692 I had a 214ce for a bit and love it also. I did sell it because $$...lol. I think Taylors have the best build quality across their entire model line. Not sure why people dont like the way they sound.
When i first moved to LA back in 2002 I picked up a Yamaha acoustic - FG 402 - at a garage sale for 50$. I took it home, thought there was a pick in the body... I shook it around trying to get the pick out and a rattlesnake rattle fell out instead. I put it back in and thats where its lived ever since. I've played that guitar almost every day - hell, I played it until I ground divots into the frets... I thought that was the end of it, but my neighbor (who is a guitar tech for a very big band that I probably shouldn't mention) did a fret job on it for free because he knew I loved the guitar so much. To this day I regularly have people at shows, other musicians, comment on how great this guitar sounds... but recently the action on the higher frets has gotten higher and higher. Its just like what you described in this video... so I've started looking at Martins and Taylors - and I'm sorry but they just dont sound as good as my Yamaha - even with the issues it has. I dunno, maybe I just got a unicorn... maybe there's some sort of mojo in that rattlesnake rattle. haha.... but seriously - I'm seriously considering having the neck reset so that my guitar can live on.... but I'm worried I'll spend all that money and the sound will change. *this long ass post was all to ask: is that a risk of having the neck reset? Will it significantly change the sound of the guitar? Should I just take my money and spend it on a nice new guitar instead?
@thedirtsyndicate As a player/guitar repairman(we fix ‘luthiers’ mistakes) I would support the neck reset approach. The volume and sound is sensitive to the string to top distance/height. Lowering the saddle/bridge will change this; a proper neck reset will not.
Love it when Chris gives kudos to Yamaha guitars in his teardown vids. Unbeatable value in acoustics over the course of the last 60 years. My first acoustic was a taiwan-made 90s Yamaha 12 string (I know, weird but i was obsessed with 12 string) FG441s-12, got it new when I was 14 and I still own it. Not the fanciest, but it a solid spruce top and, for a 12 string, a pretty fast and playable neck with friendly string spacing. Sounded great and I put in countless hours playing it (and also tuning it, haha). Rhett, I think your choice in your first acoustic was a great one. Sounds very sweet and balanced in the samples you played here.
Totally agree. I'm a huge Yamaha fan. I have that 12 string as well, It has a much mellower warmer sound than many 12 strings. I was lucky enough to have picked up the Ljx36 second hand, and quiet cheap from eBay. It is a perfectly crafted guitar as well as having the most beautiful top end sound of any guitar I've heard. So here's to Yamaha guitars, and pianos, and motorcycles for that matter.
A guy had one at the shop where I was getting an electric guitar worked on the other day, and I got to look at it and was really impressed. Sounded great and fit-and-finish were on point.
I've played all the hottest brands from the old legends to the newcomers and Eastman can hold a candle to all of them at a fraction of the pricepoint. Amazing sound and craftsmanship
Rhett I don't think I've ever heard you finger pick especially with a little Chet style. Love it! Great video. He's absolutely right. With acoustics you really need to know what you want in terms of tone, volume, and these days, pickup systems. I have a Taylor 810CE which is 20 years old and I still use and love. Your Taylor sounds incredible to me.
I knew someone that had a Driftwood guitar and got to play it. While it was a beautiful instrument and sounded great I could never afford $10k+. I ended up buying a J-45 and a Furch Vintage 2 OM. The Furch is a great example of a small body guitar with a big sound. The J-45 is a mahogany guitar and the Furch is rosewood.
The OM was built for strumming, actually; it’s right there in the name: OM stands for “Orchestra Model,” and the guitar was designed as a direct competitor to the Gibson L5 for Big Band “orchestra” use at the behest of Perry Bechtel, who felt the L5 sounded too harsh. And it is a great instrument for strumming (as is a 000).
Yup. A 14 fret neck joint OM has the same scale length as a dreadnought. It just has the smaller body of a 000. Longer string scale length means more tension which in turn means higher volume.
Having owned several, Taylor guitars are very well made and easy to play. To ME it ends there. The sound simply doesn't have the soul and guts in it's output. The sleeper to me has been Yamaha. Their mid to upper end guitars to me have no equal. The most playable and such a rich balanced sound with GREAT output especially in the bottom end. Sweet highs and nice mids punch. All lacking in the likes of a Taylor.
I don't love Taylor either for the missing low end. I'll have to check out Yamaha acoustics, never played one. The most important thing is just trying out acoustics in person. The absolute best sounding acoustic guitar I've ever heard was a cheap 1970's Alvarez, with laminated wood, probably cost $200 new. And to my ears it easily beats brand new $2,000 Martins, etc.
I agree on Taylors. Ho hums. I do have a GS Mini for travel. Thin sounding in a dinky guitar is ok. I also have an Alverez Yari that I bought used in 1995 which wasn't too expensive but sounds great.
I don’t like Taylors either. They sound thin and are stiff to play. I just bought a Martin 00-18 and I’m in love with it. It’s so easy to play especially if you’re older and have some arthritis in your hands. Plus, the sound and tone is the best.
Well this just saved me! I recently remodeled a room and hung my Takamine for the first time. I live in a northern climate and hadn’t considered the winter humidity level in the room at all! THANK YOU
Yes, agreed, but let them take a big lot of different guitars apart so whe can see the different types of neck joints, 'cause they're not all the same. I'd love to see a Celebrity by Ovation taken apart before I start cutting up mine, for instance ;-)
I really appreciate this video and the exposure to the driftwood channel. I've been borrowing my neighbors Yamaha guitar and looking into getting one of my own.
I've had my 1967 Guild F-47 for 45 years. Only have had to get the frets dressed, stays in tune, all original. Going to pass it on to my grandnephew when I'm gone. Guilds are one of the most under appreciated guitars IMHO.
A crappy Kay with Black Diamond strings. Replaced with a new at the time '68 Yamaha FG-180 which was my first "real" guitar. Ir cost $99 new (in 1968). I still have it and the neck reset cost $300. It doesn't get a lot of play time. The Collings and Bourgeious get the most attention.
4:06 This point is not true. It’s more about headroom than body size. In professional studios the OM is generally more balanced for both strumming and finger picking.
It took me years to find my favorite guitars. It started in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. I bought a Yamaha FG830. Wow, what an ah ah moment. I had turned 65, having played since I was 11 years old. I have since purchased a Yamaha LL6M A.R.E. as well as an LS6. Yamaha does it for me as well as my Alvarez AD66SHB.
Have you ever played a Yamaha FG-180? I have one made in Japan in 1970. It was my first guitar; I bought it used circa 1985. It sure does sound good, but I think it needs a fret leveling and crowning.
The Elizabeth Cotton - Freight Train exit music was spot on here. Thank you for the video, I have been playing for almost 30 years now, and have gone through a dozen or so acoustics and have spent my life trying to acquire a 1960s Gibson hummingbird mainly because the teacher I had growing up played one and the sound that vintage guitar produced to this day haunts my dreams and has left me unsatisfied with any guitar I play.
I love how bright and crisp they are, which is why I was so happy when I found my Seagull. It was exactly the sound I love from those Taylors, but for $300 (pawn shop price)
Taylor are like PRS for me. Phenomenal build quality and fit-and-finish, but I just don’t personally jive with them for a combination of neck shape, aesthetics, and a few tonal idiosyncrasies. In somebody else’s hands who gets along with their look and feel and knows how to fiddle with their tones, they can be absolutely incredible, but they’re not typically my jam for my personal preferences. So, mad respect but not my thing. I have been considering trading in my 1967 Gibson 12-string for a new-ish Taylor though, because Taylor 12-strings typically have smaller necks and the Gibbo has a 4-by-4 fencepost for a neck (makes baseball bats look skinny) that hurts my hand after just a few minutes, and since 12-strings are jangly anyway, the “Taylor sound” just leans into that even more…
@@TH-camHandlesAreMoronic I mean, fair. I guess I’ve just been fortunate with my point of reference for Taylor (my dad had a few over the years, and his were some very fine instruments). And my cedar Seagull S6 slim stood out because of how much it reminded me of those guitars.
I, too, dont much care for most Taylors. I've played the 900s as well as limited and builders editions costing thousands and thousands of dollars only to be dissapointed with the sound over and over. Not a fan at all of the V brace sound. I've only ever come across a few that I really like. The 2 that sounded the best to my ears, and that I would buy, are Taylors with cocobolo back and sides with spruce tops. They just did those ones right somehow. The other one I liked was a Macasser ebony back and sides with a sinker redwood top that a friend has. Same friend also has an older cedar top Taylor that sounds very good and is set up for and always kept in open C tuning.
Rhett - good video! I've got a 1978 Yamaha FG-335 acoustic, a very basic guitar, that I bought used in 1981. This thing has aged SO WELL. It has lived in the midwest the entire time, so some ups and downs with temp/humidity. Now we have a whole house humidifier in our home, and we rarely drop below 40% RH. Both my acoustics have really responded well to that improvement.
try a Seagull S6 or SM6: it sounds good, it's well-made, it's NOT expensive. Unlike a Gibson, a Taylor or a Martin, YOU CAN take your Seagull outside and/or to a campfire without fear. Kim Deal (Breeders, Pixies) plays one since the early '90s. Mine is so old, the Schaller tuning keys are stamped "made in West Germany"...
This. My first and still best acoustic is my S6 Spruce. Made in Canada, basically has been solidly in tune since the day I bought it, with minimal care other than keeping it in the case.
The Seagull S^ is one of my personal favorites, too. I bought one when they first started importing them to the U.S.A. At the time, it was the only guitar that wasn't an Ovation that I had any desire to own. I played the living snot out of mine. I sold it to a friend for about what I'd paid for it decades earlier. If I'm not going to play a "roundback," which is kind of highly unlikely in my case, then I want a Seagull S-6.
A good (not necessarily expensive) acoustic guitar is an absolute must. I love the fact that during a poer outage, i can just pick mine up.and noodle away and keep myself entertained. Or take one on holiday and sit on a coastal hill overlooking the sea and write a few riffs and melodies. I love my electrics, pedals and amps, but theres something special about an acoustic younenjoy playing. Inonly have one, and its a Harley Benton D45 copy and cost me £200, is permanently in open C tuning, and has gifted me at least 8 of my my own songs that a good friend has put beautiful lyrics and vocal melodies too. I know so many people thatnjust can't function in a power cut because of their reliance on technology. I genuinely enjoy those moments
Your 'old' 110 sounds like a million bucks. Much more than sentimental stuff going on there (and you play beautifully). It's got serious mojo. I've got an original 2006 Taylor GS....800 series build details (spruce, solid rosewood...now known as the 816), and don't get me wrong--it's glorious. I've played the crap out of it for the 15 years I've had it and it's aged beautifully. But more recently I picked up a lowly little 114 to be my songwriter buddy and.....my God, it sounds absolutely incredible. Resonance, sustain, harmonics WAY beyond its price point. My local luthier, who has worked on and played thousands of Taylors, gushed about it. These 100 series bargain boxes can punch so far above their weight class. Don't ever sell yours. Seriously, that thing has magic in it. Great video, thanks!
god you're a baby RHETT... my first high end INSTRUMENT was a gibson ebony standard 1991 i was 16 and paid it over 6 months so i could take it home eventually, every free minute I had i would bus down to the music store and plug in. when I paid it off, the whole staff applauded and packed it up and sent me home in a taxi - but man are you more rounded than me... i don't mind though I go at my pace you go at yours ... all i know my last effort will be reaching for my guitar! i believe you will too! my first acoustic was a takemine my brother never wanted!
Deep River Blues! Just when I didn’t think I could appreciate you any more than I do, you went and played one of my favorite tunes! Whether it’s Leo Kottke or ‘ol Doc Watson himself, that’s a killer tune. Bravo, Rhett.
To date my favorite acoustic guitar (regardless of price point) is my Taylor AD-22e using Plectrum AC110 strings. It's just warm and awesomeness! Very good to know their build quality is extremely consistent and top notch as well. I'm sure my Eastman E10SS is not as good quality wise but man it's also a great sounding and reasonably priced acoustic. Enjoy this episode!
I live in a climate (west Sonoma County, CA.) where the temps can vary by 50 degrees from early morning to late afternoon, and similar seasonal extremes in humidty, so I don't even want an expensive acoustic guitar in these conditions. There ARE some pretty nice sounding and playing laminated instruments available that can hold up to these "Martian" climatic patterns, so my advice is; don't be a heartless custodian of fragile, rare, expensive guitars even if you have too much money. Get what works for your needs and location.
I agree, you can definitely find great-sounding laminated wood guitars if you put in the legwork. That said, if you're diligent with keeping up with humidification and keeping your guitar in the case when not playing, you can definitely keep any guitar happy anywhere. But it's definitely nice to have a laminated guitar that you can just leave out for longer periods and not worry as much.
I live in arizona. No humidity change ever. I have acoutics that have hung on the wall for 30 years and ive never had a crack or warp or delamination once.
We should talk more about acoustic guitar IRs, most gigging guitarist have to plugin their guitars to a DI box and most acoustic guitars sound horrible pluged in, IRs makes a huge difference!
@@jamesrodriquez2863impulse response. Basically an audio file that captures the sound of a setup. Like a specific cabinet and microphone combination for example. Or the reverb of a room. You can get those files online (the loader plugin also), often for free. Hardware loaders also exist, like the Two Notes Torpedo. That way you can have the sound of a cab and mic without actually having to use them physically
@@jamesrodriquez2863 IR stands for impulse response. Mostly used in digital modeling to simulate guitar cabs/speakers/microphones, but its also used to simulate a specific acoustic guitar sound with certain microphone in front of it. It makes a huge difference to the plugged in acoustic guitar sound.
@@PatternRecognitionMusic it’s game changing if you ask me, the Worship Tutorial guys have some free stuff in their web page that is very decent. There’s also tutorials on how to make your own acoustic guitar IR, it seems straightforward but I have not been successful on making a good sounding IR of my guitar and mic.
My first acoustic I bought was in 1979 and it was a Takamine 360 EFS. Still have it today and it plays beautifully. My next was a Taylor 310, a Ibanez PF 5-12, and now a Taylor Mini Koa.
A couple years back, I bought a Gibson Hummingbird and a relatively inexpensive Taylor GS Mini as a couch guitar. LOVE the GS Mini. Hardly ever play the hummingbird. I'm a huge Taylor fan now. I also have a Martin that is great. I'm done with Gibson though. Not worth the price at all.
Thanks for great video. The most basic tip I would give anyone buying a guitar no matter if they are beginners or been playing for years is: If YOU think it sounds good it IS good. If YOU think it feels good IT DOES. Don't buy a guitar based on what brand it is. The most renowned american brands are kind of overrated and extremly overprized. There, I said it. If you are a beginner you will probably not be able to appreciate a high end guitar (1000 dollars+) and probably not be able to tell the difference. Buy second hand. A fairly well built instrument will last you for years even decades and if you care for it in a reasonable amount it will sound better over the years. If you like a guitar, buy it. You can strum or fingerpick any guitar, it is all up to you what you find fitting for you. Don't complicate it. When you have been at it for a while (some years) and played 200 guitars+ then you might start hear and feel the difference between a good guitar and a more regular one. That is not decided by the headstock. There are crappy so called high end guitars out there and yes, some of them are branded with the logos of the renowned brands... and there are some great guitars from less renowned brands and much more reasonable priced. If you ever have the money to buy 5000 dollar+ guitar you should consider to have a luthier built guitar specifically for you with your specs. It will beat any "factory made" guitar in quality and sound eight days a week 366 days a year for the same money. Good luck!
I find Taylor guitars sound very bright relative to other acoustic guitars. The poly finish and A-Style bracing give it a lack of low end. Great for worship music, not ideal for bluegrass/country
Taylors have a unique internal bracing that makes them very durable and consistent between guitars. One positive is Taylor is probably the only acoustic guitar brand I would trust to buy over the internet if I absolutely had to, because of that consistency. The negative for that bracing is that it affects the ability to produce deep and resonant low end. So the Taylors end up really jangly and bright sounding. To me Taylor guitars sound really nice for finger-picking. But they aren't my favorite for strumming rock songs.
I have two Taylors, a Yairi, and a Martin. They each have different characters. So much can be dialed in through the use of different types and gauges of strings and shape, material, and thicknesses of picks. For fingerstyle the length of nails, if you have them, or the pressure on your flesh will affect the sound. Experiment. Taylors don’t have to have that sound you don’t like. And, to me, they can’t be beat when it comes to an easy to play neck. And ease of playing makes for a better overall experience and ultimately the best tone.
My one and only acoustic is a taylor 512 i bought in san francisco back in the 90’s…pretty sure bob taylor was still making them back then…its still a killin guitar…glad i kept mine, too. 👊 fyi get the daddario humidipak system…no water or messy shit…
Brett, I too have a bit of a heavy strumming hand. I'm now 67 yrs old and have the dreaded "shoulder problem"... small body is much easier for me to play. I've been focusing on playing with a lighter touch and plugging into an amp when I want more volume... even just for practice. (my ears are also growing old, I kinda like the amp). I'm selling my 2 dreads, and getting an 00 body instrument with 12 frets... they sound so sweet with a gentle hand.
In 2015, after more than 20 years of playing, I picked up a beat up Tacoma. It’s so ugly but I never played a better guitar for me. BTW, the big dreadnaught body is just fine for finger style. Sounds great.
I own several acoustics that I like for different things. For example, my Taylor is great for finger style or intricate picking, my old Alvarez dread excels at strumming and flatpicking, and I have an inexpensive Gretsch cowboy guitar strung in Nashville high tuning that I use to add "decoration to the cake" so to speak. My guitars are like old friends to me, and each one brings its own thing(s) to the table. I really want to play some J-45 slope shoulder style guitars to see what they offer! My advice to acoustic guitar shoppers; set your budget, play a bunch of the guitars in that price range, and buy the one that speaks to you in such a way that you can't put it down.
I’m incredibly lucky to have two great acoustics. A 1930 12-fret Gibson L1 flattop that used to belong to my great-grandmother, and a handmade OM-18-style guitar I got in 2017 from a local builder, Johnny Rushing, who lives about 20-30 minutes down the road from me. Johnny insists he’s a “guitar guy” as opposed to a “luthier”-he says “If anybody asks me if I’m a luthier, I tell ‘em no, I’m a Baptist.” When I was searching for a backup to my Great-Granny’s old Gibson (since it’s an irreplaceable family heirloom I don’t take it anywhere), I tried a ton of high end Martin, Larrivée, Bourgeois, Huss and Dalton, Collings, all amazing instruments but not quite what I was after…then I ended up in Johnny’s workshop, strummed a few chords on the OM-alike, and paid him on the spot. One of these days Johnny might eventually convince me to buy a dreadnought or a superjumbo off him (or his brother Jimmy, an equally-talented builder who lives about 45 minutes down the road from me in the other direction from Johnny), and I wouldn’t mind finding a decent 12-string somewhere, but otherwise I’m out of the market, not even looking at anything else. I’m always jonesing for another electric, trying out this that and the other, trading and buying and selling, but as to 6-string acoustics, I’m pretty much satisfied.
I still have my Takamine 349C from the early 90s, I used it on the road, played many many hours live, I've had it on the stand in the living room the whole time my kids grew up, it was knocked off the stand I don't know how many times, it still sounds amazing and excellent plugged in. I tend to like the cut away better. I bought a 12 string Takamine cut away last year, it's also incredible to play.
That was GREAT! What a wonderful guest. My first acoustic guitar was an Epiphone. Like you, I mowed lawns all summer of '67. Later I added a Framus 12 string. It had a really beautiful tone.
I never thought I'd become "branded" in terms of guitars, but I bought a Martin LXM a few years ago and fell completely in love with it. It's my every day go to guitar when I'm here at home practicing or working on whatever it is I happen to be working on musically. I also have a Breedlove parlor guitar that I have a love/hate relationship with depending on what it is I'm playing. My big guitar is an el cheapo Dean dreadnought that I bought 25 years ago that has a lot of sentimental value because of how long I've had it. Over the years, I've had Fender acoustics, an Ovation (try playing one of those with a big belly and see what happens LOL), an Alvarez, just a variety of different low to mid priced acoustic guitars. Lately I've been thinking of getting something larger than my LXM, and I simply cannot bring myself to pull the trigger on anything other than a Martin. That's how impressed I've been with this $400 high pressure laminate LXM that sounds bigger than it looks, plays well, is well constructed, and simply sounds more expensive than it should. I haven't decided yet what model I'm going to get, but it will definitely be a Martin. Sorry Taylor. LOL!
anyone have opinions on Breedlove?My wife bought one years ago but quit playing it. I picked it up for myself when I started getting serious about guitar.
I think the first thing they spoke of is the most important. Buy what your ears and hands like. When I was buying my first acoustic I really wanted one I saw online, went to a store and played it along with a bunch of the others they had in there. Ended up walking out with a different guitar.
My parents bought me my first guitar in 1954. It was a "sunburst" Gene Autry special and it was a pos. After a few months I started using my father's Harmony Patrician. I still had it in 1966 when it was stolen. I wish I still had it, but at the time I had a Guild F30 and a Gibson Dove, so I didn't miss it as much then as I do now.
Wow, great video, guys. I love Chris Alvarado. "That makes me really angry..." -> I love the fact he cares that much about quality and the people who buy guitars. This is a brilliant interview.
Completely agree with Taylor if you're on a budget. Their less expensive guitar will be better than everything else in the same price range or above that I know!
Could I ask how so? Now that I'm serious about guitar I'm looking to replace my dying nameless classical guitar for either another classical or an acoustic. Can't really make up my mind. Since I still consider myself an inexperienced player, do you think I should do another nylon? Thanks in advance!
I made my main acoustic about fifteen years ago. I made a 000 but built it 10mm deeper and the "strumability" is much improved by the extra air inside. Over the years I've taught lots of people to do their first acoustic build. Trying to stop them using highly figured wood on the top was a common theme! I have a guitar that I bought in the early nineties that looks superb but sounds weedy. That has made the point for me a lot. Neck reset vid is a great idea. Done right they save an acoustic from the "grip of Godzilla" syndrome.
I don't mean to sound like "that guy" but.....cutting perfectly fine guitars in half? With modern camera tech, you need to do that? I know it's good for clicks but those guitars would get better use in someone's hands, getting played. And you could still do your quality check videos.
Great video. I am finally returning to guitars after twenty-five years, mostly playing ancient instruments like lyres, moraharpa, etc, and my old guitar is not up for it after years in storage. This was a very inspirational video, thank you :)
Binding comes loose on Martins; well known and complete pain to deal with. Also neck resets common in Martins. My Martin sounds wonderful, but I have to deal with it taking months to get fixed with new binding and I sure hope the neck stays ok. I wonder what makes the binding so weak?
It’s unfortunate, definitely watch his “I hate youtube” video. I guess it started with Mr. Beast thumbnails, I hate it too I try to give creators the benefit of the doubt even if the thumbnail has that dumb “ponder face”
"Ponder face" is pretty accurate. You've likely heard of the great sculpture titled "The Thinker". I refer to that face that so often shows up in TH-cam thumbnails as "The Stinker" 'cause it always looks like they just pushed out some air and they're checking for the smell. Yeah, admit it... we all do it.
When i go into Guitar Center the majority of new acoustic guitars that are hanging have about a quarter inch action. I picked up a new Martin 000-15 because all the videos on TH-cam about how great they are and it sucked. Slotting the bridge to increase the string slope when needed like when the saddle is low makes it sound much better. I have had to lower nuts on new guitars. I replace all tusq saddle because they chip where the wound strings make contact. I thought I'd give some of my experience and thank you for posting ✌️💜🎸💯
Guitars are tools, nothing more. I've got a vintage Martin D-28 I've had for over two decades that has three refrets on in (in addition to several dressings) and will need a neck reset the next time it needs new frets. It is what it is; pony up and pay for the maintenance. Guys pretend like it doesn't cost money to keep their car running that gets them to a gig but will gawk at $400-600 for some luthier work to keep them in the game? Man that is way cheaper than the oil changes during the same period.
I came across a D28 in '85 which had belonged to a divorcee. It was her Ex's... Sat behind a chair for many years... She said she would sell it to me for $150!😮 Which I could not even come up with at the time Sadly... I ended up letting my guitar partner at the time buy it and it still outrings my new Martin. Almost 25 years later...
@@loricampbell6023 tell me you are a collector and not a player without telling me you are a collector and not a player. Enjoy your jewels in their display cases I'll keep gigging with my vintage D-28 and Les Paul. I'm out there doing the "distressing" job that boomers are paying for on new instruments.
@@BigLuv8 don't sleep on the early to mid 70s D-28s and D-35s. They have not gone crazy in price like the Brazilian Rosewood models but some are fantastic!
I hope we all know that it doesn't matter who is in the 'top job' because this is a systemic problem - greed. We have allowed many of our economic sectors, to take advantage of the American people. It's disgusting and frightening for the future of our country. My husband and I will be retiring in the next two years n another country. We are absolutely worried that SSI will no longer be funded. we'll have to rely on his pension, a 403 (b) and a very prolific Investment account with my Tracy Britt Cool Consulting my FA. Our national debt is bloating and expanding every month. Our government needs to get spending under control and cut the federal budget.
I know this FA, Tracy Britt Cool Consulting but only by her reputation at Goldman Sachs; even though she's now involved in managing portfolios and providing investmnt guidance to clients. I have been trying to get in contact since I watched her interview on WSJ last month
Great video and I like Chris’s comment about how voicing has more to do with how big it sounds than the actual size. My DaVinci Driftwood guitar sounds massive.
Sorry Rhett. This is the first vid of yours that I’ve seen that was disappointing. So what you wish you knew is no glue glops, don’t be fooled by the purty ones, and keep it in proper humidity? That’s it? How bout solid woods vs laminate? Basic tonal properties of cedar tops vs spruce? Of rosewood vs mahogany backs and sides, and how it relates to your playing style. How about projection? Overtones? Sorry man, but glue glops, humidity and not being fooled by looks should be mentioned but NOBODY at Carters is gonna tell a first time buyer that these are the 3 most important things. You got tons of great vids. Just missed the basket on this one.
8:33 YES. You need two! My baby got a crack because my hydrometer was stuck at 45% when it was actually 25% (when I lived in a hi-rise). I now have two digital meters at all times.
Strange, why would anyone Not buy a guitar because its sound? Its main and kinda sole purpose that it makes sound. So you shall buy it with your ears. Not by your eyes and other stupid reasons... :)
People buy cars because of color and cup holders despite bad reliability reputation and having a 4 cyl for a full-size vehicle. People are silly mostly. Maybe you haven’t discovered that yet. You will.
It astonishes me that you are asking this question when the answer is so obvious. There are so many reasons why would buy a guitar not based on sound alone. When people are buying their first guitar they don’t know what a good guitar sounds like so they might be more drawn to the cool looking guitars and won’t be able to judge the sound properly. It you are playing on a stage and plugging into a pickup system the acoustic sound of the guitar doesn’t matter all that much. Just to name a few.
Great video. Thanks! My first acoustic was a nylon string no name . . . sounded terrible but was super comfortable and fun to play. Next was a Taylor I got from the Pennysaver in the early 90s (still have even after a headstock break - sent to Taylor for repair - without asking just replaced the entire neck with a big bill.)
Great vid - thanks! I've done the Taylor factory tour and their craftsmanship and results of their automation is something else. I'm yet to own one though. I *do* have a 1988 Takamine FP360SC (Japanese) which by then had the current signature Takamine headstock - spruce top, rosewood back and sides. Ordered it through a local store out of the catalogue. A lucky, sensational buy. Huge sound when pushed, great top end. Holds tune. 36 years later, it's still my workhorse for just about any live or home setting. Next guitar purchase will be a little more discerning. At the Taylor factory showroom, they have just about any guitar in any combination you'd want to try. The difference in just one type of body - top, sides, neck - is astounding. I found the one I wanted, by sound, not looks, but sadly it's sticker was US$5,300. Convert to Australian $ and that converts to d-i-v-o-r-c-e. *Sigh*
Bought my first acoustic in 1965; a Gibson J45. I eventually went through the whole Gibson line right up to a 1957 J200. The J45 still stands as the best acoustic I ever owned... until I picked up a Guild D44 in '72. I'm a former major lablel artist and done every imaginable kind of gig. With a $1,200 Taylor I found that it was so humidity sensitive that the neck was always essentially flopping around like a fish on a boat deck (not that ever liked the overly-bright tone!). As a guitar teacher since 1975 I advise my acoustic oriened students to avoid the 'bling' of the high end Martins. Find an old "beat to s**t" Martin D18 and find out how good acoustic guitar tone can really be. This is not a humble opinion. Short of paying the premium for a Collings (or a Pippin if you can even find one) the old school construction of early Martins and Guilds can't be beat for the money.
For the winter heating season I protect my guitars with humidity between 40-50% using thermostatically controlled humidifiers (good for people and guitars). If for some reason this is not an option for you, then for under $5, purchase some small plastic bar soap containers. Drill 15-20 small holes and fit an absorbent sponge. Place them inside the guitar case along with the guitar. To replenish moisture to dry damaged guitars, place them directly inside the guitar. Always use a hygrometer to maintain humidity between 40-55%.
I'm so very happy with my Fender Highway dreadnought. Perfect singer companion. Tilt neck. I've been chasing after a thin body acoustic for 20 years. It's nothing like the Acoustasonic, what a let-down that was DOA. The Highway has great tone (I use Elixers) is loud and plays easy. Sounds the same amplified as not through an acoustic amp. No under saddle piezo weird ass sound signature either. Glad I didn't give up, glad Fender didn't give up too.
I bought a 110ce earlier this year, because the Taylor sound is instrumental for the music I play. Great guitar for sitting in a mix and just banging out chords generally. I love it.
Epiphone FT-150, Oct 1975. Played it during study hall in H.S. and brought it with me to college and later when I moved cross-country. Now owned by a long-lost friend.
Hey Rhett, thanks for another great vid. In all honesty I have been watching Driftwood vids longer than I have yours, and I am grateful to both of you for the info and instruction you both provide! Keep it going, Thanks Again!
Excellent, and informative video. My first real guitar was my Dad's vintage Goya G-10, and I followed that up with a Martin HD28V. I love that Martin and as a heavy-handed strummer, I've got no regrets.
Having another go at acoustic guitar again. Just found my old BM made in Spain classical guitar. It was bought in 1969 and never been used until last week. Restringed sounds fine to me. Thanks for film
Fisrt time, and instant sub. I dig the way you don't talk shop so civilians , not in the biz ,can RELATE. And you have the chops ,but don't rub it .Plus that you articulate what we need to know techique wise,with going off into any name dropping about how this lick actually executed.
I love Driftwood vids. I bought a PRS parlor after he showec how indestructible it was. This was an excellent discussion of acoustic guitars. Thanks man
What was your first acoustic guitar?
It was a Stella and it was terrible. You almost needed vice grips to fret it. My first real acoustic guitar was a Yamaha G-150 which I still have.
An Eko Ranger 6 given to me by John Ashton of the Psychedelic Furs in 1985, and then 21 years later I also got that very same Taylor! Still my main acoustic too. Would love an upgrade one day though…
My families Yamaha nylon for my brothers class…..but I bought myself a PRS SE Angelus and I still love that guitar
1998 Ibanez AW 100.... still have it. It's not a cutaway or electric but still has so much sentimental value
It was a Sears beginner guitar. Very difficult to play.
Something worth mentioning about neck resets and Taylors. If you are the original owner of the guitar, it is under a lifetime warranty. The necks are bolt-on and use neck shims to get the right spacing. I literally got a neck reset done yesterday. Work was really simple, and it was free through the warranty service.
I believe warranty gets you one neck reset if you are the original owner. I got one on a 12 string. If you need another it is easier on Taylors so should cost you less.
@odelljl yea. I think my repair dude quoted like $100 if the warranty didn't work out somehow. Still much cheaper than a normal neck reset.
This only applies to new style Taylor necks. My Taylor 810 from 87 gets an old school neck reset when it needs one
@@stevenowilson The Taylor pre-NT neck is still bolt-on (prior to 1999/2000) so the neck reset is simpler and less invasive. The neck angle can often be adjusted without even removing the fingerboard section over the soundboard.
This is one of the reasons I have consolidated the majority of my acoustics to mostly Taylors. Taylor will now sell you a shim kit, and if you are slightly trained and mechanically inclined, you can reset your neck in like an hour.
I still own my favorite Martins, but the Taylor system gives me a lot of peace of mind. Not to mention, the system allows me to dial my action without touching my saddle. Keeping the saddle at stock height retains the break angle of the strings over the saddle (which is required to move the top as designed).
In the late 60's - early 70's I was an apprentice at a guitar shop. The owner bought 18 Martins at a time. My job on Saturdays was to 'voice them' partially by cleaning all the glue squeeze out inside the box from braces, and everything else. The luthier would then further voice them by trimming braces. After that, they rated each one, and priced them by how they sounded. I learned a lot about wood, construction and tuning. 8) Peace --gary
Impressive
I’m sorry but that sounds ridiculous
It sounds like a lot of work. But to enrich the Martins by taking extra time to set them up and voice them is tedious, nerdy and for players just absolutely amazing. Would be cool if they did that on every guitar @@rainypath96
Does that Shop still exist and work the same way?
@@dominikprauseguitar Unfortunately, all the family got too old, couldn't compete with on-line sales and closed. It was a much more simple time then. They even included lifetime set ups, for labor anyway. I really miss all that terribly. I played in bar bands all over our area for 50 years. Now 80% of the old bars are gone. I wish I could find a nice small Republican town, where it didn't snow, to spend my senior days LOL I have a million stories to share over a bar, maybe with an old J45 too 8) Thanks for asking, Peace --gary
My very first guitar was a Christmas gift from my parents. It was cheap cheap chap and today I wouldn't even call it a real guitar. They got it at a department store and I swear, looking back on it, the action had to be 1/4 inch. I actually did learn to play a few chords and tunes on it, but it was bad and getting it in tune was a struggle, and as much my fault as the guitar! That was 1971. In 1974, I bought my 1st " real " guitar, it was a CF Mountain lawsuit copy of a Martin D-35 and actually is a halfway decent guitar. I put it on layaway at the music store and it took me a few months to pay off the 165.00 price that it cost me. Every couple of weeks when I would go to the store to make a payment, Mr Buzz wold let me play the guitar for a little while. I vividly remember paying off the layaway and finally getting to bring it home with a giant smile on my face. In 1974 I was 16 years old and 165.00 was the next thing to a fortune for me. I still have that guitar, it needs a new nut and saddle and who knows what else, but its my favorite for sentimental reasons. It's been hanging on the wall in m living room for almost 30 years. Im looking at it right now. I just might take it to my repairman and get the oil changed and the tire aired up... man the memories of a young me wild as hell, playing that guitar in danky bars, pool halls and back porches are flooding back on me..... wow.
Do a neck reset on this Takamine 🎸🎸🎸
Driftwood guitars did a reset on a pre war martin if you want to see one.
easier said than done. the neck could possibly be jointed on with dowels. for some reason thats how they built some of the martin clones in japan in the 70's. your typical reset method will not work if there is no mortice tendon, you would have to do what we call in the luthiers business, a "kung fu"neck reset, and that involves cutting the neck off at the heel, correcting the angle at the joint, and bolting the neck back onto the body. it costs less than a traditional reset, it takes less time to do, but you have to damage the guitar in the process when you cut the neck from the guitar. but doing it that way will make future resets alot easier as well. just un bolt the neck from the body, make your corrections and bolt it back on.
You are probably right. I have heard nightmares about the 70s’ and 80s’ Japanese Martin clones
Jerry Rosa has a bunch of awesome videos working on acoustics in his channel Rosa String Works, including resetting necks
If you like the guitar and it inspires you, the cost analysis means nothing. If you're a pro and you'd like it for touring because if it gets destroyed you won't care, then chalk the cost up to that. Surely you will get a grand's worth of use out of it on the road. But if it does nothing for you and you'd just like to do it to put it in shape, then that would be a nice DIY project.
I bought a high end dreadnought Takamine from a pawn shop about 35 years ago. It had huge projection and the sound would fill a room. Best $100 I ever spent! Four years ago we had a house fire and that guitar got heat, smoke and water damaged. Wound up with a small hairline crack from the sound hole down to the bottom, right in the center. Now that guitar sounds better than it ever had before and I wouldn't have thought that was possible. You never know.
Home style torrified top!
Yeah I've got a Watson that sounds better after getting baked in a house fire, problem is the action is jacked now and I need to get a neck reset.
True or not, but in old times in Russia people would break the guitar and clue it back again, and it would sound much better than before
I have a 1941 Martin D45. Thought it looked a little plain, so I glued alligator skin on it and replaced the headstock with a walrus tusk. Admittedly, the sound quality was reduced a tad, but it really looks cool.
😂@@kevinbourque1037
Buying the wrong guitar is a killer for learning and then continuing to play. What many "think" they want or need, isn't really what is best for their actual use. I thought since I am a big guy, and a "cowboy", I needed a dreadnaught. And I thought I wanted and needed a Martin dreadnaught. I could not afford one, so went with a Fender dreadnaught. It worked fine, but since I am NOT a bluegrass player, or a "strummer" in general, it was just not really the "right" guitar for me. And then when I played a couple Martins, I just didn't like their neck profiles. Thus.. .Taylor. I don't like how Taylors sound when strummed hard (over driven), or for bluegrass type applications, but for finger style and modest flat picking... there you go! The body shape is amazing, and the neck is wonderful. And you will get that with almost all Taylors. But the sound and type of playing you TRULY want, and do, matters. There are others now that offer a similar experience, and if you glanced at them you would think they ARE a Taylor (but are not), so whether you actually get a Taylor or not isn't the point. What makes a Taylor what it is, is what matters. And like I said, depending on your body size, your intended use, and other factors, you may gravitate to some OTHER size, shape, or manufacturer of guitars. It's AWESOME that we get so many options though. But getting the right guitar is so important. Cheers!
Have you tried guitars from
Seagull or
Simon & Patrick?
Man it’s so cool seeing Chris popping up in other creators spaces I follow. This dude is good. His work is beyond amazing.
We were band nerds in highschool together. And even back then his abilities in creating things, as well as music were well apparent. So cool watching a friends business go beyond their imagination.
I've been a luthier for over 30 years and this is a brilliant video! I agree with everything Mr. Alvarado has said.
I have about 10 sticks of quarter sawn aircraft quality Sitka Alaska Spruce from 1935. (Appx 2+ inches thick. 9-12 inches wide. 10 feet long). Super Tight and dead straight grain pattern. My question is, can this be milled for tops? Perhaps sides and back? (I sold a few sticks years ago for bracing, and they loved it). Going to put it to use in music somehow because of its great tonality. Thanks.
@@latentsea It is not gonna work for sides and back. Bring it to a tone wood supplier and they will probably buy it.
douglasscole, thanks for the info. Not gonna sell it. So far made gorgeous custom closet built in shelving, and drum sticks. Want to get it milled for drum kit, guitar tops, and or studio treatment.. ✌🏼
I noticed your experience as a luthier and had a question for you, did Mr Alvarado really say it would be $500 to $1,000 to fix a neck on an acoustic guitar that have not back bow but the most common neck problem which comes from the tension of the strings which I would assess is being just a quarter inch turn trustrod adjustment 🤔??? Or I could have been totally misunderstanding his premise but that threw me for a loop🤔
@@JeremyGray-jg4db Truss rods are only for adjusting neck relief, not for correcting neck bow. An acoustic guitar needing a neck reset is very time consuming and labor intensive. Unless you have a modern Taylor that's bolted to the body, steam has to be used to separate the neck. This requires a great deal of skill as other aspects of the repair come into play. Possibly a new bridge or refret. So that's where the $500 to $1,000 comet into the mix.
My first acoustic was a jumbo and it was a beast. I loved the booming bass strings with all my heart. After 20 years, the neck needed to be re-set and my luthier declined as it was set with epoxy. I now have two Collings, a dreadnought and an orchestra. The former has insanely rich, loud, balanced tone and it’s my everyday workhorse. I adore it and installed a pickup for stage use 😳. The orchestra, however, rings like a grand piano. It’s so sweet I swear it brings me to tears every time I play it. Everything this dude said is spot on except that shape and size do not dramatically affect tone. The dreadnaught size and shape happened for a reason. It sounds like an acoustic should. It’s the optimal compromise between all the ways a guitar can sound special but loose something in the trade off.
Before doing a neck reset you should look at a belly bulge reduction, it's way less invasive and fixes the main issue of the top being "pulled up" resulting in a bulge, which raises the bridge. With the top flat again there is no need for a neck reset. I've had it done on 2 of my 50+ year old Yamahas.
I should, but don't read the comments before posting... I made the same comment on belly bow. I have Yammy's I bought new mid 1970s. They both need a neck reset due to belly bow. Unfortunately many had epoxy glue in the dovetail and many luthiers won't touch them. Were yours epoxy glued? Ta.
Love the thumbnail puzzled face Rhett. Keep up the good optimization
I wonder how many takes that required.
Came here to say this
I don’t make money on TH-cam but if I was that’s what I woulda did
Hahaha
It is the best part of the video 😂
I got a neck reset done on my old Martin 12 string. It's a mid 70s. It cost me around $400 - $500 a couple of years ago. It was a huge difference. The luthier had to replace the entire bridge too since it was filed way down. It plays way better now!
Who did you go with. I have contacted a shop and they have not gotten back with me
I picked up a 2004 Taylor 110 about a year ago. Did some minor maintenance on it and it’s been my #1 ever since. Granted I don’t have any other good acoustics but man, it has that “it” quality! Definitely see how they treat the craftsmanship the same as their higher end guitars. My uncle has a couple really nice…read expensive…Taylors. Everyone else I’ve let play it is amazed at how little I paid for it. Very solid build quality. I expect it to outlive me. Great video. Cheers Rhett!
After I decided to star t playing again, that was the first guitar I bought, which I thought sounded better than a Martin I was comparing it to. I still have it, maybe 12-14 years later. I can't mauyke myself sell it. It's such a good one to carry around, and it's travelled a bit with me.
@@dougww1ectebow that’s funny because I was looking at Martins as well when I stumbled upon the Taylor. I doubt I’ll ever get rid of mine. Might even add another Taylor down the road
@@kingbryn1692 I had a 214ce for a bit and love it also. I did sell it because $$...lol. I think Taylors have the best build quality across their entire model line. Not sure why people dont like the way they sound.
Taylors have always just FELT silky where martins have always felt more clunky to play.. prolly just me
When i first moved to LA back in 2002 I picked up a Yamaha acoustic - FG 402 - at a garage sale for 50$. I took it home, thought there was a pick in the body... I shook it around trying to get the pick out and a rattlesnake rattle fell out instead. I put it back in and thats where its lived ever since. I've played that guitar almost every day - hell, I played it until I ground divots into the frets... I thought that was the end of it, but my neighbor (who is a guitar tech for a very big band that I probably shouldn't mention) did a fret job on it for free because he knew I loved the guitar so much. To this day I regularly have people at shows, other musicians, comment on how great this guitar sounds... but recently the action on the higher frets has gotten higher and higher. Its just like what you described in this video... so I've started looking at Martins and Taylors - and I'm sorry but they just dont sound as good as my Yamaha - even with the issues it has. I dunno, maybe I just got a unicorn... maybe there's some sort of mojo in that rattlesnake rattle. haha.... but seriously - I'm seriously considering having the neck reset so that my guitar can live on.... but I'm worried I'll spend all that money and the sound will change. *this long ass post was all to ask: is that a risk of having the neck reset? Will it significantly change the sound of the guitar? Should I just take my money and spend it on a nice new guitar instead?
@thedirtsyndicate As a player/guitar repairman(we fix ‘luthiers’ mistakes) I would support the neck reset approach. The volume and sound is sensitive to the string to top distance/height. Lowering the saddle/bridge will change this; a proper neck reset will not.
Love it when Chris gives kudos to Yamaha guitars in his teardown vids. Unbeatable value in acoustics over the course of the last 60 years. My first acoustic was a taiwan-made 90s Yamaha 12 string (I know, weird but i was obsessed with 12 string) FG441s-12, got it new when I was 14 and I still own it. Not the fanciest, but it a solid spruce top and, for a 12 string, a pretty fast and playable neck with friendly string spacing. Sounded great and I put in countless hours playing it (and also tuning it, haha). Rhett, I think your choice in your first acoustic was a great one. Sounds very sweet and balanced in the samples you played here.
Totally agree. I'm a huge Yamaha fan. I have that 12 string as well, It has a much mellower warmer sound than many 12 strings. I was lucky enough to have picked up the Ljx36 second hand, and quiet cheap from eBay. It is a perfectly crafted guitar as well as having the most beautiful top end sound of any guitar I've heard. So here's to Yamaha guitars, and pianos, and motorcycles for that matter.
Eastmans are SOOOO good for the money
A guy had one at the shop where I was getting an electric guitar worked on the other day, and I got to look at it and was really impressed. Sounded great and fit-and-finish were on point.
I’ve got my eye on a few. From the $600 to $1800 range. They seem like a lotta bang for your buck.
@@ryangunwitch-black That was my impression from the one I got to fiddle with. On par with anything US-made from a major brand, and half the price.
I've played all the hottest brands from the old legends to the newcomers and Eastman can hold a candle to all of them at a fraction of the pricepoint. Amazing sound and craftsmanship
Gotta do the neck reset on the Taka-martin
Rhett I don't think I've ever heard you finger pick especially with a little Chet style. Love it! Great video. He's absolutely right. With acoustics you really need to know what you want in terms of tone, volume, and these days, pickup systems. I have a Taylor 810CE which is 20 years old and I still use and love. Your Taylor sounds incredible to me.
I knew someone that had a Driftwood guitar and got to play it. While it was a beautiful instrument and sounded great I could never afford $10k+. I ended up buying a J-45 and a Furch Vintage 2 OM. The Furch is a great example of a small body guitar with a big sound. The J-45 is a mahogany guitar and the Furch is rosewood.
When I dream of an acoustic guitar, I dream of Furch.
The OM was built for strumming, actually; it’s right there in the name: OM stands for “Orchestra Model,” and the guitar was designed as a direct competitor to the Gibson L5 for Big Band “orchestra” use at the behest of Perry Bechtel, who felt the L5 sounded too harsh. And it is a great instrument for strumming (as is a 000).
would love to have a furch OM some day
Yup. A 14 fret neck joint OM has the same scale length as a dreadnought. It just has the smaller body of a 000. Longer string scale length means more tension which in turn means higher volume.
@@BioZook I have one. It's a good guitar but they look nicer than they play IMO.
Having owned several, Taylor guitars are very well made and easy to play. To ME it ends there. The sound simply doesn't have the soul and guts in it's output. The sleeper to me has been Yamaha. Their mid to upper end guitars to me have no equal. The most playable and such a rich balanced sound with GREAT output especially in the bottom end. Sweet highs and nice mids punch. All lacking in the likes of a Taylor.
I don't love Taylor either for the missing low end. I'll have to check out Yamaha acoustics, never played one. The most important thing is just trying out acoustics in person. The absolute best sounding acoustic guitar I've ever heard was a cheap 1970's Alvarez, with laminated wood, probably cost $200 new. And to my ears it easily beats brand new $2,000 Martins, etc.
I agree on Taylors. Ho hums. I do have a GS Mini for travel. Thin sounding in a dinky guitar is ok. I also have an Alverez Yari that I bought used in 1995 which wasn't too expensive but sounds great.
He don't bug his sponsor, man. He needs the optimization and affiliate link.
Came here to bash Taylor. Nice.
I don’t like Taylors either. They sound thin and are stiff to play. I just bought a Martin 00-18 and I’m in love with it. It’s so easy to play especially if you’re older and have some arthritis in your hands. Plus, the sound and tone is the best.
Well this just saved me! I recently remodeled a room and hung my Takamine for the first time. I live in a northern climate and hadn’t considered the winter humidity level in the room at all! THANK YOU
Yes on the neck reset video. I’d definitely watch that.
Yes, agreed, but let them take a big lot of different guitars apart so whe can see the different types of neck joints, 'cause they're not all the same. I'd love to see a Celebrity by Ovation taken apart before I start cutting up mine, for instance ;-)
I really appreciate this video and the exposure to the driftwood channel. I've been borrowing my neighbors Yamaha guitar and looking into getting one of my own.
My first guitar was a Sigma by Martin. Now I finally have a Custom Shop Martin D-28. I'm a heavy handed player as well. :)
I had a Sigma folk guitar which was a Martin copy. I played them both side by side and there was almost no difference accept the 3500dollar in price
Sigma isn't a copy, It was Martin's more affordable line. They are highly sought after today.
Since 2007. It's no longer in Martins hands which makes it a copy. Mine was from 2015
I've had my 1967 Guild F-47 for 45 years. Only have had to get the frets dressed, stays in tune, all original. Going to pass it on to my grandnephew when I'm gone. Guilds are one of the most under appreciated guitars IMHO.
Shhhhh. Don’t tell everyone
A crappy Kay with Black Diamond strings. Replaced with a new at the time '68 Yamaha FG-180 which was my first "real" guitar. Ir cost $99 new (in 1968). I still have it and the neck reset cost $300. It doesn't get a lot of play time. The Collings and Bourgeious get the most attention.
Dude thay FG-180, if it’s a good one, is a great guitar.
4:06 This point is not true. It’s more about headroom than body size. In professional studios the OM is generally more balanced for both strumming and finger picking.
It took me years to find my favorite guitars. It started in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. I bought a Yamaha FG830. Wow, what an ah ah moment. I had turned 65, having played since I was 11 years old. I have since purchased a Yamaha LL6M A.R.E. as well as an LS6. Yamaha does it for me as well as my Alvarez AD66SHB.
Have you ever played a Yamaha FG-180? I have one made in Japan in 1970. It was my first guitar; I bought it used circa 1985. It sure does sound good, but I think it needs a fret leveling and crowning.
What do you think about the LS6?
👍
You sir, are a practical man.
The Elizabeth Cotton - Freight Train exit music was spot on here. Thank you for the video, I have been playing for almost 30 years now, and have gone through a dozen or so acoustics and have spent my life trying to acquire a 1960s Gibson hummingbird mainly because the teacher I had growing up played one and the sound that vintage guitar produced to this day haunts my dreams and has left me unsatisfied with any guitar I play.
I'm with him on his view of Taylor; I admire the consistency, the innovation, and the attention to detail, but I just don't care for the jangly sound.
I love how bright and crisp they are, which is why I was so happy when I found my Seagull. It was exactly the sound I love from those Taylors, but for $300 (pawn shop price)
Taylor are like PRS for me. Phenomenal build quality and fit-and-finish, but I just don’t personally jive with them for a combination of neck shape, aesthetics, and a few tonal idiosyncrasies. In somebody else’s hands who gets along with their look and feel and knows how to fiddle with their tones, they can be absolutely incredible, but they’re not typically my jam for my personal preferences. So, mad respect but not my thing.
I have been considering trading in my 1967 Gibson 12-string for a new-ish Taylor though, because Taylor 12-strings typically have smaller necks and the Gibbo has a 4-by-4 fencepost for a neck (makes baseball bats look skinny) that hurts my hand after just a few minutes, and since 12-strings are jangly anyway, the “Taylor sound” just leans into that even more…
@@joshdaymusiced I actually prefer the sound of a good cedar/cherry Seagull over most of the Taylors I've heard.
@@TH-camHandlesAreMoronic I mean, fair. I guess I’ve just been fortunate with my point of reference for Taylor (my dad had a few over the years, and his were some very fine instruments). And my cedar Seagull S6 slim stood out because of how much it reminded me of those guitars.
I, too, dont much care for most Taylors. I've played the 900s as well as limited and builders editions costing thousands and thousands of dollars only to be dissapointed with the sound over and over. Not a fan at all of the V brace sound. I've only ever come across a few that I really like. The 2 that sounded the best to my ears, and that I would buy, are Taylors with cocobolo back and sides with spruce tops. They just did those ones right somehow. The other one I liked was a Macasser ebony back and sides with a sinker redwood top that a friend has. Same friend also has an older cedar top Taylor that sounds very good and is set up for and always kept in open C tuning.
Rhett - good video! I've got a 1978 Yamaha FG-335 acoustic, a very basic guitar, that I bought used in 1981. This thing has aged SO WELL. It has lived in the midwest the entire time, so some ups and downs with temp/humidity. Now we have a whole house humidifier in our home, and we rarely drop below 40% RH. Both my acoustics have really responded well to that improvement.
try a Seagull S6 or SM6: it sounds good, it's well-made, it's NOT expensive. Unlike a Gibson, a Taylor or a Martin, YOU CAN take your Seagull outside and/or to a campfire without fear. Kim Deal (Breeders, Pixies) plays one since the early '90s. Mine is so old, the Schaller tuning keys are stamped "made in West Germany"...
This. My first and still best acoustic is my S6 Spruce. Made in Canada, basically has been solidly in tune since the day I bought it, with minimal care other than keeping it in the case.
@@jlonglives Same here. My mother bought one in 1998, and now I play it. Solidest instrument I've owned. Intonation is still perfect 24 years later.
The Seagull S^ is one of my personal favorites, too. I bought one when they first started importing them to the U.S.A. At the time, it was the only guitar that wasn't an Ovation that I had any desire to own. I played the living snot out of mine.
I sold it to a friend for about what I'd paid for it decades earlier.
If I'm not going to play a "roundback," which is kind of highly unlikely in my case, then I want a Seagull S-6.
I got a S6 seagull too. Incredible instrument
A good (not necessarily expensive) acoustic guitar is an absolute must. I love the fact that during a poer outage, i can just pick mine up.and noodle away and keep myself entertained. Or take one on holiday and sit on a coastal hill overlooking the sea and write a few riffs and melodies. I love my electrics, pedals and amps, but theres something special about an acoustic younenjoy playing.
Inonly have one, and its a Harley Benton D45 copy and cost me £200, is permanently in open C tuning, and has gifted me at least 8 of my my own songs that a good friend has put beautiful lyrics and vocal melodies too.
I know so many people thatnjust can't function in a power cut because of their reliance on technology. I genuinely enjoy those moments
Love the collab video! Thanks Rhett and Chris!
Yes
Your 'old' 110 sounds like a million bucks. Much more than sentimental stuff going on there (and you play beautifully). It's got serious mojo. I've got an original 2006 Taylor GS....800 series build details (spruce, solid rosewood...now known as the 816), and don't get me wrong--it's glorious. I've played the crap out of it for the 15 years I've had it and it's aged beautifully. But more recently I picked up a lowly little 114 to be my songwriter buddy and.....my God, it sounds absolutely incredible. Resonance, sustain, harmonics WAY beyond its price point. My local luthier, who has worked on and played thousands of Taylors, gushed about it. These 100 series bargain boxes can punch so far above their weight class. Don't ever sell yours. Seriously, that thing has magic in it. Great video, thanks!
god you're a baby RHETT... my first high end INSTRUMENT was a gibson ebony standard 1991 i was 16 and paid it over 6 months so i could take it home eventually, every free minute I had i would bus down to the music store and plug in. when I paid it off, the whole staff applauded and packed it up and sent me home in a taxi - but man are you more rounded than me... i don't mind though I go at my pace you go at yours ... all i know my last effort will be reaching for my guitar! i believe you will too! my first acoustic was a takemine my brother never wanted!
Deep River Blues! Just when I didn’t think I could appreciate you any more than I do, you went and played one of my favorite tunes! Whether it’s Leo Kottke or ‘ol Doc Watson himself, that’s a killer tune. Bravo, Rhett.
Really good insight, thanks Rhett and Chris!
To date my favorite acoustic guitar (regardless of price point) is my Taylor AD-22e using Plectrum AC110 strings. It's just warm and awesomeness! Very good to know their build quality is extremely consistent and top notch as well. I'm sure my Eastman E10SS is not as good quality wise but man it's also a great sounding and reasonably priced acoustic. Enjoy this episode!
Plectrum AC110 is a string from heaven especially if you do finger styling.
I live in a climate (west Sonoma County, CA.) where the temps can vary by 50 degrees from early morning to late afternoon, and similar seasonal extremes in humidty, so I don't even want an expensive acoustic guitar in these conditions. There ARE some pretty nice sounding and playing laminated instruments available that can hold up to these "Martian" climatic patterns, so my advice is; don't be a heartless custodian of fragile, rare, expensive guitars even if you have too much money. Get what works for your needs and location.
I agree, you can definitely find great-sounding laminated wood guitars if you put in the legwork. That said, if you're diligent with keeping up with humidification and keeping your guitar in the case when not playing, you can definitely keep any guitar happy anywhere. But it's definitely nice to have a laminated guitar that you can just leave out for longer periods and not worry as much.
I live in arizona. No humidity change ever. I have acoutics that have hung on the wall for 30 years and ive never had a crack or warp or delamination once.
We should talk more about acoustic guitar IRs, most gigging guitarist have to plugin their guitars to a DI box and most acoustic guitars sound horrible pluged in, IRs makes a huge difference!
What's an IR?
@@jamesrodriquez2863impulse response. Basically an audio file that captures the sound of a setup. Like a specific cabinet and microphone combination for example. Or the reverb of a room. You can get those files online (the loader plugin also), often for free. Hardware loaders also exist, like the Two Notes Torpedo. That way you can have the sound of a cab and mic without actually having to use them physically
@@jamesrodriquez2863 IR stands for impulse response. Mostly used in digital modeling to simulate guitar cabs/speakers/microphones, but its also used to simulate a specific acoustic guitar sound with certain microphone in front of it. It makes a huge difference to the plugged in acoustic guitar sound.
@@davidjoel111 Man now you got me thinking about trying acoustic guitar IRs in a Cab block on my Fractal...
@@PatternRecognitionMusic it’s game changing if you ask me, the Worship Tutorial guys have some free stuff in their web page that is very decent. There’s also tutorials on how to make your own acoustic guitar IR, it seems straightforward but I have not been successful on making a good sounding IR of my guitar and mic.
My first acoustic I bought was in 1979 and it was a Takamine 360 EFS. Still have it today and it plays beautifully. My next was a Taylor 310, a Ibanez PF 5-12, and now a Taylor Mini Koa.
A couple years back, I bought a Gibson Hummingbird and a relatively inexpensive Taylor GS Mini as a couch guitar. LOVE the GS Mini. Hardly ever play the hummingbird. I'm a huge Taylor fan now. I also have a Martin that is great. I'm done with Gibson though. Not worth the price at all.
My Dad loves his GS Mini. I've played it and it's not really my cup of tea, but I can appreciate it.
Thanks for great video.
The most basic tip I would give anyone buying a guitar no matter if they are beginners or been playing for years is: If YOU think it sounds good it IS good. If YOU think it feels good IT DOES.
Don't buy a guitar based on what brand it is.
The most renowned american brands are kind of overrated and extremly overprized. There, I said it.
If you are a beginner you will probably not be able to appreciate a high end guitar (1000 dollars+) and probably not be able to tell the difference.
Buy second hand. A fairly well built instrument will last you for years even decades and if you care for it in a reasonable amount it will sound better over the years.
If you like a guitar, buy it. You can strum or fingerpick any guitar, it is all up to you what you find fitting for you. Don't complicate it. When you have been at it for a while (some years) and played 200 guitars+ then you might start hear and feel the difference between a good guitar and a more regular one. That is not decided by the headstock. There are crappy so called high end guitars out there and yes, some of them are branded with the logos of the renowned brands... and there are some great guitars from less renowned brands and much more reasonable priced.
If you ever have the money to buy 5000 dollar+ guitar you should consider to have a luthier built guitar specifically for you with your specs. It will beat any "factory made" guitar in quality and sound eight days a week 366 days a year for the same money.
Good luck!
Please do a video on what is the "Taylor Sound"? and what makes it good or bad
...and where best to utilize the Taylor sound, as well as where not to use it.
I find Taylor guitars sound very bright relative to other acoustic guitars. The poly finish and A-Style bracing give it a lack of low end. Great for worship music, not ideal for bluegrass/country
Taylors have a unique internal bracing that makes them very durable and consistent between guitars. One positive is Taylor is probably the only acoustic guitar brand I would trust to buy over the internet if I absolutely had to, because of that consistency. The negative for that bracing is that it affects the ability to produce deep and resonant low end. So the Taylors end up really jangly and bright sounding. To me Taylor guitars sound really nice for finger-picking. But they aren't my favorite for strumming rock songs.
I have two Taylors, a Yairi, and a Martin. They each have different characters. So much can be dialed in through the use of different types and gauges of strings and shape, material, and thicknesses of picks. For fingerstyle the length of nails, if you have them, or the pressure on your flesh will affect the sound. Experiment. Taylors don’t have to have that sound you don’t like. And, to me, they can’t be beat when it comes to an easy to play neck. And ease of playing makes for a better overall experience and ultimately the best tone.
Yet I’ve seen many country or bluegrass players use Taylors.
I just bought my first acoustic, a Taylor 114ce. I love the sound and was pleased to hear a luthier compliment their build quality!
My one and only acoustic is a taylor 512 i bought in san francisco back in the 90’s…pretty sure bob taylor was still making them back then…its still a killin guitar…glad i kept mine, too. 👊 fyi get the daddario humidipak system…no water or messy shit…
Brett, I too have a bit of a heavy strumming hand. I'm now 67 yrs old and have the dreaded "shoulder problem"... small body is much easier for me to play. I've been focusing on playing with a lighter touch and plugging into an amp when I want more volume... even just for practice. (my ears are also growing old, I kinda like the amp). I'm selling my 2 dreads, and getting an 00 body instrument with 12 frets... they sound so sweet with a gentle hand.
In 2015, after more than 20 years of playing, I picked up a beat up Tacoma. It’s so ugly but I never played a better guitar for me. BTW, the big dreadnaught body is just fine for finger style. Sounds great.
Really? I play fingerstyle and moving air is tough unless I'm using fingerpicks / thumbpicks. Just flesh and I need a smaller guitar.
I own several acoustics that I like for different things. For example, my Taylor is great for finger style or intricate picking, my old Alvarez dread excels at strumming and flatpicking, and I have an inexpensive Gretsch cowboy guitar strung in Nashville high tuning that I use to add "decoration to the cake" so to speak. My guitars are like old friends to me, and each one brings its own thing(s) to the table. I really want to play some J-45 slope shoulder style guitars to see what they offer!
My advice to acoustic guitar shoppers; set your budget, play a bunch of the guitars in that price range, and buy the one that speaks to you in such a way that you can't put it down.
I’m incredibly lucky to have two great acoustics. A 1930 12-fret Gibson L1 flattop that used to belong to my great-grandmother, and a handmade OM-18-style guitar I got in 2017 from a local builder, Johnny Rushing, who lives about 20-30 minutes down the road from me.
Johnny insists he’s a “guitar guy” as opposed to a “luthier”-he says “If anybody asks me if I’m a luthier, I tell ‘em no, I’m a Baptist.” When I was searching for a backup to my Great-Granny’s old Gibson (since it’s an irreplaceable family heirloom I don’t take it anywhere), I tried a ton of high end Martin, Larrivée, Bourgeois, Huss and Dalton, Collings, all amazing instruments but not quite what I was after…then I ended up in Johnny’s workshop, strummed a few chords on the OM-alike, and paid him on the spot.
One of these days Johnny might eventually convince me to buy a dreadnought or a superjumbo off him (or his brother Jimmy, an equally-talented builder who lives about 45 minutes down the road from me in the other direction from Johnny), and I wouldn’t mind finding a decent 12-string somewhere, but otherwise I’m out of the market, not even looking at anything else. I’m always jonesing for another electric, trying out this that and the other, trading and buying and selling, but as to 6-string acoustics, I’m pretty much satisfied.
I still have my Takamine 349C from the early 90s, I used it on the road, played many many hours live, I've had it on the stand in the living room the whole time my kids grew up, it was knocked off the stand I don't know how many times, it still sounds amazing and excellent plugged in. I tend to like the cut away better. I bought a 12 string Takamine cut away last year, it's also incredible to play.
You may have paid "only" $300 for that Takamine, but it's worth the reset.
Given the Japanese collectors market I was somewhat surprised when he said $300. When did he buy it!?
That was GREAT! What a wonderful guest. My first acoustic guitar was an Epiphone. Like you, I mowed lawns all summer of '67. Later I added a Framus 12 string. It had a really beautiful tone.
Love the Driftwood channel.
I never thought I'd become "branded" in terms of guitars, but I bought a Martin LXM a few years ago and fell completely in love with it. It's my every day go to guitar when I'm here at home practicing or working on whatever it is I happen to be working on musically. I also have a Breedlove parlor guitar that I have a love/hate relationship with depending on what it is I'm playing. My big guitar is an el cheapo Dean dreadnought that I bought 25 years ago that has a lot of sentimental value because of how long I've had it. Over the years, I've had Fender acoustics, an Ovation (try playing one of those with a big belly and see what happens LOL), an Alvarez, just a variety of different low to mid priced acoustic guitars. Lately I've been thinking of getting something larger than my LXM, and I simply cannot bring myself to pull the trigger on anything other than a Martin. That's how impressed I've been with this $400 high pressure laminate LXM that sounds bigger than it looks, plays well, is well constructed, and simply sounds more expensive than it should. I haven't decided yet what model I'm going to get, but it will definitely be a Martin. Sorry Taylor. LOL!
anyone have opinions on Breedlove?My wife bought one years ago but quit playing it. I picked it up for myself when I started getting serious about guitar.
Like any brand…it depends. The model, age, price. I have played some good ones.
What a great name though.
I think the first thing they spoke of is the most important. Buy what your ears and hands like. When I was buying my first acoustic I really wanted one I saw online, went to a store and played it along with a bunch of the others they had in there. Ended up walking out with a different guitar.
Would love to see a neck reset done
My parents bought me my first guitar in 1954. It was a "sunburst" Gene Autry special and it was a pos. After a few months I started using my father's Harmony Patrician. I still had it in 1966 when it was stolen. I wish I still had it, but at the time I had a Guild F30 and a Gibson Dove, so I didn't miss it as much then as I do now.
Wow, great video, guys. I love Chris Alvarado. "That makes me really angry..." -> I love the fact he cares that much about quality and the people who buy guitars. This is a brilliant interview.
Completely agree with Taylor if you're on a budget. Their less expensive guitar will be better than everything else in the same price range or above that I know!
Try a modern Yamaha. Sound better than anything to me for hundreds less.
@@BeefNEggs057 interesting! I love Yamaha but tried one of their entry level acoustic and didn’t like it… I have to try again.
My first was a 3/4 scale nameless classical guitar. I had no idea at the time but starting on nylon strings was a gift.
Could I ask how so? Now that I'm serious about guitar I'm looking to replace my dying nameless classical guitar for either another classical or an acoustic. Can't really make up my mind.
Since I still consider myself an inexperienced player, do you think I should do another nylon?
Thanks in advance!
My OO-28 is way, WAY more banging than my 200 jumbo.
I made my main acoustic about fifteen years ago. I made a 000 but built it 10mm deeper and the "strumability" is much improved by the extra air inside.
Over the years I've taught lots of people to do their first acoustic build. Trying to stop them using highly figured wood on the top was a common theme! I have a guitar that I bought in the early nineties that looks superb but sounds weedy. That has made the point for me a lot.
Neck reset vid is a great idea. Done right they save an acoustic from the "grip of Godzilla" syndrome.
I don't mean to sound like "that guy" but.....cutting perfectly fine guitars in half? With modern camera tech, you need to do that? I know it's good for clicks but those guitars would get better use in someone's hands, getting played. And you could still do your quality check videos.
Great video. I am finally returning to guitars after twenty-five years, mostly playing ancient instruments like lyres, moraharpa, etc, and my old guitar is not up for it after years in storage. This was a very inspirational video, thank you :)
Neck reset video please!!
Binding comes loose on Martins; well known and complete pain to deal with. Also neck resets common in Martins. My Martin sounds wonderful, but I have to deal with it taking months to get fixed with new binding and I sure hope the neck stays ok. I wonder what makes the binding so weak?
What is this obsession with "TH-cam ponder face" thumbnails, especially in the guitar/music creators lane?
See his recent video. TH-cam algorithm forces them or the video isn’t shown to people.
Yea, its the nature of the beast. Really felt for him in his last video.
It’s unfortunate, definitely watch his “I hate youtube” video. I guess it started with Mr. Beast thumbnails, I hate it too I try to give creators the benefit of the doubt even if the thumbnail has that dumb “ponder face”
Pat Finnerty lights him up for it lmao. But it's a part of the formula for a successful video.
"Ponder face" is pretty accurate. You've likely heard of the great sculpture titled "The Thinker". I refer to that face that so often shows up in TH-cam thumbnails as "The Stinker" 'cause it always looks like they just pushed out some air and they're checking for the smell. Yeah, admit it... we all do it.
When i go into Guitar Center the majority of new acoustic guitars that are hanging have about a quarter inch action. I picked up a new Martin 000-15 because all the videos on TH-cam about how great they are and it sucked.
Slotting the bridge to increase the string slope when needed like when the saddle is low makes it sound much better.
I have had to lower nuts on new guitars.
I replace all tusq saddle because they chip where the wound strings make contact.
I thought I'd give some of my experience and thank you for posting
✌️💜🎸💯
Guitars are tools, nothing more. I've got a vintage Martin D-28 I've had for over two decades that has three refrets on in (in addition to several dressings) and will need a neck reset the next time it needs new frets. It is what it is; pony up and pay for the maintenance. Guys pretend like it doesn't cost money to keep their car running that gets them to a gig but will gawk at $400-600 for some luthier work to keep them in the game? Man that is way cheaper than the oil changes during the same period.
I came across a D28 in '85 which had belonged to a divorcee. It was her Ex's...
Sat behind a chair for many years...
She said she would sell it to me for $150!😮
Which I could not even come up with at the time Sadly...
I ended up letting my guitar partner at the time buy it and it still outrings my new Martin.
Almost 25 years later...
It is NOT just a tool.
@@loricampbell6023 tell me you are a collector and not a player without telling me you are a collector and not a player. Enjoy your jewels in their display cases I'll keep gigging with my vintage D-28 and Les Paul. I'm out there doing the "distressing" job that boomers are paying for on new instruments.
@@BigLuv8 don't sleep on the early to mid 70s D-28s and D-35s. They have not gone crazy in price like the Brazilian Rosewood models but some are fantastic!
Chris is awesome, and his series where he cuts the guitars in half is fun and interesting. Great to see you two chat about acoustics.
I hope we all know that it doesn't matter who is in the 'top job' because this is a systemic problem - greed. We have allowed many of our economic sectors, to take advantage of the American people. It's disgusting and frightening for the future of our country. My husband and I will be retiring in the next two years n another country. We are absolutely worried that SSI will no longer be funded. we'll have to rely on his pension, a 403 (b) and a very prolific Investment account with my Tracy Britt Cool Consulting my FA. Our national debt is bloating and expanding every month. Our government needs to get spending under control and cut the federal budget.
I'm headed to Thailand or the Philippines in 4 years. What country you moving too?
I know this FA, Tracy Britt Cool Consulting but only by her reputation at Goldman Sachs; even though she's now involved in managing portfolios and providing investmnt guidance to clients. I have been trying to get in contact since I watched her interview on WSJ last month
Her name is Tracy Britt Cool Consulting.
You can glance her name up on the internet.she's renowned and has quite a following. So it shouldn't be a hassle finding her.
@@VonNothias-f7hI have a sister in Sri Lanka, should be easy for me to settle in
Great video and I like Chris’s comment about how voicing has more to do with how big it sounds than the actual size. My DaVinci Driftwood guitar sounds massive.
Sorry Rhett. This is the first vid of yours that I’ve seen that was disappointing. So what you wish you knew is no glue glops, don’t be fooled by the purty ones, and keep it in proper humidity? That’s it? How bout solid woods vs laminate? Basic tonal properties of cedar tops vs spruce? Of rosewood vs mahogany backs and sides, and how it relates to your playing style. How about projection? Overtones? Sorry man, but glue glops, humidity and not being fooled by looks should be mentioned but NOBODY at Carters is gonna tell a first time buyer that these are the 3 most important things. You got tons of great vids. Just missed the basket on this one.
I agree sub par at best, this one was dialed in.
Got to agree, I was disappointed in this video as well.
I agree. it was all so trivial.
8:33 YES. You need two! My baby got a crack because my hydrometer was stuck at 45% when it was actually 25% (when I lived in a hi-rise). I now have two digital meters at all times.
Strange, why would anyone Not buy a guitar because its sound? Its main and kinda sole purpose that it makes sound. So you shall buy it with your ears. Not by your eyes and other stupid reasons... :)
Yup
Sound and playability is what matters to me.
Don’t really care about brand.
I have had a couple inexpensive Yamahas that sounded great.
People buy cars because of color and cup holders despite bad reliability reputation and having a 4 cyl for a full-size vehicle. People are silly mostly. Maybe you haven’t discovered that yet. You will.
@@BeefNEggs057 I have not said I did not discover this. :) I just made a point, how this is against all sensible logic.
It astonishes me that you are asking this question when the answer is so obvious. There are so many reasons why would buy a guitar not based on sound alone. When people are buying their first guitar they don’t know what a good guitar sounds like so they might be more drawn to the cool looking guitars and won’t be able to judge the sound properly. It you are playing on a stage and plugging into a pickup system the acoustic sound of the guitar doesn’t matter all that much. Just to name a few.
@@hastyscorpion You are just explaining stupidity here. But, well done I guess :)
Great video. Thanks! My first acoustic was a nylon string no name . . . sounded terrible but was super comfortable and fun to play. Next was a Taylor I got from the Pennysaver in the early 90s (still have even after a headstock break - sent to Taylor for repair - without asking just replaced the entire neck with a big bill.)
Great vid - thanks! I've done the Taylor factory tour and their craftsmanship and results of their automation is something else. I'm yet to own one though. I *do* have a 1988 Takamine FP360SC (Japanese) which by then had the current signature Takamine headstock - spruce top, rosewood back and sides. Ordered it through a local store out of the catalogue. A lucky, sensational buy. Huge sound when pushed, great top end. Holds tune. 36 years later, it's still my workhorse for just about any live or home setting.
Next guitar purchase will be a little more discerning. At the Taylor factory showroom, they have just about any guitar in any combination you'd want to try. The difference in just one type of body - top, sides, neck - is astounding. I found the one I wanted, by sound, not looks, but sadly it's sticker was US$5,300. Convert to Australian $ and that converts to d-i-v-o-r-c-e. *Sigh*
First guitar was a Yamaha FG-180, @ late 70 s. Great.guitar for the money, I still have it.
You answered a couple of questions I've had for some time, thank you both very much!
Bought my first acoustic in 1965; a Gibson J45. I eventually went through the whole Gibson line right up to a 1957 J200. The J45 still stands as the best acoustic I ever owned... until I picked up a Guild D44 in '72. I'm a former major lablel artist and done every imaginable kind of gig. With a $1,200 Taylor I found that it was so humidity sensitive that the neck was always essentially flopping around like a fish on a boat deck (not that ever liked the overly-bright tone!). As a guitar teacher since 1975 I advise my acoustic oriened students to avoid the 'bling' of the high end Martins. Find an old "beat to s**t" Martin D18 and find out how good acoustic guitar tone can really be. This is not a humble opinion. Short of paying the premium for a Collings (or a Pippin if you can even find one) the old school construction of early Martins and Guilds can't be beat for the money.
For the winter heating season I protect my guitars with humidity between 40-50% using thermostatically controlled humidifiers (good for people and guitars). If for some reason this is not an option for you, then for under $5, purchase some small plastic bar soap containers. Drill 15-20 small holes and fit an absorbent sponge. Place them inside the guitar case along with the guitar. To replenish moisture to dry damaged guitars, place them directly inside the guitar. Always use a hygrometer to maintain humidity between 40-55%.
I'm so very happy with my Fender Highway dreadnought. Perfect singer companion. Tilt neck. I've been chasing after a thin body acoustic for 20 years. It's nothing like the Acoustasonic, what a let-down that was DOA. The Highway has great tone (I use Elixers) is loud and plays easy. Sounds the same amplified as not through an acoustic amp. No under saddle piezo weird ass sound signature either. Glad I didn't give up, glad Fender didn't give up too.
I bought a 110ce earlier this year, because the Taylor sound is instrumental for the music I play. Great guitar for sitting in a mix and just banging out chords generally. I love it.
I think a spruce top and rosewood back and sides look beautiful.😍
Epiphone FT-150, Oct 1975. Played it during study hall in H.S. and brought it with me to college and later when I moved cross-country. Now owned by a long-lost friend.
Hey Rhett, thanks for another great vid. In all honesty I have been watching Driftwood vids longer than I have yours, and I am grateful to both of you for the info and instruction you both provide! Keep it going, Thanks Again!
Excellent, and informative video. My first real guitar was my Dad's vintage Goya G-10, and I followed that up with a Martin HD28V. I love that Martin and as a heavy-handed strummer, I've got no regrets.
Love to hear you guys talk acoustic- chris is awesome i wish i could afford one of his guitars i just know he cares about each one- cheers fellas
Having another go at acoustic guitar again. Just found my old BM made in Spain classical guitar. It was bought in 1969 and never been used until last week. Restringed sounds fine to me. Thanks for film
Fisrt time, and instant sub. I dig the way you don't talk shop so civilians , not in the biz ,can RELATE. And you have the chops ,but don't rub it .Plus that you articulate what we need to know techique wise,with going off into any name dropping about how this lick actually executed.
I love Driftwood vids. I bought a PRS parlor after he showec how indestructible it was. This was an excellent discussion of acoustic guitars. Thanks man
My fav acoustic I ever played was a Taylor grand auditorium and a Koa Taylor I have. Beautiful figuring while sounding amazing.
The best tip that I got told is to try every guitar in the shop, and buy the one that speaks to you, feel and sounds nice, and feels comfortable ❤❤
Thanks, Rhett. I'm probably going to be in the market for a new acoustic sometime in the upcoming year. This is a LOT of helpful information!