Conference napalm::guitar

    
    
    If you're planning to play the guitar mostly unplugged, then I suggest
    you buy one that sounds good to you (both when you play it and when you
    listen to someone else play it) unplugged.  I'm not familiar with the
    models you're considering, but to my way of thinking, only a full
    bodied (as in, not the skinny, electrified Guilds) acoustic guitar
    will sound like an acoustic guitar.  You might get a good deal mail
    order, but you should definitely go to some stores and play some
    guitars.  If you're a new player, bring a friend with you who plays the
    kind of music you want to play and listen to him or her play the guitar
    you're thinking of buying.  I'm sure you can find someone from this
    file to help you spend your money on a fine, new instrument :-)
    
    Cheers,
    
    Justine 

    I own a D-4 and am VERY pleased with it! As far as electronics go, 
    you can always add a Dean Markley sound hole pickup or a thinline
    later on.
    
    As in the previous note, don't buy unless you try!!
    
    Mike

Defintely buy the one that is not only the most cofortable
for your hands and arms (I've got small hands to, as well as
avearge length arms.. size of the body and beck become a factor)
but obviously has the sound you like.  Problem is, play any Guild
and try and find one you like better.  They all sound great.

If your worried about electronics, than check out
the Fishman series of acoustic pickups.  (They fit underneath
the bridge saddle...)  But you'll need something for shaping the 
sound from there,  for that I'd suggest a basic guitar EQ.  Somethingas 
like a BOSS CE-7..  (Works great, quite, easy to control...)  I've
tried a few of these 'pedal' style EQs, and I find that
they're NOT all the same.  The BOSS seemed to be the best out
of a number of them.

Price wise..
The Fishman Natural is around 100 bucks installed, and you
can pick up the Eq. (Boss CE-7) for around 70 bucks mail
order.  (In fact, I think you'll find most guilds that have a P/U 
in them, come stock with a Fishman natural..)

    I am a F series owner and I'm really pleased with it.  It does sound
    much better plugged in than acoustic, but that is what I was looking
    for. I payed $599 for mine at Guitar Center in Chicago. 
    
    I wanted an acoustic/eletric with good acoustic sound and great eletric
    sound, the F was perfect and the cutaway was a great plus.
    
    Regards,
    Pat
    
    

Thanks for all your replies.

I'm definitely gonna try them locally first and see if they'll match the
prices I was quoted for mail order.  I'm leaning toard the F4-CE because
it's "electric like".  

Has anyone tried out the Seagull D6 or the Cahrvel acoustic/elec repeadedly
featured in Musicians Friend Mail order catalog ?

I'm curiuos as to your opinions ??


Thanks again

/Nick

    
    There is a Guitar Player issue that has tests on acoustic/elec. guitars
    in the mid-price range. They judge each guitar on it's playablity, 
    workmanship, acoustic tone, electric tone, etc. I know the Seagull
    D6 and a couple of Guilds were checked out and I could give you the
    test results on these and a couple of others. I'll try to remember
    to bring the issue in tomorrow and I'll type in some results in this
    note file.
    
    See ya later

Yep,

I have that issue, the Guild f4ce had good acoustic tone but cut off
low-end freq when amplified.  The seagull came out with glowing reviews,
especially plugged in...

The only reason I considered the F4-ce is the price from Victor-Litz
of $425 (too good to be true ?) 

I found out that it was a display model, hence the low price.

I have grave reservations about buying a guitar mail order, without seeing it,
especially if it is a display model.  Victor will not refund my money if
I don't like what I get. They only give credit.

If someone within the vicinity if Victor-Litz happens to see it, let me know
what you think...

regards,


Nick

    The Seagull S6 c.w. flame top maple is going for $629 Can. I'am
    planning to check the Seagull S6 and the Alvarez Artist 5088C
    because they seemed to get the best acoustic/electric tone
    for the March 1993 elec/acoustic shootout in Guitar Player.
    BTW (for those who haven't seen it) - the Alvarez got the
    award for best bang for the buck. It sells for $600 Cdn.
    Since the Guitar Player review, the prices have really come 
    down substancially. Any Seagull S6 C.W. (C.W.= Cutaway) or 
    Alvarez Artist 5088C owners care to comment on there 
    instruments ?
    
    Thanx in advance 

    Had a chance to try out the Seagull S6 flame top maple on my
    weekend trip to Montreal. With the mic/piezo installed, the
    guitar goes for $1000 (the $629 Cdn. price was for a lower
    Seagull model). Acoustically, the bass response was full,
    midrange was really good and the high end was average 
    (lacking a bit in high frequency clarity). Electrically,
    the sound was great!
    
    BTW - a new set of medium gauge acoustic strings were put on
    before checking it out.
    
    

    
    Hey, .0, did you ever buy a guitar?
    
    I just noticed this note, and how close it was to my experience.  I had
    pretty much settled on a Guild D-4: it sounded good, not great, but it
    played really well.  I played two D-4s, and made both places put new
    strings on them.  They still sounded good, but not great.  The $1200+
    Guilds, now *those* sounded great.
    
    I played a cedar/cherry Seagull S6, and thought it sounded a little
    muddy (in retrospect, the strings could have been old).  But I ran 
    across a last year's model that was spruce/cherry and it knocked me out!
    I'd have had to pay 4 figures for a Guild that sounded better.  As it 
    was, I bought it and a hard case for about $100 less than the Guild D-4.
    
    I figured that buying the Seagull today didn't prevent me from buying a
    nice Guild at a later date.  I guess one of the things I came away with
    after all this was an appreciation of rosewood or cherry or maple as 
    alternatives to mahogany backs and sides.
    
    Jim
       

    No, I didn't buy the Seagull S6 because of unexpected financial
    constraints. But just out of curiousity, how do you like the
    sound of the Seagull S6 (acoustically/electrically) now that 
    you've had it for awhile? Any regrets?
    
    Thanks in advance

    
    I still love it.  It's acoustic, no built-in electronics.
    
    They gave me a new set of strings for it when I bought it (Martin
    Phosphor Bronze, at my request), but it still sounds so good I haven't 
    felt the need to change them.  It'll be interesting to see if the
    Martin's sound as good as the John Pearse that it came with.
    
    I think it would also be interesting to try a cedar/cherry S6 with
    new strings.
    
    Jim
    
      

    I just wandered into my local music shop the weekend, and they
    have a used Guild D35 on the wall.  It's a D35 from 1968.  I
    had my kids with me and didn't spend any time listening to it,
    but I've been thinking about it more.  It's really kind of
    beat - the sound board has some roughed up spots from strumming,
    and the neck has a few ding's in the back, but overall it's
    functionally strong.  The price is about $450 with a hard case.
    
    Does anybody know about the D35's and if this would be a keeper?
    I do a mix of finger-pick and flat-pick - all acoustic and I
    don't use mikes.  I've been using more open tunings and would
    like to swap guitars rather than re-tune.  
    
    Many thanks for any words of advice (and I have found *many*
    good words of advice in this notes conference!)
    
    mark

    
    I'm not sure what the specs are on a D35. I'll have to check through
    some of my old Guild catalogs, or Wheelers book. Is this guitar 
    mahogonay, or rosewood? I own a D25-12, and a D30. The D25-12 is all 
    mahogany, with rather plain trim, but it's still a great guitar, and 
    has a solid spruce top. As far as I know back in '68 all Guild guitars 
    had solid spruce tops. Nowadays, there are a few models with mahogony 
    tops, and possibly a few with plywood tops. . I would imagine the D35 
    would be a step up from the D25. The D30 I have is a newer model. It
    features highly-figured curly maple back, sides, and neck. This gives
    it a very bright tone for a dreadnought, but it still has the boomin'
    bass response like any Dreadnought. 
    
    For $450 today, you won't get much in the way of a new Guild. Even
    one of the satin-series guitars will set you back around $600. I
    believe Guild acoustics are about the best value going in an American
    made acoustic. 
    
    Mark

    
    A 1969 P-Bass that I bought for $155.00 (w/case) and a Peavey TNT bass 
    combo (1-15") amp that I bought new for $250.00.
    
    	That's it!
    
    
    		Fred (who still has that '69 P-bass)

    This one has rather plain trim, mahogany sides and back, and a 
    spruce top.  With the quick strum I gave it I did hear a nice
    booming base and a bright high end.  But as I said, I didn't 
    spend enough time to really check it out.  I guess I'll have to
    go back and give it a responsible play.
    
    I had resigned myself to shooting the wad on a Martin (although
    my heart kept telling me to play a Taylor) but the more of the
    others I play, the more I realize that many of these are hand-
    built, and as such, there are differences within the model.  If
    you find something that works for you, well - go for it!  I also
    must agree with you that the Guild does present a heck of a value.
    
    thanks, mark

    re. .15   Fred, I take it you intended this for the "What were you 
    playin in '74" note.
    
    Mark