Currently own a Taylor 310 that I love to death. Its fun to be "that" attached to an instrument. I always get funny looks when asked this question:

"What are you doing tonight?"
-Going home, beating the hell out of my daughter for three hours, and then going to sleep.

That being said, Taylors have a...price tag associated with them that keeps them out of the hands of beginners and those that aren't serious about their guitars.

I'm starting to play bars more frequently in the coming weeks...and I want to keep damage to my daughter to an extreme minimum. Sooo... I'm considering adopting a son.

http://www.musicpower.com/mmMUSICPOWER/ ... XEBK-f.jpg

sexy? Anyone have experience with this make/model?

My old-man just bought a Gibson j-200
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Acousti ... tudio.aspx

Again price tag aside this guitar is extreamly nice and loud for an acustic guitar. If you have a chance to go to guitar center and play one definally do it.

*edit*
but no i havn't had a chance to play a martin yet

$2,999.00 new
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I was looking in the $300-600 price range..so when someone spills a beer on it, or the dopey-dumb sound guy bangs a mic stand into it.. I'm not ready to tear his stomach out through his rectal cavity.


but.. I'm willing to bet that thing will sound the way angles do... in 3-5 years or 600 hours playing time. That's part of the whole acoustic debacle. You buy something that sounds good, now... and in 3-5 years...you may hate it. Damn wood maturation. I became lucky with Taylor.

I can see ya point about the drunks hahah. Are you desided on buying a new guitar yet or still open to used. again my old man has a gibson j-160e acoustic/electric that he might part with its a probally late 70's model not origanal tuners but the guitar plays and sounds great, only thing he doesent like about it is it is kinda quiet when playing in open air jam type sessions. It may not be right for ya but i thought of it when i was lookin up the other guitar.

It'd feel like a crime to buy anything new for bar-gigs.


I love Gibsons/Martins/Taylors more than I love my car... but I hate to see expensive pieces of gear get damaged..and acousto-electric is almost a must. Buddy's guitar almost had its sound hole ripped out/open last week when an idiot sound tech didn't watch his footing and stepped on the connector and tripped.

Buy an Ovation.

I've been really playing around with that idea.

The only issue I have is...within the $400 price range <500 with a case>, the dealers aren't willing to move, and I"m not willing to pay that much, for that little of a guitar. I'm sort of sitting on a fence post currently, waiting for a 20% off guitar center/sam ash coupon to magically show up in the mail as incentive.

So guitar is what I do for a living, and while by trade I am a classical man, I will offer my reflections:

First, people don't hear much of your guitar--mostly they hear your amp. I don't mean that in a smart-ass way, I mean the quality loss from most sound equipment will trump any subtlety you'd find between a bad $300 guitar and a great one.

Secondly, if you're looking for a beater, find one that's already been one. You may be able to find a MUCH better instrument that is scratched all to hell and maybe had it's neck cracked (and repaired) in your price range, since anybody with money for a taylor/martin/gibson wants a shiny one.

Also, guitars don't sound the same in front as they do behind. Well, GOOD guitars don't. We want the sound to go forward, not back. So for playing shows, get the guitar that sounds the best in front. Bring a buddy who plays and make them play any guitar you think of buying while you stand a little distance in front and listen. Trust your ears, and pick the instrument that has a sound you can live with. You have your baby to listen to yourself with =)

Again, I'm a classical man (and at 25k replacement insurance I flat WILL NOT take my concert instrument out of it's case in public unless there are at least 4 figures involved) but what I always heard was "play live shows with martins, record on a taylor" Martin has a brighter sound that projects better and gives a clearer sense of rhythm, while the warmer softer characteristic of a taylor is better for subtlety and nuance when recording.

If you're playing bars you're going to be going through your or the house PA, and unless you feel like lugging around a super transparent PA system, which is going to cost serious dough, it's not worth really knowing what the guitar is going to sound like in front or behind, or anything really. Get something that sounds and plays well, and no one in the bar is going to have a damn clue what you're playing. Hell most of the people you'll be playing in front of won't even know what or if you're playing most of the time.

he can use his own amp in a bar if he wants!

but the point stands the sound quality is going to be hit or miss, just take whatever feels nice to play, get a set of decent strings on it and for bars you will be all set