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I've been slowly building up to a quality acoustic guitar purchase (it's not easy for me to drop cash on an acoustic, since I find electrics far more exciting), and I think I'm finally ready, but I am torn between a few different options. All have a cutaway and electronics. I typically play around the house, and outside in the summer (campfires, dock, etc.).
Here goes:
RainSong A-WS1000 - $1200
Graphite guitar with a THIN neck. Sounds good (A-), plays good now/could play great forever with one good setup (A+), looks a bit plain/cheap compared to wooden guitars IMO, but not too bad, and is kinda unique (B+). It is impervious to temperature and humidity changes and needs no seasonal adjustments. It does have a truss rod, but that's only to get the neck set up the way you like it. Then it will never move.
Taylor 324-CE L-10 - $1700
This is the 2005 Fall Limited Edition of the Taylor 314-CE. It is made of Koa, instead of Mahogany and Spruce. Looks very attractive (A). Plays OK (thicker neck) (B), sounds very good (A).
Taylor 414-CE L-10 - $1700
This is the 2005 Fall Limited Edition of the Taylor 414-CE. It has Rosewood back & sides instead of the normal Ovangkol. The top is still Spruce. Looks plain from the front (plain Spruce), pretty from the back (Rosewood) (A-). Sounds very good (A). Plays OK (B).
Between the Taylors, it might seem like a no-brainer to pick the 4xx series over the 3xx series, since they're the same price, and the 4xx series is typically priced higher, but as I understand it, the major difference between the 3xx and 4xx series is the woods used (plus the 3xx has black binding and the 4xx has white binding, but that's no big deal to me), and with the LE models, the woods are different anyway.
I tried all 3 today, and I'm getting pretty close to buying one of them. The Taylors do sound a bit better than the RainSong, but all 3 sound good, and the RainSong has been at the store longer, so new strings might help. The RainSong has a nicer neck.
I think that both RainSong and Taylor are respected American companies, though RainSong is not as well known. All of these appear to be quality, Made In USA guitars.
Advantages: The RainSong is tough as nails, and I should be able to get one killer set up done, then never worry about it again - and it's $500 cheaper, though it only includes a gig bag, so maybe I should add $100 or so to that price for a hardshell case. The Taylors' advantages are sound, looks (especially the Koa model), and the fact that everyone I know of raves about Taylor.
Disadvantages? The RainSong looks pretty plain, and some might say, a bit cheaper. Either of the Taylors will have to be babied more, and I will worry about humidity, etc., more, which would make me less likely to bring the acoustic out to the campfire, play it on the deck in the sun, etc. Plus, more $.
So, what do y'all think?
Here goes:
RainSong A-WS1000 - $1200
Graphite guitar with a THIN neck. Sounds good (A-), plays good now/could play great forever with one good setup (A+), looks a bit plain/cheap compared to wooden guitars IMO, but not too bad, and is kinda unique (B+). It is impervious to temperature and humidity changes and needs no seasonal adjustments. It does have a truss rod, but that's only to get the neck set up the way you like it. Then it will never move.
Taylor 324-CE L-10 - $1700
This is the 2005 Fall Limited Edition of the Taylor 314-CE. It is made of Koa, instead of Mahogany and Spruce. Looks very attractive (A). Plays OK (thicker neck) (B), sounds very good (A).
Taylor 414-CE L-10 - $1700
This is the 2005 Fall Limited Edition of the Taylor 414-CE. It has Rosewood back & sides instead of the normal Ovangkol. The top is still Spruce. Looks plain from the front (plain Spruce), pretty from the back (Rosewood) (A-). Sounds very good (A). Plays OK (B).
Between the Taylors, it might seem like a no-brainer to pick the 4xx series over the 3xx series, since they're the same price, and the 4xx series is typically priced higher, but as I understand it, the major difference between the 3xx and 4xx series is the woods used (plus the 3xx has black binding and the 4xx has white binding, but that's no big deal to me), and with the LE models, the woods are different anyway.
I tried all 3 today, and I'm getting pretty close to buying one of them. The Taylors do sound a bit better than the RainSong, but all 3 sound good, and the RainSong has been at the store longer, so new strings might help. The RainSong has a nicer neck.
I think that both RainSong and Taylor are respected American companies, though RainSong is not as well known. All of these appear to be quality, Made In USA guitars.
Advantages: The RainSong is tough as nails, and I should be able to get one killer set up done, then never worry about it again - and it's $500 cheaper, though it only includes a gig bag, so maybe I should add $100 or so to that price for a hardshell case. The Taylors' advantages are sound, looks (especially the Koa model), and the fact that everyone I know of raves about Taylor.
Disadvantages? The RainSong looks pretty plain, and some might say, a bit cheaper. Either of the Taylors will have to be babied more, and I will worry about humidity, etc., more, which would make me less likely to bring the acoustic out to the campfire, play it on the deck in the sun, etc. Plus, more $.
So, what do y'all think?
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