I may be looking to get a new one as mine's only a cheapy. What I would really like is a taylor electro-accoustic. But that is waaaay out of my price range. :(

I'll have about £500 to spend I guess.

Any recomendations?

Mark

I don't know what is accessible to ya over there. Carvin makes some pretty cool electric/acoustics.

http://www.carvin.com/products/guitar.php?ItemNumber=AC175

Here is a nice Martin. I glanced at their website and unlike most other guitar companies, they don't seem to have a cheaper line up made in the Far East. So this model seems looks like it is made at the Pennsylvania factory.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Acoustic?sku=514816

Ovations used to have a factory in Connecticut. Not sure where it is now, but they do have a Far East factory, but they arent' bad if you can deal with the curved backs of the design.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Acoustic?sku=513586

Takimine makes some really nice acoustic electrics, and the next one I buy is definitely going to be one of theirs.

I swear by those guitars for several reasons. The necks NEVER warp, and they sound better and better as they age. McArtney plays one, and so does Springsteen. There's a black one that they make, I can't remember the model number, but it sells for less than 500 bucks. I would definitely at least play a few Takimines' before laying out the money for a Taylor. I don't think you'll be disappointed

They're Martin copies, and Takimine does a really good job building them. I have an old Takimine D-18 copy, and I've owned it for more than twenty years. It plays as good as, if not better than it ever did. The action is perfect, it notes perfect, the bridge hasn't sunken or pulled up a bit, and the top has darkened to the point where it really looks great. It sounds fantastic as well. I've played out with lots of times. I used to run it straight through a Macke head with no effects except for a slight touch of reverb, and the sound was phenomenal.

I bought a Yamaha acoustic about the same time I got my Takimine, and in less than three years, it was ready for the woodpile. I would stay away from Yamahas. I've seen so many of those that just don't last; even higher end models. The bridges sink down and the necks warp upward. I wouldn't waste 10 cents on one.

Thanks guys - I'm gonna go up to London at some point. There's a great collection of shops up there so I'll be able to try some of these out hopefully. :nice:

Oh and Snouter, I'm not sure where they're made but Martin's cheaper range is called Sigma (http://www.sigmaguitars.com/index.html). (I found this out through someone I work with). :)

Thanks again.

Mark

I might even try to get one of these Martin DCX1E's if and when I can sell my Line 6 Variax.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/8/0/8/271808.jpg

Martin = :drool:

I really like the Carvin AC175 actually. And $800 is only £455! Provided shipping costs are not too high it might well be worth getting something imported - which I handed thought of doing before.

Actually, importing is in general a pretty cool idea. I worked out that I could get one of the Sigma guitars for about £250 + import costs. That's cheap! :nice:

Mark

Just to update. I was at Guitar Center checking to see if they had the Guitarmageddon T-Shirts that were promised to the competitors but they gave the lame excuse that sponsor backed out of the deal.

I checked out some of the Martins and was disappointed. I don't know about the Sigmas, but the Martin low end acoustics seem to be made in Mexico and the necks are a laminated wood like some kind of plywood. I tried a Taylor and a Takamine in the same $600 price range which were pretty nice, and a Yamaha for half that was not bad either.