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First Time Buyer...HELP!!


lilliss

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Hey all!

 

I'm in the market for a guitar for my boyfriend. He has played guitar recreationaly for years and wants a new toy. My issue is he's left handed so I already limit myself in the number of guitars available. Here are the other criteria:

-left handed

-electric-acoustic

-thin body

-no strange colours (not that he can see most of em....he's colour blind)

-a reasonably affordable price

 

I'm putting myself through university so I don't have a tonne of extra cash, but I'm willing to splurge a little because its for him. Any suggestions would be fantastic.

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I realize a gibson is prob. out of the range, but I'm just looking for some advice.... around the $400 mark...negotiable obviously my issue mainly is I don't even know where to start. so many manufacturers, styles, types...so ya, just some general info is great.

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You probably can't get into a Gibson for that. You might look at Epiphones, but I'm not sure if they have any acoustic-electrics in that price range. You might have to have the pick up added. Another brand to look at might be a Takamine. There are several in that price range which would be worth looking at.

 

By the way, you are a wonderful girlfriend, for wanting to buy him a guitar. I'm sure he will like whatever you decide to get. The first gift my wife ever bought me (before we were married) was a guitar. It really meant a lot and I still have it today, after 26 years of marriage.

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Thanks! I was going to get him one for Christmas when i had all my cash saved up, but his gramma/mom said they were getting it so I bought him some related stuff...new books, new cords for his amp, some memoribilia etc... then they didn't buy it. So he was totally let down. Sucks that I'm strapped for cash now and trying to get something decent but hey...I'm sure he'll think its awesome too!!

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The best $400 left handed guitar you can get in Ontario would likely be a Seagull S6. Asking for a decent guitar with a pick up as well is pushing things, but you might find a manager's special at the end of the month or a demo. Again, harder to do with a lefty - you are more likely going to have to order.

 

Coloured guitars are more deeply discounted than natural tones during sales. I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth if you find a blue or green guitar.

 

Ibanez is making decent guitars in that price range as well. If you aren't happy with a Seagull, check them out.

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Saga makes some decent guitars, checkout their website and look at their Blueridge line. These are all decent copies of high end Martins and Gibsons. I've played the D-28 and 000 models and for the money, you can't beat them. They fit well within your price range.

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Guest NattyBumppo
I'd try Alvarez and the Guild GAD series too... they're making some great guitars in Asia for great prices...

 

I agree, especially on the Alvarez recommendation. You'd be hard pressed to find a Gibby in that price range, and even harder to find a left handed model. The Materbuilt models are by far the best of the Epiphones and used models should be available, maybe for an extra hundred or so from the price you mentioned. Again though, left handed ones will be harder to come by. If you can find a used, left handed Masterbuilt Epi in your range, I'd highly recommend it.

 

Next on my list would be Alzarez. I recently picked up a Professional Series Alvarez for a friend for just a bit more than your price, but it was brand new. A wonderful guitar made extremely well and with terrific sound. Used Alzarez Pro Series, and certainly their Artist Series, should be in your range.

 

Good luck and yup, you're a great gal for thinking of such a wonderful gift!

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Best "bang for the buck" guitar I ever came across is a Fender DG-11E. It is now called a CD-110, I believe.

 

It is acoustic-electric and now includes a built-in tuner. And, best of all, it's Black !

 

I am unsure of a left-handed species though. But, for tone, this model has all the right stuff when compared to other guitars in its price range. And, it even sounds much better than many at twice its cost.

 

Worth considering. It satisfied my tone need when I couldn't replace a Gibson I had to sell some time ago. Now that I'm back in the Gibson Nation, no worries.

 

Good Luck ! Regardless, a heartfelt, considerate, and thoughtful gift like you are going to give will be accepted with tremendous thanks !

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If you're looking for a slim-bodied acoustic-electric, I'd look at Ibanez. They've got some very good stuff for good prices. I've played their AEL20 which is in the $400 range with all of the criteria you are looking for, but alas, I don't believe they make a left-handed model. They DO however make an AEL-10 that is a transparent black in color. A very nice looking guitar, which is basically a less-expensive model of the AEL-100 that Stone Sour's guitarist uses for the acoustic work on "Through The Glass".

 

If slim-body is not a necessity, I'd look at the (drum-roll) Epiphone Masterbilt series of guitars, which are of excellent quality. They average in the $450 range for mahogany, or around $550-600 in Rosewood or Maple.

 

I also agree withe the suggestions for a Seagull, and will also throw in a Simon and Patrick vote. Both of these are very good guitars, and I believe are made in Canada.

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Ditto what Eddie Rondack said. A friend of mine just starting out bought an Alvarez RD-20 (I think) for under $400 and it sounds pretty good. Myself and several others on this forum own the Guild Gad 30R. It's an excellent guitar for the $$$ and solid spruce and rosewood, bone nut and saddle, rosewood pins. I paid $625 for mine a year ago and put in a KK Pure Western mini pickup. It's not my J-45 but it's in the range of what you're looking for. Another in that same range with all-solid woods is the Morgan Monroe 000 size. I can't recall the model number but I played one at a local shop in vintage sunburst and it was a nice little instrument. Good luck and you're scoring some big "points" with your boyfriend, I'm sure!

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Consider This Up To 800$ Many Options

 

SG Faded 580$ I'M Left Handed But I Play Right. If You Get An SG Just Reverse Strings and play lefty

Les Paul Junior 750$

SG Junior 700$

Les Paul Dbl. Cutaway 770$

Melody Maker 350$ Single PU

Melody Maker 400$ Dbl. PU

Plus MORE!!

 

Yes You Can Afford A Gibson

 

www.musiciansfriend.com

Search Gibson USA

 

Good Luck

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Myself and several others on this forum own the Guild Gad 30R. It's an excellent guitar for the $$$ and solid spruce and rosewood' date=' bone nut and saddle, rosewood pins. I paid $625 for mine a year ago ...[/size']

 

Here in Canada, the Chinese Guilds are $799+ without a pickup and $999+ with one. I get the impression this lady is really asking about $400 guitars and we can best help her with suggestions of $400 guitars. A lot of the suggestions I see here are for guitars that range, in Canada, between $549 and $1100 and I don't mean to single out TWilson because he also suggested an Alvarez - which is a great idea I wish I had thought to recommend - I am just hoping to convey an understanding of the fact that the current value of the CDN dollar has not yet brought prices in line with the US market.

 

I think it is great that this young lady took the risk of asking us all for help, because in some forums she might have been ignored. It is wonderful to see us all working to help her and I think it would be even better to hear back from her that she found a guitar and the boyfriend cried and loves her and all that good stuff.

 

So, let's be up to the challenge. $400 is what she has to spend. What do we recommend?

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lilless wrote:also, it depends on the guitar....if he really likes it, I'm sure we can split it...so upwards to a max of about $800 is probably realistic as well

 

ballcorner- This statement by lilliss was the reason I added the Guild Gad30-R. It is under the $800 price that she mentioned in her second post and is an excellent little instrument for the money. Others have already mentioned many other fine, inexpensive guitars so I was just throwing out another thought. Having a lot of information to choose from isn't a bad thing.

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PS- I also didn't notiice that lilliss was living in Canada so I didn't enter that into my thinking. If GWB had a chance to be in office for 4 more years I'm sure you could get a nice Gibson for about $550 Canadian!! lol Anyway, I agree with ballcorner that it's really nice that people on this forum are quick to give help and suggestions in such a prompt and helpful way. "Gibsonites" are a fine people!!

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The Canada location skipped through my brain, as well. I think the Seagull would be a good place to start looking. My next choices would then be an Epiphone Masterbuilt or Blueridge. Something else to consider is how much he actually "performs" where he would need the pick up??? You might want to consider buying a little bit nicer, acoustic only guitar (money availability permitting) and then he could always add a pick up later, as he has funds available.

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What's he playing now? If he's in Canada maybe he's already got a Seagull? Seagull would be my vote too. The Epis in L&McQ are a bit more than $400.00. Seagull, Norman, Simon & Patrick, Art & Lutherie are all in Canada and good reliable guitars in that price range.

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Im in Canada as well...

$400 will let you look at a Gibson...not much more.

Thats not being helpful though. #-o/

 

I bought a nice Simon & Patrick 12 string. They are made in Quebec, but

dont have the French attitude! *joke*

 

I paid about $800 CDN, and I know they had a nice selection of leftys.

Both 6 & 12 string. Again, Long & Mcquade was where I bought the guitar.

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In your price league, look into the Epiphone Performer, especially the ME. I'm not sure if they market these lefty, but since you are probably having issues locating suitable southpaws anyway you might include it in your search for that one off. I've played both models, and was really impressed by the quality, playability and their stunning good looks. The SE is Maple, with a Spruce top and was reasonably warm, definitely a unique sound un-amped. It reminded me of a vintage Guild D44 in tone. The ME has a Maple top, and was suprisingly quite "Doveish" raw. I played both through an AVT in acoustic mode, and was astounded by the by the Nanoflex pickup in the ME.

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