Silver creek

[McDuff]

So I was digging around the bottom end of solid wood guitars and came up with these silver creeks which intrigue me. They seem to be all solid wood but I've been unable to find one to play test. So I was wondering if any of the knowledgeable worldly folks here had any experience with this brand. I'm slightly concerned about the craftsmanship which I know I could get with an epi masterbilt but that would also be more expensive. So i suppose the question is are these silver creek guitars a steal or a waste of solid wood?

[Red 333]

So I was digging around the bottom end of solid wood guitars and came up with these silver creeks which intrigue me. They seem to be all solid wood but I've been unable to find one to play test. So I was wondering if any of the knowledgeable worldly folks here had any experience with this brand. I'm slightly concerned about the craftsmanship which I know I could get with an epi masterbilt but that would also be more expensive. So i suppose the question is are these silver creek guitars a steal or a waste of solid wood?

 

I don't have any personal experience with them, but many on the UMGF are very enamored of them. Check out some of the threads in the Critics Corner.

 

Red 333

[geelinus]

If you're looking for a primary guitar and on a budget or in search of a fine back-up or travel instrument, you can't go wrong with a Silver Creek. I owned a T-170 (rosewood OM) and found it to be a great guitar for the money. While it didn't sound as good as my Epi EF-500-R, it was still good enough to play in front of an audience.

[bkharmony]

Silver Creek and Seagull seem to be the two most respected low-end guitars out there. Over on AGF they really seem to like both. I've been trying to find a reason to buy a T-160, but I need to move some wood first.

 

If you want some reading material on them, head over to AGF and search for Silver Creek. (Use the search bar at the very bottom of the page. Much better results.)

[MisterGibs]

To be honest - I look these Silver Creek guitars almost every day.

There's one reason: I have no Mahogany Acoustic Drednout Guitar...

Well... I'd love to have one Hummingbird Black beside M-R GIBS, but my woman (you know them women) will start to complain... Her reasons are that we have no space at home because of my guitars...

I look of course the Epiphones Masterbuilt Mahogany.

I newer touched an Epiphone Msterbuilt, never have touched a Silver Creek too...

Only one thing I know - I need a mahogany drednout and I am interested what will come out from this topic.

[davenumber2]

From what I have heard on the the AGF, these usually come with not very good setups and sometimes bum tuners. Both are easy to fix if it means having a solid guitar afterward.

[emmonsh]

for very little more you can get a blue ridge that will knock the socks off of the silvercreek.

[bkharmony]

for very little more you can get a blue ridge that will knock the socks off of the silvercreek.

 

Good point.

[McDuff]

Well I was very impressed by the sound clips I heard of the silver creek and was settling on it but these blue ridges look interesting. A question though the only ones I see at a similar price range list as having a solid spruce top but simply lists the sides and back as being mahogany which makes me think they are laminate. Not to say a laminate back would make it incapable of sounding better than an all solid wood guitar (assuming the difference in craftsmanship of course) but it makes me hesitant.

 

Also Looking at the clips the blue ridge seems to have a stronger sound. Hopefully I will be able to find a guitar shop nearby that carries them. Though I live next to an excellent gibson dealer they work with more high end guitars than I can afford and I can only play it off like I'm in there to buy strings so many times before I feel bad about finger printing up their guitars.

[sorad]

have you tried the seagull S6 or cort earth series wut do you guys think of those?

[bkharmony]

A question though the only ones I see at a similar price range list as having a solid spruce top but simply lists the sides and back as being mahogany which makes me think they are laminate. Not to say a laminate back would make it incapable of sounding better than an all solid wood guitar (assuming the difference in craftsmanship of course) but it makes me hesitant.

 

If it doesn't explicitly say "solid back and sides," it's laminate. And there's nothing wrong with that. I think that should be the last thing you worry about.

[Wayne]

the 2 digit Blueridges (40, 43, 63, etc) have laminate back and sides. And they probably sound better than any solid wood guitar that is twice the cost. I have had 3 Blueridges. I actually sold the only solid wood one. My most recent purchase is a BG-40 and I love it. I like it much better than the IB Texan I had. I have also had 2 Seagulls and while they were decent for the price the Blueridges are at least 1 or 2 steps above in quality and tone. For little more than a Silver Creek get a Blueridge laminate.

[Jinder]

Those SCs look interesting. I really like the tone of the Blueridge Martin-a-likes, but their necks are painfully skinny to my hands. For a smaller handed player, they're a great instrument, though.

 

My only caveat with these low-mid price all-solid guitars is the manufacturers seem to be using a lot of "green" wood, ie wood that has been hurriedly kiln dried or not given long enough to dry out to a workable level of humdity.

 

As such, top instability can be an issue. I live in a flat that is virtually climate-controlled, I run two dehumidifiers and costantly monitor RH. My livelihood is tied up in my instruments and i can't afford a problem. However, I owned two Guild GAD30R OMs (one was bought new, the second was the warranty replacement for the faulty first) and BOTH had top bellying and bridge lifting issues which Guild claimed were due to "humidity issues". I know for a fact that these issues weren't at my end, and none of my Gibsons or other guitars have had any problems.

 

The Guild GADs, Blueridges, Recording Kings and Johnsons are, I'm led to believe, all built in the same factory, so be sure to give any prospective purchase s good look over and make sure you have a return period before you put your money down.

[bkharmony]

My only caveat with these low-mid price all-solid guitars is the manufacturers seem to be using a lot of "green" wood' date=' ie wood that has been hurriedly kiln dried or not given long enough to dry out to a workable level of humdity.[/quote']

 

Meh. ToneRite and a set of bone pins will fix that!!!!1

[MisterGibs]

I agree totally with Jinder.

Few months ago I planned to buy some Silver Creek Drednout Mahogany and I saw what has been written by recent customers. Almost every opinions were positive about the mahogany, but not for the rosewood back & sides...

"Young" wood gives problems and low quality control also...

But what you want - the price is very low...

I probably will buy some Silver Creek in the summer or in a little later but I have a good luthier "in hand" - the guy who made my "GALE" and he will fix EVERY problem easily.

My personal conclusion is that there's a risk with those Silver Creeks, but I will take that risk in the near future.