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sorad

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So guys im looking for a guitar to not care about, take to the beach camping. any suggestions whether I should go laminate or solid top durability wise? keep in consideration I dont wanna spend a ton

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If nut width matters and you're a Gibson player, the logical choices are from the Godin family: Most Seagull, Art & Lutherie, & Simon & Patrick have a Gibsonesque 1.72" nut.

 

They're quite good guitars for the money and short scale too.

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Under $100 - used Korean 80s Applause AA-31. Bulletproof but with a wooden neck (unlike US 1976-82 aluminum).

$100-$200 - Used Seagull S-6 Cedar. Big dull thud like an old Gibson. Austere and built like a tank.

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I really like the Epi EL-00. In fact, beater-wise, I'd buy one of those or an Epi Dove.

 

A friend of mine has a Norman OM which is excellent, and was inexpensive. I hear good things about Silver Creek, and I had a Guild GAD F20 a while ago which was superb. A bit too nice for beater status though!

 

Another option is to buy an older guitar, for a long time I played a Kiso Suzuki Hummingbird copy from the early '70s which was an amazing guitar. Huge tone, but worth pretty much nothing, so ideal for a satisfying beater.

 

Also, as I mentioned in another thread, I was recently playing a terrific Harmony H165 from the late '50s which was selling for relatively little money. Again, it might be too nice and old a guitar to really be considered a beater, but it's an option.

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Under $100 - used Korean 80s Applause AA-31. Bulletproof but with a wooden neck (unlike US 1976-82 aluminum).

$100-$200 - Used Seagull S-6 Cedar. Big dull thud like an old Gibson. Austere and built like a tank.

That's so true about the old cedar Seagulls. If I yell into mine I hear an echo back 3 days later. It's like a big empty canyon.

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thanks for all the replies im gunna check out the EL-00 and some of the Godin family stuff tommrow and do some craigslist hunting. I do want something with similar nut width and scale as my gibson

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I'm a big fan of the 60's Harmony Sovereigns, 1260's and 1203's. All solid wood, ladder braced, big sound, and they can take it....be careful however, leaving any guitar in the sun at the beach will melt the glue, and be VERY bad for your guitar.....

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I say don't compromise, even on your "beater". I've played this for over 30 years, didn't even have a case for the first few years, broken headstock, top cracked, bracing loose, (cracks & bracing fixed earlier this year), and it plays just as good as my Dove...and sounds beautiful. You can find inexpensive Gibsons that need some repairs, but then you end up with a guitar you're NEVER ashamed to take out!

DSC01219.jpg?t=1275747762

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Good point. Once in a while a Bozeman Gibson will show up on ebay with some horrible wounds, often with equally horrible repairs. They have no curb appeal but can be great guitars. They don't usually go for bargain basement prices but they're worth watching for. A few years back I bought a '93 Gospel with a crack in the side that was about a foot long. I fixed it but it still showed (short of refinishing the whole side). I think I paid less than $500 for it. Not exactly a beater price but I'm sure bargains can be found. Repaired headstocks keep the price down and yet if they're done right, they'll never come apart again.

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Good point. Once in a while a Bozeman Gibson will show up on ebay with some horrible wounds' date=' often with equally horrible repairs. They have no curb appeal but can be great guitars. They don't usually go for bargain basement prices but they're worth watching for. A few years back I bought a '93 Gospel with a crack in the side that was about a foot long. I fixed it but it still showed (short of refinishing the whole side). I think I paid less than $500 for it. Not exactly a beater price but I'm sure bargains can be found. Repaired headstocks keep the price down and yet if they're done right, they'll never come apart again.[/quote']

 

KS, yes.... the headstock on my Jubilee was broken on a trip to Oregon about 25 years ago, (at the time I had a case I found and it didn't really fit the guitar). I didn't take the guitar anywhere to get fixed, and believe me, I'm no luthier.... I just glued it back together with Elmer's Wood Glue, held it with a C-Clamp for about a week, and it's been good to go ever since!

 

The real beauty is that I'll grab it more often than I'll go for either of my Doves... 'cause I don't have to worry about banging it on a kitchen chair or anything.

 

It doesn't have the volume of the Doves, but that only matters when I'm playin' to a crowd or with others where volume matters.

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I say don't compromise' date=' even on your "beater". I've played this for over 30 years, didn't even have a case for the first few years, broken headstock, top cracked, bracing loose, (cracks & bracing fixed earlier this year), and it plays just as good as my Dove...and sounds beautiful. You can find inexpensive Gibsons that need some repairs, but then you end up with a guitar you're NEVER ashamed to take out!

[img']http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac94/DanvillRob/Jubilee/DSC01219.jpg?t=1275747762[/img]

 

 

Why would you be ASHAMED to take out ANY guitar you are having fun with? If you can play it and it sounds respectable at the campfire, who cares after a few "refreshments?? My coach has a $40 cheapie he takes out on the boat and at the campfire where we have a RIOT playing and singing. He has a Gibson and Martin in his collection, but at the beach, no one can tell the difference.

 

Dean

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Why would you be ASHAMED to take out ANY guitar you are having fun with? If you can play it and it sounds respectable at the campfire' date=' who cares after a few "refreshments?? My coach has a $40 cheapie he takes out on the boat and at the campfire where we have a RIOT playing and singing. He has a Gibson and Martin in his collection, but at the beach, no one can tell the difference.

 

Dean[/quote']

 

Dean, I agree to some extent... a guitar is a guitar.....but for some, (especially the person playin' it), it DOES matter what you're playin'.

 

Of course I wouldn't be ashamed to play a Epi or other entry-level guitar at the beach....IF they play well, and sound decent, (I wouldn't even take my "beater" on a small boat). I was mainly talkin' about draggin' it out with other musicians playin' with a bunch of guys, drinkin' and havin' fun. Again, unless I know the situation, I won't take my Dove. When my mother was dying last year, my nephew brought a Epi Dove into her room. My brother and I played some songs for her, and I found the Epi Dove to be a pretty decent guitar. So good, I bought one for my Son and bought a Epi Hummingbird for my DIL. I play 'em and I like 'em. Would not be embarrassed to go anywhere with 'em, but I've played other Epi's that....lessee.... suck.

I thought I was clear...."for me" I would buy a beat up Gibson or Martin if I was looking for a beater axe.

 

This is the perfect excuse for posting a pic of the Son/DIL guitars:

CamNKellyGuitars.jpg?t=1275757116

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This is my former throw in the back seat of the car and take anywhere guitar. Problem is the neck on it has gotten so inky that it is temporarily retired except for slide. But it took a lickin' and kept on tickin for more years than I care to recall. The case doubles as a flotation device.

 

KayVenetian008.jpg

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Put me in the camp of having a good guitar for a beater. Cost and headstock don't matter, I just want a fun playable guitar. For going to the cabin and such, I have decided that my Gibson LG1 is the "Go To" just because it already has 45 years of mojo on it and it still sounds great. I also never minded bringing my Taylor to a campfire outing back when that was all I had. I have to say the finish on them is bullet proof!

 

I am surprised nobody mentioned Yamaha guitars as great beach/camp type guitars. I have had a few over the years and have always been impressed with the playability and tone of those laminated boxes. I would not shy away from a $100-200 Yammie Lammie!

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I'd definitely just go with something you can find on Craigslist. Keep in mind that any of the cheaper guitars with laminated woods (and even some moderately priced boxes with real wood) depreciate a lot, and you can get them for half price used.

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I completely agree on the Yamahas and Epi's. Lots of bang for the buck......Last fall while the Musicians Friend warehouse/retail outlet was still open, I picked-up a Rogue auditorium sized guitar. Never dreamed I'd own what I've alway considered the worst of all possible guitars.Not sure what the model is. What first appealed to me was the setup. Very low and no string buzz. Neck is straight. Fishman works good. No cracks. Has a sunburst which is kind of tacky looking...lol...It sounds great for what it is. Cost me $59 and they gave me a new set of strings. Anyway, I'm not afraid to get caught in the rain. Not worried about the heat or cold too much. Stays in tune pretty well, and I've had people comment on how good it sounds. Except for another musician, who knows what it is?:-$ If it gets damaged,etc., I can just get another one. I find myself playing it at home quite-a-bit. Never dreamed I'd own one of these things. It's certainly not one of my Gibbys, but it's not meant to be. No is it an Esteban....thank God...lol...

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