BoyVader Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 So I just found out my wife is pregnant with our first child!...time to rejoice...no not for the new baby on the way, but cos the wife gave the green light to one more guitar purchase!!!! before we spend the rest of our life and income on the baby... Got about $2500 to spare and can get a Hummingbird for around $2600 here in Oz. Already have an SG Std Heritage Cherry, and a Les Paul Trad Ice tea , so am thinking good quality acoustic... Any thoughts? I love the look of the Hummingbird.. anyone got one? Do you love it? Anything else better? Not really that up on my acoustics... Or...I could get a Strat? The Eric Johnson has a bound neck (gotta be a bound neck) and looks interesting... Or should I just spend $2500 on drugs and hookers before I'm confined to "Dad" duties? :unsure: (joke) What would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 When I was in that position I would have gone out and blown the $$ on crap...but as a 60 year old grandfather I would tell you to save the money...there will always be guitars and crap to blow money on..but there is only a few times to make yourself feel and look like a man...do the right thing my friend, you only get one chance to prove to yourself and your wife you are "da man"....there will be cost's you never thought of with kid...consider it relationship insurance.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Get a nice acoustic......You're in OZ, so, I don't know what brands are available down there.....M.F. does now ship there, but I also am not aware of what the VAT and / or " Import " taxes are.....Taylor makes nice acoustics, Fender acoustics are pointless, folks either like or hate Martins.....Breedlove makes some affordable acoustics now.....Higher end Epi acoustics are great... So aren't Gibby acoustics.......Dang, I dunno....go with the hookers.....:unsure: ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Honestly I don't understand the idea of making a big purchase right before the birth of your first child. I mean, emotionally and sentimentally it makes sense, but practically you're just buying yourself a new toy. I would hold off on buying a new guitar. A new child mean lots of new expenses, and frankly, every penny helps. Just how I feel, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyVader Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 I hear you jaxson50...I know there will always be hidden costs with a child...I am pretty well setup at the moment as i have just made a profit on a house sale in the UK. This might be the last time I can justify spending large amounts on a guitar.. I would feel a bit uneasy blowing $2500 once the baby is here, so it's now or never... Plus, the wife want's me to strum the odd nursery rhyme for the new born, not sure the SG would really be upto the task!.. or I could just blast them with some AC\DC!! Will also pick up something "small" for the new born to start learning on...happy times are coming... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Congrats Hard to go wrong with Gibson acoustics, My Hummingbird is probably my favorite acoustic guitar for casual play nothing overly fancy but solid and the sweetest sound especially for accompanying the singing voice, I would guess that 75% of my songwriting is done on either my Hummingbird or my J-185. When your in the market for an acoustic Gibson has a few real classics, the Hummingbird the J-45 and the J-185 are all amazing it would be hard to go wrong with any one of the three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyVader Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Thanks retro...I'm not sure about the shape of the j-185...what is the neck on your Bird like? They are supposed to be 60's style? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 When I was in that position I would have gone out and blown the $$ on crap...but as a 60 year old grandfather I would tell you to save the money...there will always be guitars and crap to blow money on..but there is only a few times to make yourself feel and look like a man...do the right thing my friend, you only get one chance to prove to yourself and your wife you are "da man"....there will be cost's you never thought of with kid...consider it relationship insurance.... This is solid. Gas never goes away. After you spend this on a guitar, you will want another. This will never end. The real trick is to be able to justify the GAS spending as years go by, and to balance that spending with other things. It is one thing to want, and it can be fun to want guitars, but when the disease starts to impact our thinking and decisions, I can promise that it will not be fun anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Get the Gibby acoustic........It will retain value, and in time you can give it to your daughter..................... [thumbup] ............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enmitygauged Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 So I just found out my wife is pregnant with our first child!...time to rejoice...no not for the new baby on the way, but cos the wife gave the green light to one more guitar purchase!!!! before we spend the rest of our life and income on the baby... Got about $2500 to spare and can get a Hummingbird for around $2600 here in Oz. Already have an SG Std Heritage Cherry, and a Les Paul Trad Ice tea , so am thinking good quality acoustic... Any thoughts? I love the look of the Hummingbird.. anyone got one? Do you love it? Anything else better? Not really that up on my acoustics... Or...I could get a Strat? The Eric Johnson has a bound neck (gotta be a bound neck) and looks interesting... Or should I just spend $2500 on drugs and hookers before I'm confined to "Dad" duties? :unsure: (joke) What would you do? Im In Adelaide if you can get a Hummingbird for that price bargain. I personally prefer the Songwriter deluxe EC it was named American Guitar of the year against top of the line martins taylors and others and kicked ***. Put some elixers on it and it is heaven. I dont know if you can get one for 2500 but give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Many congrats on the upcoming new addition. The baby, that is... Guitar-wise; I'm no acoustic player but I'd strongly suggest you try out guitars of different sizes. I've had the same Dreadnought for 31 years but I really wish I'd bought something more 'Parlour'-sized as I find it just that bit too massive. If you do like Dreadnoughts then the Hummingbird is a sound choice (no pun intended). P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Can't you buy used as you've got cash? You could have both then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Sounds to me like you need to talk to the boys on the Acoustics board. Congrats on the first born. Advice from a father of 4, grandfather of 8. * Never, ever mention the word babysit while referring to your own child(ren). * If the Missus asks if you think she looks fat, "Of course you do dear, you are carrying our child. , " is NOT the right answer. (Don't ask how I know this) * You won't need this for a year or so, but purchase a tube of teething gel, then squirrel it away where only you know where it is. Because there will come a day when you are alone, babysitting, watching your teething child while your wife is out and YOU WILL NEED IT! and the tube that is SUPPOSED to be in the diaper bag isn't there. A guitar case, fishing tackle box or tool box are the preferred locations. Never let on that you have this private stash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Personally, I would look at other acoustics. Tons of great quality for way less than 2500, especially with a baby on the way. If it were me, I'd get a good sounding acoustic that can spend time with the baby. But its your money man, not mine. For 2500, I'd go with a Martin. Love that sound, Taylors have great playability too. I haven't played around on too many Gibson acoustics though Congrats on the kid and possible NGD though man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidl Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I'm facing the same sort of decision as you minus the baby on the way. Got the go ahead to get a really good acoustic and tried a number of them last week. Tried Taylor, Martin and a couple of Gibsons too. The Songwriter deluxe and J-45 and didn't fall in love with any of them. Played a friends Taylor 314CE on Saturday and reallly like his. I pulled out my old 37 year old Giannini (Brazilian) and played it for a while and found it quite comfortable to play. Dousn't have the sustain or depth of some of the guitars I tried but not bad at all. I've also always wanted a 12 string and may go that route instead. Any suggestions under $2000 Canadian? Congrats on the new arrival or two. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Well... I'm too young for kids, let alone grandkids. Maybe some day when I grow up. But since she's thinking Papa playing lullabies, which is a good bit of fun that I did a few times for my little sister's first baby (who's now over 40)... I guess I'd consider an Epi AE at around $4-600 with a good hard case. Then put the rest of the cash in a new "college account" for the babe. That way you get a guitar for lullabies and yet... Jax is almost certainly correct that "future-looking" will make the mom-to-be happy. Just my thought, anyway. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Good point Milod...investing for school would be a better use of the money, I'm just looking at this from the view of "that's what I should have done"..."If I could do it over"... Sometimes when our significant other "gives us the green light" it's a test if not an outright trap! You may want to use this money for a nice weekend for you and the wife before the baby arrives and before she's to far along to enjoy such a trip....trust me..this will be the last chance for "alone time"..Life is going to change for you in ways you can not imagine.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Jax... I hadn't thought of it that way - ain't been there, as I said - but I think the trip sounds like a great idea too. I hope my li'l sis remembers me well from when she was pg with her #1. She was so, so, so terribly bored being a "housewife" for some months in a small apartment that she came to mine and cleaned the heck out of it several times. Her one nice maternity dress - very nice, I'll add - had been worn enough times that she burned it after the baby was born! So... yeah, we boys don't have to go through that stuff and doing something nice for the lady involved is likely a very good idea. So... Epi AE with hard case, $1,000 for a college fund and the rest of the cash for a nice "time away." ??? m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Life doesnt stop because your having a baby....Its just about to start!! Its just the finer things in life (Like guitars) have to go onto the back burner for the first few years... Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!! Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Yea, hopefully life goes on. A lot of people get downright gloomy when they give baby advice only to then tell you it is the best thing ever happen to them after they have stressed you enough. I don't get why the assumption that the OP can't afford both the guitar and the baby's education? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Unless you are playing professionally, or semi-professionally, and "Need" a high dollar acoustic, for something besides "bragging rights," or your own ego gratification... ;>)...I would buy a nice Epi, or some other decent brand, acoustic for 4-6 hundred. Put the rest into an interest earning saving's or checking acount. The expenses, that come with parenthood, can be daunting, even if you're "well off." That extra, when you need it, could be a real asset/"life-saver." Just a thought... CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 This is a tough call. I have three kids and have down-sized hugely on the salary front in the past couple of years, but am currently mid-purchase of a Gibson acoustic. I keep wondering about the difference that a grand and a half might make to them in future. The thing is, though, I also once made a little money on a house sale and I have to say that the savings accounts are not paying much in the way of interest these days, even the high-interest bond jobbies. On the other hand Gibson guitars are going up all the time. If I'd bought the same guitar before Christmas I'd have saved around 300 quid. Tried to buy it in January and my bank's anti-fraud measures blocked the purchase just long enough for the guitar I wanted to sell out and go up another 100 quid with the next shipment. After-sales depreciation on the 2010 model I should have bought has probably already been made back by inflation in the second-hand market after those rises. A new guitar will lose value initially, but if the prices rise any more in the next few months you could probably sell at cost and still undercut new items. I think the guitar will appreciate quicker than the money in the bank. In my case I figured that any more rises will mean I really may never be able to buy a Gibson acoustic ever - or else I'll be saving up until I'm arthritic and can't enjoy the bloody thing. Right now I'm loving acoustic guitar and my kids like hearing it at bedtime. My old plywood dread is just fine and safer round kids, but I figure that when they are half asleep a Gibson might sound sweeter and play more easily. Also current Bozeman acoustics are reckoned by many aficionados to be some of the best Gibsons ever made. Tuition fees have gone up to the prohibitive level in England now in any case, and even if I was earning the same salary as I once had in the UK, I couldn't afford to put 3 kids through College on my own account. I couldn't put enough away to make much of a difference either, and the growth rates on what I put away would be risible. Of course I will save for them, and will hopefully return to a higher paid job at some point, but the reality is that even then they will probably have to go into debt to study, just like every other British kid from an average household has had to since 1998. Right now I earn less, but I have way more time to spend with them than I had before down-sizing. They need time investing too. The new acoustic will probably not get gigged for years, and in a way I'd rather gig my electric, but you never know. Where I am now, acoustic music is quite popular, especially bluegrass, and a quality acoustic might get me more gigs. Just today I found out that a colleague plays harmonica, so we might just form a band. And if we don't I know I'll still be benefiting from playing a better guitar. My playing improved no end when I got my Gibson electric, and I'm hoping a similarly well-made acoustic will have the same effect. But before you plump for the Hummer, do spend some time reading around the acoustic forum. It is truly one of the most knowledgeable, friendly and funny areas of the site. You'll find that lots of the members there like your favoured model, but others might just turn you onto a J45 or a Southern Jumbo instead. It's an education... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyVader Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Thanks for all the advice from the Dads...the trip away is already planned..We go away into bush retreats all the time...so that's not an issue The Hummingbird was never on my radar...I'm still totally in love with my LP, and SG, and have a half decent Yamaha acoustic, but my wife suggested it as a Birthday present...she knows I'm a total sucker for Gibson...and she loves the look of the Bird.. I used to play professionally about 10 years ago, but now it's just for pleasure..I own a G400 Epiphone and sorry to say that the damn thing just wont stay in tune even after several setups , so I'm a bit dubious about their build quality.... I think the thing that makes me want a Hummingbird is , and this is gonna sound crazy, the Fret markers!!! They are soooo tasty, combined with that bound neck!!! oooh I'm getting all sweaty just thinking about it... I'm waiting on a final price from my man in Melbourne....seeing if he can source the 50th Anniversary HB...if he can and it's not too overpriced, I'm gonna bite the bullet and do it...got to have decent bragging rights... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Unless you are playing professionally, or semi-professionally, and "Need" a high dollar acoustic, for something besides "bragging rights," or your own ego gratification... ;>)...I would buy a nice Epi, or some other decent brand, acoustic for 4-6 hundred. Put the rest into an interest earning saving's or checking acount. The expenses, that come with parenthood, can be daunting, even if you're "well off." That extra, when you need it, could be a real asset/"life-saver." Just a thought... CB What? how many guitars do you have? don't you own a bunch? how many Gibsons? Gibsons are high end for a lot of people you know. Ego? like everyone's ego in this forum? we're all Gibson owners. Come on, the only reason you would buy a high end guitar is to please others with better sound? not yourself? only bragging rights come into play with an expensive guitar? What kind of advice is this? buy an Epi? why? why would he do that? Meh, I say buy the guitar, sounds like you can afford it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I'm waiting on a final price from my man in Melbourne....seeing if he can source the 50th Anniversary HB...if he can and it's not too overpriced, I'm gonna bite the bullet and do it...got to have decent bragging rights... Do it, tone is only secondary to bragging rights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.