NGD: my first acoustic

J

Joben Magooch

Well-known member
so long story short, my wife told me to pick an acoustic to get for my birthday this year. I’ve been playing guitar for close to 20 years now but never owned one. So I started shopping around….

I was SURE that my “vibe” when it came to an acoustic was something a little more “classic” styled. Like a Martin 000 or Gibson LG-2 type of thing, smaller bodied, no cutaway, etc and that the more “modern” styles weren’t me. For years anecdotally speaking (again having not owned one of my own) I was convinced that I was more of a “Martin guy” and less of a “Taylor guy” both in aesthetic and sound - I had it in my mind that all martins are classic and full and complex sounding and Taylors are “modern” and overly bright and lacking soul.

Anyways in practice I found the opposite to be true. I went to a handful of stores and tried more guitars than I could count. And while at the VERY high end of the range I did really really like some martins, i wasn’t trying to spend 3 or 4k or more on a first acoustic. In my price range I was really impressed by a lot of different Taylor’s. (And I also found that while I do like the aesthetic of a non-cutaway body more, cutaway is much more comfortable for me to play). So then it was just a matter of finding the right one.

I went back and forth between a lot of different models but ultimately found a great deal on one that checked all the boxes and really just felt just right to me. I just have a few pre-sale photos on hand at the moment but here it is - a 214CE-K DLX. Spruce top, layered koa back and sides. I am just over the moon. Wife of the year, let me tell ya!!
 

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Your wife is awesome, and I think you made a great choice! Not only do Taylors sound great, they’re easy to set up and just feel good in the hands- especially to an electric player (IMO, of course).

Enjoy your new guitar. :cool:
 
That's super nice. I was a "no Taylor" guy until I played a concert shape (forget the model) that was all Koa including the top. Many things I don't usually go for but it was one of the sweetest sounding instruments I've ever laid a pick upon.
 
I feel ya. Great story and even better wife.

In 2010 I went searching for my dream acoustic guitar. Had a budget to work with and wasn't afraid of some of the top-end prices. And like you, I went in thinking Gibson, Martin or McPherson. After visiting several different acoustic guitar shops around a few AZ cities when were visiting, the fellow at Acoustic Vibe in Tempe spent a few hours with me and a fine selection of instruments from which to choose. After about 3½ hours we narrowed it down to 5 - a Gibson, a Martin, a MCpherson, a Taylor and a Breedlove. And to my surprise, the Breedlove came out on top. Turns out it was the only one in that group with genuine Brazilian Rosewood. Oh the tone! And it played every bit as well as the others. Two days later and a $4K cashier's check, it was shipped to my home in MI. I'd found my dream guitar. I followed up by contacting Breedlove directly to learn anything about the guitar's history. (It was a used guitar.) Breedlove emailed me back with the details. It was custom made to a customer's specifications and the original price was $8K5 :oops: I had no idea Brazilian Rosewood had gone up that much. When I asked how much to build one new now, they came back with a starting price of $12K:eek: These past 11 years, I've treated it like fine china, keeping humidified and played regularly. It's got a really fat bottom end to it too. A real cannon.

I hope you find a lot of enjoyment with yours. Taylor makes fine guitars. It's kinda easy to find an intimate relationship with an acoustic.
 
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Joben Magooch said:
so long story short, my wife told me to pick an acoustic to get for my birthday this year. I’ve been playing guitar for close to 20 years now but never owned one. So I started shopping around….

I was SURE that my “vibe” when it came to an acoustic was something a little more “classic” styled. Like a Martin 000 or Gibson LG-2 type of thing, smaller bodied, no cutaway, etc and that the more “modern” styles weren’t me. For years anecdotally speaking (again having not owned one of my own) I was convinced that I was more of a “Martin guy” and less of a “Taylor guy” both in aesthetic and sound - I had it in my mind that all martins are classic and full and complex sounding and Taylors are “modern” and overly bright and lacking soul.

Anyways in practice I found the opposite to be true. I went to a handful of stores and tried more guitars than I could count. And while at the VERY high end of the range I did really really like some martins, i wasn’t trying to spend 3 or 4k or more on a first acoustic. In my price range I was really impressed by a lot of different Taylor’s. (And I also found that while I do like the aesthetic of a non-cutaway body more, cutaway is much more comfortable for me to play). So then it was just a matter of finding the right one.

I went back and forth between a lot of different models but ultimately found a great deal on one that checked all the boxes and really just felt just right to me. I just have a few pre-sale photos on hand at the moment but here it is - a 214CE-K DLX. Spruce top, layered koa back and sides. I am just over the moon. Wife of the year, let me tell ya!!
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Sweet guitar, I had one on order and just before it shipped, I switched to a 314 ce, hope you enjoy the new guitar for many years!
 
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Cybercow said:
I feel ya. Great story and even better wife.

In 2010 I went searching for my dream acoustic guitar. Had a budget to work with and wasn't afraid of some of the top-end prices. And like you, I went in thinking Gibson, Martin or McPherson. After visiting several different acoustic guitar shops around a few AZ cities when were visiting, the fellow at Acoustic Vibe in Tempe spent a few hours with me and a fine selection of instruments from which to choose. After about 3½ hours we narrowed it down to 5 - a Gibson, a Martin, a MCpherson, a Taylor and a Breedlove. And to my surprise, the Breedlove came out on top. Turns out it was the only one in that group with genuine Brazilian Rosewood. Oh the tone! And it played every bit as well as the others. Two days later and a $4K cashier's check, it was shipped to my home in MI. I'd found my dream guitar. I followed up by contacting Breedlove directly to learn anything about the guitar's history. (It was a used guitar.) Breedlove emailed me back with the details. It was custom made to a customer's specifications and the original price was $8K5 :oops: I had no idea Brazilian Rosewood had gone up that much. When I asked how much to build one new now, they came back with a starting price of $12K:eek: These past 11 years, I've treated it like fine china, keeping humidified and played regularly. It's got a really fat bottom end to it too. A real cannon.

I hope you find a lot of enjoyment with yours. It's kinda easy to find an intimate relationship with an acoustic.
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I've got a budget Breedlove, I think I picked up on a SDOTD at musicians' friend, It plays and sounds great, very well balanced! It's a brand I recommend to folks looking for a great playing budget guitar.
 
My first guitar WAS an acoustic. A Sears-Roebuck for $20. Made from a wood-like material it had all the sustain of a half eaten Mango!

After I passed the first 8 weeks of guitar class my Dad bought me a Rickenbacker 420 with amplifier for $200. Still have the Ric, the amp was stolen...

I have a bunch of them now, playing and collecting guitars for 56 years......
 
VanWhy said:
What a great gift for yourself. I'm a little surprised not more love for Martin's. I actually work at the factory so I'm certainly biased. I still think Martin's are better overall but Taylor makes great stuff too. Either way it's got to fit you. And I'm glad you were able to find something that fits.
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I had a HD28 for years and I loved that guitar. It was balanced but had this crazy rich low-mid range that was unreal. The craft that went into it wasn’t too shabby, either. 😂 Had to sell it earlier in the pandemic to cover bills. Still hurts.
 
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