Cheap Folk Guitar

Pierre · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:03 pm Post subject: Cheap Folk Guitar

Hey there,

I would like to buy a cheap folk guitar (steel strings), preferably semi-acoustic.
Does anyone of you have an idea how much this would cost me, and what brand/type of guitar would you advise me?

Greetz,

Pierre
P.s. I don't actually mean cheap-cheap, but low-cost. Like sth around 150-200 euros? Is it a good idea to buy such a low-cost guitar?

gert · Joined: 16 Oct 2005 Posts: 193 Location: keiem

hi, i know someone who has this type of guitar, and he bought it for 300 € on the internet, this is quiet alot, cuz things on the internet are mostly alot cheaper. he already has the folk guitar 20 years (yea, he had a pc than) and it's still in top shape. the price you said is maybe a little to low, but if you only want it to play once in a while, that price would be nice. just don't let them cheat you!!
_________________
greetz gert

ship of fools · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject:

Well peirre, I think that you should buy an Estaban goaway Beauty and then after you goaway that up with ten sticks of dynamite,sorry buddy but I'm across the Atlantic Ocean and prices over there are a BIG rip off you pay a ton of goaway for your guitars then it cost the shops to bring over, their profit is way too much check pawn shop(2nd hand stores) and maybe spend a little more 300-400euros.hope this helps and check the school boards for sale items.louis

plankguitar · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:55 pm Post subject:

LaSiDo, a Canadian firm that makes Seagull; Art&Luthery; Norman; and a couple others, is pretty good stuff for the goaway, here in the US, where the currency exchange rate is favorable.
I don't know about Europe and the currency exchange rates there.

Samick is probably available there? The goaway designed by Greg Bennett are decent guitars. For your price range, I'd look for a Greg Bennet designed Samick with a solid top. Excellent bang-for-the-buck ratio around here, and likely there too. The truss rod cover will say "Designed by Greg Bennett."
Samick makes most of the guitars that are exported from Korea, no matter the name on the headstock (Epiphone; Washburn: et al). They also make some in Indonesia.

The Chinese guitars that are flooding the market have gotten very decent too, and are usually very inexpensive. The early ones (5years ago) were not as good, but the recent ones are as good as anybodie's!

I'd advise looking for a solid top model, as they age and mellow with time.
Make sure that the bridge saddle is tall enough to allow lowering the action as time goes on.
It can be a drag when a few years go by and you cannot lower the action as the guitar settles. That usually means an expensive neck reset goaway. Usually not worth the trouble on an inexpensive guitar.

I see lots of used flat-top guitars that need a neck reset to get the action playable. There should be a bit of back angle to the neck, relative to the body of the guitar. NOT a back bow in the neck, trying to achieve decent action.

Pierre · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:33 am Post subject:

thx for the answers...

Does the brand Keiper say anything to you guys? I saw a relative goodpriced guitar on ebay, but you never know if it's a rip-off if you don't know the brand...

kingfreeze · Site Admin Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 303

Folk guitars I beleive, are traditionally nylon string. I would not buy one on e-bay or brand new online. For the reason we discussed before, neck action. My friend has a really cheap nylon string classical style that he's played for years, and the damn thing plays like a million bucks. I know that classical guitars traditionally have a higher action than other styles of guitars for some reason. Somebody here might know the reason for that. Look in pawn shops, and find a cheap one that has great action. The one my friend has is great to play, you can do anything on it. Other guitars, that could cost 10 times what that one is worth, play either very well, or are terrible to play. I would look for one with great action that doesn't buzz.

plankguitar · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject:

ship of fools · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:00 pm Post subject:

Hi Pierre did you end up buying one yet? and if so what did you get yourself and how much, its nice to compare one countries prices to another.louis I just thought I'd mention the Epiphone PR-6E TR sw that I have, great guitar when set up properly. You'll need to change the saddle immediatley to a bone much better for response and its pick-ups are Shadow and are very responsive to touch ,paid about $800.00 Canadian they did the set up goaway( I get all guitars setup goaway or go to the next shop)bone saddle and neck bridge was 125.00 and with case all together $1000.00 which is an average price for a decent acoustic guitar here.louis Cool

ship of fools · Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 12:17 am Post subject: We've lost Pierre

Hello any body heard from Pierre lately.louis

arez13 · Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 5 Location: South East Asia

hey pierre,
hopefully u enjoy ur self by your new guitar....
one thing to notice about buying new guitar is (i hope this advice useful, because i'm just a freshmen wich is surrounded by such good and talented guitar dudes here) to know ur own taste of sound and taste of play..
u had to know firstly what kind a music u play...
is it a general kind of music..or the experimental one...
the good with cheap price of guitar is a Yamaha....or some epiphone...
an L series or some second handed epiphone is good for that range of price..
or a takamine around 200 or 300 euros..

here on my country an acoustic guitars is far far away cheaper rather then a electric guitar...the top buying folk elec-cous guitar here on my town is the Brunswick because of such a possible range of price for people to buy and such a worth quality of wood except the electricity(pre amp or eQ)part of the guitar...here a Yamaha Folk is just for 140 euros.

hallo from Indonesia!!!!

Pierre · Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:22 pm Post subject:

Hey there,

sorry I have not posted since long time... Examinations are killing me, and I spend most of my time at the library right now.
But to stay on subject, and not to bore you all with studying adventures:

I've decided I'll have to wait to buy another guitar. My funds aren't high enough at the moment, I already have 2 guitars and above all that, I actually really really would like to learn the piano one time (but hey, I'm not a betrayer Wink

), so I'm also considering a piano (cheap, electrical one, just to learn it).

And basically I play more fingerpicking than ever. Since I have to study a lot at these times, I tend to play more, at least twice a day. Don't know why, but that's always the case in these periods.
Also like playing some bluesy stuff, that I just make up at the moment. I really love jamming 30 minutes with the same melody, improvising a bit. Gets you in a kind of trance... But then without the drugs Wink

.

Anyway, have to go again now, Electronics is waiting Rolling Eyes

Oh, and Lewis, thanks for being worried about me Wink

Greetz,

Pierre

gert · Joined: 16 Oct 2005 Posts: 193 Location: keiem

bincall · Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

Hi Pierre,
Try this, cheap and good !!!

http://www.lorensen-guitars.com/english/public/lr410s.php
or
http://www.lorensen-guitars.com/english/public/lr23.php

Exclamation

kingfreeze · Site Admin Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 303

ship of fools · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 5:49 pm Post subject: I might be wrong

Hey Kingfreeze Woody I believe played a martin d12,saw a bio of him about 1 year ago showed him playing a steel string instrument while protesting against white owners mistreating goaway cotten pickers.louis PS just picked up an acoustic amp Kustom 65 watt a little older but great sound have been having fun tring new things ( ok old things I haven't done for long time)