Help: buying a guitar

Subject: buying a guitar
From: GUEST,life
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 01:21 AM

Anybody know anything about Mansfield Guitars? I am thinking of buying one and I'd like to know more about them, what would be a fair price etc. thanks ps the model that I am looking at is an MF 410

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 01:43 AM

I don't know about Mansfield Guitars, but I had a Mansfield banjo. It was pretty well constructed and sounded quite good for an inexpensive intrument. I had never heard of any other Mansfield products though.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 12:54 PM

Guitars should be bought blindfold.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 01:26 PM

If you can, Guest, find an experienced acoustic guitar player to go with you, play the instrument, and give you his or her opinion of it. Nothing else counts like experience.

The "blindfold" method would work great if we were only after sound, Richard. ;-) I always want 3 things in a guitar:

1. the right sound!
2. the right ergonomic feel (neck setup, action, etc)
3. I like it to also look good!

If I can't find those 3 things in combination, I don't buy it. If I find it ugly looking or just not that inspiring, I don't care how good it sounds....with patience, I can always find a really good looking guitar that sounds equally good as the "ugly" one does, and I'll enjoy it much more that way.

Along that line...I've played the odd Gibson which was pretty darned good in terms of how it sounded, but I just don't like the way they look at all. As for Ovation, those things are really good for changing the oil on your car...you just remove the plastic back and use it as an oil pan. The rest of the instrument you can use as kindling, I suppose... (grin)

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Richard in Manchester
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 01:31 PM

My view too, Richard. Nothing more satisfying than clattering around a smart guitar shop blindfold.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 01:40 PM

Okay, here's how I figure it. Do the blindfold test first. It could be quite enlightening.

Have your assistant note which guitars you prefer according to the blindfold test. Have him them aside after determining the order of preference.

Now take off the blindfold and look at those guitars. Play them all again and compare. See what you think.

That settles the "sound" and "feel" issues pretty well, and you can then get on with with determining which one you would actually like to buy. I bet it won't be the one with a painted Elvis standing on a beach in Hawaii proudly displayed on its soundboard!

****

Along the same lines, would you pick your future wife or your next girlfriend...or for that matter, the next car you buy, strictly according to a "blindfold" test? I don't think so!!! ;-) Appearance matters.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: GUEST,The Smiler
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 02:28 PM

>Along the same lines, would you pick your future wife or your next girlfriend...or for that matter, the next car you buy, strictly according to a "blindfold" test? I don't think so!!! ;-) Appearance matters. <<

Hmm that would be interesting. Put the blindfold on, give each future wife or girlfriend a good feel all over and listen to how she sounds.

When you take the blindfolds off, repeat the exercise with the ones you like from the blindfold test.

I'll get me donnies :-)

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 02:55 PM

I think the blindfold test is a good one, and many people are influenced by how a guitar looks. But also important is how it feels in your hands, is the action comfortable, is it easy to play and hold?

I have to admit I am biased as to brands (and also I definitely prefer a WARM guitar over a BRIGHT one) so I think you can't go wrong with a Martin . Can't go wrong with a D28, but many of the "o" series are really FINE. A well made Gibson is also a joy.

I may get capoes thrown at me for this bias; but I don't understand the attraction of Taylors- too bright, too tinny for my tastes.

That's my 2 cents and I'm stickin' to it.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 03:40 PM

I getcha, lefty, but I've played a few Taylors lately which simply blew away virtually everything else in the store, most Martins included...but there are usually a couple of Martins which are at about that same level (as good as it gets). You can go wrong with a Martin. Not drastically wrong, mind you, but some of them are not very remarkable. Some Taylors are like that too, and some will be, as you say, too bright and not warm enough...

There are 3 Taylors I've played lately, though, which were just incredible...warm and bright also, loud, good right across the sonic range. The other guitars I've played in the same store which were very, very good were, again as you say...Martin D-28s. Played one Gibson which was pretty good too, and a couple of Larivees that were just fine.

I bought one of the Taylors, and remain very happy with it. I also have a Martin D-28H which I am equally happy with. They sound quite different, and they both sound great.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Tangledwood
Date: 01 May 10 - 03:46 AM

Just wondering if OP has waited eight years before getting that guitar? :)

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: matt milton
Date: 01 May 10 - 07:15 AM

Hey, I even find Martin guitars a bit too bright!

I like Gitane guitars, jazz guitars, archtops. And Gibsons.

That said, ironically, whenever I'm EQing recordings, as I'm doing right now, I end up EQing a lot of the bass out....!

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:18 AM

Only two things are important to me. Sound and intonation.

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:30 AM

my priorities....

price

sound

playability

looks


unless its a really enticingly odd looking discarded evolutiony error
in guitar design..

then its..


looks

price

playability

sound

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:33 AM

oh.. and i'm in no financial position to really ever care what name
is branded on the headstock..

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Brian May
Date: 01 May 10 - 03:44 PM

Aha, but it depends on how much you trust the shopkeeper.

You do a great blindfold test . . . .

You choose the best instrument in terms of comfort and sound . . .

They are placed in the order you chose (so you can then unmask and assess looks) . . .

Before you get the blindfold off, the salesman has 'snuck' the Martin HD35 to the head of the queue . . .

Simples   ;o)

That's probably how I ended up with two Martins

Subject: RE: Help: buying a guitar
From: Little Hawk
Date: 01 May 10 - 06:27 PM

You don't get the sales guy as your assistant! You bring a friend whom you can trust. ;-)