Famous but bad guitars and less famous but good guitars

[Henry Jimdrix]

I had a Sigma 000-15. Gave that away to the same friend's father. It was a very good little guitar for fingerpicking. Kinda tinny for strumming. Paid €180 second hand.

2019, Ireland.

9CADC838-2209-4466-B16D-F82A3D839FC3.jpeg

Yes it's probably best for fingerpicking,folk and blues I wouldn't call it tinny sounding on strumming though. Obviously because of the size of the guitar and the woods used, it isn't going to sound like a dreadnought with a spruce top.

[Mister Natural]

I'm a lousy reference here 'cause I've only ever had inexpensive instruments. Even the one Gibson I got in 1980 was $350 & an obscure model(LS-6 Deluxe). I fought getting a strat for like 15yrs . . . found a $200 partscaster back in 2006 & totally GOT it as to why they're such an interesting and versatile instrument. My Tele is also partscaster & it also sounds magnificent.

It's also true that me playing Jeff Beck's stage guitar sounds exactly like my poor-playing A$$ & Mr Beck playing my $200 one sounds virtually insane

peace

[Bombadil]

I had a Sigma 000-15. Gave that away to the same friend's father. It was a very good little guitar for fingerpicking. Kinda tinny for strumming. Paid €180 second hand.

2019, Ireland.

9CADC838-2209-4466-B16D-F82A3D839FC3.jpeg

Yes it's probably best for fingerpicking,folk and blues I wouldn't call it tinny sounding on strumming though. Obviously because of the size of the guitar and the woods used, it isn't going to sound like a dreadnought with a spruce top.

If I were to recommend inexpensive acoustic guitars, they'd be:
Sigma;
Recording King;
Guild Westerly.
Yamaha.

Above the 'Estaban' range, but I AM snobby that way....

Quality control will be spottiest with Recording Kings. Sigmas I'd recommend, definitely, especially if they're well setup. If I were in the market for a 12 string, I'd look at Sigmas, but I'd look for the pre+ models. I do NOT get along with artificial fretboards. Everyone of them there's been something that bugged me.

[jens]

I had a Sigma 000-15. Gave that away to the same friend's father. It was a very good little guitar for fingerpicking. Kinda tinny for strumming. Paid €180 second hand.

2019, Ireland.

9CADC838-2209-4466-B16D-F82A3D839FC3.jpeg

Yes it's probably best for fingerpicking,folk and blues I wouldn't call it tinny sounding on strumming though. Obviously because of the size of the guitar and the woods used, it isn't going to sound like a dreadnought with a spruce top.

If I were to recommend inexpensive acoustic guitars, they'd be:
Sigma;
Recording King;
Guild Westerly.
Yamaha.

Personally, I would instead recommend Walden first and foremost.

[Bombadil]

Waldens are no longer made. I have one, all solid Supranatura. Very, very nice guitar. If you come across a Walden, definitely worth checking out.

[Bombadil]

I had a RK ROS 16 for a while. Didn't love the V neck, but it was light and had an astounding bass for its size. So, of course, I try out 3 more RKs. They were all duds. But if you win the QC lotto, they're very good.

[Henry Jimdrix]

I had a Sigma 000-15. Gave that away to the same friend's father. It was a very good little guitar for fingerpicking. Kinda tinny for strumming. Paid €180 second hand.

2019, Ireland.

9CADC838-2209-4466-B16D-F82A3D839FC3.jpeg

Yes it's probably best for fingerpicking,folk and blues I wouldn't call it tinny sounding on strumming though. Obviously because of the size of the guitar and the woods used, it isn't going to sound like a dreadnought with a spruce top.

If I were to recommend inexpensive acoustic guitars, they'd be:
Sigma;
Recording King;
Guild Westerly.
Yamaha.

Personally, I would instead recommend Walden first and foremost.

strange looking guitar https://reverb.com/uk/item/40699348-wal ... gKeDfD_BwE

[jens]

Looks fantastic - I didn't even know they also have a baritone now.

[jens]

[vurt]

strange looking guitar https://reverb.com/uk/item/40699348-wal ... gKeDfD_BwE

it's to stop you losing plectrums inside

[Henry Jimdrix]

strange looking guitar https://reverb.com/uk/item/40699348-wal ... gKeDfD_BwE

it's to stop you losing plectrums inside

Really? I just can't grasp leaving the positioning of the sound hole aside, why it is so small, surely that would not be a sufficient sized sound hole to create a good sound. To me that is really on the small side and one would suspect it would have a detrimental effect on sound volume. Now I don't claim to be an expert in sound but it just seems logical to my way of thinking that the sound hole is too small to create the level of volume you would expect regardless of it's positioning on the guitar, even more so you would think considering the fact it is further away from the natural finger position when strumming a guitar. .

[jens]

strange looking guitar https://reverb.com/uk/item/40699348-wal ... gKeDfD_BwE

it's to stop you losing plectrums inside

Really? I just can't grasp leaving the positioning of the sound hole aside, why it is so small, surely that would not be a sufficient sized sound hole to create a good sound. To me that is really on the small side and one would suspect it would have a detrimental effect on sound volume. Now I don't claim to be an expert in sound but it just seems logical to my way of thinking that the sound hole is too small to create the level of volume you would expect regardless of it's positioning on the guitar, even more so you would think considering the fact it is further away from the natural finger position when strumming a guitar. .

They explain in the video I linked to above why exactly the hole is where it is. So if you really wanna know, watch it.

Spoiler alert:

your assumptions are false.

[resynthesis]

Waldens are no longer made. I have one, all solid Supranatura. Very, very nice guitar. If you come across a Walden, definitely worth checking out.

I believe they've recently relaunched.

[Bombadil]

Interesting. The previous iteration was different on a number of levels re employee treatment and wood sourcing. I wonder if this will be any different? In any case, I'm selling my Supranatura G2070.

[jens]

Tbh I didn't even realize they were gone - I'm not even sure anymore when I purchased mine... but yeah, they came back from the grave last year - revived by the original founder no less.

I don't really know anything about their ethics tbh - care to enlighten us? Were they especially bad or especially good?

What I really like about them and why I recommend them is that they really innovate and it seems you also can rely on flawless quality from them - and that at a price point that makes them rather affordable.