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I always wanted a proper solid top acoustic guitar, but the fragility of the top always made me doubt the necessity of buying one. I can't be bothered with creating the needed microclimate indoors, inside a case, etc. Plywood acoustics have been totally fine for me: they mostly sounded like crap but they are nearly indestructible. I've recently read that the Beatles Gibson acoustics were actually made of plywood which weirdly makes me wanna own a nonexistent plywood J45 guitar. What's your dream acoustic? POAST pictures

Generally the Japanese stuff is pretty excellent. You could get yourself an early 70s Yamaha folk guitar, plywood tops but they sound wonderful anyway. Also the "Cat's Eyes" models by Tokai are great Martin copies with a range of construction quality. I have a K Yairi acoustic from the 80s, a killer, not too expensive either. They built guitars for Alvarez in the US, so if you can find an Alvarez Yairi they're usually much better than you'd expect from the price.

I love my Sigma 000M15. It's a budget one that I don't think they make anymore. I suppose I'd probably swap it for one of their better spec'd ones.

I remember playing a Epiphone EJ-300 in a guitar shop ages ago and I've always wanted one since.

I suppose the dream should be either a Martin 000 15M or a Gibson GJ-300.

About 15 years ago I had come in to some money and I had the option to buy a J45 or a bike. I bought the bike due to commuting in London but really wish I bought the J45 now as it is still my favourite acoustic

I love my 60’s Silvertone (made by Harmony in Chicago)



I wish it had a radiused, thinner neck and I could hit it harder, but the sound (it’s made of birch) is all raw and mojo, it doesn’t sound like a singer/songwriter acoustic.

I’ve always wanted a Gibson or Guild jumbo that I could bash on.

I've got a Martin 00-15M that is all I want from an acoustic.

MatthewK wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:18 am Generally the Japanese stuff is pretty excellent. You could get yourself an early 70s Yamaha folk guitar, plywood tops but they sound wonderful anyway. Also the "Cat's Eyes" models by Tokai are great Martin copies with a range of construction quality. I have a K Yairi acoustic from the 80s, a killer, not too expensive either. They built guitars for Alvarez in the US, so if you can find an Alvarez Yairi they're usually much better than you'd expect from the price.

Man, there are some nice guitars on ebay!

Bacchus wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:27 am I love my Sigma 000M15. It's a budget one that I don't think they make anymore. I suppose I'd probably swap it for one of their better spec'd ones.

I remember playing a Epiphone EJ-300 in a guitar shop ages ago and I've always wanted one since.

I suppose the dream should be either a Martin 000 15M or a Gibson GJ-300.

I tried a Sigma 000M15 in a shop 6-7 years ago and it was a nice little guitar. Epiphone EJ-300 looked great and was affordable, I remember they discontinued it
Gibson J-300 looks amazing

lorez wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 1:43 pm About 15 years ago I had come in to some money and I had the option to buy a J45 or a bike. I bought the bike due to commuting in London but really wish I bought the J45 now as it is still my favourite acoustic

Turns out Epiphone is making the classic J45, J200 and Hummingbird under their the Inspired by Gibson line but they are all pricey from $750 to almost $1000. All have solid top, back and sides though

plopswagon wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 2:09 pm I love my 60’s Silvertone (made by Harmony in Chicago)



I wish it had a radiused, thinner neck and I could hit it harder, but the sound (it’s made of birch) is all raw and mojo, it doesn’t sound like a singer/songwriter acoustic.

These most probably don't have any kind of X bracing and would probably fold under a heavy set of strings. Though when they were made heavy strings were considered standard for acoustics. I used to follow one old man's channel who played simple blues tunes on such Silvertones, Harmonies and Stellas. To be fair all the classic delta blues tunes were recorded on similar guitars as classic bluesmen played what they could afford to buy. I like these cheap Harmonies and Silvertones

Yup the bracing is pretty scant, which is why they came from the factory strung with electric strings

Didn't know that, but it makes sense since Harmony was making a ton of cheap electrics at the time

NickD wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 2:11 pm I've got a Martin 00-15M that is all I want from an acoustic.

Though I like a deeper bass and the general mellowness of the sound of bigger body guitars, folk/parlor guitars always catch my eye and if I go to a store I spend more time noodling with them than with dreadnoughts or jumbos

Another possible dream guitar, although not really an acoustic, would be a Godin 5th Avenue. I remember a shop in NZ that I kept going back to to play one and I really loved it. I never got to plug it in, but I used to spend 45 minutes at a time playing it acoustically.

They also had a Marshall JVM410 head and that was probably my dream amp at the time (still want one). Occasionally I would spend an hour or so on it. I was only going to be in the country for six weeks or so, so I didn't really care if the very friendly and chatty guy who ran the shop ended up thinking I was a dickhead, but it became increasingly difficult to give the impression that I was sincerely considering buying one of these two large, expensive, items on my trip.

Bacchus wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 5:28 pm They also had a Marshall JVM410 head and that was probably my dream amp at the time

Wish I still had my JVM, regret letting go of that one.

sunshiner wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 4:01 pm

lorez wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 1:43 pm About 15 years ago I had come in to some money and I had the option to buy a J45 or a bike. I bought the bike due to commuting in London but really wish I bought the J45 now as it is still my favourite acoustic

Turns out Epiphone is making the classic J45, J200 and Hummingbird under their the Inspired by Gibson line but they are all pricey from $750 to almost $1000. All have solid top, back and sides though

interesting as when I had the option to buy the Gibson J45 15 years ago it cost £750

Bacchus wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 5:28 pm Another possible dream guitar, although not really an acoustic, would be a Godin 5th Avenue. I remember a shop in NZ that I kept going back to to play one and I really loved it. I never got to plug it in, but I used to spend 45 minutes at a time playing it acoustically.

The 60 cycle hum guy did a review of a Grote guitar which is also a clone of Gibson ES-125 and costs around $250. He seemed to like it quite a lot.

lorez wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 10:13 pm interesting as when I had the option to buy the Gibson J45 15 years ago it cost £750

Somewhere around $3000 these days, though there's a Studio version and a G version with an additional hole in the side

Epiphone made this thing with a giant pickguard and one mustang pickup. It was so awesome. Lemme find it



E-444

This thing was made for me

It's Olympic, the pickup is a Melody Maker one