From: dean@cs.cornell.edu (Dean Krafft)
Subject: Re: Guitar info wanted
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 15:09:02 GMT


In rec.music.folk you write:

>Hello, I am a novice guitarist and want to purchase a one evetually. I have
>many questions: steel vs. nylon strings, 6 vs. 12, new or used, what do I
>look for in a guitar, price etc. Since I can most likely afford to own one
>guitar, I have to choose wisely. My musical interests are celtic (reels, airs
>) and folk that has a lot of finger-picking. If people think this may take up
>too much space, e-mail me and I will send a summary to r.m.f. Thanks,
>                                                             Henry Corcoran
>                                                             Fargo, ND

I've seen Steve Pope's reply on the net, and I will agree on some things,
and disagree on others.

1) You will probably be happiest with a steel-string acoustic with 6 strings.
   12-strings can be fun, but they are almost never anyone's main guitar.

2) You don't say how much you think you can spend.  Whatever it is, if you
   can find a local guitar store that sells used instruments (and that you
   trust to set them up right), you will get the best prices.  In particular,
   our local store will take your previous instrument back in trade at only
   $50 off the price they sold it to you toward a more expensive new or used
   instrument.

3) If you are interested in finger-picking you may well be happier with a
   smaller bodied guitar, rather than a dreadnought.  The grand auditorium
   (000 and OM) size guitars tend to be better balanced.  They dreadnought
   has a boomier bass and does well for rhythm accompaniment.  Unfortunately,
   it can be hard to find anything but a dreadnought.  If you do get a smaller
   guitar, and in any case while you are starting out, I would recommend light
   gauge strings.  Phosphor bronze will last longer but they sound a bit softer
   to me than 80/20 bronze.  I'm still hunting for the perfect string :-)

4) You should run out and buy - today - "The acoustic guitar guide: everything
   you need to know to buy and maintain a new or used guitar" by Larry Sandberg.
   It is a really good and complete book on all the details of guitar
   construction, maintenance, and purchase for the beginning or intermediate
   guitar player.

5) If you don't have a decent guitar store nearby, then there is a mail-order
   outfit I would highly recommend.  This is:

	Elderly Instruments
	P.O. Box 14210-BC6
	Lansing, MI 48901
	(517) 372-7890

   They have an excellent selection of new and used guitars (as well as
   tapes and CDs, books, other instruments, etc.).  They have 4 annual
   catalogs - you want the acoustic instruments one - and a monthly flyer
   on used instruments.

6) If you want a low-priced but very respectable instrument, I would suggest
   the Seagull line - available through Elderly.  They are somewhat plain
   looking, but they have a very good sound, and at $300 new, they are hard
   to beat.

						Dean Krafft
						Ithaca, NY
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Proud owner of a new Collings OM-2H, the best sounding production guitar in
the world.
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Newsgroups: rec.music.folk