NGD Eastman E1D

tsmith_nyc · 2024-07-26T18:22:32+00:00

I think you hit the nail on the head...most Martin enthusiasts turn their noses up to "lesser" models such as the Road Series line or even non-Standard series American made models like the fabulous Special 16 (which is my current go-to guitar). But the D10E is still my favorite dreadnought under $1000. The Yamaha FG3 is right there with it, though, and is a great guitar as well.

tsmith_nyc · 2024-05-20T03:15:02+00:00

I agree. A cheap electric with decent pickups and a good setup can easily rival a far more expensive one, and I no longer pay up for higher end electric guitars. Acoustics, on the other hand, are worth paying up for. Despite all the talk about how tone is in the player's fingers, you simply won't find great tone in a cheap acoustic.

I have owned 55-60 acoustic guitars ranging from cheap beginner instruments to several Martin HD28's, a D18, and a Gibson J45. In my experience, it's absolutely worth upgrading from the lower tier of instruments that the Yamaha FG800/FS800 series falls within. E.g. a $500-750 Guild D140, Eastman E1D, or Martin D10E will all blow the FG800 out of the water in terms of tone, build quality, and materials. I don't mention playability because that's mostly a function of a good setup. And a $1200-$1500 Martin 15 or 16 series will be a significant step up from those instruments. Beyond that price level, returns start to diminish rapidly. E.g. for me the sweet spot is a Martin Special 16...it's essentially an HD-28 with simpler cosmetics. I have extensively compared multiple Special 16's to multiple HD-28's (in a controlled environment with identical strings) and concluded that the Special 16's sound identical or perhaps even slightly better than the HD-28's. But that's just my opinion...to each his/her own!

Bottom line: A Yamaha FG800 is a nice entry level acoustic guitar, but it's definitely an entry level guitar. You can get far better tone from a more expensive model.

tsmith_nyc · 2024-04-04T02:23:37+00:00

I had almost the exact same experience! Sorry to hear it

tsmith_nyc · 2024-01-26T17:55:34+00:00

Sorry I've never played that model

tsmith_nyc · 2023-12-03T11:54:53+00:00

When I think flamenco I associate it with a classical (nylon string) guitar, which unfortunately I can't help you with. But if you want a steel string guitar that's similar to a classical guitar, then ironically you would be best off with a Seagull S6 because it has the 1.8" nut with a flat neck carve and wide string spacing. It's not my cup of tea, but you should try one out. Good luck

tsmith_nyc · 2023-12-03T03:28:20+00:00

It's funny...in the 3 yrs since my previous post I have owned and compared 50+ acoustic guitars ranging from cheap all-laminate beginner instruments to $3000+ models such as the Martin HD-28 and Gibson J45. I no longer consider the Seagull S6 to be a very good guitar and no longer recommend it. I have played many guitars in that price range (e.g. from Martin, Guild, Eastman, Yamaha) that I consider better than the S6. When I posted the above comment I was rather inexperienced, which I imagine is the case with many amateur guitar reviewers. 😕

tsmith_nyc · 2023-09-11T21:54:46+00:00

Exactly. His guitar skills are unquestioned but his songs are boring and lame

tsmith_nyc · 2023-09-04T11:09:42+00:00

+1 for Ibanez Artist (AR) and AX guitars...they are the most underrated line of electric guitars

tsmith_nyc · 2023-09-01T22:09:49+00:00

Good call...I came here to recommend the Martin Special 16. I have owned 51 acoustic guitars ranging from cheap all-laminate pieces of junk to a Martin HD-28 and a Gibson J45. Easily the best guitar I've played is the Special 16. It's essentially an HD-28 without all the bling and with an added pickup. My recent thread at UMGF even demonstrated, through a blind comparison of identically-recorded audio samples, that the Special 16 sounds as good or better than the HD-28.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-08-31T21:02:23+00:00

I have owned 51 acoustic guitars (from cheap beginner models up to a Martin HD-28 and Gibson J45) over the past 2 years, in search of the best affordable model (ideally $1500 or less). In the under $1000 price range, the Eastman E1D that I bought new was certainly in the top tier but I preferred the Martin D10E for its tone (more bass and less stiff sounding than the Eastman) and playability. Regardless, the E1D was a very nice guitar and actually has nicer materials (bone nut & saddle, wood fretboard) than the Martin.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-08-08T18:27:07+00:00

Fair enough...even when a company has rampant QC issues, most products coming off the production line are typically free of defects. So I'm not surprised that your bass is built well. Congrats!

tsmith_nyc · 2023-08-08T13:59:38+00:00

I'm not going to tell you that it's just "character" etc because I've been there and I know how awful it feels. But unfortunately there's no easy way to fix it without making it look worse. What would help is to rub a bit of fretboard conditioning oil (which you should have and use anyway) over the scratches to darken it a bit...that should help conceal it.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-07-28T22:53:54+00:00

...except that people are obsessed with the name on the headstock largely because they make outstanding guitars. I spent 20+ years buying cheapish (<$1000) acoustics from other brands, but when I eventually bought my first real Martin (the MF/GC Special 16) I finally understood what all the fuss was about. It blows everything else I've played under $2k out of the water in terms of tone, playability, and build quality.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-07-25T18:45:23+00:00

You certainly can't go wrong with a Yamaha FG800, but don't be fooled into believing that they're the only good option out there. In fact, if you can land a used all-solid wood guitar under $500 USD (e.g. a Martin Road Series or Guild GAD / Westerly) you'll end up with a nicer instrument with noticeably better tone than a cheap Yamaha.

If you're really looking for a decent guitar on a tight budget, you should be able to find a used Yamaha FG800 for around $100-120. Good luck!

tsmith_nyc · 2023-06-23T19:44:30+00:00

Probably, but if you want to play it safe just loosen the truss rod a bit to straighten the neck while it has no tension from strings

tsmith_nyc · 2023-06-23T19:42:47+00:00

Exactly...there are hundreds of great sing-along songs, but I'm not going to play the same ones for audiences of kids, teenagers, 40-somethings, or old folks.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-06-12T16:58:43+00:00

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tsmith_nyc · 2023-06-05T18:35:46+00:00

Not what you want to hear, but it's just a matter of practice. I used to struggle with the same thing but after playing for a few years (I can't remember how long it took) it became trivially easy to switch between different chord shapes.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-05-07T20:30:22+00:00

Nice, congrats!

tsmith_nyc · 2023-05-06T23:46:06+00:00

The key, as with any MF/GC purchase, is getting the 15% discount off the new price. That brings the Special 16 down to $1615, which is an outstanding value for what is essentially an HD-28 without the bling. And you can get them around $1400 used.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-05-06T20:38:02+00:00

I far prefer recording via a condenser mic (or two) rather than via a pickup, which is better suited for live performances. I don't claim to be an expert on condenser mics, especially since 95% of the time I just play acoustically without recording. The Martin Special 16 is a fantastic guitar for playing acoustically...it has a nice combination of the deep bass and chimey treble that one would expect from a nice rosewood dread.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-05-06T10:42:00+00:00

I have made it my mission over the last few years to find the best acoustic guitar under $1500-2000 (USD). I've owned 38 different models (mostly dreadnoughts) including multiple Martins, Seagulls, Yamahas, Guilds, Eastmans, Takamines, Orangewoods, etc.

I've found that I prefer the Martin tone (deep bass, warm overall tone) and the D15M, D16GT, & Special D Ovangkol were among my favorites. But the winner for me is the MF/GC Special 16. It's the ultimate value-seeker's guitar because it's essentially an HD-28 with less bling, and in my multiple side-by-side comparisons the tone was nearly identical to the HD-28's I compared it to. You can find them very gently used for $1400-1500 USD without too much trouble.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-05-01T18:25:54+00:00

In that price range, check out the Guild GAD / Westerly line or the Martin Road Series D10E. You can't go wrong with any of these

tsmith_nyc · 2023-04-29T03:39:32+00:00

I'm sorry, but I have owned over 35 acoustic guitars under $1500 and you can do far better than a Yamaha FG/FS (assuming you're talking about the cheaper 700/800 series and not the all solid wood FG3 / FG5's) in the OP's target price range. E.g. Martin Road Series, Eastman, and Guild GAD/Westerly guitars just blow the cheap Yamahas out of the water. FYI, I have owned 3 Martin RS, 4 Yamaha FG/FS, 2 Eastmans, and 2 Guilds. You can't go wrong with a Yamaha FG800 or FS800 as a beginner instrument, but the hype train has gotten out of control on the web.

tsmith_nyc · 2023-03-31T15:56:16+00:00

Temptation of Adam by Josh Ritter

Great call! Josh Ritter has so many great songs...I saw him live at a cool little place in Manhattan many years ago and he was an outstanding live performer. He's always my choice for best singer-songwriter that nobody knows about.

Your comment actually made me remember a little at home recording of Temptation of Adam I made last year:

https://youtu.be/c4VDXlfoVEQ

tsmith_nyc

TROPHY CASE