it has been a while (ten years) since I played (western folk) guitar mostly fingerpicking style.
have been playing a lot of stuff since I was a teen, and in 84 sold my deep bowl guitar (was a maxwin folk style with martin steel strings) which had an built in element…and a great sound I thought at that time.
now lately I get this itch again and thought maybe I could pick it up and see if I still can learn to play, this time it would have to be ITM…hmm.
I have no clue at all what I am looking into or what I should look FOR.
if you have suggestions for a secondhand guitar to wet my toes again, what should I look for when I want to play in our genre or other folk stuff.
and what makes the difference with normal tuning playing??? I have seen the DADGAD mentioned but that is all I know
About the only common factors I’ve noticed is that the vast majority of guitars in ITM are six string folk, and usually very large ones like the dreadnaught or grand auditorium. I assume that is to give enough volume against all the melody instruments while unplugged. I don’t think there’s any particular brand that is the favorite, although C.F. Martin shows up a lot in all folk circles. I’ve seen Nylon strung classicals and twelve string guitars, but these are not the norm. I think just about any well made six string would work, and with so many guitars made, you can get some nice ones at modest prices.
About tuning, Berti, DADGAD is very commonly used for accompanying Irish music. I love the sound it gives, and we have a good player in our session who uses it, but I never have tried it.
As you probably know, ‘standard’ tuning is EADGBE, and that’s what 99% of guitar players use. Many people like to drop to DADGBE for playing tunes in D. Many folk players, (particularly blues and Hawiian ‘slack key’ players), like to tune to an open chord, such as G or D. This is particularly useful for playing slide (aka bottleneck) styles. Some even tune to minor chords, (blues player Skip James was a master in that approach).
Every musician should know a bit of guitar, IMHO. It’s a great instrument, and useful in nearly every musical context. Go for it!
Probably standard tuning or whatever you are used to, would be fine. No need to get super fancy with price. I would think a moderately priced Yamaha six string or something similar might fill the slot you are looking for. I would gravitate towards the 4 to 5 hundred USD new guitars, that translates into CHEAP when you buy from Craigslist or Backpage.com.
For a couple hundred dollars there you can find a nice instrument, but then take it in for a professional set up where they will most likely lower or replace the nut in order to make first position playing easier and more in tune.
Also on the low-mid priced guitars it’s a good idea (but not totally necessary by any means) to have a bone saddle (part that strings rest on on top the bridge) cut and put in. Some shops will do a great job with this and make a mid price guitar into a really nice axe.
But look around and ask guitarists who to go to for some shops will do the work, but do it wrong and make the instrument harder to play or practically unplayable, so be careful.
edit;
I just noticed you are in Netherlands, I’m not sure if Craigslist and backpage operate over there or not. I stand firm with the other things I mentioned!
I’ll second the vote for Yamaha. I’ve owned three of them over the years and they are a very consitent value in a modestly priced guitar. I think they’re available just about everywhere in the world.
yes yamaha’s are also available over here and I have been looking into them, but there is also a Cort brand which would be an option too.
Friends of mine do own an ibanez dreadnought which is very nice (on my ears)
I will see what I am gonna do…going to take a few weeks, still in the research stages
Yes an Ibanez might be a good choice as well. Dreadnoughts are a good choice for they usually project pretty well and have a nice sound if set up properly. I don’t know anything about the Cort brand, but it could be made at the very same factory as the Ibanez for all I know.
The Seagull cutaway looks to b a fine instrument. I’ve never played one, but it appears to get consistently high ratings on internet sites.
If you can, take a guitar playing buddy along with you when shopping, someone that has their ear tuned towards guitar sounds can more easily tell the differences between instruments. Good luck, keep us informed!
Whew…seems the problem solved itself with that great offer thank you colin, have sent you email.
It will be strange I think, in the beginning to have to try and remember all the stuff I learned so long ago.
geezzz I am getting old …(41, just so you know hehe)
thanks all. will post again later on…next year.
berti
Regarding the Cort guitar, it may be worth considering.
A year ago, I bought a ‘Parkwood’, which is actually a renamed Cort, made in the same S. Korean factory. I have owned many fine guitars over the years, and I place this one up with the mid-level instruments that Martin and Gibson are producing these days. It’s not an heirloom classic, but it is a good’un for the money, and a keeper if you don’t care about snob-appeal.
Colin will do anything to make some additional room in the house for the holidays!