I'm thinking of getting her a Washburn D100  $120 + 0 shipping from www.musiciansfriend.com


I've been playing for 6 years.  A good Martin for the past 3.  So I know what to look for.  I'm just not sure I trust the in-website reviews.

Does anyone have experience with this guitar?  Does it have good action?  Are the strings fairly close to the fretboard?  Are the keys nice and tight?  Does it hold its tuning well?  Etc...

My budget is between 100 and 150 (going in halvsies with my bro in law).

Any advice would be appreciated.

I have heard a lot of good things about Rondo Music, they have their own brand and they are very popular as low-cost options, at least for bass guitar.  I would assume that their guitars are as good.

My guitarist used to own several Gibson Les Pauls worth well over $1k a piece, and sold all of them.  He recently has been buying these Chinese knockoffs from ebay to gig with, so he doesn't have to worry about damage, etc. when using them as a gigging tool.

They sound great, and he said that if you didn't look at name and a few other visual items, you would think they WERE Les Pauls.   From 10 feet away you can't tell.

If you want, I can ask him who is selling them.

Quoted: I have heard a lot of good things about Rondo Music, they have their own brand and they are very popular as low-cost options, at least for bass guitar.  I would assume that their guitars are as good. My guitarist used to own several Gibson Les Pauls worth well over $1k a piece, and sold all of them.  He recently has been buying these Chinese knockoffs from ebay to gig with, so he doesn't have to worry about damage, etc. when using them as a gigging tool. They sound great, and he said that if you didn't look at name and a few other visual items, you would think they WERE Les Pauls.   From 10 feet away you can't tell. If you want, I can ask him who is selling them.

I heard the same thing

sure.  As long as they fall somewhat within my price range...

Thanks.

Last year I bought my daughter an acoustic guitar for christmas. I got it from american musical supply or musicians friend I cant remember rightly but it was only 49 dollars and I thought well how bad could it be? I have been playing for quite a while and when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the tone is on that guitar. It is a rougue 7\8 scale acoustic and it was only 49.00. Very good value for the money. Oh and the website reviews on this one were accurate for the most part.

tag

I THINK this is who he got it from... I know that he had them shipped from FL.  One was a Les Paul copy, and he just got a double neck guitar (12 string/6 string).  The doubleneck needed some setup work but it seems to be coming around nicely.

I'll verify with him tonight to make sure this is who he dealt with.

stores.ebay.com/Stellar-Guitars-BUY-IT-NOW-Store

DAMN....I'm tempted to try out one of the 12 strings. Even has a pickup built in. $189 including a hard case and shipping!

wal mart "First Act"  the quality is UNBELIEVABLE.....


as in the biggest POS ever made

Go with the Washburn.  I have recommended this model for a few new students.  It is good quality without breaking the bank.  It also has a known name which mill make it much easier to sell if she decides she no longer wants to continue playing or wants to upgrade to a better model.

Off name brands may or may not have good quality.  Many are made by name brand companies and sold under a different label.  Many small shops carry them because the profit margin is huge.  I avoid them like the plague because I like to know what I am getting and if I have a problem, I want an established company that will stand behind it's product.

I have owned 3 Washburns over the years.  Each of them different in many ways.  I haven't had a problem with any of them.  Two were made in Korea and one was made here in the USA.  

One of the key factors that comes to mind for a first guitar is playability.  If the action is high and stiff, it won't be fun.

If I had to choose between an inexpensive acoustic or an electric, the electrics tend to have lighter action.  After finger strength and technique are developed, branching to an acoustic would be easier.

I got my daughter an electric.  Now that she has had it for a while she is asking for an acoustic to go with it.

Just my opinion.

If experience/reviews of the guitar you're looking at are positive, go for it.

Update: I just went to MF and read some of the reviews by people who own and play the D100.  It sounds like a good deal!!!

OK, I just heard from my guitar player, and the seller's ebay ID is chasesraceplace.

Ebay store:
stores.ebay.com/AJs-Guitar-Barn

Quoted: One of the key factors that comes to mind for a first guitar is playability.  If the action is high and stiff, it won't be fun.

+1

Do not go too cheap.  Having a good guitar makes learning a lot easier.  If the fingering is too tough, she won't practice much.

I'm trying to learn, too, although I don't think I'll ever get pst the "jeez, I suck" stage.  I have a Seagull S-6 that I bought at the recomendation of a geetar playing fiend.  It sounds great, and has a fairly easy action.
matthew