I got myself a PRS parlor guitar for Christmas... It is truly a wonderful little guitar!!! Light weight, small, with a wonderful warm sound!! Thumbs up all the way!!!
Great video again, thanks Tony! I will especially be watching out for the Quebec Canada guitar builder Robin Boucher. Their customer service is fantastic and very personal! I am anxiously waiting for my ordered Boucher BG152 GM, can´t wait. I am sure that they will issue something new and amazing again this year.... The sound of these guitars as well as the workmanship is unbelievable to me. You might agree, as you demoed one of them yourself. Thanks for your very informative, interesting and fun programs! Best wishes from the beautiful mountains of Austria.
Electric story here, not acoustic, but I jam with a neighborhood group that has a band and they let me sit in on their rehearsals. One of the guys is a big deal designer for a rather well know tech company, so obviously a guy with a good sense of style and aesthetic. He showed up with a Nash Tele about a year ago and said "man, I absolutely love this thing. I don't know what it is, it just plays so well. Feels like home." It always sat with me and I finally pulled the trigger on a Nash T52, and it's amazing. Very small custom shop that does relic'ing, and the rumor mill says they're just a shop that puts together really good Warmoth parts, but it hardly matters, awesome guitars. You should look into them.
Hey, Tony I know that you geek about guitars (I'm a guitar geek too), but I also know that you're into bonding as well and besides that the banjo is a good friend of the guitar. Here is a true story from my old friend and mentor, Rick McKeon who has taught guitar and banjo. He gave me permission to share this story with you and our guitar community. Banjo Picking and Bonding: Here's a touching story. I used to teach banjo classes at the Glendale Community Center. Two of my students were a guy named Mark and his dad. Well, after several years of group lessons, Mark became a private student of mine and took lessons at my home for several more years. Even after I had taught him everything I knew, he still wanted to come over and jam, and talk about his gold mining hobby. I would draw images of scales, chords, and key signatures on the white board, and he would draw images of his gold mining equipment. We had many wonderful evenings of music jams and discussions! When his dad died he played his favorite banjo in the lobby of the funeral home until it was time for the funeral, then he slipped that banjo into his dad's casket. He always said that I gave him and his dad such a great bond through banjo music
@@resomony I'm sure they can fix you up. They make them based on your specific likes. Mine will not be ready until September and they call in advance to see exactly what you want.
I am also super excited about Iris Guitars right now. Stoked you included them. I have been looking for an all-mahogany 00-size for the last year or so, and Iris’ all-hog OG model fits the specs, is amazingly unique, and is somewhat affordable! Can’t wait for one to show up at Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh so I can try one on for size! Very curious to see what Martin may do this year as well.
I'm a dedicated Ramirez fan, but ... I really love some of the products you showed, Tony!! - The Furch travel guitar is wonderful! I would love one of these. - The other guitar I found awesome is the Paul Reed Smith items. Very fine Guitars! Thanks for this!
I'm in the market and I am eyeing an Eastman OM, they are beautiful. My car is made in Japan, my underwear is made in Thailand, I don't care where my guitar is made!
K. Yairi and Alvarez/Yairi are incredible Japanese hand made acoustic guitars. Actually they are works of art in my opinion. Acoustic Ferrari grade guitars.
@@mollers92 Eastman ...go for it. Check out Artisan guitars. I have the parlour and OM, one second hand the other new. Fabulous, loud, responsive tops.
I appreciate that you showed guitars in all price ranges. I only have two guitars at the moment. A Taylor 114ce and a Gibson Les Paul Tribute. I don't have room for a large guitarsenal and don't want to spend thousands of dollars at the moment for a high end guitar. I am looking to add another acoustic but am having a hard time deciding what to spend my money on (under $1000). So many choices.
I know you're a big fan of Bourgeois, and I used to be too, but no more. I had some of the worst customer service experience with any company from one of their sales reps. And this was after spending $8k on one of their guitars. Completely soured me with their brand, and I happily sold my one B guitar and I will happily spend my money elsewhere. Collings, Santa Cruz, Thompson, and many others make just as good of guitars and have nice people who know how to run a business. I also remain weary with Dana's multiple business failures over the years resulting in the need to "sell" to Eastman. Just one guitar geek's opinion.
I would look at Rosie at Turnstone guitars in the UK. She has more distribution this year of pre-made guitars, but is still a handmade shop at the core. Has a lot of tones wood, many English that are very different from the usually such and Yew and Bog Oak. You should take a look.
My experience with Martin guitars is that the more affordable models were difficult to play. However, I picked up a 700 dollar Martin off the rack at Guitar Center and played it and was delighted to find it much more playable than I expected. It triggered my GAS a little, but I was able to resist, for now.
I absolutely agree on the little Jane! Out of the four guitars I own, my cedar / mahogany LJ is the one that really gets played every single day. Also, the new koa Taylor is a stunning beauty; however, the price point is pretty much ridiculous. Maybe 1500 bucks less and it could be a wonderful banger in the hands of many guitar geeks. The PRS parlor looks very interesting!
Hi Tony and team. Happy New Year. I haven't heard many updates on Collings Guitars for awhile. They seem to have gone all quiet. Would love to hear an update if you can accommodate in your busy blog schedule. Appreciate the updates you have provided. Cheers Arthur (Solomon Islands).
RE: Taylor - Employee ownership is a bit of a scam. Generally, original founders take a massive payout in exchange for debt being placed on the original company. The new "employee owners" are now responsible for that debt. This ties with what I researched about the founders wanting to retire. They get a lump sum, their company takes on debt and they ride off into the sunset. ESOP companies also end up with a CEO and C suite like any other corporation with financial incentives tied to performance. This breeds the same environment as any other corporation with a gradual shift of whats important for the $ and not the employees. Most employee shares $ will roughly replace the benefit of a 401k so not really providing much of an invested interest especially for newer employees.
But at least in this case it's a guitar maker and the jobs I'm sure don't come and go as much Unless is a traditional base labor .. maintenance, janitor, security heck maybe even painters because they can find other paint jobs But what I'm thinking is if you specialize as a guitar shaper , yes you can always leave and find a better job but if you like the job I doubt you are going to find the same style job
I'd speculate that even if the terms of employee ownership included being saddled with a huge buyout debt to service, the Taylor brand is so valuable and profitable that they probably could service all of that debt within 5 years. Given the huge increase in demand for guitars, they'd make quick work of paying off that debt. Then again, there's a good chance that this is not even the case--there are lots of ways to structure employee ownership that don't involve buying out the founders.
I'm a little stunned that there are TWO "DAMON D."'s in the guitar geek world! This is so cool that there is another player that experienced the same thing as I did a few years ago with the pick!!! The universe is beautifully strange... Lol🤟🎸
Little Crow guitars is on my radar. I purchased the PRS parlor and I cannot get the sound out of it that I hear others getting. Martin SC 13E has really peaked my interest.
Hey Tony, I think I haven't watched you talk about a j50 or a country western yet (correct me if I'm wrong). That'd be pretty cool, although I know it depends on you having one of these available.
My biggest hope and wish is for Yamaha to come out with a new FG series 12 string guitar. This is what I’d want on it: -Sitka spruce top -rosewood back and sides (like the FG 830) -special pearl inlay around the sound hole (like the FG 830) -Ivory/Cream binding around the headstock, neck, and body. -scalloped X bracing -non-cutaway dreadnought body style -the neck width the same as the FG 820-12 string. -Special pearl inlays on the fretboard. I’d be first in line for that guitar IF Yamaha would produce it. I don’t know, maybe call it the FG 860 or 870, or maybe they could open up a new line of FG series guitars and call it the FG 900-12. I don’t know. But that’s what I’d like to see.
Another upcoming album I'd recommend is Two Tigers by Dylan Ryche. If you like Tommy Emmanuel, you'll love Dylan's music. Coincidentally he just released the title track today.
Tony, I would like your opinion on the outlook for Mitchell guitars. I recently bought a T413CEBST that really surprised me. The GC price was $429. That was couple hundred bucks higher than any other from this mfg. Is this the trend for Mitchell or just an attempt to dabble in mid-priced guitars. It has a torrified solid top, beveled armrest, scalloped bracing and my fav, short scale. Nice edging too. Love your channel!!
Can't tell hair or beard. LOL The Mule is a National Resolectric. Yeah, sounds and looks killer, but to me it's a copy--would still love one. Me, there're no guitars that I'm excited about. I have what I wanted and I'm a minimalist, so...
Hey Tony- Thanks for this post. Can you kindly confirm the exact model of your Bourgeois cutaway guitar that was played by the fellow from Eddie's Guitars played? Thanks.
Any info on the guitar shortage out of Japan? I have an order in for 2x Yamaha FG5X, summer delivery and summer runs from late May at best till late September.
I am very impressed with ZAAR Guitar company from Arizona. Absolutely beautiful and great sounding guitar at really good price. I'd love you to check them out.
Hi Tony. I do not agree on the Epiphone inspired quality. I ordered a 12 string Hummingbird before Xmas. The pickguard was peeling off and it had lots of coating failures so I returned it and asked the dealer to send me another one. The dealer answered that on all 5 guitars he has there is the same issue. After that they disappeared from his website. Greetings from Germany. I love your channel.
You talk about Taylor getting better quality because it is employee owned. My experience, I have 4 acoustic guitars, many more electric. Of that I own two Taylor guitars, my semi-hollow body is a Taylor T3/B. The Taylor quality is heads and shoulders above the other manufacturers. MY T3 is superb quality, and half the price of a Gibson. Of my acoustics, quality wise I rate them No. 1 my Taylor. No. 2 my Yamaha. No. 3 my Cordoba. No. 4 and deserves far worse, my Martin.
I 1st heard of Furch back in 2019 on Paul Davids' channel. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MGmBPW7c2Tg.html I've never heard such gorgeous sound come out of a guitar as that Red Gc-SR Master's Choice (you can hear it on his video). I immediately started scowering the internet for it only to find out it was in the Czech Rrepulic for USD3-5k That little Jane sounded great, and so compact! Excellent list and info!
I am quite partial to Seagull guitars located in LaPatrie, Quebec Canada. Robert Godin is the master mind behind this company bringing his expertise to all of the Seagull models. Seagull utilizes non conventional tone woods for unique full bodied sound. I own a 6 string mahogany model and a 12 string wild cherry and cedar model. A lot of guitar for the money and fantastic quality. I purchased my 6 string when I was shopping for a Martin guitar. I actually preferred the play ability and sound of my mahogany 6 string Seagull over the Martin 6 string mahogany model. I know Martin fans will wish me dead.
How do you guys afford these guitars? We’re talking thousands..the gentlemen hosting this channel has maybe 100k in guitars around him. The content is nice, but lately it feels like I’m watching some rich kid talk about all the great stuff they have.
That 12-string Martin has a built-in cymbals, huh... I mean, it sounds like a complete gypsy caravan band. "Pay attention to this, dear guitar geeks, pay attention to that...". Dear Tony, pay attention to videos before you upload them...