My New Guitar

[rayme330]

OK, so I had only £300 max. for a new classical guitar. I had preconceived ideas about what I wanted, mostly from reading posts on this forum - solid top cedar, made in Spain.....
But the reality of the budget hit home and I ended up with a Chinese "hand made" spruce topped model. What swung it for me when I auditioned them? Simply the sound.
To my ears, and in this price range, the spruce top sounded clearer with a well-defined bottom end, Whilst the cedar, although warm sounding ,lacked definition.
The guitar I bought was a Stagg brand Angel Lopez C 1448 S, fit and finish, excellent.
So what I suppose I am trying to say is it's probably best not to have too many preconceptions about something that is so subjective as buying a new guitar.

[simonm]

Glad you like it.

Some time last year I went to a local guitar shop and tried a bunch of guitars. For my taste one of the Chinese instruments at 1,000 euros blew away a Spanish guitar for 2,600 and a similarly priced German instrument. A steel string for about 600 was really good.

What is amazing is I briefly strummed a 35 Euro chinese plywood guitar in a big supermarket this weekend and it is was not terrible. It might not last long but it it played easily and sounded like a guitar and would not put someone off guitar for life.

[Lovemyguitar]

Congratulations on finding a guitar that you love! I hope it brings you many hours of pleasure.

I think that your last line of advice ("it's probably best not to have too many preconceptions about something that is so subjective as buying a new guitar") is very good advice, indeed. Where a guitar is made or what it costs is simply not relevant--all that matters is that somebody loves it.

[trufunk]

Post some pictures please

[cool09]

A refined bass (and good sustain) really round out a guitar for me. David Russell's guitar has a fantastic, complex bass. When you say "hand-made" is that just a label (or made without automation)? Are most Chinese guitars made in factories? Rosewood sides and back? Chinese can make quality products at decent costs, no wonder they have a booming economy.

[swestfisher]

My experience is that the setup is where a cheap guitar is made or broken. If the setup is good, it will be easier to play, and sound better. It's amazing how many people like my wife's $12 (probably Mexican) no-name guitar from the '60s.

[rayme330]

Trufunk has asked me to post pictures of my new Angel Lopez guitar.......

staggguitar 005s2.jpg

staggguitar 006s2.jpg

staggguitar 007s2.jpg

Hopefully you will be able to see from my, not very good photos, that for the price the quality is very good.
Solid A grade spruce top, rosewood back and sides, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and saddle.
With a really well defined,clear sound.
You may notice that it is set up for left hand playing. I had the nut changed and the bridge turned round and after tweaking the bridge height it is now playing in OK.

[trufunk]

Good Looking Guitar!!

[rayme330]

Hi Trufunk, I see from your post on the Acoustic Guitar forum that you have decided to purchase the Yamaha CG142.
Interestingly that was the very guitar that I used as a comparison to the Angel Lopez guitar that I eventually purchased.
In my opinion the Yamaha was more aesthetically pleasing to look at, the finish on it was excellent. However,I thought the Lopez
had the edge when it came to tone, but not by much. They are both Chinese made and about the same price so it really is up to
the individual to make their own mind up.
Did you go for the cedar top or spruce?
What made you choose the Yamaha in the end?