Acoustic guitar

[Nikki Simon]

Hi,

Does anyone know where I can buy an acoustic guitar in Santiago? Also, any idea of price?

Thanks

[windeguy]

Hello,

My friends and I have purchased various instruments from this company:

rondomusic.com

Rondo Music Acoustics

We have purchased mainly the electric guitars and basses that they import to the US from Asia to resell and they are very good for the price.

You should be able to order a guitar and a case from them, have it shipped here via TransExpress/Western Union/Vimenca and come out ahead on the deal compared to what you can find here.

Good luck.

[MrMike]

Always much, much cheaper to buy online and have it shipped, but use Musiciansfriend.com for best prices.

[reese_in_va]

If your going to buy online why not use e-bay?
In Santiago, La sirena has them once and a while, but your going to pay premium prices. Quality is between OK and junk.
In Puerto Plata there is DG, near the park and many pawn shops have them. Las America's usually has an assortment.
If you want to buy a used guitar, PM me.

[windeguy]

Using Ebay and Musician's Friend ( same company as Guitar Center) are good suggestions.

I looked into Rondo music after my best friend bought a Les Paul guitar clone from them. He has many guitars and can pay afford to pay for them. He told me that the clone he purchased for less than $300 was as good as any of the real Gibson Les Paul's he tried that cost 8 to 10 times the price. It is his favorite guitar. I agree after playing it.

I was looking for a bass guitar and went to all of the shops I could hit in the US including Guitar Center. My friend reminded me of Rondo and I took a chance on one of their 5 string basses. At $289, there is nothing close to it in a guitar center at 2 or maybe 3 times the price. Just my opinion. Please do your research, you now have good options and buying here is not one of the better ones.

[corsair74]

Originally Posted by windeguy

Hello,

My friends and I have purchased various instruments from this company:

rondomusic.com

Rondo Music Acoustics

We have purchased mainly the electric guitars and basses that they import to the US from Asia to resell and they are very good for the price.

You should be able to order a guitar and a case from them, have it shipped here via TransExpress/Western Union/Vimenca and come out ahead on the deal compared to what you can find here.

Good luck.

I have some knowledge about acoustic guitars. And after taking a look at the acoustic guitars offered on that site, I tend to think that you are much better off with a site like Musician's Friend - Buy musical instruments, music gear, musical equipment online.

If you want a good acoustic guitar, you need one with a solid top that is made from quality woods. Unfortunately, these are a little more expensive since a lot more goes into their construction. As a general rule, anything that you buy brand new for less than $300-$400 is going to be mass constructed out of plywood. And the sound will be inferior.

When I first started taking lessons, I went to Guitar Center and bought a Fender for $200. I thought I had a good deal because Fender is so well known. Well, Fender is well known for making very good electric guitars and basses. But their acoustics....not so good. Well, as I progressed in my lessons, my teacher offered to sell me a lower end Martin. And at first I thought he was just trying to make a buck. But then I played it and the difference in the tone of the instrument was like night and day. This was because the Martin was a solid-top made out of real wood, not cheap plywood like the Fender. As a result, the Martin cost about $400 more. But, the improved sound and ease of playing made it worth the cost.

Now, I'm not telling you to run out and buy a Martin (though you could hardly do better). No. The purpose of this long post is to get you to think hard before you buy just any old cheap acoustic guitar that you find online. The site mentioned above may sell quality electric guitars. But I can look at those acoustics and tell you that they're doo doo (no self-respecting Luthier will make a guitar and paint it a pastel color).

Bigger sites like Musician's Friend - Buy musical instruments, music gear, musical equipment online and a few others carry quality acoustic brands at discounted prices. But expect to pay $350 minimum for any acoustic worth tuning up. If this is out of your budget, then you are better off going with a quality used acoustic. If you want, I can pm you some brand names that are well trusted.


Vince.

[Nikki Simon]

Thanks everyone,

I will have a look on-line and see what I can find.

[El Tigre]

I go with what Mr. Mike said. Shop on musiciansfriend.com - quality is guranteed. I bought an Alvarez Jumbo accoustic guitar a few months ago and it is TOP quality. They also pack their items super well when shipping!!!

[reese_in_va]

Keep in mind what the enviromental conditions will do to ANY musical instrument here in the Caribbean. Humidity, salt in the air and heat in general will take it's toll on any piece.
If you leave your guitar "out" in the open, your strings will rust in a matter of day's. So, if you do decide to buy online make sure to purchase many extra sets of strings to what the guitar is set up to have (12's, 10's, 9's ect) because to find and then buy them here is just a hassle and too expensive.
By-the-way, any good "seasoned" musician will tell you that it is not always the price, shape, the wood, even the intonation of a guitar that can make it sound good. It's the player.
Give me a cheap guitar and I'll shred on it and make it sound like a million bucks
Happy strumming!

[corsair74]

Originally Posted by reese_in_va

By-the-way, any good "seasoned" musician will tell you that it is not always the price, shape, the wood, even the intonation of a guitar that can make it sound good. It's the player.
Give me a cheap guitar and I'll shred on it and make it sound like a million bucks
Happy strumming!

I hate to sound like a guitar snob, but the only "seasoned" guitarists who will tell you this are those who can't (or won't) invest the money in a better instrument.

You must be talking about electric guitars (totally different), because any serious acoustic guitarist will tell you that quality materials and construction are, precisely, what determines how good a guitar will sound.

I'm talking about the instrument, not the skill of the musician. If you can't play, it doesn't matter the quality of your axe. You will still sound horrible. But the fact remains that a custom Goodall (what Seal plays), or a Martin (Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Sting, Baby Face, and many others) is going to sound a lot better than an acoustic Fender or Yamaha. And that's because they are made by master Luthiers with superior materials.

Just look at what the truly great guitarists play. Hell, even Jimi Hendrix composed some of his greatest hits on a Martin D-15 acoustic.

Look at it this way. MJ (one of the greatest basketball players of all time) would perform a lot better wearing the latest Jordans than he would wearing a pair of old school Chuck Taylors (Converse).

Vince.