mr dave

A Martin is a worthwhile investment and I've never known anyone to regret it. They only get better with age.

The other big name I hear a lot for acoustics is Taylor.

As GB said, go down to the shop, especially if you're looking at a budget that could afford a Martin.

I was also going to mention Godin guitars but their acoustic sub-division is actually Seagull...

One last thing, if you're concerned with getting something and then finding out a month later you think the tone sucks why not just rent it for a month? It's a little more expensive but it would make it easier to really find something you like.

This is worth addressing because in cars terms it's like saying "I'm leaning towards a pickup truck, the only reason I question it is because I've always wanted a convertible".

You're trying to lean over a pretty big gap with this situation.

Essentially the Strat is a workhorse and personally I think every guitar aficionado should at least own one or a good clone. However if you're not at that stage yet then you need to make a choice and ultimately it only needs to satisfy you.

The main difference besides the obvious brightness of the tone is that hollowed guitars create more feedback than a solid body, and in some cases A LOT more feedback.

What do you currently have for a guitar? Is a Strat really that different? Are you looking to change your overall tone or just refine it? Do you plan on amassing an eventual collection or just perpetually trading upward?

If anything I'd recommend the rental deal again, especially where you're considering two distinct beasts like these.

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blastingas10

Thanks for addressing my comment with such detail. I curretly have a solid body laguna, which Is one reason im startin to lean towards the hollow body. I want something different. I have a friend who has a epiphone dot, he runs it through a Marshall that has two 10 or 12 inch speakers in it. He plays some heavy stuff. I've never heard any feedback issues when he was playing, and my amp isn't even as loud as his so I'm not really worried about feedback issues, i think it'll be fine.

Another thing to consider is that my girlfriend is wanting to buy it for me for me birthday and the strat is a little more expensive, so I almost don't even have a choice.

WWWP

Yeah a lot of people I've talked to have suggested looking into getting a Taylor. Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. And actually I hadn't considered renting, that's a fantastic idea.

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GuitarBizarre

Breeeeedddddloooooveeeeee

Big names are not always the best. I've played Takamine and Taylor guitars twice the price of mine that aren't as good because they just weren't built right on the day. Consider all options.

Art & Luthierie, Seagull, and Norman guitars, btw, are all brands made by ex-godin employees. They're VERY good. A norman is one of the only guitars I've ever played that matched my breedlove for example.


They also tend towards a sweeter, less brash sound than most makers guitars. Godin as a company are big believers in keeping the finishes thin to avoid strangling the tone of the guitar. Most other companies use gloss finishes that are much thicker than the satin these companies use. That might not always be bad, but I think satin has the edge in tone, all other things being equal.

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Dr_Rez

Its just to bad Seaguls have that goofy looking thin headstock.

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GuitarBizarre

I think the only headstock shape that would keep me from buying a guitar if it was outright better than another one, would be an honest to god bell end.

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Dr_Rez

Haha to each his own. I love gibson styles to much, and think the Les Paul is the best looking guitar ever made. That open book bell headstock is really the only kind I like if not the Fender Strat/Tele headstocks.

Call it social conditioning. My Alverez has the Gibby style headstock and my god do I love it. Especially with some decent binding.

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GuitarBizarre

See, I have a functional preference. String pull not straight? You better have pulled some voodoo to keep this thing in tune...

But aesthetically? IDGAF

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Dr_Rez

All I know is I have never had trouble with with good high ratio Grovers and a Composite or Bone nut. Intonate it well enough and I can abuse the **** out of it without any tuning probloms.

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GuitarBizarre

I've had plenty of trouble tuning wise, sadly. The only 3x3 headstocked guitar I've ever played where the tuning was rock solid, was my breedlove.

Sadly, Gibsons and the like have real problems with tuning. Its partially down to the fact their headstock angle is 17 degrees instead of 13/14 which is basically everyone elses standard.

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