I can has guitar?

December 4, 2007 6:18 AM

Guitar pricing and buying: I have a Fender GDP100, which has been very nice to me. I really desire, though, an Alvarez MF80C. Should I buy it online, in a local shop, or not at all?

It looks like the Alvarez is price-fixed at $750-760 online, although there were, a little while ago, blemished units going for $650. List price is $1,159. The factors are... a shop nearby stocks them only once in a blue moon, and they'd get one in stock so I could check it out, but I'd need to be seriously considering buying it. I'm not sure whether they'd have the internet price or something higher.

There are also occasional eBay stores sales (w/ offer prices) which can go for much lower - I've seen one or two for under $600, for new stock.

I'm looking to get an acoustic guitar to keep for the rest of my life. The Fender's been great, but the bridge is cracked along the pins, so I don't think it'll hold up much longer. I can afford, technically, the MF80C and probably even a few more pricey than it, but that would suggest some seriously messed up priorities for a college student.

I know that acoustics vary in sound from guitar to guitar - could it be dramatic enough to justify this? And is there any benefit from buying from a local shop other than that warm and fuzzy feeling (the shop is undoubtedly doing well - my area is filled with retirees reliving their youths). And am I wrong to think that this high-end Alvarez is a better alternative to low-end Taylor/Martin/etc.s? I've played quite a few, and I've really liked the feel of similar Alvarezes but haven't yet found a shop that has stocked this particular guitar.

Thanks for any guidance

posted by tmcw to media & arts (17 comments total)

I don't know much about the specific models you ask about, but I do know about buying instruments.

The benefit of buying from the local shop include: repeat visits might get you discounts; their repair shop (if they have one) will likely handle what you buy there; returns are easier; and (the big one) they may let you audition the instrument over a period.

It will usually take more than a few minutes noodling in the shop to find out if you really like an instrument. Though, as a first pass I would recommend going into the local shop, telling them your budget, and then having the sales person hand you guitars -- don't look at the model, don't look at the brand, and just play it. I've found some real gems that many might not have given a second look. Buy it on feel and sound - not brand or recommendations. An instrument can and should be a very personal fit.

[Buying an expensive guitar] would suggest some seriously messed up priorities for a college student.

I disagree. If you plan on playing for the rest of your life, how could you not afford it? If you're a novice, a good instrument will give you an advantage to stick with it. If you're an expert, you'll be able to get sounds out of a good instrument that a poor one just won't make. Notice I say "good," not necessarily "expensive." Here are some more reasons -- or rationalizations depending on your personal sarcasm meter -- for spending as much as you can afford on a nice guitar:

- A cheap instrument seldom gets played
- A cheap instrument is soon worthless, a nice one that is well cared for will keep its value
- An instrument is an investment in your education as much as books or tuition - though, the taxman might disagree
- If you get good enough you could make a few bucks with your instrument
- Members of the opposite sex think its sexy ;)

Whatever your decision, try to play the instrument as long as they'll let you. Offer to leave your current one as collateral. Try several. Sorry I don't know the specifics about the brands you ask, but I would suggest they're all fair game -- especially if you might find a good deal.

Good luck.
posted by GPF at 7:28 AM on December 4, 2007

I'm looking to get an acoustic guitar to keep for the rest of my life.

Just re-read you post and saw this line. If that's truly the case, then I'd say price shouldn't top your list of priorities.
posted by GPF at 7:32 AM on December 4, 2007

Personally, I wouldn't buy an acoustic guitar online. Like you said, guitars vary in sound and you would never know the way it sounds if you bought one off ebay.

I really like acoustics that have been played for a while because I believe their sounds and tone matures after use. So the next acoustic I buy will be most likely used either through the respected local vendor or via craigslist. Somewhere where I can hold the instrument, play it, go home and research the make/model, and come back with a reasonable offer.

This strategy makes it hard to fall in love with a specific make and model prior to finding it in my local area.

By the way, I can't speak to the Alvarez's quality but the above is the way I'll find my next git-fiddle.
posted by premortem at 7:34 AM on December 4, 2007

Your closest authorized Alvarez dealer:

SAM ASH
155 Route 22
Springfield, NJ 07081
Phone: [phone]
Store Manager: George Rigney

buy guitars in a real store--no chance of any buzzes on any of the frets or anything like that.

I own a lower-end Alvarez and nobody can believe what I paid for it. I love it.

I still want a Gibson though. There's no such thing as a guitar for the rest of your life.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:03 AM on December 4, 2007

I've purchased ALL of my current guitars off of eBay and haven't had a bum one yet, FWIW.

In my experience, a $750 guitar feels better than a $200 guitar and inspires my playing in some weird way. The reviews on this particular Alvarez seem to back up my point. I know a lot of guitarists who seem more interested in scoring a deal than getting an instrument that they will enjoy for years. If you have the dough, I say go for it.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:12 AM on December 4, 2007

One side issue:

The Fender's been great, but the bridge is cracked along the pins, so I don't think it'll hold up much longer

It's possible to get the bridge replaced, and even if you don't, I've seen an acoustic get along just fine with a crack along the pins for at least 6 years. It's not necessarily a death sentence.
posted by COBRA! at 8:40 AM on December 4, 2007

@ironmouth: Fairly sure I called them. I live in NJ, but go to college in Williamsburg, VA. All of the NJ shops I called (Ricky's, Sam Ash, Music Den, etc.) didn't have the M-series at all in stock, even though they carried Alvarez. It's kind of a bummer - I talked to the owner of the very cool shop down here and he explained that low-end Taylors etc. move faster than high end Alvarez guitars, so...

@cobra: I'm checking into it. I really hoped that Fender would replace it (since there isn't much someone can do to mess up their bridge) but I haven't gotten an answer or found a convenient place to see if it would be fixable yet. The bridge has been making string replacements tougher, since the pins don't stick as well.

Other info: in a band, and part of the reason why I want a lifetime-or-close guitar is my electric: an American Tele...
posted by tmcw at 8:49 AM on December 4, 2007

I'm not really an acoustic player, but when faced with the choice between high-end Epiphones and low-end Gibsons I've gone with the Gibsons. They just feel better constructed to me, more resonant, and have better electronics.
posted by InfidelZombie at 9:03 AM on December 4, 2007

Other info: in a band, and part of the reason why I want a lifetime-or-close guitar is my electric: an American Tele...

Are you going for an acoustic sound in your band? If that is part of why you want the Alvarez, may I recommend getting an AC-3? It would allow you to get a great acoustic sound through your Tele (blasphemy, I know;) I used to pack an acoustic when we went on the road and the AC-3 took care of that PITA (pain in the ass).
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:30 AM on December 4, 2007

The real question is, what are you majoring in? Is it lucrative? I spent my first student loan check as a freshman on a standard Strat ($600) and I have never regretted it. It helped me get through some stressful times and helped me get rid of some stressful roommates. It was a lot of money to me then, but by the time I graduated and got that signing bonus, it had became a non-issue.

However, don't go into credit-card debt for something you can't pay-off quickly.

That said, I'd go try to buy one in person. There is always room for price negotiation. They should do an instant 25% knock-off to make you feel good. You should try to negotiate beyond that, and also get them to throw in cases, cables, picks, straps and whatever else you can get away with. If you call them up and tell them what you want, they'll order one in for you.
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:34 AM on December 4, 2007

One of my few regrets about college was that there was a brief time during those few years when I could realistically have afforded my dream guitar and I didn't buy it. And now there's no way, in the face of family responsibilities and adult financial responsibility that I can justify the expense, even though I have way more money now.
posted by The World Famous at 9:34 AM on December 4, 2007

(If you want a true lifetime guitar, you should really have one custom made. Wait until you graduate and get a job then find the right maker. Start saving now.)
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:35 AM on December 4, 2007

@jeffamaphone: CS... which, apparently, is lucrative. A custom made acoustic would, of course, be glorious but I feel like this might be the time in which I'm playing a ton, live and just hanging around...

Does anyone know how a typical in-store price compares to a typical web price? I know that both will be lower than MSRP, but is there a somewhat standard drop from that?
posted by tmcw at 11:08 AM on December 4, 2007

As a general rule, you'll get a better price from a major retailer than from a local mom & pop outfit. Musiciansfriend.com is the same company as Guitar Center (and, I believe, Sam Ash, but don't quote me on that). Guitar Center has significant flexibility in the price they can sell you gear for, and you should never buy anything there for what the tag says. When I go to Guitar Center, I never pay more than the Musiciansfriend.com price.

You might get better service from a mom & pop store, though that's a big "might" in my experience. Guitar Center doesn't do repairs, so that's a drag. And Guitar Center's guitars tend to be pretty much set up just like they were out of the box, so it takes a good eye, ear, and touch to know if a Guitar Center guitar is really a good one. But unless you have some kind of hook-up with a mom & pop store, you'll almost always get a way better price from Guitar Center, since they deal in volume. Again, I always use the internet price as a bargaining chip there.

I used to get freebies and discounts from the local shop where I lived, but that was based on years of relationship-building and being a loyal customer. Without that relationship, there is no economic incentive to go to a mom & pop store if you have a big box alternative. Sad, but true. If noneconomic incentives are enough to convince you to go to mom & pop, then that's fine. But they simply cannot give you a better deal than the big box.

And the big box will generally, with some negotiation, give you the same price as online. I do not suggest ever buying a guitar without playing it first.
posted by The World Famous at 11:59 AM on December 4, 2007

Well then go for it. Shop around.
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:11 PM on December 4, 2007

Re: Guitar Center. The World Famous has it right in my experience. Prices are pretty consistent between GC, MF and Sam Ash. I've bought guitars from all but Sam Ash and have been satisfied. The GC here in Chicago will take trade-ins but will fuck you like a used car salesman (they were going to give me $250 for an American Telecaster Plus). On the other hand, I've built a pretty good relationship with the guys there and can get stuff fixed pretty much at will. As the old saying goes, "your mileage may vary."

I will say that I've seen some very bad deals on Craigslist (refurbed Mexican Strats being sold for $600 dollars because someone dropped in a set of Texas Specials and slapped a pearloid pickguard on it) and avoid dealing with it as much as possible.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 2:20 PM on December 4, 2007

Sort-of follow-up: I bought an MF80C from MusiciansFriend, since I got a 20% (on anything) coupon as recognition for dealing with their warehouse problems earlier this year - got the guitar, it was fantastic but had fret buzz in a few places that didn't go away as it humidified. Their return policy is great - I'm getting a new one, and they're paying shipping both ways.
posted by tmcw at 11:59 AM on January 13, 2008