My budget is around $400-700. I'm not really looking for a cutaway/electronics model, unless you can persuade me it's that good. I've tried the Taylor 214, but Taylor isn't my tonal cup of tea. I really liked this Martin 000-16rgt, but even used it was more than I'd feel comfortable paying. Can anyone name some alternative brands? I was thinking about an Alvarez MF-90, but I don't know anything about how Alvarezes sound or how their necks feel (is it true that they have thin necks?)

it doesn't matter what size it is if you can mic it. Otherthan that you will need an acoustic electric or any regular acoustic and just buy an acoustic pickup, Thats the easiest cheapest route.

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I'm not concerned with amplification. I'm asking for recommendations on good auditorium models since the music stores around here only carry Taylors and one or two Martin 000's, and then the rest are all dreads.

sorry I have no clue what you Mean by auditorium guitars, as far as acoustics go I like guilds, ovations, and the fender caster acoustics. But if you want to sit and play do not get the ovation.

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Auditorium is a body style, comparable to dreadnought. It has different tonal characteristics.

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I was waiting on a moment
But that moment never came
All the billion other moments
Were just slipping all away.
I was wanting you to love me
But your love, it never came
All the other love around me
Was just wasting all away.
~The Flaming Lips | Meditation: Why Bother? | What is Lucid Dreaming?

Walden makes a few Grand Auditorium models well w/in your price range.

I'm also a huge fan of the Blueridge 000 guitars. I carry the BR-43 and the BR-63 because my market is the first time player and most aren't willing to spend more and the BR-63 would be my 'top' model at $400 w/a case. But you can get models above that; the 43 and 63 are the lower end Blueridge models. Go to www.harmonycentral.com and read the Blueridge reviews. Outstanding values.

Now, you mentioned neck thickness. Blueridge has very thin necks, like a Washburn, perhaps even a tad thinner.

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I was thinking of a BR-163 actually, but those Waldens look really nice. The aging toner, headstock decor and gloss finish are really turning me off the Blueridge, but it seems the sound is really that good that people say they can ignore those things. Can't really find much on Walden, much less anyone that sells their auditoriums online. Can you expand on Walden vs. Blueridge maybe?

Sure, I can compare them; I sell both.

Since my target customer is the first time player, I've learned (by spending money on guitars in addition to just 'testing' them) that one is far better off getting the entry model of a higher line of guitar than getting the top model of a lower line of guitar. So, for Washburn, for instance, I don't even carry the lowest models of thier guitars; I'm just above the bottom of the line. For Walden I carry the 500 series, which is their entry level, and for Blueridge I carry the 40 and 60 series which is their entry model. I don't stock any guitar that sells for over $400 because there's not too many first-time players that are going to spend more than that. Probably 1/2 would like to spend $100 or less and I can't really help them; there's really no quality, adult sized acoustic for that much money.

Waldens and Blueridges are two different animals to me. The Blueridges are louder, have a high gloss polyurethane finish, a thinner neck profile, a bone saddle, and a bone nut. The Walden 500 series are a tad quieter, have a matte nitro lacquer finish, a smidge thicker neck, plastic saddle, and a plastic nut. The 500 series comes with a Walden gig bag. Blueridge doesn't even supply/make a case for thier guitars; I have to buy cases from other companies for Blueridge guitars. I use Golden Gate cases for them; they're nice cases. Both guitars are made in China. Waldens are actually shipped to Canada and distributed from there. From the 600 series up, Walden guitars come with a Walden hardshell case. I don't see why all companies don't do this. Who would spend $400 or more on a guitar and not get a case for it?

I have 2 Waldens for myself; a G570 Grand Auditorium and an N730 classical guitar. The 700 series of Waldens features solid backs. I'm going to start taking Classical lessons in June and I wanted a good guitar to learn on. I stock the N570 whenever they get them back in stock to ship to me. The G570 really surprises me for it's volume and tone with a cedar top. It's brighter and louder than I would've imagined. Blueridge doesn't offer a cedar top gutar. The Blueridge I'd get myself would probably be the BR-43 or BR-63. I like them both and am having a hard time deciding. I actually was going to get a Walden G640 Grand Auditorium for myself, but I'm keeping the G570 instead. There's a reason for that. I had 4 Waldens suffer some finish damage from being in guitar stands that were coated with rubber. Rubber will eat lacquer and I wasn't aware of that at the time. So, of the 4 damaged, the G570 is one of the worst and the G640 is barely noticeable. I can't afford to eat both guitars so I'm keeping the worst of the two damaged Grand Auditoriums and selling the other for a reduced price. The finish flaws on it are 2 little patches, about the size of a grain of rice, that are slightly more glossy than the rest of the guitar. The G570 had the lacquer eaten away to the bare wood in 2 spots about as big as Tic Tac breath mints. That's ok though. I took some 0000 steel wool and smoothed out the spots and now that guitar is on a neoprene guitar stand to my left about 3' away. I love playing it.

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maton EBG808L. Some people like the CL performer better, but I like the tone of the 808L. It's a little bit rounder in the bottom end.

I have no idea how much they go for in the US, but they're reasonably cheap here.

Well, I ended up getting a Blueridge BR-163, and I must say I'm very impressed. I sold a Martin DM to fund buying a smaller guitar and I don't miss it one bit. The BR-163 is actually louder to my surprise, much louder. The orange look of the toner, the headstock inlay and dalmation pickguard don't look bad at all in person, and should someone not like those things the tone is more than enough to compensate. In my Martin's defense, the BR has some craftsmanship flaws here and there, nothing noticeable until looked for, mainly just excessive gloss where the fretboard meets the body. My Martin was perfect in regards to craftsmanship, but then again I got to pick it out in person. Again, the tone is incredible enough to make you forget about such minor things. Hard to believe I just got a solid rosewood b/s guitar for only $500. Highly recommended.

Is there a better case for these things UGB? It came with a Golden Gate case (C1514), and the fitment is well...nonexistent. The guitar has all the room in the world to move around in there. Maybe I should look into a TKL?

If anyone plans to buy one online, I wouldn' t buy from OnlineGuitar, who are mostly found through eBay. They advertised a setup with Martin SP's and quick shipping. It took 3 weeks to receive the guitar, it wasn't setup, and the box of Martin strings they threw in there weren't even SP's.

3 weeks means they didn't have it in stock when they sold it probably. Too bad you had to wait like that. I'm at home right now but I'm fairly certain that's the case I ship w/my BR-43's and BR-63's and it seems to work fine. It's a tad wide I think but maybe 1/2" ? I'll have to check. You got that for $500 with a case? Man, they must've given it away.

Glad you like it. I've only encountered ONE guy who didn't like the tone of a Blueridge and that's fair; no product is perfect for everyone. But those Blueridges sure do come close. The 000 they make is louder than many other dreadnoughts in the same price range.

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