[olduvai]

Does anyone know anything about these guitars? the price seems very good for a handmade, quality tone wood guitar. I can't aford a Collings or Martin and was thinking of alternatives.

http://www.mikelongguitars.com/

Thanks for any help.

This post has been edited by olduvai: 12 August 2005 - 01:40 PM

[olduvai]

Anyone play one of these guitars, even briefly? Ever hear someone else play one? Any opinions or thoughts? Hello??

[PingerFicker]

I too am in the market for a handbuilt guitar. I have never heard of Mike Long guitars, so I can't help you there. But from looking at his sight, it looks to me like you are looking for something under $2000 right.

Well if that is the case, I am really looking into a builder named Trent Kronbauer who realms up in British Columbia. I have yet to play one of his guitars, but my Guitar teacher and mentor has a friend in Nebraska who has 4 of them I think. He says they are great guitars, especially for starting at only $1500. I think I would like to venture out to Nebraska and play them to see if I like them. it would be a lot easier driving to nebraska than it would be to drive to BC living in Wyoming here.

Here is his website if you want to check him out.

kronbauerguitars.com

There are lots of really good builders out there that I would love to own a guitar of theirs. The only thing is, they are quite expensive, so this is one route that I may be taking in the near future.

Hope this helps,

PingerFicker

[adds]

Not played one but id be supprized if it doesnt sound better than any of your leading brands on the market.Its wont hold its value as much though.But it depends whether you plan on ever getting rid of it.

[PingerFicker]

Just a quick story on handbuilt guitars and value. My guitar teacher and mentor, of whom i spoke of earlier owns a James Olson Dreadnaught guitar that was built 11 years ago. I think he told me he bought it for $3500. Now, 11 years later, James Olson is a very prestigious builder and sells his guitars at $12,500 each. So his guitar increased in value quite significantly. At least 3, maybe 4 times it's value. But as adds said, collectors dwell mainly on the predominant factory built guitars such as gibson and martin. This case is rare.

[adds]

Just a quick story on handbuilt guitars and value.  My guitar teacher and mentor, of whom i spoke of earlier owns a James Olson Dreadnaught guitar that was built 11 years ago.  I think he told me he bought it for $3500.  Now, 11 years later, James Olson is a very prestigious builder and sells his guitars at $12,500 each.  So his guitar increased in value quite significantly.  At least 3, maybe 4 times it's value.  But as adds said, collectors dwell mainly on the predominant factory built guitars such as gibson and martin.  This case is rare.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I dont class olson arnt hand made either.Not as far as im concerned anyway.Id call it a one man factory if anything.The bloke knocks out 60 a year impossable to do by hand.

[PingerFicker]

I understand what you mean. He used to do everything by hand. The one my guitar teacher and mentor has is made by hand. But if I am correct, he had a building related injury in one of his arms. So he purchased a CNC machine to cut out the headstock and neck. With the demand for his guitars, he really has two options. Let the waiting list continue on for years, (the waiting list right now is 3 years, even with 60 guitars a year getting made) and do it all by hand, or buy some machinery to help. I am sure that the second option is making him alot more money than the first. You choose what you would rather do. Even if his guitars are no longer truly handbuilt, they are still better than any taylor, gibson, or martin that I have ever played.

This post has been edited by PingerFicker: 16 August 2005 - 04:49 PM

[adds]

I understand what you mean.  He used to do everything by hand.  The one my guitar teacher and mentor has is made by hand.  But if I am correct, he had a building related injury in one of his arms.   So he purchased a CNC machine to cut out the headstock and neck.  With the demand for his guitars, he really has two options.  Let the waiting list continue on for years, (the waiting list right now is 3 years, even with 60 guitars a year getting made) and do it all by hand, or buy some machinery to help.  I am sure that the second option is making him alot more money than the first.  You choose what you would rather do.  Even if his guitars are no longer truly handbuilt, they are still better than any taylor, gibson, or martin that I have ever played.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe but i still think its wrong the are advertised as being hand made but hes not the only one doing it by a long shot.When the necks done by machine and the back and sides is thicknessed buy machine whats reallt left thats done by hand?It depends what your in it for i guess.I wouldnt want to do it that way.build a few like that and it wont be long before you feel like just another bloke on the factory production line.Id rather take a drop in money and enjoy my work personly.When you do it all by machine it gets boreing and your skills dont improve as a luthier.To me his guitars are just factory made models but on a small scale.Theres plenty of other builders out there id sooner go to.Give me a laskin over an olson any day.Laskin is what you call a true cratsman.

This post has been edited by adds: 16 August 2005 - 05:06 PM

[olduvai]

I appreciate all of the opinions. I am not worried to much about the guitar holding its value. I am looking for a reasonably priced top flight guitar to keep for years and years. I am not an investor, hell, I am so new to this that I am barely a guitar player at this point. I am not interested in spending $12,500 for ta name like Olson or spending extra money for a name when what I really want is the sound.
I saw a posting on Martin forum site where these Guitars got very favorable reviews so I thought I run it by all of you.
Thanks.