6224321 - Posted - 11/05/2008:  21:58:00

Hi Everyone

I'm new to the forums, and have basically joined to get some advice about buying my next guitar. However, I'll be sure to pay back any kindness that is shown to me (and these boards seems full of it), by posting some tabs/music files for y'all. Anyone interested in a Blind Willie Johnson "Ain't Nobody's Fault But Mine" tab? I covered it last night at an open mic, and I think it sounded alright.

Anyways, this is my dilemma. I am by no means a wealthy man (what self-respecting bluesman is?:), and really need to make a smart purchase with my next guitar. At the moment, I have three options, bearing in mind that I will use the guitar almost exclusively for bottleneck and fingerstyle playing -- for me, guitar, as a discipline, kinda reached its peak with Son House!

1. I'm currently living in Korea, and I've found an excellent guitar company over here called Peerless. This guit sounds awesome (check the link below -- some French dude rips up some good 'ol blues on it), and I figure if I go the manufacturers I can ask them to set it up with some heavy strings and raise the action for slide playing. It'll cost me about $650 over here -- which seems ridiculously cheap, and it is. Guitars in general are absurdly inexpensive in Korea.
youtube.com/watch?v=nfAoDzIjue4

2. Republic resonators seem like a very good deal -- well-built guitars, at an affordable price. I'd get a Style-O single cone, which would cost me about $750 with shipping.

3. Busker guitars in the UK have some pretty cool resonators, too -- in fact, I think they are built with the same parts as the Republics. (No offense meant to anyone if they aren't, they just look very similar and I know both companies get their materials from China). A Busker 'Delta' model would also cost about $750 or so.

My problem is that I REALLY want 'that' resonator sound to enhance my playing, and to give my sound authenticity, but on the other hand, I want to buy the very best guitar my limited funds will allow. If I buy a cheapish resonator, I'm worried I'm just going to have to replace it in a few years anyway. I've bought cheap before, a Weissenborn and a banjo, and they've already started to hold me back (no arrogance intended, they are terrible instruments!)

Any advice you fine folk could give me would be greatly appreciated.

All the best,

David

Mbradford6288 - Posted - 11/06/2008:  03:09:28

I got a republic square neck, and I'll tell you, for the money it's killing. It really sounds awesome. It's not a national, but the next best thing.