Walden acoustics

[Dicky Knee]

Looking for an inexpensive (read: cheap) 12-string, I came across the Walden D552, which I can get for about $350 AU. Walden got a positive review in "Acoustic Guitar" magazine, but they are very difficult to track down in Oz. I can buy one by mail order, but I can't quite bring myself to front up the hard-earned without ever having even seen one in the flesh, never mind picked it up and played it. does anyone have any experience with these, or ideas for something in the same price range?

[markb]

They're good guitars if your tastes run towards Taylors and very well made for their price.

[lou]

I am opposite to the way MarkB feels about them I have tried a lot of them as they are made in my neck of the woods and have found them to be on best average guitars.
And to be honest with you I can't really recommend a 12 er its the kind of guitar that you need to play first and to fall in love with.
With a 6 string well you can do lots of stuff to help mold the sound to your liking, but a 12 string its not just the same thing. Sure you can modify them also but the body the sound and everything else is just that much different.
The only other thing I can suggest is that if you have to order a 12er from on line then you can look at the Seagull or Washburn which should run about the same amount of money and at least they have been pretty consistent in sound and playability.
http://www.washburn.com/acoustics/d10-series/
http://shopping.news72.com/product/s...ar/94979241/1/
Hope this helps you out some as to what to do, its always difficult when you can't get your hands on a guitar to try out first, good luck.Lou

[Dicky Knee]

Well, no-one can say there isn't a range of opinions on here. I think part of the problem is living in Australia (OK, Markb, I know you're a Kiwi and are in a similar position). It is harder to find bargains here; we're a long way from the big markets like the US. Trying to find someone who carries stock in Melbourne, where I live, increases the odds even more. To give you an idea, the Seagull Coastline S12 sells for about $690AU here, and the Washburn D-10S12 for $500AU. For a casual loungeroom picker who is just looking for another indulgence, the numbers don't add up. What I would REALLY like is the MiniMaton 12, but that's right out of the price range. BTW, I'm surprised there isn't mention of Maton on the forum; beautiful guitars made right here in Melbourne, and my bottom-of-the-range M225 at $700 kills guitars for three times the price. Check 'em out at [URL="www.maton.com.au/"]

[lou]

What a difference it can make living across the ponds as they say, here in Canada those guitars I mentioned are a lot less in $'s then they are there. I can only assume the cost of inflation is a lot higher there then here and I guess that boat ride the guitars make doens't help.
As for the Matons you mentioned they are a great guitar I have had the pleasure of playing a few of those from some friends from the land of Oz and I was pretty impressed with the sound and the playability of them.
I am cusrious as to what the used market is like there right now. Here in North America we have seen a very large escalating market for used acoustics and electrics since the recession hit here a few years ago and the values have dropped here with so many guitars being on the market, you'd be very surprised as to what kind of guitars you can pick up for what sold a few years ago for a $1000 on a used guitar could actually sell for from $500-$750.00, maybe its something you can look into in buying used even with shipping you might find a great deal out there.lou.............good hunting

[Dicky Knee]

Yep, it's a big pond, although although Josh Pike may just have the answer.

http://www.acousticcentre.com.au/ will give you an idea of local prices. Real quitars just get more expensive as they get older. If one is in the market for a serious guitar in the $3-5000 range, it's almost cheaper to fly to Vancouver or the US West Coast, buy one and fly home. Even the plastic Martins sell for over a grand here.

Cheers, Dicky Knee

[Beerman***]

I just put my 12 string Washburn up for sale. I have it in a local shop for sale with a 20% fee for $275 but I paid $600 and barely used it. Instead, I bought a beautiful (6 string) Zager guitar. If anyone is in the market for a Martin sounding, $2000 guitar for half price or less, check them out. I got the ZAD 50 CE (acoustic-electric) on sale for Christmas for $595. My friends have $1500 guitars and they all admit, this one gives it a run for its money.

[Dicky Knee]

Hmmm... $275 for the Washburn, $1302 for the airfare from Melbourne to N'Orleans...maybe not.

[Beerman***]

Hmmm... $275 for the Washburn, $1302 for the airfare from Melbourne to N'Orleans...maybe not.

Yeah, but just think of the fun we can have.

I had an Yamaha, Ibanez and the Washburn. Didn't like the Ibanez...played fine but the sound wasn't what I wanted and I stuck out when playing with friends. So, the Ibanez and the Washburn and a crappy 30W Line 6 amp went on the selling block.
I got the Zager and a great deal on a Hagstrom Swede ($390 plus free shipping). I've been a bad boy. So now I have the PRS, Hagstrom and Strat and the Yamaha, Zager and an Ovation Mandolin.

[markb]

Oi! Dicky! Enough with the Kiwi bit. I'm a bloody Pom!

Not that I'm ever going back to Blighty

[Dicky Knee]

Oh, I say, my most abject apologies old chap.

Still looking here, I've found the Washburn for $450, which looks like a bargain.

Then I'll have to sell the Epiphone Dot so I can start all over again...Cheap resonators, anyone?

[lou]

Which Washburn did you find Dicky, a D-10S or something even better?lou

[Dicky Knee]

D10S12K, to give it its full title, Lou. Huge sound, fairly well balanced, and I'm a very happy little strummer.
No on-board tuner or pickup, but I'd rather pay for a decent guitar than some el-cheapo electronics.
The very nice young man at five Star Music in Ringwood (that's a plug) did me one for $399, which seemed hard to beat.
OK, the neck is a little..um..robust, and when reading the fine print on the internal label when I got it home I found that Indonesia is apparently a suburb of Chicago, but overall it seems like a lot of guitar for under $400.
Looks quite at home, I think.
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/17066...itars?h=8ae6f6
Thanks to all who offered help/advice.

[lou]

Yep well Washburn only made a few of its guitars actually in Chicago and they were all hand builts by their guru ( in house ) John Stover who they recently let go and is now making custom guitars for Dean guitars.
They only made for models ( well they changed the shapes of some ) but they made the D-78SW ,the D-80 SW the D-82SW and the D-84SW in Chicago and a few others were built by Tacoma and a few others built by Dana B. And all of thier others were built either in Japan, Indonesia or China ( and I am not 100% but they may have had a few in Korea also )
So I hope you are sitting back and strumming that little baby to death.lou