Parlour guitars

strat1990 · January 2018

I've been after a parlour guitar for a while now, but I'm trying to narrow down a decent budget one. Looking at either Gretsch Jim Dandy or Fender CP60, unless there is another one I'm overlooking? Advice would be great.

stimpsonslostson · January 2018

Nope. Get the Jim Dandy, be happy.

rossyamaha · January 2018

Always liked the Washburn one. Really cool looking vibe. Bit of money though.

stimpsonslostson · January 2018

Ok, slightly more helpfully...
I did a tour of my local guitar shops looking for a small acoustic-

Faith Naked Mercury is a brilliant (all solid) parlour guitar for VERY reasonable money.

Sigma do some lovely Martin copies in various body sizes.

Vintage acoustics are excellent, particularly the V300mh and Paul Brett signature models.

Jim Dandy is brilliant, great to play and has that boxy sound you associate with early blues.

I bought the Faith as one popped up on Gumtree for a bargain price, if it hadn't I would certainly have bought the Gretsch- it has SO much character, is well built etc & even for the RRP it's a bargain.

Strangefan · January 2018

The good thing these days is low end doesn't mean crap any more all the established brands are coming out with some really decent stuff, tanglewood are pretty good in the small guitar dept, bit for me I would go 2nd hand, you will have a shed load more choice

as Ross above said the washburn parlours are fantastic,
I have a k yairi parlour which sounds like a full acoustic

strat1990 · January 2018

stimpsonslostson said:

Ok, slightly more helpfully...
I did a tour of my local guitar shops looking for a small acoustic-

Faith Naked Mercury is a brilliant (all solid) parlour guitar for VERY reasonable money.

Sigma do some lovely Martin copies in various body sizes.

Vintage acoustics are excellent, particularly the V300mh and Paul Brett signature models.

Jim Dandy is brilliant, great to play and has that boxy sound you associate with early blues.

I bought the Faith as one popped up on Gumtree for a bargain price, if it hadn't I would certainly have bought the Gretsch- it has SO much character, is well built etc & even for the RRP it's a bargain.

That's why I think the Gretsch will be better, I'm looking for that Robert Johnson type sound, it seems to fit what I'm looking for. It all hinges on whether I can get a case as well, as I'll be travelling with it too.

LesbianWithAGun · January 2018

I did list one for £350.
But it's a vintage 1950's Italian Parlour.
Sounds like this.

It's called a Carmelo by an Italian company called Catania, built in Italy.

LesbianWithAGun · January 2018

The thing about my one is, it's rare and sounds nice...
I'm in 2 minds about selling it tbh.

rustneversleeps · January 2018

SIGMA..................NUFF SAID.

Lewy · January 2018

People speak highly of the Loar brand parlours for county blues, although I haven’t tried one myself.

Phil_aka_Pip · January 2018

Jim Dandy FTW

BRISTOL86 · January 2018

Beware that the Jim Dandy has a very unique sound compared to other small budget guitars. Make sure you can get your hands on one and make sure you like it.

I expected to like it and really didn’t.

Balrog68 · January 2018

Tried both the Gretsch Jim Dandy and the Fender CP60...bought the Fender. Both sound very similar I just preferred the neck on the Fender. Lovely comfortable guitar to play.

strat1990 · January 2018

Thanks for all the replies. I think a trip to Andertons is in order, as that is the only store within a decent distance that has both guitars.

birdo · January 2018

The Paul Brett parlor by ' vintage' is worth a look . Alvarez also make a nice one sorry i don't know the model numbers.

Legionreturns · January 2018

Just gonna throw Takemine New Yorker into the mix... Just because!

BahHumbug · January 2018

Vintage V880N. Good and very cheap, especially second hand.

maltingsaudio · January 2018

Another vote for Tanglewood played a couple of corkers in their parlour range

Chris_J · January 2018

I keep an Alvarez parlour at work (AP66SHB)

Great wee guitar

zepp76 · January 2018

strat1990 said:

stimpsonslostson said:

Ok, slightly more helpfully...
I did a tour of my local guitar shops looking for a small acoustic-

Faith Naked Mercury is a brilliant (all solid) parlour guitar for VERY reasonable money.

Sigma do some lovely Martin copies in various body sizes.

Vintage acoustics are excellent, particularly the V300mh and Paul Brett signature models.

Jim Dandy is brilliant, great to play and has that boxy sound you associate with early blues.

I bought the Faith as one popped up on Gumtree for a bargain price, if it hadn't I would certainly have bought the Gretsch- it has SO much character, is well built etc & even for the RRP it's a bargain.

That's why I think the Gretsch will be better, I'm looking for that Robert Johnson type sound, it seems to fit what I'm looking for. It all hinges on whether I can get a case as well, as I'll be travelling with it too.

If it's the Robert Johnson type sound you're after try out an Art & Lutherie Roadhouse, in the reviews it states it does that early blues finger style really well. It's been on my radar for a while, I may just talk myself into buying one!

Sassafras · January 2018

stimpsonslostson said:

Ok, slightly more helpfully...
I did a tour of my local guitar shops looking for a small acoustic-

Faith Naked Mercury is a brilliant (all solid) parlour guitar for VERY reasonable money.

Very impressive little guitar.

thermionic · January 2018

Lewy said:

People speak highly of the Loar brand parlours for county blues, although I haven’t tried one myself.

I have an LH-200, which is bigger than a parlour but definitely has that Gibson pre-war Robert Johnson aesthetic. It's very playable and very-well-made, but they don't seem to be marketed over here any more

fishfingers · January 2018

If you're looking for a sound similar to Robert Johnson's then you should start with a ladder-braced instrument. The Kalamazoo KG 14 that he is said to have used is one such. I think most of the cheap guitars around in those days were ladder-braced.

There is a clip on Youtube which explains the difference between ladder-bracing and the more style modern x-bracing on the Collings Waterloo model (X-Bracing vs Ladder Bracing - Bracing Comparison w/ Waterloo by Collings ...)

TallBeardy1 · January 2018

Look at Tanglewoods, I've got a TW73e and I love it. Sounds awesome. Mines a higher end one but the TW3 starts the range at £300 and I didn't pay much more for mine pre owned. I tune it down half a step and it sings the blues!

LesbianWithAGun · January 2018

I can sell you a 1951 iconic guitar for £350, which I feel is a better buy than a Tanglewood.
What I've got...
Elvis had one.

People buy 'em for their sound.

It's a fun little tiger striped guitar

I'd be losing on the p+p it cost me to get this thing to England but, IDK, I'd take this over a Tanglewood anyday.

This is it this week, when it came in, before the guitar strap that's going to come with it...

This was it in NYC last week...

It took me a while to find one with this spec, since eveyone else has a later 50's one with a truss rod compared to this/Elvis one.

Clashman · January 2018

Palour Guitars I always keep them in the kitchen at parties

paulnb57 · January 2018

I have a dusty Jim Dandy I could be persuaded to part with...

John_A · January 2018

TallBeardy1 said:

Look at Tanglewoods, I've got a TW73e and I love it. Sounds awesome. Mines a higher end one but the TW3 starts the range at £300 and I didn't pay much more for mine pre owned. I tune it down half a step and it sings the blues!

Have a tangle wood in the classifieds if anyone's interested;)

rossyamaha · January 2018

There may or may not be something coming later today.

John_A · January 2018

rossyamaha said:

There may or may not be something coming later today.

You get back on the HXFX thread and spoil some beans

rossyamaha · January 2018

John_A said:

rossyamaha said:

There may or may not be something coming later today.

You get back on the HXFX thread and spoil some beans

Patience young one.

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