Patrick James Eggle Acoustics

Fifty9 · April 2019

Anyone here own one of them?

I like the 2 I've tried but I cant decide whether I'm comfortable investing in that brand. Hasn't he stopped doing them now? The guitars were quality for sure but I've been burned investing in British quality when owning a JJ and the early Berlin's depreciated heavily did they not despite being technically great guitars?

What do you guys think?

Cheers

Whitecat · April 2019

Yup, he no longer builds them.

If you like his design sensibilities but don't wanna pay crazy money then Faith Guitars are worth checking out. There are some pretty stellar models in that lineup.

Fifty9 · April 2019

Cool thanks. Yep I've looked at Faith but I already have 2 nice Chinese made acoustics and I'm looking to push the boat out a little bit on a bit of cork sniffing. Was thinking Collings/Gibson but then a Kanuga and Skyland caught my eye. They really sounded fantastic so piqued my interest. 1.8-2k potentially depending on what I'll be recouping in sales.

grappagreen · April 2019

If you're concerned about the 'investment' i.e. not getting burned, then steer clear and buy something you know you won't get burned on

There's a lot of choice and many brands that are readily available used, are fantastic instruments and, if you buy sensibly, you can own for nothing when (if) you come to move on.

If you've got your heart set on something like this there's always going to be a greater risk that you can't move it on if it doesn't work out or you may have to take a hit on.

Whitecat · April 2019

If I really wanted a British-made acoustic I think I'd go Atkin, personally... but that's just me. I totally get the cork-sniffery.

Kittyfrisk · April 2019

Tried the Faith's, nice tone & very good value, but they'll never be an 'investment'. Very few guitars are, at best they are all speculations. Buy what your ears & your heart tell you is 'best'. After all, you will never be stuck for something better soon

Fylde do fantastic instruments and so does Nigel Forster (NK Forster).Sorry, missed the £2k ceiling. Wishing you luck in getting sorted.

BigLicks67 · April 2019

There's a Kanuga on eBay for £1700.00 at the moment. I definitely wouldn't go north of 2k for a used one, if I was spending over 2k for a used acoustic I'd be looking at Bourgeois.

Fifty9 · April 2019

grappagreen said:

If you're concerned about the 'investment' i.e. not getting burned, then steer clear and buy something you know you won't get burned on

There's a lot of choice and many brands that are readily available used, are fantastic instruments and, if you buy sensibly, you can own for nothing when (if) you come to move on.

If you've got your heart set on something like this there's always going to be a greater risk that you can't move it on if it doesn't work out or you may have to take a hit on.

Its not about seeking profit in that sense of the word investment, I just don't want to lose 5-600 on a used guitar the minute I buy it. Paying close to what they're generally worth is a fairly important part of the buying decision for me as I know tastes change and there are always reasons for having to sell. Like the JJ/Eggle electrics they're pretty rare and niche so whilst I really like it, I can't put a 'safe' value on it to work from. Make sense?

TheBigDipper · April 2019

Whitecat said:

If I really wanted a British-made acoustic I think I'd go Atkin, personally... but that's just me. I totally get the cork-sniffery.

Atkin guitars are lovely. So are Brook (I own a Taw). I'd suspect the value of a new Atkin or Brook will drop by a few hundred the day after you buy one, but the resale value will stay strong forever if you look after it and don't gig it to destruction.

danishbacon · April 2019

+1 for Atkin. Never tried a brook but very highly regarded. I'd probably buy a used Atkin over a PJE.

BahHumbug · April 2019

+1 for Brook

ThorpyFX · April 2019

I have a Brook and it is incredible.... I’d have an Eggle acoustic in a heartbeat. I have several of his new style electrics and wouldn’t be surprised if the acoustics were as good as the electrics. They have become my favourite instruments.

buy the Eggle, if not..... please tell me where it is and I’ll buy it.

grappagreen · April 2019

Fifty9 said:

grappagreen said:

If you're concerned about the 'investment' i.e. not getting burned, then steer clear and buy something you know you won't get burned on

There's a lot of choice and many brands that are readily available used, are fantastic instruments and, if you buy sensibly, you can own for nothing when (if) you come to move on.

If you've got your heart set on something like this there's always going to be a greater risk that you can't move it on if it doesn't work out or you may have to take a hit on.

Its not about seeking profit in that sense of the word investment, I just don't want to lose 5-600 on a used guitar the minute I buy it. Paying close to what they're generally worth is a fairly important part of the buying decision for me as I know tastes change and there are always reasons for having to sell. Like the JJ/Eggle electrics they're pretty rare and niche so whilst I really like it, I can't put a 'safe' value on it to work from. Make sense?

I’m not disagreeing at all - I’m just suggesting of you want to avoid the potential for taking hit there are safer bets.

I’ve bought loads of stuff I would struggle to move on but it’s what I wanted. I can certainly live with that and if you can then fill your boots!

Si

Fifty9 · April 2019

grappagreen said:

Fifty9 said:

grappagreen said:

If you're concerned about the 'investment' i.e. not getting burned, then steer clear and buy something you know you won't get burned on

There's a lot of choice and many brands that are readily available used, are fantastic instruments and, if you buy sensibly, you can own for nothing when (if) you come to move on.

If you've got your heart set on something like this there's always going to be a greater risk that you can't move it on if it doesn't work out or you may have to take a hit on.

Its not about seeking profit in that sense of the word investment, I just don't want to lose 5-600 on a used guitar the minute I buy it. Paying close to what they're generally worth is a fairly important part of the buying decision for me as I know tastes change and there are always reasons for having to sell. Like the JJ/Eggle electrics they're pretty rare and niche so whilst I really like it, I can't put a 'safe' value on it to work from. Make sense?

I’m not disagreeing at all - I’m just suggesting of you want to avoid the potential for taking hit there are safer bets.

I’ve bought loads of stuff I would struggle to move on but it’s what I wanted. I can certainly live with that and if you can then fill your boots!

Si

For sure and I know where you're coming from and partially accepting of a bit of a hit on it. I'm primarily an electric player and high end acoustics is all new to me so am wary of diving heavily into niche models/brands.

It was a really lovely guitar tho. Will see how it pans out. Thanks all

maltingsaudio · April 2019

I tend to buy guitars not to move on, I would suggest that Eggle is, at this moment in time, a safer bet than buying an Atkin. Ten years on that may change for Atkin, but in my opinion there work is not as well known as say Fylde Manson Kincade Moon andEggle when listing UK luthiers.

FWIW my next acoustic to take the weight off my Fylde which I’ve been hammering for the last 15 years is more than likely to be a Moon.

Fifty9 · April 2019

Thanks @maltingsaudio. Appreciated. Why would you say Eggle above Atken?

maltingsaudio · April 2019

Fifty9 said:

Thanks @maltingsaudio. Appreciated. Why would you say Eggle above Atken?

Because Eggle has been around a lot longer and has a broader reputation

danishbacon · April 2019

Just a note which I think is important to consider and speaks about the quality and stability of the instruments @Fifty9, check out the players list on Alister's page http://atkinguitars.com/story/players/

Irrespective of what you decide on, I'd suggest seeking out the different options you are considering in this price range and actually playing them. None of those mentioned, Brook, Atkin, PJE, Moon are likely to disappoint and whats probably going to sway you in one direction or another will be feel tone and look. Keep an eye on what the used market ones go for and you'll have a good benchmark - check facebook groups as well.

Whitecat · April 2019

Peach just listed a secondhand Atkin Forty Seven... just in case you wanted to check it out!

Fifty9 · April 2019

Cheers. A quick google has andertons with a choice of 2 brand new ones at just 400 more! I presume that means the peach price is 'a bit toppy' at 85% of the cost of a brand new one? Or do high end acoustics just not depreciate much from new?

TheBigDipper · April 2019

Fifty9 said:

Cheers. A quick google has andertons with a choice of 2 brand new ones at just 400 more! I presume that means the peach price is 'a bit toppy' at 85% of the cost of a brand new one? Or do high end acoustics just not depreciate much from new?

Can't speak for other makes, but a hand-built, made-in-Kent (Atkin) or Devon (Brook) guitar seems to follow this trend. I don't think Peach is out of step with others here. Haven't been to the Atkin workshop, but the Brook workshop is definitely NOT a factory. Which doesn't mean that either is the right maker for you. You have to play one for yourself.

axisus · April 2019

I never consider the value of moving a guitar on. I buy because I want the guitar. I'd love an Eggle!

Fifty9 · April 2019

ThorpyFX said:

I have a Brook and it is incredible.... I’d have an Eggle acoustic in a heartbeat. I have several of his new style electrics and wouldn’t be surprised if the acoustics were as good as the electrics. They have become my favourite instruments.

buy the Eggle, if not..... please tell me where it is and I’ll buy it.

@ThorpyFX there’s 2 in Guitar Classics in Battersea. A few other great guitars also with a brook (or two) Atkin, Gibsons, Martins and a Fylde.

danishbacon · April 2019

I'm dropping my atkin the workshop next thursday for a setup. Happy to ask any questions for you.

Whitecat · April 2019

Fifty9 said:

Cheers. A quick google has andertons with a choice of 2 brand new ones at just 400 more! I presume that means the peach price is 'a bit toppy' at 85% of the cost of a brand new one? Or do high end acoustics just not depreciate much from new?

Might be the “essentials” models that are just a bit more? The one at Peach is the regular version, so would retail at over £3k I think.

Even so, seems about right as has been mentioned - Coda had one earlier this year for similar money. I think they just don’t turn up that often and being a relic already is always gonna be in “as new” condition, so a lot of people are happy to just pocket the few hundred.

Bodes well for resale value on them!

redtheblue · April 2019

Atkin Atkin Atkin... Once you have met he guys and visited the workshop and watched the videos and played the guitar you simply know that this is a company searching for the holy grail.

Moe_Zambeek · April 2019

My opinion of the Eggles I’ve tried is they are...quite nice. However my opinion of them now is tainted by the batch he made where the filler reacted with the finish and ended up with the guitars getting little bumps all
over - like they had the pox

They seem to stick around a while so may be tough to sell.

I’ve tried a few Atkins and really didn’t like them - I thought the relicing was awful and the fretwork poor. Lots of folks here like them though. They are everywhere now as well, so I’d expect the prices to soften as supply has increased.

The Brooks I’ve tried have been lovely - wonderful finishes and really nice, easy playing guitars but the necks are thin - so also not for everyone! Fylde...can’t stand the necks and the zero frets, they have a heavy 70s / 80s vibe to me, guitars from another era.

If I had to spend the money I’d look at Collings or Bourgeois, both of which are generally impeccable.

Having said that, I’ve been after a new acoustic for ages and I got the impression that the market was saturated - lots of guitars hanging around for a long time unless heavily discounted. I feel maybe the retailers went all-in on the acoustic boom of the past 5 years and may have overshot the target...so finance packages and the like from the shops may be affecting the used market.

BeardyAndy · April 2019

ThorpyFX said:

I have a Brook and it is incredible.... I’d have an Eggle acoustic in a heartbeat. I have several of his new style electrics and wouldn’t be surprised if the acoustics were as good as the electrics. They have become my favourite instruments.

buy the Eggle, if not..... please tell me where it is and I’ll buy it.

I played a Brook a few years back that came with the best story, I really hope its true!

Apparently the tone wood used to make the guitar came from a tree from some fancy estate i cant remember that fell in a huge storm and was originally planted by Queen Victoria. That kind of thing suckers me right in!

I also have a Patrick Eggle Stratford Pro, one of his first attempts at acoustics before PRS bought the name.

meltedbuzzbox · April 2019

redtheblue said:

Atkin Atkin Atkin... Once you have met he guys and visited the workshop and watched the videos and played the guitar you simply know that this is a company searching for the holy grail.

Then you play all the other brands coda have in stock and you realise atkin are really quite meh

danishbacon · April 2019

meltedbuzzbox said:

redtheblue said:

Atkin Atkin Atkin... Once you have met he guys and visited the workshop and watched the videos and played the guitar you simply know that this is a company searching for the holy grail.

Then you play all the other brands coda have in stock and you realise atkin are really quite meh

In what respect?

AuldReekie · April 2019

Within your budget, look out for a second hand McIlRoy, made by a former Lowden employee and very good quality. Eagle acoustics have great build quality but totally I find quite bland. Never played an Atkins so cannot comment and find nothing about Fyldes to get excited about. Other option, save a bit more money and order a Forster- fabulous instruments way ahead of anything else mentioned here.

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