Choosing a guitar - More expensive or less?

guitar martin image

distanthop

I just started learning to play guitar a few months ago. I used to play when I was much younger, but lost interest and stopped. I tried picking it up a few times in the last few years but also stopped due to limited time and lost interest.

I am beginning to enjoy playing for fun, but I hate my current guitar. It is a pretty cheap Yamaha with terrible sound, but it was given to me for free. The body is too thick and hard to hold, which makes me not like playing it.

I began looking into better guitars. My price range was originally about $500. I went to Guitar Center to play some of the guitars and found a $500 guitar(Martin 000x1ae) that I found ok to play. Nothing great, but 100 times better than what I am playing now. However, I picked up a Taylor 214 and I really like that guitar, but it is $799. It feels right when I play, I actually like playing that one. It is slightly more than my price range at the moment. However, I can swing the cost and get it.

Now, I am a careful buyer. If I buy a $799 guitar now, that is it. If I get the $500, I plan on trading up for a better guitar in about a year, and would probably spend about $1200. If I am still playing in a year I'll know that the purchase is worth it, b/c I didn't lose interest.

My dilemma is that I would rather have a $1200 guitar. I feel as if it would be a better guitar with a stronger resale value. On the other hand I feel as if I buy a cheaper guitar now I won't want to play it, I'll lose interest, etc.

Any advice? Should I wait for the more expensive guitar, or buy the $799 guitar that is a bit out of my price range(but can afford) now? Pros/Cons? Is the Taylor 214 even any good?

Answer
A piece of advice an experienced musician gave me, that made a lot of sense:

Never compromise when trying to buy an instrument. Just save up, and buy what you want. Buy the thing that will make you happy, not the thing that will hold you off. You will never be 100% satisfied by a clone, knockoff or alternative. FACT.

This guy has SO many guitars, amps, pedals, soundboards, you name it. He told me how he always wanted a classic strat but somehow ended up with something else. He told me that once he got the strat, he was finally satisfied and regretted all the years he spent buying the other gear.

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