Music

[rome8180]

Suggestions for a decent acoustic guitar and/or keyboard on a limited budget? Would not be able to spend more than $300 on each. Just need something(s) for writing songs around the house. I am semi-competent on both instruments but know nothing about gear beyond basses.

 

[skins]

Suggestions for a decent acoustic guitar and/or keyboard on a limited budget? Would not be able to spend more than $300 on each. Just need something(s) for writing songs around the house. I am semi-competent on both instruments but know nothing about gear beyond basses.

Not sure about keyboards, but my dad recommended the Seagull S6 as a good guitar in your price range. It is made in Canada, however.

 

[rome8180]

I will get @torontoduke to smuggle one in.

 

[rome8180]

@skins More seriously, thanks for the suggestion. I put in an offer on one on ebay for $250. The reviews of it everywhere I checked were borderline reverential. I feel good about it.

 

[TS9]

Looks like I'm moments late, but the Seagull suggestion is a good one. If that doesn't work out on eBay, might poke around for a lightly used Baby Taylor or a Martin Little Martin. Beyond that, you're looking at base level Washburns, Ibanezes and Alvarezes that, at your dollar limit, could end up being perfectly fine or could be pieces of shit, due to wild variations in overseas quality control.

 

[rome8180]

Yeah, I know Washburn. Ibanez makes some good things and some really shitty things, so I am always wary. I'm just speaking from my experience as a bassist though. I was actually looking at an Ibanez Artwood here in town before this.

The "buy it now" option was $299.99 on the Seagull. I am somewhat optimistic that he'll accept $250. If I save $50 there, that's $50 more I can spend on a keyboard.

 

[torontoduke]

Neil Diamond has Parkinson's disease

 

[rome8180]

@torontoduke I will have a playlist with dozens of newer bands up for you soon. Been discovering a lot of new stuff myself lately.

 

[skins]

@torontoduke I will have a playlist with dozens of newer bands up for you soon. Been discovering a lot of new stuff myself lately.

Please do. 2017 was such a lost year for me as far as discovering new music is concerned. Hopefully over the next week or so I’ll be able to post some things I’ve found recently. So far I’ve been really, really enjoying the latest Japanese Breakfast album.

 

[torontoduke]

@torontoduke I will have a playlist with dozens of newer bands up for you soon. Been discovering a lot of new stuff myself lately.

Please do. 2017 was such a lost year for me as far as discovering new music is concerned. Hopefully over the next week or so I’ll be able to post some things I’ve found recently. So far I’ve been really, really enjoying the latest Japanese Breakfast album.

Awesome - looking forward to some more new music.

 

[rome8180]

This is by no means exhaustive. @skins I am sure you will know some of this stuff. I like to name my playlists after a book I am currently reading, hence the title.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2oTkCedzD4jC6HqusHtJQ_RX2dswnbZ3

 

[rome8180]

This is probably my favorite song on that mix. I have the album pre-ordered. I really can't over how perfectly structured it is.

 

[best4heisman]

Good stuff, Rome. Really like a lot of the stuff on that playlist that I'm familiar with and excited to dig into the rest. Never been nearly as into post-punk as a lot of you guys, but this is one of my favorites songs of the year so far.

 

[rome8180]

Yeah, this is awesome.

 

[skins]

That’s bizarre. I signed up for an Apple Music trial over the weekend and downloaded albums from about half of those artists in your playlist. I’m still working my way through but I’ll have to check out all the ones I hadn’t heard.

As for other stuff you might like.

 

[skins]

Still can’t get over how much I’ve enjoyed this album.

 

[rome8180]

Heard good things about that band, @skins. Will have to check that out.

 

[torontoduke]

Had the chance to listen to some of the above, most of which I had not previously heard.

- Mister Heavenly - very nice pop. seems to be a lot going on there
- Andy Shauf - kinda/sorta reminds me of early 90s lo-fi indie rock. Cool video.
- Moses Sumney - holy F. Great voice. I don't have anything that quite sounds like that.
- Nick Hakim - yes. nice psychedelic track.
- superorganism - weird stuff. Her vocal delivery reminded me of Moldy Peaches singer.
- that War on Drugs track is brilliant
- I like Cloud Nothings quite a bit. I've been able to see a couple of their shows.
- Japanese Breakfast is really cool. They are playing with Belle & Sebastian, but the shows are out west.

Probably going to look into Big Thief a bit more.

 

[torontoduke]

This is probably my favorite song on that mix. I have the album pre-ordered. I really can't over how perfectly structured it is.

I saw her with Hamilton Leithauser in Toronto. I did not really dig her live show, but I'll check out her studio material.

 

[rome8180]

I am going to see her in Chicago, I think. We'll see if she's improved. Some good musicians just aren't great live (or sometimes their music just doesn't lend itself to live performance).

On that note, I saw Moses Sumney three years ago, back when he'd released his first album. I could tell the music was brilliant, but the audience wasn't engaged and I wasn't either. His music is weird and subtle. And it's hard to have great stage presence when you're just a dude by yourself with a guitar.