Kirkland guitars?

[angorawol]

Is there somebody out there who knows something about these guitars?
Gypsyguitars sells them.

[boral]

Hi,
I have one.At that price is perhaps the best you can get.
I bought it one year ago and I am very satisfied with the guitar. although I had to change the tailpiece ( the looks is not terrific) and I built a new bridge ( the original is too low and it buzzes a little) , it plays well (with a thick pick it plays real loud ) and I think it is a very good guitar for a beginner like me.

[Schoscho]

Well, I`ve got one too. The overall quality is good, the sound clear and strong.
Take good strings and a really thick pick (5 mm bone from Dugain might be a good idea) and you will end up with a guitar that is okay.
BTW: since it has a very reasonable price it can be used nearly everywhere, even at campfires or on streets.

[lnb]

There is a used Gitane 250m for sale in the guitars section of this web site.
It would be a better guitar for not much more money.

[Schoscho]

@lnb: I`m not so sure whether your promotion of your auction is exactly the kind of answer that is useful for this thread.
If you know something about Kirkland-Gypsy-Guitars I`d be glad to read about your experiences with it.

[nwilkins]

Schosco, why do you think that it is Inb's guitar for sale? Even if it is (and I don't think it is), it is perfectly fine for him to mention it, especially because he is giving very good advice. Saga Gitane guitars are MUCH better than Kirkland guitars, and if a person is thinking of buying a Kirkland I think it is only right to warn him that he could get a much better guitar for almost the same price.

[Schoscho]

May I repeat the question? =>

Is there somebody out there who knows something about these guitars?

That`s not so difficult to understand, I suppose...
As far as I can see this does not mean "what kind of guitar shall I buy", it`s a question about infos concerning Kirkland guitars.
As to whether lnb is the seller of the guitar in the ad: see his www-Link and the Addy of the person who sells the Saga...

[lnb]

I have played 5 Kirklands and in my opinion the Gitanes are a far better guitar, yes it is my guitar for sale but so what i was just trying to help out with a bit of advice------Chudan-no-kamae

[nwilkins]

Shosco, you are splitting hairs and being extremely pedantic, which has caused you to come off as a major prick. None of these things is particularly appreciated on this forum. You are not a moderator, and your negative comments are both ridiculously unfounded and extremely annoying. If someone is wondering about a type of guitar they are likely thinking about buying one. Because the guitar happens to be a cheap model, it is a perfectly reasonable (and even NICE) thing to do to give advice about buying a good cheap gypsy guitar. The saga is a MUCH better guitar for a similar price. Inb's post may not be directly on topic, but it is a perfectly reasonable and friendly post, so I don't know what your problem is.

For the record - I have played two Kirkland guitars and I would caution anyone against wasting their money on one - they sound crappy. A Gitane is a much better decision if you are looking for a cheap gypsy guitar.

[angorawol]

Hey guys, I know that a Saga Gitane is a better guitar (a Dupont or Favino is probably even better), but I was just curious to the Kirkland. Because of the price.
Anyway thanks for the info.

[Schoscho]

...For the record - I have played two Kirkland guitars and I would caution anyone against wasting their money on one - they sound crappy. A Gitane is a much better decision if you are looking for a cheap gypsy guitar.

Thanks a lot for that useful information.
Agreed, the SAGA maybe the better choice if you`re not on a budget. Though the SAGA, too, comes from China, like Kirkland. And things are somewhat difficult, in addition.
SAGA and Kirkland are trademarks, you cannot be sure, who actually made your guitar. If you`re lucky, your Kirkland can be made by a manufaturer who sells the same guitar to the Saga-guys (who just add some different mechs and tailpiece)
So the best choice is always finding a luthier somewhere near your town who actually makes Gitanes.
The next-best choice is finding a player who is inside this stuff and sells a used guitar
But as I said above, these discussions "which guitar to buy as a beginner" seems slightly OT.

Generally, these kind of discussions have a similar tendency in other boards, when users start discussions about epiphone or squier. There are always others who will prefer gibson or fender. So it`s quite tricky...
Sorry if you got me wrong, no insults intended.

[angorawol]

Saga is a trademark, but produces several products. The Selmer-alike Gitane guitar is just one of the 10 names they produce (and that is only the guitarsection, they also produce mandolines, cello's, violins, ukulele's, banjo's, Andean panpipes, Bodhrans)
Treir Blueridge western guitars is very popular in the bluegrass-world
Check this Blueridge-forum out
Another remark from gypsyguitar.de on the Kirkland

Die Gitarre wid von uns modifiiziert.
mit Nickel-Tailpiece, Savarez Saiten und
einer Selmerlike-Bridge im Wert von 90 Euro.

It is also so that in the regular guitar world you get more guitar for less money. In 2003 was a solid top not available beneath the £343 - $500 - ?500-zone, these day's you can buy a solid guitar for ?600.
(I'm talking about the new 'Masterbilt'serie from Epiphone, or a DW15 made by Yamaha I don't consider none of these brands B-brand as Tanglewood or Walden. Below that price there is always the solid ceder-top and good craftmanship by Art&Lutherie or Seagull and even Washburn)

But it true that these 'beginners'-guitar discussions that they s**k. I'm sure I never will buy a Taylor or Martin because the boring conversations of their owners. It is not so much a beginners guitar question, but more a question about the tendence I discribed above is also happening in the gypsy guitar world.

In fact, when I have the cash to buy a guitar, I most probably would buy the Gitane or a Patenotte.

[nwilkins]

I think the discussion about beginner guitars can be useful - for instance, the Gitane guitars are built cheaply BUT they actually are gypsy guitars, with the right tops and bracing etc. None of the Kirklands I have seen are made with consideration for what makes a gypsy guitar sound like a gypsy guitar - they are essentially just regular guitars with only the superficial cosmetic details of gypsy guitars.

[Quirister]

I note that these remarks were made a while ago and so opinions may have changed however I would like to add my two pennyworth.
I have just bought a used Kirkland 215034 in mint condition and only paid £30 for it – Yes, that is not a typo and it is Electro-Acoustic!
What a great little guitar it is too.
I have had many guitars over the past fifty years and can honestly say that you get a far superior instrument now for a small amount of money than ever before.
Don’t pay too much attention to those who are blinded by a “Big Name” very expensive branding.
This is a great quality little guitar with a big sound and it will long outlive me!