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Joined: April 2003 Posts: 183
Location: Denver, PA USA | Hello all,
I am contemplating getting a new LX. I tried out a 1777LX, but the price is a little to steep for me. I was looking at the Elderly site trying to see the differences between the 1777 and the 1771, the Legend, compaired to the Balladeer. What I could see is chrome compaired to Gold hardware, and rosewood compaired to ebony bridge and fingure board. Is that the basic difference? I don't think they would sound a whole lot different. Any input?
Thanks,
Bill |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 100
Location: Warren, OH | There are really three main differences between the two:
1)Better grade wood top = better sound unplugged
2)Ebony neck vs walnut
3)Tuners (I wonder if chrome might hold up better long term).
You get a couple different color choices, too.
Play them both - or better yet, take someone with you and listen to him play. Bear in mind that there are always subtle differences between even two guitars that are the same model.
Good luck.... |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Also the Legend has a gloss finish on the neck, the Balladeer has a satin finish. |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Legend has bound fingerboard and diamond shaped inlays. Balladeer has un-bound board and dot inlays. Also rosette on Legend is more elaborate. |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Legend has gold strap button (got you, moody!). |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Boy, I think this thread sums up the differences even better than the catalog does. |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | The Balladeer says "Balladeer" on the tag and the Legend says "Legend". |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | funny, the neck is bound on my Balladeer LX. :p |
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Joined: July 2003 Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | In my experience, the Legend generally has a slightly richer, more defined sound compared to a Balladeer, meaning that you can hear more "detail" in the sound. Not sure how else to explain it.
If you can afford it, go for the Legend, if you can't, the Balladeer will not disappoint you IMHO.
Roger |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I would guess that the sound differences between the Legend and the Balladeer in the LX series will be less pronounced that in the past. They both use the same bracing pattern -- the scalloped "X" bracing pattern.
In the past, the Balladeer had the "modified X" bracing pattern, while the Legend, first in the 70's had the VT 11 bracing and then from the early 80's on had the "A" pattern. There was always going to be a sound difference.
The only difference in sound will come from the different woods used in the top. And I don't think there will be much difference in the sound. This goes back to the late 60's. The difference in the Deluxe Balladeer and the Glen Campbell Deluxe Balladeer and the regular Balladeer was mostly in the quality of the materials and the trim. Not the sound. |
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