Good gear the old Eko stuff bought one of these when I was in Qatar in the 70s super neck and decent pups.
I had an Eko Ranger, from Kay's of Worcester, 38 week terms of course (thanks Mum ). I have no recollection of what happened to that one at all.
There's something about them... when I picked up that P2 as a dusty beat up half-strung thing in my uncles house, I was enamoured with it. I had to rescue it, since it was in the family from new. I wasn't prepared for just how much cut-through it has as an acoustic. It's a real blues weapon. heaps of projection and treble. not a lot in the bass dept, but then again, no parlour sized schwangmachine has the low-down. You may notice from the pictures that there is a light horizontal stripe between the bridge and the sound hole... that is where it sat "intonated" (not) for about 35 years... until I had my luthier set it up (there was a lot wrong, let's just leave it at that)... I Figured that if I didn't rescue it, the bonfire was very much a forgone conclusion... less than 30 yards away from death.
They always seemed to have better guitars than Freemans, Marshall Ward and Littlewoods. Their plastic fronted, cardboard backed, 7" oval car radio speaker equipped "practice amplifier", not so much.
Sigma DR-41. Got it cheap as the neck could be reset to make it better but plays just fine for campfire with ultra light acoustic strings.
I've got disposable guitars for backpacking, watersports, campfires etc. I've also got really nice vintage gear, that comes out for special occasions. A 214 would be a little nice for a disposable imo. Disposable is under $100 for me. And at that investment, I can frankenfix it, no matter what happens, and it just becomes a rustic punk conversation piece.
My "Kumbaya Bonfire on a Sandy Beach" guitar is a $150 Yamaha (don't remember the model). I don't take the Taylor 814ce, or the '67 Martin D35 or the '39 Epiphone Emperor out there. There's just no good reason to. Just gotta use your head.
Guitars are meant to be played and used, not pampered, worshiped and glorified as some icon. That doesn’t mean to abuse it, but I restore guitars that have been played for over 100 years all the time that have been through hell and back and are still great instruments.
Hate to burst your bubble, but the 100 & 200 series Taylors are "layered" (laminated) back & sides in mahogany and rosewood, respectively. Still great guitars, but that's why their Made in USA cousins, the 300 & 400 Series (with solid wood), cost so much more. Your 214 is still a well made guitar, conforming to Taylors' strict quality standards, and should give many years of enjoyment BTW, my "go-to" acoustics are an '09 Guild F47-CE (Fender era), and an '11 Taylor 414-CE. Both al little beat up, but that's how they go that way and why they are played - a lot!
I have a 1956 Guild M20 that I bring everywhere with me. It's ready for another refret but, it still sounds amazing. This guitar has been to more places than Magellan, and it looks like it. When I take it out, nobody expects much because it's so beat up. Then I strum a chord and everyone's head turns. I don't think I'll ever get rid of it.
I'm not really into folk guitars - yet... - but my classical guitar pretty much fits your description. I own this nice Portuguese-made classical I've bought second-hand. From personal experience, it's about on par with an Alhambra twice the price, and by instance I've bought it as-new for less than half the price. I've pretty much stole it, then! Only mods I've done to it was having a luthier installing a bone nut and saddle to it. Besides having fun with my own projects and recordings, I specifically bought it to use it on my musical fraternity group from college. It has already travaled to many places of the country with me and played in more stages than any other of my guitars. It surely holds many dear memories. As regarding the issue of fearing to damage your instruments by using them... I can see both sides. Unless money means absolutely nothing to you, any reasonable person will take care for a valuable possession of theirs. When I bought my first MIJ Jackson which was in near mint condition I really feared to bump or scratch it and hardly ever used it. Well, turns out the guitar was a flop and I managed to get rid of it without ending up getting a loss, and then realised: sure thing, it was my best guitar to date, but it was no treasure. What good it was for the time I've owned it to just keep it in the hardcase instead of enjoying it? The two equally nice guitars I've bought since then (including another MIJ Jackson) really take the mindset they're meant to be used, as long as you take reasonably good care of stuff, the regular usage marks it'll get are simply an inevitable part of a tool meant to be used. Accidents can indeed happen, though, but here's the thing: I guess if you own something so valuable you can't take the risk of having it damaged or lost, then perhaps you can't actually afford it. After all, even if you go all Fort Knox with it, there's always the slim chance your place gets flooded, burnt or broken into, how'd you then feel after losing it either way, but never getting to enjoy it?
Personally I wouldn't take a high-priced, pristine guitar to any environmentally questionable area. Around a bonfire a lot of sound is lost anyway... lost to the fire crackling, people talking, crickets chirping. So my favorite "bonfire" guitar is a cheap one that plays well. Usually a low-cost Fender or Alvarez or Washburn will do in that area. Or something you found at a rummage sale that is in good condition. Just one that you won't freak if an ember pops and puts a nice mar on the face finish. ; )
It's kind of funny that the fad of worn electronic guitar hasn't carried over to acoustic guitars. Copying ever nick, burn and warm spot of someone famous.
Nothing wrong, and a lot of things right, with having a beater guitar or two, but I still wouldn’t leave my worst beater out in the rain.
