Not impressed...

[Chicken]

So I stop into GC today to returen some picks I bought (so wrong, but it's my fault) and they had a used D-28 for sale, probably 30+ years old, but I didn't write down the serial to see because... I wasn't impressed. Maybe this just wasn't the best example, but I had been wanting one of these for some time, and... well lets just say that I'd take a D-16GT or D-15 over it any day.

 

Also played a Taylor 614ce and although the 414ce blew me away a few weeks ago, I found the maple 614 very... errr... not worth the price. Sustain wasn't anything to write home about, and it lacked bass IMHO. I had wanted one of those as well.

 

Also played a Breedlove (err... model?) and liked it, but not enough to buy it, and a Parkwood... which honestly I don't know why people even mention. I'd rather have my $300 Yamaha FG750s (though I have it, so... errr... I didn't A/b it).

 

Very odd day at GC. Not what I expected, though I suppose the good news is that I walkewd out of there not spending any money. At least all the guitars were in tune (something that hasn't been the case in the past), but I kept going back to the D-16GT. I wish they had a 414ce to A/b with but... they didn't (which surprised me).

[totamus]

D28s are generally great guitars. Bur not all of them are created equally. SOme simply never get the right sound, others have sat for so long that they need to be "opened up". This is why I wouldnt buy an expensive guitar ober the internet. Just way to much variability from guitar to guitar.

 

Its also possible that the D28 simply needs a new set of strings.

[Rich]

The thing about looking for an acoustic is that nearly all seem to have strings that are so dead and coated with grime. I picked up a Taylor at one of our local guitar stores that had strings so bad you could catch hep c.

[JaLester]

I second the parkwood comment. I don't mean to be rude, but I absolutely hate those guitars. I have yet to find one that resembled an acoustic guitar and not a cardboard box. Maybe for fingerpicking they do well, but everyone I have picked up sucked when strummed.

[babablowfish]

 

I second the parkwood comment. I don't mean to be rude, but I absolutely hate those guitars. I have yet to find one that resembled an acoustic guitar and not a cardboard box. Maybe for fingerpicking they do well, but everyone I have picked up sucked when strummed.

 

 

If you are ever in the area contact me and you can try my Parkwood - I think you will find it more than satisfactory.

[LaurentB]

The thing about looking for an acoustic is that nearly all seem to have strings that are so dead and coated with grime. I picked up a Taylor at one of our local guitar stores that had strings so bad you could catch hep c.

 

Very true.

 

I once spent some hours trying guitars (Taylors, Martins) well beyond 1000 euros and beyond, and wasn't impressed either (while I HAVE been impressed by similar ones before!).

A 400 euro Seagull in that store sounded better than all of them. It's really amazing how quality can differ.

[Freeman Keller]

I have a very hard time hearing acoustic guitars in most stores unless they have a really nice private acoustic room. Better yet is to ask if you can take it into one of their lesson rooms. I was in a nice store over the weekend, played some really nice guitars (I think) but frankly could hear enough of any of them to want to buy anything - not that they were bad, it is just that the setting was. The room was a alcove off the big main floor (with pianos and drum kits and tubas and lot of people Christmas shopping) and in that room were three of us playing simultaneously.

 

I'll also say that a 30 year old D-28 could be absolutely killer, or it could be a complete dud. Those were not Martin's best of years, altho there are some stunning guitars from the 70's and 80's (I have a couple of them).

[Harmonycat]

The most impressive part of this thread is that you make judgements based on your ears and not by a Brand name.

 

I guess I have been fortunate, that I have never played a Martin that I did not like. I own two Gibsons and I have played lots that were really lacking.

 

I also own quite a few very,very good guitars have lesser brand name recognition. Those are the ones I am most impressed with. Impressed enough that I bought them.

[Samilyn]

Though I'm essentially a Martin lover, I do agree that all are not created equal. Pity too many folks place more value on the name on the headstock than on what the git actually sounds like.

[WaveRay]

Perhaps that's why the D-28 was hanging in GC with a price that didn't scare you away immediately.

Thanks for letting us know a Martin sucks.

[Freeman Keller]

Here is a little love for the D-16GT

 

http://p082.ezboard.com/ftheunofficialmartinguitarforumfrm4.showMessage?topicID=41471.topic

 

Remember that when you compare a D-28 to the D-16GT to a 414 it is apples to oranges to kumquats.

[Bernie P.]

FWIW-I tried several Parkwoods and only really liked the maple jumbo.I like that one a lot.However as this was at GC I still wouldnt rule out the others untill I could try them at a music shop .

[Chicken]

I will say the Parkwood was *not* a jumbo, and that the jumbo has to be better. It just has to. This dread really was dreadful.

 

The Martin didn't have a price tag on it, but honestly it wouldn't have mattered if it was $100, I wouldn't have bought it. It looked like a beater, sounded like a $50 guitar, and probably had a $2000+ price tag. With some work, it very well could have been a decent guitar, but for that kind of money, it has to be better than decent IMHO.

 

I just wasn't blown away with much, as opposed to when I went in a few weeks prior and happened upon the 414ce and the D-16GT. I would have bought both of them on the spot, even paying higher GC prices, if funds were unlimited and I wasn't bound legally to another human who would have ended my life if I brought home two more guitars. I'm guessing it was the maple body of the 614ce that I didn't care for, as I *really* liked the 414 that I played.

 

As far as brands, I really like the $300 Yamaha FG750s I have, but it lacks many things compared the Martin (which was only $100 more used). I'd really like to stay $1,000 or

 

It's not always easy to hear guitars in stores though. And A/bing them is sometimes more difficult. But many of the ones I played were "3 chords and out" ones, meaning I could tell it wasn't the right guitar for me almost instantly. To someone else, it might be the exact sound they are looking for (be that Martin, Taylor, Parkwood, Bob's no name, or a custom $5K build).

[guit30]

I owned a D-16GT back in 99 for a couple of years, I had given up on the idea that I would ever be able to play again , because of my chronic pain , that I sold it(on the old HCAG sales board), I paid $750 for it and sold it for $595 a couple of years later because I needed to get it out of the house. It was a bit of a diappointment for me, it had more imperfections on the spruce top than I thought a guitar that price should have and the striped ebony,well let's say, I can see why they switched to Micarta, it was rough.

I have always been so impulsive, it was advertised as the best deal on the internet one place, I gave it a good jam session one night and that was it.

Well, 7 years later, the miracle of pain management and learning more about setups, strings and stuff. I really like my Alvarez with it's skinny neck and the nice radius, but honestly, that was one of the dumbest things I ever did. I'll probably never be able to afford one again. That guitar was so resonant, and it was really light too. Well, I guess the gloss top with everything else satin I didn't like, but one great guitar. Somebody out in California is still having a ball and probably a laugh or too once in awhile.

J