Members knockwood Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 In the eternal search for THE ONE (by GAS light), I keep asking myself, what is the quintessential ME guitar? And what I ultimately keep answering is, "I don't know." So because my job is boring the sh*t out of me today, I figured I'd ask my fellow forumites to play a little game of Mr. Potatohead Guitar. Maybe you can give me some ideas if the idea of wasting time on this question appeals to you at all. Play luthier for a minute. I tell you what/how I play... I'm damn curious to know what suggestions I'll hear in terms of ideal body type, construction, materials. So here's me:-Light playing (fingerstyle & strumming) of primarily classic rock, blues, soul, some country-I never use picks (I try, but just cannot get used to them)-I favor pronounced bass to a point that would trouble most players. I like a fat bottom.-Volume is not a paramount consideration for me. I seldom play live. I sing but do not often belt, and I don't want to drown myself out or go hoarse. I always play solo so I don't need to worry about competing with banjos.-I like ease of play. I use 12/54 p/b strings and my tendency with my full-scale gits is to tune down to A=427 (also for ease of voice).-I am equally comfortable with 1-11/16" or 1-3/4" nut widths, although if you put a gun to my head I'd choose the former - just sounds better to me strummed and I have no problem playing fingerstyle on narrower boards. My wee brain tells me the extra spacing on wider boards results in tonally slightly less coherent chording because of the infinitesimal additional delay in striking strings spaced further apart.-I like traditional styling, simple appointments, am turned off by bling. So you're my luthier and you have a blank cheque. What do you suggest? I realize this is a pretty damn self-indulgent thread, but wtf. I'm bored to tears over here.
Members carguy Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 Q. What guitar should I get? A. Martin.
Members mrlucky7 Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 Hmmm, My first thought from what you listed would be cedar top. It shines when fingerpicked and lightly strummed. It has a warm full sound when played lightly and a tendency toward the lower frequencies. As for the back, if you really like a deep bass, my thought would be to look into maple. I find that it brings out deepness in the bass. For the neck, mahogany is suppose to be king but, with the combo listed above, why not a maple neck ? I say this just for the looks though. It would look mighty fine ! Ebony fingerboard and saddle for the slickness and the look and a dark wood for the bindings to add contrast. Ebony ? Walnut ? As for the body style, your style would asume a smaller body but, for your love of bass, you would need a bigger size. My conclusion : A jumbo with cedar top, maple back/sides, ebony bridge and saddle with ebony or walnut bindings. I would actually LOVE to try a guitar like this !! Let me know what you think of Lucky playing luthier !
Members Cldplytkmn Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 you should get a webber roundbody in cedar/rosewood or spruce/hog... although his sapele looks killer... and order it with extra depth... he does this regularly... that is all
Members catdaddy Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 Knock-Bill Collings already built it for ya!http://www.acousticmusicworks.com/D1A493.html- Another (!) of our pre war style Collings D1A custom - we're starting to call it our "1939 Collings D1A" - Travel back in time with us. ADIRONDACK spruce top, light honey brown stained Honduran mahogany back and sides, style 3 backstrip, NO TONGUE BRACE, custom 1 and 23/32" nut width, standard 2 and 3/16" saddle spacing, vividly figured Brazilian rosewood peghead overlay with pearl and abalone torch headstock inlay. This one has standard dots on the fretboard, nickel Waverly tuners, *your choice* of pickguard (dalmatian or standard), and drop in saddle. Lighter build and "woodier" than your typical D1A, open, full, strong, growling, and loud. Go back in time. A VERY strong guitar. One to go to war with. These sound old and new at the same time. An exceptionally good sounding guitar. Moe like!! additional (larger) pics at: IN STOCK (493) (2005 Pricing)I've had the pleasure of playing this one! Best bass response I've ever heard in an acoustic. The 1 and 23/32" nut width is the perfect compromise between 1 & 11/16 and 1 & 3/4. It is loud when strummed with a pick but without the tongue brace and the scalloped bracing it is very nice sounding with a light touch and bare fingers. If the headstock is a little too fancy just concentrate on the braz rosewood that surrounds it!
Members suprswd Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 larrivee. larrivee. martin. nevermind. larrivee.~Loganps i cant get used to a pick either , i tried but its damn hard, i dont even pick down towards the floor, i pick up because thats how i play with my figners. lolz.
Members Freeman Keller Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 my homemade 000. That is why I made it
Members carguy Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 Don't you have a D-1? Isn't that pretty close to what you described as your ideal guitar? In what ways is it lacking?
Members knockwood Posted March 30, 2006 Author Members Posted March 30, 2006 I really appreciate all the replies so far. Thanks, peeps! My reactions to what I've heard so far...Carguy/"Martin"Overall, a good suggestion. The "Martin Tone" is always kind of my benchmark/starting point. When I first started asking myself that question about ideal guitar, what I came up with was custom Marty: Jumbo -w- western red cedar top & EIR b/s with a short scale... There are models in their existing line that come damn close - just nothing that covers EVERY base.Carguy/"What's wrong with your D-1?"Nothing. I love that guitar. Definite lifer. Gorgeous bass. The one element I'm not in love with is that there is a certain preponderant brightness to it that is only really apparent when I'm singing. I like a darker tone overall, and I find it fits my voice better. The D-1 is beautiful on its own but it clashes with my singing. Or vice versa.mrlucky7/Cedar/Maple Jumbo -w- maple neck / eb fingerboard & bridge & walnut bindingsDamn interesting amalgamation. I agree that I'd love to encounter something like that & give it a test drive. I don't have much experience -w- maple - have always shied from it a bit as one of the tonally brighter woods. I will have to look at some maple jumbos just to see what they're like.Catdaddy/Collings D1ACollings... I might be more inclined toward a D2H. I have two hog dreads and basically the same issue with both regarding more brightness than I want in conjunction with vocals. The Adi top may also be a bit more power than I really need. Collings, though, will definitely get a hard look the second I actually have the loot. I'm not necessarily married to a cedar top or jumbo body. A D2H may fit the bill perfectly.Clippity/Webber Roundbody cedar/roseThat damn thing may be THE ONE. I went looking for it on the Buffalo Bros. site yesterday... Just needed to see it... Looks like some lucky fu**er took it off their hands. On paper, in pics, it's eerily perfect. And it just happens to be beautiful. ONLY problem is that I don't know if there's even one on my coast I can try out before buying it.FK/FK 000I'll take it. suprswd/LarriGreat guitars, the few I've played. And beautiful to look at. I think Marty is more my tonal speed, though.
Members knockwood Posted March 30, 2006 Author Members Posted March 30, 2006 Damn, that was a long post! Sorry...
Members Cldplytkmn Posted March 30, 2006 Members Posted March 30, 2006 dude... just call up david... plus you'd be special ordering one with a deeper body anyway, right? haha... i'm sure he has a good return policy.
Members JasmineTea Posted March 31, 2006 Members Posted March 31, 2006 J-40? Maybe too much bling, but you could change the gold tuners. Kind of expensive too. willy's j-40 J-18
Members JasmineTea Posted March 31, 2006 Members Posted March 31, 2006 Oh. sorry, I guess i was supposed to build a guitar for this thread?
Members knockwood Posted March 31, 2006 Author Members Posted March 31, 2006 Originally posted by JasmineTea Oh. sorry, I guess i was supposed to build a guitar for this thread? Not necessarily. Man that J-18 looks nice. It's a pity Marty carries so few jumbos. Bigger pity they killed that model. They don't have a spruce/hog jumbo in their current line. Biggest pity of all that I don't have the $ in my pocket to call Elderly right now. J-40 is a beauty, bling and all.
Members JasmineTea Posted March 31, 2006 Members Posted March 31, 2006 I saw Gruhn had some custom made J models. I wanna say they were like a J-28. But I could'nt find a trace when searching.
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