I've never owned a Martin guitar, played a couple for a short time, not long enough to really get a good impression. Tell me your impression

[Delmont]

OK' date=' thanks again. I know this has been discussed, infinitely, but Matin or Taylor. I had a Westerly Guild 6 string,, had was OK, action seemed "stiff", probably the strings...was OK I'll have to think about that...[/quote']

 

You're right, when I play heavier strings, they feel stiff to me, too.

 

Just had another thought, though. How old was the Westerly? If it was new, it might not be the same vibe as the union-made sixties/seventies Westerlys (or the older Hobokens).

 

DeepEnd and Freeman nailed it: First try many, then buy one!

[DeepEnd]

OK' date=' thanks again. I know this has been discussed, infinitely, but Matin or Taylor. I had a Westerly Guild 6 string,, had was OK, action seemed "stiff", probably the strings...was OK I'll have to think about that...[/quote']

When you say "Westerly," do you mean an older US made Guild made in Westerly, RI or a guitar from the "Westerly Collection," which is nothing more than a rebadging of the GAD series of Chinese made Guilds? The Westerly, RI factory closed in 2001 after Fender purchased Guild.

[strayGoat]

 

Always remember: MY perfect guitar isn't YOUR perfect guitar. I've had two Westerly Guilds - a sixties, which I sold years ago, and a seventies, which is my go-to guitar now - even above my seventies Martin, which I should probably sell while it's still in good shape.

 

I'm not an artiste. I go for playability first, then volume, then warmth. Though it's embarassing to admit I'm this shallow, look matters to me, too, which is why I like old-school Guilds, Martins, and Gibsons. They LOOK like guitars!

 

I agree/Identify with most of this. It's so completely individual.

 

I've met very few Martins I haven't liked. Even their road-geared, HPL guitars I've tried out have been a lot of fun to play and have mostly sounded great. I currently own an M-36, and I'm head over heels about that thing. Like many of the folks on this forum, I've owned a crazy number of guitars from pretty much every one of the major factory brands. For purely individual, idiosyncratic reasons, Martin has become pretty much my benchmark for the combination of playability and tone. Any other hand/ear will have a different impression to a greater or lesser degree. But I love 'em.

 

I also happen to love Yamaha guitars & own two of them at the moment. Again, playability is great (to my hands), mainly because Yamaha maintains an impressively consistent attention to detail - yes, "for the price," but even independent of that consideration, their fit and finish are typically excellent.

 

Like Delmont, I hate to admit it but looks do count with me. I wish they didn't, but they do. It's kind of the first thing that turns my head toward a guitar. I tend to favor trad, archetypical outward designs a la Martin, Gibson, Larrivee. Some of Gibson's elements (mustache bridges, nutty pick guards, etc.) are on the wild side, but I actually love these - the brand has been around for so long that these things have become iconic & still fit into my "trad" ballpark. Conversely, Taylor headstocks and pick guards irk me. Guild headstocks bother me, though I used to own a Westerly DV-52 that was fantastic (it died in a tragic staircase incident). Yamaha pick guards kind of irritate me, while I'm at it , but I like Yammies so much on their other merits that I just deal with it.

 

There are just so many manufacturers making really good guitars now at every price range, I seriously cannot figure out how the hell any of them are still in business. 10 years ago, I felt like I knew the specs of virtually every big-brand acoustic out there. Today, there's no way my rotting brain could pull off that trick.

[rlspencer]

Hey Kwakatak I'm from norf cak-a-lak my Epi IB1964T was made in Nashvile Tenn. USA and it is one of the finest guitars ever. there is a cheaper version called the FT79 made in china which is prolly the junk you have.just effin throw it away and get an INSPIRED BY A 1964 TEXAN you'll be glad you did. who said that? I did.

[rlspencer]

what you want is an all solid tone wood guitar with top of the loine electronics. I could'nt afford 3000.00 the IBA1964T is solid top and back(laminate sides) with real goode (NOT QUACKY) electronics (or not) depending on what you need.

fok buying a name I want a guitar that sounds good plays right and lets me soar to previously un-imagined heights.

that said I have an older yamaha that plays well (after I set it up) and sounds surprisingly good for a LAMMY axe. Ive owned stoopid expensive YAIRIS that sound and play like a dream and are works of art in their own right but for the money you will not finde a better all around axe than the EPI I mentioned.

[Glenn F]

My experience with S&P/Seagull is that the all-solid models don't have that much of a different tone than their models with lam cherry back/sides. Nope. Wasn't impressed with the sound.

[Glenn F]

I've got 3 Martins. All different sounding, yet all distinctly the Martin sound heard on countless recordings. It's sad, but I am rarely, these days, impressed by guitars under €1,200 or so. There have been exceptions (my great Walden S2070), but they're so rare I don't even bother to be curious enough to try them out, because I know they won't stand up to my Martins. If I only had ONE guitar (shudder), it would be my OM-21. Sure, Martin puts out duds, and I include the HPL/Stratabond/Richlite models in guitars I won't even bother with, but get a good one in your hands, and you won't want to let it go.

 

YMMV.

[Freeman Keller]

There is even a whole forum dedicated to the Seagull brand (part of the Art and Lutherie group). I was never very impressed

[Delmont]

. . . Conversely' date=' Taylor headstocks and pick guards irk me. Guild headstocks bother me, though . . . . [/quote']

 

Yep! The only thing uglier than a Taylor headstock or pickguard is a Taylor bridge!

 

I've always been crazy about Guild's wide-fan headstocks:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n32055541[/ATTACH]

 

They're so deco-architecural-looking, like they were designed by a moonlighting New York skyscraper decorator:

 

The narrow-fan headstock was a rude departure that I'll never get over:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n32055544[/ATTACH]

 

I'd still be caught dead playing one, though!

[Delmont]

. . . There are just so many manufacturers making really good guitars now at every price range' date=' I seriously cannot figure out how the hell any of them are still in business. . . . [/quote']

 

It's because it's the instrument that ate the world: a) every high school and college kid and every other ten-year old now has to have a cheap one and b) every lawyer, dentist, investment banker, and proctologist now has to have an expensive one.

 

[Delmont]

. . . Sure' date=' Martin puts out duds, and I include the HPL/Stratabond/Richlite models in guitars I won't even bother with. . . . . .[/quote']

 

The biggest offense is those names. Like: Huh?!

 

(Plastic and plywood by any other name would still stink.)

 

[crustoleum]

was 25 yo, worn at the scratch plate, a pretty good relic...was very very nice actually natural flat top. The inlay at the head had partially fallen away...was a cool guitar, and it did sound perfect. easy come...... so many

[crustoleum]

When you say "Westerly," do you mean an older US made Guild made in Westerly, RI or a guitar from the "Westerly Collection," which is nothing more than a rebadging of the GAD series of Chinese made Guilds? The Westerly, RI factory closed in 2001 after Fender purchased Guild.

 

 

RI, thing was the real deal. Was given to me...I did appreciate...but traded towards a Mastebilt Epiphone Deluxe archtop reissue. That will be OK for now. I have to do more research as I do have 2 of those Epiphone Masterbilt flat top things. Nice to have 2 of the same, when trying to teach or my kids join in sometimes, friends and a few kids I give occasional instruction to. kids friends and acquaintances variety is the spice...so I've heard...

got a few more FT's but but...you know...right

[crustoleum]

now I'm lamenting

[crustoleum]

Not about the Epiphone, the thing is unreal, actually

[crustoleum]

kids friends become "dis-interested", give their dust collectors to me, my kids friends don't mind what happens after given...they're happy to see new things too. Always looking for "the one"...still looking...you ?

I've obtained more than several "free gifts" still have most. Kids friends come and "visit" "them" sometimes, still...Always having jams here

[Bucksstudent]

I'm not an acoustic aficionado. But I have never played a Martin that wowed me, either. From what I understand, Martin is a name brand company that's surviving through their old reputation much like Gibson. They used to test Martins by lighting a match in front of the soundhole and tapping on the back to see if it would put the flame out. Not anymore.

 

I had a Sigma from the 70's that sounded fantastic, but wasn't put together well. Any Martin I played was well constructed, but didn't sound any better than a typical acoustic. Taylor, on the other hand, really impressed me, and the Gibson jumbo I strummed was awesome as well.

[strayGoat]

 

It's because it's the instrument that ate the world: a) every high school and college kid and every other ten-year old now has to have a cheap one and b) every lawyer, dentist, investment banker, and proctologist now has to have an expensive one.

 

True. I read several years ago that more than 90% of the guitars sold worldwide go for $300 or less. I'd imagine that amount has increased slightly in the years since. Still, you have Martin, Gibson, Guild, Larrivee, Taylor, etc., plus all of the boutique builders, competing for 10% of the market. That's a lot of proctologists.

[DeepEnd]

now I'm lamenting

As you should be. Few folks hereabouts would get rid of a US made Guild. That said, try a bunch of smaller bodied Martins. $3800 for the 00028EC is a lot of scratch and you may find a "lesser" specimen that speaks to you. Try a regular 00028. They're "only" around $2900. Glenn F mentioned the OM21 and they're very nice for around $2700. He's not the only one to say it would be "the one." Play a bunch and good luck with your search.

[Idunno]

 

Don't mind Martin. He heard his name called.

 

[kwakatak]

Martins have that certain something that keeps me gravitating toward them, the HD-35 in particular followed closely by the HD-28V and the GC Custom MMV. I've played fancier Martins, such as the D-28 Marquis Madagascar and the America's guitar that came out in 2008 but apart from a brief lusting after the discontinued D-21 Special (think of a D-18 but with rosewood back and sides and a pyramid bridge...mmm) whenever I pick up that HD-35 and hit a C chord with the thumb wrapped around to high a low G on I just feel like the universe aligns - and really, I don't even like dreads. There's just something about how smooth and enveloping the bass is on that HD-35 but without cost to the clarity of the trebles. The mids don't get in my way and I find myself wanting to sing, which is kind of like a cardinal sin in a music shop.

 

I've been lusting after those HD-35s since 2005. I could have bought one several years ago but when I got "seed" money in 2009 for my 40th I jumped the gun and bought a D-16GT because I felt that it had the "essence" of its bigger brother - but really, it doesn't. It's nice and all but I keep thinking of how much more "lush" rosewood sounds, from the MMV and the HD-35.

 

I still can't afford a HD-35 and they rarely come around used so to make a long story short I'm planning on creating a FrankenMartin out of my old busted lawsuit Takamine; I'm retopping it and using 1/4" size 00 bracing just like Martin uses on the D-35. I just need to procure a new top from Martin next. With hope, in a couple of years you'll hear me cackling "IT'S ALIVE!!!"

[Mikeo]

Not about the Epiphone' date=' the thing is unreal, actually [/quote']

 

 

Then keep it.

 

This does call for a drive to the Music Emporium to test drive other stuff.

 

 

 

[crustoleum]

thanks again all. Mikeo, I'll certainly check it out. The local place carries Taylor things. I did play a couple there, and now I think I know the answer

[Mikeo]

thanks again all. Mikeo' date=' I'll certainly check it out. The local place carries Taylor things. I did play a couple there, and now I think I know the answer [/quote']

 

 

 

 

http://themusicemporium.com/

 

 

You'll love it if you have not been there before.

 

 

165 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA

 

[crustoleum]

Hey Mikeo, and all here is something I did last night at 3:AM. lol check it out. I strummed on the Epiphone Deluxe. It is what it is lol That Guild was really nice, but it was beat. lots of scratch wear, initials scratched into the top bout, headstock inlay was gone...was a real beater. I'm really liking this Deluxe thing. I lowered the bridge a little when I 1st got it,..., please be kind

 

http://ge.tt/8UGxEUm2

 

 

thanks all