Florida_Gator

Try some D'Addario EXP19 "Bluegrass" strings. They're a mixture of lights and mediums: EXP16 Light - 12-16-24-32-42-53 EXP17 Medium - 13-17-26-35-45-56 EXP19 Bluegrass - 12-16-25-35-45-56 I would think that the MD60, being so responsive (I owned one for about a week ), would really pick-up on these.

Happy new Taylor day!

2 solid top, laminate back/sides 1 all solid Son's are solid/lam We like all our guitars, but my overall favorite is the solid/lam Yamaha FG730S. The others are better in some ways for sure, but it's my "go-to, leave-it-out-all-the-time-to-grab-it" guitar. To me, it sounds a lot like my friend's Martin D-28. And, it don't have to worry as much about it "shifting" as much (very important where I live).

Congrats -- excellent deal that I came VERY close to clicking on (MD60, since I don't have any cedars). But I'm gonna keep looking for something with a larger (wider and deeper) neck. Let's just say... I sure am glad that guitar wasn't at the local shop today at that price... "ignoring" it while it's online-only is MUCH easier than ignoring it while you're holding/playing it! Based on what I did try today, I think you are really gonna like it! Hope you get it soon! There's really no risk in any event... if you don't love it, send it back and try something else. That's what skatalite did with the LS6, and it worked out great for him! That's why they make so many different kinds!

I wouldn't call it inferior. It's just different. The 720 isn't meant to be a heavy strummer. It's good enough for some people, but the 720 is built for the fingerpicker inside all of us. When strummed, it won't have as much response across the wide range of tones as a dreadnought will have. I fingerpick on all my guitars, and it's nice and comfortable. For what it's worth, here's a song me and a buddy recorded. I'm the first guitar to begin playing. It's fingerstyle with the MD60, with the fleshy part of my fingers, not fingernails: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7877097 Um, what he said. In some ways, my LS6 definitely sounds better than my FG730S (and vice-versa). And before anyone says "no fair" comparing an L-series to an FG: they're both spruce over lam rosewood (albiet the L is Engleman), and are in the $300-$500 range. Now, if I were in your shoes, I'd find it VERY hard to NOT buy the MD60 or MD80 (yes, even sight-unseen, and unplayed, first). Just too good of a deal to pass up. And this is coming from a true Yamaha fan. Unless of course, you WANT the virtues of a lam-backed guitar (stronger, more stable, etc.). I mean, especially with the FG730S, it's not like you're really going to be compromising on the sound! In fact, my son and I just went to a local guitar shop today, and I played several Alvarez models (a few A's and a few M's). They (esp. the M's) were very nice (all were in the $500-$600 range, though some were acoustic-electrics). Maybe ONE of them was better (in some ways) than my FG730S, and the rest were about the same (and some worse, for various reasons). But to give you an idea of how good of a deal the current Alvarez models are... the "same thing" in a Yamaha (all solid wood, from their higher-end L-series) would be the LL16 (Engleman spruce over rosewood) at $750 (and that's a VERY aggressive/reasonable price). The LL16 is maybe a bit nicer (ebony fretboard and bridge, rosewood, etc.), but with the Alvarez clearance, you could buy BOTH the MD60 and MD80 (and have TWO all solid wood gits), PLUS have enough left over for a take-camping-beater!

Thanks for the information. I play with both a pick and finger style, so which guitar offers the most clearance for the fingers? I don't need a guitar with booming bass either, just clarity and brightness (but not too much of course). Do you think the FS720S can offer this? Also, does anyone knows if a standard dreadnought case will fit the FS720S? When you say "clearance for the fingers"... are you asking about room for your fretting hand (usually left), or your picking/strumming hand (usually right)? If you want a little more fingering room (for your left, or fretting hand), you might want to consider the Yamaha LS6 (et. Al.). One of the reasons I chose the LS6 (over the FS720S) was because the LS6 has a 1 3/4" nut width, while the FS720S has 1 11/16" nut width (which is "standard" for most dreds, as well as all Yamaha FG and FS models, except for "The FG" (a limited-edition $1500 guitar out this year). But really, you need to go try these -- I love my LS6, but I wouldn't want it (or the FS720S) to be my ONLY guitar. What I'm saying is, you might prefer the SOUND of a dred over an OM style/size -- and that's what matters most.

mzx, The OM-size guitars from Yamaha (FS720S, LS6, LS16, etc.) emphasize the mid-range more than the dred-size models (FG730S, LL6, LL16, etc.) I have an LS6 and the FG730S. They're both very nice, but don't sound much alike. I prefer the LS6 for fingerstyle play (more articulate, softer bass, strong mids and ringing highs), and the FG730S for strumming/bluegrass type stuff (louder, thumpier bass). Now of course, you certainly can play fingerstyle stuff on an FG, and strumming sing-a-longs on the LS6 (or FS720S), but one excells at one thing, and the other the other

When I changed the stock plastic saddle for bone in my FG730S, I got an increase in both volume and sustain. It was not as noticable as when I changed to bone in my LS6, but it was still very noticable.

Yeah, I heard the same. The MD60's were suppose to come even earlier I believe. Supposedly 112 MD60's are coming in and 14 MD80's. That ratio is so disproportionate. Does anyone have experience with the Yamaha FG730S? Are the back/sides laminate or what? I have (and like a lot) a Yamaha FG730S. The top is solid Sitka spruce, and the back/sides are lam rosewood.

Quite a deal!!

Congrats! (on the wife -- you can get J45's anywhere -- but that wife of yours, she's a one-of-a-kind!)

What does a martin OM-28 look like?