GUITPICKER1

What I've found is that humidifying and hydrating when it comes to tone is a balance. To dry she turns brittle. To wet she gets dull. Somewhere in between is the goal.

To my disgrace based on over all reviews I've never tried one. On the other hand there are so many great amps out there I never saw the point in it.

Turning up the TV to max and hoping my puppies don't have a heart attack. I hate this juvenile crap. Most of these assinighn fire cracker freaks don't even know what they're supposed to be celebrating other than boom boom day.

Best of the best. Sigmas of the 1970's through 1980 made in Japan are where the reputation began. If you're looking for one on ebay that's where you need to go. 1980 D10 Anniversary.

The UST is almost never the problem. They're all pretty much the same stuff. It's the peizo quack. The answer is the IR (impulse response) technology that the Fishman Aura System and others provide.

In 1972 I bought my first good acoustic. It was a Guild D40 and it was my one and only until I gave it to my Grand Daughter a couple of years ago. Along the way I've owned some high end Martins and Taylors and some low end guitars as well. The big brand names where nice guitars but if your willing to take the advice of a very old picker then know that there is no end to the marketing hype they put out in an effort to gain those premium bucks. What I've finally come to realize over the years is that specs are specs and build quality is build quality and today companies like Blue Ridge, Eastman, Westerly Guild and others have both in spades and there is no reason other than bragging rights to waste money on those big names. Today I own an old 1980 Japenese Sigma and an all wood Chinese Westerly Guild and I'm as good to go as I've ever been. It's all about confidence as a player. Are you insecure and need Martin and Taylor to tell you what you need or are you confident enough to listen to your own ears and know that for yourself.

If you want a great guitar for reasonable money go Guild Westerly and don't look back.

That's a tough one. Over the last 50+ years I've played so many fine amps. If you had asked me a couple of years ago being mostly a clean player I would have said without having to think about it that it was my Twin. But as time caught up with me the weight issue broke the camels back so I went looking around. What I decided on was a Mesa Express 550+. The clean channel to my ears is every bit as good as the Twin and though I loved the Twin in the absense of pedals it was a one trick pony. The Mesa on the other hand is like having four amps in one box.

In memory of Donna Jane my departed Mom.