Dream Guitar
- Thread starter KenL
- Start date
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Hey Ken, just curious........what's your dream guitar?
West
West
fronobulax
Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
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KenL
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West, it's a scarce Martin. Not vintage, but 20+ years old. I played one just like it at Dusty Strings in Seattle 20 years ago and it has haunted my dreams ever since. It was on consignment, but my kids were little then and I just plain couldn't afford it then. Now I can.
Mods, sorry if I created a bunch of work for you guys.
Mods, sorry if I created a bunch of work for you guys.
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Nah, that's cool. I played a Martin once that I still regret not having bought because the seller and I were off by only $200. It was an Adirondack topped Custom D28. Even my wife thought I should have bought it at the time, but I'm pretty hard headed. I get a price in mind and won't budge. Well good luck in securing the dream guitar.
West
Br1ck
Senior Member
For those who dream on a budget, there is a D 16 Adirondack for sale in the UMGF buy and sell. The one I played dusted every regular D 18 and D 28 in the shop that day. Under $1700 it think.
WC_Guitarist
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This is fascinating...
I just sent a note to a friend (actually to two different friends) this morning saying if I were buying my first guitar today, it would not be a brand new Martin 000-18. It would be a Guild!
However, I do love my 000-18 and know a good thing when I play it, so I'm keeping it and looking to add on. My next guitar will be a Guild. I just don't know which one, when or where. I'll know that when I get my hands on it. And there are some extremely tempting guitars for sale right now in our own FS/FT forum, Ken's among them, but it's a bit out of my price range/size range.
The problem (first world variety) is that Martins are everywhere and Guilds take a bit sleuthing to find the good ones. I have been to many guitar shops and so far have not been to any that had the US made Guilds hanging on the wall to try. The cheaper Guilds are excellent against others in the same price range/category, but you cannot compare them to the vintage ones, and I have no idea about the current production Oxnard ones as I've never tried one. I have more research to do.
In retrospect, I think I was somewhat unduly influenced by landing at AGF first, a wonderful place with wonderful people and tons of information that I use every day. But, IMHO I have found AGF to be somewhat Martin-centric and also custom built/luthier guitar centric. I drank the Martin kool-aid when I started hanging out there without realizing I was doing it. The Guilds are there too, but do not get as much love as I believe they deserve. Again, my opinion only, and I'm a newb, so please don't take any offense.
Had I landed here first, I'd have started with a Guild. Having two guitars is a good option, one Martin and one Guild. I'll just have to suffer along as best I can with that. LOL!
PS Mods, this post is not meant to be inflammatory in any way. Just sharing my personal experience and observations, but if you think it's a problem, please edit or move or ??? Thx.
I just sent a note to a friend (actually to two different friends) this morning saying if I were buying my first guitar today, it would not be a brand new Martin 000-18. It would be a Guild!
However, I do love my 000-18 and know a good thing when I play it, so I'm keeping it and looking to add on. My next guitar will be a Guild. I just don't know which one, when or where. I'll know that when I get my hands on it. And there are some extremely tempting guitars for sale right now in our own FS/FT forum, Ken's among them, but it's a bit out of my price range/size range.
The problem (first world variety) is that Martins are everywhere and Guilds take a bit sleuthing to find the good ones. I have been to many guitar shops and so far have not been to any that had the US made Guilds hanging on the wall to try. The cheaper Guilds are excellent against others in the same price range/category, but you cannot compare them to the vintage ones, and I have no idea about the current production Oxnard ones as I've never tried one. I have more research to do.
In retrospect, I think I was somewhat unduly influenced by landing at AGF first, a wonderful place with wonderful people and tons of information that I use every day. But, IMHO I have found AGF to be somewhat Martin-centric and also custom built/luthier guitar centric. I drank the Martin kool-aid when I started hanging out there without realizing I was doing it. The Guilds are there too, but do not get as much love as I believe they deserve. Again, my opinion only, and I'm a newb, so please don't take any offense.
Had I landed here first, I'd have started with a Guild. Having two guitars is a good option, one Martin and one Guild. I'll just have to suffer along as best I can with that. LOL!
PS Mods, this post is not meant to be inflammatory in any way. Just sharing my personal experience and observations, but if you think it's a problem, please edit or move or ??? Thx.
Charlie Bernstein
Senior Member
Yeah, I dumped my D-28 when I got my D-35. Just wasn't picking up the Martin anymore.
Last edited:
Charlie Bernstein
Senior Member
Yeah, when I got my D-35 I dumped by D-28. Just wasn't picking up the Martin anymore.
There are some nicely priced used D-40s at Reverb.com right now.
That's something I like about showing up with a Guild. Everyone doesn't have one. Mine is usually the only one in the room.
For what? Having a Martin? We all make mistakes!
Cougar
Enlightened Member
The problem I have with Martins is: they're just so darn boring! Except for the D45 (which they want around 10 grand for
), they're typically so bland looking! Oh sure, they usually play and sound good, but I like a guitar that stands out a little visually, too. I like a little bling. Not a lot, but a little -- some tasteful abalone around the rosette, like on my F50R. The emeralds inlaid on the bridge pins don't hurt either, lol. And a burst. Gotta be a burst!
Charlie Bernstein
Senior Member
'Zackly!
Yeah, I make an exception for D-45s, too.
And sounding! They're loud enough, but they're too balanced — same problem as a Les Paul, compared to the character-drenched sounds of Teles and Strats.
Zzzzzzzz. (See above.)
I'm pretty anti-bling, myself, with a few exceptions (see above again), but Guild offers plenty of workhorse-looking choices, too.
I gotta admit, it's purdy dern gorgeous. Rock on!
Rayk
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Yeah I have admit I like that one . LolThe problem I have with Martins is: they're just so darn boring! Except for the D45 (which they want around 10 grand for
KenL
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I forgot about this thread, sorry. Here's the dream guitar. I love it. It is a 1998 Martin HD-28VR.
Buying that nice Guild was a mistake I've made before. I don't seem to bond with new guitars. Seems I prefer a guitar with some miles on it, and couple of dings and dents.
Buying that nice Guild was a mistake I've made before. I don't seem to bond with new guitars. Seems I prefer a guitar with some miles on it, and couple of dings and dents.
chazmo
Super Moderator
I had a mid-90's HD-28 for a while and really liked it, but I was more attracted to the sound of Guild jumbos (which, I know, is not a fair comparison). I always wanted to try an HD-28V but never got my hands on one. And, I did think they were 12-fretters, but not yours??? I'm probably remembering wrong.
GGJaguar
Reverential Member
The 12-fret version was called the HD-28VS. The 14-fret HD-28VR was renamed the HD-28V because the "R" (for rosewood) wasn't really needed since a D-28 is (normally) rosewood.
chazmo
Super Moderator
Sorry, just being stupid, GG. Thanks! I get it now.
GGJaguar
Reverential Member
It's Friday which, for me, is "my brain has gone to mush" day.
You won’t ever hear me knock Martins. Two of my best guitars are my D18DC and my ‘69 D28. There’s a reason the Martin has been successfully making guitars under the same family ownership for so long. Have they made some clunkers? Sure, but so have all the others.
chazmo
Super Moderator
So pretty. So expensive:
reverb.com
Martin D-28 S Custom (HD-28VS). 2012. MINT 2012 Natural | Reverb
Offering to you a : 2012 MINT D-28S 12Fret Slope Shoulder Slotted Headstock MADAGASCAR-ITALIAN ALPINE SPRUCE custom Martin guitar. Top: Italian Alpine Spruce with Aged TonerBack and sides: Premium Madagascar Rosewood Neck: Low Profile Mahogany Nut: Fossilized Bone 1-11/16 inch widthScale length: ...
reverb.com