Congratulations, sorefingers! I know what you mean.

I was given a Martin 00018 back in 1960 -- my first guitar -- and I didn't know at the time what a special gift it was. It was 5 years old, and I played it every chance I got, but I didn't have other guitars to compare it with. I got terrible blisters, until I switched to lighter strings. (I now use extra lights, but even light gauge strings are a big help over medium or heavy guage, when it comes to tender fingers.)

A couple of years after I got that guitar, folks started raving about it ("You've got a MARTIN!? Drool, drool.") and trying to buy it from me. Since then, I've tried and owned a lot of different guitars, but I've never found another one with action as fluid as this one or that stays in tune as well -- unless it's another Martin. There may be other great guitar makes out there, but I'm sold on old C. F. Martin.

Genie