Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: Willie-O
Date: 09 Mar 99 - 04:06 PM

I'm baffled, I was sure I had posted to this thread before. I've owned a single-ought 0-18 for nearly twenty years, a 1973 model which was incorrectly represented to me as a '77 that had been in the store for a couple of years. I think it's been back to the factory for a warranty reset once--no great shakes of a job, but they made no fuss about doing it. Quite a few competent repairpeople had a go at fixing its problematic neck and intonation, there should be a new thread regarding "who is the repairperson you would drive 200 miles to entrust your guitar to?"; in my case it's Rufus Stewart, but I believe he's in Vancouver now. He sorted it out and reset the saddle.

Art, you must have stored up an unbelievable amount of good karma. SMASHED your 000-18 and then won a highly collectable D-76 on a $3 ticket? Sheesh.

Rick F mentioned Bruce Dowd as the repair guru in Toronto; I've had good work done by him on my 1928 Gibson LO in the distant past. Martins are overpriced, except for the new economy models; this wasn't always the case or most of us wouldn't own one today. Mine cost $515 Cdn in 1980.

The smaller O size models, even old ones in good shape, are affordable, compared to the vintage dreads anyway. See Mandolin Brothers vintage acoustic guitar listings for entertaining descriptions of instruments that you might consider swapping your house for.

Someday I'm gonna own a nice dreadnaught. Don't know that it'll be a Martin though.

Bill

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 09 Mar 99 - 06:29 PM

I'd drive 500 miles to have Bruce Dowd fix my instruments! Since I now live 5 minutes away from him, I'll not have to test my loyalty in the near future.

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: Georgia Jones
Date: 10 Mar 99 - 02:03 AM

I have a 1957 Martin 018. My husband bought it for me that year. I play it for my own pleasure. I'm not a professional. I love that guitar and so does everyone who's ever tried it. It has easy action and is small enough for me, yet it has great sound. I also have a d28 that I bought at the martin factory in Nazareth,Pa. in 1985. It is a research and developement guitar. I was told they only made two like it. It has a black graphite front. Since they decided not to make any more of that kind they didn't even finish it. The wood is sealed but not finished. It does not have bindings. It's nothing to look at but it has a great sound. It's large and I can only play it while standing as I am short. It is much heavier than the 018. I wouldn't part with either of my Martins.

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Mar 99 - 07:12 PM

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: Sandy from Lewes,DE
Date: 20 Mar 99 - 09:10 PM

Pete, your comments about the D-15 are encouraging. I picked up one the other day in a shop with Guilds, Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, and Takamines. It was the cheapest of the bunch at $600, and it sounded the best to me.

I have been fooling around with the celtic fingerpicking sound (Al Petteway, John Sherman, DADGAD tuning) and am ready to invest in a decent acoustic, but $600 is my limit. I enjoyed the bass response and the nice "ring" of the guitar. My problem is that I don't want to make a mistake. This is likely to be the one and only acoustic for me. Am I being impatient or should I make the jump. All this talk of Seagull and others has me wondering if I should continue the search. Unfortunely, I don't live in an acoustic guitar area, although I'm about 2 hours from Phila and Baltimore. I'm also not opposed to a used guitar. I've had good luck with electics. Thoughts are much appreciated.

Thank Cat for the tip on this thread.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: BK
Date: 22 Mar 99 - 09:02 PM

Sandy: If you live in Deleware, hike yoursel of over to the DC metroplex, at least to "metropollitan Maryland" (ie, Maryland immediatly adjacent to DC, esp north toward Montgommery county); get a couple of GOOD maps, Such as the book map of Montgommery county, steal or borrow a yellow pages, & devote a some Saturdays to looking at the bigger music stores in the DC-Balmer area. At least get yourself over to Wheaton triangle, park in the middle (or wherever, but not over in the subway parking building; even less safe than the rest of DC) & walk around. The Wheaton triangle area is loosely defined by the intersection of 3 streets; Georgia, University & New Hampshire (if my terrible memory for names doesn't goof me up; look on the Mont. Co. map; it'll make sense). I bought a small Taylor there this past year for a fantastic price.

At any rate, don't just make this important decision w/out trying to gather more data. Also: I'd say don't have the attitiude that this'll be your last & only good guitar; chances are it won't be/can't be.. I'd advise an open mind & the notion that this'll be a chance to get a very decent acoustic, which may well open a future door to other hi class acoustic guitars.. all in good time. If your current limit of $600 is what you're stuck with, it could be a dificult choice, but it can be mannaged.

Good luck, 'n Cheers, BK

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: BK
Date: 22 Mar 99 - 10:19 PM

Sandy: my wife just came home & while she doesn't remember where our box of maps is either, we both think Wheaton triangle is bounded by Georgia, University, & Vier's Mill, not New Hampshire (or Connecticut? don't think so). Problem is, I can drive there almost blindfolded, from almost anywhere in the Metroplex - or even parts of Pennsylvania. I don't need to know the street names, I can be on auto-pilot..

I was just was pickin' the Baby Taylor I got in Wheaton this last autumn, sweet little not-quite-toy.. Can't wait to come back for another visit..

'N while I'm thinkin' of it.. some great Vietnamese, Thai, etc., restraunts in that area. Makes me hungry to contemplate..

Again, Good Luck

Cheers, BK

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: catspaw
Date: 22 Mar 99 - 10:30 PM

Thai restaurants? Thai restaurants? Did you say really good Thai restaurants? Bill D. and Ferrara...expect houseguests.....FAT BOY WILL BE THERE!!!

catspaw

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: BK
Date: 27 Mar 99 - 01:20 AM

Catspaw -

Too busy to chk this for a few days.. but it tempts me to wonder about a "what do 'catters eat?" thread. Not precisely/tightly related to music.. sort of.. but.. it IS, for some of us, not entirely unrelated to our overall sense of esthetics.. For sweetie 'n me, we surely find food an esthetic experience, as we do music!

Now; if you do live w/in driving distance of Wheaton triangle, go a few doors (abt 4-5 or so, near the bicycle shop) east of the University/Georgia intersection, on the south side of the street. There's a little Thai place there which is excellent, & also has those to-die-for fish cakes that not all the Thai places bother to carry. Their "Floating Market Soup" (often on lunch special) is also very-extremely-outrageously-definitely to-die-for (if ya like it a little spicey).

There's also a great little thai place on Georgia near there (east side of street), vietnamese places in the triangle, as well as a very decent japanese-korean place in the middle of the triangle. other places in the neighborhood too. Like a great little chinese bakery. Their sweets are among my absolute favorites; often a little understated. Then there's the little Jamaican grocery where they sell Dragon stout, maybe my favorite in the world (sorry, Guiness lovers, but that's how it is.. [NOI])

Now I'm really hungry again, tho still full of fajita's, tortillas & rice 'n beans.. Ah, so much food, so little time..

Cheers, BK

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 28 Mar 99 - 07:29 PM

Sandy from Lewes, Delaware,

You might want to check out the current issue of Acoustic Guitar. They reveiw the best steel string for $500 dollars. I have not read it yet, but they do a fair job of helping you tell what to look for and describing the construction of the guitars.

Enjoy!

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 07:03 AM

Subject: RE: Info/Opinions RE: Martin Guitars
From: bonkrz (inactive)
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 04:57 PM

Whew... long thread.

Some Martin ramblings....

I have a '34 Martin Tenor that is a sweet thing. Needs to be played more though. I just can't get used to that CGDA tuning.

I recently did my 'search' for a nice acoustic. Tried the Martins, everything up to the Eric Clapton model and the only ones that i REALLY liked were the HD-28 and the Clapton. Some of the lower end ones are nice and I think i'd choose the D-3R over similarly priced Taylors. But, i wound up with a Taylor 710LTD.

My uncle took his '63 D-28 in for repairs. didn't have proof of ownership. but he is the original owner. they did about $1500 in repairs for nothing. were very nice. except when he wanted to get a gig bag, almost wouldn't let him take it home... It's a beautiful guitar but he insists on putting those heavy strings on it.

I find that Martins have too fat a neck for my taste. Which is why i like Taylors. OTOH I've heard complaints that the thin necked Taylors tend to warp.

I live about 20 minutes from the factory and did the tour a few weeks ago. It's an assembly line. the better model guitars get more attention, but the same people who work on the D-45's work on the DM's.

I think they got A LOT of flack for their quality dip in the 70's. Their good line is still good, but i think their lower line is hit or miss.

Like any company, you hear good stories and horror stories. At some point i'd like to have a really nice Martin, but for now, i'll stick to my Taylor.

Ta Ta Tony