The "problems" that forced me to try a 9-sting, and then eventually go to a 000-18 with slackened strings, WASN'T the playability of the Martin guitar. It was the natural progression of my MS.

Thr Martin guitar was great until I turned it into matchsticks by closing the car trunk on it.

Old friend, Jan Burda, in Berian Springs, Michigan literally put it back together again just beautifully---but by then I couldn't play it even as a 6-string with looser strings. I couldn't wield it's size. My rendition of "Handful Of Songs" on that '98 CD is much less than I would've liked it to be. But that night when we all played music for Bob Gibson, a week before he passed on, was very special for me, so I used that live track.----- Our son, Chris, has the D-76 guitar now.

Keep pickin' !! (and appreciate what you can do.)

Art