Jack,

For years now I have loved my Martin 0021, wide neck, channelled head and 12 frets. Martin has always made this guitar. I originally found out about it through the playing of Josh White who used them exclusively after his black and white Gibson was stolen.

The Guilds are also great. Clean response without too many overtones which is great for recording.

I have a little 3/4 Tacoma (backpacker style) which really speaks out and I use it for gigs all the time. It works great with my wife's 0021.


You mentioned Mac MacCormick who is one of the best kept secrets around. He's repaired and fixed up my banjos and is great at being able to design combinations of instruments. My friend Bill Rutan had a specially designed "mandolute" (tenor banjo neck mandolin body) as well as a great uke (tenor banjo neck on a uke body played in tenor banjo tuning) which he uses all the time on gigs. Mac has also made guitars (one archtop which was in the Columbus GA museum).

You're getting some good advice. To me, the most important aside from tone is the balance of the strings. Dreadnaughts are always so bass-heavy. Many of the Martins are these days but since I only do a limited amount of finger-picking these days, I mostly use a flat pick, I like a well-balanced guitar for accompaniment to singing or backup (bluegrass included). My Martin has a bite that projects under a bluegrass banjo and can be strummed ala Django too for early jazz standards.

That's my two cents. Hope you find the guitar you're lookin' for.

Frank Hamilton