What is your favourite acoustic guitar?

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Feb 25 - 11:03 PM

The late derek Brimstone once said, theres no one quite like your old lady..........but you got to make sure!

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: gillymor
Date: 20 Feb 25 - 08:11 PM

My M-36 Martin has overtaken my small Lowden for lap time. An embarrassment of riches.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Some bloke
Date: 20 Feb 25 - 02:03 PM

Fascinating thread (I noticed my own contribution to it too, quite a few years ago when I had a Mudcat account.)

I have a fair old collection of guitars and play a number of different styles so it’s horses for courses really, although my Rainsong OM1000 is still my go to. Other than that, my Lowden O25 is what I use for lowered tunings and my studio favourite is my Martin OM28 Marquis. My all rounder for folk clubs would be my Eastman version of a HD28, I love it. I should play the Martin OOO15M more, ditto my Terry Pack but they look nice on the wall I suppose, with some of the others that fell from favour but I haven’t got around to selling on.

But I usually rock up with the Rainsong anyway.

Wish list? I have a Fylde cittern and often muse on getting one of their Oberons. I also have a fetish for a Gibson J200. No idea why, I hardly ever strum and they are great strummers. I just wouldn’t mind one.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: leeneia
Date: 18 Feb 25 - 11:15 PM

In the 1980's I bought a guitar called the Kamouraska Etude, a big guitar from Canada that was designed for people to sing to. It is deep and rich and wonderful. They were bought out, but if you come across one, give it a try.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Tony Rees
Date: 18 Feb 25 - 01:13 AM

Shameless promotion of Oz guitar makers (not sure if the links work for all, but hopefully will) - also of myself, no longer a spring chicken!! ...

Me and the Rizzolo guitar on stage here

Me and the Spira guitar from a distance here (not folk but jazz in this instance...)

- Tony

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Tony Rees
Date: 17 Feb 25 - 11:39 PM

OK I will weigh in... real favourite all-rounder is my '72 Martin D-35, purchased 1987 or so and still sounds great. However I am privileged to have some others as well - a couple of hand made acoustics by Australian makers Gary Rizzolo and Jack Spira, each has its own appeal and special nuances, plus recently (finally) acquired a 12-fret slothead Martin dreadnought that sounds like a grand piano... but if anything a bit lush to play out with other instruments, it likes to rule the room on its own!

Pic of the 2 Martins side by side is here: Wikipedia: Dreadnought (guitar type) - second image from top :)

Cheers - Tony

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 16 Feb 25 - 07:24 PM

Lately the go-to "lady" has been a late 2021 Martin 000-28 Modern Deluxe. Not only oozing tone but superb playability. Something about those VTS tops, that makes newer models sound like they're 25 years old. I think if I could only have (1) right now, I could be happy with this.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Guitarfumbler
Date: 14 Feb 25 - 02:00 PM

Fingerstyle/playing out guitar Lowden F25 cedar/rosewood beautiful guitar.
Favourite sofa guitar: Auden Emily Rose Parlour - all mahogany lovely
Tone and playability and fantastic value

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Feb 25 - 12:32 PM

I don’t have a ‘favourite’ but, currently, my Lowden F-23 and McNally OM-32 are getting most of my playing attention. I do tend to go in phases, and it’s quite likely that, in a month or two, my Martins (D-18 and HD-28V) will have taken over.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: gillymor
Date: 02 Feb 25 - 04:31 AM

Lowden S-34, my small-bodied git for sitting on the sofa watching TV.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 02 Feb 25 - 03:53 AM

The next one I buy!

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Beer
Date: 01 Feb 25 - 07:50 PM

Yamaha Acoustic FG180 purchased 1966 $300.00 St. Thomas Ontario

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Nick Dow
Date: 01 Feb 25 - 11:13 AM

I should have added the ancient electrics sometimes reject phantom, and a passive D.I. is necessary or a direct line.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Nick Dow
Date: 01 Feb 25 - 11:07 AM

Yamaha FG365 SE Unbeatable. £250 in 1984. Still gigging with it.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 01 Feb 25 - 10:44 AM

Suzuki 3S bought in 1976 for £126

I took it around the world with the RN! Sold it once, but bought it back because I missed it.

Still got it and it still plays like a dream

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Fred
Date: 01 Feb 25 - 05:40 AM

It's this 2024 Martin D-18 Standard.
The easy playability, the way it vibrates against my chest, the flawless intonation, the sweetness of tone and the fact that it's SO light...

F/S scalloped X bracing, mahogany B/S, 1.75" nut width, you know the specs but try one, you might have to get your wallet out!

Cheers
Fred

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Apr 20 - 06:56 AM

https://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/poem-to-my-favourite-guitar

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Gurney
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 04:29 PM

My favourite is the one that spends its time 'out' on a stand in the dining room, and that's a Jack & Danny. One of two.
I have other, and much more expensive, and possibly better, guitars.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: JHW
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 03:38 PM

Re my post above Edinburgh shop was Grants. They handed me Fyldes and Martins etc. then the Gurian. (thanks to gillymor for post)

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Brian May
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 02:41 PM

My Martin 000-28

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: gillymor
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 09:57 AM

Gurians are kind of legendary here in the U.S., at least they were where I came from. I played a jumbo at The Guitar Shop in D.C. back in the '70's and it was a winner. Michael Millard of Froggy Bottom Guitars came out of the Gurian shop and he now makes some of the best steel strings on the planet. I'm fortunate to own one of his F models.
Last year I acquired a Canadian-made 000 12 fret Boucher with an Adirondack top and it's the best fingerstyle guitar I've owned and it also works well for Old Time flatpicking.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: JHW
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 07:03 AM

Gurian, I'd never heard of them when I bought it in Edinburgh, near Bennets Bar but forget shop name, long gone. Over 30 yrs ago. Just the mellow not jangly sound I wanted. We all need different.
Gurian Wiki

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: kendall
Date: 13 Oct 13 - 04:34 PM

I also have a 1954 J-45 Gibson. Too much bass for recording, but a nice old box too.

I guess if I had to name my very favorite, it would be my Apollo 12 string.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,shayleen
Date: 13 Oct 13 - 02:12 PM

My gibson j200is my favourite, they can be hit or miss but a good one,,,wow :-)

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 05:48 PM

I too am a musical monogamist.

My 1972 vintage Framus Nashville dreadnaught six string (limited edition), which I bought in 1978.

Like a fine wine, the tone just gets better year on year.

Don T.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 07:22 PM

I came in to say( before I got accused of....something) that my new favorite guitar was the one my friend, Nick Apollonio built for Jacqui. This is one sweet box.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 07:20 PM

Peter, I wouldn't touch your cookie with Spaws fingers!

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 06:23 PM

1969 gallagher 12 string for sale...... [e-mail]

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 08:29 PM

I'm very curious about the Rainsong guitars, but there are no stores around here that carry them. Any suggestions on which body style is best in those? Dreadnought? OM? Or...?

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Midchuck
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:43 PM

That "Guest" was me. If I find who stole my cookie, there'll be trouble. Bet it was Kendall, that greedyguts...

Peter

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:39 PM

I had to laugh at myself, looking back over this thread. If I were as changeable in my affections with women as I am with instruments, I would not have been married to the same lady for 43+ years. I doubt I would have stayed married for 43 weeks. All of the guitars I mention in any of my prior posts to this thread - the earliest almost 10 years ago - are gone, sold or traded off. Except the Collings 000-2H. That isn't leaving anytime soon.

I, also, acquired a Rainsong OM-1000, in August of '07, during a stop at Elderly on the way from Vermont to Montana. (Checking the map, you may see that Lansing, MI is not on a direct route between Vermont and Montana, and requires a substantial side trip. Yup.) That instrument has been the standard one for most playing outside of my own house, whether gigs, festivals, drunken brawls, or what have you. The sound is not as pleasing as the best wood guitars, but it's as good as 9/10 of them, and the instrument is very light, very loud for its size, and essentially immune to changes in temperature or humidity, and to impacts that would destroy a fine wooden guitar, and do noticeable damage to even a cheap plywood one.

For playing in the house, my favorite right at the moment is a little 12-fret slothead 00 size in Sitka and Mahogany, from Manuel & Patterson. That is, if I'm playing 6-string. The Apollo 12 is a category all its own.

Peter

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: JedMarum
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 05:58 PM

I am impressed with Rainsongs as well, Ian

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Johnny R
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 01:50 PM

For Flatpicking my 1943(?) Gibson J100 Super Jumbo has a great bass without being "boomy", For fingerpicking it's a toss up between my 1935 Martin 00-42, or my 1977 Martim SOM-45, both great guitars, with the 45 just a little more "bottom end"

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:51 AM

My £400 Crafter get's lots of admiration from owners of much more expensive guitars. Lovely deep loud sound, I'm not keen on being plugged and the sound carries so well I often don't need to

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:13 AM

My current favourite, without doubt, is an Ian Chisholm of Ditchling, Sussex, UK. His "number 30" of non-standard body size made to order in 2010 and bought second hand a couple of weeks ago:

Ian Chisholm


It's brilliant. Spruce top/ cocobolo back and sides. Lovely tone, easy to play, great action. Don't think I'll ever need to buy another acoustic.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: banjoman
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 05:55 AM

Current favourite is the Taylor 410Ce which my sons bought for me (I could never have afforded it). It has a totally different sound to the Lakewood D1 which I bought when Lakewood were just starting to sell guitars in the UK. Its a fine instrument . I also have an Ovation Folklore short neck which we bought in 1983 and it still takes some beating for tonal quality.I am told by she who must be obeyed that I own too many guitars and banjos so if anyone is interested in the lakewood D1 its probably up for sale complete with the original hard case.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Musket
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 12:15 PM

After playing my mate's guitar, last summer I went out and bought a Rainsong OM10.

it is a carbon fibre jobby with no timber at all on it. It therefore stays in tune....

Soundwise, the strength of carbon fibre means no bracing, so non dead spot frequencies, allowing a rather clean sound. Acoustically, it is loud despite being a thin body cutaway and plugged in it has LR Baggs pickups. Nuff said.

Very very pleased with it, so the Martin, the Jim Harley and the Yamaha haven't had an outing since.

If I had any complaint, it is that the sound is a bit too clean, so every mistake is heard loud and clear!

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: JedMarum
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 12:00 PM

I love my Larrivees! All of his models are beautiful - but my favorites are his Jumbos (sadly, no longer being made) and his L series. Great woods, great electronics, great craftsmanship, superb designs.

I still enjoy playing all the great new guitars in the music stores. As I travel I always find time to visit the local acoustic musical instrument stores - and try all the beautiful guitars. There are so many out there. I am a real "sound bigot" - much as I like a lot of guitars and appreciate their tonal qualities and playability, it is the sound that hooks me. I like a full, balanced range from a guitar, strong low end and full highs. But balance is the key for me. Larrivee's models all have a rich, full sound with balance. They look great, they play beautifully, they stand up to rigors of travel - and I am sure that they are the best sounding guitars out there.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,noel
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 11:50 AM

my january of 55 custom d-28... my uncle had a music store in LA w/ another LA cop... this was the guitar he had custom made from martin for the studio out back. i've yet to find a guitar that matches her... btw-been playing for 34 yrs. now. my second favorite would be a 65 d35-12... the best 12 string i've encountered to date. you just don't find many that will stay in tune anymore. especially w/ brazilian back and sides... it's 12 strings w/ an extra kick in the pants... my buddy's 5k taylor-12 is a toy in comparison...

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 09:57 PM

My Suzuki 3S.

CC

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: MissouriMud
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 08:08 PM

My current favorites are a 1938 Gibson L-00 for Old time and blues, and a 2005 Martin 000-28 Norman Blake (not Brazilian Rosewood) for nearly everything else (its not that great on really fast bluegrass but then neither am I).   The Gibson has a great punchy bass to cut through the other instruments and sounds gritty for blues - the Martin has wonderful sustain and warm tone.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Allan C.
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 05:20 PM

Some forty years ago I made it a practice to cover the brand stamp at the top of the headstock of my guitars with a Chiquita banana sticker. I was weary of all of the folks who made such a fuss about what brand of guitar one owned.

Flash forward to only a very few years back when, after performing at the open mike at the Getaway, Rick Fielding and I had a conversation in which he told me that if I wanted to be a good guitarist, and he very kindly assured me that I was well on the road to being one, I should get a good guitar. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that the only guitar I had at that time was a Yamaha 12-string.

I took the advice to heart and when good fortune smiled upon me enough for me to afford one, I bought a Martin 12. It was the smartest thing I ever did. Thanks, Rick!

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: GUEST,Rick Buchanan
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 04:55 PM

Well, my second favorite is a hand made 1999 Buchanan (Richard Chellis Buchanan, not the cheap (Chinese?) Buchanan guitars)
19" non-cut away New Yorker. The hand carved top is about 90+
years old, and it is so loud, and sweet. Like having a grand
piano on your lap!

But, here's the story about my favorite. I was working in a
sporting goods store in '76. I had taken my guitar (B.C. Rich
B-20 dreadnaught) to work. My boss didn't know I played, and
he said his wife just bought new strings for her guitar, and
could I come over and string it for her. (Yep...I'd seen his
wife, but that's another story). When I got there Sandy pulled
out a well worn 0018. I put on the new strings, brought it up
to tune, and hit a chord. I couldn't believe the sound! I just
couldn't take my eyes off her (the Martin, not his hot wife).
I said, "Look, my guitar, and case are flawless, and I just had
Hot Dots installed. I'll trade you straight across. The guitar
had belonged to her dad who had passed away, so no deal.

However, e-mail me and I'll send you a few pics of the archtop.

                                  -Richard Chellis Buchanan

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Jayto
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 04:12 PM

I wish I had an electric that I love even half as much as my Langejans. I need an electric that I really dig the feel and sound of. My Langejans is really the only guitar that I actually play. If any other is strapped around my neck there is a paycheck involved lol (like someone hired me for an electric gig. Everything acoustic is my Langejans). You can see pics of it on my myspace page. It is an extension of me really. No other guitar feels right to me acoustic or electric. I love it. I call it Patch because it was busted and Del repaired it for me. I told him not to worry about how it looked just make it playable. He did a great job on the repair. There was a large strip of wood missing and he patched another in. It is a draker peice than the rest so thus the name Patch. I didn't start calling it that though. My brother did and then some people at a gig called it the same thing one night and it stuck. Now people are always asking me about Patch. It is funny they ask about my sons and the Patch lol. I guess that shows how much I love that guitar.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 04:03 PM

My favourite is STILL The D35 I bought new in 1970 !

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Wesley S
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 02:16 PM

Actually that's BRAD that has the aggressive guitar style. Not Bread.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Wesley S
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 02:15 PM

Bread has a pretty aggresive guitar style. Similar to Dave Matthews - lots of fast strumming.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 02:14 PM

It may be worth noting, if everyone is not already aware, that guitars actually improve in sound quality the more they're played. The more minutes and hours that the wood spends resonating, the more, or the better, it resonates as time goes on.

Second-best to playing, I've heard recently, is simply exposing the guitar to musical sound. Instead of keeping your instrument in a case, get a stand and prop it up facing the speakers through which you play recorded music.

Even TV sound is better than beign muffled in silence inside a case. My guitar lives in a stand next to my easy chair, in front of the idiot box. I certainly play more often now than when I used to keep it in a case ~ I'll mute the TV during commercials and play a few licks. For those short little stretches of 30-120 seconds, I don't play whole songs, don't even play anything I know very well ~ I'll use that time to get in a few repetitions of some new lick I'm still trying to learn, building muscle-memory in my fingers a little bit at a time.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: Jayto
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 01:49 PM

I have a Tak without a pickguard and wore a hole right below the little E string within a year or 2. It is not playable now I'll spare you the story lol. It had a killer tone and alot of volume but man I wore through it in no time at all. I loved it though still do just can't play it.

Subject: RE: What is your favourite acoustic guitar?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 01:37 PM

Dang!

I've seen badly battered 1970s (post-lawsuit) Takamines that were manufactured and sold without pickguards ~ the big gaping hole is normally right where the pickguard should have been placed. (Glen Hansard's guitar, as seen in the movie Once, is a prime example.)

But Brad Thompson's Tak has a pickguard, but still has holes in a couple of other adjacent areas of the top ~ the same general areas where my guitar-top is darkened with multiple scratches, but is not nearly worn all the way through.

Were those guitars made with some even-softer variety of wood than the several species of spruce most commonly used used by Martin, Gibson, etc.?