OT - Just welcomed a new/old Geetar into the fold...

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:11 pm

1998 Martin D-18VS, made very close to the specs of the original 12-fret D18s made from 1932-1933. The basic differences between this and "standard" D-18s that make the D-18VS better are: Red Spruce top (standard is Sitka, as are the newer D-18VS's); ebony fretboard and bridge (standard is rosewood - ebony is denser & stiffer, so it sounds better); narrow scalloped braces (post-War standard is wider & non-scalloped, which impedes top vibration); wider (1-3/4" versus 1-11/16") V-shape neck. Cosmetic differences to adhere to the appearance of the originals are: slotted headstock - slotted in the pre-War "square" style (standard is solid headstock, no slots); pre-War style small Martin logo; pre-War style soundhole rosette & top purfling: "long" bridge saddle; tortoise binding & pickguard (post-War standard is black).

BODY SIZE: D-12 Fret
TOP: Adirondack (Red) Spruce (they use Sitka spruce now)
ROSETTE: Old Style 18
TOP BRACING PATTERN: D12 Fret
TOP BRACES: Scalloped 5/16"
BACK MATERIAL: Mahogany
BACK PURFLING: Style 18
SIDE MATERIAL: Mahogany
ENDPIECE: Tortoise Color
BINDING: Tortoise Color
TOP INLAY STYLE: Multiple Black/White
NECK MATERIAL: Mahogany
NECK SHAPE: Modified V
NUT MATERIAL: Bone
HEADSTOCK: Slotted/Square Slots/Square Tapered
HEADPLATE: East Indian Rosewood/ Small Old Style Logo
HEELCAP: Black Ebony
FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Black Ebony
SCALE LENGTH: 25.4"
# OF FRETS CLEAR: 12
# OF FRETS TOTAL: 19
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1 3/4"
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2 1/4"
FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: Old Style 18 (Small Abalone dots)
FINISH BACK & SIDES: Polished Gloss
FINISH TOP: Polished Gloss w/ Aging Toner
FINISH NECK: Satin
BRIDGE MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony
BRIDGE STYLE: Vintage Belly - Drop In Long Saddle
BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2 1/4"
SADDLE: Bone - Drop In Long Saddle
TUNING MACHINES: Waverly Nickel Side Mounts w/ Butterbean Knobs
BRIDGE & END PINS: Black w/ White Dots
PICKGUARD: Tortoise Color/Beveled and Polished

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JReed · Post by **JReed** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:16 pm

I dont know much about Geetars but that one sure is purty

. Does she play as nice as she looks?

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:18 pm

Jealousy reigns supreme! All I have is an old "Stella" that my dad converted to a 12 string back the late '50's & I converted back.

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:21 pm

She does play as good as she looks! I forgot to mention that the guy I bought her from upgraded the saddle and bridge pins to fossilized walrus ivory, which makes a noticeable difference in sound.

deerwhacker444 · Post by **deerwhacker444** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:41 pm

Very Nice...! Looks like "Wildwood Flower" would just come oozing out of it.

dennie · Post by **dennie** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:49 pm

Boge, great looking geetar ya got there. Hope she sounds as good as she looks. Do you play in a group/solo? Hope you enjoy it greatly!

All I have at the moment is an old 1977 D28, a 1976 Gibson F-5 mandolin, and a recent Ovation electric/acoustic mandolin, all bought new.
Kinda makin' we want to "pick" again!
"Pickin", shootin', fishin', grandkids, need to give thanx for these blessings for sure!

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:58 pm

I play in a band, play solo gigs, and lead singing at the same church where Jeff is a Deacon. I've got almost as many guitars (and mandolins, and banjos) as I have guns, tripping over cases all the time. I've got a housefull already, but I can't pass up a DEAL.

It's a disease, and it's terminal.

awp101 · Post by **awp101** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:04 pm

Nice!

Guitar is one of those things I wish I had the time to sit down and learn right.

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:04 pm

That is pretty for sure, always wanted to play a guitar but never got aroud to it...

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:15 pm

A good lookin axe fer sure Boge. I'll just settle fer my Deering Goodtime till I git it mastered. Another 50 years and I'll have it down.

I bought a new Martin some time back to give it a spin. After I had it home for about three days I took it back. I checked the catalog online and found out it was made from "HPL" which means High Pressure Laminate. They made it out of stinkin formica for cryin out loud. I'm not payin over $500 for formica just cause it says Martin on the headstock.

What does something like that run?

Rusty <><

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:04 pm

I think Martin is damaging their hard-won reputation with those "HPL" guitars. You pretty much have to go with a V-series box to be sure of getting a good one (even HD-28s are hit & miss), and for that you gotta lay-out some LONG green. Unless you find a deal like I did, that is.

DerekR · Post by **DerekR** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:17 pm

Man, that is sweet! I love the slotted headstock. There is nothing better sounding than a really nice Martin, in my opinion. I bet she is a brite one!

86er · Post by **86er** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:18 pm

Very Nice. I went with the Martin custom shop recently to put together a OM sized cutaway for me. It was the first I had seen without the paper trade label in the soundhole. My guitar info is found in the base of the head. I see yours has no label either and has some info on the support. Looks like a good deal and I'll bet it sounds like one too!

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:58 pm

Nice score! I have been repairing stringed instruments for almost 20 years, and my experience with Martins from the 90's is mostly positive. I have a cool 90 model Martin D-37K that sounds great and a 36Martin model 0-17H that is clean as a whistle and tone that is just like gravy. You fellows ever have any repair questions feel free to ask. Love 12 fret Martins - again - nice score!

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:06 pm

I'm not sure if you can still find it online but last year's Christmas show of The Prairie Home Companion with Garison Keillor was done in Bethlehem,Pa.
On the show they had their guitar player play several Martin guitars. One was owned by Little Jimmie Dickens. the grand finale was when the cast sang Silent Night to a 1835 Martin that had been built by Christian Friedrich Martin himself. It was great to hear the history as well.

Rusty <><

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:11 pm

Very nice. Although I find stringing a slotted headstock to be a huge pain.

Is that a Dreadnought? The picture makes it look more like a Concert or other smaller body for some reason.

scott

cvarcher · Post by **cvarcher** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:39 pm

I still hold on to my Gibson SG stereo.Has those rosewood fretboards , original humbucking pickups and bigsby tremolo bar. Walnut colored body and the original 1971 hardshell plush case.Use to play alot of Alman Bros stuff with slide on it too. Man those were the days!

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:25 pm

From a man who is still playing his first Yamaha acoustic, I am envious. That is one fine guitar.

homefront · Post by **homefront** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:39 pm

I got to spend some time in the Martin factory when the company I work for built their addition. Watching the craftsmen at work was impressive to say the least, and convinced me that you cannot go wrong with a Martin.
Boge, enjoy it in good health.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:42 pm

A man of many talents and interests! Congrats!!!

Grizzly Adams · Post by **Grizzly Adams** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:07 pm

Beautiful guitar! I know your going to enjoy it.

I love the D-18, and have two of them.

winter1857 · Post by **winter1857** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:23 pm

Very, very nice! I have a D28 that I often torture my dogs with. They are very fond of "My Bucket's Got a Hole In It" and "Get Up John".

My girlfriend is from Nazareth, PA and we took a tour of the Martin factory a couple of years ago. That was awesome.

Guncase · Post by **Guncase** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:18 pm

That is NICE. I've been resisting the temptation to post pics of my new 2006 taylor 410 LTD. It doesn't have a lever, but the sides and back are Walnut, and it plays and sounds beautiful... At least I think it does, I've only been playing for six months.

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:37 pm

Save your pennies for one of these babies, the finest acoustic guitars made today:

http://www.collingsguitars.com/home.htm

They make them the way Martin used to.

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:22 am

Dennie, you're a Blue Grass picker? Me too!

The slotted headstock guitars are real cool to look at, but as RSY notes, a major pain to restring. It takes me twice as long to restring a slot-head than it does a regular one, but theoretically it pays off because the greater string angle break over the nut increases downward pressure and sustain. I have several slot-head guitars, and I have a custom slot-head CB guitar (www.cbguitars.com) on order. I also have a '65 Martin slot-head 12-string - that's a two-hour restring job! Thankfully I'm not one of those guys whose body chemistry kills strings.

RSY, it is a dreadnought, but the older-style 12-fret dreadnought. The neck meets the body at the 12th fret (rather than at the 14th, which became standard in 1934). This makes the 12-fret body a bit longer than the 14-fret version, which increases the volume of the air chamber. I like the sound better than a 14-fretter - it tends to resonate more and enhance bass response, and this is especially appealing on a mahogany guitar like the Style 18.

I own several Martins, but this one is the best. Martin can still make a fine guitar when they want to, but the low-end ones are an embarrassment.

Rebel1972 · Post by **Rebel1972** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:10 pm

Boge,where abouts in Tennessee are you at ?Hope it ain't too windy there tonight. That's a pretty guitar ,I have a Korean made Martin (Sigma). I also have a Gibson B25, made around 1957, that my dad has possession of .Music was my first passion before I got bit by the gun bug.

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:12 pm

RSY, Collings does make a fine geetar, better than Martin IMO. I have owned a couple. I'd love to get one of my CBs into your hands sometime!

Rebel1972, I'm outside of Clarksville, which is about 40 miles Northwest of Nashville, just South of Ft. Campbell army base (home of the 101st Abn Div). The storms are over here, but I hear there was a twister in Town. I remember those B-25s with great fondness - I used to have one of the pre-War versions, the LG-1. Neat little geetar.

dennie · Post by **dennie** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:15 pm

Boge, yep, played for several years in a local band in SW Ohio. We were very fortunate to get to open shows for Doc and Merle Watson, J.D. Crow & The New South, Ralph Stanley, and Mike Reed, the former Bengals player who wrote hits for Ronnie Milsap. This was when Keith Whitley sang lead for J.D. Crow and Marty Stewart played mandolin and fiddle for Doc and Merle.
Great times! Loved to meet these guys!

Also loved the Seldom Scene, Doyle Lawson & Quick Silver, IIIrd Time Out, Tony Rice, Bill Monroe,and many others. Also love Bluegrass gospel, played a little of that too.
Maybe I need to get at it again.
May our Lord bless you and Jeff in all you do. I love Gunblast.com too! Good work.
To stay OT I have a few lever actions also.

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:17 pm

Dennie, I love all those guys' music. I remember Mike Reid, he was quite a good singer.

I'm glad you like Gunblast, we sure like doing it.

To stay OT for my part - Jeff says I waste too much "good gun money" on geetars and mandolins.

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:28 pm

Boge Quinn wrote:RSY, Collings does make a fine geetar, better than Martin IMO. I have owned a couple. I'd love to get one of my CBs into your hands sometime!

Hey, I'd love that, too.

Awhile back there was an article (Acoustic Guitar magazine, I think) on a roundtable discussion they had with some of the big hitters called something like "The Future of the Acoustic Guitar."

As I remember, it consisted of the heads of Martin, Taylor, Olson, Santa Cruz, and Collings. The facilitator asked them all who typically made the best instruments today. All the others said that it was, hands down, Collings.

It wasn't that the others can't make 'em as good. But, the Collings operation, with it's relatively low volume and timetables, just allows them to take their time on everything.

If you're ever in Austin, definitely go take the tour. Beware, though, if you call ahead they may ask you to bring lunch. That happened to a buddy of mine one time.

scott

DerekR · Post by **DerekR** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:02 pm

Hey Boge....you ever played an older Gallagher? I have a buddy that has one and it sounds really good. If you ever get over to Wartrace you should drop by their place. There's some good rabbit huntin around there too!

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:51 pm

If you ever get tired of it just send it to me. It can keep my Takamine company. Oh, and I'll play it.

new pig hunter · Post by **new pig hunter** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:27 pm

Awesome !! The Martin Vintage Series are great guitars. Play it often !!

In amazing timing, tomorrow (Friday) I will have delivered a custom Martin I ordered 4 months ago.
It is the HD-28V, with the custom feature of using 1/4" scalloped bracing instead of the normal 5/16" bracing.

I'm a 100% Martin guitar kinda guy. I've been a bluegrasser (banjo and guitar) for years and years, and I'm expecting this one to be a pasture sound cannon similar to my HD-35.

Cheers,

Carl

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:38 pm

Hey Boge.............what a beautiful piece of craftsmanship........I can just imagine the sound coming from it. I'm curious,.........do you also collect, say, Gibson solid-body electrics, such as the mid-50s Les Pauls? Just curious, & thanx, jd45

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:00 am

RSY, I really do like Collings, and think they are better as a rule than Martin, Taylor & Santa Cruz (and I own, or have owned, examples of all of them). I think Collings are the best factory guitars out there, and they are among my favorites - they do have a leg up on Martin, as you say, because they are a small operation in comparison. I was a confirmed Collings guy until I met Chris Bozung, and that's really not a fair comparison either because Chris is a one-man shop and is builds his guitars one at a time, by hand.

DerekR, I love those old Gallaghers too! I have been over to Wartrace a few times, and got to meet J.W. before he died. Don is carrying on the name very well. I used to have a '78 Doc Watson model, and if the guy I sold her to ever decides to get rid of her, I will again! One of the guys in my band has a '76 slot-head Doc Watson that used to belong to Jimmie Johnson, who played with Gregg Allman - Johnson left it on a plane (!) and some guy bought it for $100 at an airline lost-luggage sale, listed it in the paper and sold it to my friend for $500. It's a super-nice guitar. Another friend of mine has a real nice G-70, but I don't think Gallagher's rosewood guitars are as good as their mahogany models.

jd45, I don't really play electric, but I have a couple, nothing particularly desirable right now though. Here's a story that will break your heart (it broke mine, anyway): I used to have a late '60s Gibson Les Paul Custom that was one of FIVE they made like it. It was beautiful, like a "negative" Les Paul. It had a natural finish flamed-maple top and natural birdseye maple fretboard, and it was all trimmed in black: black binding, black pickup rings around gold pickups, black speed knobs, the works...and get this...BLACK crown fretboard inlays, and BLACK LP Custom inlay (even a black "Gibson") on a natural flamed maple peghead veneer! It was incredible, and sounded great too. But probably 17 years ago I was "between bands" and not playing it, so I loaned it to a cousin of my wife. This guy's wife later HOCKED it and ran off with another guy. I didn't find out for a year, and by then the guitar was long gone and it was way too late to do anything about it. I later found out that the hock shop gave her $60 for it - George Gruhn of Gruhn Guitars (THE authority on vintage instruments) told me it would be worth AT LEAST $100,000 now.

If it wasn't for guns and guitars I'd be a rich man - but a MUCH poorer man too. And I'd have probably spent just as much on something dumb like golf.

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:19 am

but I got an Ibanez ael50 for Christmas, and I've been wanting to show it off. Not nearly as nice as Boge's, but I'm sure proud of it. That Martin is in a whole different class all together, NICE GUITAR! Here's mine, hopefully, this is my first attempt at pics

Rebel1972 · Post by **Rebel1972** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:48 am

My dad has built 2 guitars and is working on another now.The first one has the top made out of chestnut(The extinct kind) that came out of a barn my father -in law tore down.the sides and back are pecan and the neck is black walnut.maybe I can get some pics this weekend.

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:41 am

Guys here is a handy tip for stringing slotted headstocks (esp, 12 strings):

Get a pair of curved tip hemostats and grind off the locking mechanism till it no longer locks every time you squeeze it. This tool will fit easily in the slots and let you grab strings for unstringing and restringing. I have one pair about 30 in long I use for rewiring archtops through the F holes - very handy.

DerekR · Post by **DerekR** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:42 am

Gruhn Guitars in Nashville is my favorite slobber shop. In the late 70s I bought a used Les Paul Deluxe from him. It was an early 70s model and he took it on trade. Compared to the stuff he usually carries it was nothing more than something he wanted to get out of the shop I suppose. I wish I still owned that guitar!

CaptainFinn · Post by **CaptainFinn** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:41 pm

Wow, Boge, what a cool Martin !

My old roommate had an old Martin 12-string that I used to lust over for hours on end...

The nicest guitar I own is a Fender 50th anniversary Telecaster...black finish, pear binding and pickguard and all gold hardware, with butterscotch finish on the neck...

About a week before thanksgiving my stepson customised it by breaking off the selector switch, gouging a coupe of 1/8" wide trenches across the front of the body with a screwdriver, and generally ruining any value it may have had.

He's only eleven, and, well, He WAS punished, but it can't undo what was done. Thinking of calling Fender Custom shop and seeing what repairs would run...I think I paid about $800 for it back in 1995...

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:49 pm

1995 would've been a little early for the Tele's 50th anniversary.

mod71alaska · Post by **mod71alaska** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:28 pm

I'm surprised at how many Levergunners are pickers too! Lever guns and bluegrass guitars...not that's a tough combo to beat!

Here is another example of a beautiful Martin 12 fret D-18 (Custom) that I sold not long ago. (The case is an original 1943 and did NOT go with the guitar!) Talk about tone...tone...tone!!! I know exactly how much you're smiling playing that new 12 fret D-18 of yours, Boge!

FYI, I have a killer sounding mint Martin D-18GE (Golden Era 1930's reproduction) for sale. If you're interested please PM or email me for information/photos and price.

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:48 pm

Wow! As others have said: what a response to acoustic guitar thread.

I've had a few. Martin D-28 on which I had bracing scalloped. Taylor jumbo with volume and great sound. Guild 12 string and they were famous at one time. A lovely classic--some Japanese brand. An Ovation with nylon strings--could you really call that thing a Classical? Had a Gallager too. Unique and good unique sound. Also a small bodied Taylor and Taylor dreadnout

Also some banjos, harmonicas, esp. chromatic and peck'in around on the piano. Piano's my favorite instrument but do best--and not so great--on chromatic harmonica. At a late stage in my life I plan to soon take some piano lessons. Gonna get a Plectrum banjo too.

Music, guns and musical instruments. My favorite things. Pretty good combo. If you can't shoot you play!

Don McCullough

Rebel1972 · Post by **Rebel1972** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:38 pm

I learned to play on my dads old Epiphone 12 string with only 6 strings .I mistakenly sold it to a girlfriends dad back around 1990 .He was a horse trader and traded it off in less than a week.That is why my Dad has the gibson.I grew up on Hank Williams Sr. ,George Jones, Johnny Cash,Johnny Horton ,Marty Robbins ,etc. I wouldn't even listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd until I was around 16 and I'm only 35 now .By the way Does anyone listen to Jimmie Driftwood?

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:47 pm

getitdone1 wrote:Music, guns and musical instruments. My favorite things. Pretty good combo. If you can't shoot you play!

I've been known to say my life is all about "the 4 G's":

God

Girls (That'd be a wife, two daughters, and two bitch Dachshunds)

Guns

Guitars

scott

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:54 pm

Forumite SteveB is also a Blue Grass picker and a neat fella. Thought for sure this post would bring him out of the woodwork but to no avail as of yet.

I fool around on a Martin Sigma(don't really "Play" per say but just mess around and pretend I'm Tony Rice

) It sounds really nice. Two of my older brothers have Martin D-28's...one bought new in 1969 for his 12th birthday.

Edit: Forgot, Congrats Boge!

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:53 am

Not to hijack this but since it's stated... have y'all seen the new Gibson Robot guitar?

It tunes it's self, AND you can change tuning and it will compensate to that as well.

Rusty <><

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:57 am

I don't need a robot guitar. I have a personal tech/roadie who takes care of all my stuff.

Here he is with my "long range" rig:

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:20 am

RSY,

Cute and neat picture. Kinda hard to tell but appears like there's not much wear on those frets!

You know what they say about how to get to Carnegie Hall?

Don McCullough

gak · Post by **gak** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:22 am

Congrats on the Martin! It looks like a keeper! I've played for 40+ years, a good chunk of that with a D-28 and my current one's a sweetie. As many folks have said, nothing like a Martin. The higher end "clones" may be 'better' in some regards--perhaps more hand made/made like they used to, etc., but - almost per (similar model) guitar are more expensive. Ever price a decent Santa Cruz Tony Rice? (and not even the Brazilian). The Borgeois Country Boy (a very nice guitar) is a good $500-750 over an "equivalent" D-18-28-35. I played one awhile back and would agree - out of the box nicer than many Martins I was trying...but again the price was a bit daunting. Later Ed. - to me these better Martin clones are basically "custom shop Martins," just happen to be done by someone else.

In any event, they're all great guitars. Martin's the original -- among the Colliins, SCs, Bourgeois, Froggys, etc. and they are actually a testiment/compliment to the original. Harkening back to early days, recently I picked up an early (early as in mid 70s) Takamine "Martin lawsuit" dreadnaught - D-35 clone - as a road guitar to give the 28 a rest from the knocks of life (somehow I've babied and kept that thing pristine)....This Tak's a solid spruce top'd, Brazilian-rosewood back & sides (laminate - but dang does it sound like a solid) that's a boomer and sustainer - and very reminiscent of older/aged Martins. Tons of tone. This is one in particular that you have to get right up on that very Martin-like logo (they presumably got in trouble over) to know it's not a Martin. Very nice guitar. It's now been LR Bagg'd and ready to go!

I owned a few Taks over the years - both as primary and back-ups - these are the older ones and are great guitars. Every country-yahoo-crooner (seldom-picker) seems to be playing a new one now (Tak must give them to the artists) - Even the Eagles!! (don't include them among the yahoos btw)....and to me the Taks of the past 20+ years - catering to the mass, especially growing Country and youth - market have lost the look and the tone--that special something. Still decent enough guitars, but the cheap looking flat finishes on many of them and the newer "look like everybody else" (85+) headstock - and their "new" Logo - do nothing for me. Even Collins, Santa Cruz etc., etc, have been able to retain their Martin-shaped headstock with little difficulty (let's just say they're still making them). Takamine went overboard IMO by not only changing the style of their logo (had to) but also headstock shape (didn't have to). Now just about every Takamine looks like a cheap beginner's brand - or certainly not one you'd pay near Martin money for. Takamine did come out with a cute 100% Hawaiian Koa wood slot head, "parlor/New Yorker" bodied, finger-style guitar - about 10 years back - with the square slot-head headstock - presumably to harken back to early Martins -- and that unique Tak looked like a sweetie. Didn't mean to sidetrack this on the Takamine, but the older ones are sweeties and a very good back up to the real article.

Martin has had such an influence - in looks and sound. Even Laravee came out with a Martin-inspired square headstock dreadnaught three or four years ago - my guess, to lure the "bluegrass" guys n gals, while the rest of their guitars retained their standard rounded-top look. Martin's truly the Colt SAA (or Winchester, choose your analogy) of the acoustic guitar world! The analogy being "...as good as some of the clones are, just nothing quite like 'em."

I echo the comment made about Martin's cheap line... Trying to stay alive like everyone else - w****** themselves by having to appeal to the mass market I suppose, but they should be ashamed. I'll take one of the medium to better Yamahas or older Takamines (and an older Alvarez Yairi) any day over these cheaper Martin-branded wannabe Martins! Long live the better Martin line!

OT - Just welcomed a new/old Geetar into the fold...

OT - Just welcomed a new/old Geetar into the fold...

sure looks sweet Boge.Every guitar has its own tune.

Not trying to steal anyone's thunder here...