Spent About 45 Minutes With Sevaral Today.

[West R Lee]

My youngest son and I went to lunch today and while we were eating, he got to talking about playing guitar last night with the boy that will be his college roommate. As we were eating, he looked across the street and asked me if I spent any time in the music store there, and if they carried any nice guitars......I do stop in from time to time. My son wanted to check it out.

First off the rack was (and all were brand new) a Gibson J200. By the way, all looked as if they had new strings. The J200 was unimpressive to me, especially at the $3599 price tag....a pretty maple guitar that just didn't have it. Action was a bit sluggish and the tone almost seemed muffled.

Second off the rack, and I lit up when I saw this one, was a brand new Martin D35, $2299. This one didn't compare with the last D35 I played in there. it just didn't measure up to a Guild in terms of both tone and playability. I also didn't care for the snow white binding, which looked a bit cheap in my book. No offense to any Martin owners, just call them like I see them.

Then my son asked me to play a little Martin number......can't remember the exact model number, but something like a SWGT or something. It was a small bodied auditorium model with a hand rubbed finish in mahogany........................WOW, what a fantastic little guitar. Played like butter and sounded like a $million. Sticker on that little gem was $799. I was very impressed, and I'm not a huge mahogany fan. No truss rod I noticed. As hard as it is to admit, this one would hang with a lot of Guilds.

West

 

[chazmo]

West,

I think Martin runs their truss rod adjustment in through the soundhole. Not sure about this model, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't trussed.

SOunds like a lot of fun. I love those trips to the store!

 

[West R Lee]

I didn't do a close inspection, and I'm not real familiar with Martin's, I just didn't see an externall truss rod cover.....maybe none of them have them on the outside. I did love that little guitar though. I'm thinking now it may have been a little dread.....this may be it.

The thing that blew me away is that the last D35 I played there sounded incredible, this D35 did not. I've noticed minute differences in some Guilds of the same model, my 2 D55's for example, but this was night and day.

http://www.guitarbookshop.com/martin/martin-swdgt.asp

BYW, I played a Gibson Hummingbird too and was way unimpressed with it. The only Gibson I've played there that I really liked was a rosewood J45....it's no longer in the store. :wink:

West

 

[12 string]

The Chaz is right about truss rod access through the sound hole. My HD-28V takes an allen wrench. Older Martins were considered to be "untrussworthy" :wink: :lol: :roll:

' Strang

 

[dapmdave]

That Martin SWGT is interesting. It has a cherry wood back.

And, yes, Martins do have a truss rod, but it's accessed through the sound hole, right under the fingerboard.

Viva la difference, right?

Dave

 

[Jeff]

Sustainable wood, ..cherry.. I'd a never guesed ?? I have seen some darn pretty cherry burls.

Martin makes some neat guitars, for some reason I'm always drawn to the smaller Martins. If you ever get a chance play one of these little gems...0015.

All mahogany, tad bit bigger than an M/F20. I've played several & a couple were lively little guitars, very fun to play.

http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing ... =m&m=00-15

 

[West R Lee]

Sustainable wood, ..cherry.. I'd a never guesed ?? I have seen some darn pretty cherry burls.

Martin makes some neat guitars, for some reason I'm always drawn to the smaller Martins. If you ever get a chance play one of these little gems...0015.

All mahogany, tad bit bigger than an M/F20. I've played several & a couple were lively little guitars, very fun to play.

http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing ... =m&m=00-15

I could never do it Jeff, but I can't stop thinking about that little Martin, man that thing sounded good. I feel so guilty.....like I've committed a sin. Like audultery or something. I confess.

West

 

[Tunes]

Sustainable wood, ..cherry.. I'd a never guesed ?? I have seen some darn pretty cherry burls.

Martin makes some neat guitars, for some reason I'm always drawn to the smaller Martins. If you ever get a chance play one of these little gems...0015.

All mahogany, tad bit bigger than an M/F20. I've played several & a couple were lively little guitars, very fun to play.

http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing ... =m&m=00-15

I could never do it Jeff, but I can't stop thinking about that little Martin, man that thing sounded good. I feel so guilty.....like I've committed a sin. Like audultery or something. I confess.

West

Variety is the spice of life - well except when it comes to women - then apparantly it is in fact adultery. But as far as I know guitars are still exempt West.

 

[chazmo]

Sustainable wood, ..cherry.. I'd a never guesed ?? I have seen some darn pretty cherry burls.

Martin makes some neat guitars, for some reason I'm always drawn to the smaller Martins. If you ever get a chance play one of these little gems...0015.

All mahogany, tad bit bigger than an M/F20. I've played several & a couple were lively little guitars, very fun to play.

http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing ... =m&m=00-15

I could never do it Jeff, but I can't stop thinking about that little Martin, man that thing sounded good. I feel so guilty.....like I've committed a sin. Like audultery or something. I confess.

West

Variety is the spice of life - well except when it comes to women - then apparantly it is in fact adultery. But as far as I know guitars are still exempt West.

hehehehe.... exactly. Nuthin' like getting some thrills buy buying guitars.

West, hey, that's not adultery anyway. Martin was around long before Guild, and Guild doesn't even offer any "sustainable wood" products (although who knows what Kaman will do eventually -- can you imagine a D-55 with a plastic back?? ) I always believe you have to go with what speaks to you.

Adultery, though, would be buying one of Martin's new Grand J12-40E Specials. This guitar is an F-512 clone. Check it out (I have to admit, I want to play one): http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/cho ... %20Special

 

[Graham]

Adultery, though, would be buying one of Martin's new Grand J12-40E Specials.

Are they on crack? A list price of $5199? :shock:

 

[cjd-player]

Full retail with D-Tar electronics and hardshell case seems to be about $3900.00.

Still pretty pricey. :roll:

 

[dapmdave]

I think you can usually get a Martin at about 30% off MSRP. Dealers pay about half.

Dave

 

[chazmo]

$5199 should be compared with $3699 for a Guild F-512 with DTAR (those are Catalog prices). The Guild is roughly 71% the price of the Martin. I'm expecting street price differences to be roughly the same, folks. But, we'll see.

The line for the Grand J is already pretty long. Martin introduced them at NAMM. All the 12-string players in the UMGF are ga-ga over it. All I can say is, well, why don't you guys have F-512s?

 

[JerryR]

Neither of my sons has shown any interest in playing guitar - but then I didn't start until I was about 30. I always feel like I have to buy something if I go into a guitar store so usually end up with buying spare strings or thumb picks, so I never try out guitars unless I'm really thinking of buying - just the way I am I guess :roll: I'm always hoping someone I know will want to buy a guitar and want my opinion (for what it's worth) so I will have an excuse to go and play a lot of guitars - but then I'd only have the staff sneering at my playing

 

[West R Lee]

I just heard your income taxes went to 50% there in England Jerry......if you make $217,000 USD. So if you make that much, provided you don't pay any local taxes, you get to keep $108,500? Then do you pay local taxes on top of that? Glad the government is taking such good care of you Jerry. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: It's for the "greater good" though, right?.....sheeew! Why does anybody continue to work?

West

 

[fronobulax]

I just heard your income taxes went to 50% there in England Jerry......if you make $217,000 USD. So if you make that much, provided you don't pay any local taxes, you get to keep $108,500? Then do you pay local taxes on top of that? Glad the government is taking such good care of you Jerry. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: It's for the "greater good" though, right?.....sheeew! Why does anybody continue to work?

West

As a sage from that part of the world once wrote and sang "one for you, nineteen for me" making for an effective 95% tax rate.

 

[West R Lee]

I just heard your income taxes went to 50% there in England Jerry......if you make $217,000 USD. So if you make that much, provided you don't pay any local taxes, you get to keep $108,500? Then do you pay local taxes on top of that? Glad the government is taking such good care of you Jerry. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: It's for the "greater good" though, right?.....sheeew! Why does anybody continue to work?

West

As a sage from that part of the world once wrote and sang "one for you, nineteen for me" making for an effective 95% tax rate.

The whole concept is insane, and it's heading our way next.

West

 

[chazmo]

I just want to know... How much do I have to spend before I get *my* bailout?!?!

 

[wright1]

Jerry,if you are ever in London we can trawl through Tin Pan Alley and you can try out as many guitars as you like,and if you think any of the 'staff' are giving you the 'evils' we can go around detuning all the guitars! :twisted:
West, I think all of us are in deep doo doo. Luckily a lot of us will not be around to make the final payments :wink: 50% tax will only be on the amount over £150 grand,not the whole lot. We get the first £5000 odd free of tax then everything up to £60 grand(I think) is 25%,then up to £150 grand is 40%. Now over £150 grand will be 50%. In the UK only 2% of people earn £150.000 or more so the extra tax is really just a drop in the ocean. We're still screwed.

 

[JerryR]

Jerry,if you are ever in London we can trawl through Tin Pan Alley and you can try out as many guitars as you like,and if you think any of the 'staff' are giving you the 'evils' we can go around detuning all the guitars! :twisted:
West, I think all of us are in deep doo doo. Luckily a lot of us will not be around to make the final payments :wink: 50% tax will only be on the amount over £150 grand,not the whole lot. We get the first £5000 odd free of tax then everything up to £60 grand(I think) is 25%,then up to £150 grand is 40%. Now over £150 grand will be 50%. In the UK only 2% of people earn £150.000 or more so the extra tax is really just a drop in the ocean. We're still screwed.

Right on, Wright

So the gits are actually in tune in the Big Smoke shops :shock: The old adage 'It was in tune when I bought it' is a joke round here :mrgreen:

When the Beatles sang Taxman in the late 60s they were paying 95% tax on some of their earnings - indeed, the rate even went up to 98%. Socialist government you see :evil:

Actually West I only pay a maximum 20% income tax (it's about £5K free, next £30K or so at 20%, then next £115K at 40%, then over than 50%, very roughly - I don't have the tables with me, and £1 now roughly $1.50) - I'm not a high earner - though I'm in danger of getting hit for a bit at 40% sometimes But we also have an extra tax on earnings called 'National Insurance' - technically to pay for heathcare and State Pensions which is currently 11% for employees - so my real rate of tax is generally 31%.