Bluegrass on a Guild?

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I know the standard is for bluegrass to be played on a Martin. And I'd love to own a Martin. However, I own a DV62-NTHG, which I love. I've played bluegrass on it for years but I've never really heard or seen clips of bluegrass being picked on a Guild, other than myself.

Any of y'all do it? And anybody know of any video or audio of it being done?
 

GardMan

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Since October, I have been playing a jam a couple Thursdays a month, rotating between my three DV-7Xs (my D-35 lives in CGCGCE and my D-46 in DADGAD, and I am too lazy to re-tune them). Much of the music played could be considered bluegrass, but there is also some blues, old-time country, cowboy tunes, and other misc stuff. I know one of the other "regulars" has a Guild, but he hasn't brought it. Mostly I see the regulars with Martins, but there is also a couple Taylors, a Larivee, and a few that I haven't really scoped out yet.

Gillian Welch played a D-25 until a couple years ago...
 

richardp69

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I've heard this mentioned often but personally, I don't think any genre of music is defined by the brand/model of guitar used to play it. I've seen/heard some excellent Bluegrass done by folks playing Guild, Gibson, Martin and many others. Same holds true for Blues, Country, Alternative, Folk or whatever else is being played.

Just my opinion of course and I'll be the first to admit I'm typically wrong more than right on virtually any topic you might wish to discuss.
 

Westerly Wood

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They called the original D25 a "bluegrass" for a while. In Hans' book in fact. Some kind of bluegrass designation.
 

davismanLV

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As far as what can be played on what.... it's up to the individual. Don and I went to see The Travelin' McCoury's (it's the Del McCoury Band without Del) and the guitar player played a Breedlove. It's more about the individual guitar than the brand. They're breaking away from the "only Martin's" club from the old days. As long as you have a guitar that can cut through the banjo and mandolin screaming.... you're okay.....
 

bronzeback

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I suck at bluegrass. Well depends on perspective I guess. Compared to the real pros I can't touch 'em. Anyway I listen to it a lot, and go to festivals when I can here in VA. No one plays Guilds. Not even it the campground jams I never see them. Martin is king. Then smaller builders like Santa Cruise, Collings, etc... For a brand with two of the main acoustics with "Bluegrass" in the name (D50 special and D40 Jubillee) I've never understood why more bluegrass players don't embrace them. Their loss... Both terrific Bluegrass guitars!
 

Bonneville88

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All the more reason to show up with one!

Was just practicing some Norman Blake stuff I been working on... as far as I'm concerned the D25 kills my Martin D16RGT for
that kind of playing... the Guild really has what I'd call a kind of sonic "attitude"... can almost hear the Martin indignantly sticking
it's head stock up in the air and walking away when the Guild starts in...
 
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GardMan

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A quick perusal of Hans' Vol I reveals 7 of the 20 steel string flat tops produced between 1954 and 1977 had (at one time or another) the word "bluegrass" in their model name: D-40 "Bluegrass Jubilee," D-50 "Bluegrass special," F-47 "Bluegrass," D-44 "Bluegrass jubilee," D-25 "Bluegrass," D-35 "Bluegrass," and F-40 "Bluegrass."
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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Martin was the go to guitar for Bluegrass for many years.
Guild found it's home with Folk Music.

With that said, you can use any guitar that you want to use to play any kind of music.
Just know that if you show up to a Bluegrass event, you will see more Martin Guitars than any other brand.
If you don't mind that take any other guitar that you want to play.

I have never seen an official rule that states that you must play a Martin to play Bluegrass Music.
 

adorshki

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I have never seen an official rule that states that you must play a Martin to play Bluegrass Music.
That's out of deference to the banjo players.
:biggrin-new:


Was just practicing some Norman Blake stuff I been working on... as far as I'm concerned the D25 kills my Martin D16RGT for
that kind of playing... the Guild really has what I'd call a kind of sonic "attitude"... can almost hear the Martin indignantly sticking
it's head stock up in the air and walking away when the Guild starts in...
Speaking of banjos, D25's have been called banjo-killers here before.
Can't remember though, do you have flatback or an arched back?
 

rwmct

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Of course, the term "bluegrass" seems to cover a lot of ground today. A lot of what is called bluegrass does not sound anything like the Bluegrass Boys or the Sunny Mountain boys to me.
 

crank

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I used to attend a monthly pickin' party where Martin was king. A smattering of other brands, even a Guild or 2. Martins just seem to have more volume.
 

mario1956

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I know the standard is for bluegrass to be played on a Martin. And I'd love to own a Martin. However, I own a DV62-NTHG, which I love. I've played bluegrass on it for years but I've never really heard or seen clips of bluegrass being picked on a Guild, other than myself.

Any of y'all do it? And anybody know of any video or audio of it being done?

I agree it doesn't matter, or at least, it shouldn't. The Club, however, is very strong.
 

binod30

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The guitar player in The Travelin' McCoury's is Keller Williams from Colorado. This is his first venture into bluegrass. He used to do kind of alternate folk rock in which he would produce his own albums and play all of the instruments. I saw them on PBS in the cave in Tennessee.
 

binod30

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Martin was the go to guitar for Bluegrass for many years.
Guild found it's home with Folk Music.

With that said, you can use any guitar that you want to use to play any kind of music.
Just know that if you show up to a Bluegrass event, you will see more Martin Guitars than any other brand.
If you don't mind that take any other guitar that you want to play.

I have never seen an official rule that states that you must play a Martin to play Bluegrass Music.

I could not have said of it better. Another thing to consider is how much bluegrass that a person plays. Is that all he plays? Does he just play a little bit? Does he want to be a star picker that can pick with the best? Can he justify a Martin's price tag? Is having a Martin that important? Is it that much of a game changer? A Guild, Gibson, Larrivee, or a Taylor may be a lot more versatile instrument for the musician on a budget that is not limited to bluegrass music. I have found that if a person attends more acoustic jams than just bluegrass, you will see a wider variety than just the Martin dreadnaught. Just my $0.02.
 

dreadnut

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I've got two gigs coming up with my Bluegrass band, I'll be playing my mandolin and my D-25M. I love my DV-52, but the D-25M is definitely louder, I've been playing Bluegrass with it for over 40 years and it stands right in there with the other instruments. Always with D/A Phosphor Bronze mediums.

Nothing bad to say about Martins, would love to have several in my stable, but it does appear that a certain amount status comes along with owning one if you're playing Bluegrass.

In 1976 I went out intending to buy a Martin D-18, and instead I came home with the Guild D-25M.

That's my story and I'm stickin' with it!
 
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