Ok so here is nice story,
I was in Houston yesterday on business and on my way out of town I decided to visit Houston's nicest guitar shop, Fullers Vintage Guitar. Every time I go in, the same friendly guy helps me and sits patiently while a tinker on a couple of guitars. Well, I wasn't planning on playing any yesterday due to that reason, but I still wanted to look around. I have played almost every Guild they have in the store, so yesterday I was browsing the Martin selection. The owner (I presume), came up to me and said to point at something and he would let me play it.
Well I have been hammering on my "new" F30 for a while and really enjoy its tone. I also remember never really enjoying the tone of a Standard Series 000-18. So I asked to play the -18 just to see if that still held true after all this time spent with the F30. I picked a couple numbers on it, and yes, just as I had suspected, the Std-18 just wasn't for me. Just something about the finish in each note sounded too sterile with no personality. The F30 has a woody twang that is just lovely. The owner and I started talking guitars and he pulled an 000-18Authentic off the shelf for me to try. Now I never played an Authentic (pricey!), but it's cousin, the -18GE is similar in build and tone so I knew what I was getting myself into. I was expecting tone I just love and fall for but with a thick fat neck that is too uncomfortable in my hands. I wrapped my hand around the neck and WHAT?????? A fit like a glove! Sometimes I reach over and use my thumb on the low E and that was easy as well, even up to the 5th fret. The tone was phenomenal (of course) and now that cumbersome neck was easy as well. I pulled an 000-28EC off the shelf and tried it as well. Easy as butter. I then tried a 00-28VS (a little thicker of a neck, close to a classical) and it was more of a challenge, but doable. I have always loved the tone of these higher end Martins, but two things always got in the way: 1)Money, and 2) that thick fat neck.
Well neck problem solved! How???? My hands did not grow. I started thinking about it and decided it was my damned F30. It has a pretty thick, chunky C-profile neck that was difficult to play at first. After about a month, I am so used to it, I don't even think twice. The necks on my D25 and 000-15 are tiny compared to the F30. I guess the F30 has conditioned my hand to the larger necks. Well great, just freakin' great. Now I am itchin' for one of these nicer Martins...good thing I don't have any money! :lol: One of those 00 12-fret Martins sure would be fun to have. Maybe one day, but for now, I am just glad I now find the fat necks comfortable.
Oh and for what it is worth, the Std 000-18 has got nothin' on my F30! Nothing.
I was in Houston yesterday on business and on my way out of town I decided to visit Houston's nicest guitar shop, Fullers Vintage Guitar. Every time I go in, the same friendly guy helps me and sits patiently while a tinker on a couple of guitars. Well, I wasn't planning on playing any yesterday due to that reason, but I still wanted to look around. I have played almost every Guild they have in the store, so yesterday I was browsing the Martin selection. The owner (I presume), came up to me and said to point at something and he would let me play it.
Well I have been hammering on my "new" F30 for a while and really enjoy its tone. I also remember never really enjoying the tone of a Standard Series 000-18. So I asked to play the -18 just to see if that still held true after all this time spent with the F30. I picked a couple numbers on it, and yes, just as I had suspected, the Std-18 just wasn't for me. Just something about the finish in each note sounded too sterile with no personality. The F30 has a woody twang that is just lovely. The owner and I started talking guitars and he pulled an 000-18Authentic off the shelf for me to try. Now I never played an Authentic (pricey!), but it's cousin, the -18GE is similar in build and tone so I knew what I was getting myself into. I was expecting tone I just love and fall for but with a thick fat neck that is too uncomfortable in my hands. I wrapped my hand around the neck and WHAT?????? A fit like a glove! Sometimes I reach over and use my thumb on the low E and that was easy as well, even up to the 5th fret. The tone was phenomenal (of course) and now that cumbersome neck was easy as well. I pulled an 000-28EC off the shelf and tried it as well. Easy as butter. I then tried a 00-28VS (a little thicker of a neck, close to a classical) and it was more of a challenge, but doable. I have always loved the tone of these higher end Martins, but two things always got in the way: 1)Money, and 2) that thick fat neck.
Well neck problem solved! How???? My hands did not grow. I started thinking about it and decided it was my damned F30. It has a pretty thick, chunky C-profile neck that was difficult to play at first. After about a month, I am so used to it, I don't even think twice. The necks on my D25 and 000-15 are tiny compared to the F30. I guess the F30 has conditioned my hand to the larger necks. Well great, just freakin' great. Now I am itchin' for one of these nicer Martins...good thing I don't have any money! :lol: One of those 00 12-fret Martins sure would be fun to have. Maybe one day, but for now, I am just glad I now find the fat necks comfortable.
Oh and for what it is worth, the Std 000-18 has got nothin' on my F30! Nothing.
