Br1ck
Senior Member
Personally, I get along with a lot of different necks, but there is no denying that in a room full of guitars I'll really like one or two. Getting your hands on a guitar will ALWAYS be a better option. Online has just become the only option, or the easiest. Now the classical string world has the best method. My daughter, shopping for a $25K viola, had six shipped to her from all over the counrty for the cost of shipping. The dealers have their own robust insurance. For less than $1k, she had $150,000 worth of instruments in her house for a month. She chose two, sent the rest back. She called the finalist's dealers, asked for another month and got it. Made her choice, sent one back and a check to the dealer. That's the way to buy an instrument.
But I could buy a Collings and like it, or a Martin, or a Gibson. But if they were all in a room I'd pick one over the other. When I see someone two hours away from a city say they don't have time to shop, well I say why not? You will hopefully spend a thousand hours playing a guitar. Now if you're looking for a 71 D 25, it's another story. Less so if you will settle for a 70-72 D 25, D 35, or D 40. But nothing will ever beat being in the same room with guitars. I once though I'd hit paydirt when I was shopping for a 60s J 45. Walked into Sylvan in Santa Cruz and they had four! Two were dogs, one was ok, one good, but none came close to my 65 Texan. Had I gotten any one in the mail I'd probably have rejected two, but kept the others not knowing what I was missing.
Then again, I bought my Martin D 35 Custom from Bryan Kimsey. When I asked about a D 18, he said he had a very good D 35 I should buy instead. I trust his judgement and am very happy, so this buying can be a crapshoot. I have friends who buy $7500 guitars online. Yes, they are going to be good, but better than anything else in a shop like Gryphon?
But I could buy a Collings and like it, or a Martin, or a Gibson. But if they were all in a room I'd pick one over the other. When I see someone two hours away from a city say they don't have time to shop, well I say why not? You will hopefully spend a thousand hours playing a guitar. Now if you're looking for a 71 D 25, it's another story. Less so if you will settle for a 70-72 D 25, D 35, or D 40. But nothing will ever beat being in the same room with guitars. I once though I'd hit paydirt when I was shopping for a 60s J 45. Walked into Sylvan in Santa Cruz and they had four! Two were dogs, one was ok, one good, but none came close to my 65 Texan. Had I gotten any one in the mail I'd probably have rejected two, but kept the others not knowing what I was missing.
Then again, I bought my Martin D 35 Custom from Bryan Kimsey. When I asked about a D 18, he said he had a very good D 35 I should buy instead. I trust his judgement and am very happy, so this buying can be a crapshoot. I have friends who buy $7500 guitars online. Yes, they are going to be good, but better than anything else in a shop like Gryphon?
